Red by Izzy Barry

Red has hidden both herself and a secret that could get her killed since she was young. Now, the last family and confidant she had is gone and she can no longer hide from the pack. Per her brother’s last wish, Red is now under the protection of the Alpha and has relocated to his home. She must now juggle keeping her secret safe, learn how pack politics work, grieve for her brother, and—worst of all—fight off the physical attraction she has toward the man in charge.

Hello everyone,

My name is Jem and I was lucky to read this book before the official release. I loved it!

This is not just a romance book. There is romance and of course two stubborn people who don’t know how to express their feelings to themselves or others. There is, of course, sexual tension, confusion, and lots of jealousy on both sides.

There is also a theme of grief and learning to let people in after tragedy. Red proves she is not useless to herself and the pack she comes to love through heroic, and sometimes reckless, acts to protect them all from the same fate as her brother.  

As this author’s first book, this had me hooked as it likely will any paranormal romance fan. Readers will not want to put this book down. I cannot wait to see what other stories she has for his pack and in this universe.

Full stars and worth the sleep loss!!!

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Kingdom of Faewood Written by Krista Street Narrated by Kasi Hallowell

Ellowen is a fae with a unique power, she can travel through the veil and ask the shadowy creatures that live there to locate others that cannot seem to be found, or for other knowledge and information that the seeker does not have any other way to discover. These beings can let her know if those sought are alive or dead. And if she is powerful enough, with full control over her abilities she might even be able to control these creatures. It is a dangerous power, one that has caused her to be bound to a guardian until she reaches adulthood. This guardian has control of the collar which controls her ability to use her birthright powers. The promise being that once she has achieved a certain age, the supernatural courts will determine if she remains a danger to others. If not, she will then be freed, returning full control over the use of her abilities to her.

But after being kidnapped by a dangerous criminal known as the Dark Raider, Ellowen learns a number of truths that her guardian had neglected to tell her. The Dark Raider promises that if she will perform a calling for him, that he will find a way to help her gain true freedom from her guardian. It seems a simple enough task, and a reasonable trade, But there is much that neither of them know, and they have a long way to travel.

I listened to the audiobook version of this story and enjoyed it. I often listen to audiobooks when working in my garden or exercising. This one was listed in the description as a spicy romance story, and though there were a few spots that could be considered mildly spicy, compared to other stories I have reviewed, the spiciness was what I would consider rather mild. I did enjoy the story, though. And have even begun listening to book two in this series, (and so far I am  enjoying that one as well). The narration in this audiobook was well done. The different character voices were distinct and it was easy to determine which character was speaking at any given time in the story.

I enjoyed the plot of this tale. Ellowen is not a shrinking violet, even when she has been kidnapped. I enjoyed the range of emotions that she and the others around her experienced. We get to see her grow as she learns more about not only her own life and powers, as well as the truth that has been deliberately kept from her over the years.

I think that anyone who enjoys books about various types of fae, magic, unique abilities, mysterious secrets, and fantasy novels in general would likely enjoy this book, whether you are listening to the audiobook version (as I did) or are reading the novel itself.

Amazon requires me to state that I have an Amazon Associates account that I use to generate the links to the books on their website. Purchasing something after following those links will earn a few pennies for me off the sale, though as of yet I have not earned anything from my Amazon Associate links.

"Wisteria Wonders" Written by Angela Pepper, Narrated by Tiffany Williams

Zara Riddle certainly has her hands full in this one. Not only did Frank,  her coworker at the library, turn into a pink flamingo after her prank surprised him, but not knowing that he was a shifter, he didn't know how to turn human again. Also, her neighbor Chet needs her help in order to return his finance’s spirit to her body and awaken her from a coma. Two rather difficult tasks for her to accomplish in this book. Add in Zara’s crush on Chet and her spirit-charmed abilities causing her to experience some of the other woman’s memories and feelings for Chet, and she really has her hands full. 

I listened to the audiobook version of this story. It was a fun and amusing tale, even while parts of it left me feeling quite a bit of sympathy for a number of the characters involved.  The narrator once again did a great job of differentiating the voices of the characters so that there was no confusion as to who was speaking at any point within the story, and I enjoyed listening to the tale. This was the third book in this series, and I am looking forward to finding out what is next for the characters in the town of Wisteria.

If you enjoy Cozy mysteries, either reading or listening to the audiobook version, I think that you will enjoy this one. It is a very fun tale in an amusing series.

This book may also be available through:

https://books2read.com/u/mdqpKZ

Amazon requires me to state that I have an Amazon Associates account that I use to generate the links to the books on their website. Purchasing something after following those links will earn a few pennies for me off the sale, though as of yet I have not earned anything from my Amazon Associate links.

"By Moonlight" by Chelsea Burton Dunn

Vee is an empath. She owns her own locksmith business, and though some of her clients are preternaturals, she has masqueraded as fully human for most of her life. Only those who she has known for a very long time are aware that she is not fully human. All of that changes when Vee comes across a girl with a Werewolf father and a human mother. They have incorrectly assumed she will be human like her mother. But one full moon, when the pack is away for their monthly run in the woods, Lori, who also had assumed she would never change, begins her first change. And it is only through Vee's intervention that Lori is able to keep from changing in front of her friends and killing them.

This is the first book in the By Moonlight series, and it's a good one, setting the stage for what will happen later on in the series. If you've been following my review blog, then you know that I received and read a review copy of book two, though I had not yet read book 1. After that I went back to buy this book, and yes, I enjoyed it just as much as I did book 2. (While you can easily read them out of order without feeling lost, some things will be much clearer if you do read them in order.)

I very much enjoyed reading both this book as well as book 2 in this series, and am looking forward to when book 3 will be available so that I can find out what happens next. If you enjoy books involving Werewolves, Witches, Watchers, and more, then you'll definitely enjoy this series. Recommended.

This book may also be available through:

https://books2read.com/u/mvBVNX

Amazon requires me to state that I have an Amazon Affiliate account and that using my provided links may earn me a few pennies if you purchase something after clicking on them to reach amazon. I chose to become an Amazon Affiliate so that I would have access to their provided links. I feel that it is important to make it as easy as possible to find the books I talk about in my reviews. But as of yet, I have never earned anything in this manner from Amazon.

“Wicked Wisteria” written by Angela Pepper. Narrated by Tiffany Williams.

Strange things are once again happening in Wisteria. Print is vanishing from books in the library and elsewhere, even money is being affected with vanishing ink. Zara’s aunt Zinnia helps her to fix the books using a bookworm spell to restore the missing print, but what is causing it? And that’s not the only problem that seems to be happening, being a spirit charmed witch, Zara encounters a lost spirit who needs her help, but he may or may not actually be dead. Naturally, that seems to be only the beginning of the troubles happening at the moment.

Like the previous book, this one told a fun story that was well thought out and very entertaining. The characters were voiced well and distinctly enough from each other leaving no confusion as to who was supposed to be talking to whom. The plot kept me interested and entertained throughout the book, and the story kept me guessing until the end. I am already looking forward to listening to book 3 in the series so that I can see what sort of trouble Zara gets into next.

I listened to the audiobook version through audible, but this book may be available through the following locations:

https://amzn.to/46HP9jU

Amazon now requires me to let you know that I do have an Amazon Associates account and that buying books through my attached links will generate a slight income for me. (I believe it allows a few pennies to be earned by me any time someone buys something after following one of my links.) 

I use this service to be able to generate the links to their books for you on my site, but in complete honesty, I have yet to actually earn anything through this process. (Not enough people have ever bought anything after clicking one of the links I've provided. But I still feel that having the links in order for my readers to be able to easily find the books is a helpful service.)  

“Wisteria Witches” written by Angela Pepper, Narrated by Tiffany Williams

When Zara & her daughter move to a new town, they run into quite a few surprises, not the least of which is the sudden awakening of Zara’s magic on her daughter’s 16th birthday. Soon after, they find themselves drawn into a mystery and discover/reconnect with a long lost aunt that they weren’t aware lived in town. Zara’s aunt is also a witch, though she had discovered her own gifts at a young age, and is now trying to rapidly teach Zara and Zoey about magic (though as of yet Zoey doesn’t seem to have any powers of her own.) Then there are the interesting neighbors and a whole other cast of characters in the small town of Wisteria.

Rather than reading this book, I listened to the audiobook version as I was walking. It was a nice, lighthearted little cozy mystery that kept me quite entertained for a few days. I expect that had I been reading it, it would have been a quick read, but that doesn’t take away from the fun of the story.

The narrator did a very good job of making sure that each voice was distinct enough that there was no confusion between which character was speaking at any point, and also managed to convey quite a bit of personality into each character’s distinct voices. I enjoyed listening to her portraying each of the various personalities.

If you enjoy listening to a nice, lighthearted cozy mystery that has been read by an entertaining narrator, then you should enjoy this audiobook. And if you prefer to read the physical book or kindle edition, I expect that you would find it just as entertaining.

"Dead by Midlife" by Macy Dixon

Gwen works for "The Agency", a government organization that works to ensure that all magic is kept hidden from the human world. It isn't an easy job, and she's been living under a prophecy that says she will be dead by midlife, which for her is quickly approaching.

Encouraged by her grandparents to attend a speed dating event, she doesn't have high hopes for the night, which are realized when one of the men who she meets turns out to be a shifter. Things only go downhill from there. But what else can she do? It's her job to bring in wayward magicals attempting to hide among human populations.

I found this to be an interesting story and a quick read that I didn't want to put down. The only complaint that I had was that the glossary of terms that were unique to this series came at the end of the book rather than at the beginning. (I spent most of the book guessing at what the author meant when referring to a "Wycke." My guess was pretty close to right, but it would have been a lot easier if I had seen the glossary before reading the rest of the book. It also would have cleared up a few other questions I had along the way.)

Regardless of that fact, the book was very enjoyable. I've already bought the next book in the series. I think that anyone who enjoys urban fantasy with a paranormal twist will enjoy this book.

"Andromeda's Reign" by K.S. Haigwood & Anne Conley

In the beginning of this book, Andromeda has gone with Ace to train as an Alpha in Las Vegas. Her pack will be under the authority of her Beta for the next month while she is gone, though they can easily contact her should the need arise.

That month will be a difficult one with Andromeda fighting against the growing feelings she is feeling for Ace & trying to hold onto her love of the vampire (Pheonix). But is that even possible or will she wind up falling for Ace? And if she does, are any of those feelings real? After all, she and Ace seem to need to stay close enough to physically touch each other or they both suffer.

Like the first two books in this series, I enjoyed this one. Watching Andromeda learn more about herself as well as Ace, his pride, and what it means to be the Alpha of a group was something I greatly enjoyed. Like anyone else does in life, everyone in this story made mistakes. Whether those mistakes involved feelings or knowledge shared/kept secret, it made the characters all the more relatable.

I loved the ending and the surprise contained therein, but it feels like there is another book in the series that has yet to be written. (At least I'm assuming it has yet to be written as I couldn't yet find it on Amazon.)

And while yes, the ending did wrap up my questions from this book, it left me very much wanting to find out what will happen in the next one. I want to see how the characters will deal with the new challenges & difficulties that they were left with at the end of this book. Clearly, I'll just have to wait to see what happens once the next book comes out, and I will be waiting as patiently as I can.

"Midnight Moonrising" by K.S. Haigwood & Anne Conley

As if learning she was a werewolf, that her husband had been the pack Alpha, and that because she had killed him she was now the Alpha wasn't enough, Mena has been having a mental battle with her wolf. A battle that she appears to be losing by the fact that her wolf has been able to take control of Mena's body almost whenever she wants, regardless of what Mena desires.

It doesn't help that Mena loves a vampire by the name of Pheonix, but her wolf can't stand him and instead wants Alex, the detective who is trying to find the person who murdered Mena's husband. Being mortal, the detective is unaware of the existence of werewolves, vampires, or witches & must not be told the truth. Add to that the fact that some of her pack have rebelled & do not want Mena to be their Alpha, and there seems to be more than enough trouble for her to overcome in this book. But honestly, that's just the beginning. From there the hits just keep coming.

I liked this book a lot. It was fast paced and kept throwing surprise after surprise at me as I read. Parts of the book could have used another round of editing, but the story more than made up for that. But do be warned that this is not a story meant for younger readers as some of the details are a bit graphic.

I enjoyed the twists this story took & am looking forward to seeing where the authors will take this story next. I will definitely be continuing on by reading the next book in this series.

"Phases of Change: A Shifter Anthology"

This anthology contains a collection of shifter tales ranging from Felines and Wolves to Sharks and Squirrels, as well as everything in between. The stories were very unique and were fantastic teasers into the beginnings of many different series. I found them all to be extremely entertaining and enjoyable.

As expected, some of the stories involving the many different types of shifters tended a bit towards the more adult aspects of the stories, making some of them rather inappropriate for younger readers. But both the more adult and those stories that were appropriate for younger audiences were something that I greatly enjoyed reading. I would recommend this anthology for anyone who wants a taste of several different types of shifter stories to enjoy.

I’d say to give this one a try, you might find a few authors you both recognize from other stories as well as some that are new to you that I believe are worth taking the time to try some of their other tales.

"Cinders & Fangs: A Shifter Retelling of Cinderella: The Joining Book 1" by J. Conrad

When Elin was young, her mother was taken from her by a large beast that walked upright like a man. Elin was protected by a wolf who took both Elin and her injured father into a wolf den and nursed them back to health. However whenever he spoke of the incident, he claimed there was no such beast. He kept saying that Elin’s mother had been taken by highwaymen and was likely dead.

When she was a teenager, Elin’s father married a woman by the name of Gwyneth who had two daughters of her own. It wasn’t long before Elin realized that Gwyneth had an evil visage that her father never saw. At the wedding, Elin met a woman she had never previously seen who claimed to be her grandmother. It was hard to trust a stranger who wouldn’t tell her much, but Eiriana also seemed the only person who understood Elin’s dislike of the woman her father was marrying. There seemed to be much more going on than anyone was telling her. But what were they hiding from her and why?

I thought this was an interesting retelling of the Cinderella story. It contained all of the expected parts of the story but with a few very unique twists. I enjoyed reading it and am looking forward to the sequel. The book could have benefitted from another round of editing before publication as it did have a number of typos. Overall though, I am glad I read it. I think that those who enjoy twists on familiar fairy tales will enjoy reading this book as well.