Tag Archives: shifters

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Book Review: Wolf Untamed, by Alexis Calder

Wolf Untamed is book two of the Moon Cursed series, the first of which is called Wolf Marked. I read it as part of my Wolf Marked reading challenge.

I accepted a copy of Wolf Untamed from Amber at Lady Amber’s Reviews & PR at the same time that  I requested one of the Wolf Marked books for that reading challenge from her. Oddly enough, it wasn’t the Alexis Calder Wolf Marked that I went to Amber for, as I’d already bought a copy, it was the Harper A. Brooks one (because it wasn’t released yet). But when I told her I was going to do a Wolf Marked challenge, including Calder’s Wolf Marked, she mentioned that she had book two of the Moon Cursed series coming available soon. So, I accepted, though I didn’t receive it in time to read and review it and Wolf Marked at the same time. So, they’re getting separate posts.

If you want to see my review of Book one of the Moon Cursed series, Wolf Marked, it is here:

Book Review: Wolf Marked, by Alexis Calder

Man, it gets really confusing to talk about several books with the same title. And probably no one else is all that interested in the minutia. But I think it’s all the round aboutness of getting books with the same name, but from different series, from the same source really ironically funny. I accept it’s probably just me,


Wolf Untamed

You can only trust yourself.

They say it’s more dangerous being a lone wolf. I say having friends isn’t worth the pain. Everyone I’ve ever known has betrayed me. You’d think by now, I’d learn not to trust anyone.

My old pack wants me dead. My true mate wants to complete the bond. My inner wolf is a no-show. The decks are stacked against me and if I survive this, I have no idea where to go next.

I’m out of tricks and out of allies but there’s one path I haven’t tried: finding out about my father. My mom warned me against him but at this point, how can my life get any worse?

my review

I’m still interested in how this series progresses and ends. I still like Lola. In fact, I probably like her more as she’s starting to strengthen up. I like her found family. And the writing is quite readable (minus a few editing mishaps). But I’m kind of losing my patience with the serial nature of it all.

I went into the series knowing the books end on cliffhangers and are not stand alone. So, I can’t complain about that. But this book is only 156 pages long. The first was only 232. One can’t imagine the next (which I think is the last, though I’m not sure why I think that, so I could be wrong) being much longer. I just don’t see any reason for this story to be broken into 3 books. And you can really feel that here in book two. It feels like the middle of a book—not the middle of a series, the middle of a book.

And while book one was about werewolves, here we suddenly have goblins, and fae, and vampires, and witches thrown at us. Though all but the last are merely mentioned, not integral to the story. So, we get hints of a bigger world. But it feels random and out of place showing up in book two, without mention of any of it in book one.

Despite having said all that, I am still curious where it’ll go. So, I’ll be on the hook to read book three.

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edge of the woods

Book Review: Edge of the Woods, by Jules Kelley

I received a copy of Jules Kelley‘s Edge of the Woods through Netgalley.

edge of the woods jules kelley

There’s something wrong in Pine Grove, Montana, and its bite is vicious.

Haley Fern has been the alpha of her local werewolf pack for less than a year when their law enforcement liaison retires, and Leland Sommers, a man who knows nothing about werewolves or their world, is hired in his place. What could be an awkward situation turns complicated when the man shows up his first day on the job with an injured teenage boy he found on the road–a boy Haley knows has just been bitten.

But discovering who bit the kid isn’t as easy as it seems, especially with Leland asking questions and looking at Haley the way he does.

Can the alpha figure out who is attacking innocent people on her wildlife preserve and protect her pack? Or will the new sheriff and her growing attraction to him put her entire world in danger?

my review

This was a squishy, feel good read. It’s chocked full of diversity, has two sweet cinnamon bun leads, and a mild background mystery. But it’s the fact that the mystery is in the background that leads me to have not loved it more than I did. (I liked it plenty though.) Haley and the deputy are both lovely and they are genuinely careful with each-other in a really heart-warming way. There is no toxicity here. But I’m afraid that’s just not enough to carry a werewolf novel on it’s own. I needed a little more action, a little more bite, so to speak. I do look forward to seeing where the series goes and would be more than happy to read book two

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Other Reviews:

Caitlyn Lynch Reviews

Edge of the Woods – Jules Kelley

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Book Review: Tiger Claimed, by Harper A. Brooks

I received a copy of Harper A. BrooksTiger Claimed for review from Lady Amber’s Reviews & PR. It was promoed on Sadie’s Spotlight. But more importantly, it is kind of part of my Wolf Marked Reading Challenge (where I’m reading three books titled Wolf Marked); in the sense that my third, and last, Wolf Marked book is second in the Shifters Unleased series, with Tiger Claimed being book one. I was told the books stand alone and, in theory, that means I didn’t need to read Tiger Claimed before diving into Wolf Marked. But I don’t always trust that to be true. So, I went head and read Tiger Claimed before my final Wolf Marked. And while I would normally review them together, I’m posting reviews separately since I don’t actually have a copy of Brooks’ Wolf Marked in hand yet (though I expect to soon). I hope all of that makes as much sense on screen as it does in my head!

Tiger-Claimed

Centuries of hate and a legendary love to overcome it all…

One untimely trip to the marketplace makes Cara, a panther shifter, the prime suspect in the king’s murder. The tiger prince is set on seeing her rot in a prison cell, but she’ll do anything to keep her family from starving. Even agree to be imprisoned by the handsome tiger, who’s also her enemy.

Prince Kael is determined to claim vengeance for his father’s murder. He thought he could put his vendetta aside for the ceremonial Hunt, but one whiff of the panther suspect, and his inner tiger becomes unleashed. But in a cruel twist of fate, the magnetic bond he feels with Cara is one he can’t deny. And suddenly, he aches to claim her as his own.

The hatred between tigers and panthers is all their people know. If Kael and Cara follow their hearts, it could mean treason and death. Will they be blinded by the prejudice and sorrow of their pasts or will love finally reign free?

This was fluff—short on plot, depth and world development, high on drama and feels. But sometimes a little fluff is what a body needs. I liked both Cara and Kael. Cara was a strong heroine, self-sacrificing and up front in her beliefs. Kael was an endearing hero, large and imposing but no alpha-a-hole. The reader sees his insecurities and very real desire to do the right thing. True, the ‘love’ is all but instant. The couple goes from strangers…less than strangers (enemies really) to eternal, bonded, loving mates in about two days. And then they manage to undo the snarls of hated, self interest, and racism in seemingly just about as much time. So, maybe there’s not anything approaching believably here. But Brooks does make you feel for the couple and root for their success all the same. Lastly, mine was a ARC copy and might not have had it’s final copy edit, so I can’t comment on editing, but the writing is quite readable. I’m not disappointed to be committed to reading book two.

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