Shapeshifted ( Edie Spence 3) by Cassie Alexander

Hi!

           Slowly things are getting back to normal but the last weeks put my body under heavy pressure and now i must face the consequences still i wouldn't change it since my dog keeps improving.

Today i wanted to share with you my opinion on the 3rd book in the Edie Spence series because Cassie Alexander does write and release books quite rapidly so i'm way, way behind already^^; ( at least we don't have to wait 1 year between each book^^)

Happy Reading

Publisher: St. Martin's Paperbacks

Publication: 2013

ISBN:  0312553412

Genre: urban fantasy
Violence: mild
Language: mild
sex: none
Public: 18+

Source: bought

Short description from goodreads :

Nurse Edie Spence is once again called upon to save a life…and this time, it’s personal. Can her new community of zombies, vampires, and shapeshifters come to her rescue when she needs them most?


When Edie was fired from her paranormal nursing job at County Hospital, her whole world came crashing down. Now she’s is once again shaken to her core. Her mother is deathly ill and there’s only one thing that will save her: vampire blood. But with the paranormal community shunning Edie, where can she obtain it…without losing her own life in the process?

SHAPESHIFTED


Edie hopes to procure it at her new job at the clinic across town, where the forces of evil loom large. Vampire gang wars are rampant. Old underground enemies are rising to the surface. And Edie’s zombie ex-boyfriend has arrived at the scene—but is he the same man he used to be? And what should she make of the enigmatic doctor with whom she shares an unexpected connection? She’ll have to figure it out soon, because all hell is about to break loose—literally—and time is running out…

My opinion:

          I’m definitively warming at this series,  it’s even better than that I Loved this book!. Edie is maturing, she is starting to see what is the most important without loosing herself..i could only appreciate her this time. She is suffering from her shunning and then worse she learn her mother is dying from cancer….i know first hand how for a child to learn one parent is dying is something terrifying…we don’t know how to imagine ourselves without our parents, we rely on them even if only emotionally and then we learn it won’t last….we are never prepared for that and I guess it’s harder for Edie because as a nurse she knows how it will happen…. It’s even clearer for her... thus the feeling of unfairness, the want to do something to help even if she can’t.

To be honest I loved the fact she could think more about it at first she doesn’t doubt her decision, vampires blood can cure her so she need it.. but after a moment she also see the consequences….and understand how selfish it can be….. forcing her mother into servitude isn’t a life… she would breathe but in which condition? Which state? I must say I was glad Dren kept his promise even if he made him sound as a jerk because really he was acting to keep his promise not to hurt. Edie needed to be told the truth even if it something she didn’t want to hear.

 Also Edie is more stable…she isn’t sleeping around she can have lovers yes but she think about it now and I prefer responsible heroine.I thought that working in that hospital/ clinic was really a good thing for her, it has the stress from the job but in a positive way…. No contract on her head like before, in a way her soul is free. For the first time she think about her and it’s not easy so it’s a good thing in her case. Oki I was a little surprised she couldn’t believe in Olympio’s don at first, I mean after everything she had see she should be more open minded but I was funny and I loved the little phrases in Spanish…. I’m learning it so it was an interesting exercise. … I could imagine her opening a special clinic , even for supernatural, too without including shadows for example because after all…they do come to ask her help.

The plot was really well done and Cassie kept us on our toes, we could guess parts yes, predict some but at the end we were still surprised at how she created things. I definitively wants more and I do hope Edie won’t go back to her bad attitude, enter in the shadows powers or something like that. I loved to see more of Ti, Asher and yes even Jorgen….. I must say I’m really curious about what Anna will do after all she was shunned when Jorgen , at Dren’s order, came to her.. will that means Dren will have to pay?  I do hope he will be the one punished because Jorgen acted bad but he is paying a high price for his stupidity already.

It’s really becoming a series I enjoy more and more so I can only hope it will continue to be that way. If you love urban fantasy mixed with medical…..this is a series for you. (I do wonder if nurses, all, steal as much as edie^^;;)

Score:  4/5

Disclaimer: All opinions are my own and no compensation was received in exchange for this review

Challenges:

Death’s Rival ( Jane Yellowrock 5) by Faith Hunter

Hello to all,

                      I don't often post  review on Sunday but the week went too quickly and i didn't want to miss a week so here i am. My dog is still improving and you can imagine how happy i am to see him ask for food and having more energy, now i just have to be on par with him. On the reading side things like to get in the way to reduce my free time while there are several books i just want to jump into it. Hopefully things will calm down and my health stabilize so  i won't have to wait longer^^

Until that happen, i'm sharing with you what i though of book 5 in the Jane Yellowrock series by Faith Hunter.

Happy reading

Publisher: ROC

Publication: 2012

ISBN: 0451464850

Genre: urban fantasy
Violence: strong
Language: normal
sex: none
Public: 18+

Source: bought
 

Short description from goodreads :

 Jane Yellowrock is a shapeshifting skinwalker you don’t want to cross—especially if you’re one of the undead…


For a vampire killer like Jane, having Leo Pellisier as a boss took some getting used to. But now, someone is out to take his place as Master Vampire of the city of New Orleans, and is not afraid to go through Jane to do it. After an attack that’s tantamount to a war declaration, Leo knows his rival is both powerful and vicious, but Leo’s not about to run scared. After all, he has Jane. But then, a plague strikes, one that takes down vampires and makes their masters easy prey.



Now, to uncover the identity of the vamp who wants Leo’s territory, and to find the cause of the vamp-plague, Jane will have to go to extremes…and maybe even to war.

My opinion:

          I’m starting to wonder where the author wants to take us…. I still love the concept and it’s originality : a skinwalker with a beast soul joined to her…. I love the story in general but the romance part is starting to get on my nerves I guess.

I can stand a love triangle if it has some substance but in this case Jane  has exceeded the triangle a long time ago … first there were Leo, Bruiser and Rick, then you add Derek lee ( at least a minimum) now seems like the new character Eli is on the rank too…..  it’s a little too much in my opinion especially when Beast don’t want to choose and just take them all….

First she can’t trust Rick I don’t even think she trusted him once but since the last book he decided to join PsyLed which is opposite to Jane’s Camp…so he is out ( even without the fact he got were and could change her) Leo…. Arg I dislike him even more after this book, one book makes him more approachable the next shows how a jerk, arrogant and totally disgusting man he can be….. Bruiser….he was the one who had the more chances if he wasn’t Leo ‘s Pet… now it show how that come first before all the rest ( no I don’t forgive him) Derek Lee… they should get their fight to establish where each of them is and then perhaps though he sound a little too intolerant … now Eli….i guess he is the best placed right now: yes he is fully human but strong, loyal and protective and responsible ( and his brother just is a bonus since Beast likes Kit)

Now this book is urban fantasy not full romance so as long as this stays in the background I think I will continue to enjoy the story but simply…. I want to see Jane takes some decision and stick to them.

The story in Death’s Rival is an excellent new instalment in the story because we do learn more about Jane ‘s past and history which help to understand her better…and the investigation is really interesting with suspense and twist that keep you hooked and turning the pages.

After the events in the last book, Jane is alone mostly. Her relationship with Rick is in standby to say the least and her friendship with Molly broken (that part I really regret). Beast is more active and… in a sense more sentient that before she can hide things from Jane but we learn that she decided to stay with her and that speak a lot about Beast loves for Jane which she has come to consider like her kit.

Before Jane wanted to leave New Orleans but we find her again in the service of Leo and really busy. A plague, an illness that can actually kill vampires has spread and some clan have sworn allegiance to another master than Leo after being infected…. Not believing in coincidences, Jane is investigating the case when she is nearly killed several times….Leo ‘s rival  is threatening him  under the pretence of a murder Jane would have committed. Things aren’t that simple though and Leo decides to take drastic measures to protect himself and his…. Which result in a trust completely broken… between him and Jane but also Jane and Bruiser ….yes he is an old vampire who  thinks with the laws of the past but  I was really put off by his actions and he dropped from my list of liked characters in matter of second… how Jane can still work for him I wonder. I hate even more Katie, Jane saved her, helped her and at the first occasion she turn against her, really disgusting.

Since the vamps can’t be trusted and Derek has started to add more member to his group, Jane decide to get her own team she could trust and then enter Eli, former ranger, good fighter and loving brother of a young adult Alex, on probation for hacking in official security system….the chemistry between them is instantaneous and really funny too since Jane act more as a mother than a boss bargaining junk food against shower^^;;. Both are really talented and a great addition to her team if she can win their complete trust and loyalty.

With a war on their door, trusting problems and some secrets to keep, Jane has really a lot on her plate.

If you don’t mind a girl that can’t make her mind, love actions, vampires as well as others creatures and humour too ^^ this is a series and a book for you ( to read in order)

Score:  3,5/5

Disclaimer: All opinions are my own and no compensation was received in exchange for this review

Challenges:

Plaisir déchaîné (Demonica 1) par Larissa ione

Coucou à tous,


                               Dernièrement, j'ai été des plus occupée et préoccupée par l'état de santé de mon chien et de ce fait j'ai eu encore moins de temps libre pour mes lectures toutefois je ne pouvais pas terminer le mois de juin sans mettre en ligne au moins un avis en français.

J'avais espéré assister à une séance de signatures il y a de ça pas si longtemps et comme plusieurs auteurs allaient être présents j'avais eu l'intention de lire au moins un livre pour chacun d'eux. Finalement cela ne s'est pas fait et ce n'est pas très grave j'ai juste plus de temps pour en découvrir plus.
Dans le cas présent, j'avais complètement oublié que j'avais déjà lu quelque chose par Larissa Ione... une romance contemporaine et sportive que j'avais adoré.. mais je n'avais pas encore osé une des ces histoires dans le genre paranormal c'est maintenant chose faite.

 bonne lecture

Editeur VF: Milady 2012
Titre original:Pleasure Unbound ( edited 2008)
Genre: bit lit
Violence: élevée
Langage: élevé
sexe: élevé
Public: +18ans

Prix : 9euro
Obtenu par achat

Quatrième de couverture de l'éditeur Milady:

Il est un endroit où l’extase peut vous coûter la vie.

Tayla Mancuso est tueuse de démons. Mais sa vie bascule le jour où elle se réveille, grièvement blessée, dans un hôpital peu commun. Eidolon, le chirurgien qui lui sauve la vie est un incube et, malgré la haine qu’elle voue à son espèce, la jeune femme ne peut résister à ses charmes…

Tayla est alors confrontée à un terrible dilemme : trahir les siens ou l’homme qui la fait se consumer de désir ?

Mais la séduisante tueuse n’est pas la seule à être en émoi. Et la fascination d’Eidolon pour cette ennemie jurée pourrait bien coûter la vie au démon.

D’autant qu’il ne devrait pas perdre son temps avec une humaine : la folie va l’emporter s’il ne trouve pas une compagne démoniaque au plus vite. Eidolon pourrait-il oser l’impensable et s’offrir corps et âme à la tueuse ?

Avis:

          Cette série n’a été que récemment traduite certes mais elle est connue depuis bien longtemps dans le monde anglosaxon ce qui fait que l’on me l’avait recommandée depuis très longtemps…. Cependant j’ai attendu et même une fois traduite je ne me suis curieusement pas jetée dessus, comme j’ai pu le faire pour la grande majorité des titres de cet éditeur, bien que j’avais lu un autre livre par Larissa Ione et que je l’avais adoré.

Je n’étais pas vraiment certaine que ce serait une série pour moi et il semble que mon instinct ne m’avait pas trompée.

Oh loin de moi l’idée de dire que « Plaisir Déchainé » est mal écrit c’est juste que je n’arrive pas à m’intéresser vraiment à l’histoire ou à me lier émotionnellement avec les personnages. En fait, je peux même dire que je me suis ennuyée lors des 8 premiers chapitres….l’action avait déjà commencé, les bases des personnages étaient en place et il y avait déjà des scènes plus que « chaudes » mais c’est peut-être là que le bas blesse dans mon cas. J’aime la romance paranormale et soyons honnêtes j’ai déjà lu des scènes plus torrides que celles-ci ce n’est pas tant le niveau  mais la forme qui m’a déplu….Le vocabulaire était un peu trop cru à la limite du vulgaire et ce n’est pas vraiment ma tasse de thé. A mes yeux on peut très bien écrire des scènes érotiques avec un vocabulaire un tant soit peut poétique cela plaira sûrement à certain mais moi je préfère passer (surtout que c’est peut-être un effet de la traduction également)

Je note toutefois que la seconde moitié du livre dispose d’un autre vocabulaire et que l’histoire se complexifie également ce qui a recapté mon attention…. Je n’en étais pas encore au point d’apprécier Tayla loin de là mais l’intrigue méritait que je replonge dans le récit. Je dois dire que dès le début Eidolon m’est apparu très charismatique ( le minimum pour un incube) mais surtout réellement digne d’intérêt car il agit de manière très spéciale. C’est lui qui a créé l’hôpital pour les démons alors que ces derniers sont très méfiants à la base et peu enclin à ce soucier des autres. Lui a voulu que cela change et il fait de son mieux dans cette direction même si il se réserve également le droit de ne pas soigner certaines espèces trop dangereuses. On en apprends assez bien sur lui et ce plutôt rapidement car il n’hésite pas à se confier à Tayla ce qui m’est apparu comme un peu étrange car ce faisant il mettait d’autres en danger.

Ses frères Shade et Wraith sont très protecteurs et j’ai vraiment apprécié la dimension que cela apportant apportait au récit en mettant des bases pour la série dans son ensemble. Ils sont de plus encore très mystérieux ce qui aiguise mon intérêt.

Ce n’est que vers la fin du livre que Tayla a gagné un peu plus de valeurs à mes yeux, je conçois que son passé a pu être très difficile mais son aveuglement avait tendance à me porter sur les nerfs. Elle finit par prendre les bonnes décisions mais elle a encore beaucoup à apprendre.

Si le cas sur lequel les frères enquêtaient trouve une conclusion, en même temps d’autres questions apparaissent comme l’identité du réel instigateur. A ce sujet j’ai mes suspicions … je suis peut être complètement à côté certes mais  en ce moment je dois dire que cela ne me donne pas vraiment envie de poursuivre la série. Je lui donnerai plus que probablement une seconde chance ultérieurement mais à cet instant c’est loin de mes priorités.

 En résumé si vous aimer les histoires avec de la passion ( peu importe le vocabulaire employé) , de l’action et une pointe de suspense vous devriez aimer cette série mais ce n’est pas celle que je recommanderai en priorité. Alors à vous de juger

Score:  1,5 (voir 2 pour la seconde moitié)/5

Disclaimer: Toutes les opinions exprimées ici sont les miennes, il s’agit de d’un avis honnête et personnel. Aucune compensation n’a été fournie en échange de ce dernier.

Challenges:

Accidentally in Love with… a God (Accidentally Yours 1) by Mimi Jean Pamfiloff

Hello to all,

                    i'm really posting late ( or early in fact since it well past midnight) but i didn't want to make you wait longer so  now that i have a few minutes of calm i'm sharing with you my latest read.

First, i wanted to thank you for your thoughts and prayers for my dog, he isn't out of danger yet but i got the results of his new blood analysis and that show a little improvement, enough that the vet decided a new traitment ( injection during a week) to help him fight his infection. he was energic to go out for a walk but for the last days he wasn't eating at all so he couldn't oral medecine, this should help ( he needs to eat, he lost 2kilos in less than 2weeks). i'm still terrified for him but i don't give up i will do all i can to make him better so thank you for your support.

this was taken a few years ago but i though you should see for whom i'm fighting and praying for. He is so cute don't you think? kind and protective too

 Now what did i read?  A new series... at the moment i start more than i follow up but it has been a long time since this one tempted me so it was the perfect moment to indulge and take my head out of the problems for a bit.. the result was simply addictive and i will read more by this author in a near future . Here comes my opinion on " Accidentally in Love with... a God"


Happy Reading

Publisher: Forever

Publication: 2013

ISBN:  1455546925

Genre: paranormal romance
Violence: mild
Language: normal
sex: mild
Public: 18+

Source: bought

Short description from goodreads :

 Twenty-two-year-old Emma Keane has a secret friend. He’s powerful, mysterious, and devastatingly handsome. In her dreams, anyway.

In real life, he’s an enigma. Maybe just a teensie jealous. Definitely overbearing. He’s also a voice only she can hear.

So who or what is he? He won’t say. But if she wants to be free, to be normal, Emma will have to trek to the jungles once ruled by the Mayans and find the forgotten ruin holding the answers.


However, the ruthless deity she’s about to unknowingly unleash on the modern world, might not be so easily extracted from her life. Bottom line, he’s got enemies, and now, so does she.

My opinion:

          Fantastic, I really loved this one.  At first I was intrigued because the summary spoke of Mayans and I’m quite attracted but story set in that time of with element from those cultures ( Mayans, Aztecs etc)… a remembrance of my love for the anime “ Les merveilleuses cités d’or” ( the old version ( ’80) with the after little explanation for historical or geographic elements)

Yes the story isn’t fully on those elements but Votan  later called Guy is from there ( and other cultures^^;;) and part of the story is in the jungle so  for me it was more than enough. Add to that a really interesting plot, secondary characters well done some intriguing like Cimil  ( really energic goddess) or Gabran the chief who loves to annoy his god ,some irritating like Tommaso  ( can’t understand how emma can trust that one he is so “off”). The universe is really well thought and well described, right at the beginning you get insight about the Uchben and later  more information come to complete the description, Votan explains right at the start how “gods “are working so all that make the story one you can really easily get immersed into.  I was hooked right from the start and couldn’t stop turning the pages.

After speaking so much about the setting and the secondary characters it’s time to focus on the main couple. First, Emma, I quite liked her she is funny, can make stand up for herself and don’t let Votan/ Guy bully her. She is energic but more important she has a wonderful heart. Since little she had someone amle speak to her… first like a friend later like an arrogant infuriating companion. She doesn’t know why but it has started to be too much for her and she wants to be free or she thinks so.

 I loved to see her interactions with Votan and it was really funny.  Now  she also started to be a little infuriating when she couldn’t make up her mind about being free or not, trusting him or not she was like a yoyo in the second  part of the book and I just wanted to shake her a good time and stop whining.  Still  , I’m not sure how I would have reacted either.

Votan… I was immediately vouching for him^^;;, hard to explain why but in all mythology ( greek, roman, norse, mayan etc)  I’m not against the god of death and/or war….more than often in fact I pity him. It’s not a easy job and it makes you be seen as bad but there isn’t life without death to start with ( even if it seems unfair and that we hate it  it’s a fact)… as for the war…. Battle with honor are different from simple violence and while I dislike (euphemism) the war in general I know humans won’t stop, no need for a higher being to have a hand in that.  It’s not my favourite deity but like I say I pity the one with that task because I think he ( she sometimes) must feel really alone and  misunderstood. Votan did share that trait. OH he is a fighter, a warrior and one really talented but he takes no real pleasure on taking care of the bad souls…; he just do his job. Later in the story we will learn that it’s even more complicated than that.

While my heart was on Votan getting the girl I still was annoyed from time to time with him because he is the arrogance itself and while wanting to protect Emma….he is so out of place. He wants her to feel angry to make her ready? Perhaps it works with soldier but not with a lover and treating her like a child because mortal and fragile doesn’t help his cause… he was quite clumsy in a way that was also touching.

Really there is only  1 or 2 details that bothered me and it’s the reason I can’t give a 5/5 but it’s barely since I loved it so much despite everything. First I took some times to understand why the narrator suddenly called Votan Guy…  thought I shouldn’t have because with a French pronunciation it’s a perfect traditional  first name^^;;), it’s logical and explained a little after but at first it was confusing. The second thing that bothered me? The last page..; really I could have done without it since it set a cliffhanger and I’m not sure book 2 will start where we left  these characters and it frustrates me

 That being said this story is really funny, with endearing characters, romance, a lot of action and some elements from less know cultures and mythologies so if you want a original story with those elements you must try this one! I can’t wait to start on book 2 and get the others already released. You won’t be disappointed!

Score:  4,5/5

Disclaimer: All opinions are my own and no compensation was received in exchange for this review

Challenges:

Grave Dance (Alex Craft 2) by Kalayna Price

Hello to all,

                  i'm posting this a little later than i hoped but my top priority at this moment is my dog. I had to go to the vet in emergency ( bad friday 13th) and the results are really, really bad. So, Right now i'm doing all i can to reverse the situation and stop the renal failure while keeping off the pain. Thankfully he has started to take his medecine without a fight but he isn't eating a lot right now and i can only pray everything will work and that he will get back on his pawn  healthy and happy  as soon as possible.

 Anyway i did manage to read, it just took longer^^ so today i continue with a series i started not too long ago but quite enjoyed and i wasn't disappointed so let see what i thought of Grave Dance

Happy Reading

Publisher: ROC

Publication: 2011

ISBN:  0451464095

Genre: urban fantasy, paranormal romance, witches, faes, Magic
Violence: strong
Language: normal
sex: none
Public: 18+

Source: bought

Short description from goodreads :

Whoever said dead men tell no tales obviously never met Alex Craft.

After a month spent recovering from a vicious fight with a sorcerer, grave witch Alex Craft is ready to get back to solving murders by raising the dead. With her love life in turmoil thanks to the disappearance of Fae Investigation Bureau agent Falin Andrews and a shocking “L” word confession from Death himself, Alex is eager for the distractions of work. But her new case turns out to be a deadly challenge.


The police hire Alex to consult on a particularly strange investigation in the nature preserve south of Nekros City. The strange part: There are no corpses, only fragments of them. A serial killer is potentially on the loose, and Alex has no way to raise a shade without a body, so she’ll have to rely on the magic of others to find leads. But as she begins investigating, a creature born of the darkest magic comes after her. Someone very powerful wants to make sure the only thing she finds is a dead end—her own

My opinion:

          This series is really getting more interesting after each book and I appreciate Alex more and more. She is an interesting character and I haven’t read about a lot like her. Yes I was hesitant before because this is a series about a witch making ghosts  and souls speak, with a death collector ( soul collector being more appropriate term) so I feared it would be really dark but I was wrong.

Oh this world is dark yes and there are some dark moment, violence etc but the focus isn’t on that… in a sense even the death doesn’t sound as terrifying either. Alex is respectful of the deceased; she doesn’t use them as general rule. I love her romance with Death, the soul collector… oki their relationship is strange and quite forbidden but it sounds sincere and he is protective of her. Falin, the fae, who appeared in book 1 can be gorgeous… and sometimes help her I don’t trust him ( yes in this story he gets some bonus point but if i could pick Death would get the girl)

This second book take place a few months after the events of book 1 in which Alex discovered her true nature… those events were not without leaving traces physically and psychologically… Alex is discovering new powers and her old ones don’t act like they did in the past… sometimes they seem more potent sometimes more unpredictable. In any case she knows she has to keep her head low to keep her secret.

When hired to look at a crime scenes, she discover that she can easily see past fae glamour  which could be dangerous for her but at first she doesn’t realize it’s glamour and tell a little too much. Also her fae nature is starting to affect her more deeply while she is still completely ignorant of their rules and of the numerous dangers.

I must say that the plot was really well twisted and I even had doubts at some moment^^; like I said Falin did won some points but I still don’t trust him. Alex will learn a lot about faerie and makes a few more enemies along the way.

This book doesn’t end on a cliffhanger at all but I must say I’m impatient for book 3. If you love Magic, investigation, suspense and romance this is a universe you should appreciate and more.

Score:  4,5/5

Disclaimer: All opinions are my own and no compensation was received in exchange for this review

Challenges:

Allegiance ( Penton Legacy 4) by Susannah Sandlin

Hello to all,


  Today is the release of the long awaited new instalment in the Penton Legacy series which i love as you know it ( reviews for precedent books can be found here: Redemption, Absolution, Omega): Allegiance.
It focus is on Cage who was still a mystery at the end of Omega but had a lot of fans already^^, even better we get to see some characters from "Storm Force"  which is fabulous and add a lot of humour.

Thus i couldn't forget to share the news and my opinion on the story ( thanks  Susannah/ Suzanne for the early ARC) but that's not all....i'm sharing this with you ( between the numerous storms) because since it's the release day you could win!! If you are on facebook a big party is taking place this evening with a lot of authors so gifts cards and books will be given as prizes and you don't want to miss that. All info can be found here ( if you are not on facebook don't worry the Suzanne has a blog tour with international prize and will have something on her blog too)

 Now let go back to the essential: Allegiance!


Happy Reading

Publisher: Montlake Romance

Publication: 2014

ISBN:  147782331X

Genre: paranormal romance

Violence: strong
Language: normal
sex: strong
Public: 18+

Source: ARC from the author

Short description from goodreads :

 From award-winning author Susannah Sandlin comes the fourth book in the smart and steamy Penton Legacy series.

British vampire psychiatrist and former mercenary Cage Reynolds returns to Penton, Alabama, looking for a permanent home. The town has been ravaged by the ongoing vampire war and the shortage of untainted human blood, and now the vampires and humans that make up the Omega Force are trying to rebuild. Cage hopes to help the cause, put down roots in Penton, and resolve his relationship with Melissa Calvert. The last thing he expects is an attraction to Robin Ashton, a trash-talking eagle shape-shifter and new Omega recruit.


Meanwhile, as a dangerous saboteur wreaks havoc in Penton, the ruthless Vampire Tribunal leader Matthias Ludlam has been freed on the eve of his scheduled execution. But by whom? And to what end? As war and chaos rage on, love is the last thing Cage is looking for, but will his attraction to Robin distract him from the danger living among them?

My opinion:

                         You know you are really hooked into a series when the style change (even subtly) and still you can’t stop reading.  Susannah Sandlin ( aka Suzanne Johnson) did surprise me a lot with this fourth instalment and  that’s really a good point. She is still a master at descriptions and her knack to create realistic, tortured heroes hasn’t changed but this book is a lot darker than the precedent. Don’t worry though the romance part is still there and thankfully we have a lot of humour to balance the darkest part. Oh and shifters are included too now ^^.

First, I must say that I was really happy to see Robin and Nik again, after “ Storm Force” I just wanted more of those characters and honestly these two are the ones that fit the most in Penton.  I loved to see the banters between Robin, petit woman but fiery temper, with Mirren, the big bad brooding vampire so massive. The humour there was exceptional and since she can’t keep her mouth shut Robin did made a lot of funny remark and created some interesting relationship.

We learn also a lot more about her past and Nik’s, I was quite surprised to learn so much about both of them. We still don’t know everything but we can understand them better now. It’s so well done that even without having read “Storm Force” you wouldn’t feel lost at all.  I wouldn’t recommend you to start the Penton Legacy series with “Allegiance” , not it wouldn’t be possible, Susannah made is so that you get a lot more if you read it in order. It’s even more important in my opinion if you look at the psychological part of the characters; however you get enough reminders about the story as a whole that you shouldn’t feel too lost if you were to get this one first.

Now I must also admit that from the Penton books, this one isn’t my favourite and I even felt a little disappointed or more exactly I felt disturbed by the changes. The author didn’t do anything wrong, not at all, but I wasn’t expecting so many dark twists. At the end of “Omega”, book 3, we were left with a complete ending oh everything wasn’t happy per say but the couple had his happy ending, the villain was caught and we could have been happy if the series had come to a end then. I’m not saying it should have ended no but it was the feeling I got you know, main questions are answered, lovers are together and we can imagine things will improve and everyone will be happy at the end. You see?  Of course I wanted the big villains to suffer and yes I wanted to learn more about Cage but at the same time it was a want, a wish not a necessity. It felt complete enough.

In “Allegiance” we can feel the desperation, the tension and it not only the state of the city but more the psychological evolution of its inhabitants that got to me. It was heavy and so sad (a character dies within the first 5 chapters!). Yes Cage was a psychiatrist and for that reason he is better equipped to fight that but still I guess I had hoped like those living in Penton for a reprieve, to see the city come back to its glory while it’s a more insidious war that is brewing.

I didn’t like how Cage reacted in the precedent book but he redeemed himself in Allegiance in more than one way.  I loved how we discovered him, while he did the same and to see him speechless in front of a bold semi naked Robin was really to fun! Even Melissa went back to my good grace per say as she finally comes back to her sense.. however I was distressed to see how the war had impacted everyone in Penton…. It’s logical and a realistic answer to all the events it makes perfect senses but I wished for their happiness and it was a shock to see it was still so far away^^;; we discover a new side of Aidan that I’m not comfortable with.

The new twist on shifters is an interesting one and I can’t wait to see what Susannah has under her sleeve about them, I do want to learn more. What disappointed me the most was the ending because  it’s too much of a cliffhanger ( not real one but the feeling is there) it wouldn’t be possible to stop the series now…. Too much has to be done, answered and I do hope we will have a real HEA later too… until now the books felt complete , we wanted more yes ( I still do) but it wasn’t such a need like it is this time so I can only hope we will learn about a 5^th book soon^^

 I can only recommend you to start this series if you haven’t already since it’s a lot better read in order and before Allegiance “ Storm Force” would be a good read too to see more of Robin and Nik. I really can’t wait for  more

Score:  4/5

Disclaimer: All opinions are my own and no compensation was received in exchange for this review

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Remember you can attend the party on facebook between 8 and10pm (eastern) at this link  it will be fun for sure! you can also enter to win some swag  on her blog here 

Don't hesitate to check those if you can^^

No Ifs, Ands, or Bears About It (Grayslake1) by Celia Kyle

Hello to all,


                  Oulà, already June and we can't really say that i have been really active on the blog in May, so sorry.As you know i had a little difficult time in May and that affected my reading more than i anticipated so while i tried to still visit and comment other blogs, mine took a step down.  I will try to do better, i have several books that had me drolling over and i couldn't start them so the pile grew and as soon as i get back into action i should be really motivated

Today i share with you a book discovered thanks to Brenda ( yes another one^^ what can i say we do share a lot of tastes) one paranormal romance but with bears instead of wolves ( though they have some too). a great change even if wolves stay my favourites with felines^^

Happy reading

Publisher: Createspace

Publication: 2013

ISBN:  1494788373

Genre: paranormal romance, shifters
Violence: strong
Language: normal
sex: strong, steamy
Public: 18+

Source: won
 

Short description from goodreads :

The first day of Mia's new life in Grayslake, Georgia is not going as planned. The house her grandfather left her looks ready to crumble, boxes cover every inch of the floor and-oh-there's a bear cub in her pantry. It gets worse when the cub's uncle comes by and busts out his fur and claws while on her front porch. Then it gets loads better because suddenly there's a hot hunk of badge-wearing werebear on her lawn ready to rescue her. Yum. Of course, he has to ruin things by trying to take the cub out of her hands. Ha! The cub is hers... No ifs, ands, or bears about it.

Werebear Ty can't seem to get the curvaceous, delectable Mia to understand that, even if she is one-quarter werebear, she isn't keeping the cub. Ty is the Grayslake Itan, the clan's leader, and the little werebear is going home with him... Unless it isn't. It's her smile. If she'd stop smiling and being gorgeous, his inner-bear would support him and Ty would get his way. But the beast wants to make their woman happy, so it's perfectly content to let her do as she pleases. Then things change. Threats arise, danger comes close, and Ty demands she return to his den. No ifs, ands, or "mates" about that.

My opinion:

          Loved It! Bears shifters won point with this story to move in my favourite kind of shifters list… I mean you can’t resist a cub like Parker. He is so cute and suffered so much I just want to cuddle and protect him. The older version like Ty is super sexy as you can imagine from the cover. Now what was really interesting for me was to see how they were structured, how they lived after all we often imagine bears are solitary creatures and here it was partly the case. Each clan is quite closed on itself and they don’t accept well people from outside the clan (no bears even less) but at the same time they have a clan home. They regroup and lives together in one city.

We also see which other kind of shifters live in the area and what kind of “relationship” they have together. Instructive and it shows how well the author imagined her universe.

The characters all have a different personalities and while I really appreciated Ty  he did make some effort and was kind of a real teddy bear inside the big growling alpha) I must say that I’m quite attracted to his brothers… between the one too often left aside and the doctor one… I can only hope to read their own stories soon but back to this first book. I think it’s a really promising debut it has it all the suspense, the action, the romance and the humour too.

The only thing that bothered me a little was how quickly Mia surrender to Ty… yes she is attracted and yes she doesn’t surrender completely but she jump in his bed a little too quickly to my tastes. Now it’s not insta love since she keeps doubting him and his attentions but she did surrender to her hormone and when we learn that bear shifters are not monogame or loyal in most case it bothered me a little . I would havbe loved if she made a point first. Thankfully the author really managed to makes things works by adding some special elements I will let you discover and she made the couple learn about each other before really committing so I easily kept my attention focused on the story as a whole and it was really captivating so I read it in one sitting.

If you love shifters in general and want some romance mixed with a lot of action this is the perfect book for you.

Score:  4,5/5

Disclaimer: All opinions are my own and no compensation was received in exchange for this review

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