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Uncaged Review – Dangerous Descent by Evie Jacobs

By
Cyrene Olson
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0

Dangerous Descent
Evie Jacobs
Romantic Suspense

Pilot Elise Hughes left the family business in the Florida Keys and now flies the rich and powerful to and from the Rocky Mountains. When she has to execute a by-the-book emergency landing, it’s no big deal. But being stranded in a small town with her handsome new colleague is something else entirely.

Obsessed with getting justice for his murdered father, undercover FBI agent Eric Erickson believes retribution is finally within reach. Until things get complicated. And dangerous. And he’s forced to face a few too many realities—including Elise’s connection to a well-known crime boss.

After Elise is kidnapped by the same man who took Eric’s father, he has a choice to make—find Elise or exact revenge. Meanwhile she has a choice of her own—trust the dangerous family she never knew she had or the man who’s been lying to her from the start.

Uncaged Review: This is tagged as a romantic suspense, but it’s more of a mafia romance. Elise has been working as a pilot and moved to the Rockies to get some independence from her family business that her brothers run in the Keys. She flies rich people around, not really knowing much about them except that they’re clients. When she gets a new colleague, things start getting strange.

This book moves quickly into some sketchy situations, Elise finding out more about her family than she ever knew, and even her new co-pilot has his secrets. All hell will break loose pretty fast. This is a very well-paced story, and the secrets that are kept from Elise are majorly life changing, and things will heat up pretty fast with her new co-worker, Eric. I had a pretty good feel for Elise and even her brothers, and a few of the other characters in the story, but Eric was harder to grasp for me. He started out as a decent agent, but he got a bit sloppy.

Overall, I think this is a good debut and even though the danger in the book never felt too spine-tingling, it was a good story and a good start. Reviewed by Cyrene

4 Stars

Uncaged Review – The Silver Papyrus by RS Johnson

By
Cyrene Olson
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0

The Silver Papyrus
RS Johnson
Fantasy Romance

Rayne Thomas is accidentally snatched into an alternate realm by the prince of the Flatlands, D’arian Noble, where a battle between him and the Shadow Princes is raging—a feud that puts her in the crosshairs of fighting factions, heroes, and villains.

When Shadow Prince, Nick Reòth, captures her, she isn’t sure which side of the war she should choose: the ruggedly handsome prince of the Flatlands, or the sexy, bad boy of Shard Mountain. As Rayne delves deeper into this world, she discovers a side of herself she never knew existed. She holds the key to a mythical element that sends kingdoms on a race for a legendary dagger that can open doors to other worlds, including her own. The longer she stays in this realm, the harder it becomes to avoid death or imprisonment at the tip of a blade, and the likelihood of her realm being invaded. She must escape vengeful nomads, swamp witches, and deadly creatures while harnessing and developing her newly acquired powers, and guard her heart from the seductive prince if she ever wants to see her home again.

Uncaged Review: In this fantasy tale, it starts off with Prince D’arian Noble, who hands off a severed finger of a Shadow Prince to his advisor. The Shadow Princes were a band of magical villainous brothers that resided in the Shard Mountains. As D’arian attempts to use the finger, he ends up transporting Rayne Thomas, an ordinary human girl, to their realm. When Rayne awakens, she slowly adapts to a new way of life. One night, Rayne meets Shadow Prince Nicholas “Nick” Reoth. Rayne is intrigued and even kisses him. When Nicholas tells her to go with him, Rayne does. Nicholas and Rayne develop an immediate attraction, but Rayne knows that she must return home, but how is she going to get back when both D’arian and Nick hold the key to her getting back to her world? Will Rayne risk everything, including her love, to find her way back home or end up staying there where she doesn’t belong?

I was just excited to read this paranormal romance story with magical Shadow Princes, humans and scary creatures that when I started it I didn’t really want it to end! The book did start off slowly, but after a few chapters the tale moved fluidly and easily. The realm where D’arian and Nick was a little hard to imagine, especially when Nick’s home didn’t have any doors, so I had a hard time seeing that in my mind. Still, it was fun just reading the book and all the mishaps between everyone. The complexity and individual natures of all the Shadow Princes, including all the other characters, were written quite differently that they were all three-dimensional and distinctive. I couldn’t help but also kind of fall for Nick myself to as well. Even the ambiguous ending leaves me hoping for a follow-up soon to the next in the series. This book is definitely a wonderous surprise and well worth the read and I hope to read more stories by Ms. RS Johnson! Reviewed by Roslynn Ernst

4.5 Stars

Uncaged Review – Insurrection by Kathryn Le Veque

By
Cyrene Olson
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0

Insurrection
Kathryn Le Veque
Medieval Romance

Another Guard of Six adventure as a powerful knight, with a sword known as Insurrection, faces his own demons.

But will his friends be so forgiving?

Epic Medieval Romance on a grand scale as sworn enemies live and love… with explosive secrets to be revealed!

Kent de Poyer is part of the powerful Norman de Poyer family from Netherworld Castle. He was raised on the Welsh marches, a knight who has been at the forefront of Welsh rebellion against the English. Therefore, it’s little wonder when Henry sends Kent to the Welsh marches because of some trouble between an English family and a local Welsh warlord that threatens to ignite the entire border into a blaze of battle.

Kent and the Guard of Six head to Wales.

Madelaina ferch Bryn is the daughter of the apothecary from the village of Penderyn. The mighty castle known as The Narth anchors her peaceful valley and when the English sack the castle, it’s a valley of apprehension. The Welsh warlord has fled, helped by the villagers, and Kent poses as a Welsh traveler to discover the whereabouts of the warlord, he finds himself in the dark world of a spy game.

One that involved the sweet Madelaina.

He’s intent to use her for his own purposes, but never planned on falling in love with her.

The Welsh marches are building up to an explosive battle between the Welsh and the English, but not for land or money. This one is about revenge and threatens to disrupt everything Kent’s career has stood for. Will his Guard of Six brethren support his stance? Or will Kent be on his own as he battles for Madelaina’s love?

Insurrection means rebellion… but does it represent Kent’s personal rebellion against everything he’s ever known? Or Madelaina’s?

Uncaged Review: Many years ago, in 1240 in the Welsh Marches, young Kent de Poyer had a friendship with the Welsh enemy, Ivor ap Yestin. In 1270, Kent left all that behind is now all grown up and is one of the Guard of Six who guards King Henry. When King Henry asks Kent to go to the Welsh marches because another knight has ransacked a castle there. Henry’s mission for Kent was to send him over there to remove the knight because the Welsh would want it back. Henry tells Kent that Ivor, a Welsh warlord, has been driven out and will cause war if Kent doesn’t return the castle to him. So, Kent goes posing as a Welsh traveler/English spy. When Kent gets there, he happens to meet Madelaina ferch Bryn, daughter of the healer The Bryn. As Kent gets to know Madelaina, he slowly gets her to trust him and is instantly attracted to her. This affection is dangerous, because it could cause a war between England, Wales and her family too.

What an amazingly intense, wonderfully written historical medieval story by Ms. Kathryn Le Veque. I know I seem to say that about all her stories, but I honestly just love her tales of brave, fearless knights that fight for truth, justice and what is right. This book is a little low on the love scale compared to her other novels, but still the story moves effortlessly and there is no shortage of action depicted in the book. As I said, the romance kind of takes a backseat and the relationship between Kent and Madelaina doesn’t feel authentic and a bit rushed. It would have been nice to see more interactions between the two, but what was there was definitely a cute meet and greet. So, if you want more steam than her other books would fit the bill, but if you want the excitement and the non-stop adventure of knights, then this is definitely the book for you. Still Ms. Le Veque is one of my favorite authors, so I eagerly look forward to the next Guard of Six book too! Reviewed by Roslynn Ernst

4 Stars

Uncaged Review – The Crystal Alchemist by Ella Leon

By
Cyrene Olson
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0

The Crystal Alchemist
Ella Leon
Historical Fantasy

She wanted nothing to do with the supernatural… until him.

When her estranged father dies, Hazel Grey returns to Whitestone Manor, an eerie, isolated estate nestled in the mystical Malvern Hills and long home to the secretive Silver Order. Known for their alleged power to see the future, Hazel has always dismissed the society’s claims as dangerous nonsense. But when her father’s estate becomes a battleground, between an old friend offering marriage and a mysterious young man offering a fortune, Hazel begins to question everything she thought she knew.

Theo Pierce has one goal: reclaim his ancestral home. The Greys took Whitestone Manor from his family, and he’ll do whatever it takes to get it back. But when a snowstorm traps him inside the manor with Hazel, a strange and powerful connection sparks between them, one foretold by a chilling vision neither of them can deny.

As passions ignite and the manor reveals its secrets, Hazel must choose: accept her inheritance and the supernatural powers that come with it, or destroy everything the Silver Order stands for… including her growing feelings for Theo.

Uncaged Review: In this book, Hazel Grey has to return to Whitestone, her childhood home, after her father dies. Determined to sell the place because of her feelings about the society her father led, called the Silver Order, not believing in their ways. Marcus Mortibel is her neighbor and wants to get a hold of the estate so he can take over the reins of the Order, and even offers Hazel marriage. When Theo Pierce comes along, Hazel will have to decide who’s story she believes.

There were many twists and turns to this one, and some will surprise you. There are definitely traitors in the midst, and plenty of life-threatening danger and action. The history of the society and the manor are well described, and even with all the potions and visions, it was still realistic. Hazel will finally come to terms with herself and the home. A good gothic romance with enough suspense and twists to keep the reader guessing. Reviewed by Cyrene


4 Stars

Uncaged Review – Deadly Yours by Cyndi L. Stuart

By
Cyrene Olson
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0

Deadly Yours
Cyndi L Stuart
Cozy Mystery

A letter, sealed with blood red wax, arrives in a small coastal town. Samantha’s hopes of a new, quiet life are shattered. The killer is back. Like years before, the crime scenes mimic classic mysteries Samantha once taught in her English Lit class—The Art of Detection. Is one murder staged from an Ellery Queen novel? P.D. James? Sherlock Holmes? Maybe more?

Five years ago, strangers died. This time—friends. As the body count climbs, this menace must be found or the killings may never stop. What’s hidden in the tiny details? Why is the killer taunting her? As the killer closes in, does she once again cut and run or stand and fight? What will Sam risk to bring this nightmare to an end?

Uncaged Review: For a cozy mystery, this one is an excellent debut from this author. The twists and turns keep the reader guessing until the end, and it was all done in such a smart, clever way. A serial killer from Samantha’s past seems to have caught up with her again, and is again using scenes from famous mystery/crime books that Samantha has been teaching in her classes. When the serial killer turns up again after five years, Samantha’s new life will be upended, again.

This book has a great cast of supporting characters, and the mystery and suspense in this book is very nicely done. I did guess a couple of things early on, but even someone like me that doesn’t read a lot in the suspense category, was caught up in the detail and cleverness of this story. There is even some humor to lighten the heavy subject of a serial killer. A great beginning for a debut author. Reviewed by Cyrene

4.5 Stars

Uncaged Review – Tempting Mr. Townsend by Anna Campbell

By
Cyrene Olson
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0
Version 1.0.0

Tempting Mr. Townsend
Anna Campbell
Historical Romance

The beautiful widow and the man somewhere between hero and beast …

Fenella, Lady Deerham, has rejoined society after five years of mourning her beloved husband’s death at Waterloo. Now she’s fêted as a diamond of the first water and London’s perfect lady. But beneath her exquisite exterior, this delicate blond beauty conceals depths of courage and passion nobody has ever suspected. So when her son and his school friend go missing, she vows to find them whatever it takes. Including setting off alone in the middle of the night with high-handed bear of a man, Anthony Townsend …

When Anthony Townsend bursts into Lady Deerham’s fashionable Mayfair mansion demanding the return of his orphaned nephew, the lovely widow’s beauty and spirit turn his world upside down. But surely such a refined and aristocratic creature will scorn a rough, self-made man’s courtship, even if that man is now one of the richest magnates in England. But when Fenella insists on joining the desperate search for the boys, fate offers Anthony a chance to play the hero and change her mind about him. Will reluctant proximity convince Fenella that perhaps Mr. Townsend isn’t so beastly after all? Or will Anthony and Fenella remain forever opposites fighting their attraction?

Uncaged Review: In the second book of the Dashing Widows series, Lady Frenella Deerham was enjoying her embroidery when she was rudely interrupted by a furious Mr. Anthony Townsend demanded to know where his nephew and ward, Carey, had gone to. It seems that Carey ran off with Frenella’s son, Brandon, and has left school. Anthony assumes wrongly that he is at Brandon’s home in Mayfair, but not even Frenella knows where they both are. When Frenella receives a letter from Brandon explaining that they are going to see Carey’s old nurse in Winchester, both her and Anthony are relieved yet still plan to go there anyhow. As Anthony and Frenella travel there, a strong attraction forms between them. When Anthony and Frenella finally reach Winchester, will they be too upset with the boys to ignore how they really feel or end up taking it out on each other instead?

What an exciting cross-country historical Regency romance of two very unlikely people brought together by the unfortunate circumstances of some mischievous boys running off. Now, luckily, you don’t have to read the first book in the series to understand what is going on in this tale because it features a different couple than the first book, but you just might want to understand the strong friendship between the widows. Also, both books aren’t incredibly long, and you can read them very quickly too. Ms. Anna Cambell writes so fluidly and creates such wonderful characters that you can’t help but wish to be in her world just a little longer. I did kind of think that Caroline and Silas were already married, which they aren’t, so there is a little confusion about the timing of when things are happening, yet I still enjoy the story. Anthony does seem a bit frightening, but he’s lovable and might come off as a brute. He is just a massive guy with a true heart of gold, where Frenella might be a petite lady, yet isn’t scared off by him. Do I look forward to the next in the series? Well, of course, I do!
Reviewed by Roslynn Ernst


4 Stars

Uncaged Review – Laird of Smoke by Glynnis Campbell

By
Cyrene Olson
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0

Laird of Smoke
Glynnis Campbell
Medieval Romance

From USA Today bestselling author Glynnis Campbell…Adam la Nuit of Rivenloch has always lived in the shadow of his magnificent warrior cousins, so he relies on his gift of invisibility to protect his clan. Whether disguising himself as the king’s right hand man, the emissary of the Pope, a withered milkmaid, or a mercenary spy, his clever ruses enable him to steal boldly through the ranks of friend and foe alike…until he encounters Sister Eve.

Eve is a willful and wayward nun bent on doing what she perceives as God’s work, even when it involves deception, disguises, and danger. Bored at the convent, she travels Scotland as a titled lady, a humble maidservant, or a foreign archer, righting wrongs, spreading good will, and seeking her Greater Purpose…which goes astray when she meets Adam.

When mutual admiration leads to something stronger, and Eve falls in love with Adam, she decides to give up her holy calling. But she can’t let Adam ever know she was once a real nun. And Adam, on a secret mission to stop a war, can’t reveal he’s the king’s man. When they find themselves on opposite sides of a royal battle, and a savage betrayal raises its ugly head, will their love be enough to survive?

Uncaged Review: This is the last book in the Scottish historical romance of The Warrior Lairds of Rivenloch and what an exciting wondrous tale it is! The one thing Sister Eve liked about being a nun is invisibility. When Eve spots an emissary of the Pope, she is struck by how gorgeously handsome he is. The person playing the emissary is Adam la Nuit and his greatest thing about being a Rivenloch is being invisible as well. When Eve and Adam bump into each other, they both realize that they might be unseen to everyone else but not to each other. With each disguise, Adam and Eve realize how similar they are and develop a respect for each other which turns into love. The more costumes Eve wears, she can’t hide who she truly is, a nun. Adam also must tell Eve that he is of the famed Rivenloch clan, but when they both discover who they truly are, will they deny how they truly feel for each other or risk losing each other in the end?

I just enjoy reading all of these magnificent Scottish stories by Ms. Glynnis Campbell! She just weaves a beautifully well-told book that you definitely will not be bored. Her characters are amazingly three-dimensional that you can not only imagine them, but they are real life people that magically come to life! There is just so much passion, heart and emotion that you can’t help but feel along with the novel too. Also, the greatest thing is that this book can also be a standalone without needing to read the other books in the series. Of course, you will want to read the other books because of not only the delightful family of the Rivenloch clan, but even though this is the final book, I surely hope there are more, because I would like additional tales too. So, yes, this book deserves the five-star rating that I am giving it because it was just that amazing, and I was sad to see its ending, so I will be rereading it again!
Reviewed by Roslynn Ernst

5 Stars

Uncaged Review – The Age of Larkspur by Aleighsha Parke

By
Cyrene Olson
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0

The Age of Larkspur
Aleighsha Parke
YA Fantasy

Flora has spent her entire life hiding in the trees and ignoring the cursed, poisonous larkspur growing from her ankle and eating away at her life. She lets her anxiety and fear control her, but fate forces her hand when her adopted mother is kidnapped by a cruel witch. The only way to save her is to find the magic shards of her family’s amulet scattered throughout her land.


With no time to waste, Flora sets out with her best friend, and along the way they meet a darkly intriguing stranger. But Flora is running out of time and can’t succumb to distractions. If she trusts the wrong person or lets her anxiety win, Flora risks losing more than just her mother …

Uncaged Review: This is a good debut from a new author, and although this started a tad slow for me, it pulled me in when Flora began her quest, and I then read straight through. Flora has been in hiding all her life, with a tattoo on her ankle that is actually a curse, and is slowly sapping her life away from her. When she turns 18, she finds out that she needs to find all the shards of a family amulet to not only save her life, but also fix the devastated lands and claim her own powers. But the shards are spread out, and it will be a dangerous journey. Many people want to find her as her birth mother is the one that destroyed the lands with her corrupt magic. Her best friend (and sometimes annoying) best friend Anise sets out with her and along the way they meet Kaanan, a young man that has secrets of his own, and whether he’s trustworthy or not, well, I won’t tell.

There were a couple surprises and a couple things I guessed, but this is a good start for this author. The world building is easy to picture as the reader goes along, and the characters are well flushed out. This book started off a bit confusing, but it does come together nicely. I think my favorite character was Kaanan, because you don’t know for most of the book if he’s good or bad or has an agenda with the people hunting Flora. The ending kept this as a standalone book, but I actually could see this book moving into a series easily. It’s a good book that will work for older teens and up. Reviewed by Cyrene

4 Stars

Uncaged Review – It Happened on Route 66 by Micki Miller

By
Cyrene Olson
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0

It Happened on Route 66
Micki Miller
Humorous Contemporary Romance

When Joel Tyler drove away from the factory to pick up the load of his rejected creation, the last thing he expected to see was a hitchhiking bride. He didn’t have time for this. Besides, he had enough troubles of his own without picking up more. But he couldn’t leave her on the side of the road.

Maddy Hayden was exhausted. She’d run away from a terrible situation without a plan or a destination. Hitchhiking was a bad idea. Worse was getting in a truck with a man traveling alone. He was probably a serial killer. Whatever. It was a suitable end to this day.

When two people who are having the worst day of their lives meet, they can either crash and burn, or save each other.

Uncaged Review: Maddy has led a predictable, boring life. After her mother died, she took care of her sister and father, did all the cleaning and cooking and still held down a job. But that was about all she did. She’s set to marry Owen, a man that seems like the perfect catch, but is he? On the day of the wedding, Maddy runs from the church, in her wedding attire and ends up hitchhiking a ride on Route 66. The man who stops is Joel, who is on his way to pick up some dolls that he created for the family business and are not selling, they are a flop. When he sees a woman in a wedding dress, he has to stop.

If you think that’s crazy, then you should just keep reading. It gets hilarious at times, and with her fiancé she left at the alter, he’s following with a tracking app he put on her phone, and then the fiancé is getting traced by a bug under his seat by Maddy’s best friend and grandmother. And the grandmother, Sophia, is a hoot. Until the end, I wanted to slap Maddy’s sister a couple of times just to shake some sense into the girl. This is a fun book, with two people thinking each other are serial killers when they meet, and it ends up that they were exactly what the other one needed. My only complaint, and it’s not a big one, is that between some of the conversations there would be two or three or more paragraphs of explanations, which broke up the banter a bit, but it was easy enough to get through.
Reviewed by Cyrene

4.5 Stars

Uncaged Review – Safe Passage by Karen Menezes

By
Cyrene Olson
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0

Safe Passage
Karen Menezes
Magical Realism

The old-growth forest and the borderlands of Capherayna are a mystery. So are its people, the Xaeltik community. They live in a pre-industrial time warp, unable to defend themselves from the dark forces of the modern world. In the heart of the forest, a vortex of death is rumoured to swallow the living, chew on them and spit out the pieces. The Lightbender stumbles into Xaeltik territory after days of wandering the forest. He is welcomed by a macabre sight that changes the course of his destiny. To save lives, he must risk his own.

Uncaged Review: This book follows the travels of the Lightbender, who is supposedly human, but has been trained since infancy in science and metaphysical studies. He is able to heal, and bend the light to create, so a human with magic is how I read. On the borders of the city known as Capherayna, people live a simpler life and have for centuries, without the interference of the city, in somewhat of a time warp. But with the new monarch, who wants their lands for himself and the resources, he sends out troops to the borderlands when the people refuse to move. Killing children is the order given, as the monarch feels this will cause enough distress for the people to move. When the Lightbender and others of his kind show up, they attempt to help the borderland people and the Lightbender will risk everything in his attempt to save them.

I had a couple issues with the book, although I understand some of it. The slower pace due to building the world was expected, but the chapters are very broken up into small slices, sometimes interrupting the flow of the story. The story is very original and the world building does help the reader have a better understanding of the story, it was just paced a bit slow. Overall, this is a good story with a good message. Reviewed by Cyrene


4 Stars

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