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Uncaged Review – Saved by the Vampire Goddess by Jenna Barwin

By
Cyrene Olson
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0

Saved by the Vampire Goddess
Jenna Barwin
Dystopian Vampire Romance

Valroy

I refuse to let the emperor marry off my 16-year-old sister to a 40-year-old creep. I figure my money will protect me. Boy, am I wrong. In retribution for my defiance, the emperor tosses me outside the protective dome to die in the harsh frozen world of the Collapse. But I never expected a gorgeous vampire goddess to rescue me.

Evelina

I’m not looking for passion or anything like it when I discover the shirtless New Rome lord chained to a reclamation bin. He stands defiantly before me, refusing to let me free him. But if I leave him alone in this frozen wasteland Minnesota’s become—or if I let the other vampires have him—he’ll be dead by morning. And his rock-hard abs are too delicious to resist. But no way am I falling for him. Because I’m done with love.

Uncaged Review: I’ve read a lot of vampire romance books, but I have to say, this is a very original storyline and set in a dystopian future. There are three different beings in this world, mortals, vampires and the Lux. The Lux are the aliens that have set domes on the earth in different locations for life to continue on after the Collapse of Earth in the way we know it from pollution and the greed of mortals. The world outside the Domes are uninhabitable to mortals, and vampires are the only beings that can survive for any amount of time, so they “scavenge” from stores, and neighborhoods to “barter” their goods with the mortals in the Domes. But life in the Domes is not as it seems, and when Valroy’s sister who is only 16, is ordered by the Emperor to marry a filth of a man much older, Valroy tries to rebel, and he’s tossed outside the Dome to die. But Evelina, the leader of her team of scavenger vampires, saves him and takes him home with her.

A lot of things happen that I never expected, and Evelina is a strong, smart and sarcastic woman and Valroy will learn much that he has been taught all his life is not as it seems. There is suspense, humor, a hot romance and some fun supporting characters that I look forward to in future installments. The world building was spot-on and I will definitely move on with the series and this author.
Reviewed by Cyrene

5 Stars

Uncaged Review – Stage 3 by Ken Stark

By
Cyrene Olson
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0

Stage 3
Ken Stark
Horror/Zombie
FREE READ

Blindness is just the beginning.
Once the virus strips away everything remotely human, all that’s left is a mindless, savage predator.

MASON NEVER CARED MUCH FOR HIS FELLOW MAN.
But now, he is all that stands between a blind little girl and a world gone mad.
Even as they fight their way from one horror to the next, through streets running red with blood, they both know that time is running out.

Stage 3 IS COMING… and things are about to get a whole lot worse.

Follow the journey of a group of survivors as they struggle to stay alive in a world overrun by the undead and infected.
Are you ready for the end of the world?

Uncaged Review: Mason is an ordinary guy, working a nowhere job and on vacation and on a flight going home, when the disaster begins. A virus spreads through the plane, and blindness strikes everyone accept Mason, who helps the pilot set the plane to automatically land. But as they are debarking from the flight, some of the blind people begin attacking others – and Mason just gets home as fast as he can – getting away from whatever madness is at the airport. With a week left of vacation, Mason feels he can hibernate at home and not bother with the world. Until the power goes out….and he steps out of his home into a world of chaos. He does meet up with a young girl named Mack, who can’t see, but she isn’t turned and Mason has to keep her safe, so a partnership is struck between them.

This book had me thinking of The Walking Dead meets World War Z meets The Quiet Place all wrapped up into one. The first stage of the virus is blindness, followed by Stage 2 which are the wilders, the ones that are fast and vicious, and Stage 3 which are the creepers, which amble along slowly. All of them can’t see, so stealth is needed. I liked that Mason was not the normal hero you read about, just an average guy who probably drinks too much and is truly introverted. I think some of the fight scenes (and there are a lot of them) were a bit long winded, but this is a true zombie horror book, and the author doesn’t hold back. The partnership with young Mack is a revelation to Mason, and even though this doesn’t conclude the story, it doesn’t leave on a cliffhanger either.
Reviewed by Cyrene

4 Stars

Uncaged Review – Treasure of the Ton by Tamara Gill

By
Cyrene Olson
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0

Treasure of the Ton
Tamara Gill
Historical Romance

A scarred spy, a daring debutante, and a love too dangerous to resist.

Ezra Ashworth, Lord St. George, never intended to return to London’s glittering society. Scarred in body and soul from his years abroad serving the Crown, he has no desire to fulfill his duty as Earl—or to take a wife. Especially when the last woman he loved perished under his protection. But when a shadow from his past threatens Lady Evangeline Ravensmere, Ezra has no choice but to step back into the world he abandoned to ensure her safety.

Newly under the guardianship of her brother-in-law, the new Duke of Ravensmere, Evangeline is determined to forge her own path—one that leads to the kind of love she longs for. But when the enigmatic and wounded Lord St. George returns to society, she suspects he harbors more than just old wounds. His secrets tempt her, his presence challenges her, and soon, she finds herself drawn into his dangerous world…and into his arms.

As passion flares and danger closes in, Evangeline and Ezra must decide if they are willing to gamble their hearts for a love that could heal them both—or destroy them.

Uncaged Review: This book starts off in London in 1802. Ezra Ashworth, Lord St George, comes to the Ravensmere coming-out ball quite late. Still, the Duke of Ravensmere is of the forgiving sort, especially since Ezra is a good friend. Of course, Evangeline Ravensmere, the Duke’s sister-in-law, couldn’t help but notice Ezra, maybe because of his noticeable facial scar, yet even with that, he is still terribly handsome. Evangeline can’t help but be attracted to Ezra. Yet Ezra does everything he can to put Evangeline off, telling her to find someone else to marry because of his questionable past and that Evangeline looks amazingly like his long-dead love. Ezra spends more and more time anyhow with Evangeline and even steals a kiss from her. The duke hears of the kiss and tells Ezra he has no choice but to marry Evangeline, despite his reservations not to ever marry. Can Ezra prevent his past coming back to haunt him and threaten Evangeline in the process too?

This is the second book in the Heiress series by Ms. Tamara Gill, but just as enjoyable to read as the first book! Can you read this book without reading the other and not get lost? Well, of course you can, because this book can stand alone without any problem. Plus, Ms. Gill really knows how to write a very enjoyable tale filled with action, lots of plot twists, great characters and plenty of steam. Sure, there were a lot of miscommunications between them and maybe Evangeline acts a bit naïve. I was still rooting for them both. I think it’s because Ezra was just a dreamy hero. I did wonder about his past and there was some indication plus mention of it, but yes, I would like to read more about it. In fact, I really liked this book better than the first because of the storyline. Still, this is an excellent series that I do look forward to the next book! Reviewed by Roslynn Ernst

4.5 Stars

Uncaged Review – Paranormal Nonsense by Steve Higgs

By
Cyrene Olson
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0

Paranormal Nonsense
Steve Higgs
Vampire Suspense

Fight a demon, investigate a werewolf biker gang, have tea with mum … it’s all in a day’s work for England’s #1 paranormal P.I.

‘It’s like Jack Reacher got stuck inside an episode of Scooby-Doo and chose to punch his way out!’ – Amazon reviewer.

When a master vampire starts killing people in his hometown, paranormal investigator, Tempest Michaels, takes it personally …

… and soon a race against time turns into a battle for his life. He doesn’t believe in the paranormal but has a steady stream of clients with cases too weird for the police.

Mostly it’s all nonsense, but when a third victim turns up with bite marks in her lifeless throat, can he really dismiss the possibility that this time the monster is real?

Joined by an ex-army buddy, a disillusioned cop, his friends from the pub, his dogs, and his mother (why are there no grandchildren, Tempest?), our paranormal investigator is going to stop the murders if it kills him …

… but when his probing draws the creature’s attention, his family and friends become the hunted.

Uncaged Review: Tempest Michaels makes his living as a paranormal investigator, normally debunking the paranormal part of the case for his clients. It’s all gone well, up until now. There is a series of murders, all with their throats torn out and it’s being dubbed as “The Vampire Killer,” and with the help of a police officer, will he be able to help find the killer, or is there really a vampire in town?

This book had a lot of witty dialog, and with his two dachshunds, Bull and Dozer, it turns Tempest into a very likable, if unlikely, hero in the story. There was plenty of action and a few fun cases to get it started, but this is an enjoyable read in the private detective/mystery genre with a slap of paranormal. It was a tad slow for me in a lot of places and this is written in British English, but so easy to keep up with. Overall, it’s a fun book to introduce you to this character. Reviewed by Cyrene

4 Stars

Uncaged Review – Ruthless Oath by Ella Jade

By
Cyrene Olson
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0

Ruthless Oath
Ella Jade
Mafia Romance

Kidnapped by a savage enemy

As heir to the throne in a royal mafia family, it’s my job to get the information needed to bring my father home. And that means kidnapping a rival’s spoiled mafia princess daughter.

At the time, I don’t know the man is in negotiations to marry her off to a brutal arms dealer, but when I discover how difficult of a captive she is, it kind of makes sense. Soon, she foolishly starts to see me as the lesser of evils, but while she seems willing to be my captive, she’s mistaken to believe I’m doing her any favors.

I can’t allow anything to distract me. Especially not some naïve woman who doesn’t realize we’ve just set off a mob war. Now the only way to stop what I started and be reunited with my father is to let her go.

Problem is, I’ve fallen for my hostage, and while I have the guts, power, and resources to keep her as a willing prisoner, if I make the wrong choice, it could cost my family’s empire everything.

Uncaged Review: This is definitely different from what I usually read, even with it being an enemy to lover story. The powerful Accetti family holds an annual car auction where anyone and everyone that is of importance goes. Marchello Accenti sees many people, including his longtime enemy of the family-Lissia Gallanti. Marchello knows that Lissia is off limits, so he just converses with her briefly. After the auction, though, Lissia hears a horrible plan from her father that she has been betrothed to their arms dealer. Lissia’s plan was to run away and run straight into Marchello. With Marchello’s help, he kidnaps Lissia and takes her to a secret hideaway, but even with her being held captive, Marchello can’t avoid falling in love with Lissia, even though it could possibly destroy his family and everything he holds dear.

Yes, I normally stay far away from reading mafia romance stories because usually they don’t interest me, but there was just something about this tale that I couldn’t resist! So, yes, the book was engaging, the characters were chaotically disturbingly messy but so intriguing! Good thing though, not a spelling error was noticed, and the book flowed easily too. I instantly fell for Marchello. Even though I didn’t like his tough boy façade he still had a soft spot that was irresistible and Lissia, despite her naiveness and youngness, was easy to like. This book still ends on a cliffhanger, so, of course, I will have to read the rest of the series and will, even with this type of book, not really being my cup of tea, but Ms. Ella Jade has swayed me to read at least this series at least. Reviewed by Roslynn Ernst

4 Stars

Uncaged Review – The Vampire’s Curse by Jade Christy

By
Cyrene Olson
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0

The Vampire’s Curse
Jade Christy
Paranormal Romance

A haunted manor. A deadly secret. A vampire who should be her enemy.

Charlotte Marlowe has spent her career fighting the guilty. She’s not afraid of the darkness—until she inherits Blackthorn Manor.

Hidden within its walls are more than just ghosts. A seductive yet cursed vampire with centuries of secrets. A power in her blood she never knew existed. And horrifying entities contained beneath the manor that are… waiting and wanting.
Now, Charlotte must navigate a dangerous new world where witches, vampires, ghosts and ancient magic collide. But the greatest danger of all? The undeniable pull toward Adrian de Lanier, the vampire who might be her only ally… or her greatest threat.

Some legacies are written in blood. Some love stories are destined to end in darkness. And some secrets should never be uncovered…

Uncaged Review: This story starts off with Ms. Charlotte Marlowe in court fighting and winning a case of damning food evidence. Charlotte ends the day by celebrating and telling her associate about Blackthorn Manor. Charlotte remembers Blackthorn and decides to go, especially since her late aunt willed it to her. Charlotte’s plan is to just check it out and possibly sell the manor and get back to her own life. When Charlotte gets to Blackthorn Manor, the realtor won’t even go inside, which is curious to her. Charlotte is not scared and manages to meet two ghosts and a mysterious vampire, Adrian de Lanier, who watches over the manor. Charlotte declares herself guardian of the manor with the ghosts and with Adrian’s help, they plan to protect the manor. Unforeseen danger looms and an evil entity that wants Charlotte gone. Evil will do everything in their power to destroy Charlotte and the love that her and Adrian have unless she can stop it.

This paranormal romance starts off a new series about ghosts, guardians and vampires combining them harmoniously but wonderfully together! So, of course, I couldn’t wait to read it either! I am a sucker for any vampire tale! Even if the stories seem old and overdone, this one still seemed fresh and new with the additions of ghosts and a human guardian that you hoped wouldn’t fail or fall into evil ways. Charlotte was a strong, capable, intelligent heroine that you couldn’t help but root for even with her falling for Adrian. I guess it would be hard not to fall for him though. Adrian, I didn’t know whether to trust him or even like him because he has such a mysterious past, but I understand the attraction. Sure, there were some formatting issues when I downloaded the book, but then again, this is not a reflection of the story. I do have the next book in the series because I am eager to see what happens to everyone and this, of course, isn’t the end either. Reviewed by Roslynn Ernst

4 Stars

Uncaged Review – The Seduction of Lord Stone by Anna Campbell

By
Cyrene Olson
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0

The Seduction of Lord Stone
Anna Campbell
Historical Regency

A dashing widow looking for passion and a Lord who lost his heart …

Caroline, Lady Beaumont, arrives in London seeking excitement after ten dreary years of marriage and an even drearier year of mourning. That means conquering society, dancing like there’s no tomorrow, and taking a lover to provide passion without promises. Promises, in this dashing widow’s dictionary, equal prison. So what is an adventurous lady to do when she loses her heart to a notorious rake who, for the first time in his life, wants forever?

Devilish Silas Nash, Viscount Stone, is in love at last with a beautiful, headstrong widow bent on playing the field. Worse, she’s enlisted his help to set her up with his disreputable best friend. No red-blooded man takes such a challenge lying down, and Silas schemes to seduce his darling into his arms, warm, willing and besotted. But will his passionate plots come undone against a woman determined to act the mistress, but never the wife?

Uncaged Review: Caroline, Lady Beaumont, widowed and ready for adventure, arrives in London ready to take her life into her own hands. Caroline meets with her faithful friends Helena and Fen, who are also widowed. All three want to find a man that they don’t have to tie themselves to anymore. Caroline plans just a simple physical affair. So, none of the heartache but all the feelings. Caroline thinks she has found the perfect man, but Helena’s brother Viscount Stone, Silas Nash, can’t stand seeing Caroline with anyone else but him. Silas has also fallen in love with Caroline but doesn’t have the heart to tell her. Will Silas finally work up the nerve to say what’s in his heart before it’s too late?

After reading all the Scoundrels of Mayfair books, I wanted to go back and read this series. So, of course, I have to start off with the first book, which is truly a delight! Ms. Anna Campbell writes such magnificent tales with wonderful characters that you can’t help but love that even though I get off track, my plan is to read all of them in order. I am also a sucker for brother of my best friend’s book romances that just make me smile. Do I want to read more? Well, of course, I do and, will I? Yes I will. Plus, this best friend’s story is told quite nicely and moves beautifully. I even liked that Silas’s sister approved of the relationship long ago, but Silas had so many reservations that he really needed to see that it was okay to have feelings and stop being so hard on himself. While Caroline, I just want to hang out with her. I will be starting the next book soon too! Reviewed by Roslynn Ernst

4.5 Stars

Uncaged Review – Forever and a Duke by Christy Carlyle

By
Cyrene Olson
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0

Forever and a Duke
Christy Carlyle
Historical Regency

A roguish duke seeks to escape the demons of his past via a marriage of convenience with his friend’s bluestocking sister and gets far more than he bargained for.

Miss Lily Bridewell—stubborn, intelligent, and fiercely protective of those she loves—is determined to keep the misfortunes that have befallen her family from affecting her sisters’ futures. When the heir to their father’s title and estate ousts them from their family home, Lily’s desperation drives her into the arms of the one man she fears she cannot trust—especially with her heart.

Griffin Knightley, Duke of Edgerton, vowed to mend his rakehell ways when he inherited a dukedom. But he falls back into old habits one fateful night that leads to tragedy—the death of his best friend. Guilt haunts him even as he tries to become a respectable nobleman, and when his late friend’s sisters lose their home, he sees it as his duty to assist them. A marriage of convenience with the eldest would solve two dilemmas—his need for a duchess and the Bridewell sisters’ need for a home.

A simple agreement. A practical transaction. But attraction to his strong-willed bluestocking bride makes it impossible for Griffin to be the cool, levelheaded duke he’s determined to be, and Lily won’t settle for anything less than his heart.

Uncaged Review: This story starts off rather terrifyingly. Well, in October 1890, Griffen Kingsley, the newly minted Duke of Edgerton, was out with his best friend, Leo Bridewell. Both were drunk. Leo got into it with another man who insulted a woman and Leo’s only recourse was to challenge him to a duel which, unfortunately, also killed him. 11 years later in 1891, Lilly Bridewell, sister of Leo, is about to lose everything she holds dear, including her home, unless she marries her own cousin. Lilly, while burying her and her sister’s most prized possessions, Griffen, falls in the hole and sprains his ankle. Griffen promised Leo while he lay dying to protect his sister, and he immediately proposed to Lilly, claiming it was a practical arrangement. Pretty soon the marriage becomes so much more, but can Lilly convince Griffen of that?

This is the start of a new series that I was really looking forward to and an author that I haven’t read in a while, nor do I regret reading her stories either. Even though the story started off with a death, there was a warning about it too. There were quite a few spelling errors that did take me out of the tale at times, but I still continued on. I don’t think the book was badly done because there was enough angst, tragedy, family and love that really tied it well together. The characters were beautifully drawn out with distinct personalities that, of course, I do want to read more about the other sisters. The past history of Griffen and Lilly obviously had a lot more which I would have loved to read about that it would have been nice to see that. I am eager to read more from Ms. Christy Carlyle and look forward to the next Bridewell sister book! Reviewed by Roslynn Ernst

4 Stars

Uncaged Review – Heart of the Highlands: The Raven by April Holthaus

By
Cyrene Olson
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0

Heart of the Highlands: The Raven
April Holthaus
Medieval Romance
FREE BOOK

A Highland tale of mystery, murder and love.

Forced to wed a ruthless English Lord, Adelyn Scott welcomed death over marriage, but had no idea her wish would come true until she discovered her husband’s body lying dead in his chamber on the night of their wedding.

As commander for the king’s personal guard, Eamon MacLeish’s loyalty has never been questioned. Until the day a mysterious woman arrived seeking an asylum and stole his heart.

As Adelyn and Eamon piece together clues surrounding her husband’s murder, Eamon must choose between his loyalty or his heart. For one path would ultimately lead to her death, and the other path leads to his.

Heart of the Highlands: The Raven is the prequel to the Protectors of the Crown Series.

Uncaged Review: The first book in the Protectors of the Crown series revolves around Adelyn and Eamon. Adelyn escapes her castle after her forced marriage to an English Lord who is found dead and her accused of his murder. Being a cousin the King James, she steals a horse and races across the border to Jame’s castle for asylum. One of King James’ most trusted men, Eamon, gives Adelyn his protection and sends trusted men to search for the truth. All is going well until Adelyn is kidnapped by her dead husband’s men, then all loyalties and friendships will be tested…

This book has danger, romance and a mystery woven into a medieval tale worth reading. Adelyn is a strong character in a time where women had no rights, and Eamon’s honor is second to none. This is a good medieval romance that will keep the reader entranced until the end. Reviewed by Cyrene

4 Stars

Uncaged Review – Future Dreams and Nightmares by Donald Firesmith

By
Cyrene Olson
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0

Future Dreams and Nightmares
Donald Firesmith
SciFi Anthology

Fourteen visionary and thought-provoking science fiction gems take you on a faster-than-light journey to future worlds of dreams and nightmares.

Whether you’re intrigued by the ethical ramifications of future technology or fascinated by the mysteries of the cosmos, Future Dreams and Nightmares will enthrall you with its boundless creativity and intellectual depth. Crafted with precision and care, this extraordinary collection of stories will draw you into richly imagined worlds populated by unforgettable characters and strange new events. With gripping plots and thought-provoking themes, Future Dreams and Nightmares is a must-read for all science fiction fans. Delve into what it means to be human and experience the thrill of exploring distant planets and confronting moral dilemmas as you read this captivating collection of alternate realities.

Future Dreams and Nightmares is a testament to the power of science fiction to not just entertain but to push boundaries, expand the mind, and see the world from a new perspective. Embrace the unknown and embark on fourteen unforgettable journeys transcending time and space. Pick up your copy today, and prepare to be teleported into a universe of future dreams and nightmares!

Uncaged Review: There are 14 stories that mostly do with the mind, like mind-altering, memory altering and clones and AI. A couple stood out to me, was Memories was about a guy saving to have his horrible memories erased of when he abused and stole from women. That didn’t end up so well. And Everlife, a woman finds out that she’s been resurrected three times, in a storyline that once people die, their memories can be transferred to a clone and “resurrected.”

I thought these were all very original, and it makes me wonder what goes on in this author’s brain on a normal day. AI rears its ugly head in a couple of these, and even though I don’t read a lot of anthologies, all of these were very thought-provoking, making you wonder what is going to be possible in the years ahead for humanity. Scifi lovers will enjoy this set, and it’s an easy read, if not a bit on the creepy side. Reviewed by Cyrene

4 Stars

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