Review: Wolves of Black Pine by SJ Himes

Wolves of Black Pine (The Wolfkin Saga #1) by SJ Himes
Amazon
Novel: 598pgs

4.5 Pants Off

Blurb: An ancient civilization long hidden from humanity is on the brink of chaos and war. 

Peaceful for thousands of years, the wolfkin clans are mysteriously losing packmates, kidnapped and killed by unknown foes. Among the dead is Luca, youngest grandson of the two most powerful wolves in the Northern Clans, but he is forced into a half-life, hidden in the far northern wilds of Canada and cut off from his kind. Those who raised him have no idea the creature they harbor in their midst, and name him Ghost. He begins to lose himself over the long years, and though he barely recalls his true name, the one wolf he never forgets is Kane.

Heir to the wolfkin clan Black Pine, Kane is charged with hunting down the traitors who betrayed their kind to the humans. Years fly by, and more wolves are dying. He refuses to give up, and he vows to never again fail another of their kind, as he failed young Luca years before. His heart tells him Luca lives, but his mind tells him that it’s foolish hope, his guilt eating him alive.

Fate and magic change the course of their lives, and the two wolves long separated by the years find their paths intertwining, though the reunion does not come without cost... 

Review

Whoa, whoa, whoa. What a ride this was, a magical wolfy ride of epic proportions. I can say with honesty I’ve never read a gay shifter book where the characters are so woven into the world building. It wasn’t just about, you’re my mate and I claim you its a world of magic, politics, friendship, and family. I went in with a slight trepidation thinking it would take me at least a week to read or I might DNF at some point. Oh ever did I play myself!! I devoured this in a little over a day. Wolves of Black Pine gripped me by the pants and didn’t let go. 

Shamans, Alphas, Betas, lesser Alphas, all with some kind of strong gift is what this shifter world is made of. Little Luca was meant to be a great shaman, because his grandfather said so and he was to teach him ways of a wolf so revered and honoured by its people. Until a traitor among their midst snuffed his light and his family. Now he’s lost his grandfather and the security of the pack. He now has to navigate a world he doesn’t know in the body of a wolf that came too early. 

Kane has spent the last 15yrs searching for a traitor within their midst and looking for the humans responsible for the death of his pack-mates and of his little Luca. A light so bright gone so quick, but deep in hearts of hearts Kane feels like Luca isn’t gone. Even though 15yrs have passed but the hope in heart has never faded. Now wolves are going missing, turning up dead, and it’s all connecting to that heartbreaking day. Someone’s hunting wolves and Kane is hunting them.

I’m not gonna get too deep into the meat of it, but let’s say Kane’s feelings were spot on and little Luca ain’t so dead and ain’t so Luca anymore. Things happen, people change, and love comes a knocking. With all that they still have to catch some killers. 

Things I liked: The world building is A+ it totally had me captivated. Its not just a backdrop to a love story but intimately woven into the story telling. 

Love all the Alpha dynamics and hierarchy. It leads to salty feeling individuals. 

I loved the relationships, pretty much all the characters (except the assholes I didn’t like them). 

Things I didn’t like: The coming together of Ghost (aka Luca) and Kane. It just didn’t sit well with me. It was too easy, too freaking perfect their coming together. I can understand Kane’s joy of finally having Luca home but their progression to an actual relationship was too soon. 

Which leads me to my other thing. Ghost took to everything like fish in water. Too easy peasy beautiful cover girl for my liking. All of it made the book a good read instead of a great one.

The fact that it is so damn long. While its entertaining, it needed a tightness because after awhile I felt like I was coming down from a sugar rush. I felt like it needed to be a lot cleaner. Every bad thing that happened felt too formulated. I wanted to be surprised and I never was. Ever!!

Regardless, I very much enjoyed reading Wolves of Black Pine. The author is solid at storytelling and created a wonderful shifter world. I’m looking forward to reading the sequel but I’m in no hurry. 

   

Review: Lineage by Angela Fiddler

Reviewed by SinChan
Lineage (Master of the Lines #1) by Angela Fiddler
Self-Published
Novella: 157pgs
4 Pants Off

Blurb:
Love didn’t just kick you when it were down; it staked you out and turned you into a vampire. Not that Vision was bitter. His ex-lover taught him nothing lasts forever, while his ex-master taught him to submit and the fine art of not resisting silk restraints. In exchange, Vision let both of them keep their heads. He considered it a fair trade-off.

Now Vision is a master, but still finds himself wanting to be on his knees.

Enter Hanz. He’s just a driver, but he knows what Vision wants and how to make it sting the way Vision likes most.

Vision won’t be fooled again. Sure, Hanz is sweet. The respect feels genuine, and, what’s worse, he honestly seems to love Vision. Older, wiser masters counsel Vision against Hanz. And, of course, they’re right. Hanz does have something to hide.And, as if on cue, along comes Vision’s ex-lover, the cause of and solution to being kicked, staked, and vamped. Vision is caught again, and this time not with ropes and silk. Now if he can only keep his neck and his heart intact…

Review
Steven (Seraph) and Vic (Vision) lived on the streets together as prostitutes when Gabriel found them and turned them into vampires. Now Gabriel is low on power and influence, he uses Seraph to force Vision to submit. However, Vision is now a leader in the vampire world, having control of two ley lines. He has status, prestige, and extra power from the ley lines. He just needs to cement Hanz's position in the vampire world and by his side and prevent other vampires from stealing his lines.

The story is told by alternating the present time with Vision and Hanz and the past before he came to power. There is so many years difference between the past and present that Vic and Vision are like two different people. It's a little disorienting when the perspective switched after each short passage.

 

Vision's relationship with Hanz is unclear at first but Hanz is a critical player later in the story. Vision wants to be dominated by Hanz even though he is the superior one. This juxtaposition is intriguing and adds more problems for Vision. He is also the youngest vampire in the council but inherited two elder ley lines. He has a lot to prove and it's fascinating to see how he became so powerful.

This story is filled with fascinating vampire politics and world building. Men and women seems to use the ley lines differently and this causes a difference in how power is divided between the sexes. The story keeps me on my toes with shows of Vision's power in public, his submissive side in private with Hanz, and his past. Vision is a fascinating character and he keeps me turning the pages to figure out who he is.


Overall, this story has a good set of intriguing characters in a fascinating world. Even though the shifting time frames could be tiresome, it was a fast read for me. I would recommend this story for vampire fans.

4 Pants Off

 

Review: The Saucy Minx by Manda Olie

Reviewed by SinChan
The Saucy Minx by Manda Olie
Dreamspinner Press
Short Story: 60pgs
3 Pants Off

Blurb:
With a touch of the magic that gives his recipes a culinary kick, Jack Killian has been running his restaurant, the Saucy Minx, for nearly a decade—almost as long as there’s been a spell out there promising to knock him off his feet should he ever meet the other half of his whole. Each day Jack delights his clientele by magically imbuing his food with taste and emotion, even as he slowly loses hope that the man of his dreams even exists.

But when he hires a new dessert manager, his whole life turns upside-down, because his dream man does exist—and he just strolled into the restaurant on someone else’s arm. While conducting business as usual, Jack struggles through what it means when destiny hands you the perfect man on a platter you’re not allowed to touch.

Review
Andrew runs a restaurant, the Saucy Minx, and Jack is the chef who specializes in magic dishes. Ten years ago, Andrew and Jack cast a spell to find their soul mates but haven't found them yet. They hired a new dessert specialist, Nick, who can revitalize food to their freshness. Nick's boyfriend, Richard, brings his friends, Grant and Chris, from overseas. At first glance, Grant is meant to be with Andrew and Chris is Jack's soul mate, but Grant and Chris are dating each other. Andrew and Jack are crashed but all hope is not lost for them.

It is difficult for me to focus on the main couple (Jack and Chris) when there's a total of three in this story. In general, I think the pace is too fast. I don't have enough time to develop a connection to each main character and fully digest what struggles they went through. There's not enough back story for the main characters for them to be fully developed and to leave a deeper impression. The romance is very much love at first sight.

Having said that, the romance part of the story is very cute, I love the interesting idea of modern witches using magic in food. It's a way to continue their practice, be subtle, avoid detection, and charge people thousands for a "special dish." I especially love the food descriptions (although there weren't many) and the use of a little magic to make the meals one-of-a-kind. Yummy.

Overall, this is a very cute story that leaves a fluffy feeling afterwards. I would recommend this for paranormal fans that want a fluff story.

3 Pants Off

Review: Of Last Resort by Megan Derr

Of Last Resort (Princes of Blood #1) by Megan Derr
Less Than 3 Press
Novel: 235pgs
5 Pants Off

Blurb:
In a kingdom ravaged by the beasts and terrors of an ancient war, the only hope against them is the army of mixed-blood beings known as the King's Legion: dragoons, shadowmarch, sorcerers, titans … and the Princes of the Blood, nigh-invincible warriors of fearsome magic and strength, their only weakness a need for pure human blood.

When his brother runs away, Raffé agrees to undergo the Blooding, but he is a pale imitation of his strong, capable brother. No one expects him to survive and become a Prince, merely to die to save the rest of his family and preserve honor.

But runaways and weaklings are the least of the kingdom’s concerns when an ancient evil returns with new tricks, and their only hope lies with knowledge long lost and a fierce bond forged in darkness …

Review
Megan Derr has done it again. This author writes M/M fantasy like no other; her world building is incredible and always leaves me anticipating for more. I want more all the time, and I want it now.

Raffe isn't beautiful, he isn’t extraordinary, he isn't gifted he’s the looked over mouse in his family. He's talented with number but no one seems blown away with his gifts. His family has found him a match and his life should most likely be pleasant but uneventful. That is until his brother runs out on a important commitment and Raffe has to step up and take his place though his courage could end up taking his life. Raffe is to go through the blooding and become a Prince of Blood, fierce warriors who protect the kingdom and Raffe has most certainly bitten off more than he can chew. His brother would have been oerfect because he had the training but Raffe knows ye will most likely perish and never become a Prince because after-all he is of no importance and certainly of no strength.

Raffe is convinced he will not live through the blooding, and since it will be his last night alive he wants to something that will make his last night the sweetest. Too bad his fiancé is a prude and leaves him high dry. Just when Raffe feels forsaken a sexy stranger offers him his night, and what a glorious night of lovemaking it was. If he is meant to leave the world then he will have treasured memory of the very first person who have ever made him feel wanted, treasured, and in some way loved. When Raffe survives the blooding no one is more surprised than him, because now he is recognized as powerful and he stands with the great.

He takes to his skills like duck to water and while he does have moments of doubt he feels powerful and for the first time he has a family that take notice of him people who finally see him. All thats missing is his sexy lover who gave him a night never to forget and Raffe longs for his touch once again. Yet, his love life had to wait because a terribly enemy is upon on them and everyone is in danger. While new to his skills, Raffe has to serve as if he were a veteran and act like he knows what he's doing. What he might not be able to deal with the losses and a task so great that it will break him and his demon heart.

Once again, with most Megan Derr book there is a lot that his happening and so many great characters fill the pages. I could literally write pages to review this book but I'll keep it simple. There is love and loss, dragons, zombies, angels, sexy time, and shockers. I applaud the skills it takes to weave such a book and skills it take to keep all that in line. While there is a lot of world building it never felt like too much and it was always entertaining. In my head I can just picture the grandeur of the fight scenes and just beautiful colours it would all make.

I really liked all the characters and Raffe's secret lover was surprise I was like "wait now" never saw that coming. I like that they are vampire like but not really vampire like if that makes sense. The princes drink blood and so on but I think they're a little cooler than vamps :D. I shed a few tears, I was shocked out of mind by the twist there, and I thought I pegged the bad guy but I was way off.

Overall, Of Last Resort is an epic fantasy at its best filled with so much awesome and colour it’s hard not to fall in love. A fan of Megan Derr will love this book and fans of fantasy books that consumes you. You remove the sexy time and this book is just as great, romance or no romance it’s all out entertainment. I am looking forward to more in this series and I can't even wait...

SideNote- I wonder if anyone won the bet about Raffe's secret lover. I'm pretty sure they all were wrong, right?

5 Pants Off

DarienMoya

Short Review: Come to Me by Megan Derr

Come to Me (Black Magic #2) by Megan Derr
Less Than 3 Press
Short Story: 43pgs
4 Pants Off

Blurb:
The roles of High Paladin and High Necromancer do not allow for much free time, even less where they might spend it together. When they do finally obtain some time to spend with each other, Sorin and Koray find there are still doubts and fears between them that will take more than time to overcome …




Short Review:
I love anything by Megan Derr and this little short featuring two of my fave characters from Black Magic is no exception. High Paladin Sorin and his High Necromancer lover Koray are about to get it on and clear up some rumors along the way.

Their high ranking jobs don't leave much for alone time and the men are feeling the effects. When Sorin decides to seek out his man, he can't help feeling jealous when he finds him with someone else and starts to think that maybe Koray doesn't feel the same way. After all Koray is beautiful and might eventually get tired of him and want to move on. When he finally confronts Koray with his fears, Koray's answers are both hilarious and foolish. Now is the time to prove that Koray isn't lacking as a lover and he is everything he ever wanted and more.

Love, love, love this little short which is a perfect read for Valentine’s Day. Koray and Sorin are still very delicious their world still just as exciting in the few little pages, and I can never get enough. There's also this little tidbit where Koray loses his hair and near damn well cried. Yet, it goes to prove their love and blah, blah (he freaking bloody lost all that gorgeous hair) if it wasn't for those meddling kids. Still, a really cute short just perfect if you're a fan of Koray and Sorin.

4 Pants Off

DarienMoya

Review: Book #1 Black Magic

Review: Battle of Will by Sasha L. Miller

Reviewed by Fehu
Battle of Will by Sasha L. Miller
Less Than 3 Press
Novel
4.5 Pants Off

Blurb:
At a memorial service meant to honor the dead and mark the beginning of a truce between Skirfall and Morcia, Ackley spies a figure who does not belong—a mage interrogator whose presence will only cause harm should the Morcians realize who he is and all the people he has tortured. But the problem rapidly grows much worse than that when Ackley realizes his true purpose is assassination of the Morcian crown prince—an assassination Ackley prevents, but at great cost.

Banished from his own country, bound magically to the crown prince of his enemies, Ackley is certain of just one thing: whether he can figure out how to break the spell or not, his death is assured.

Note: This story is part of LT3's Serial Fiction line

Short Review
This story has a lot of action and not the one in bed. I really enjoyed seeing how two enemies have become friends and slowly progressed to lovers. Battle of Will is a great fantasy story first and it just happens to have two male protagonists. There is a great plot with danger, magic, treason and treachery.

Ackley was a bodyguard to a prince before he was banished and unwillingly has become bound to another. I liked Ackley, how he didn't behave differently just because he was with a prince and talked back. He didn't just roll over or let the prince do as he pleases. Actually the mentioned prince wasn't bad either, he was not a selfish prat and actually did realise his feelings for Ackley before it was too late.

The plots against them, there quite interesting and I really enjoyed the mystery of discovering the traitor. Here also lies my only complaint or a reason for a sequel: A traitor was a big deal and he made a lot of things happen, I find it a bit unbelievable, that it was just this one person and that there were not more people involved. The matter was dropped and not mentioned again and considering how long it took them to find the one who murdered a king, well the matter was solved too easy in the end.

Otherwise I loved this book; it had great characters, an interesting plot and some pretty good writing.

4.5 Pants Off

Review: You're the One by Gene Taylor

Reviewed by Fehu
You're the One by Gene Taylor
Dreamspinner Press
Novel: 210pgs
3 Pants Off

Blurb:
Intimidated by the clubs and cabarets of 1970s Chicago, shy English teacher Graham Thomas needs a miracle just to be able to talk to a man. When help arrives from a Robert Redford look-alike wizard, Graham brushes him off—he’s obviously certifiable. Or so Graham thinks until he tries out a popular song title as a come-on line and everything changes.

Given the power to make others fall in love with him, Graham begins to enjoy the nightlife. But when he misuses his gift, he finds himself with accidental and unwanted suitors, including the senior dean at his school, a ticket-mad cop, and a rich young banker. Then Graham meets Mark Matthews and finally faces the moral issue of whether it’s fair to use magic to make someone fall in love. It would be so easy….

Review
More told than shown. While the story sounded sweet and funny and it was to a degree, I had a hard time getting into the book. For one I thought Graham was first not very interesting and then he behaved out of character. For one he was initially searching for love and after the plot got its magical element, the only magical element, namely a guy who gave Graham the ability to make people fall in love with him, Graham searched more for lovers. By lovers I mean people to sleep with so he would not feel lonely, that doesn't sound like the awkward and shy teacher that was introduced at the beginning, who was looking for a partner. Let’s remember that this is a historical book and the 1970s were still not a gay friendly time, at least not to go about searching for sex like Graham did, in this he reminded me more of a character from the 21st century.

Also he was more or less making the guys fall in love with him, by magical means so it felt a bit like a dub-con story. The guys he enchanted then slept with, well that was really a moral gray zone for me, since they hardly could say no to the encounter and again that didn't endear Graham to me. A part that was really well done was the description of Chicago in that specific historical period; you could practically feel the city come to live. Sadly I couldn't say the same for the characters, since I had a hard time liking Graham or to form any emotional connection with him. While this is not a bad story, I thought it was missing a spark or a hook, sometimes characters can be this spark but here the plot was a bit too descriptive and the characters failed to charm me.

Should You Read It? If you like historicals and don't mind the paranormal element, you might want to give this a try. The historical aspect of the story was interesting, the paranormal was surprising.

3 Pants Off

Review: Blessed Curses by Madeleine Ribbon

Reviewed by Fehu
Blessed Curses by Madeleine Ribbon
Dreamspinner Press
Novel: 168pgs
4 Pants Off

Blurb:
Though he’s a sorcerer with a talent for creating blessings, David can do very little with any other magic. He works the night shift for his cousin’s magical supply shop because he’s cursed—his brother did it when they were kids—and now people can’t stand to be near David since he inspires irrational fear. Many experts have tried to remove it, but the curse has proven completely binding. Then David meets Vaughn at his brother's wedding.

Vaughn works for the magical enforcers, picking apart complex curses and making sure sorcerers stay within the law. He has the ability to dampen magical effects around him and loves solving supposedly irreversible curses like David’s. He quickly develops a more personal interest in David. Despite the distance David attempts to keep between them, he finally realizes when Vaughn is injured on the job that he doesn’t want to stay away anymore. But what about the curse?

Review
My first book by Madeleine Ribbon and it was a very nice surprise! Hooked from the first line! I followed David to the fateful meeting with his jealous older brother. I couldn't help, but feel sorry for David and angry on his behalf or glad for him, which is a good thing, for me at least, since I like to be able to relate to the character and have at least some connection to them. Anyone who had older siblings and didn't get along with them could empathize with the poor boy, when said git of a brother cursed him. Temporarily I wondered if their mother should do more than just deal with the damage, she doesn't really punish Todd (fitting name!) for hurting his brother.

Now because of his brother’s thoughtless action, David has to deal with a curse that stuck and nobody beside his brother can stand to be close to him, or he close to them without experiencing angst, dread and other negative feelings. David never had friends or lovers and no enforcer or other magic user was able to help "The Impossible Kid", how he has been named by the researchers. All changes on his brother’s wedding day when David meets his sister in law's best friend Vaughn, who is part of the magical Enforcers that deal with different magical problems, mishaps and crimes. Sparks fly when they meet and Vaughn actually has a blessing that allows him to be close to David, without freaking out, running for the hills or just fainting. Lucky for David, Vaughn sees more in him than just a puzzle to solve.

It was a sweet story, with elements of hurt/comfort and parts that melted my heart, like David’s confession to Vaughn, about never having kissed anybody. I loved how patient and understanding Vaughn was and that they took their time to work towards a relationship. While the suspense didn't last and the story did move a bit sluggish in the middle, I got attached to the characters by that time and just wanted to see them have their happy ending. The story flows nicely and makes for an easy read, with well developed characters and sometimes heart melting dialogs. The one thing I was wondering is why David got along with Todd so well as a grown up. I mean basically Todd ruined his life and David didn't really blame him, considering the dreams he had about his own restaurant, having friends and someone to love.

Should You Read It? If you like some magic in your modern world and like hard luck characters and a slowly developing romance, than this is the perfect book for you! It's sweet, but not saccharine sweet, there are some edges, some conflict, but not enough to turn it into a drama. Recommend for all friends to lovers fans!

4 Pants Off

Review: Dead Man and the Restless Spirits by Lou Harper

Dead Man and the Restless Spirits (Dead Man #1) by Lou Harper
Self-Published
Novel
4.5 Pants Off

Blurb:
Dying sucks hairy monkey balls, even when you're not the stiff.

Denton Mills has a secret: he can see dead people. Or rather, how they died. It's quite a drag in a city like Chicago, teeming with the echoes of the no-longer living. Rather than whine about it, Denton has learned to live with his troublesome talent. His adaptability comes in handy when he meets his enigmatic new neighbor.

Bran Maurell catches Denton's eye right away, but unfortunately Mr. Tall, Dark, and Mysterious is as standoffish as he is alluring. However, after an unexpected introduction from Bran's cat brings the two men together, Denton discovers they have a mutual interest in the spirit world. Herbalist by day, Bran moonlights as a witch, performing house cleansings for a fee.

From Bran, Denton learns that his knack for interacting with the dead qualifies him as a necromancer. It makes good business sense for them to team up and rid Chicago of its pesky spirits one grateful client at a time. Amongst ghostly adventures the attraction between the men is impossible to ignore. They seem like perfect partners—unless Bran's not-so-little secret comes between them.

Review:
I am so in love with Lou Harper's Paranormal romances, it’s freaking insane. With Dead Man and the Restless Spirits following the same set up as Spirit Sanguine, it was all a freaking delight. And to see a character I previously enjoyed get his HEA was a real joy to read.

Denton Mills can see dead people and sometimes it sucks a whole lot. He's learnt to care with his episodes, but just like death they can come on all unexpected like. So he tries to live as normal as possible, by holding down a job and hope echoes of the dead don't intrude on his day. When a friend shares that there is an apartment up for rent, Denton jumps at the opportunity to move into a nicer place. But of course there is no such thing as perfection, because Denton is warned about the next door neighbour who may or may not be a serial killer. One thing is for sure that sourly neighbour isn't into making friends, but Denton is no quitter.

Becoming fast friends with his neighbour Bran Maurell is easier said than done, because damn is the man a bit antisocial. Though, he did manage to get into his cat's good graces. Denton has to decided to kill him with sugar and before he knows it he's finding out that Bran is a witch and Denton is about to accompany him to a cleansing. Seems Bran gets rid of ghosts for a living, he's not exactly loving what he does but he does it anyways (or else mommy will get him). Denton finds himself smack dab in the middle of the very things he's been trying to avoid, but he does get to spend more time with Bran and that is a plus.

Their sexual chemistry is off the chain and they work well together, but Denton can't help feel like Bran is holding something back. They have incredible sex but Bran seems to always be wearing all his clothes, and Denton has had enough of that. What he uncovers is a surprise and all types of awesome, and I don't want to give anything away but let’s just say I got all types of Hell Boy feels.

Denton and Bran are entertaining, sexy, and so hilarious. Follow them as they cleanse a restaurant from a troublesome ghost, rid a girl from a possession, and reunite lovers in the afterlife while battling a meddling mom. I love the characters that Lou Harper has created, and Dead Man and the Restless Spirits has now made her a must read author for me. I was just blisssed out while reading this and I can't wait for more (keep em coming Miss Harper).

Should You Read It? Hell Yes!! A wonderfully written paranormal with great characters, and non-stop entertainment. Denton will steal a bit of your heart and Bran will just capture all of it. It should be on everyone's must read radar.

4.5 Pants Off

Review: Soul Magic by Poppy Dennison

Reviewed by Fehu
Soul Magic (Triad #3) by Poppy Dennison
Dreamspinner Press
Novel: 220pgs
3.75 Pants Off

Blurb:
Blood runs soul-deep. Cormac hasn’t been the same since the night the High Moon Pack was attacked. With his magic weakened, he’s consumed by a bloodlust he hasn’t felt since he first became a vampire. His need to replenish his power makes him a danger to his last remaining family member, and his hunger makes him careless. And that’s just the beginning of his troubles. Feeding from pack beta Liam Benson was supposed to slake his appetite, not leave him craving more.

Simon Osborne and Gray Townsend are trying to fight a being history says shouldn’t exist—one with all three types of magic. The pack must use all of their resources to combat the mysterious triad, even turning to the shady Council of Mages for help. While Cormac struggles to reconcile his past failures with his current desires, Simon must attempt the impossible: an alliance between mind, body, and soul.

Review:
This is the third and last book in an interesting paranormal trilogy was very much looking forward to reading or it. Simon and Gray are back and finally we find out about the attacker! Secondly Cormac and Liam are the new couple and I have wanted to read this one for a long time.

The story begins right where the last book ended and it helps a lot to understand and to fully appreciate this story if you read them all in one go.  I began the series after the first book came out and it’s been a while until this one so I did go back and it was nice to read the trilogy without months of waiting in between.

So let’s recap: Simon and Gray are attacked and the members of the were-council are unhappy with what they witness, namely Simon’s abilities to influence the pack with his magic. Mage-council reacts to the plea for help and finally sends a representative. But what has been troubling them all this time? It's Cormac who has the answer to this question or more precisely his past is catching up with him and some event in the past are now explained in a new light. All species have lived separated but it wasn't always the case and the Mage-council at least knows what happened to cause the division in shifters, mages and vampires. New information is brought to light, new alliances are formed, new romances and of course there is a showdown - Good vs. Evil.

Plot wise the final part of the trilogy didn't disappoint, but, I anticipated Cormac’s romance story and to tell the truth from the way it was written, I didn't buy it. Liam is a nice character, but his interest in Cormac seemed rather sudden. Plus Cormac himself is totally OOC (out of character) when he is going out to hunt. First he is dignified old vampire Dracula style and then he is the club slut, seems a bit strange to me. Also the romance part was short, after the entire wait for that pairing, it was somewhat anti climatic. Of course there was the need to finish the main plotline, but still I thought it was a bit rushed in the end. What I didn't like was the ending, not really, all are happy, but it's a big time leap and I didn't feel it was necessary in this case. Still the book in itself was a nice finish for this series.

Should You Read It? Only if you have read the first two books, then it's a must, but it's not a standalone and it would make a lot of sense to read just this one.

Review: Book #2 Body Magic

Review: Stealing the Dragon by Mell Eight

Reviewed by Fehu
Stealing the Dragon (The Dragon's Hoard #3) by Mell Eight
Less Than 3 Press
Novella
4.25 Pants Off

Blurb:
Stealing from a dragon's hoard is never a bright idea, but stealing from a baby dragon's hoard can lead to tears, sniffles, and smoke in the middle of a busy marketplace.

Jerney, a witch who does work for a well-known thieves' guild, knows exactly who's to blame for the brazen theft. With no other choice in the matter, he quickly becomes entangled in trying to help the baby dragon. What he doesn't expect is that his own heart might get stolen in the process.

Review:
Stealing the Dragon is the third instalment in this series and so far it's my favorite, also the first I'm rating over 3 stars. It's not really a stand-alone, since characters from previous books play an important role and of course the world building happened over all three stories, so I would recommend to read all of them, as to avoid confusion about the races and how who ended up where with what partner. ^_^

Tori is a cute baby dragon, but because of his eccentric mother, who gave birth to him in her human form, he cannot become a dragon, yet. In the human world Tori is 17 years old and that means an adult, but for a dragon he is just a child, so he doesn't really doesn't understand why the mean uncle Bast wants him to catch the witch, working for the Thieves Guild. Jerney on the other hand, had to grow up very quick after he lost his mother and had to save his siblings, from being sold as bed slaves by their stepfather. The Thieves Guild took them in, because of Jeney's abilities with magic and he promised to work for them in return and his siblings helped the guild when they were old enough, especially his half-sister enjoyed thieving and they were never caught, thanks to the spells Jerney worked for them.

So when Tori went to look for new treasures for his horde, he was unfortunate enough to run into Jewel, Jerney's sister, who stole his favorite jewel, which was very important to him - his hatching gem. The poor dragon baby is angry and sad at the same time and it's up to Jerney, who feels sorry for the dragon child, to bring him the jewel back, unfortunately for Jerney the theft and the return of the jewel, has far reaching consequences for him and his siblings.

Tori is adorable and Jerney is really sweet in his interactions with him, he understand that Tori is still quite young and that he has to be taken care of. Tori doesn't really understands what he feels for Jerney or at least not fully, he knows that Jerney is important to him and makes him part of his horde, but he isn't old enough, in dragon years to know how to act on his feelings.

The story flows smoothly and it has just the right length, though I am looking forward to see a grown up Tori, but I think that might have been too much in this novel. It's a sweet and well written story, without a lot of drama and it was mostly like a fairy tale, which had enough action and humor to keep me entertained, what with kidnappings, bad wizards and a rescue by an angry dragon mother and of course there is the cute dragon baby in a grown up human body, who acts adorable!

Should You Read It? If you've read the previous stories, then it's a must and this is the best story from the three of them so far. It's great to see the improvements with every novel. Also if you like stories that are fantasy, novel length and plot driven, then this is just the right book for you!

Review: Bestiary Volume #4 (Take 2)

Reviewed by Fehu
Falling, Rising by Annabelle Kitch
Less Than 3 Press
Short Story: 67pgs
3 Pants Off

Blurb:
Jake works for the Order of Divine Human Protection, an organization that works to contain supernatural elements. Being half-demon and psychic makes him very good at his job—until he tries to read a young man suffering from amnesia and is brutally struck by an aura too powerful to be read. Curious as to what could defeat even his abilities, Jake offers the man a place to stay, hoping the time together will give him a chance to unravel the mystery.


Short Review:
So what to write about this story? A demon found an angel and no, this is not the beginning of a joke, just the summary of this story. Jake is a half-demon and is therefore not exactly the most favorite or the most trusted worker in the Order of Divine Human Protection, since they usually fight demons and supernatural elements. He is also the one that found a man with amnesia and an unreadable aura and takes him in. They become friends and this is something we are told and there are some flashbacks, but the story doesn't show a lot about their relationship/friendship. There is a lot of sexual tension between them and of course it's in the least expected place that they find out the identity of Jake’s love interest, which also means he has to let him go. Thankfully there is a happy end, but no I'm not telling you how they manage to be together, you have to read it to find out. ^_~

It's an ok story, cute even, but I didn't really connect to the characters, at all, which diminished my enjoyment of the story. Too many things were told and not shown and I was missing a lot of background information, so I was basically just thrown in as a reader and had to find my way, but there was no hook to reel me in. Nice read but the spark is missing.

3 Pants Off

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Inside the Wizard Tower by Ashley Shaw
Less Than 3 Press
Short Story
3.25 Pants Off

Blurb:
Determined to escape the tower where he is poked and prodded and experimented on daily by the wizards who captured him, Rhine makes use of his kelpie magic to steal what he needs to summon a creature that even the wizards cannot control or contain. What he gets, however, is far from what he expected …





Short Review:
Rhine is a kelpie, who is captured for wizards to experiment on him and he is not the only one. All kinds of supernatural creatures and beings are kept in the wizard’s tower, more or less as a magical ingredients source, just that they are living and not dead and that they are ingredients and test subjects in one. The reason why no one is escaping is that they capture the young and inexperienced ones and there is a magic barrier that no one can destroy.

Rhine has a plan though and it involves using the knowledge he was able to gain from the wizards to summon a mystical creature of his own, one that should hopefully help him escape his prison. Of course nothing goes like it supposed to! First of all he summons a sphinx and said hot sphinx guy can mostly do defensive and protective magic, which doesn't help Rhine escape, at all. With the new captives, arrives another problem, they are kids and Rhine doesn't want to escape alone, but to help the kids go home.

The idea is interesting, but the spark is missing. I'm somewhat reminded of a fairytale, which tells us a story, but doesn't really show it. There is not much room to form attachments to the characters, since they try to escape and this is the central point of the story. Also the relationship develops pretty quickly; I would have liked another reaction from the summoned sphinx and at least some hesitation.