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Uncaged Review – Soul of Smoke by Caitlyn McFarland

By
Cyrene Olson
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0

Soul of Smoke
Caitlyn McFarland
Fantasy Romance

Kai Monahan never believed in dragons—until one nearly died in her arms. Now she’s bound by fire to a warrior who could destroy her…or ignite something far more dangerous.

Kai thought she’d lost everything—her future in law school, her family’s trust, her carefully planned life. Now she chases adrenaline on the cliffs of the Rockies, where the only person she can endanger is herself.

Until the night she stumbles into a battle between dragons. And saves one.

Dragged into a hidden world where dragons wear sinfully gorgeous human forms, Kai finds herself tied to Rhys: a burdened, battle-scarred warrior with starfire eyes. A single brush of skin seals them in a bond that sears him with fire whenever she strays too far—a bond neither of them wanted.

The only way to stop the agony is surrender.

But Kai refuses to give up her freedom, and Rhys refuses to chain her against her will—though every heated glance, every accidental touch, every night spent too close makes resistance harder to cling to. And the longer they fight the pull, the more dangerous their bond becomes.

Because if desire doesn’t consume them both…the fire will.

Uncaged Review: This is the first book of four for a series, and in this series, Kai and Juliet are on a trip when they spot a young woman who had fallen down the cliffs and was unconscious. Being a rock climber, Kai scales down to help her while Juliet runs back to find help. But the woman awakens and starts to get up to find her family and Kai feels obligated to go with her to help her on an injured leg. But when they cross into the hidden world of dragons and a battle ensues with Kai barely surviving, but by saving Rhys in the meantime.

Dragons mate for life, and to find out if they are heartsworn, all it takes is a touch, but to complete the bond, it’s a kiss that seals it forever. When Rhys touches Kai, Rhys is heartsworn to her and since Kai isn’t from this world, she rebels and just wants to leave, but it could kill Rhys…

The world building is decent, and I liked most of the side characters, but I think Kai was a little rash in some decisions and instead of getting mad, should have asked more questions and found out more about a bond and the dragons, instead she came off as a little self-absorbed and selfish, even when she started to like some of them. Near the end of the book, she did better, and I was invested in this relationship, but a few things didn’t add up in the end, although I won’t give it away. All four books are out now, so anyone can read straight through, but don’t skip, these need to be read in order.
Reviewed by Cyrene

4 Stars

Uncaged Review – Court of Blood and Bindings by Lisette Marshall

By
Cyrene Olson
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0

Court of Blood and Bindings
Lisette Marshall
Fantasy Romance

He’s the queen’s deadliest weapon. She might be his only weakness.

Living in a quiet human village, Emelin knows better than to use forbidden magic – but one mistake lands her in the hands of the legendary fae assassin known as the Silent Death. He’s beautiful. Brutal. Voiceless. And instead of killing her, he offers her a dangerous bargain.

To survive, she must join him at the Crimson Court, the glittering heart of fae power and cruelty – to play the part of his lover in a realm where humans are nothing but prey.

But Creon is not the monster she expected. He’s worse.

He always seems to know what she’s thinking. He shields her like it’s instinct. And when his burning gaze lingers on her lips, she forgets what side she’s supposed to be on.

As rebellion stirs beneath the court’s jewelled surface, Emelin finds herself drawn into a game of lies and secrets where every alliance is a risk and every touch could be her ruin. Creon may need her magic to bring down the queen … but if she lets herself trust him, it won’t be just her life on the line.

It will be her heart.

Uncaged Review: I really like the premise of the book, but it ran a little slow for me. The world building is good for what’s here, but there are a lot of holes that need filling. The characters are very nicely developed, and you can’t help but to fall for Creon. Emelin, it took me awhile to really like her, but by the end, she finally showed up to be a strong and compassionate person who I could root for. The author has turned this fantasy world into her own, and any magic that the fae have is through color, and it started to get into the blending of the colors for certain magics to happen, and even though it’s an original take on the magic, it wasn’t my personal favorite.

Although I really enjoyed the story, specially near the last quarter of the book, it ended on a major cliffhanger, which is a huge red flag for me, but since the whole series of four books is already out, it’s not as bad, just glad I waited to read this series now.
Reviewed by Cyrene

4 Stars

Uncaged Review – Kiss of the Vampire by Miranda Thorn

By
Cyrene Olson
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0

Kiss of the Vampire
Miranda Thorn
Paranormal Romance

A vampire hunter with failing magic. A thousand-year-old vampire stalking her library. One forbidden obsession neither will survive.

I want out. Away from the blood, the fear, and the pain of being a vampire hunter. That’s why I’m in college. I want a normal life. I’m three weeks from finishing my summer semester when a vampire walks into my life and ruins everything.

Liam is ancient, lethal, and researching demonology in my library. If whatever he’s summoning gets loose, the body count will be remembered for decades. I can’t scare him off—he’s too old and too strong—which means I’m stuck keeping tabs on him while he brings me gourmet donuts and props his bare feet on my chair like we’re friends. When he pins me against the shelves and the lights explode overhead, I realize two things: my magic isn’t as dead as I thought, and neither is whatever’s burning between us.

But Liam isn’t just any vampire. He’s one of three brothers my ancestors tried to massacre—and failed. His family has a vendetta. Mine has a kill order. And the witch hunters circling my city don’t care that I’m falling for the enemy; they just want us both dead.

With dark forces rising, my mother’s betrayals unraveling, and an ancient conspiracy dragging us into the crossfire, Liam offers me something I’ve never had: a way out. All it costs is everything I was raised to believe.

Uncaged Review: This is a prequel to the main series and it’s a longer novella, bringing the reader into this world. Grace is a witch and college student and comes from a long line of vampire hunters, although she herself didn’t get as much magic in her blood as her sisters and really just wants a normal life away from the family business. When she sees Liam in the library, she knows she must kill him, but she expected Liam to save her life from witch hunters. Her world and everything she’s been taught her whole life about vampires will be turned upside down.

Liam is a 700 yr old vampire, along with his brothers, are a group that has been wrongfully blamed for deaths they didn’t commit, and Grace’s ancestors couldn’t bring them down.

Overall, I like the story, but it’s definitely lacking in the character development and I realize this is a prequel, but Grace’s emotions were a bit too surreal in her quick attachment to Liam. This pairing could easily have been a full novel. Even having read this one, and been a bit underwhelmed with it, I do have the first main book on my Kindle and am planning on going forward, as I like the premise of it and want to see how the story unfolds with Liam’s brothers.
Reviewed by Cyrene

3 Stars

Uncaged Review – Rescued by the Seal by Logan Chance

By
Cyrene Olson
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0

Rescued by the Seal
Logan Chance
Romantic Suspense

Sinclair “Sin” Hawthorne doesn’t do feelings.
He does missions, muscle, and making sure the people under his protection live long enough to annoy him tomorrow.

After one too many close calls overseas, Sin takes a “quiet” stateside assignment with the Maddox BRAVO team: protect a high-profile woman who’s become a walking magnet for trouble. The plan is simple—keep her safe, keep it professional, keep his heart out of it.

Then he meets her.

She’s sunshine with a smart mouth, chaotic competence, and a talent for turning Sin’s perfectly controlled life into a romcom disaster with great hair. She’s also not thrilled about having a six-foot-something human shield following her around like a grumpy shadow.

When an escalating threat forces them into a secluded safe house, Sin goes into full lockdown mode. One location. One security detail. Too many stolen glances. And way too much chemistry for a man who thinks “emotional vulnerability” is a tactical error.

But the closer danger creeps, the harder it becomes for Sin to pretend this is just a job.

Because protecting her body is easy.

Protecting his heart?
That might be the mission that takes him out.

Uncaged Review: This is the first time reading this author, and I’ve found a new favorite. This book starts the Tidehaven Seal series about a group of brothers, who while searching for their missing father start undigging all types of corruption. Each brother has their own talent, but this one centers on Sinclair and his new mission, a journalist, Rowan, whose life is being threatened for a story she dug a bit too deep on. Taking on this mission helps their mission of finding their father, as Rowan’s mother Elena has deep connections and resources to help them. So Sin takes the job, only to find that Rowan’s story may intertwine with their father. And she’s getting harder to resist, even for the man who doesn’t do emotions.

This is an action packed book, with humor – a lot of great banter between the brothers – romance, hot sex scenes and a very intricate suspense storyline. The overall arc that seems to be what will run within these books is still going on, but this book takes out a chunk of the mystery with Sin and Rowan. There is a cliffhanger on this, which is never something I like. This book is in a series of Tidehaven Seals book series with several authors penning different stories within this world and I may read some others, but I’m committed to reading about this author’s group in the future. Reviewed by Cyrene

4.5 Stars

Uncaged Review – Third Rock from the Cowboy by Lexi Post

By
Cyrene Olson
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0

Third Rock from the Cowboy
Lexi Post
Western Contemporary

Anthropologist Dr. Silver Collins is used to laughter, derision, or fanaticism when she tells someone she’s an ancient astronaut theorist. So when she receives none of those reactions from cowboy Layne Dawson, she’s intrigued. What also intrigues her is that the man has lived in the same town all his life, is amazingly confident, and is absolutely content with his life. His main goal appears to be to keep everything just the way it is.

Layne, a confirmed bachelor, has never met a woman like Silver, and it’s not just because her hair is completely white at the age of thirty-four. She’s traveled the world, quenching her thirst for knowledge about ancient cultures, determined to make a discovery that will help mankind understand its past. Her sacrifice and drive to reach that goal is something he’s never known and he finds it, and her, riveting.

The more Silver learns about Layne, the more she appreciates him. When it looks like his help could be instrumental in reaching her life-long goal, her respect and gratefulness turn to something more. But when it becomes clear that her life is as alien to him as his is to her, she has to admit they truly are worlds apart. The chances they can bridge the gap are about as low as the chances aliens visited Earth in the past…or did they?

Uncaged Review: With the fourth book in the series, Silver, Amber and Jade are scientists on a dig and staying at Rocky Road before the guest season begins and tasked with finding out more about the drawings on the rocks and the only access to the site is through the ranch. Layne, our confirmed bachelor head ranch hand is tasked with taking them to the site and keeping them safe during their month on the dig. The chemistry between Layne and Silver is noticeable immediately and their romance takes off, each believing neither wants anything long term. But one discovery leads to another and things take a turn…

This is my favorite so far of the series. I loved the banter between the family, George was a cool addition and when things start to go belly up for the scientists after a major discovery, the Dunn’s will show Silver what family and community is all about. This story was fun and original, and it was a lot of fun watching how their blossoming love changed both of them. Reviewed by Cyrene

5 Stars

Uncaged Review – Rock-a-Bye Cowboy by Lexi Post

By
Cyrene Olson
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0

Rock-a-Bye Cowboy
Lexi Post
Western Contemporary

He’s done with everything changing on him. But what if she was the change he needed?
Jackson Dunn is not happy to be honorably discharged from the Army, handed a daughter he didn’t know he had, and sent home to Rocky Road Ranch where everything has changed while he was deployed. Then again, so has he, and he has no patience for a guest who won’t stay with the others. But when she catches him in a flashback to the war, he realizes she’s easier to talk to than his own family. The question is: can he talk to her because he knows she’s leaving or for another reason?

Just her luck, she discovers too late that Mr. Wrong could well be Mr. Right.
The last place Danielle “Dani” Hubbard wants to be on her vacation is a dude ranch owned by the Dunn brothers, but when she recognizes one of the Dunn brothers is as unhappy as she is, she decides to make her vacation more interesting by bothering him. He’s a complete Mr. Wrong, according to her now defunct Mr. Right Character List, so she has no worries about getting too close. But as she leaves for home, she has to wonder, is Mr. Wrong actually Mr. Right?

Uncaged Review: In the third book, we get Jackson’s story. Jackson is the ex-military man of the family, who came home to the ranch with PTSD and an infant daughter he didn’t know about until her military mother was killed on duty. Dani, is on vacation at the Dude Ranch with her friends and is the last place she wants to be. Meeting all the Dunn family, she is especially drawn to Jackson and it doesn’t take her long to connect with another lost soul who still has flashbacks and is trying so hard to be a good father to his infant daughter, Tabitha.

Even though this book sits on a bit darker of a theme, it’s still an easy read with likeable characters. Having the family as a great supporting cast didn’t hurt either. The romance that blooms between Jackson and Dani comes from a healing place and you can’t help but fall in love with the family all over again in this book. I liked the growth I saw in both Jackson and Dani, and as they were drawn to each other, I was cheering them on. And Shotgun is a great touch.
Reviewed by Cyrene

4 Stars

Uncaged Review – Call of the Dark by Michelle Miles

By
Cyrene Olson
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0

Call of the Dark
Michelle Miles
Paranormal Romance

A gift she never wanted. A man she can’t resist. A war that could tear them apart.

If you discovered Anna Walker in Before the Dark, her story continues in Call of the Dark, Book 1 in the Dream walker series.

Anna Walker thought stepping into dreams was nothing more than a strange quirk—until one wrong step drags her into a nightmare…and into the sights of Azriel, a ruthless fallen angel hunting the Horn of Gabriel. Overnight, Anna becomes a target in a battle between Heaven and Hell—forced to face a destiny she never asked for as Keeper of the Holy Relics.

But she’s not alone.

Kincade is relentless, dangerous, and hiding secrets sharp enough to cut. He steps into her life like he owns the shadows—protective in all the wrong ways, impossible to ignore in all the right ones. And the closer they get, the harder it becomes to tell what’s more terrifying—the enemies closing in, or the way he’s slipping past every wall she’s built.

Because to save humanity, Anna will have to risk everything—her freedom, her soul… and the man she’s falling for.

Uncaged Review: Touted as a “paranormal romance,” there isn’t any romance in this. Although I see where it’s going with romance – this is pure fantasy with the tried and true good vs. evil, with angels and demons. Anna is a dream walker, someone who is able to walk among dreams, a trait that runs in her family. Her Uncle Edward in England, was trying to teach Anna, but she rebelled and left to make a life of her own, unknown to her the destiny and prophecy that surrounded her. When she meets fallen Azriel, things start happening, she’s able to see demons and angels where others can’t. Drawn into the prophecy of being the “Keeper” of the Holy Relics, she must find all five relics scattered over the world to keep them out of Lucifer’s hands, which would be Armageddon for humanity.

The book was a bit slow divulging crucial information, it finally came together in the back part of the book. Anna is stubborn and rebellious, and I really didn’t like her much through most of the story. There is a way to make a heroine strong and fierce and still keep her likeable, but I never had much of an attachment to her. There isn’t any romance in this, and we don’t know the full extent of Anna’s powers, just tidbits. This book centers on the retrieval of the Horn of Gabriel, and even though there is no hot romance in this, the battles are well done and well described. I will continue with the series, more because I like the supporting cast and will see if Anna redeems herself in the future books. Reviewed by Cyrene

4 Stars

Uncaged Review – Cold Hearted Lyon by Tabetha Waite

By
Cyrene Olson
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0

Cold Hearted Lyon
Tabetha Waite
Historical Romance

Love doesn’t mean anything when no one wants it—until they realize they do.

Lady Catherine Cecil wants to strike out at her parents for an arranged marriage, but her target turns to the lady responsible for her recent union instead: Mrs. Dove-Lyon, the proprietress of the Lyon’s Den. When she contrives an opportunity to tarnish the Black Widow’s reputation for matchmaking, Lady Catherine is set on the course.

But that is before she meets her intended bridegroom.

Baron Benjamin Fontaine is a man Lady Catherine does not trust, nor does she consider him a friend, but a foe. However, when she learns that he also wishes to settle a debt with the Black Widow, she decides it’s time for the villains to work together. Already expecting a child Lady Catherine conceived with a former lover, the couple conspires to tackle one of London’s most notorious ladies.

Together, they have found a common ground, but who will be crowned victorious at the end of the day? Will Mrs. Dove-Lyon’s reputation be in tatters at long last? Or will love intercede and prove that it will not be denied, after all?

Uncaged Review: Lady Catherine Cecil is in trouble! Well, according to her parents, the Duke and Duchess of Lancaster, she is. Catherine is pregnant with a groom’s baby. The Duchess goes to Mrs. Bessie Dove-Lyon, the well-known owner of Lyon’s Den, a gambling den but also secretly a match-maker too. The Duchess pleads with Mrs. Dove-Lyon to find a titled gentleman husband to marry Catherine off to. Baron Lord Benjamin Fontaine actually accrues a debt at the Lyons Den. So, Mrs. Dove-Lyon proposes that in order for Benjamin to settle the score, he is to marry Catherine. When Catherine hears that she will be married to Benjamin, she is less than thrilled but goes along with it. Both Benjamin and Catherine do have plans to destroy Mrs. Dove-Lyon but falling in love with each other was never part of the plan.

These lovely little Lyon den stories just really make me smile! All of them are unique and written by different authors but well worth the read! This story might be a novella, but it doesn’t really seem like one. The characters are fully developed and the world, including the gambling den, makes me want to visit even though I shy away from places like that, but it’s great to imagine the world. Ms. Tabetha Waite writes beautifully of two broken characters that aren’t perfect. Catherine makes mistakes and learns that her mistake does have consequences. Sure, she probably didn’t think of them when she put herself in that position, but she didn’t have the foresight to see that at the time. At times, I did think Catherine did seem written a little bit too modern, yet I loved her for her impetuous, misguided ways. While Benjamin is the same in spirit, he becomes better as the book moves along. Overall, the book was written very well, and I enjoyed reading it, so I will definitely read another!
Reviewed by Roslynn Ernst

4 Stars

Uncaged Review – Seventy-Three Hours by Jade Christy

By
Cyrene Olson
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0

Seventy-Three Hours
Jade Christy
Paranormal Romance

The moment Aria Holt breathes in evil Celeste’s Red Note, the countdown begins: 73 hours until she belongs to Celeste.

Perfumer Aria Holt should smell victory—until a predator has other plans. Celeste wants the bottles back, and she hits Aria with a perfume that binds the wearer in seventy-three hours. Obedience, forever. Celeste and the Patron want their plans for power and wealth to get back on track.

To break the Red Note, Aria needs more than courage. She needs Gabriel, the old-world vampire who chose her over his maker and is falling for Aria; Loki, a charming menace and shifter; and Luna, a clever witch whose spells value consent over control. Together they face Celeste’s empire: a Choir of enchanted bottles, a market built on addiction, and a city tuned to the wrong key.

Every hour tightens the leash. Every clue points toward the same terrible truth: the Red Note isn’t just a perfume—it’s a terrible prison written in blood and glass. To survive, Aria must rely on Luna and Gabriel to break the spell before 73 hours are up, or her life won’t hers.

Tick, tock. In seventy-three hours, love becomes a weapon—or a ruin.

Uncaged Review: In this second book in the Blood Collector series, perfumer Aria Holt is sprayed with evil vampire Celeste’s dangerous perfume, Red Note. This perfume will blood bind Aria to Celeste unless Aria’s vampire love, Gabriel de Clermont, finds a way to stop this from happening. As time is of the essence and whittles down to when Aria becomes tied to Celeste, Aria finds her own unique ways to find possession and losing who she really is, but is it going to be enough to stop Celeste? Even with all of this, what about Aria’s relationship with Gabriel? Will Celeste poison that too? It is a race against time to stop Aria being completely controlled by Celeste, or will Aria become Celeste’s puppet anyhow?


I enjoyed The Blood Collector, the first book in the series, so, of course, I would read this one. To get me back into this story, though, I had to reread the last chapter of the Blood Collector because I had forgotten what happened to the heroine, Aria Holt. Even with that, all the characters, whether they are vampires, shapeshifters, witches and humans, are nicely developed. Luckily, these books aren’t too hard to follow, and this second book picks right up from the cliffhanger ending. This book, being a continuation, can’t really be read as a stand-alone, so you really have to read the first book in order to figure out what is going on too. Unfortunately for me, this book did drag a little bit, moving somewhat sluggishly along, even with the quick time frame Aria had. I felt as if this book was just a standstill for what could have happened. Does it make me want to stop reading the rest? No, I still have the next in the series and do plan to read the rest just to see what happens to everyone.
Reviewed by Roslynn Ernst

3.5 Stars

Uncaged Review – Red Velvet Obsession by Jade Christy

By
Cyrene Olson
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0

Red Velvet Obsession
Jade Christy
Paranormal Romance

Her rival isn’t just another woman—it’s Sebastian’s first love, risen from the grave.

Alexa Hart thought she had finally found her one true love in Sebastian Ravenwood. But the night of the masquerade shatters everything. Adele—Sebastian’s first love, long believed dead—returns as a vampire, seductive, dangerous, and more ruthless than anyone imagined.

For Alexa, the blow cuts deep. She’s already fought to claim Sebastian’s heart against obsession, blood, and fate. Now, with Adele alive, she fears she’ll lose the man she loves to a ghost from his past.

But Adele’s resurrection is only the beginning. Lilith and Magnus, the immortal heads of the Red Velvet Syndicate, circle closer, coveting Alexa’s rare mind-reading gift. Adele wants Alexa out of the way entirely. And Sebastian? Torn between memory and love, past and present, he must face the truth about who he is—and who he wants.

Uncaged Review: Finally, the last book in the Obsession for Apt 7A romantasy series and Alexa might have escaped Lucien, but now she has landed in even more trouble with Sebastian’s former lover, Adele. Adele is now a powerful vampire joined with a coven of hateful bloodsuckers known as the Blood Reapers and wants Sebastian. Adele plans to torture Alexa first by making her doubt Sebastian, drink her blood and lastly end up killing her. Alexa does have a plan though, and with the reluctant assistance of the Red Velvet vampire society, she will hopefully will be able to stop Adele before it’s too late and Adele takes over every vampire, including Sebastian.

Usually, I give myself breaks between books in a series, especially with Ms. Jade Christy’s stories, but I was eager to end the series to see if Alexa is able to stop Adele. If Sebastian and Alexa get their happily ever after and are left alone. Most of all, if Alexa becomes a vampire and lives out her life with Sebastian. Out of this series, it left me a little disappointed because Alexa remains human even though she loves Sebastian and is blood bound to him yet won’t be a vampire for him? Still, I enjoyed the series and did like the story, even with all the cliffhangers too, yet I was just hoping that Alexa became a vampire. Plus, the book isn’t badly written because I did like it and all the characters. Will I read another of Ms. Christy’s stories? Well, of course, I will and do, have her newest series too.
Reviewed by Roslynn Ernst

4 Stars

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