All posts by Kelly S

#REVIEW – Lone Wolf: (Olento Research #2) by Sarah Noffke

Lone Wolf: A Paranormal Science Fiction Thriller (Olento Research Book 2)

 

When one man can’t reconcile with the wolf inside of him, he knows all he can do is run. Take thewolf with him and run away from those he doesn’t want to hurt. But will that be his greatest mistake?

The pack is coming together, but one wolf would rather be alone with his demons than united as a team. In the second installment in the Olento Research series, Connor runs from the Lucidite Institute and his pack, fearful of what the wolf will make him do. All of the men describe feeling the impulses, thedesires that are unquenchable, coursing through them. But Connor knows he has a lesser chance of resisting those impulses due to his background. And after what he almost did to Adelaide, he can’t risks it happening again.

However, Mika hasn’t given up and he’s more driven to retrieve the werewolves he knows belong to him. He plants a mole in the Institute and thengoes to work creating a werewolf meant to catch other werewolves. One that is stronger, faster and bigger than those in the original pack.

Meanwhile Zephyr is quickly following leads and tracking down members of the pack, but will he be one step behind Olento Research? Can he rescue his team and stop Olento Research before they capture their would-be assassins?

Lone Wolf is darker and more grueling than its predecessor. However, it’s also a story about characters who are so beautiful with all their many flaws. It’s a story about how the very best intentions can still lead to the worst scenarios. When one intends not to hurt another, they may find that’s exactly what they’ve done.

 

Goodreads

 

A must read! This series gets better and better with every word read, every page written, and every emotion that the author provokes. “Loners take the risks that leaders can never afford.” *sigh* So true! I am a sucker for shifters but most stories are similar in nature. NOT THIS ONE! It is very unique and completely sucks you in to this incredible world of Dream Travelers and Werewolves. And lets not stop here…the Dream Travelers have special abilities (kinda like superpowers!). There is plenty of snark and sarcasm (and I require a lot!) all mixed in with real life emotions of these werewolves that will….that just….that give you ALL THE FEELS! Action, adventure, feels….what more could you ask for? These werewolves were abducted and experimented on. The werewolves escaped in the firsts book and are now trying to come to terms with what they are and what happened to them in this book. The pack is split up. Many of them still don’t know what happened to them or the fact that these abilities they acquired have made them a hybrid of human, dream traveler, and werewolf. It’s a combination that let’s you, as the reader, know that anything is possible and anything can happen. This series and the author are truly amazing. This is one heck of an adventure that you don’t want to miss as they try and get the pack back together while being picked off by another experiment. It’s wild! Check this out, you won’t be sorry.

 

Amazon

 

Sarah Noffke

To get a free book from the author, go here: http://www.sarahnoffke.com/free-book/

Sarah Noffke, an Amazon Best Seller, writes YA and NA sci-fi fantasy and is the author of the Lucidites, Reverians, Ren, Vagabond Circus and Olento Research series. She holds a Masters of Management and teaches college business courses. Most of her students have no idea that she toils away her hours crafting fictional characters. Noffke’s books are top rated and best-sellers on Kindle. Currently, she has fifteen novels published. Her books are available in paperback, audio and in Spanish, Portuguese and Italian.

To stay up to date with Sarah please subscribe to her newsletter: http://www.sarahnoffke.com/connect/

Books by the Author:

The Lucidites Series:
Awoken, Book 1
Stunned, Book 2
Revived, Book 3

The Reverians Series:
Defects, Book 1
Rebels, Book 2
Warriors, Book 3

Vagabond Circus Series:
Suspended, Book 1
Paralyzed, Book 2
Released, Book 3

Ren Series:
Ren: The Man Behind the Monster, Book 1
Ren: God’s Little Monster, Book 2
Ren: The Monster Inside the Monster, Book 3
Ren: The Monster’s Adventure, Book 3.5
Ren: The Monster’s Death, Book 4

Olento Research Series:
Alpha Wolf, Book 1
Lone Wolf, Book 2 (June 2017)
Rabid Wolf, Book 3 (July 2017)
Bad Wolf, Book 4 (August 2017)

 

#WOTR #Throwback – Banished by Elissa Daye

 

***COME CHECK OUT ELISSA! SHE’S COMING BACK!!!***

 

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My time here on this world was embittered from the start. As a carrier, I had very little choice in the matter. The demon inside had been planted long before I even had a voice. From the very minute my first breath entered my body, she was coiled inside like a venomous snake. The Brotherhood wanted to control me, to keep their demon Gladius inside a host that they could groom from birth, but as soon as my mother caught on, she ripped me away from their evil clutches and kept me hidden from their reach. Under her tutelage, I had learned how to keep the monster at bay.

In the darkest night, my life had spiraled to a meaningless end as my time as a mortal subsided, for I had fallen under a spell woven by the vampire Demetrius. After draining me to the brink, he tossed me aside and left me to die with the first morning light. My propensity for survival he had not calculated.

Now, I was left with a single purpose, destroy the man who had obliterated the calm control I had kept over my life, over the monster that slithered beneath.

 

Goodreads

 

This has it all! Demons, monsters, evil incarnate, vampires, cults, witches….I could go on and on. Grace is not your normal everyday girl. She was born into a world where things go bump in the night. She was born to bear a demon in her body and soul. The only thing is she was raised to be able to keep the demon at bay. She works and tries to stay off the radar to keep away from The Brotherhood. Their only mission is to bring Gladius, the demon inside of Grace, to the surface. She is enamoured by Demetrius and lets her guard down. He turns her to a vampire and leaves her to die. She is found by the Night Order who want to enlist her help to keep demons and vampires at bay. She is brought into a new world and is no longer on her own. She is with other vampires and mortals who want to help her rid the demon inside. Of course there is a love story here. She has been on her own for so long that receiving help from anyone and having any luck in gaining her trust has been incredibly difficult. She has things she must do to keep her sanity an one is going after the man that did this to her and to rid the demon.

Pity was for the weak, and that was something I never considered myself. I had been a fighter most of my life. From the time I was a child, I had learned that the world would never make it easy for me. I had to push against the machine if I wanted to survive, and I had pushed so hard that I carried battle scars, some visible, but many more that were not.

From the moment I was born, life was a series of missteps in directions that twisted and curled into roads where the streetlamps never seemed to work. Darkness had followed me like a harbinger, circiling around until I had no other recourse but to embrace the path that was paved in front of me.

The story has great characters with so many different personalities. I absolutely love paranormal and this has a great twist on something that can seem so overdone. Grace’s struggle is real and you feel it to the core. It is a fast paced read with lots of action and some hot scenes. A must read!

 

Amazon

 

Elissa Daye

Ever since childhood, I have enjoyed reading stories as an escape from life. When I was a teenager I started to write my own stories that kept me entertained whenever I ran out of books to read. When I was accepted into Illinois Summer School for the Arts in my Junior year of High School, I knew I wanted to become a writer. I graduated from Illinois State University in December 1999 with a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education and began my teaching career, hoping to find moments to write in my free time.

After seven years of teaching, I decided to focus on my writing and made the decision to put my teaching years behind me so that I could create the stories I had always dreamed of. I am now happily married and a stay at home mom. I try my best to master the art of multitasking to get everything accomplished and write in any spare moment I can find.

#WOTR #Throwback – His Precious Cargo (The Heart Nebula Series #1) by Ava Cuvay

 

**COME CHECK OUT AVA! SHE’S BAAAACK!!!**

 

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One illicit lap dance becomes a flight for their lives.

A stripper with dreams of being a princess.
An intergalactic thief with a freighter of stolen cargo.

At the outskirts of space and away from the rigid control of Central Command, Granger entices Kaedi to break her strict no-lap dance policy. The repercussions force her to pack up and hitch a ride off-world in the same freighter he has hired. They discover a passion hotter than a super nova, but their plans are shattered by the untimely death of the ship’s captain and the duplicity of the co-pilot.

The two lovers crash headlong into the clutches of Granger’s best-friend-turned-torture-happy-enemy. When Granger’s heritage is revealed, Kaedi relinquishes the pleasure she finds in his arms, believing herself unworthy. Granger chases after her, determined to convince her she is more precious to him than stolen cargo.

 

Goodreads

 

Oh my stars and planets! A stripper and an intergalactic thief! What more could you ask for?! This book was exciting from beginning to end. It grabs your attention and holds you right to the very end and leaves you wanting….no, needing more. Right from jump the author puts you in a seedy type of strip club with all types of characters. Granger is the intergalactic thief and he has hired Dex, a shady pilot, to get him off of the rock they are on. He runs into Kaedi, our dominant exotic dancer, and he cannot get her out of his mind. Kaedi decides at the last minute she is going to hitch a ride with the guys but they run into all sorts of trouble with Central Command. They lose their pilot and lots of cargo. Only to have to deal with ships tailing them and some not so savory back stabbers. Kaedi and Granger grow instantly close. They cannot keep to themselves and it’s not about number one anymore….its about them together. Absolutely action packed with crazy ship chases, crashes, and very hot scenes between these two! Just wow! This is my first book by Ava Cuvay and will absolutely not be the last. This is one of my new favorites!!!

 

Amazon

 

Ava Cuvay

Ava Cuvay writes out of this world romance featuring sassy heroines, often-alien-but-always-sexy heroes, and an alcoholic beverage or two… Set in a galaxy far, far away. Think “Star Wars” meets “Firefly”, without Jar-Jar Binks, and with a lot more heat.

She resides in central Indiana with a hubby who makes her laugh and kiddos who are growing up way too quickly. She enjoys the world of wine and spirits, amusement park thrill rides, and laughing at her own foibles (yeah, she laughs a lot).

She believes life is too short to surround yourself with negative people, and Han Solo shot first. When not writing, Ava is thinking about writing. Or wine. And she’s always thinking about bacon.

#WOTR #Throwback – Girl Spoken For by Suzie T. Roos

 

**COME CHECK OUT SUZIE! SHE’S COMING BACK!!**

 

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What’s the point of making a New Year’s resolution when weeks later your life goes to the toilet anyway?

Sixteen-year-old Tatum Duncan’s life has turned upside down. Her best friend and grandmother has died, her mother is threatening to send her to an all-girls school for defending herself against a bully, and her abusive boyfriend nearly kills hers. 1989 isn’t turning out to be her year.

But just when it seems like all is lost, Tatum is saved by Zach Bertano, her longtime friend and secret crush. Her dormant attraction to him surfaces with his persistent attention. As her love for Zach grows, she comes to learn that he too has skeletons, and his issues could affect Tatum’s life in ways she never imagined.

Zach’s overlooked her baggage—can she overlook his?

 

Goodreads

 

I have Spoken For this story! This is a mixture between YA with some scenes that could move it into the NA category. I absolutely love that this is set in 1989. So refreshing! Tatum is a sophomore in high school and has just lost her best friend, her grandmother. She has always embraced being different and being her own person. She ends up with Kyle, the super hot jock. She then thinks that everything is great and how she is so lucky that he wants her. Tatum is extremely naive and keeps trying to give Kyle the benefit of the doubt when he gets extremely possessive and abusive. She is put in a situation that is life altering. This is where things get really emotionally unstable. She feels that she cannot go to anyone. Zach (the other super hot, dark and mysterious guy) knows something is going on but cannot resist being Tatum’s knight in shining armor….or mobster in black. So many conflicting emotions and crazy secrets start surfacing. Gauntlets are thrown. And Tatum always ends up in the middle. The characters in the story are well written, extremely relateable, and easy to fall in love with. In the end Tatum does get what she wants but it may be at an incredible price. I have to say that I picked this book up because of the cover. It’s absolutely gorgeous! The perk is that the story is even better. I could not put this down. I am looking forward to the rest of the series.

 

Amazon

 

Suzie T. Roos

Suzie T. Roos is from, and has settled in, St. Louis with her husband, two children and a number of foster pets at any given time.

She and her husband have lived everywhere from Philadelphia, PA to out West in Santa Monica, Ca. They’re thankful they could expose their children to different American lifestyles and cultures.

Besides writing, Suzie’s hobbies include movies, traveling, and especially concert going with her husband and friends.

She’s always been an animal lover and animal rights advocate. She is certified by FEMA in IS-00011.a Animal in Disasters: Community Planning. She’s also an active volunteer at the Humane Society of Missouri.

 

#WOTR #Throwback – Dangerous Waters (Sisters in Blood #1) by C.M. Michaels

 

**COME CHECK OUT C.M., HE’S COMING BACK!!!**

 

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For Emily Waters, a nature-loving, small-town girl with an overprotective father, heading off to Boston University to study conservation biology is a dream come true—until a chance encounter catapults her into a mythical world she’d do anything to escape.

The latest victim in a rash of abductions near campus, Emily is brutally attacked before being rescued by a powerful new friend. She survives the ordeal, only to find herself held captive and presented with an impossible choice.

While preparing for the unimaginable life she must now embrace, clues soon emerge that Emily may not be entirely human, and her physical transformation awakens goddess-like powers that her new family cannot begin to explain.

Dealing with her human first love, the not-so-platonic relationship with her coven “sister,” and her new vampire sort-of-boyfriend further complicates matters, not to mention being secretly hunted by the psychopaths who attacked her. And as the only known offspring of a once all-powerful race, the climactic battle is just the beginning of her journey.

 

Goodreads

 


I received this book in exchange for an honest review.

This starts with a bang and grabs your attention! Great first book in this series. Emily is experiencing a lot of firsts lately. First time away from home, starts college, new roommates, people coming up missing, vampires, love, sisterhood………… Do you see a pattern?? Emily is attacked by a group that take control of her body. She is going crazy trying to figure out what is going on when she is saved by a new friend. She is then catapulted into a new supernatural world that is absolutely captivating. She is given two choices….life or death. Each choice comes with life altering changes. She faces a choice to become part of a new family or leave the one she was given behind. All the while she is secretly being hunted by the crazy people who attacked her.

“You can never assume anything is going to go as planned.”

This author does an incredible job with getting your attention and keeping it. Great job with the world building and character development. Each character that Emily is in contact with is special to her one way or another. I felt that some parts moved a little slow but this was mainly due to the amount of information you are being given to be sure nothing was left out. Awesome buildup to the story as well. This has the potential to be a really amazing series! Looking forward to reading the next!

 

Amazon

 

C.M. Michaels

C.M Michaels grew up in a small town in northern Michigan as the youngest child of a close-knit family of seven.

He met his wife, Teresa, while attending Saginaw Valley State University.
Together they’ve provided a loving home for several four-legged “kids”, including Sophie, their eternally young at heart, hopelessly spoiled Spaniel.
He has always enjoyed writing, and still has fond memories of reading his first book, a children’s novella, to local grade schools when he was 14. C.M. is currently working on the third book in the Sisters in Blood series along with a Fantasy romance called Kerrigan’s Race.

An avid reader since discovering Jim Kjelgaard novels in early childhood, his favorite authors include Kelley Armstrong, Peter V. Brett, Richelle Mead, Rachel Caine and Laini Taylor. When he’s not writing, C.M. can be found curled up with a good book, watching movies or hitting the hiking trails with his wife.

C.M. currently resides in Louisville, Kentucky.

 

#WOTR #Throwback – Beyond the Veil of Whispered Dreams (The Veil Book #1) by Jolanthe Aleksander

***CHECK OUT JOLANTHE ALEKSANDER! I DID!!***

 

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Things are not always simple or what they seem.
Daria McClaren is content. She has her dance school, her cousin Celine and the man of her dreams. Literally.

Iauron is uneasy. As the High King of the Fae, his chosen Queen Verisiel is calling to him, but he cannot find her. The court insists that she has crossed over. He is not so sure that is the case. He has searched every realm looking. Every realm, but the human one.

The race is on. Beyond the veil lie truths waiting to be revealed. Which one will have the courage to look? Will they be in time?

 

Goodreads

 

Very promising beginning to a new series! This is a story where the Fae Queen is missing but is found in the human realm. She is no longer in fae form but reincarnated as a human. The Fae King finds her and is hell bent on making her remember her past life so she can be the queen she once was. The story starts with Daria, a young woman who is still trying to find herself, when she “runs into” Ian, a very hot client. A very fast and hot relationship starts and then the rollercoaster begins. You are thrown in the passion that Ian feels and the issues he has trying to get Daria to remember….while trying to make Daria believe that she loved him once. There is a traitor amongst the Fae and this traitor is the reason the queen is a human now. The king is faced with finding and dealing with this traitor and making his queen remember. It is quite the story!

“Day and night cling to each other like lovers torn apart. The few moments they are allowed to exist in the same time and space is brief and fleeting, and loathe though they are to leave each other, they paint the sky in beautiful colors as remembrance of their love for one another. And, during the day, the world is such a busy place that when dusk finally does arrive, it feels as if the world finally gives itself permission to take a deep breath and relax.”

“It was beautiful. She couldn’t deny it. It was also a cage. ‘A beautiful cage of snow and ice that is preventing me from returning home.’”

I absolutely recommend this book. The reason for giving it 3 3/4 stars is that some parts of this story are very rushed and at times I was left needing more. Nothing from the main story is missing but there are some side notes that could have been drawn out more and the story jumps around a bit. This is very promising and it is left with a cliffhanger. I am anxious to continue the Fae King and Queen’s story.

 

Amazon

 

Jolanthe Aleksander

Jolanthe is a Marine Corps Brat and proud of it. The nomadic life of the military helped develop her love of reading and books became her friend.

A dancer, Jolanthe appeared in several productions in high school and later in the area theatres. She gave up her role of dancer/actress for her greatest role to date, that of Mother to a son who reminds her every day to find joy in the simplest of things and to use her imagination.

Missing the stage, and at the prompting of some on-line friends, Jolanthe gave rp-ing with an internet group a try. There she found and developed her skill as a writer.
When not working, writing, or keeping up with her son, Jolanthe can be found scouring antique shops, used bookstores, and of course, reading.

#Review – Saint (A Wolf’s Hunger #6) (Standalone) by Bella Roccaforte

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Saint has always been the good wolf, until the hunger strikes.

To be the Pack Alpha is the greatest honor a wolf can receive, but also the greatest responsibility. Saint always put the law and the pack before himself, but when a mysterious woman arrives in town and his hunger becomes insatiable, all hell breaks loose.

Scarlet never fit in anywhere. Born without her wolf, she was sent away at birth for being a bad omen. Her bright red eyes were a dead giveaway that she wasn’t human either. After twenty-five years living as an outsider, her mother brings her home; there’s still no place for Scarlet among the pack, and she tries to go on the run…again.

Though an inexplicable force keeps Scarlet from leaving, is it her wolf? Or the handsome young Alpha she meets on the road?

Saint has found his mate, but will Scarlet find her wolf in time to save Saint from losing himself to his wolf forever?

Book 1 in New York Times Bestselling Author, A K Michaels’ new Shifter series full of passion, intrigue and Paranormal Romance. All are standalones with a HEA and no cliffhangers. Jam packed full of suspense, romance, thrills and hot Shifters.

 

Goodreads

 

Oh, the feels! A big bad Alpha with a strong female….SWOON! Saint is next in line to be Alpha. All of a sudden he feels something brewing in him. His wolf is a little out of control and is never satisfied. One night while in wolf form he comes across Scarlet. Scarlet is from this pack but was taken away as a baby because she was born without her wolf. Being born without your wolf is a bad omen for packs, or so they say. There is an intense attraction between these two with a romance that blossoms quickly but so pure. As they are trying to find her wolf, things get crazy. Rogue wolves and wicked witches. What more could you ask for? This story has it all. I fell in love with Saint and Scarlet as well as the side characters. The book is a standalone but has so much potential for more. I hope these other characters get to come out and play!

 

Amazon

 

Bella Roccaforte


OMG Check it out!
UtopYA 2015 Nominee for:

Best Supernatural Villain – The Specter from INK: Series
Best Supernatural Series of the Year
INK: Series

Best Kiss
Cole & Claire – Moon Crossed by Bella Roccaforte
Best Serial Series
Moon Crossed by Bella Roccaforte

I’m the author of:
Crescent Hunter (Moon Crossed) Series
INK: Series
Paranormal Transmissions Series

I have been many places and done many amazing things. My motto has always been that you can choose to watch life pass you by or be the one spinning the world. You have to get out and live. Life won’t come to you!

Writing is just one of my passions that I’m lucky enough to be able to express. I also love music, reading other people’s books, but most of all spending time with my kiddos.

The characters in INK are very near and dear to my heart. Some are very closely fashioned after real people in the real world. Many of the experiences that Shay has had actually happened, of course there haven’t been any murders – oh wait there were but not like in the book. That’s a whole other series!

INK is currently slated to be a 6 book series (0-5). I hope that you enjoy INK: Fine Lines and fall in love with Aiden and Eli just like I did!

Keep in touch with me here:
Join my mailing list: http://www.bellawrites.com/join-my-ma…
https://www.facebook.com/Bellaroccaforte
https://twitter.com/BellaRoccaforte
Http://bellawrites.com
https://plus.google.com/+BellaRoccafo…

 

#WOTR #Review – Sweet And Savage (Savage Series Book 1) by T.C. Winters

 

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Annie Sweet’s nemesis is fire…

The sole survivor when an arsonist destroyed her home, young Annie Sweet is plunged into the nightmarish world of unregulated foster care. When her abusive foster mother also dies in a suspicious fire, the local media dubs Annie the Vigilante Baby.

That’s not who I am anymore…

Years later, Annie has one goal—eradicate her past by saving other children from the horrors of abuse. But as she finds herself surrounded by flames and death once again, she realizes someone doesn’t want her to forget.

Confess…

The danger escalates, and clues point to Annie as the perpetrator. Convinced she is being framed, she turns to the one man who knows fire.

Firefighter Luke Savage suffers from his own demons, but when he’s called to Annie’s home for a minor fire, he’s taken by her charm.

The flames burn even hotter when Annie’s chief tormentor is found dead on her kitchen floor, yet the deadly deeds continue.

Two in, two out…

Will the firefighter’s creed keep her from harm, or lead her straight into the flames?

 

Goodreads

 

I can’t even begin to tell you how good this book is. If you like twists and turns with thrills and, of course a little romance… then this is the book for you. This is one of those stories that kept me up late and I couldn’t get it off my mind off of it. It’s a total mindf*ck with a ton of sweet and savage!

Allie is an orphan and was put into the foster system after her house caught fire and her parents died. She was pushed around the system not having a great childhood while living with Nana Mae. This woman had all kind of crazy, ridiculous things going on. Let’s just say that FIRE follows Allie around. there is a deep dark secret that she carries. One night there is a fire near her home and in comes a handsome fireman, Luke. Luke is smitten with Allie and can’t stay away from her. He tries to protect her but little do we know, Luke is carrying some pretty touchy secrets of his own. Someone is out to get Allie and Luke, along with his family are put right in the middle of the madness. No one knows why this is happening or who they can trust. There is sooooo much more to this story. Very twisted scenarios with surprise outcomes that will keep your head spinning!

The writing and world building are great. The characters are so real and will pull you into this story so fast! And the plot, well, it’s mind boggling in the best possible way. Definitely a page turner! A must read!

 

Amazon

 

T.C. Winters

T.C. owned a small business in the real estate industry for decades before deciding a change was required to preserve her sense of humor. She joined the Indiana chapter of the Romance Writers of America and Sisters in Crime where she spent years studying the writing craft, specializing in humor and suspense.
She and her husband are residents of central Indiana where they enjoy volunteering for the various sporting events held in Indianapolis. T.C is an NFL, NBA and WNBA fan, spending many unrecoverable hours tailgating. Other talents include cooking and entertaining.

#Review – House of Wolves: (A Paranormal Urban Fantasy) (The Vampire Project Book 1) by Jonathan Yanez

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History was wrong: werewolves and vampires were made, not born. Buckle up, Buttercup, this is going to get bloody.

Despite her youth, Captain Charlotte Sloan has risen rapidly through the ranks of the queen’s army due to one simple truth; she doesn’t take lip from anyone.

But she’s about to come up against something she can’t beat alone. Gruesome murders have been reported in a far off town. A beast of unknown origin is on the loose and the body count is rising.

If she hopes to survive, Sloan will have to play nice with an assassin well versed in drinking and the best two magicians money can’t buy. When the dust settles, one will die, one will find love, and another will be changed forever.

 

Goodreads

 

An intriguing paranormal, steampunk, supernatural story! I had to read this as soon as I read the first line of the synopsis.

House of Wolves is a quick and fun read with plenty of surprising twists that pop out of nowhere. The queen of New Hope dispatches Sloan (the captain of her personal guard) Aereth (former inspector and assassin) and Marcus and Jack (father and son sorcerers) to help the outlying city of Burrow Den. Burrow Den has had multiple attacks by an unknown animal/monster. The queen is trying to build good relationships with the outlying cities and has agreed to help. She sends the four out on this quest . Little did they know, there is so much more going on. They are almost assassinated, they crash their transportation, and find all kinds of quirks and craziness along the way and when they arrive at Burrow Den. Now they need to find the culprit. Animal or human? Who and what is going on?

The world building was interesting to follow. The way it is described leaves a little to the imagination but this is really great because in my mind I had several different ways it could all be set up. When I read the synopsis I thought I would be following Sloan, and only Sloan. It is a little misleading. We follow the entire group and the story is told from all of their points of view. I feel like this book is a cross between Steampunk and Supernatural. Not at all like the technology that we have but they have magic powered tech too. This was a fun book to read. Truly unique. And the investigating that the group do will keep you right in the middle of the story. This is the first book that I have read by Jonathan Yanez and won’t be the last. I am looking forward to the next!

 

Amazon

 

Jonathan Yanez

Jonathan Yanez is the author of over a dozen fantasy and science fiction novels. His works include, The Elite Series, The Nephilim Chronicles, Thrive, Bad Land, Steam and Shadows and The DeCadia Code. He has been both traditionally and independently published with his works being adapted into; ebook, print, audiobook and even optioned for film.

Although writing has been and will always be his main love, physical exercise comes in at a close second. When he’s not writing his next novel that more than likely includes some kind of zombie, superhero, angel or alternative steampunk universe he enjoys running with his Husky and working out at the gym.

His hobbies include archery, mud runs, collecting the skulls of his enemies and baking cupcakes. He lives in Southern California with his wife and two pets where he stays highly caffeinated 24/7.

If you would like to know more about his upcoming series including release dates and insider information you can visit him at www.jonathan-yanez.com and join his readers group. You’ll also receive his dystopian/survival novel, Thrive, for free when you join!(

#Review #WOTR – Call of the Raven (The Union) by Shawn Reilly

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Love is something everyone longs for at the deepest level—but for some, love is a curse. This is most certainly true for Asher Lake, the Keeper of an unknown group of people called ani-shifts. Ani-shifts, those with the ability to shift into animal forms, compose a secretive body of individuals known simply as the Union.
A wolf in shifter form, Asher lives with a curse placed upon him and his predecessors by the elusive Raven—a dark entity whose identity remains a mystery. According to the ancient archives, the Raven’s curse is conditional and set in motion by one fatal decision: if a Keeper ever allows himself to fall in love, he will die.
Choosing to live in isolation within the walls of Lake Manor, a private estate concealed by the dense woods of Brokenridge, Asher has vowed never to love or to fall in love with anyone believing it to be the only way to survive the curse. However, after ten years of neglecting his people and the protégés left in his care, along with the impending threats of an uprising, Asher learns the only way to break the Raven’s curse on future Keepers, thereby preventing them from suffering the same fate, is to accept his.
This becomes Asher’s biggest challenge of all when he encounters Elle Ison, the woman of his dreams. Does Elle hold the key? Can she help Asher change his fate?

 

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Don’t resist. Fate is fate and things are meant to be. Or so they say…..

First, I must say that paranormal is one of my favorite genres. I love shifter books but sometimes things get a little redundant when they are all similar. Call of the Raven is so much more. There is a lot of world building and the author does a fantastic job. And some of the characters, well, they are a little intense but soooo relateable. Definitely not your normal shifter story.

Asher is the Keeper and is destined to die an early death once he falls in love. Grant is his predecessor and tried to set things in motion to break the curse. To try and avoid this fate Asher has closed himself off and vowed not to love or fall in love. With this he has neglected his family and society. 10 long years have passed and secrets are unfolding. Asher and his group of proteges are trying to find Grant’s daughter (that no one knew about) and Asher finds the woman who he has only seen in his dreams.

Things then get real sticky and the angle is not clear on who and what is really happening. The story keeps you guessing, constantly trying to figure it out. You will be as confused as the characters (in the best way possible) as you feel like you are right in the middle of the story. The hierarchy of the shifters and their society is completely different than what I have read in the past. This is truly a great start to what I expect to be a great series. I am looking forward to the 2nd book and more from this author!

 

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Shawn Reilly

Fan page, https://www.facebook.com/shawnreillya…

04
When it seemed like I was only an F away from flunking out of the sixth grade, a retired school teacher took me under her wing. After some tutoring and testing, she informed my parents that the reason I was having trouble in school wasn’t because I was dumb but instead dyslexic.
When my stepfather heard this, he decided to take me to a used bookstore with the belief that the best way to improve my reading skills was to read. Some of the books were hard to get through at first, but with his encouragement I refused to give up. We made many trips to that bookstore, and I especially loved the science fiction and fantasy sections.
Then one day, after complaining about the ending of a particular book, he told me that if I didn’t like the books that I had been reading, then to write one myself—so I did. My first attempt resulted in a horribly written western when I was fourteen, staring a cocky gun slinging cowboy by the name Curt Calhoun. Curt along with his seven brothers, who all shared C names in common, may never have seen the pages of a book, but that was the day I started writing, and never stopped.
I have over fifty books on my computer which I’ve written in various genres, all of which are waiting to come to life. Even though my ability to write has improved over the years, I am humble enough to admit that I cannot venture on this journey alone

Shawn Reilly lives in Mt. Comfort Indiana with her husband, and three daughters. She is the author of The Union series and The Children of the Alliance Trilogy. She supports those with Lupus, Fibromyalgia, and animal rescue.