The Boy Who Came Back a Wolf(Space Shifter Chronicles, #.5)
by Kara Lockharte
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Reviewed For Readers Favorite
All through school Xavier and Lauryn had been best friends, he had been their for her when her sister was almost kidnapped, and yet when he tried to kiss her and make it something more, she pushed him away. She was afraid he would hold her back from becoming what she wanted, someone with enough money and power to always take care of her family. So Xavier headed off for ten years in the military, which left him extremely muscled and a werewolf. Now he's back and he wants Lauryn. The Boy Who Came Back A Wolf, is a short little novella that sorta introduces Lauryn and Xavier into the Space Shifter Chronicles Series. Author Lockharte has written a sizzle novel encompassing the dreams and fantasies of most mid-twenties-ish women.
The Boy Who Came Back a Wolf is part of the Space Shifter Chronicles Series, and since I am not sure exactly were at this one is suppose to be read, so it may introduce Xavier and Lauryn or it may fill in some background about them. Either way, it is a very short, maybe five chapter book that although was fun to read on its own, was definitely meant to fill in some information between two regular novels. This novella mentions Lauryn's sister Skye and her father, a space pirate. There is also mention of Xavier's mothers. Author Lockharte has taken a very short novella and given readers a look into a series that teases readers and gets them wanting to read more and find out about the series.
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Wolfhaven
by Jay Shaw
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Reviewed for Readers Favorite
In an isolated area of the country, far away from society in general live two groups, that long ago used to be one. Wolfhaven and Silver Ridge, over in Silver Ridge they detest their human side and avoid shifting into it, staying in wolf form at all times, living in caves and living a completely rigidly controlled life by a powerful alpha. In Wolfhaven, they embrace the human side as much as the wolf side, understanding that both sides are equally important. They have built a functioning society with a common house for meals and cabins for family sleeping, along with a structured hierarchy of rule. Wolfhaven focuses mostly on life in Wolfhaven, but not just general life it focuses on the Grandmother, who is the leader of the pack, and the two grandson's, the oldest that is expected to take over Trey, and the younger Connell. This is more than a simple romance, this is a love story against all odds, this is a family saga, this is life and death, this is democracy vs dictatorship. Author Jay Shaw has created a deep and multilayered story of relationships, give and take, ruling with heart and compassion and family life.
Wolfhaven is written in such a way that you feel that it is covering generations, when in reality it only covers maybe a year in reality, but so many things occur. Author Jay Shaw has created so many complex layers and stories within stories going on, that when you sit back and think about the scenarios he put forth, mates across pack boundaries, you can see society and marriages across racial and ethnical divides. Although this is listed as a paranormal romance, it is a family sage and a novel that if you take the time to read and think about what you have read, you can draw parallels and your own conclusions to society today. There is some violence, a dual for a mate, then an ambush along with some very sexist language from some parties, and consensual and nonconsensual sexual encounters, so I definitely recommend it for a more mature audience.
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Witch Cake Murders(Sweetland Witch, #1)
by Zoe Arden
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Ava has been raised hidden in the middle of New York, never attracting any attention, never doing anything fun or exciting and now she is turning twenty-one and the only thing different is the necklace her father gave her for her birthday. Then there are the two ladies that seem to know her name and look sorta like her. Oh the secrets her fathers has been hiding!
Guess what, Ava is a witch and she actually has family, two aunts, her mom's sisters and they run a witch bakery on an island where humans and witches live together in harmony. Even as her father forbids her to go, she is on her way to meet her aunts and take off, she has so much to learn and she will.
Trouble soon shows up on Sweetland and she is the first suspect, new girl in town, doesn't know anything about magic, easily taken advantage of and mislead, Ava is in for a battle, but with a couple good friends, her Aunts, and lastly her father, the truth will win out.
This is a cute, fun book that is a pleasure to read. It is defintly clean, no sex and alternative cursing, such as "oh my roses" which I loved!
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Mated To The Werewolf King
by Alena Des
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Reviewed for Readers Favorite
All her life, Belle has been raised as the daughter of a powerful alpha werewolf and his equally powerful wife. Just as her eighteenth birthday is nearing her world is shattered when her parents finally reveal that they are not her biological parents but that she was found on the edge of the pack boundary as and infant and they have raised her and loved her no matter what, but the Demon Lord is after her. Enter the Werewolf King, who claims he will protect her, but they immediately get off on a bad note, he doesn't believe she is a werewolf and she thinks he is joking. He thinks she is a witch, and she doesn't even think such things exist, oh the sheltered world you lived in Belle. Mated to the Werewolf King is the story of discovering who Belle really is and why the Demon Lord wants her, why he thinks she is his mate, and why his twin brother thinks she is his mate, but why she feels like the Werewolf King is who she wants, after she gets past his over macho attitude. Author Alena Des has created a paranormal fantasy world of werewolfs, vampires, demons, fae, witches and more all living in the same world while a single girl has the power to upset the balance of everything without knowing it.
Mated to the Werewolf King is a complex and mutilayered family saga. We are finally able to learn the turn story of Belle's parentage, but even then there is some difficulties as in her parents were being chased and he took Belle to safety because he was injured and thinking her mother was dead, only she wasn't quite, he died from his injuries. This story is not just your typical girl meets boy, falls for boy but has to prove its real for boy to accept, this is a whole girl meets boy, boy runs from girl, girl runs from boy, boy saves girl, girl saves boy, together they save the world and finally they can be together. Author Alena Des has created a story that is complex yet feels almost natural, you can understand each point of view and why certain characters did what they did, but at the same time, there is some much going on that this is one of those books that you could probably read two or three times and catch things each time that you missed the first time around. There is some violence, its an all out battle for the world, and some sexual scenes, but pretty average for todays standards.
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When Worlds Collide
by Angela Christian
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Reviewed For Readers Favorite
At 5'2 you might dismiss Lisa, but don't, she's a witch with friends that include some mighty big werewolves. She is in the process of setting up her clinic to serve the supernatural folk in her area, when all the sudden her friend Ang's bar burns done, and John asks her on a date, then she is whisked away by the Dark Fey and asked to fight for them in a war against a Demon to save the worlds. So much going on all at once and all Lisa wants is to get the clinic open and date John. When World's Collide (Family Ties) tells the story of Lisa and her friends working together to try to keep their world from being destroyed and in the process different small family ties are uncovered that no one knew before, most are good, one or two have a little bad with them, but they are used well. Author Angela Christian has created a cute world were all the different supernaturals live together in peace and harmony.
When World's Collide is a fast paced, cute story that makes you feel good. It involves witches, vampires, werewolves, fey and more. They all get along with each other and live around each other, which you normally don't see, but its a cute story. Author Angela Christian has managed to create a world were even through they are facing a war, it still feels light happy, Everyone is still happy and moving on with their lives. This is definitely an adult book because there are a couple of intimate scenes between Lisa and John that are very steamy! And I do mean steamy!
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Sker House
by C.M. Saunders
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Reviewed for Readers Favorite
This last project is pretty important to everyone involved, Dale, Lucy and Mr. Machen. Dale's been doing pretty well in his classes so this finally article could be what lands him a good job, that is why he picked Sker House, that and to spend some time away with Lucy, but she's acting a little funny. Lucy has been slacking lately and she knows and her teachers know it, so her work on this project had better be brilliant or she risks failing this class, shes already been told. Business isn't booming at Sker House, in fact Dale and Lucy are the only guests and Machen is worried, he's sank all his savings into buying and working on this place. Come to find, the place in just a bit haunted, well more than a bit and with the help of Dale and Lucy, Old Rolly and the cook and barmaid they may just have a chance of saving the hotel. Author C.M.Saunders has done a wonderful job of making you feel like you can see the Welsh countryside where Sker House is, the cliffs and the sea, and the old house and the despair and need to make things right.
As you are reading through Sker House you are pulled into a story that feels like this collect of people are here are for a purpose, that things wouldn't work with any other collection of people, it had to be this certain set, these people were the special ones to fix the errors of the past and save Sker House. Author C.M. Saunders has woven a tell of magic, greed, misdeeds and the payment for those deeds. The spirits left behind, to help and the more evil demons left behind to prevent anyone from interfering until this group. This is a great books for readers of all ages, there is no sex, no violence, and if there is language is was in Welsh and I didn't realize it., so we're good.
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Waynesville, Indiana: Mother's Day, Murder and Mayhem
by Ray and Debi Stanton
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Reviewed for Readers Favorite
Author team of husband and wife, Ray and Debi Stanton, have taken great care in working with Daniel Burton, the lone survivor and witness to the Waynesville murders. They have also worked to cohobate as much of what he said as they were able. That all being said, please know up front that what Daniel Burton went through is a life changing ordeal and he was left without and support system to help him deal with what had happened. This is not a book to be read by anyone that might be triggered by his trauma. Waynesville, Indiana: Mother's Day, Murder & Mayhem is Daniels story of what happened that night in May. It is him memories, thoughts and reflections on the people who died and the effect that it had on him.
Waynesville, Indiana: Mother's Day, Murder & Mayhem is a non-fiction book as it is a true event that happened, in a very small little town, if you can even call it that just outside of Columbus. It is a true crime book in that it talks about the crime that was committed, but mostly this is Daniel's story. It was his mother and her long-time boyfriend that were murdered, he was the one to find them and call 911. He was left all alone, his father having died years earlier. Authors Ray and Debi Stanton explain how they worked with Daniel and give you a real insight into how this event has effected him and left him to this day. He was left completely alone, no support system, no help, nothing to deal with what had just happened to his family. It some ways Daniel was the fifth victim of that night. This is a good story, but it could easily trigger sensitive readers.
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First Friday: How Virginity Almost Killed Me
by Tory Hartmann
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
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Agnes Anne has a plan, it's a five step plan, and it will take her over a year to accomplish it, but she is determined to break free of her nutty uber-Catholic Irish family. She is twenty-eight years old and still living at home with her parents, working for her father in the back office with no career aspirations and no boyfriend. Not to mention she has a tendency to stutter when she is nervous or put on the spot. First Friday follows Agnes Anne on her adventure to put her plan into action and the reactions her family has to some of the changes that she makes. Author Tory Hartmann has woven a complex story of family, faith and change together to create a believable yet humorous story of finding your own way in life, even at an age when the rest of your siblings are married and on their own.
First Friday really revolves around a large Irish immigrant family that is devoutly Catholic, in fact maybe a little too devoutly Catholic. As a reader, knowing nothing about being Catholic, some of the things I found hilarious and some I found to be truly scary in that they hammered Agnes' ability to have a normal relationship with a guy. Author Tory Hartmann has created an amazingly complex story with many layers in the family and a number of stories going on around Agnes. In parts I felt sorry for her in that her family seemed to dismiss her so easily and she felt she couldn't he honest with them about some of the things going on, and it other ways I found myself rooting for her to break free and become her own person. This was a very clean book, there was some language and brief mentions of intimate moments, but they were so much less than anything I've read lately. I think this would be a great book for young adults and teens as well as older readers.
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Just Temporary
by S.M. Pitra
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Reviewed for Readers Favorite
Casey is just your typical single, older woman. She's 43, never been married, no kids but two kitties, rents a tiny little house just a few blocks from her mother, that has the perfect space to use as a studio for her fiber art, she paints on fabric. To keep her kitties in litter and food, Casey has held a number of temporary jobs, even for temp jobs, hers never last all that long. When Casey finds a new temp agency and lands a primo job on her initial meeting, she is in heaven. This job is in a great spot, free parking and her boss is a dead ringer for James Bond. Problem is that her primo job, may not be all it seems to be. It starts with a strange interview candidate for a temp job, but that really doesn't raise any red flags for Casey, when a second strange temp worker stops by the office, she's confused but she is sure there is a reasonable explanation. Nothing prepares her for what is to come. Just Temporary is a realistic story, in that it could easily happen, so much is real life inspired and its a fun general life story that has many layers. There are backstories to all the players in the story that you get to read at different points and those stories influence and change your opinions of those people. Author S.M. Pitra has written a complex and realistic story with so many levels that you are kept interested from beginning to end.
Just Temporary by author S.M. Pitra is contemporary novel of real life, women's life, friendships and family. There are many levels of the story at play in this novel. You have Casey and her relationship with her parents, then there is the relationship with her elderly neighbor. There is also the friendship that Casey develops with Mindy, the office assistant down the hall. There is also the working relationship that Casey has with both of her bosses, which are completely different. This is a very clean book, no sex or cursing, so I have no problem recommending to all readers, but with the main character being a mid forties woman, most younger readers are probably not going to be interested.
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Damned: A Magnus Blackwell Novel, Book 1
by Alexandrea Weis with Lucas Astor
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Reviewed For Readers Favorite
Altmover Manor has sat empty and crumbling for over sixty years, but as an architect, it is a dream come turn for Will to be able to restore it to its former glory, and Lexie is willing go to along with her fiancé, until she walks into the house and realizes that something isn't right. Of course being the practical man he is Will doesn't believe in her feelings or ghosts, but as Lexie starts learning about the house, she learns of the tragedies that occurred there. Lexie also meets the ghost of the former owner, Magnus Blackwell, and from there things get complicated. Damned is the story of Lexie, learning to deal with her gift and helping the ghosts of the house, and Magnus finding redemption for his previous sins during his lifetime. It is a complex story with lots of twists and turns and just when you think its over you find its only half way through. Author Alexandrea Weis with Lucas Astor has created a multilayered story that is complex and compelling. As a reader you find yourself drawn in and wanting to know more and keep reading, until before you know it the book is finished and you are begging for another installment in the story.
Damned, A Magnus Blackwell Novel is the first book in a series. Given the titles one would assume that the series revolves around Magnus Blackwell and his exploits, but as he is dead already in book one I am note exactly sure what book two would be unless it goes back and revisits his life before his death. This is a complex story with two very dynamic characters taking the lead in Magnus and Lexie, Will plays a supporting role. The whole story speaks of life and death, atoning for your actions, and the actions you take having consequences. Author Alexandra Weis with Lucas Astor is an amazing team in that they have created a multilayered story that is complex and compelling, that feels like real life and that draws you in and makes you want to keep reading. There are some adult themes in the story because it does talk about the death of Magus and a few other people, and there is some talk of sex, so I recommend it for adults, but in reality it is probably nothing more than most high school students have already heard, but I would leave that up to parents to decide.
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