Tag Archives: shifters

Book Review of Blood Lust (Preternaturals #1), by Zoe Winters

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Blood Lust Zoe WintersI downloaded a copy of Zoe Winters‘ Blood Lust from the Amazon free list.

I chose to read it at this point in time as the first book in my personal Blood Lust challenge, in which I am reading four books with the same title back to back. It was, however, an awkward place to start as it turns out it’s a compilation of three books, Kept, Claimed, and Mated.

Overall Review:
While the writing was passable (though the editing could use a little attention) what the author considers a satisfying romance differs significantly from mine. In fact, I’m fairly sure they’re diametric opposites. As a result, I hated the female leads in each of these stories and was wholly disgusted by the situations the author placed them in to be rescued by the heroes. They’re all victims who can’t seem to control their own impulses. These are the sort of ‘romances’ I think do nothing more than support an abusive romanticisation of patriarchal norms and expectations, i.e. normalizes control and subjugation of women. Yuck. To each their own, of course, but not at all for me. I’ve gone ahead and written individual reviews for Kept, Claimed and Mated.

Kept

Description:
… The enemy of my enemy is my lover. Is that how it goes?

No one should have to be on the run from their family. Family is who you can trust, right? Dark magic users are the ones on the don’t trust list. Yet, when Greta learns the werecat tribe plans to sacrifice her on the full moon to steal her potent magical blood, she ditches common sense in favor of running to the one man who can protect her. Will Dayne kill her as he has so many others of her kind, or is his grudge against her family strong enough to save her?

Review:
This book is gross. Instead of a review, I’m just going to post my Kindle highlights here. You’ll have to excuse the grammar, as typing on it is a pain in the behind, but I think my opinion of this work will come through.

Greta leaped off the table and scurried out the cat door.
Note: She shifts into a house cat. how lame.

He had to restrain himself as Greta took the milk from the fridge and drank it straight from the carton.
Note: She wouldn’t do that in a stranger’s house, let alone someone she wasn’t comfortable with.

A few drops of the creamy white liquid dribbled around the sides of the carton and down her chin and long neck. She arched back, and some of the milk dripped down to dampen her shirt.
Note: too cliche and cheesy to be believed

The next day he’d caught her in the basement rolling some of his herbs in rolling paper and smoking them. Then he realized it was catnip. He’d wanted to be angry. He had a few spells he needed that for and the good stuff was expensive, but she’d rolled around on the stone floor giggling like a maniac.
Note: cheesy!

Then he’d grown hard as he’d watched her shift and sunbathe nude, still cursing the missed catnip opportunity.
Note: Why is she so free with her nudity in a house she’s supposed to not be comfortable in? She is otherwise shown to be modest.

She was in heat.
Note: oh, isnt that convieniant for moving the romance along? rolling eyes.

“I have to sleep with someone now,” she said. “If you don’t do it, I’ll have to find someone who will.”
Note: because women have no control over their sexual urges. isnt that why men always have to control their bodies and sexuality? rage

The kitty didn’t want foreplay.
Note: of course not, ’cause what woman would? proximity to a dick has always bern enough for women to be satisfied. -disgusted sarcasm

Instead, he went to the adjacent room, came back with rope, and tied her wrists to the bars.
Note: of course, not only does she beg and not expect foreplay, he’s going to take away her ability to even participate or protect herself. Bet all he has to do is shove it in and she’ll be happy. every MAN’S fantasy. too bad it’s a book predominantly for women. gag

He wanted to take it slow, not just rut like two mindless animals, but she wouldn’t let him.
Note: See, how is this appealing to WOMEN? This is like male directed porn. No need for emotions or effort on his part.

slid inside her. In that moment he felt one thing. Possession. This belonged to him. He felt it in the same primal way he felt magic when he’d followed the proper formulas.
Note: because having sex with a woman means you own her. so gross

She lurched off the bed as her orgasm took her, and he joined her.
Note: all he did was enter her!

When it was over, Greta’s face telegraphed equal parts shame and fear.
Note: of course, a woman must be ashamed of her own desire. could we hit one more detested cultural belief about women? and how do hormones dissipate so quickly from the body?

Without that crucial knowledge, he could have had a magical boo-boo of pyrotechnic proportions.
Note: boo-boo? no, just no

“Greta, look at me. You had a nightmare. There’s nothing here.”
Note: now she’s a child afraid of the bad dreams? This author really hitting all my rage buttons.

The pills had stalled the immediate need of the heat, but the adrenaline from her fear had caused her to weaken when his hands were on her.
Note: Of course, she needs an excuse. No woman is allowed her own genuine desire.

“Forgot what?” He didn’t know what she was apologizing for until he saw the signs of the heat. “I was supposed to take it after breakfast. And then you came in and distracted me.”
Note: again with an excuse for her own sexuality and would it really hit so fast after missing a dose by less than an hour?

She had no illusions he wanted to keep her around, and she didn’t want to sleep with him again if it was going to be just another meaningless ritual biology had set up as a physical act with no feeling. 
Note: speaking of biology, wouldn’t being in heat mean she was also ovulating and fertile? don’t remember mention of a condom.

Anything so she wouldn’t have to make the choice to throw herself at him. Let him be the one on a conquest, not her.
Note: So she doesn’t even want to be responsible for her own actions.

Now her heart hurt to leave the man she kept finding herself in bed with.
Note: now TSTL jumping to conclusion and endangering herself so he can save her from her own stupid move. i hate that trope.

Tears teased the corners of her eyes. She wished Dayne hadn’t turned out to be evil. She could have imagined living here with him in his quiet cottage in the woods. It felt comfortable, like home.
Note: Of course, they had sex so she’s in lurve. Blerg.

And he and Greta fit together perfectly, in the carnal way.
Note: how would she know? Rutting seems all they’ve done.

“Okay, that’s enough,” she said as the strength in her voice returned.
Note: how did that strengthen her? she lost more blood.

She felt revulsion at the kindred feeling flowing between them as they shared not only blood now, but power.
Note: a little world-building to explain things like that would have been nice.

“Damn, woman, how many days does this go on?” “Couple of weeks sometimes. Was in a cage. No pills.”
Note: STILL with an excuse for wanting sex

She was sure she’d been a nice diversion, but he’d only agreed to let her stay until after the full moon, and she wasn’t about to show her naiveté by hoping for more.
Note: because obviously communication is a no go. Who would do that?

Practically every sexual encounter they’d had had amounted to pity sex. She couldn’t handle further pity or possible rejection. She’d become stupidly attached to him.
Note: based on what if she thinks it was just pity sex?

His hands started to stroke over her flesh and she relaxed and allowed her legs to fall open. A contented purr began to rumble through her chest. This was how Greta became kept.
Note: Yep, apparently a man just needs to touch a woman to have sex with her and once he has sex with her he owns her and she’ll be pleased about that. so gross a theme. Continue reading →

Shadow Scars

Book Review of Shadow Scars: Rogue Wolf (Haven City #1), by Zoe Perdita

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Shadow ScarI grabbed a copy of Zoe Perdita‘s Shadow Scars from the Amazon free list. At the time of posting, it was still free.

Description from Goodreads:
Conner, a rogue wolf and murder detective, isn’t looking for a lover when he moves to Haven City. He wants to solve crimes and keep to himself – unable to trust anyone since his pack betrayed him six years before. 

But Seth Alwen, his new partner, is different. He excites the wolf’s animal instincts – waking up the passion Conner buried long ago. Seth’s not only beautiful and alluring; he’s also haunted by the death of his former partner. And despite his better judgment, Conner aches to relieve the man of his guilt.

Seth’s a seer, but ever since his old partner died his powers have been on the fritz. 

Enter Conner Sharp, Seth’s sexy and mysterious new partner. While the dark-haired stranger ignites Seth’s desire, he also awakens the seer’s power with every touch. Seth sees their future together – a future rich with lust and danger – but is it a future the enigmatic Conner wants?

As the two men solve a series of murders, their sizzling attraction overflows into the bedroom. Is the overwhelming passion just a fling or is it forever?

Review:
Eh. Ok, but not great. I have nothing particularly good or bad to say about this book. It was just ok. Conner and Seth are fine characters. I liked them ok. The sex was ok. The world was simplistic, but ok. The mystery was ok. It was basically something to hang the romance on and I didn’t think it ended particularly satisfactorily. We were given a pretty pat ‘and then this happened’ wrap up as an ending that left more unexplained and open for the sequel than it explained. But it did conclude.

The writing was also ok. Nothing about it was particularly good, but other than a couple really annoying things (like hips that buckle instead of buck, even when a person is laying supine) and some repetition, nothing about it was bad either. It was all ok. (Could have done with a tad more editing, though.)

This is one of those books you read and forget because it all just feels so insubstantial and flat. But if I found the sequel as a freebie I’d give it a read.

Review of Tame a Wild Human, by Kari Gregg

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To Tame a Wild HumanI got a copy of Tame a Wild Human, by Kari Gregg, from Netgalley.

Description from Goodreads:
Drugged, bound, and left as bait on the cusp of the lunar cycle, Wyatt Redding is faced with a terrifying set of no-win scenarios. Best case: he survives the coming days as a werewolf pack’s plaything and returns to the city as a second-class citizen with the mark—and protection—of the pack. Worst case: the wolves sate their lusts with Wyatt’s body, then send him home without their protection, condemning him to live out the rest of his short life as a slave to the worst of humanity’s scorn and abuse. 

Wyatt’s only chance is to swallow every ounce of pride, bury his fear, and meekly comply with every wicked desire and carnal demand the wolf pack makes of him. He expects three days of sex and humiliation. What he doesn’t expect is to start enjoying it. Or to grow attached to his captor and pack Alpha, Cole. 

As the lunar cycle ends, Wyatt begins to realize that the only thing to fear more than being sent home without the pack’s protection is being sent home at all. 

READER DISCRETION ADVISED. 

Review:
I decided to read this as part of some bastardised version of Weird Shit Wednesday. I’m not part of any group officially doing it, but it seemed like a fun idea. So, I appropriated it. Granted, Tame a Wild Human isn’t as out there as Taken By The Gay Unicorn Biker or My Billionaire Triceratops Craves Gay Ass, both of which I’ve seen pass my Goodreads feed on Wednesdays, but it’s weird for me. I chose it because someone said it had knotting in it and I’d never read a shifter book that explored this aspect of canine physiology.

[The rest of this review will likely have spoilers in it, as venting my frustration at the book usually requires mentioning what annoyed me. Be warned.]

Now, I’ll grant that I chose this book because I was pretty sure it would be outside my comfort zone. I like challenging my limits on occasion and I usually have pretty good results. This was not one of those times. I did not enjoy this book. If I was using stars, I’d say it was a 1-star read, then I’d give in and allow it a second star (or maybe even only half of one) for being structurally sound and adequately edited. But it would get a 1-star, at most, for my enjoyment factor.

If rape and serious non-con is your kink, this book is for you. It’s not my kink and I did not enjoy spending at least half the book inside the mind of a man as he rationalises submitting to 3 days of constant gang rape in an attempt to save his own life. (Because the wolves have no problem f*cking a human to death, as we’re shown.) Plus, all I could think was, ‘This man’s been raped by 6+ others multiple times for 3 days straight, with no bathing facilities or even an attempt to wipe him down. He must freakin’ stink!’

Then, after over half the book had been dedicated to rape, rape, rape and the victim has given in to Stockholm syndrome and the apparent fact that regardless of terror, pain or self-preservation if you touch a man’s prostate he’ll get aroused, the victim was given something (I won’t say what) that made him ‘understand the wolves’ and want to be with them and submit to them. So, instead of constant rape we have a man who’s now begging for his abuse.

All of this was somehow wrapped up in the idea that human’s are cruel and wolves are caring, because, you know, they lubed him before gang raping him. Honestly, that whole plot-point made no sense at all. “Yeah, my 5 or 6 mates and I are going to gang rape you while you’re bound and blindfolded, for three days, all because we care so much for you. *cough* Bullshit!

Then the throw-in about the father…hey great, the willingness to submit to horrendous atrocities on one’s person runs in families. How wonderful for you. *cough* Bullshit!

Plus, you never get the satisfaction of finding out what happens to the brother who betrayed Wyatt. I suppose because by that point you’re supposed to have seen it as a good thing that he was bound, drugged and abandoned in the woods with a bunch of sodomite savages. Yeah, thanks bro, for real. *cough* Bullshit!

All of this might have been something I could have dealt with if the book had had any significant world building to situate it in. But it didn’t. We’re told humans make no effort to stop the wolves from kidnapping and gang raping people on the full moon and that any human who then returns without a token of protection is essentially an untouchable (or untouchable in any sense but to be further abused). But we’re not told why or anything about how society works. What’s more, being as there are obviously multiple wolf packs, who kidnap more than one human a month and almost no one gets a token, shouldn’t a fairly large swath of the city’s populous be untouchable? This isn’t made out to be a rare occurrence.

The book is also very violent. Again, I’m not particularly bothered by gore. I’m not even always bothered when violence and sex converge. But none of the violent sex in this book, which is essentially all of it (including watching a human get killed while you’re being f*ucked and only being able to save his life if you can climax in time) was erotic. Not once in the whole book of basically ceaseless sex did I feel a tingle. Nope, I might as well have been reading the Spam section Joy of Cooking, for as much as it turned me on. And that was sort of the whole point.

If I’m generous I could say I think I know where the author was trying to go with the story, though not wholly successful. But I’m not sure that would be true. I don’t know what was supposed to have been the payoff for the reader, Wyatt’s happy slavery maybe. I don’t know. I’m all for the occasional taboo read, but I wish I hadn’t read this one. It definitely wasn’t for me.