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Uncaged Review – Legacy of Ruby’s Ranch by Rhonda Frankhouser

By
Cyrene Olson
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0

Legacy of Ruby’s Ranch
Rhonda Frankhouser
Paranormal Ghost Romance

The moment her grandmother presses an ancient amulet into her palm, Rube Gautier’s life changes. Chosen to lead a mystical life in the service of her village, she’s expected to marry within the community and confer with the spirits to lead her people, but all she really wants is a normal life, on a ranch of her own far away from Oklahoma, with a man of her choosing. When she lays eyes on Mac, hope for a different future begins to blossom.

World War II hero Mackenzie Adams finds more than he bargained for at a local livestock auction. When he catches sight of the fiery redhead commanding a crowd of roughneck ranchers, his heart pounds faster than it had when he’d stormed Omaha beach. He’d never seen so much passion and so much angst in such a beautiful package. Unfortunately, she’s bound to another life.

Sparks fly between Rube and Mac even as danger lurks around them. The spirits insist Rube must fulfill her destiny, and they will do what they must to see it done, even if it means taking those Rube loves away from her.

Is Rube and Mac’s love enough to fight a legacy that has stood the test of time, or will Rube lose everything and everyone she loves most?

Uncaged Review: It’s really hard to pin down a genre for the Ruby Ranch series, I know this one is marketed as a paranormal – but it’s not the typical type you’d read in this genre. This full series can actually straddle the lines between paranormal, western contemporary and western historical – 20th century and even a tidbit of scifi. So I don’t want readers to think this is “just” a paranormal or “just” a western, it’s not – it’s a true crossover.
This is the third book in the series, and this time we go back in time to Rube’s time as a young woman and how life was like for her. I’m so very honored, that Rube’s mother’s name is Cyrene – and then to find out that Ruby’s mom, Katherine – her middle name is Cyrene. I’m so very humbled, it’s a very uncommon name and I thank Ms. Frankhouser for the honor (yes, she did ask).

This is probably my favorite book of the series. Each book we learn more and more and this one clicks the other two books in place for me, especially with the tradition of her community – but will she be able to break tradition to be with Mac? You’ll have to read to find out, and you won’t be disappointed. I just want to go back and reread the entire series. Reviewed by Cyrene

5 Stars

Uncaged Review – Manhattan Dragon by Genevieve Jack

By
Cyrene Olson
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0

Manhattan Dragon
Genevieve Jack
Fantasy Romance

Deadly secrets. Hidden enemies. Colliding histories.

She’s supposed to be dead.

For Rowan Valor, faking her own death is a regular necessity. How else would an immortal dragon manage to live in a place like Manhattan for close to three hundred years? But changing her identity leaves the community center she founded vulnerable, and for the sake of the children, she must find a way to undo the damage.

He’s leading a new life.

Human detective Nick Grandstaff entered law enforcement to escape his violent roots. But closing the door on his past has resulted in an unnatural obsession with his work. Perhaps it’s for the best that his longest relationship has been with his dog. What woman would choose to be with someone with such a dark and tangled history?

To have a future together, both must face their past.

​When Nick investigates a case that leads him to Rowan’s door, their passionate connection promises to heal old wounds and grant them both the once-in-a-lifetime love they deserve. But fighting a common enemy entangles them in the dangerous supernatural underworld of Manhattan, where power is shifting, and unbeknownst to Rowan, a former ally has become a deadly enemy.

Uncaged Review: This series is just getting better and better. This time out, Gabriel and Tobias’ sister Rowan takes the lead. Rowan lives in Manhattan, and her humanity work with the children could be lost to her forever – but to find out who has purchased the land under her building, she’ll have to face a new danger that may cost the life of her, or of Nick, the handsome cop that Rowan just can’t leave behind.

The Treasure of the Paragon series is one of the best dragon series I’ve read yet. I loved the beauty and power that the author gives to Rowan, and to see Gabriel and Raven, and Tobias and Sabrina back to try and protect their sister, and there was one part of the ending that I literally jumped and hooted. This is an action-packed, suspenseful and hot series – and very hard to put down. Reviewed by Cyrene

5 Stars

Uncaged Review – To Hell and Back by Annabelle Anders

By
Cyrene Olson
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0

To Hell and Back
Annabelle Anders
Historical Regency

A widow, her man of business, and a second chance at love…
Eve Mossant’s life has been quite turned over. As has the carriage she was traveling in to attend her estranged husband’s funeral. Thank heavens for Mr. Waverly, her ever dependable man of business. She wouldn’t know where she’d be without him…

Uncaged Review: A nice regency that has the nice spin of a couple that are both over 40 yrs, and a second chance. After Eve’s estranged husband passes away, she needs to travel with Niles Waverly, her man of business to see to the end of the affairs. When the carriage has an accident, she is stuck at an inn with her companion for a couple of days.

This is a quick, easy read that I finished in a couple of hours. I enjoyed the strength that the author gave to Eve, but I would have liked to see more from Niles also. In giving the woman so much independence and strength, it took a bit away from the main male character. In all, this was a nice romance with nice paced plot. Reviewed by Cyrene

4 Stars

Uncaged Review – Good Intentions by Brenda K. Davies

By
Cyrene Olson
-
0

Good Intentions
Brenda K. Davies
Paranormal Romance

River
Thirteen years have passed since the war started, bombs fell, and the central states became a thing of the past.

When the war ended, the government erected a wall to divide the surviving states from the destroyed ones. I never expected to leave my town, but unlike those who volunteered to go, I wasn’t given a choice. 

With a dim knowledge of my strange abilities, the soldiers came for me. They took me beyond the wall, where I learned the truth is far more terrifying than I imagined. Alone, with humans and demons eager to see what I can do, I find myself irresistibly drawn to the one man I should avoid most—a man who isn’t even really a man.

Kobal
I’ve spent my entire life with one mission… reclaim my throne from Lucifer and fix what the angels tore apart when they cast him from Heaven.

Not even when the humans tore open the gates, and unleashed Hell on Earth, did I waver from my goal.

I’ve never been closer to my throne, yet I find myself risking everything because I can’t stay away from her… the woman who might be the key to destroying Lucifer.

*** Due to sexual content, violence, and language, this book is recommended for readers 18+ years of age.***

Uncaged Review: The first book in a four book series starts out really well, from the start of reading to the end, the book is fresh, interesting and original. The post-apocalyptic world that is created is well told, and you keep learning more and more of what happened as you go along. The action sequences are well done, and the characters are well written. What I really liked about these characters, is the author keeps them in their base forms, even though Kobal has proven that he is not truly evil, he is a demon, and demons don’t look at life the same way as humans, and he proves he’s still a demon, even though River means everything to him, she will have to either accept Kobal for what he is, or not. The author doesn’t shy away from the violence.

This is a great start to this series, I think this book had a few spots that were repetitive and drawn out, but I’ll be moving easily on to book two. Reviewed by Cyrene

4.5 Stars

Uncaged Review – Strange Tidings by Jim Stein

By
Cyrene Olson
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0

Strange Tidings
Jim Stein
Fantasy/Science Fiction

Ed Johnson knows a secret…

Music is power…

Unfortunately, power attracts trouble…

The apocalypse didn’t arrive with nuclear war or a plague of zombies, just a quiet virus that sterilized most everyone and put humanity’s future in jeopardy.

Fifty years later, seventeen-year-old Ed Johnson plies his musical talents in New Philadelphia, jumping at the chance to help launch a coworker’s band. But Quinn, their beautiful bassist, is inexplicably cold toward him, and other strange things are afoot.

In spite of a growing unease, Ed shrugs off being stalked by a crazy, old Native American and a frightening crone. But when nightmare creatures threaten his sister, Ed discovers he is bound to the strangers. To get out of this mess, he must enlist the help of his friends and Quinn, who harbors her own dark secret.

But there is little time for Ed to discover the true power of music and save them, himself, and perhaps the future of the human race.

Uncaged Review: This is a bit of a surprising read, once you get past the first part. It’s a very slow starter – and to be honest, I struggled in the beginning. But it does jump into gear pretty well after Ed’s sister goes missing. The apocalyptic part of the book is the experimentation on a birth control medication that actually sterilized a majority of the population. Now, years later the population of the whole planet is under a million. Another very interesting part of this book is the Native American mythology brought in.

If you manage to get through the first 20% of the book, there is a pretty good story awaiting and it definitely picks up the pace. Tying it all together with the power of music, it makes for a good read. Reviewed by Cyrene

4 Stars

Uncaged Book Reviews – February 2020

By
Cyrene Olson
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0

Now available to read!

Feature Author : Sandi Underwood

By
Cyrene Olson
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0

Uncaged welcomes Sandi Underwood

Uncaged: Can you tell readers more about your romantic mystery, Blood Money?

Alex Baker, born and raised in Charleston, South Carolina, inherits Great Aunt Honoria Alexandria Baker’s vast estate−an estate, complete with foundations, a Manor, and more money than she could ever spend. Is Alex up to the challenge or should she depend on fiancé, Greg, to manage her inheritance?
Armed with determination and very little knowledge, Alex travels to Boston to meet with the law firm that has managed the Estate for years. During the flight, Alex meets up with an old family friend, Clark Smith. Right away, Alex notices that Clark is apparently battling demons of his own. There’s definitely more here than meets the eye.

However, Clark’s demons are no match for sexy lawyer Kyle Patterson. Immediately, Alex is turned off by Kyle’s arrogance and resolves to steer clear, but she can’t help noticing his perfect mouth and piercing blue eyes.

Back home, fiancé Greg seems to do everything wrong. At first, Greg smothers Alex with his new-found protectiveness; then he drifts farther and farther away. Is Greg having an affair?

Alex decides to mend fences with Greg, but life-threatening accidents plague her every step of the way−from cut brake lines to being forced off the road. Alex escapes to Aunt Ria’s beloved cabin in Maine, a decision that almost cost her everything.

During the night, Alex is startled by a gunshot and finds Greg lying in a pool of blood and Kyle holding the gun. Kyle turns the gun on Alex and calmly outlines how, not only had he scammed money from Aunt Ria for years, he was also responsible for the death of Alex’s own father! Now Kyle reveals his plan for murdering Alex and Greg.

At the sound of a second gunshot, Alex swings around to see Greg slip to the floor. It must have taken superhuman effort, but Greg insists he couldn’t have done it without help from the mysterious elderly lady.

The New Year brings hope! With Greg on the mend and an upcoming spring wedding, the future promises a new beginning.

Alex wonders if Aunt Ria had anything to do with the outcome.

Uncaged: How much did you edit out of the book?

The book went through several revisions with the publisher, but the main story had very little editing−mostly grammar issues.

Uncaged: You have participated in book signings, what is your favorite part of attending them?

I love meeting new people face-to-face, especially when they’ve already heard about the book. Word of mouth sold several books for me and I love the interaction, especially once they’ve finished the story…and the questions, “when will there be a sequel?”

Uncaged: What are you working on next that you can tell us about?

The sequel to Blood Money is finished and I’m shopping around for a publisher. I have two other published books and am currently working on a sequel to my last one. I also have a new romance mystery in the early stages.

Read the rest of this interview in the issue below.

Sandi Underwood was born a PK (Preacher’s Kid) in the beautiful East Tennessee Mountains, where family stories were passed down, generation-to-generation. Her love of writing was cultivated at an early age when family get-togethers and Church dinners-on-the-grounds provided an idyllic backdrop for memories that fuel her stories. Sandi’s early career included working with children in both the public and private sectors. Later in life, her path took a different direction, but her love of books was ever-present.

Today, she shares a home with her rescue dog, Gus, and draws inspiration from her grandchildren as she continues to write for both children and adults.

Blood Money
Sandi Underwood
Suspense

In Alex Baker’s small world, where she’s in love with Greg, the man of her dreams, everything is perfect. When she inherits Aunt Ria’s vast estate in Boston, Massachusetts−complete with a huge mansion, stables, staff, and more money than Alex could spend in two lifetimes, she finds a new interest in lawyer Kyle Patterson.

After a series of unexplained accidents, Alex fears someone is trying to harm her. Her perfect little world is turned upside down, and she narrowly escapes with her life. Could Greg be responsible?

Needing to sort through her emotions, Alex escapes to Aunt Ria’s beloved cabin in Maine—a decision that could cost her everything.

Uncaged Review: Strange Tidings by Jim Stein

By
Cyrene Olson
-
0

Strange Tidings
Jim Stein
Fantasy/Science Fiction

Ed Johnson knows a secret…

Music is power…

Unfortunately, power attracts trouble…

The apocalypse didn’t arrive with nuclear war or a plague of zombies, just a quiet virus that sterilized most everyone and put humanity’s future in jeopardy.

Fifty years later, seventeen-year-old Ed Johnson plies his musical talents in New Philadelphia, jumping at the chance to help launch a coworker’s band. But Quinn, their beautiful bassist, is inexplicably cold toward him, and other strange things are afoot.

In spite of a growing unease, Ed shrugs off being stalked by a crazy, old Native American and a frightening crone. But when nightmare creatures threaten his sister, Ed discovers he is bound to the strangers. To get out of this mess, he must enlist the help of his friends and Quinn, who harbors her own dark secret.

But there is little time for Ed to discover the true power of music and save them, himself, and perhaps the future of the human race.

Uncaged Review: This is a bit of a surprising read, once you get past the first part. It’s a very slow starter – and to be honest, I struggled in the beginning. But it does jump into gear pretty well after Ed’s sister goes missing. The apocalyptic part of the book is the experimentation on a birth control medication that actually sterilized a majority of the population. Now, years later the population of the whole planet is under a million. Another very interesting part of this book is the Native American mythology brought in.

If you manage to get through the first 20% of the book, there is a pretty good story awaiting and it definitely picks up the pace. Tying it all together with the power of music, it makes for a good read.
Reviewed by Cyrene

4 Stars

Uncaged Review: Witching Hour by Nikki Landis

By
Cyrene Olson
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0

Witching Hour
Nikki Landis
Paranormal/Occult

The witching hour has begun….
My essence has been stolen.

Tricked by the rogue witch that’s attacked Mystic Hallows from the beginning of Samhain, I’m drained and weakened in a dungeon cell far from home. Each passing hour brings me closer to the edge as I teeter on the brink of insanity. Fantasy and reality blur, my mind deteriorates, and I can’t distinguish between friend and foe.

My Cosan is too far away. I need their help to break me and Damian out of this hellhole. Secrets to Damian’s past and those of the Nosferatu bloodline are held within these stone walls and become the focal point in a ruthless battle for control. My only help comes from the sarcastic vampire that wants to drain my blood as much as seek revenge upon Dmitri. The vicious twin brother who tarnished the Rockcastle name and joined forces with the damned.

When everything is set in motion, each hour on the clock brings destruction closer. Every tick counts down. I only have twenty-four hours to restore my fractured soul before the changes are permanent. Confronting my enemy is the only choice. It’s time Roman English found out the power of the Salem bloodline once and for all – and I’m not the only one waiting to take him down.

Uncaged Review: The third episode finds Cassie prisoner in a cell with Damian out of commission chained to the wall and a necromancer in the next cell. She’s almost left for dead, when Damian’s brother Dmitri saves her. But what’s in it for Dmitri?

The action ramps up well, and the reverse harem is beginning to come into play, and we find out more about Damian and his past and his relationship with his brother. We also learn a huge whopping secret at the end of the book that is sure to be a complete game changer. The heat level is increasing as the author promised, and the Cosan bonding is closer than ever. Looking forward to episode four. Reviewed by Cyrene

5 Stars

Uncaged Review – Dangerous Duke by Scarlett Scott

By
Cyrene Olson
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0

Dangerous Duke
Scarlett Scott
Historical Regency

He’s lethal and ruthless.
Suspended from his work as an agent for the Crown, Griffin, Duke of Strathmore, exists under a dark cloud of suspicion for crimes he didn’t commit. He’s on a desperate race to clear his name by any means until a grave error lands him under house arrest with the last sort of distraction he needs.

She’s the sister of his nemesis.
Lady Violet West is about to be married to the most boring man in England. When the disgraced Duke of Strathmore lands in her lap—literally—she decides he is the answer to her longing for adventure. Though her brother is convinced of Strathmore’s guilt, Violet isn’t as certain.

Falling in love is out of the question.
Griffin doesn’t want her interference. Violet won’t take no for an answer. So begins a secret partnership between the fallen duke and the determined lady. Their quest to uncover the truth leads to danger and desire. But the most perilous risk of all is losing their hearts.

Uncaged Review: This is by far, my favorite historical romance this year. From the time that Griffin trips over Violet’s crochet yarn and lands in her lap, you knew that these two were meant to be together. Griffin’s language felt more natural – where in so many historicals, everyone seems so stuffy in their speech and actions, you never feel that with Griffin. What a breath of fresh air!

Perfect amount of romance, danger, intrigue and a couple of people who fell in love back during that trip over the crochet yarn and wouldn’t admit it, this book hits all the right buttons. Highly recommended for the historical romance lovers. Reviewed by Cyrene

5 Stars

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