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Uncaged Review – Redemption by Kim Loraine

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Redemption
Kim Loraine
Contemporary Romance

Sparks may fly in the bedroom, but fire always brings destruction.

Golden Beach firefighter Lieutenant Michael Oliver has everything he wants: a beautiful wife, a job he loves, and a future that finally looks bright after years of darkness. Until one day a surprise from his past shows up, throwing everything he’d finally recovered from back in his face.

Lena Shirakawa married the man of her dreams in an impulsive Vegas wedding. As a free-spirited and highly sought-after travel photographer, being the wife of a firefighter who wants her to settle down isn’t easy. Especially when her job takes her all over the world for months at a time.

When Lena’s deep-rooted fears take hold, the damage is done and divorce seems the only option. But Michael won’t give up, even if it means risking everything to keep her.

Uncaged Review: I read this very quickly it’s nothing special just a normal romantic book. The key elements that make this book work is a lot of drama and real life situations. There is a few books out there by this author with some of the same characters mentioned here. Thankfully they are all standalone books like this. The clever thing this author has achieved is a part from me liking this book, she’s made me want to go back and read all the others. I’m pretty sure any fans of romance and drama will love this. Reviewed by Jennifer

4 Stars

Uncaged Review – Highland Faith by Madelyn Hill

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Highland Faith
Madelyn Hill
Historical Highlands

Lady Faith longed for adventure. Be careful what you wish for . . .

Huntress Lady Faith MacAlister seeks adventure. Her father’s dying pledge tethers her to Wild Thistle Keep, thwarting her desire to explore the world beyond the palisade. Solace is found while hunting and providing sustenance for her clan. When snatched from the safety of MacAlister lands by a rogue bent on securing a ransom, she finds the adventure of her life.

Disgraced Captain Graeme Ross travels the high seas in search of bounty to sell in order to secure lands seized by the Crown. He longs to regain his honor in his father’s eyes and continually risks his life on the high seas. Lacking enough funds, Graeme and his crew follow Lady Faith MacAlister as she hunts. Out of need and desire, he kidnaps her. The lady captivates him for the moment he laid eyes upon her. Bold and spirited, she fights him. When he negotiates a ransom, deception tears the burgeoning romance apart.

Now, Lady Faith and Captain Ross seek to settle those differences hindering their union, despite the stretch of land and sea—and angry Highlanders standing between them. 

Uncaged Review: The second book in this trilogy gives us the story of Faith. The three sisters from Clan MacAlister, were intended to rule together, per their father’s wishes. But Faith is not like other ladies, she’s a keen hunter and provides meat for the clan with her hunting skills. While out on an extended hunting trip, she is captured and taken aboard a ship. Graeme Ross needs the final coin to free his father’s lands from the Crown, and plans to use the ransom money from Faith’s Clan. But he didn’t bargain on Faith enchanting not only him, but also his crew.

Faith is strong and spirited and easy to cheer for, and the reader can easily get attached to Graeme and his entire misfit crew on the ship. There is plenty to love about this story, family, love, betrayal and even dangerous seas, the author keeps you turning the pages with a well-developed story and secondary characters.
Reviewed by Cyrene

4 1/2 Stars

Author Interview with Trakena Prevost – Excerpt and Review of Cursed

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Uncaged welcomes Trakena Prevost

Uncaged: Can you tell readers more about your book Cursed? Is this a debut novel?

The idea for Cursed came about when I asked myself what it would look like if the drug problems of the world had a supernatural source. That one thought spawned this crazy tale of a group of supernatural beings divided by what they feel is most important: Power or the value of life. My main character is in the throes of vengeance when that choice is thrown upon her and she has to fight for her humanity.

Cursed is my debut, though it was published a few years ago.

Uncaged: What do you have coming up next that you can tell us about?

I’m currently polishing and just beginning to shop a book on Djinn, the proper name for Genies. In this book, a young half-Djinn discovers that her parents are not dead as she’d originally been raised to think, but that her Djinn mom has been enslaved to her human dad for many years. At its core it’s a story of the love a girl has for her mom and her determination to freeing her from a horrible fate.

Uncaged: You’ve attended a couple conventions this year. What are some of the most memorable moments from the convention for you?

Really just meeting and hanging out with readers and authors! These are my people…they get me.

Uncaged: Do you read your reviews? What do you take away from them?

I try not to. My goal is to take the stories that are in my head and to put them down on paper. I know that some may love them as much as I do, and others may not, but I try not to focus on that. This business is seriously subjected and that’s just the way things are. If I do read them, I make sure to never respond. I try to be grateful for the feedback and to move on.

Uncaged: What is one of the nicest things someone has said to you about your books?

I participated in a teen writing program at one of my local libraries last year. One of the girls reminded me a lot of myself as a teen, young, passionate, and mildly irritated that the stories she liked didn’t have people who looked like her in them. She read my book and thanked me for writing something that she could enjoy with a main character that she could see herself in. It was pretty much that moment where I thought, “This is why I write!”

Uncaged: What is your favorite parts about being an author? What have you found to be the least favorite?

My favorite part is getting to explore all of the crazy stories in my head!

The constant, never-ending self-doubt. Most days I think that my writing is trash and that I should stop while I’m ahead…lol! But that’s where your writing tribe comes in. Those are the folks you meet who swoop in and remind you that this business is a tough one and that you’re amazing. I don’t know what I’d do without those folks.

Uncaged: What do you like to do when you aren’t writing? Where is one of your favorite places on Earth?

When I’m not writing I’m typically hanging out with my kiddo and husband. I like to read a lot. And I definitely have a few TV shows that I adore and keep up with on DVR. My hubby and I travel at least once a year to reconnect as a couple, and my favorite place is anywhere in the Caribbean. We went to Cabo last year and it was amazing to read outside our plunge pool and to stare at the ocean!

Uncaged: What can you tell us that is very unique about you?

Other than the fact that I spend a lot of my free time crafting crazy tales that have my family wondering what’s the matter with me? LoL!

I’m actually a decent singer. In another life I wanted to be the next Whitney Houston – without the addiction to illegal substances – but I quickly realized that I am slightly introverted so that would not work out for anyone. I still love to sing for my kiddo though. I sung to him when he was in my belly and he loves to hear mamma sing to this day!

Uncaged: What would you like to say to fans, and where can they follow you?

That I’m so grateful for every single one I have and that I know I’d be nowhere without them!!! I’m most active on twitter (@trakenaprevost) and Facebook (http://facebook.com/TrakenaPrevostAuthor). You can also check out my website (www.trakenaprevost.com)

[symple_box color=”black” fade_in=”false” float=”center” text_align=”left” width=””]Trakena Prevost was born and raised in the great state of Texas, where everything IS bigger and the people are super friendly. She spends most of her time running around after her young son, trying tirelessly to annoy her husband to distraction, and oscillating between being completely obsessed with reading and crime dramas. She also just so happens to write down the fantastic stories rumbling around in her head – mostly to quiet the voices that take residence there. When not reading and writing, Trakena spends her time working in HR, hanging with her family and friends, and desperately trying to force her love of reading on her little one.

Trakena is dedicated to writing paranormal stories with multicultural characters, where race is not the main conflict. Her passion stems from being a young teen in love with paranormal fiction, but being unable to find any stories she liked with characters that looked like her. She hopes to change that reality for her son and all the other kids of color out there who love to read as much as she does![/symple_box]

Cursed
Trakena Prevost
Young Adult/Paranormal

Half-succubus Jazz Watkins spends her nights knee-deep in Chicago drug dens hunting Suecai—an evil kind of incubi and succubae who devour the souls of humans. But when a leader of the Suecai curses her, Jazz has to track him down. Either she kills him before the curse burns through her, or she’ll become a full-fledged, out of control, soul-sucking monster.

She’s got a handful of weeks, absolutely no leads, and only her sexy best guy-friend, Khan, covering her back. But will the growing attraction she feels for Khan get in the way of her mission to save her own life?

Excerpt

When he walked out the bathroom, the nerves I’d thought I’d turned to steel started to quiver. What if he refused me? Khan was just as stubborn as I was. How could I possibly ask this of him? How could I get him to understand?

I took a deep breath and looked at him. “Khan, we need to talk.”

“Uh oh, that’s never what a guy wants to hear from his girl.”

My stomach fluttered, but I refused to give into the distraction. “I have a plan…in case we don’t find and kill the Gunshi. But I need your help to pull it off.”

He didn’t look taken aback, just more determined than anything. “Jazz, it’s too soon for you to give up now. We’ve got some really good leads, we can do this!”

I shook my head. “I’m not giving up, Khan. I never give up…you know that.” I smiled at him and was rewarded with one in return. “But…being a leader means having to think outside of myself…you and my dad taught me that. We have to prepare for all possibilities – even this.”

His dark eyes flashed and, for a second, I thought I was in for a long and hard fight. Then understanding washed over his features and he nodded. “As long as you promise this doesn’t mean you’ve given up.”

“Not even close – and giving in doesn’t even sound like me.”

He snorted. “That’s for sure.”

I rolled my eyes. “Okay, I think we can do this, but if not…I have a forgetting tonic to erase my memories. That way, in the very least, the vermin can’t use my knowledge against everyone I love.”

Khan jerked. “Where in the hell did you…?” Then he groaned. “Claudine.”

I couldn’t help but smile. “She always has been good at knowing what I need.”

His face was hard. “Okay, so I’ll make sure to wipe away your memories. I’ll erase everything that makes you, you – everything I’ve grown to know and care about. We done?”

I paused. “Not quite.”

He flinched. “I figured something more was coming when you said, ‘In the least’.”

I almost didn’t have the guts to continue. “Think about it, Khan. You can’t just leave me there, a newbie Suecai with the urge to feed. What if I came across my mom one day? Or your dad?

“You might not be able to do it immediately – there’s no telling how strong I’ll be at first or how protected – but eventually you’ll have to take me out! I shuddered at the thought. “What else can we do?”

The rage flew through his features even more quickly than when I’d told him I couldn’t be his Valentine in the sixth grade.

“Anything, Jazz,” Khan whispered. “We fight. We search. We keep pounding the pavement until we find that bastard. We do anything and everything.”

Words escaped me. A boulder set squarely on my chest and wouldn’t budge. I should’ve known this wouldn’t be easy – hadn’t I spent my entire life traipsing around Chicago with Khan? I shouldn’t have expected anything else.

Khan seemed to take my silence as an opportunity to change my mind. “You could learn control, Jazz, become a full-fledged Dorgai.” There it was, that secret hope I held deep in my heart that I was too scary to speak out loud.

“Khan, that’s impossible. There’s no way I can learn control if I’m forced into feeding too fast. The only way we halfers manage it is by taking an entire year to ease into the process. All of Dad’s advisors are agreed that I’ll become an uncontrollable Suecai.”

“I can’t believe that, Jazz. It can’t happen. Not to you.”

I couldn’t focus. My need to be rational kept battling the little girl within me reaching for a solution, any solution.

I didn’t notice Khan moving until it was too late.

Before I could say something to break the bubble, Khan stood over me, his face inches from mine. His eyes were warm and I could feel the heat of his breath, minty from his recent trip to the bathroom. My heart stopped. And then he was kissing me, slow and deep at first, and then with a heat and passion I’d only guessed he possessed.

Uncaged Review

The reader is tossed headfirst into the action as soon as you get started, and it doesn’t let up much throughout the book. Good action sequences and the characters are well developed. The supernaturals in this book are the Dorgai and the Suecai – both need a human’s life essence to survive except the Suecai don’t control their hunger and kill humans by sucking out their essence completely killing humans. Jazz and her team find the Raves and parties and extinguish as many as they can, but one night goes wrong and Jazz is cursed to turn into a full-fledge in days, a process that normally takes a year – and could force her into Suecai, so the race is on to reverse the spell.

Jazz is a bit headstrong and teenage “stupid” at times, but she is only 17, and a lot of time she is driven by her heart and not her head because of when her mother was captured and tortured. And this book does have a brewing romance, maybe a romance triangle? Don’t know for sure, but the next book may answer some questions for us. This is a good, action-packed read that will keep you on your toes, and it was a refreshing change of pace in the paranormal genre. Reviewed by Cyrene

4 1/2 Stars

Catch Up with Rhonda Frankhouser – Excerpt from Escape from Ruby’s Ranch

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As seen in the July issue of Uncaged Book Reviews

Rhonda Frankhouser was a Feature Author in April, 2017. This month she’s back to tell us about her follow-up to Return to Ruby’s Ranch.

Uncaged:You were a Feature Author in Uncaged in April of 2017. How was your experience with Uncaged?

Being featured in Uncaged made me believe I’m a real live author. Writing had always been a hobby, a dream job, but getting the great review from this professional, respected magazine, gave me the confidence to keep writing. I would say Uncaged helped pave the way for me to become a full time writer, so obviously I LOVE this magazine and Cyrene Olson, of course.

Uncaged: You are getting ready for the launch of the sequel to Return to Ruby’s Ranch, called Escape from Ruby’s Ranch. In the sequel, we are taken back in time to read the story of Ruby’s mother, Katherine and the mystery surrounding her disappearance from the ranch. What made you want to go back and tell this story?

I originally wrote Return to Ruby’s Ranch as a stand alone romantic mystery. It was my brilliant editor who came to me and said, ‘you know your readers are going to want to know about Katherine and Rube Adams-the original matriarch and founder of the ranch before then.’ And she was right. There is so much mystery surrounding all the matriarchs who live and love on Ruby’s Ranch, including Emma. The whole story deserves to be told and I’m excited to see where their story takes us.

Uncaged: You recently moved from California to Georgia. Have you settled in completely yet?

Oh heavens no. It may take me a year to settle fifty years of memories and junk into my new home, but I’m taking my time. As long as I can dig my way into my new writing room, I’ll be fine. I do LOVE Georgia so far. Yes, the humidity is a little tough to adjust to, but the blue skies, green trees and fresh air more than make up for it.

Uncaged: Tell us something unique about you.

Unique about me, hah? Well, let’s see. I’m not sure it’s especially unique but I can only write when I’m not thinking about writing. Confusing, right? If I sit down, plot out my day, plot out what I’m going to write, writer’s block sets in like rocks in cement. If I turn on the TV, sit down to look through social media, I will often find myself opening a blank page and typing random conversations between random characters. Usually those are the interesting ones. Oh and I like okra pickles – that’s pretty unique too I suppose. (wink)

[symple_box color=”black” fade_in=”false” float=”center” text_align=”left” width=””]Rhonda has been an author with SoulMate Publishing since November of 2016, though she’s been a story teller all her life. Her first novel, Return to Ruby’s Ranch, earned a finalist honor in the Uncaged Book Review Raven Awards, a 2nd Runner Up in the prestigious InD’Tale Magazine RONE awards and a Books and Benches, Reviewers Top Pic ~ Books of Distinction award. As of April 2018, she is a full time writer, so look for more romance, mystery and intrigue to come your way.[/symple_box]

rhondafrankhouserbooks.com

Escape from Ruby’s Ranch
Rhonda Frankhouser
Western Romance/Ghosts

Katherine Adams dreams of getting far away from her over-protective mother and the quiet, subdued life on Ruby’s Ranch. She’s drawn to the excitement of the city, the idea of her paintings hanging in glamourous art galleries, wearing the finest fashions and eating in quaint sidewalk cafes. Every detail of her escape is lined out until a handsome horse whisperer gallops into her world.

John Lattrell is a master at taming wild animals but he’s never seen a creature as stubborn and free-spirited as the beautiful, young Katherine. From the first moment, she drew him into her inquisitive soul, leaving it bare for all the pain that was destined to come. Will ghosts from his past ruin his chances at capturing her heart?

Katherine is torn between her dreams and her desires. John is tormented by the thought of losing her. What will become of their love when family secrets and betrayal come between them?

Excerpt

Katherine opened her mouth to agree, but she froze, her attention drawn over Casey’s shoulder toward the door.

A masculine silhouette stood in the doorway, the moonlight from outside outlined his strong, athletic frame.

Her feet stilled even though the song played on.

Casey backed away to look at her.

She went quiet as everyone around her stomped and twirled.

Even as she sensed Casey’s dismay, Katherine couldn’t help but stare.

“What do we have here?” she whispered, unable to look away from the tall cowboy.

“I’ve never seen him before, but I have a feeling I’m gonna regret seeing ‘im now,” Casey grumbled as he stepped away to give her room to gawk.

Katherine studied the handsome stranger without a care she was being rude or forward.

He stood a good foot taller than her 5’4” inch frame. His short hair was the color of clay dirt under the brown, flat-brimmed cowboy hat. The snakeskin headband said a badass dwelled beneath. She chewed up the sight of him like he was one of Momma’s gingerbread cookies.

His well-worn Wranglers were snug against his long, muscled legs and tight backside. His white, fitted shirt clung to his broad shoulders, a tuft of dark hair peeked out above the top snap.

He was older than her, maybe twenty-three or four, but she didn’t care. She was eighteen now! What might have been illegal yesterday, were just some numbers tonight.

The large silver buckle at his waist looked like it could maybe be a roping trophy or the like, she couldn’t really tell. It took everything she had not to walk over to get a better look.

The square-toed Frye boots were the most expensive thing about him other than the guitar he had slung over his back by a woven strap. He exuded class and restraint and some kind of pheromone that had her hypnotized.

Katherine hadn’t realized she was holding her breath until Casey nudged her. “Come on, Kat. You look ridiculous. We’ve gotta go.”

She ignored him and kept staring. She’d never been struck so by another person in her life.
The stranger’s eyes, shadowed by the brim of his hat, now fixed on hers. They were dark and mysterious, obviously as curious about her as she was him.
“Oh, my,” she whispered when he flashed a broad, playful smile. His closely trimmed goatee would surely tickle during a kiss. She prayed silently to feel that tickle in the very near future.
“Oh my, really?” Casey muttered, as he moved off the dance floor to gather his friends.
The lead singer of the band spoke out over the microphone. “I’d like to welcome Mr. John Lattrell to the stage. Come on up, John, and sit in.”

Everyone, including Katherine, watched the tall, handsome stranger walk toward the stage to join the band. He moved with a manly grace, telling her he’d be talented at anything he tried. Riding, dancing, lovemaking. Anything.

“Oh, my,” she whispered again. She pushed her shoulders back when he headed toward her on his way to the stage. She regretted re-buttoning that top button.

She was stunned when their eyes met, like she’d been paralyzed by Blue Coral snake venom. He smiled again, obviously appreciating her reaction.
“I hope you’re not leaving. You haven’t even heard me play yet.” His voice was deep and rhythmic. A sensual song without music.

Katherine didn’t have words. She couldn’t make her mouth move. She stared at him, smiling stupidly, wondering how his full lips would taste against hers.

“You all right, Miss?” He pushed the hat back on his head and leaned in for a closer look.

A low moan escaped when she caught the scent of his earthy cologne. His concerned gaze held her until the announcer again requested his presence on the stage.

“Miss?” He smiled again. “Are you gonna be okay?” He steadied her with a strong hand against the small of her back. She quivered from the heat of his touch.

When their eyes locked, a breath caught in Katherine’s throat. The smile on his ruggedly handsome face, turned now to an expression of curious longing. The seconds that passed between them felt like hours. Just as he started to speak, Casey pressed his energy between them and broke the spell.
“She’s fine,” Casey interrupted, frustration evident in his tone. He grabbed her elbow and ushered her away. “And she’s late getting home. Her momma’s gonna give us hell if we don’t get back home right now.”

John held Katherine in his gaze as Casey and the boys escorted her out of the town hall. Her eyes stayed on him, memorizing his face, until she could see only his hand reaching for her through the open door.

Raven Awards Voting Begins…

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The semi-finals have begun! Good luck to all the authors, and remember, 1 vote per person, per category.

Uncaged is NOT collecting emails during this vote, there is no registration.

Go Here to begin voting!

Raven Awards Voting Schedule

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Raven Awards Voting Schedule

Eligible books that have been automatically entered into the semi-finals for the Raven Awards will begin voting on July 22. To see how books become eligible, see this link.

The top 5 books in each category will move to the finals voting.

Since there are more categories this year, the semi-finals will be split into 2 groups. For the finals, all categories will be voted on the same week.

Week 1 – July 22-28
Contemporary Categories
Historical Categories
Mystery/Suspense
Erotica
Holiday

Week 2 – July 29 – August 4
Paranormal
Urban Fantasy
Horror/Psychological Thriller
Fantasy
SciFi
Young Adult Categories
Anthologies
Short Stories (under 50 pages)
Novellas
Cover Categories

As last year, Uncaged will not be collecting emails. You may vote one time in each category. There will be no registering to vote.*

*One word to note, if I see anything suspicious going on for any particular book, that book will be disqualified.

 

Uncaged Review – No Coming Back by Jessie Salisbury

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No Coming Back
Jessie Salisbury
Contemporary Romance

Rich, deeply embittered, is recovering from an accident he blames on his stepfather Jim. The injury has left him in pain, unable to play baseball, and may prevent him from ever returning to teaching physical education, a profession he loves.

Laura, now a nurse, knew Rich in high school and they reconnect in the emergency room. She knows how he should be, could be again, but is her growing love enough to get him there? Will he accept her help?

Ken, Rich’s stepbrother, has always known he would one day take over the family business, but will his father ever allow him to do so? And Ken can’t free himself from a teenage infatuation with his stepsister Wendy who has married someone else. And now Wendy’s marriage is in trouble and she is looking to Ken for support.

Susan, Laura’s cousin, saw Ken at a ballgame and fell instantly and hopelessly in love. But how can she meet him, and if she does, can she free him from his past and make him see he is an independent person?

And Jim, who has always controlled everything in his life, is watching his family disintegrate, as much because of his pride as anything else. Is there any way that he can let go in order to keep them?

Uncaged Review: This book is about a dysfunctional family who is torn apart then put back together. It starts with two friends, Laura and Susan, who are cousins, having brunch. Sue is mooning over a Kendall Weston who she wants to meet. Laura has just broken off her relationship with her boyfriend. Susan is the sister to Pete who is a minor league baseball player. Laura is a nurse.
Ken is the half brother to Richard Summers who is recovering from a major accident with a leg injury which has ended his career as a catcher for Pete in a minor league team and possibly his job as a physical education teacher. Laura is intrigued with Richard’s injuries, believing she might be able to help him but isn’t sure how to meet him again after losing track of him since high school.
Most of the book centers around Richard and his issues with his step father, Jim, and the recovery from his accident. At the beginning of the book, he is leaving the rehab with his current girlfriend, Gina, after refusing to return to his step-father’s house. He is leaving behind his mother who is a paraplegic but what happened between him and his stepfather was painful enough her refused to go home to recover.
The apartment he lives in is drab and depressing. He allows his roommate from rehab, Tex to live with him. Gina becomes unhappy as Rich is a wet blanket, unwilling to do much of anything other than drink. Thing fall apart at a party where Pete and his girlfriend, Sue his sister, Gina and Tex are there. Pete and his girlfriend leave first, not wanting to watch Rich get drunk. Rich runs Gina off with Tex but then has second thoughts about it, gets up, falls and hits his head. Sue calls 911 and then his family. She thinks she is talking to the father, but it is Ken.
Sue and Ken wait until they know Rich is going to be fine and to out for coffe. They start dating, Ken finding her good company. Rich meets Laura at the hospital and they make a connection. Tex moves in with Gina.
Laura and Rich date and she gently moves him from his depressing apartment into a house and then into making amends with his family. Meanwhile Ken is dealing with his father not trusting him to do a job and chaffs under his criticism. They have an argument and Ken leaves and moves out of the house into his own place, and quits working for the company he had expected to run when Jim retired.
Most of the book is tearing back the layers of the relationships of Ken and Richard with the stepfather Jim, who is blustery and gruff, unwilling to admit when he is wrong, alienating all his children other than his youngest child, Archie. Then there is Wendy, Richard’s sister who is attempting to draw Ken into a relationship even though she is married, aware he cared for her when they were teenagers. Her marriage is one where her husband ignores her and leaves her alone most of the time. Jim doesn’t like him but respects her choice. He does tell Wendy’s husband to pay more attention to his wife and less to his job.
You discover Archie lied to Jim about Richard talking money from his desk. Rich left in an ice storm and hit the telephone pole because of that lie. He refuses to return because of the lack of trust and accusations after Jim hit him.
Archie puts a note from Wendy to Ken on his father’s desk. It drives a wedge between Ken and Jim and is one of the reasons Ken quits the company after Jim accuses him of not doing his job and having an affair with his stepsister. Archie’s actions were to cover up stealing the money to join a club and to get even with Ken.
There is a lot to recommend this book with the characters who have to deal with the family issues while delving into themselve to come to terms with what they really want. As the story unfold you feel the pain of the men as Jim’s actions and words hurt both Ken and Rich. You also want to reach out and smack Archie, who is a brat. Laura and Sue are wonderful supporting characters who add to the layers of the story. This book gets 5 stars and is a recommended read.  Reviewed by Barbara.

5 Stars

Uncaged Review – Claimed by Gods by Eva Chase

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Claimed by Gods
Eva Chase
Fantasy

The gods walk among us. And they just might steal your soul… or your heart.

I thought I’d survived everything life could throw at me. All I wanted was to keep my distance from the criminals I work for and get my little brother out of the hell that is our mother’s house.

Then I died and woke up to four stunningly hot gods telling me I’m now a valkyrie.

Sly, sharp Loki. Jovial but ferocious Thor. Dreamily compassionate Baldur. Grim and secretive Hod. They all have something to teach me. And around them, my walls start to crack.

But the gods didn’t summon me just for kicks. Their king is missing, and they need me to find him. The first three valkyries they sent on the job never made it back.

More power is awakening in me than I could ever have imagined—and the gods’ enemies are more devious than even they knew. It’s going to take every trick in the book for me to save myself, my brother, and these divine men who’re getting under my skin in the most alluring way.

I’m Aria Watson, and Valhalla ain’t seen nothing yet.

Uncaged Review: This book was quite the surprise, and in a good way. I didn’t expect to be greeted by a version of the Norse gods, but there you have it. When Aria died, she ended up being summoned by the gods to become a Valkyrie – to find the Allfather – Odin who had been taken by dark elves. Ari is a spitfire, and a survivor, having grown up on the streets with a horrible family life, and the only thing she loved, was her little 6 year old brother Petey. Aria is smart and resourceful and pretty badass in her own right and she’ll prove it to you.

The sex in the book didn’t even begin until you were about 80% in, but I doubt the next one will wait that long. But it did not in any way, distract from the story. Another thing I really enjoyed was the different POV’s. Even though this is written in first person, the author switched up from chapter to chapter, with the character name in the beginning of whom had the narrative during that chapter. It was easy to keep them straight, and I enjoyed what they all were thinking and feeling. This was a nice original take in the fantasy genre, and I am looking forward to book two.
Reviewed by Cyrene

5 Stars

Author Interview with Scarlett Kol & Review and Excerpt from Wicked Descent

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As seen in the July issue of Uncaged Book Reviews.

Uncaged: Can you tell readers more about your book Wicked Descent?

Wicked Descent was actually the first book I ever finished writing, so it will always be special to me. It was inspired by a friend of mine who was looking for a gift for her new boyfriend’s mother and I suggested these cool glass ornaments I had seen that are often called “Witch’s Balls”. A story started turning in my head and became the following:

All families have secrets, but what Avery doesn’t know might try to kill her.

The day Avery Belmont was born, her father disappeared. Shortly after, her mother stole her away to Detroit, far away from the secrets buried deep in Shady Creek. But when her estranged grandmother dies, Avery is forced to return and face the rumors that she’s a witch, making her wish she’d never come back—until Drew Montgomery gives her a reason to stay.

Drew knows things no one else knows. Things about Avery, about her family’s past, and about what really happened to her father. However, the price for information may be too high as getting close to the striking, yet caustic Drew starts to have deadly consequences, and living with the lies may be safer than uncovering the truth.

Uncaged: What do you have coming up next that you can tell us about?

I have a few projects on the go right now, working on a dual POV YA romance based on Scottish mythology, a YA horror that is a cross between the Craft and the Exorcist, and also working on a new book in the Mercury Rises universe. Not sure when these will be out, but I’m trying to get them to my readers as soon as I can.

Uncaged: You attended the final RT Booklovers Convention in Reno as a signing author this year. What were some of the highlights from the convention for you?

“Final” RT Convention, such a sad thought. I’ve been to three now and I’ve met such fantastic people, it’s a shame that it’s all over. This year, the biggest highlights for me were; selling out one of my titles in the first hour of the book fair, getting to see my writer friends from all over the world and getting to talk books and writing for an entire week, discovering a ton of authors I’ve never read before, Damon Suede retelling the plot of the movie Wolves when the video stopped working halfway through (hilarious!!), and of course, all the free books!!

Uncaged: Do you read your reviews? What do you take away from them?

Sometimes. It is a tough and terrifying thing to put your work out into the world and open yourself up for criticism, but it can definitely help put things into perspective. My work won’t appeal to everyone, I know that, so I don’t put too much stock in reviews that just weren’t a good fit for the reader, but for anyone who is a fan of the genres I write and takes time to put together their observations, I try to take what they say and see if I can apply it to future work. If I want to continue in this business, I know I need to make sure I’m producing books that readers want to read and if anyone out there is willing to give me insight in that, I am forever grateful. That said, I much prefer reading good reviews 🙂

Uncaged: What is one of the nicest things someone has said to you about your books?

Someone said Mercury Rises was like a sci-fi Six of Crows. Being compared in any way to work by the fabulous Leigh Bardugo – Best. Compliment. Ever.

Uncaged: What is your favorite parts about being an author? What have you found to be the least favorite?

There is so much I love about being an author. I get to create worlds and share them with other people. People want to talk to me about books all the time, and I’ve gotten the opportunity to meet so many of my favorite authors. It’s like getting a pass into this magical world of books I only dreamed of as a kid.

Least favorite though, is probably the pressure. I’m not the fastest writer, so I often feel like I’m not coming out with new material quick enough than I would want. I also, like most writers, have a full-time and then some day-job and other obligations, so I don’t keep up on my social media as much as I probably should. There is definitely something to the old adage of “publish or perish” and trying to keep your name out there, while trying to produce new material, and just do your regular everyday things, is a struggle sometimes.

Uncaged: What do you like to do when you aren’t writing? Where is one of your favorite places on Earth?

When I’m not writing, I’m a huge music buff. I really love to just find new songs and blare them as loud as I can, getting engulfed in the sound. I love to read (obviously), and travel when I get the chance.

As much as I love to travel, I really haven’t been too many places, but my favorite place on Earth would have to be Venice. It isn’t quite as beautiful as some of the other cities in Italy, but as strange as it sounds, Venice kind of whispers to you. It’s old world and exciting, but it also has this dark and twistiness to it, like a mystery to be solved. If I could just sit in a piazza and write forever, I think I could be extremely happy. I also wouldn’t mind hanging out on a beach all day either.

Uncaged: What can you tell us that is very unique about you?

Unique. That’s a very subjective word. Here goes: I have a gold medal in diving, I have two unrelated university degrees (Criminology and Accounting), I won my first writing contest at 16, and I talk insanely fast.

Uncaged: What would you like to say to fans, and where can they follow you?

I would love to tell fans that I hope they enjoy my books, and I appreciate every single person who takes their time to read them. Reading was a huge escape for me as a kid, and if even one person falls in love with my characters the way I did with so many others it will all be worth it for me.

If anyone wants to follow me, I am on Twitter and Instagram @ScarlettKol, and on Facebook at ScarlettKolAuthor. I also have a reader group on Facebook called Scarlett’s Rebel Readers, and you can also sign up for my newsletter on my website at scarlettkol.com.

[symple_box color=”black” fade_in=”false” float=”center” text_align=”left” width=””]Born and raised in Northern Manitoba, Scarlett grew up drawn to the darker side of literature. Vampires were her first love, but that soon branched into ghosts, werewolves, demons, angels, and anything else that might make you sleep with the lights on. As an adult, she’s still afraid of the dark.

She began writing at thirteen, and completed her first novella at sixteen — a broody vampire romance–that has never seen the light of day. After a decade or so break for school and other pursuits, Scarlett returned to writing and has been creating ever since. Her debut novel, MERCURY RISES, a dystopian retelling of Robin Hood, released in early 2018, shortly followed by her second release WICKED DESCENT. Hopefully, there will be many more titles to come.[/symple_box]

scarlettkol.com

Wicked Descent
Scarlett Kol
Young Adult/Paranormal

All families have secrets, but what Avery doesn’t know might try to kill her.

The day Avery Belmont was born, her father disappeared. Shortly after, her mother stole her away to Detroit, far away from the secrets buried deep in Shady Creek. But when her estranged grandmother dies, Avery is forced to return and face the rumors that she’s a witch, making her wish she’d never come back—until Drew Montgomery gives her a reason to stay.

Drew knows things no one else knows. Things about Avery, about her family’s past, and about what really happened to her father. However, the price for information may be too high as getting close to the striking, yet caustic Drew starts to have deadly consequences, and living with the lies may be safer than uncovering the truth.

Excerpt

“Then prove it. Try again. Really try.”
“No. I’m tired Drew, and I want to go home.”
“Do it,” he yelled.
“No.”
He opened his mouth as if to argue, but slammed it shut. Then he marched over and grabbed my hand with a firm, stinging grip and dragged me toward the trees, huffing and puffing until steam circled his head. “Let me show you something.”
I stared back as the view of town vanished under the treetops, lifeless wooden limbs stretching out above me and covering us from sight. Darker. Secluded. No one around to hear me scream. The last time Drew showed me something, I ended up trapped in a pile of mangled metal and shattered glass. My queasy stomach told me to leave, but he promised he’d never try to hurt me again.
If only I trusted his promises.
“Stand right here.” He stopped under a particularly ominous willow tree and clamped his hands on my shoulders, his thumbs at the base of my neck. I squirmed, but he held tight, his fingertips digging through my layers of sweaters, positioning me into some unseen perfect spot.
Moonlight filtered through the trees, casting inky shadows across his face, his lips a hard line. “Don’t move.”
I shrank my neck into my sweater. He stomped in front of me and scooped up a handful of snow as I shifted my weight to my toes, ready to run. He packed the snow between his palms, his eyes fluttering closed. He grimaced as he pressed his hands together until his knuckles turned white against his cold-reddened fingers. “Now watch.”
He fanned his hands open. Resting in the center was a flower. A peony or gardenia, or some other flower with delicate tiny petals, each one glistening in the moonlight as if it were made of tiny glass shards.
“Is that ice?” I reached out to touch it but stopped, lifting my eyes to meet his.
He nodded. “Take it.”
I cupped my hands and he gently passed the flower to me. A chill ran across my skin as it landed on my palm. It really was made of ice. Amazing. Drew created this perfect, beautiful thing out of ice—just for me. I studied it closer. The petals looked white, but they were clear, as though my finger would float right through if I tried to touch them. The ghost of a flower that never existed.
“Blow on it.” A crooked smile twisted Drew’s face. “Like a birthday candle.”
“Seriously?” I lowered my chin to my hands and softly exhaled. The flower exploded into a cloud of snowflakes. They whirled around my head, faster and heavier, making it impossible to see. My heart pounded as the cloud shrank around me. Closer. Tighter. Then it shot into the air, spun high above my head, and disappeared.
“What was that?” I looked up at the sky.
Drew stared past me and pointed up. I turned around. The branches of the tree behind me were covered in thick hoarfrost. No, not frost—the fluffy heads of ice flowers. Each branch hung heavy with them as if in full bloom. Moonlight reflected off hundreds of petals casting a brilliant glow around the tree. It was sunshine and summertime, all in the middle of the night. For the first time since I arrived in this town, I almost felt warm.
“It’s incredible,” I whispered. “It’s like nothing I’ve ever seen before. It’s like—”
“Magic,” Drew said with a grin I could hear in his voice. “Now, what do you say about giving the water thing another try?”

Uncaged Review

This book starts out as a normal teen book, with Avery being the new kid in school, and all the normal angst that she’s going through, not knowing anyone and be uprooted from her Detroit home she’s grown up in. Avery’s grandmother passes away and leaves her house to her mom and they move to Shady Creek. Everything starts looking up for Avery as she makes some new friends. But one new friend is not like the others. Drew latches onto Avery, and for some reason she’s drawn to him, even though he’s the “bad boy.”

This book really starts ramping up around 40% through. The author does a nice job with a few twists and turns, and when you start finding out some of the answers, you may be surprised. This book had great dialog, and good action sequences – and all the lies will come to an exceptional ending. Reviewed by Cyrene

4 1/2 Stars

 

Uncaged Book Reviews – Issue 24, July 2018 Now Available

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Feature authors: Scarlett Kol, Trakena Prevost, Magali A. Fréchette, Elena Kincaid, Laura M. Baird, Tara Vasser and Jolie St. Amant!

Catch up wth Rhonda Frankhouser

Short Story by Nathan Burrows and Author First Look at Nancy Thorne’s new novel, Victorian Town.

Click HERE.