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Showing posts with label Moon Shifters. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Moon Shifters. Show all posts
Thursday, February 28, 2013
Review: Mating Instinct by Katie Reus
Mating Instinct
Author: Katie Reus
Release Date: March 5, 2013
Publisher: Signet
Moon Shifters #3
ISBN: #978-0451239600
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Format(s): Paperback (368 pgs), e-book
Book Source: Publisher
About the book:
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As the beast within struggles to break free, he must learn to be what she needs...
Surviving for centuries, powerful lupine shifter Jayce Kazan managed to stay away from humans until he met Kat Saburova and was consumed by the need to protect her. But while Jayce shared his passion with the human seer, he refused to make her his bondmate—a refusal that caused the end of their relationship.
A year later, an attack that left Kat near death has resulted in another lupine shifter turning her. Furious that he wasn’t the one to save her, Jayce is determined to show Kat that he is the one she should rely on. But the newly turned shifter is still traumatized and worried that she’ll hurt those she loves, unless she can learn to control her inner wolf.
And as Jayce struggles to protect Kat from her own worst instincts and convince her to rekindle their love, the extremists who almost killed her are looking to finish the job…
What G & U are talking about:
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Mating Instinct is the fascinating third novel in the Moon Shifter series. There was a huge back-story and build up to this novel in that it is where Jayce and Kat finally fess up with each other and make a decision.
Although the series started a bit rough for Gikany and Una, as each book progresses we find ourselves drawn more into the world and its characters. So much so that we found the novella, Lover’s Instinct – bought it, downloaded it and read it after finishing Mating Instinct. Although it wasn’t necessary – we love the characters too much to skip the story of how a lovely beta female mated with one of the sexy warriors.
Jayce is not just a sexy warrior, he is the enforcer for the whole council. It is his job to put down wolves that go feral and solve issues that cause havoc in the pack – permanently. His sexiness comes from his rugged and scarred appearance. His face puts most people in a state of panic – but not Kat. Not only does she not fear him, she goes toe-to-toe with this dangerous wolf without batting an eye (but maybe armed with a baseball bat). However, Jayce broke Kat’s heart, and without telling him she ends their relationship before he can.
During the course of the previous book, Primal Possession, Kat is turned into a wolf shifter in order to save her life by one of Connor’s warriors. Jayce is haunted by the simple fact that he didn’t find her in time, didn’t save her and was not the one who gave her the gift of life. Kat is still angry with the lies that Jayce told her, and also angry that he failed in saving her. However what makes Kat the most frustrated is that her heart seems to forever bear Jayce’s name. Therefore Kat keeps her distance from Jayce and the pack in an effort to be left alone to find the one who gave the order that resulted in her torture and almost death. However, if Kat thinks she can hunt this higher-ranking Antiparanormal League (APL) member on her own – she is underestimating Jayce.
Mating Instinct is full of passion, poor communication and burning desire. Kat and Jayce had left the bridge between them burned and broken. To watch them deny the deep attraction and love they have for each other is heartbreaking. The most difficult issue between them is their silence and the refusal they have to be the first one to open up and talk. Jayce, being an enforcer, is a man of few words – something Kat seems to forget. Kat on the other hand desperately wants to save face from the one who crushed her heart so viciously. Yet, if they would just step out from the hurt and self-torment, they would be able to start healing – together.
As Kat and Jayce work through (or against) their attraction and desires, there is a horrible force at work. It seems members of the APL are taking vampire blood – making them stronger and therefore a greater threat. However, to make matters worse, it seems a shifter is on a killing spree and all the arrows seem to point to Jayce. Which means Jayce needs to find out who the killer is and stop them before the public finds out and turns fully against shifters.
Gikany and Una thoroughly enjoyed Mating Instinct. We anxiously anticipate the next novel in the Moon Shifter series. If you enjoy passionate, romantic paranormal stories filled with action and mystery – give this series a shot.
Their Rating:
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Enjoyed - strongly recommend (A-)
Purchase Info:
Reviews in the Series:
Monday, September 3, 2012
Contest Winner - Primal Possession
I would like to thank everyone for stopping by That’s What I’m Talking About for the guest post from the always charming Katie Reus and entering the giveaway. A special thanks goes out to Katie!
The Winner as selected by Rafflecopter:
CONGRATULATIONS!!
I am sending the winner an email to contact me with their full name and mailing address. Please email me at twimom227 (at) gmail (dot) com with your information so the author can send you the book. You have until Monday September 10, 2012 (end of day) to contact me. If I don’t hear from you by then, I will draw another winner.
Thank you and Happy Reading!
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
Review: Primal Possession by Katie Reus
Primal Possession
Author: Katie Reus
Release Date: Sept. 4, 2012
Publisher: Signet
Moon Shifter #2
ISBN: #978-0451237781
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Format(s): Paperback (362 pgs), e-book
Book Source: Publisher
About the book:
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To protect her, he will unleash the beast within…
As his pack’s second-in-command, lupine shifter Liam Armstrong gives orders and takes what he wants—until he meets red-headed, blue-eyed December McIntyre. Liam knows the human beauty is his intended mate the moment he sees her, but December is far too strong-willed to accept his protection.
December, whose brother is the town sheriff, has every reason to mistrust shifters after one killed her youngest sibling. But the forceful and handsome Liam has gotten under her skin in a way she hadn’t thought possible, and the desire she feels for him is almost too much to bear.
When a radical hate group targets all humans known to sympathize with paranormal beings, December is attacked in her bookstore. Reluctantly, she turns to the only one who can help her: Liam. And he is going to take her to places within herself she never knew existed.
What G & U are talking about:
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Primal Possession is the second release in the Moon Shifter series by Katie Reus. Gikany and Una had a few issues with the previous book, and we are happy to say that some of those issues were absent in this book. There are a few pet peeves in the novel but overall we enjoyed it and thought it was good.
In Alpha Instinct we were introduced to December and Liam. Ever since their meeting, Gikany and Una have been eager to read this book. We enjoyed their interactions and the obstacles that they would eventually need to overcome and we could not wait to see it play out. In Primal Possession we see it play out and although it doesn’t go exactly as we thought, it was still enjoyable. Their interactions were heartfelt and intriguing. Their passion and desire for each other was palpable. We would be doing a disservice if we did not mention that Liam and December’s romance just steams off the pages (Una had to wear contacts so her glasses didn’t fog up).
However, we felt there are a few moments where December seemed a bit weak, always listening and doing as her brother or Liam directed. Though she would rankle, she still would go along with them. However at the end of the novel she seemed to have gained some strength in her backbone. There is a scene…it’s a total spoiler so we won’t tell you it, but it was just brilliant! With December’s past overshadowing her and Liam’s protective instincts going “stupid”, it was satisfying to see them work it out.
The pace of the Primal Possession was simple and flowed nicely. It’s not overly complex; the clues are there to figure most of the plot out. However, it is the interactions and the mythology of the world that keeps us fascinated. The introduction of the Fae was thoroughly intriguing. We were surprised at how powerful they are and we are eager to see what type of role they will play. Also, with the mention of vampires, we are anxious to see them play a part in this series as well. Gikany and Una enjoy how in the Moon Shifter series that the world isn’t just unwrapped and handed to us. We are slowly immersed as if on a need-to-know basis. It helps to give the paranormal an air of mystery which we enjoy.
Thankfully there were not too many point-of-views (POVs) in this novel. It was very easy to follow and those POVs we had were integral to the plot and character development. We loved how we are given the foundation and introduction in Primal Possession for the couple in the next book, Mating Instinct. If you are interested there is a teaser chapter at the end. One element that is mentioned and seems to be an ingrained issue is the reoccurrence of men leaving to “protect” their woman or for their own good. Your mate is in danger and you leave so she will be safe, just seems so idiotic (which, Erin, a female shifter so eloquently points out). We cannot wait to see Erin’s story, by the way.
Even with the few pet peeves, we liked Primal Possession better than Alpha Instinct. Gikany and Una enjoyed Liam and December’s story and look forward to reading about Jayce and Kat’s story in Mating Instinct. Considering what transpired in Primal Possession we may receive third degree burns from just holding the book! As preparing for this review, we found that there is a 1.5 novella in the Moon Shifter series. Needless to say, we are going to pick it up and check it out. However, we didn’t notice anything while reading Primal Possession that hinted at us missing something. So feel free to jump in with Alpha Instinct if you enjoy paranormal romance, and especially hot shifters.
Their Rating:
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Liked it - recommend (B+)
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Purchase Info:
Reviews in the Series:
Labels:
3.5 stars,
G-U Review,
Katie Reus,
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Author Guest Post: Katie Reus
Hello Readers! Today I bring you romance author Katie Reus. Katie fell in love with romance at a young age thanks to books she pilfered from her mom’s stash. Years later she loves reading romance almost as much as she loves writing it. She now spends her days writing dark paranormal romance and sexy romantic suspense. Her publishers include Carina Press, Harlequin Nocturne, Ellora’s Cave and earlier this year the first book in her new paranormal series released from NAL/Signet Eclipse (Penguin).
Regardless of genre, she always includes a happy ending. When she’s not creating stories she loves spending time with her husband and son.
Hurricane Recipe:
As his pack’s second-in-command, lupine shifter Liam Armstrong gives orders and takes what he wants—until he meets red-headed, blue-eyed December McIntyre. Liam knows the human beauty is his intended mate the moment he sees her, but December is far too strong-willed to accept his protection.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Regardless of genre, she always includes a happy ending. When she’s not creating stories she loves spending time with her husband and son.
Please help me welcome Katie to That’s What I’m Talking About.
Thanks so much to Jen for having me here! I met the fabulous Jen not too long ago at AAD in New Orleans. She’s funny and totally adorable and I love her hair. We first met at Pat O’Briens, my first night there (I think it was her second?) right off Bourbon Street. Everyone there was drinking hurricanes! Well, except me. I had just finished some ridiculous lemony way-too-sugary concoction at the last bar we were at so I had moved on to water (yes, I’m a wild one) at Pat O’Briens. Somehow I still got a hurricane glass to take home with me at the end of the night because of a lovely woman, but that’s another story.
So for my post today since I now associate Hurricane drinks and the fabulous Jen together, I thought I’d share what the hurricane recipe is. I was a bartender after all, many years ago, so it feels only appropriate.
Hurricane Recipe:
2 oz light rum
2 oz dark rum
2 oz passion fruit juice
1 oz orange juice
½ oz fresh lime juice
1 Tbspn simple syrup
1 Tbspn grenadine
Garnish: orange slice
Pour all ingredients into a cocktail shaker over ice. Shake then strain into a Hurricane glass filled with ice. Garnish with an orange slice and/or cherry.
Whoa, that’s a lot of fruit and sugar! Probably why it’s so delicious and goes down so smoothly ;) I’ll admit, I’m not much of a sweet drinker. I prefer red wine or something along the lines of a Blue Moon in the beer department. Pinot Noir is my fave red wine and Riesling is my fave white wine. So what’s your favorite beverage? Doesn’t have to be alcoholic! Leave a comment and be entered to win a print copy of Primal Possession (US only), my upcoming release in the Moon Shifter series!
Thanks so much, Katie! It was so awesome finally meeting you and hanging out at AADNOLA! I sure hope we can do it again some day! (And let me tell you all, Katie has the FABULOUS hair!)
You can find Katie on line at
More on Primal Possession
Moon Shifter #2, Signet Eclipse, Sept. 4, 2012
To protect her, he will unleash the beast within…
As his pack’s second-in-command, lupine shifter Liam Armstrong gives orders and takes what he wants—until he meets red-headed, blue-eyed December McIntyre. Liam knows the human beauty is his intended mate the moment he sees her, but December is far too strong-willed to accept his protection.
December, whose brother is the town sheriff, has every reason to mistrust shifters after one killed her youngest sibling. But the forceful and handsome Liam has gotten under her skin in a way she hadn’t thought possible, and the desire she feels for him is almost too much to bear.
When a radical hate group targets all humans known to sympathize with paranormal beings, December is attacked in her bookstore. Reluctantly, she turns to the only one who can help her: Liam. And he is going to take her to places within herself she never knew existed.
Purchase info: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Book Depository
GIVEAWAY:
Thank you to Katie Reus for stopping by today and also for generously donating one (1) copy of Primal Possession to giveaway. To be entered, please use the RAFFLECOPTER form below. As part of your entry, please leave a comment answering the question: What’s your favorite beverage (doesn’t have to be alcoholic)? You do not need to be a google friends connect follower of my blog, but it is always appreciated. Contest is open from August 28, 2012 until September 3, 2012 at 12:01 AM EDT. Contest is restricted to US mailing addresses only. One (1) winner will be selected from eligible entries. I am not responsible for items lost in the mail. If you have problems with the RAFFLECOPTER form, please email me at twimom227 (at) gmail (dot) com.
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Sunday, April 1, 2012
Sunday Snippet #98
Alpha Intinct
Author: Katie Reus
Publisher: Signet Eclipse
7 February 2012
Shaking her head, she started to leave them when a gray wolf cub tumbled past her. “What the …?”
A second later, a female jaguar cub followed hot on his tail. The spotted animal raced past her so quickly, it took a moment for her to digest what she was seeing. Ana turned and started after them, to find Ryan scooping them up, one in each hand.
“What the hell is going on?” She hadn’t meant to shout but the words flew out.
The few horses whinnied nervously. By now they were used to wolves, but the scent of a jaguar was something else entirely. A new predator – tiny as she was – would take some getting used to.
Both cubs buried their faces against Ryan’s neck. He grinned and held out the tiny jaguar. “This is Vivian.” She tried to scramble away but he held her tight. Then he held out the gray wolf, who attempted to wiggle out of Ryan’s hand. “And this is Lucas.”
Her heart instantly warmed at the sight of the two cubs. Even the jaguar. It had been a long time since their family had any little ones running around. Most of her packmates were younger than her and weren’t interested in settling down yet. And all the pregnant shifters, with the exception of her mother, had died from the poisoning. Almost on cue, an ache sparked in her chest at the thought of her mother dying from a broken heart, unable to live without her mate. But Ana pushed past the pain as she eyed the little ones. Seeing them somehow made the ache inside her easier. Life was treasured among her kind and, well, the cubs were totally adorable. “This might sound like an obvious question, but who are they and where did they come from?”
“Uh…” Ryan looked down and for the first time since she’d met him, he seemed uncomfortable. His neck turned a dark shade of red.
Behind Ana, Teresa chuckled at his obvious discomfort, which earned her a glare from Ryan.
Okay, if he wasn’t going to answer, she’d try another tactic. “Were they with you guys the other night in the woods?”
He shrugged and the jaguar tried to burrow deeper against his neck. “Sort of.”
“That’s not an answer,” she said through gritted teeth.
“I think you should talk to Connor about this.”
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Review: Alpha Instinct
Alpha Instinct
Author: Katie Reus
Release Date: Feb. 7, 2012
Publisher: Signet
Moon Shifter #1
ISBN: #978-0451236098
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Format(s): Paperback (368 pgs), e-book
Book Source: Publisher
About the book:
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Fear has a scent. So does desire…
Ana Cordona has been a strong leader for the lupine shifters who survived after all the males and most of the females in her pack were mysteriously poisoned. As tough as she is, with no Alpha male, the pack is vulnerable to the devious shifter Taggart, who wants to claim both their ranch and Ana as his own. When Connor Armstrong comes back into her life, promising protection, it’s almost enough to make Ana forget how he walked out on her before—and reluctantly accept his offer to mate.
The minute Connor sees Ana again, it reawakens a raw hunger. He must have her for his bondmate—his wolf cries out for it. But his human side knows he must proceed with caution because of their complicated past. If he is to truly have her body and soul, he must go beyond his burning desire and win back her heart. Whatever it takes, he is determined not to leave her side again.
But Taggart and his rival pack are not their only enemies. A human element in town is targeting shifters. Their plan not only threatens Ana and Connor’s future, but the lives of the entire pack…
What G & U are talking about:
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Alpha Instinct is the debut novel in the Moon Shifter series. It is an interesting blend of urban fantasy within a somewhat contemporary romance. Although Gikany and Una enjoyed it, there are some issues we hoped are simply “debut-itis” factors.
Sometimes a novel will warm you up and slowly get you into the world and the “conflict.” This is not one of them; we begin with Ana facing off with the rival pack adjacent to hers. Alpha Instinct wastes no time in showing that pack politics are not all they are cracked up to be. Gikany and Una enjoyed the weight of politics and the war of perceptions and prejudices that seem to permeate the world that Ana lives in. The idea that there is a overall council that governs the pack is very interesting as it is balanced between the notion that a pack (and most importantly its alpha) must be able to protect their own. Going to the council for assistance is truly a double-edged sword – they may help you, but if in the process of helping you, they feel you are unable to be a pack, they will then assimilate you into other packs. The distrustful feelings that permeate the interactions between different established packs and between humans and packs add to the drama and mystery of who the “big bad” is. The “whodunit” aspect of the novel is gripping and was well woven into the overall pace of the novel. The reader ends up suspecting everyone, which keeps you on pins and needles until the very end.
Two great examples of the overwhelming reality of prejudices are the relationship of Ana and Vivian and between Ana and Kaya and her son Matt. Ana is a wolf shifter and Vivian is a young jaguar cub. Ana treats Vivian as if she is her own child, not just one of the pack, which is an oddity. Since Vivian is a jaguar, the fear that Ana would reject her or worse, kill her for trespassing, forces Connor to keep her a secret from Ana. Combine this with the friendship Ana has with Kaya and Matt Dunlauex (two humans), and you can see Ana’s perceptions change. She didn’t realize that her friendship with the Dunlauxes was mutual, nor what the friendship would mean to her and her pack. Watching the development of Ana and Vivian’s close bond and the continued friendship between Kaya and Matt gives the foundation in the novel for the future books that will show this pack is one that wants to change the insufferable weight of prejudice in this world.
We have enjoyed novels with more than one POV (point of view). However, you can have too many in one novel. Alpha Instinct is a prime example of a novel with way too many POVs. After much discussion, Gikany and Una feel that the enemy POVs were unnecessary and bogged the novel down. The information gleaned in them could have been conveyed in a different matter without changing POVs and slowing down the story. There were some instances that were just not necessary (for example, we have the POV of a big bad that dies…which made his previous POVs completely unnecessary – we don’t NEED to connect to him… he’s the bad dude, we won’t feel pity for him, not that he deserved any…creepy dude that he is). The “big bad” can be conveyed just fine through the eyes of our heroes and heroines. We do have four POVs of our good guys group and that was okay since two will be our “couple” in the next novel.
Another issue is our lack of connection to the main couple. They had a previous attraction to each other and then Connor split…for no reason that Ana could see. We are just expected to accept that they are intended bondmates. But we never truly felt the connection between them. It was as if the preexisting relationship/interactions was the justification. But since we didn’t experience it, the relationship between the two main characters in the book was hollow. It seemed like a cheat to get out of having to develop the main characters and most importantly their connection to one another. As the reader, you just do not feel the emotional ties between them.
The shapeshifter mythology was slightly lacking. We know they are packs, some of the natures of shifters, but we do not get any background or foundation on how the mythology is based or how it works. We just have to accept the dribs and drabs of information as they come to us. It’s shallow and somewhat vague. Perhaps in the next novel, more of the nature and mythology will come to light. Plus we have a stronger connection to the couple in the next book because we have watched them meet and interact in this book. The foundation is laid and we cannot wait to see what transpires between Liam and December.
All in all, this is an enjoyable read but it did lack the depth and convictions that the foundation a more polished novel would accomplish. The transitions between scenes were a little jumpy, due in large part to having too many POVs. We had stronger connections to the supporting characters than the main characters. But all that withstanding, Gikany and Una look forward to reading Primal Possession due out later this year and recommend you pick up Alpha Instinct.
Their Rating:
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Liked it, but had some issues - recommend (B)
Purchase Info:
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