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Uncaged Review: Ink Stains 3 – Various Authors, Horror Shorts

By
Cyrene Olson
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0

Ink Stains, Vol. 3
Various
Horror Shorts

The past has a horrible habit of haunting us all.

Sometimes it surfaces in regret and a lifetime of what ifs. Sometimes, it is horrors made real in other-worldly beings hell-bent on revenge for wrong-doings.

Join authors Diane Arrelle, Marc E. Fitch, Andrea Hansell, Ann Liska, Derek Muk, Olga Munroe, Clint Orr, Terry Sanville, Kristi Petersen Schoonover, and K.W. Taylor as they explore the darkest deeds that keep us up at night, the past that cannot be undone, and the heavy chains these ghosts trap us in. This collection of literary tales gives life to ghosts, both real and imaginary, and all the sins of the past that haunt us in the present.

From grieving, betrayed lovers to guilt-born demons, those that haunt the characters in these stories crafted by our authors bring pain, heartache, stunning revelations, and a stark reminder that the past will never die.

Uncaged Review: This is a collection of different stories by authors. Some of you may know others may not. One of these stories stayed with me a long time. It is one I’d like to share with you it’s called Misplaced by Diane Arrelle.

Annemarie spent half of her life living in a institution after she hears of her mother death. She begins to move on with her life and is trying to live a quiet life. Until she gets a phone call out of the blue from a young girl claiming to be her daughter. She goes to stay in a hotel all arranged by her daughter who’s desperate to meet her. But Annemarie doesn’t have her mother around anymore to try and help her claim her missing memories anymore. When Annemarie checks into the hotel room. She realizes it isn’t as peaceful and quiet as she hopes. It’s filled with disturbing visions of blood a baby who won’t stop crying. Annemarie believes she’s slowly losing her mind once again.

This one story has loads of twists and turns and is worth buying. To read this one story itself. The others have a few moments you won’t see coming. Read with your night light on sweet dreams everyone. A perfect read for horror or dark humor fans. Reviewed by Jennifer

4 Stars

Uncaged Review – Reborn by Jane Ederlyn with Excerpt

By
Cyrene Olson
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0

One of the featured authors in the March edition. To read an interview with this writing team, see the issue.

A Top Read for March, and a giveaway! See how to enter below!

Reborn
Jane Ederlyn
Paranormal Romance

Marie Josette d’Orgemont, cousin to Louis XVI, watched in horror as a rogue creature took her husband’s life before turning on her. A powerful vampire swept in and spared her life, but she never suspected surviving meant immortality or the price she’d have to pay to protect her surviving son.
Centuries later, in Miami, with her family on the verge of extinction, Marie is preoccupied with the continuation of her human bloodline. When she meets sexy and persistent Odin Ulfsson, his icy-blue gaze and burning touch are hard to resist. Will a forbidden romance with the Nordic werewolf be the key to her happiness, or will it set in motion a wrath that endangers not only her last human heir but her entire existence?

 

Excerpt

Marie Josette d’Orgemont maneuvered her black Bentley out of the South Beach traffic and onto the hedge-encased driveway of the Delano Hotel. Sliding in behind a glossy red Carrera, she killed the engine and turned in her seat to study her great-granddaughter, eight generations removed. “Are you ready?”
Abby nodded, but didn’t move. “I have something to tell you.”
Marie tensed. She knew of course. She’d known for days. But she clamped down on her emotions, so Abby didn’t read disappointment on her face.
“What is it, ma chérie?”
Abby took a deep breath and blurted, “I’m not pregnant.”
“I know.”
“Yes, of course you do.” With her confession in the open, Abby’s shoulders sagged.
Marie leaned over the gearshift and cupped her chin. “You are tired. You should be home with your books and not out with me all evening.”
“But you miss me when you go out alone.”
Abby was so protective you’d think she was the vampire and not the other way around. Marie smiled and brushed a light kiss on her forehead. “True. I always miss you. Let’s go then.”
They exited the Bentley and, after tipping the valet, ascended short steps past the porch with its beckoning white sofa. Indoors, the lobby stretched from end to end, dotted with massive white columns, flickering lights, and floor-to-ceiling curtains that reminded Marie of Versailles.
The white gossamer wisps billowed like ghosts as she glided past. She closed her eyes, giving in to the pull of her childhood home, of being reprimanded for chasing her cousin Louis down empty hallways. Princesses needed to appear as if their feet never touched the ground, as if they floated rather than walked. And they never, ever, ran. That was a long time ago.
Her hand went to the jeweled, cross pendant hanging between her breasts. It had been her mother’s and against her chest, it felt like the heartbeat she didn’t have.

Uncaged Review:

The authors bring us the now classic tale of the forbidden love between werewolves and vampires in Reborn. The cast of characters are likable, and despicable (where they should be) and even though the story arc of the pack being against Odin’s love for a vampire is not all that original, the way the author brings the entire story together is.

Marie is a centuries old vampire, French and proper – and Abigail is her granddaughter, many generations removed and the last of her family line. Marie hopes that Abby will find love and happiness enough to continue the family line. Living in Florida is probably not the best place to live if you have sun issues, and one night Marie meets Odin. Odin is the son of the alpha, and also an alpha himself, although he’s never challenged his father for the role as head of the pack. His father has also “arranged” a marriage for Odin for strategic reasons for the pack, but Odin rebels and isn’t going for it.

The chemistry between Marie and Odin leaps off the page, and the fun banter between Odin and Abby will keep you smiling. Toss in Egon, and a few pack members that are loyal to Odin and the humor between them all is fun. When Odin’s father decides it’s time to take action and bring Odin back to his “responsibilities,” the book really gets moving. Although there were a few very predictable scenerios running, the authors do have a few surprises up their sleeves. My only issue with the book, was the mild cliffhanger that it ended on. The book ended in a strange spot – obviously setting up for book two, which I will be putting on my TBR pile. Reviewed by Cyrene

 

Uncaged Review – Fearless Destiny by Annette Bower

By
Cyrene Olson
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0

Fearless Destiny
Annette Bower
Contemporary Romance

Tiffany George, riding high on her commission as a fresco artist, returns home for some deserved rest and relaxation.

The drive proves uneventful until she rescues Will Cleaver on the side of a highway. While savoring memories of a kiss and a well-formed butt, her future goals do not include a romance.

Once in town, she discovers the hopes and dreams of her community hinge on the development of a new resource mine and Will’s designed neighborhood. Her parents demand she give up art and resume her working partner role in the family business.

Tiffany finds herself pulled by her community roots and stretched by her newly discovered independence.

Will knows about taking charge of destiny. He models the courage she uses to become the woman she needs to be.

Uncaged Review: Tiffany is an artist, who escaped her small home town life in Apex and in her family’s plumbing business to study art. Finally hitting her stride with a large contract job. With her week off, she decides to go home for a week off before she begins the job. Outside of town, she finds a stranded motorist, and stops to help, finding the man is disabled and with the pain in his legs, he can’t get out of the car. Tiffany helps him out, and waits until the tow-truck shows before heading home. When she gets home, her father is very ill, and there is a water break in town – so Tiffany is thrust back into the family business, and when her father is hospitalized, she’s a bit stuck.

The man she helped back on the road, is Will. A man that designs community development for a large company, and Apex is the target. With a potash mine close by, bringing life back to the small town should be a win win for all involved, but it has its challenges.

This is a sweet love story, and a story with a powerful message, that if you don’t give up, you can find a way to accomplish anything. Will and Tiffany’s story is filled with humor and a nice plot. It’s not a fast paced story, but it’s an easy read that you can feel good about with interesting characters that you can rally behind. Reviewed by Cyrene

4 Stars

Uncaged Review: On a Gamble by Rose Lange with Excerpt!

By
Cyrene Olson
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0

To read an interview with Rose Lange, please see the February Issue of Uncaged Book Reviews.

 

On a Gamble
Rose Lange
Contemporary Romance

She’s at the end of her rope . . .

Charlie Anderson needs a farm hand. The moment the sexy, mysterious stranger sets foot on her grandparents’ land, inquiring about a job opening, he rattles her senses, her cage, and her equilibrium, the likes of which she’s never experienced before. She never anticipated her scandalous thoughts getting in the way. She’s terrified, but desire trumps fear, and she gives in to a sinful temptation.

He has a hidden agenda . . .

Alex McCray has a plan. A plan having nothing to do with romance. His discovery, that “Charlie” is a voluptuous, beautiful woman, leaves him shaken, and he needs to proceed with extreme caution. Working next to her, everyday, stirs up a raw hunger he desperately tries to ignore. And he should, since he has an ulterior motive. Alex should also resist her intoxicating sensuality, but he can’t, because he cannot get enough.

Excerpt

She held the check out to him, but he hesitated, and looked as if it might bite him.
“I don’t need it after all, you keep it.”
She frowned, taken aback. “What do you mean? You’ve worked hard for this. You’ve earned it.”
Ignoring him, she stepped closer, and placed it into his front shirt pocket.
“Charlie, really, it’s okay. I don’t need it.”
She scoffed, and turned away. As she gathered her tools, out of the corner of her eye, she saw him walk toward her, holding out the check.
“I don’t want this. Take it back, please.”
“And I told you, it’s yours. What the heck is your problem?”
“I don’t need it,” he shot back.
As this conversation grew more ridiculous by the minute, she collected her thoughts before she spoke. “Who would turn away a hard earned paycheck?”
She noted the way his jaw clenched and unclenched. Fists balled at his side, she sensed his anger, irritation, or both. Fine, let him be mad because this was just plain stupid, fighting over a check that rightfully belonged to him.
Charlie held her breath as he stepped closer, invading her personal space. A welcome one, she looked up into his handsome face, and didn’t move, or try to push him away. Never breaking the gaze, he held the check up, and tore it to pieces, sending them flying like confetti all over the barnyard floor. “And I told you, I didn’t want the damned check.” Authority and passion laced his voice.
He stepped even closer, until they were blessedly nose-to-nose and mouth-to-mouth. She swallowed the huge lump in her throat as his gaze burned into hers. Slowly, gently, he cradled her face within his palms of his hands, eyes lowered to her mouth. Her lips parted in anticipation, and hazy heat mixed with charged electricity.
The point of no return had arrived. And damn it, she wanted this.
An eternity passed before he finally spoke. “Charlie, may I kiss you?”
Staring brazenly at his lips, already envisioning how they’d feel against hers, she murmured, “Yes. Please.”

Uncaged Review: 

Sometimes all you need from a book is a nice romance that can take you out of your real life for a few hours. And Rose Lange delivers that with this book. Charlie lost her parents when she was very young, and was raised by her grandparents. When her grandparents needed help on the farm, Charlie moved back home. When the time comes to hire a helper on the farm, gorgeous Alex shows up and applies for the position. Charlie is immediately attracted to him – even though she’s been burned in the past. But Alex has his own mission, his father’s company wants to buy the land and dismantle the farm, and his assignment is to get on the inside of the owners and the land to report back to his father. But that was before Alex started to fall for Charlie…

This is a character and dialog driven story. There is not a lot of descriptive paragraphs in the book, but it still works. The author gives you a look at both Charlie and Alex’s feelings, instead of leaving you guessing on one or the other. The book isn’t real long, so it keeps a good pace and doesn’t drag out. Reviewed by Cyrene

4 Stars

Uncaged Review – Dating Down by Alex Dunn

By
Cyrene Olson
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0

Dating Down
Alex Dunn
Young Adult/Contemporary

Tammy’s got everything: wealth, designer clothes, store cards with unlimited credit, and Ralph Forrester, a drop-dead-gorgeous first-year law student who is going to take her to the end-of-term dance.

There’s only one problem: Ralph Forrester doesn’t exist. He’s only alive in the pages of the Trudy Kensington novels, and unable to face being humiliated in front of the girls she longs to be like, Tammy runs away and headfirst into trouble.

Gary’s life is spiralling out of control after Grace dies. On a mission to prove he’s nothing like his physically abusive father, he comes to Tammy’s rescue and agrees to be Ralph for just one night.

But the lie that brought them together threatens to tear them apart forever when Tammy decides to continue the deceit, and without realising it, she puts Gary’s life at risk. Determined to make things right, she sets about trying to rebuild Gary’s broken home. But has she done enough to convince him he still has a family worth living for?

Uncaged Review: This is a young adult romance story. Meet Tammy who is unhappy in life with her mother, her weight and her lack of friends. Tammy loves to read romance books and makes up one of the lead male characters as her date to the prom. Knowing her date is made up to impress a group of girls she is at a loss as what to do next. Until a stranger called Gary comes along at the right time and love blossoms.

I haven’t read any of this authors books before. This is the first now I’m hooked on this author’s books. What made this book so good to read is the loveable characters and the storyline was very believable. I highly recommend you read this book. You won’t be disappointed. Reviewed by Jennifer

4 Stars

Uncaged Review – Risking the Vine by Gemma Brocato

By
Cyrene Olson
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0

Risking the Vine
Gemma Brocato
Contemporary Romance

Jacqui Bishop’s dating life is dead in the water, but her professional prospects look outstanding. Promised a management position, she embarks on a team building course at a northern California winery. Shocked when her boss promotes a less qualified rival, Jac opts to chuck her job and revive the family farm.

Uncaged Review: This is the first book I’ve read by this author, and I hope it won’t be the last. In order for Jacqui to get the promotion she wanted and worked for, she has to attend a Team Building workshop. The workshop is located at a stunning vineyard, and the author describes the setting so well, you’ll be wanting to pack your bags for a getaway. Since she is the only one from her company going, she is paired up with Luke, a very gorgeous man she had met briefly at a company party.
The romance is pretty swift, and there are a few obstacles in the way – mostly their individual careers, but overall the story is well written and the romance is sweet and sexy. I think that the romance fell into place a little too fast, but the characters are likable enough and the Team Building workshop had its moments. Romance lovers that love a good smoldering sex scene, will enjoy this one. Reviewed by Cyrene

4 Stars

Uncaged Review – Vampire Princess of New York by Susan Hanniford Crowley

By
Cyrene Olson
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0

A Top Read for February.

Vampire Princess of New York
Susan Hanniford Crowley
Paranormal Romance

Noblesse is the daughter of the Vampire King of New York Maximillion Vander Meer. In the over two hundred years, she’s been a vampire, Noblesse has never found a true love or discovered what happened to her mother who disappeared just prior to the French Revolution.

Noblesse has to choose between two men. Both profess their love. Both are keeping a secret from her. One wants to destroy her, and one wants to love her forever. But which one?

Uncaged Review: This book is the second I’ve read about in The Arnhem Knights of New York series, and in the first book, Vampire King of New York, we met Max’s daughter, Noblesse and I was thrilled that this book was her story. The relationships to the characters and their mates is a daytime drama’s dream. Even though a vampire shows up claiming to be Noblesse’s lifemate, she herself doesn’t have the feelings for him, but for another, Donovan – the human father of Evelyn (Max’s wife) and Laura. Donovan believes that Noblesse has found her lifemate and decides to step aside…but can Noblesse be happy without him?

Lot of new action, and the story doesn’t slow down. I enjoyed this story as much as the first one, and this one held even more intrigue and suspense than the first one. This is quickly becoming a go-to series for me. Reviewed by Cyrene

4 1/2 Stars

Uncaged Review – The Variant Conspiracy Series by Christine Hart, Excerpt from Terra Nova

By
Cyrene Olson
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0

To read an interview with Christine, please see the February 2017 issue of Uncaged Book Reviews.

Terra Nova is a Top Read for February. The 2nd novel in this series was reviewed in an earlier issue, but is revisited here.

In Irina’s Cards
Christine Hart
SciFi/Paranormal

Irina Proffer leaves mundane small-town life behind when she experiences visions inspired by a strange deck of tarot cards. To get answers, she travels from her northern British Columbia home to the province’s coastal capital. She quickly discovers a world of fringe genetic science and supernatural mystery.

Working for Innoviro Industries, Irina is drawn in by a powerful first love and compelling, yet dangerous questions about the nature of the company’s business. Meeting other ‘variants’ brings Irina closer and closer to the dark truth about her origins. She finds herself at the heart of two overlapping love triangles as she scrambles to escape her employer’s grip. Before she leaves the city, Irina realizes she has merely scratched the surface of a frightening conspiracy on a global scale.

Uncaged Review:

In Irina’s Cards by Christine Hart is the first book in the Variant Conspiracy Series. I read the series out of order, but I am glad to say that getting to read book one has answered a few questions I had from the previous review I had done. Christine’s world is a little more full now with the first book’s information. I’m still not 100% clued in on everything that the previous had left me wondering, but that is the point of a good series. This series is by far one of my favorite Paranormal Sci-fi Mystery series. Once again, she hasn’t let me down.

Book one tells how Irina came across the group she gets involved with. This group of ‘talented’ people are what I would consider super-human or mutants. There are several people that Irina comes across that have unique abilities, some friend or foe, and she is left to figure out where they line up in her new world. She goes to Victoria from her home town of Prince George looking for ‘work’, but in reality she has gotten her ‘powers’ which has led her to Victoria seeking answers. This leads to her meeting other unique people, landing a job with them, and forming a interesting love triangle.

Christine does a wonderful job, yet again, describing the places that she is writing about for the setting. It’s almost like I can see it perfectly in my mind, or smell the scents she describes. It has a little bit of romance tied into the book, but overall I still consider it an Adult Sci-fi Mystery. I loved this book, as well as the series so far, and look forward to reading more of the Variant Conspiracy. My real only complaint is there were a few small places where it seems something got overlooked. A key to key card for example, or some wording felt wrong. Other than that, Christine delivered a wonderful book once more. Reviewed by Michael

4 Stars

The Compendium
Christine Hart
SciFi/Suspense

Irina and her renegade variant friends are scrambling to pick up the trail of their former employer, Ivan, and his globally catastrophic scheme. After strategically sharing their story with the media, the group heads south from Vancouver to Seattle hoping to recruit more experienced—and lethal—variants to their cause.

Their attention develops a laser focus on an engineered disaster mere days ahead of them. Ivan is using what staff and resources remain of Innoviro Industries to set off a violent earthquake in San Francisco. While they fight to stop the earthquake, Irina pushes the love of her life Jonah as far away as she can, trying to keep his unstable genetic degradation in check.

Irina’s friends think they’ve seen the worst that Innoviro could bring forth by the time they reach a secret facility in the Mojave Desert. As they near the property, the group uncovers a horror none of them had ever imagined.

Uncaged Review: The Compendium by Christine Hart is listed as a sci-fi, romance and suspense novel. I do agree with this to an extent, mostly because some of the things in the book seemed paranormal. I really enjoyed the book, though I didn’t read the first one in the series. It took me some time to get the same connection I probably would have from reading the books in order. So, I highly recommend picking up the first book and starting this series properly because even though I didn’t do it that way, I loved this book for what it was.
This book reminds me of some of the cartoons and comics I read as a kid. I loved that this group of ‘variants’ as they are called were going about recruiting and getting more people to help with their cause. The primary four in this book were a bit interesting with their relationships which took me some time to get used to. It was a well-written book with a nicely detailed world. The intimate scenes in the book were well-written and very enjoyable to read.
Overall, I loved this book and it makes me want to get the first one and the remaining books in the series when I can. If you enjoy series like X-Men and things like that as comics, give this author’s Variant series a shot. Reviewed by Michael

4 Stars

Terra Nova
Christine Hart
Post-Apocalyptic/Paranormal

The end of humanity and an unrecognizable future Earth are now days away. After their first glimpse of the Terra Nova virus, Irina and her variant friends know their former employer’s plans are almost at hand. Their failed attempt to publicize Ivan and Innoviro Industries’ horrific activities has left them utterly reliant on their own wits and weapons.

After surviving a catastrophic earthquake in San Francisco and destroying a secret viral testing facility, Irina’s crew has traveled by a variant portal to London. On the other side of the world, they begin tracking when and where Terra Nova will be unleashed on the world. They know stopping Terra Nova is only the beginning of unraveling Ivan’s plans to reinvent the planet, but if they

can’t stop this virus, there will be no one left to save.

Excerpt

Faith returned with four glowing green drinks in a cup holder tray. Clear plastic cups, lids, and straws let the liquid inside glow through. It smacked of something that would spawn ninja turtles. “These are the Incinerator’s own toxic spills. They’re just vodka and sprite with a capful of that crap they put in glow sticks. Did you know you can drink that shit?”
Jonah reluctantly took a plastic cup. “Are you sure we should drink it?”
“It’s not going to kill us. No more so than the alcohol.” Ilya picked up a cup and took a long generous pull on his straw.
I took an experimental sip. It tasted like vodka and sprite. There was a mildly synthetic aftertaste, but nothing toxic. I took another, much larger sip. Aha – the warmth I’d been craving since my shower. I might stand a chance of sleeping tonight after all.
Jonah followed my lead and took a slurp on his straw, pausing to let the liquid do its work. He leered at me with a devilish grin and grabbed my hand, pulling me off to the dance floor. His touch radiated energy into me, right through my skin waking up every cell in my body.
He leaned down and kissed me, running his hands through my hair. His powerful grip felt restrained, as though his mind fought to control his body. The intensity surpassed our first night together. After we had spent so long mocked by his unstable mutation, first hurting me and then nearly killing him, we were both finally stronger than ever.
“I can’t help myself. I need to touch you. I don’t ever want to let you go. We’re going to make up for some lost time tonight.” His lips brushed my ear as he spoke. His fingers traced the line of my neck and it sent shivers down my spine. So much for sleep!

Uncaged Review: Terra Nova by Christine Hart is book three in the Variant Conspiracy series and is my favorite thus far. This review will be hard for me to write as I do not want to give away spoilers of its amazing finale. I honestly hope she continues the series as a whole as I believe with that ending it could have another, but I feel like if she doesn’t it was a satisfying end to a great story. I began this series in the middle and was able to get the first and third book after reviewing the second. I regret nothing. Christine Hart does an amazing job with her series on keeping me clinging to the words for more. Each book was a pleasure to read and each one was better than the one before it.

This book continues following Irina and her group of Variants through their journey against Ivan and Innoviro Industries. Having met all of them through this company when they all worked for Ivan at one point, the group is now determined to right the wrongs of the evil man’s plans. After failing to do so in the second book, this book leads you on the final leg of their battle to save humanity as we know it.

I love books like this where the hero is an unlikely person and through the course of the series they develop into a person. From book to book Irina and her group grow as individuals and as a group. You see how they handle things, how they develop feelings and bonds to one another, then finally how they handle the final leg of their journey against Ivan. In the end I was very pleased with how Christine Hart wrote the characters, this world, and how she ended it. I would recommend this entire series to any reader who enjoys suspenseful sci-fi. Reviewed by Michael

5 Stars

Uncaged Review – The Storyteller of Pain by Loren Molloy with Excerpt!

By
Cyrene Olson
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0

To read an interview with Loren Molloy, please see the February 2017 issue of Uncaged Book Reviews.

Thank you to Loren Molloy for the ARC.

The Storyteller of Pain
Loren Molloy
Horror

How are you supposed to survive when you’re trapped in a lunatic asylum with 13 demons and a deadly surgeon?

Dr. Sinclair had no idea but if she didn’t do something soon, her demise would become just another tale for The Storyteller of Pain?

Excerpt

Lilian looked at the notepad with Delia’s case
notes from the initial meeting with the family, hoping for
some clue she missed. She could trace the issues back to the root like a necklace all tangled in a knot or one of those maze puzzles you did as a child. She could see each ending and trace its tangled path to its source. This ability of hers is why she was the youngest ever to hold such a powerful and prestigious position in the field. Only twenty-eight and she was already known to have solved severe cases of lunacy where others in the field were at a complete loss. She had even been published several times for her marvelous work in the prominent field of psychoanalysis. Lily opened Mrs. DelaCour’s case file and spread it out on the table.
Taking the last swig from her glass, Lilian looked back at the bottle of Jack Daniels with longing. ‘F*ck it,’ she thought and went back for the bottle and soda. Looking back at the table she thought, I am not sitting my ass down one more time unless I have everything I definitely need.
Hmmm… ah yes. Music! I need music to concentrate by. She went over to her radio and switched it on. Pachelbel was softly playing in the background. ‘Ahh, so much better,’ she thought as she sat down. Ok now…Lily breathed a sigh of relief and took a swig of her drink.

Looking down at Delia’s intake photo Lily said,
“Why Delia? Why? Why are you a map of scars?”
She searched for the answer long into the night to no avail. She looked at her clock, ‘Ugh 3:45 in the morning.’ She had to sleep. She had work in less than 5 hours. She put everything away. All the files went back into her bag and she went to bed.
Lilian dreamt of John Barkley. At first it was a naughty slice of deliciousness. Walking into her office taking off his sweat soaked shirt. He began slowly walking toward her. His abs were rippling with each step. Sweat was glistening on his sun kissed skin. The next moment he was tearing chunks of flesh from his body and trying to give them to her as tokens of his affection. She began to scream and back away.
With each step backwards that she took, he would take another one towards her, holding in his outstretched hand another new, glistening blood soaked chunk of his own flesh. This continued until she was backed against the wall of her office. She was still screaming as he approached her. There was nowhere to turn. She was trapped between the wall behind her back and the new monstrosity blocking her way out.
He kept ripping chunks from his body until all she could see was bits and pieces of the former man. Half of one cheek was missing. His top lip was gone showing all gum and top teeth. He kept trying to speak but what was left of his face wasn’t working right. Suddenly the bloody mass that was left was against her. There was a crater where John’s aristocratic nose should have been. His eyes were wild with lust. He leaned forward bringing that deformed, bleeding face toward her trying to pucker up for a kiss.
“NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!” She screamed and opened her eyes.
Lilian was sitting upright in her bed, sheets hopelessly tangled around her sweat soaked body. Gasping for breath and sanity, she looked around her room making sure the nightmare didn’t follow her into this world. It was just a dream. I’m ok! Lilian repeated it several times before she saw her clock. Shit! I’m late for work! She dived out of bed and got ready as fast as possible. This never happens to her. Why didn’t that damn alarm clock go off?

Uncaged Review:

the hospital, sees how the case is affecting Lillian and offers his help, and finding out that he’s seen something eerily similar during his time on the force, Lillian accepts his help and together they try to get to the bottom of this patient’s problems.

Be warned, this story is violent, and the author does not hold back on the descriptions. I did guess pretty quickly in the story what was going on, but I did not guess the outcomes and the author does a nice job making me squirm a bit. Always a good thing with horror. Reviewed by Cyrene

4 Stars

Uncaged Review – Battered Not Broken by Charity West

By
Cyrene Olson
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0

A Top Read for February

Battered Not Broken
Charity West
Contemporary Young Adult

Battered and bruised, Wren has taken a lot from her father over the years, but when he throws her out of the house, she sees it as a blessing in disguise. She has no job, no home, and never finished high school, but what’s all that compared to a life without abuse? When she starts over in a new town, under a new identity, she makes it her goal to fly under the radar.

New town, new life. Only, there’s a corrupt deputy intent on stealing Deputy Gray Frampton’s family fortune, a slight case of aggravated identity fraud, and a night in the local jail. It’s enough to make any girl’s head spin. Wren Michaels has to find a way not to spend the next three years in jail, warn Gray that Deputy Pritchard is after him, and somehow hold onto the happily-ever-after that is finally within her grasp—assuming Gray wants a felon as his girlfriend. Who knew falling for a man in khaki could cause so much trouble?

Uncaged Review: Wren is a young woman who not only came from a very bad neighborhood, but was abused by her alcoholic father. When he beats her and tosses her out one night, it’s almost a blessing that she got out of the house alive. With some money her mother secretly gives her, Wren moves to a new county, with a crappy apartment in a bad part of town. But in her mind, it’s better than where she came from. After losing a job, and getting another as a waitress in a diner, she meets the local Deputy, Gray. And he makes no secret that he’s interested. But Wren is hiding her own secret, she’s changed her name and identity illegally, and isn’t ready to divulge her secrets. When she finally agrees to a date with Gray, she finally begins to see a new life.

There is a lot more going on, and it becomes even dangerous for Wren, but what I really liked about the story, is that I saw an abused, scared girl turn into a woman that fought back when it mattered, and quit being a victim. Reviewed by Cyrene

4 1/2 Stars

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