Book Review: Hellcat by Isabel Brann

Hellcat by Isabel Brann is a series starter, but I have not seen any sequels out yet.  Lion Therian Nikolas Spiros, owner of the most extraordinaire mane in existence, is facing a dilemma–should he apply an avocado hair mask or the olive oil one? Being the King of the Jungle is tough work! When a crazy ex –you should never trust a hyena– hacks into his magazine’s website, a Cyber Security Expert is hired to fix things. But weird, geeky, Lee Ryan is nothing like he expected. Blind to his greatness, she tests him at every turn. And that’s without mentioning his furry side’s obsession with her. A mysterious breed of Therian, Lee has been hiding her whole life. Part of a prophecy told before the Roman Empire fell, she’s been constantly chased by an ancient cult who wants her blood. But now she’s done. No more running. They want to dance? She’ll tango with them. Of course, that was all before she met the most arrogant, over-confident, accidentally funny male in the world. And the worst part? He may be her mate. For Nik, protecting Lee from danger is the easy part. Convincing her she’s his? Well, that’s going to take some work. Good thing he’s irresistible.

Hellcat starts off with a mythological lesson in the start of Therians, or shifters, as it stands in the series. I liked the take on the origin story, but it made the opening a little slow for me. However, once the first chapter gpt rolling andthe main players were introduced I was highly entertained. I loved the combination of strong, goofy, and vulnerable that most of the main characters pull off. I laughing at the Spiros siblings, and enjoyed the banter they shared, and the banter that Lee had with just about everyone. The plot and action were well constructed and even when I thought I knew right where it was going, the path and/or destination surprised me. While I am not a fan of the fate forced mates thing, I think it was well done here, and there was enough delay and free will in play to keep things interesting. I really enjoyed the read, particularly the amount of humor, snark, and badass women. I will be watching for more from the author.

Hellcat is a fast, fun read. I had two disappointments here, that it took me so long to get around to reading it, and that when I went looking for more I could not find them. 

Book Review: Undiscovered (Amoveo Rising) by Sara Humphreys

Undiscovered is the first book in the Amoveo Rising series by Sara Humphreys, which is a spin off and continuation of the Amoveo Legend series. If you have read the previous series you will be at an advantage, but readers new to this world will be able to catch up quickly and enjoy the story.

A long time ago, Zander Lorens was cursed to walk the earth stripped of his Dragon Clan powers. Every night, trapped in a recurring nightmare, Zander relives his darkest moment. He can hardly believe it when the dream changes and a beautiful young woman appears. Zander believes she's the key to ending his torment. Finding her in the real world is one thing, but how will he convince her of who-and what-she really is? Rena McHale uses her unique sensitivity as a private investigator, touting herself as a "human divining rod" and finder of the lost. By day she struggles with sensory overload, and by night her sleep is haunted by a fiery dragon shifter. Nothing in her life makes sense, until the man from her dreams shows up at her door with a proposition.

Undiscovered has a good mix of character and story development. I like that both Zander and Rena have their own issues and stories, and that Rena has some sense of self preservation- even if she does run off with a random guy for a case, money, and answers. Zander's punishing of himself for his role in what has happened gets a little old, and Rena's almost perfection does wear a little thin after awhile. However, I like that they are fairly honest with each other, if not everyone else or themselves. I really liked how they came to terms with their own desires, but found that they came together almost too easily. I did think that the story was likely just the groundwork to start of the new series, and to connect it to the previous stories. However, despite its faults it did make for a diverting read while my kids made the attempt to drive me insane over April vacation.

Undiscovered is an entertaining urban fantasy. It has the balance of good writing, adventure, and romance that I have come to expect from the other books I have read by Humphreys. Not earth shatteringly wonderful, but an engaging read to escape into and enjoy.

Book Review: Justice Calling (The Twenty-Sided Sorceress) by Annie Bellet

Justice Calling is the first book in The Twenty-Sided Sorceress series by Annie Bellet. Jade Crow lives a quiet life running her comic book and game store in Wylde, Idaho. After twenty-five years fleeing from a powerful sorcerer who wants to eat her heart and take her powers, quiet suits her just fine. Surrounded by friends who are even less human than she is, Jade figures she’s finally safe. As long as she doesn’t use her magic. When dark powers threaten her friends’ lives, a sexy shape-shifter enforcer shows up. He’s the shifter world’s judge, jury, and executioner rolled into one, and he thinks Jade is to blame. To clear her name, save her friends, and stop the villain, she’ll have to use her wits and her sorceress powers. Except Jade knows that as soon as she does, a far deadlier nemesis awaits. 

Justice Calling caught my attention right away. I liked that Jade is not the traditional heroine, never mind the traditional magic user. She has build her own nerdy paradise, and hides her magical nature in an effort to keep it. When Alek shows up she is worried about what his hunt, and the danger that is heading towards her friends. I understood her fear and reluctance- and her determination to protect the people she cares about. I liked the world building and mythology surrounding Jade, although I would have liked more details and backstory about the birth and chosen family that has shaped her life. The tidbits readers are given are very cool, but I wanted more. I hope that is part of the following books. I liked her problem solving efforts to solve the mystery, and how hard she works to keep her humanity while protecting other. I also liked that while Jade's attraction to Alek is very clear in the book, that possibility has nothing to do with the larger story- and nothing happens relationship wise until the immediate danger has been addressed. I enjoyed the writing style and the story, and I greatly look forward to seeing where the series goes from here. 

Justice Calling is an entertaining and enjoyable read. I will be checking out the next book in the series, hopefully I will get the backstory I want so badly. 

Book Review: For the Bear's Eyes Only (Grizzlies Gone Wild) by Kathy Lyons

For the Bear's Eyes Only is the third book in the Grizzlies Gone Wild series by Kathy Lyons. While it would be helpful to have read one or both of the previous books, I do not think it necessary to enjoy this read. Those that know the series will certainly get more out of it because of the larger story arc, but newcomers will not be left completely out in the cold. The first book was The Bear Who Loved Me, and the second book was License to Shift (which I somehow missed reading).

Life as Alan Carman knew it is over. After he was captured and tortured by a mysterious enemy, the lawyer's latent grizzly-shifter DNA was triggered. The old Alan is gone, and in his place is a terrifying vicious beast that lives and breathes for revenge. He will track down the person who did this to him-and it'll be the last thing he ever does. Tonya Kappes refuses to let Alan run headlong to his death. A bear-shifting deputy-and the Gladwin Clan's beta-Tonya faces Alan with one weapon: the love that's lingered between them since they were kids. But the idealistic man she knew has changed into something raw, primal, and unbelievably sexy. And, if Alan can't learn to love the beast inside himself, maybe he can love the animal in her.

For the Bear's Eyes Only is a good installment of the series, an I was eager to see how Alan and Tonya come together. Alan has been altered, and he is now a shifter, but not the bear he always wanted to be. He is a monster, and is willing to kill to prevent the woman that made him this way from hurting anyone else. Then comes Tonya, the woman he has always loved but could never have, trying to bring him home and convince him he is not the monster he fears. Together they search for the person behind the experiments and in the process find themselves. Alan needs to come to terms with his new life, and learn not to hate himself while Tonya needs to come to terms with her emotions and the pain Alan is going through. I love that despite the wild nature they now share, the pair actually talk things out and deal with their problems rather than jumping into bed and forgetting about them- though there is plenty of that too. They actually work on the emotional aspect of their issues, both shared and individual. This always earns respect from me for the author.

For the Bear's Eyes Only is a good read, but not one that wowed me. It is a must read for fans of the author or series, but those that are not invested in the story might not enjoy it as much as the rest of us.

Book Review: River Bear (Blue Bear Rescue) by Terra Wolf

River Bear is the second book in the Blue Bear Rescue series by Terra Wolf. I have not read the first book, but feel like I did not miss too much.

Polar Bear Shifter Jake has always wanted a real family. People to love and care about him, nothing like his foster father who saw him as nothing more than a punching bag. He testified against the monster and put him away for good, or so he thought. Delilah is an orphan, she knows the struggle of being alone all too well, but when she meets Jake suddenly she has everything she ever wanted. Until someone threatens to take it all away. Jake has to defend his mate against his one true enemy. His own family. But will he be able to keep her safe, when he has to defeat his own demons as well? 

River Bear is an enjoyable, quick read. Delilah comes to the small town with the promise of investigating a case for a group of shifters, who have always fascinated her. She needs the money, and when she sees Jake she needs to work extra hard to keep her rule of no dating on the case. She is smart, determined, and self reliant- which always drives an overprotective were-bear crazy. She is fascinated by the job, and her partner while she hunts for the people behind the complaints and problems the rescue crew has been facing. Jake is worried when he sees Delilah, because of a vision a friend had of someone matching her description dying by his hands. he wants to protect her,. wants to keep her close, but also wants her at a safe distance so that the vision cannot come true- a combination that is not really possible. I like that the pair actually talk to each other, and share past traumas and issues that might effect them in the long run. While the romance wraps up a little too neatly at the end, that is not unexpected in paranormal romance involving shifters that include any mention of mates.

River Bear is a fast and fun story. I did think the final wrap up a little too neat and tidy, I still enjoyed the read and will be looking at other books from the author. 

Book Review: The Bear Who Loved Me (Grizzlies Gone Wild) by Kathy Lyons

The Bear Who Loved Me is the first book in the Grizzlies Gone Wild series by Kathy Lyons. Between singlehandedly running her bakery and raising her teenaged nephew, Becca Weitz thought she had a decent grip on "normal." Then her nephew vanishes, and life as she's known it changes forever. Local legends are true: bear shifters exist and her nephew is part of their clan. As is Carl Carman, the sexy, larger-than-life man who has sworn to find her nephew-and the other young shifters who've gone missing.As the leader of his clan, Carl is surrounded by enemies. He's learned the hard way that keeping a firm leash on his inner beast is key to survival, though his feelings for Becca test his legendary control. Then danger stalks too close, and Carl realizes he must unleash the raging, primal force within to protect everything he holds dear. But can Becca trust his grizzly side with her life-and her heart?

The Bear Who Loved Me is a fun start to a series. I really liked Becca, and her need to be busy and useful regardless of what is going on around her. She is determined and strong, with a quick wit and good heart. Carl, or Mr. Max, is the alpha bear in his clan, and is struggling to prove himself as a powerful leader when violence and death is his last resort rather than his fall back for all conflicts. I like that we are introduced to a variety of clan members, some of which promise to be the stars of the future books (which I need to get my hands on). I liked the main characters, and the secondary characters very much. I found the personalities and reactions to be reasonably realistic, or as much as they can be when dealing with were-grizzly bears. I found them compelling and I was invested in their futures early in the book. The conflict of missing Theo- and the larger storyline that this will continue in the series- reminds me a little of the story found in Paige Tyler’s X-Ops series, but the idea is one I would actually expect to have happen if shifters were really discovered in the real world. 

The Bear Who Loved Me is a great start to a new series, and has me looking for the next books, License to Shift (recently published) and For the Bear's Eyes Only (to be released on November 15 2016). It is good fun with complex characters with plenty of room for more. 

Book Review: The Evil Wizard Smallbone by Delia Sherman

The Evil Wizard Smallbone by Delia Sherman is a middle grade novel. When twelve-year-old Nick runs away from his uncle’s in the middle of a blizzard, he stumbles onto a very opinionated bookstore. He also meets its guardian, the self-proclaimed Evil Wizard Smallbone, who calls Nick his apprentice and won’t let him leave, but won’t teach him magic, either. It’s a good thing the bookstore takes Nick’s magical education in hand, because Smallbone’s nemesis—the Evil Wizard Fidelou—and his pack of shape-shifting bikers are howling at the borders. Smallbone might call himself evil, but compared to Fidelou, he’s practically a puppy. And he can’t handle Fidelou alone. 

The Evil Wizard Smallbone has complex characters and situations that kept me guessing for a bit, even with the amount of science fiction, fantasy, and mythology i have read. Nick has finally escaped a abusive house only to stumble into the care of the evil wizard Smallbone. He is made an apprentice and put to work doing all the menial tasks you might expect. However, there is much more the the wizard he works for than any might expect. the small town he lords over, and all its inhabitants are in his debt- but no one remembers why. Secrets and magic at at the heart of it all- including the wolves, coyotes, and bikers that want to destroy it all. Nick is not a simple boy, nor is Smallbones a simple wizard. They are much more than the stereotypical figures one might expect after the classic set up, and the other characters that play large roles in the excitement are all multidimensional as well. This includes the villagers, the bad guys, and even the pets and farm animals kept by Smallbones. I enjoyed the use of several creatures and ideas from mythology and fairy tales were used with different twists than normally seen. I also liked that I was genuinely surprised at a twist or two, but even when I expected an outcome it was done in a way that was completely enjoyable and worth the read.

The Evil Wizard Smallbone was so much more than I expected. The time between requesting a book from Netgalley and me reading it is sometimes long enough that I remember nothing of the initial blurb when I start to read, and this was the case here. I was very happy to discover a middle grade novel with complex characters, plot twists, and adventure. I can think of many readers, including reluctant readers that I will gladly recommend it too. I was so impressed with the character and world building that I am not ready to let go of this story at all. I am inspired to go back and read the previous books by the author.