Title:  Redeemed
Series:  True Mates #4
Author:  Olivia Arran
Published:  January 27, 2016
My Rating:  4.5 stars
Source:  Kindle Unlimited
Cover Description:

Every inch of him calls to me, thrilling me…

All wolf shifter Macey Colstone needs to do is find a certain coyote shifter who’s hiding from his past and deliver him back to the pack. As a lieutenant in the Colstone Pack she’s able to take care of herself—she doesn’t need a smoldering hot, white-haired, ice-god of a coyote getting all territorial. Especially when she doesn’t know him. And certainly can’t trust him…even though he makes her wolf sit up and howl with need.

To be with her, I have to accept who I really am…

Coyote shifter Jason Sunclaw has spent the last twenty years living as a human. He believes he’s truly happy. He has a successful career, a decent apartment, and money in the bank. He definitely doesn’t need a she-wolf crashing into his life and turning everything upside down, reminding him of the animal side he keeps hidden from the world. But her scent changes everything. He knows straight away, without a doubt, that she is the one for him. And he’d do anything to claim her.

But the path ahead is twisted with lies and deceit—can Macey and Jason work together to discover the real truth…and what will it cost them if they do?

Sexy shifters and their feisty mates who aren’t shy about loving each other – so, this is an adult, 18+ reader tale.

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I just put down a book that I have no intention of reviewing.  It annoyed the crap outta me with every imaginable cliche possible about sexy shifter stories.

Is it really too much to ask that there be a somewhat believable plot along with the 50 shades of shifter sex?  Really?  Please, even?

Hey, don’t get me wrong, I love a hot, sexy romance as much as the next lady – but when there is not even the whisper of a plot – why bother?

There are times it seems that people take a formula of:  curvy lonely woman + hot, sexy shifter male, mix in tons of sex and you’ll have a best seller.  Plot?  Oh don’t worry about that detail, just make sure the sex is smokin’ and the lady gets at least three orgasms per session.

*Eye Roll*

Yes, I am definitely ranting here – but, my blog, my rants are approved.    I honestly don’t care if it’s contemporary, paranormal, historical, suspense,  mystery or horror — if you cannot fit a plot around the sex it’s a worthless read to me.  And my time is just as precious as the cash I plopped down for this piece of crap story.. oh wait, sex scenes threaded together with some dialogue.

So, I tried a new author.  And this time it didn’t work out so well for me.  I won’t dignify this book with a review – and I certainly will never again pick up one of this author’s books.

And I am equally certain that there are readers out there that completely enjoy this type of story.  None of us are alike, but this particular reader wants a plot, characters I actually care about what happens to them along with some hot and heavy sex scenes.  I don’t think that’s too much to ask for… but maybe I’m wrong.

If you follow blogs through any reader I’m sure you’ve seen BlogLovin’ – and I just signed up Shifter Haven so if you like you can easily follow my posts about Shifter Romance so easily.  🙂

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

*huge sigh*  There are so many authors who write paranormal romance, specifically shifter romance that it’s often hard to figure out where to start.  There are some amazing writers that give us such detailed, intense even charming shifter stories — and then there are… the others.  I’m certain you get my drift.  Those who put pen to paper with no idea of how to draw me into a story that I will love and rave about – and beg for more.

But here’s the thing – not everyone’s reading enjoyment is the same.  What gives me delicious thrills up my spine may bore you into snores.  And that’s okay, really it is.

Some authors will grow and change, coming into their own unique niche in this field – others never will.  Yet each has their audience of readers.  Because we don’t all like the same things, and that is just freaking amazing and right for each individual.

For myself, I only have so much time to read and post reviews.  Right now, because of knee replacement surgery and the rehab that comes with that surgery I’ve not been able to sit at my computer for great lengths of time.  So I have 74 drafts in a lined notebook of books that I’ve read during the recuperation time these past weeks.  I also have 44 books that I simply returned, half read because they did not appeal to my reading enjoyment.  Yes, total that’s a lot of books, but I had a lot of time on my hands.  Time is a precious commodity – one that I refuse to waste finishing books that simply do nothing for me at all.  Here at Shifter Haven, all of these books I have made the choice to read and review (no NetGalley obligations unless I’ve brought over a review from Keeper Bookshelf because it’s a shifter romance), as a result you’ll only see stories that I’ve enjoyed and would recommend to others based on my likes and enjoyment of the author’s works.  

The truth is, just like finding that perfect mate you’re gonna have to kiss a few frogs along the way… same goes with picking authors that speak to your enjoyment needs.  But just because you didn’t like one book doesn’t mean that a later story won’t be a perfect fit, so give authors a second chance, time to grow – you might be surprised what two or three years can do to a writer’s delivery techniques.

One thing on this blog that I’m trying very hard to keep updated is my “Shifter Authors” section.  There you will find the authors that I really enjoy and will always pick up their new (or older) stories.  If you’re looking for recommendations that’s a good place to start.

Time is precious, we only have so much of it to spare – so don’t feel badly if an author doesn’t “speak” to you.  Wish them well, don’t bad mouth them, and move along to another selection.  Because everyone has an audience that reaches into the heart – you simply have to take the time to find the authors that do that for you.  It is a lifelong journey, one that is actually very enjoyable.  Read what moves you, and leave the rest to another group of readers who will love what you couldn’t.

Title:  Protection
Series:  Shifters Forever
Author:  Elle Thorne
Genre:  Paranormal Romance
Published:  January 24, 2015
Publisher:  Barbed Borders Press
My Rating:  5 stars
Source:  Borrowed, Kindle Unlimited
Cover Description:

Grizzly bear shifter Grant Waters wants one woman—Curvy Chelsea O’Reilly. He’s wanted her since they met. Except he’s worried his secret may be too much for her. It may be what sets her running.

Curvaceous Chelsea works at a salon in Bear Canyon Valley. She gets butterflies when Grant’s around. But she’s got her own baggage. Plus, she thinks that Grant would be better off with the local, stunning, curvy, widowed-way-too-early Mae Forester.

Read on for my thoughts on Protection.

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So I have this brand spanking new blog called Shifter Haven – which is dedicated specifically to the paranormal genre of shifters…and nothing but shifters.  Because, well why not?  I read a ton of shifter novellas and novels so it makes sense to me to put those reviews and tidbits of information in one spot.

It got me thinking, so I went back to my physical bookcases in search of the very first shifter novel that got me hooked on these hot, Alpha men and their fated mates.  I wasn’t really surprised when it turned out to be:

Christine Feehan’s Fever which was a double book with both The Awakening and Wild Rain… this was the start of her long running Leopard People series.

Here’s the blurb from the back of the book:

In Wild Rain and the novella “The Awakening,” Christine Feehan created an exotic, sensual race-the Leopard People. Fever brings the two stories together for the first time in one volume, a one-way ticket to a dizzying new world of desire.

In “The Awakening,” a beautiful naturalist’s dream comes true-to live among the feral jungle creatures. But an untamed, irresistible beast of another sort inspires her to explore her own wild side.

Wild Rain’s Rachel Lospostros has escaped from a faceless assassin and found sanctuary thousands of miles from home, under the towering jungle canopy. In this world teeming with unusual creatures she encounters Rio, a native of the forest imbued with a fierce prowess, and possessed of secrets of his own. When Rio unleashes the secret animal instincts that course through his blood, Rachel must decide if he is something to be feared-or desired.

Yep, back in January of 2006.  Back then it was difficult to find any good paranormal romances so I devoured Ms Feehan’s stories and Maggie Shayne’s Wings in the Night series (vampires).  Slowly the genre grew to the outbreak we have today with more paranormal romances and shifter stories than we can possibly read (but I’m gonna try)  🙂

Do you remember how you got hooked on shifters?

Hi there, welcome to Shifter Haven!

I have been fascinated by the Paranormal Romance Shifter world since I read my first Shifter romance many years ago.

I’ve always loved the Big Cats and wolves – and I’ve come to have a soft spot for the bears as well.

The idea of a genetic twist that can allow some people to have a dual life, one living as human and the other as their animal – two separate beings encased in one body – has been one that captured my imagination.  And over time, that same idea has brought so many wonderful ( and some meh type ) Shifter stories to us all.

I run several genre specific book review blogs and one main hodgepodge review blog that covers most romance genres.  The links to all of my review blogs are over there in the sidebar if you’d like to visit them.  And now I’ve added a devoted shifters blog to that list.

I read a lot of Paranormal Romance, and perhaps half of that reading is about Shifters.  And I will admit that I have my favorites – and some just honestly creep me out.. but I’ll still read them, after all they’re still Shifters.  Give me a lion, tiger, panther, wolf or bear anyday over a snake.  But that’s me.  🙂

There is one thing to be aware of.  Most Shifter Romances are very erotic, very sensual and extremely sexual.  So while there is really no way to keep someone off of this site – be aware that the reviews here will most often be for readers 18+ years of age.

I hope that you enjoy your time here and that i can recommend some fantastic Shifter Romance novels, novellas or series for your reading pleasure.

Enjoy.

*There may be times that I will repost a review that was originally posted on one of my other blogs – when that happens it will be clearly marked as being a dual posting.  Rest assured that I originally wrote both posts and perhaps have added a bit more to make them unique to here.*