This was a good read, if a little sweet in terms of the H/h. Hidden Crimes continues to be my all time favorite of this story line - highly recommend it for those who like strong and capable female characters.
I liked the fact the main character was an Asian-American, and the fact that shifters were mixed in with cowboys really hooked me. But I think the author tried to add a little too much "suspense" to this romantic suspense novel, making the characters feel weak and unsure. I love a good who-done-it, but for me there is a line beyond which additional layers of uncertainty make a book lose its impact and it starts to feel wishy-washy.
Really enjoyed this one. I was a little concerned about how the author would distinguish this world from Kate Daniels, but I shouldn't have been worried. Yes, the h in both worlds have magic, are trained in combat skills and are driven to help those in need even though it would be in the h's best interest to stay uninvolved, but the world in Clean Sweep is it's own unique place with a slight sci-fi twist (which I love!). Happily paid for this even though it was a free serial on the author's website, and I can't wait for the next one!
I read a excerpt on the author's website and was pretty excited about reading this book, but I have to say I became concerned when the book started off with an email exchange between the H/h in which I got the impression this might be one of those books that tries to be so snarky and just fails miserably. Luckily though things got much better once the H/h meet in person, and I very much like this author's bear (as well as the single and ruggedly handsome alpha of the neighboring wolf pack - yum!). I do think it was expensive at $4.99 though, but likely comparable to Celia Kyle's Ridgeville series which falls in the same price range.
I was very happy that the author made a rather more realistic portrayal of what life would be like for the H two years after the major events in her Timber Wolves series - he has huge issues to deal with, and understandably so. I like the h too - not so kick-butt, but definitely has a backbone. My heart went out to Scout and Liam...I hope we at least get a novella on them for a full update. I can only cross my fingers and hope. :)
I had previously read the first 3 books of this series and was only lukewarm on it, but I needed another rodent shifter for a reading challenge and hoped I could make it through this. I ended up liking this book more than the first three - I think I liked the h's character more. And the H was sweet. Wish it was a little less expensive, but that's the way it goes.
3
I liked how the author wrote the H/h and how their backstories as to how they came to be shifters (H was human and was turned; h was born into the tribe) played out in their reactions/behaviors. I do wish there was more background given (the blurb is pretty much all you get!) and for its length I wish there was a little less repetitive internal monologue, but very glad to have picked up this shifter freebie.
There were elements of the story I liked but ultimately it felt like the author didn't do enough world-building to establish me in her world. When she introduced a new paranormal I had to read the section several times and even then it felt like this was a middle book in an already established series rather than the first book where some ground-laying has to be done. I picked up otter next book in the series as a freebie which I'll read at some point with the hope her writing gets better, otherwise I wouldn't continue.
Rating got a bump from the interesting take on a post-apocalyptic world and the fact the main shifters featured were octopus shifters, but editing issues and the commonplace tone of the dialogue were the book's downfall. If the next book is a freebie I'd probably pick it up but otherwise won't continue with the series.
Things I liked about the book - the unique way this author built her werewolves and vamps (at least I've never come across anything quite like it), and the author's voice felt "honest" when she was describing the feelings the h had for the H (not sure how else to describe it, but in her dedication she described how upon first meeting her husband she knew that was it for her - or something like that - and I think that translated into the book).
Things I didn't like - I really have difficulties with books in which there is obviously a big secret being kept from the h that everyone refuses to tell her (in this case I can count three big revelations - the one towards the end I'm not really sure was necessary) and those difficulties are compounded when the h doesn't demand answers (with her fists, if necessary). And I'd really rather have traded some more time getting to know the Pack for fewer steamy scenes.
In the end, the book took me a while to read and at only 157 pages, seemed to drag a bit. It was ok, and I'm not chomping at the bit for the next installment.
I need to find some rodent shifters for a reading challenge that needs to be wrapped up before the end of the year, and let me tell you, the pickings are slim! So when I picked this up I wasn't expecting much - I was happily surprised how charmed I was at this story! Yes, the dialog is a little stilted at times and the story dragged a little bit toward the end for me, but I am actually itching to read more in this series. A well-spent $0.99. :)
I was expecting a steamy BDSM shifter read, but instead ended up just being confused as to her "training" and not particularly overwhelmed by the BDSM content (in fact, no "whelming" happened at all for me during the steamy scenes which felt rather boring). Add the bland dialogue to that, and I think this quote from the heroine sums my feelings up quite well: "I just don't understand why all this is necessary."
I still like the overall grittiness (is that a word? My kindle doesn't think so) of this series, but a combination of poor proofreading, creative new uses for punctuation, and a loss of a focused storyline (a case perhaps of less is more) made this book not resonate with me. :(
Picked this up as a freebie a while ago and wish I hadn't been putting off reading it. I enjoyed the author's voice which set me up quite comfortably in the world and with the H/h (similar to how I feel with Nalini Singh's writing). The ending did fall apart a little but overall enjoyed this book.
I very much enjoyed reading about the gryphon shifters, their behaviors and society that the author created, but I agree with reviewers who said that it was confusing at times and a good editing/revision would easily make this a 4-5 star book. Grabbed it as a freebie and happy I did, and I'll keep an eye out for the next book in the series.