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Uncaged Review – The Merging by Logsdon & Young

By
Cyrene Olson
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0

The Merging
Logsdon & Young
Urban Fantasy

Sin City is always running amok with disturbances and glitter, but sometimes those two items merge and the nightlife gets out of hand.

Kind of like mixing Hell and…well, more Hell.

Ian Dex is the captain of the Las Vegas Paranormal Police Department, the crew responsible for kicking the crap out of any supernatural stupid enough to mess with the Strip. He’s a cop, a millionaire, an amalgamite, and a horndog—and makes no apologies for it. 

When an ubermage appears on the Strip, strutting around in his Chippendales-style outfit and sending out other ubernaturals to kick up dust and unleash destruction, it’s up to Ian Dex and his team to do what they do best: bust heads and shred souls. 

Casinos are clamoring for help, cops are fighting tooth and nail just to survive, and tourists think it’s all part of the Vegas experience.

The weather forecast for tonight on the Strip is dark… with a chance of bloody.

Uncaged Review: This urban fantasy kicks in pretty fast – and set in Las Vegas, because – well, why not? There is some fun comedic moments and good action sequences. To be honest though, I didn’t like Dex as much as the authors want the readers to. He’s a little full of himself but if that was toned down a bit, he’d be more likeable. In this series, the team is better together than apart, and the secondary characters are well thought out.

I’m definitely going to continue on with the series to see where the authors lead us next. Reviewed by Cyrene

4 Stars

Uncaged Review – Quiet Vapor by K.E. Landry

By
Cyrene Olson
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0

Quiet Vapor
K.E. Landry
YA/Dystopian

Two will live. One may die.In a world where the State controls what you eat, where you live, and when you die, three students are about to find out just how far that goes.When Bree Carter finds out the ordinary school project she’s been working on will determine her work assignment for the rest of her life, she immediately tells her project group. They must make a choice: tell the rest of the class, even the school bully who doesn’t deserve to know, or use the knowledge to their own advantage.

They knew one project would determine the rest of their lives. They just didn’t know how.Bree and her team must face the consequences of their choices and their circumstances. Together, they must complete their project. Separately, they must learn how to survive.

Uncaged Review: This is a nice intro to a new Young Adult series that gives you a good feel for the world this author is building. It does not tell you enough about how the world came to be, but that will probably be better explored in the full length novels. What it does do, is give you a strong character lead in Bree, who is forced out of her own comfort zone to work within a group. Bree is also a champion of students that are relentlessly bullied.
Secondary characters are well flushed out, and the novella does it’s job to interest the reader in reading more. Reviewed by Cyrene

4 Stars

Uncaged Review – Fangs and Fairy Dust by Joynell Schultz

By
Cyrene Olson
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0

Fangs and Fairy Dust
Joynell Schultz
Urban Fantasy

Why is she alive?

Eleven murders, all connected by severe loss of blood. Each of the victims is male…and dead, except for a stunning young woman named Aliza.

Is she a victim or the perpetrator? 

Ryker’s trip to Dubuque should be quick and painless—swiftly laying down vampire law before the humans get suspicious. When Aliza reminds him of what it’s like to be human and the love he lost right here in this city eighty years ago, feelings he had locked tightly away begin to emerge. Feelings of betrayal, guilt, and love that haunted him for nearly a century.

But can he overcome his past to see the present?
How is Aliza connected to the crimes he came to prevent? 

Uncaged Review: A shorter novella that can introduce you to the Angels of Sojourn series. Ryker is an older vampire, working for an organization called the Blood Board, that tracks and eliminates rogue vampires to keep their secrets safe. When he is tracking a rogue, he comes upon a survivor – and is determined to get information from her about the attack if he can. Little does he know, that she isn’t all that human herself, although she doesn’t know it yet.

I liked the premise of the book and it has my interest for the series. This is easily a standalone and you don’t have to read the series to catch on, but it doesn’t waste a lot of pages with stuff it doesn’t need, so it never weighs down. This is a new-to-me author, and is now on my radar. Reviewed by Cyrene

4 Stars

Uncaged Review – Beyond Forever by Rhonda Frankhouser

By
Cyrene Olson
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0

Beyond Forever
Rhonda Frankhouser
Contemporary

Wise beyond her thirty-three years, advice columnist, Lily Anne Fincher, relishes being the consummate wall on which everyone leans. It gives her life purpose and makes her feel needed and loved even when people ignore her advice. She never considers the possibility of her own happily ever after, until she catches the shy, handsome guy in a three-piece suit, watching her from behind a newspaper in the downstairs coffee shop.Stoic investment banker, David Morris, never plans on falling for a younger woman, especially a stubborn, rough-around-the-edges, journalist. They come from such different backgrounds. It seems unfathomable, but her easy confidence and flirtatious smiles makes his blood pressure rise. When she finally works up the nerve to approach him, he can’t avoid her. Determined not to allow anything to ruin their chance at forever, Lily ignores the signs of looming disaster. Is this the end of their fairy tale? Or just the beginning?

Uncaged Review: I’ve never read a book quite like this one. So emotional, so heartbreaking, so heartwarming. Just make sure you have a tissue box handy, because you will cry over the heartbreak, and over bittersweet moments, and over the love shared between Lily and Kisa. This is a sad story, but full of wonderful and beautiful moments. And even a happy ending, of sorts. One I re-read a couple of times.

It will break your heart but it will also fill your soul. It will also give you hope – and warm your heart with an end that you wouldn’t see coming as you read. One thing this book will do, is not only dare you to put it down and quit reading, but it will also remind you that every day is a gift, and there are no guarantees. So truly live your life, don’t back out of it. And what I can say about this book, is don’t back down from the book either, keep going, even if you feel you can’t. After the author wrings you dry, she will give it all back in final chapters and have your heart soar. Five stars isn’t really enough. Reviewed by Cyrene

5 Stars

Uncaged Review – Tanked by Joshua C. Chadd

By
Cyrene Olson
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0

Tanked
Joshua C. Chadd
Horror
FREE READ

If you’d like to receive a complimentary copy of this story, sign up for Joshua C. Chadd’s newsletter here: BookHip.com/DAKVKJ

Allen Hook is your not-so-typical twenty-something-year-old dude living each day just to get by. He spends his time consuming copious amounts of alcohol and playing endless hours of video games. But when he’s not living every bachelor’s dream, he’s working a dead end job he detests more each day. He knows things need to change soon… and they do, the world ends. Now he spends his time fighting the undead as he tries to escape a crumbling Fort Collins.

Uncaged Review: This is a good prequel to a series that didn’t drag, and actually is the first in a long time that has me interested in reading the first book in the series. The main character, Allen, aka Tank, is better equipped for the apocalypse than most, being a major video game player. When he gets involved with a group, they will have to find a way through a lot of obstacles and blocked roads of vehicles and the dead and undead. Trying to find his way north to his friends who prepared for a doomsday.

This is a short, action packed read that isn’t sluggish, and you’ll find that Tank is someone you’d like on your side during an apocalypse.
Reviewed by Cyrene

4 Stars

Uncaged Review – To Tame a Viscount by Jenn Langston

By
Cyrene Olson
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0

To Tame a Viscount
Jenn Langston
Historical Regency

Kaylee Shepherd knew there was much more to life than marriage when she’d left her stepbrother’s house to begin Lady Constance’s House of Reform three years ago. Now, more than ever, she is determined to experience everything she is able before she is too old to enjoy it. When Simon Highgate, Viscount Washburne, makes his interest in her known, she seizes the opportunity. One night with him is more than she could imagine and one she will never forget.

Once Simon reached his twenty-fifth year, a special stipulation in his father’s will was revealed to him. Regardless of his desires, he must wed a maiden of proper breeding whose behavior is above reproach, or his birthright will pass to his cousin. Duty-bound, he engages the House of Reform to aid his search for a bride. Unfortunately, the more time he spends with the enchanting woman assigned to the task, Miss Shepherd, the more he wishes Kaylee fit the requirements. Instinctively, he knows Kaylee would make him a perfect wife. If it weren’t for his sisters, he would go against his father’s wishes and claim Kaylee, regardless of her social standing. With his hands tied, he plans to make the most of the time they have together until he must wed another.

As Simon’s attention toward Kaylee increases, she finds denying him more difficult. Although marriage isn’t what she wants, she can see the merit in sharing stolen moments with him. However, each instance she gives in to him makes it more difficult to control the building passion she feels for him. Worse yet, she’s beginning to wonder if she will be able to handle watching him wed another and leave her to live out her life alone.

Uncaged Review: Kaylee Shepherd works as an instructor at Lady Constance’s House Of Reform. Where ladies go to brush up on talents and men go to find a wife. Kaylee loves not being tied down by marriage and doing her own thing. But suddenly this is about to change. This is the second book in the Series but can be read as a standalone novel. Upon reading this as I started with book two it took me a while to get a grasp of the characters in this. Even with them only been briefly mentioned in the previous book. At times I did get annoyed with Kaylee as she was rather naive in certain circumstances. But soon redeemed herself. This was an enjoyable read and after reading a bonus sampler of book three. I’m excited to continue with this series. Reviewed by Jennifer

5 Stars

Uncaged Review – Silver Clouds Dirty Sky by Orlando A. Sanchez

By
Cyrene Olson
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0

Silver Clouds Dirty Sky
Orlando A. Sanchez
Urban Fantasy

London Bridge is falling…but it’s not their fault…mostly.

Montague and Strong have left the building-in fact, they’ve left the continent.

When a teleportation circle sends them to London, The Penumbra Consortium-and older, darker version of the Dark Council requests Montague & Strong look into the murder of the leading demonologist, Mage Nigel Warrenton. There are a few complications-Tristan is being hunted by Golden Circle magistrates, Michiko must return to take her seat on the Council, before her brother is challenged, and demons are roaming the streets of London.

Now, with the help of Thomas Rafael-a mage who doesn’t believe in magic, they must avoid the magistrates, return Michiko to the Dark Council, and stop London from becoming a demon breeding ground.

What could possibly go wrong?

Montague & Strong dive into another thrilling adventure as they face off against demons, dark powers, and disasters as they try to save London from annihilation!

Uncaged Review: Whenever I get in a reading funk, all I have to do is pick up one of the urban fantasy favorites and dig in. It will pull me out every time, and this world and series is one I hate to leave whenever I get to the end and yanks me right out of any book hangover.

Jumping right in after the end of book 3, we are tossed into the action from the first pages. Landing in London from the teleportation link, but Tristan is still be hunted and there is a mad man on the loose summoning demons, letting them loose on the city. The tests on Simon’s immortality curse will be tested – and he doesn’t like to die.

I can’t recommend this series enough. If you like urban fantasy, this is a great one. From the seriousness of Tristan, the smart-ass dialog from Simon, and Peaches – the Hellhound with a bottomless pit of a stomach and all the supporting cast, you will be on a wild, original and thoroughly engaging ride that will have you strapped in from the first pages to the end. I’m catching up with you, Mr. Sanchez. Just two words for you: “write faster,” the next one is already on my Kindle. 🙂 Reviewed by Cyrene

5 Stars

Uncaged Review – Love Me Love Me Knot by Deb Lee

By
Cyrene Olson
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0

Love Me Love Me Knot
Deb Lee
Romantic Comedy

YouTube me once, shame on you. YouTube me twice, shame on me.

After her humiliating breakup goes viral, Sophie Dougherty must nurse a broken heart while attending a mandatory company training for work, which is taking place aboard a luxury cruise ship. For most, this sounds like a dream, but for Sophie, it quickly turns into a nightmare when . . .  Sports journalist Ryan Pike, San Antonio’s “Golden Boy,” and Sophie’s ex, is suddenly charged with spearheading the training. Even a massive ship in the great Pacific isn’t enough space to keep Sophie’s heart from drowning at the sight of those Caribbean-blue eyes.

Ryan may have betrayed Sophie years ago when she was certain he was the one, but if she can keep her head above water amidst all her problems long enough to trust Ryan, 2.0, she may be able to let her guard down just enough to love again, or risk losing the only man she’s truly ever loved.

Uncaged Review: After her boss tells Sophie that her and her co-workers are all going on a team building event. She becomes overwhelmed after she hears the news that her ex is hosting this team building event. Sophie and him have some unfinished business to sort out. I liked this book it wasn’t you’re typical romance book. Sophie battles some health issues in this book and I think the author done a great job bringing them to attention. I would definitely read more by this author in the future. Reviewed by Jennifer

4 Stars

Uncaged Review – The Dragon of New Orleans by Genevieve Jack

By
Cyrene Olson
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0

The Dragon of New Orleans
Genevieve Jack
Urban Fantasy

New Orleans: city of intrigue, supernatural secrets, and one enigmatic dragon. 

A deadly curse….
For 300 years, Gabriel Blakemore has survived in New Orleans after a coup in his native realm of Paragon scattered him and his dragon siblings across the globe. Now a voodoo curse threatens to end his immortal existence. His only hope is to find an antidote, one that may rest in a mortal woman.

A lifesaving gift…
After five years of unsuccessful treatment for her brain cancer, death is a welcome end for Raven Tanglewood. Her illness has become a prison her adventurous spirit cannot abide. Salvation comes in the form of Gabriel, who uses dragon magic to save her.

A harrowing price…
To Raven, the bond that results from Gabriel’s gift is another kind of captivity. Can Gabriel win Raven’s love and trust in time to awaken the life-saving magic within her? Or will his fiery personality and possessive ways drive her from his side and seal his fate?

Uncaged Review: Raven is dying from cancer – and her time is almost up when Gabriel visits her hospital room and pulls a tooth from his mouth and has a dying Raven swallow it – unknowingly bonding herself to a dragon. When she starts getting miraculously better, she thinks it was a dream. When he requests that she work for him, she agrees to help him.

I loved this romance and I loved Gabriel and Raven. The romance burns slowly, and the suspense on if Raven can help save Gabriel will keep you glued to the pages. The author did a great job with not only the main characters, but with the secondary characters also. A few good twists that start in the back half of the book may surprise you. This is a series that I’ll be looking forward to reading more of. Reviewed by Cyrene

5 Stars

Uncaged Review – Maybe This Time by Susan B. James

By
Cyrene Olson
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0

Maybe This Time
Susan B. James
Time Travel Romance

A Second Chance Romance

Their Happily-Ever-After is over before it begins unless they can change time. 

Forty-nine-year-old actress Jennifer Knight would rather eat worms than face her first husband. But when her niece Kat accidentally time travels them to 1988, she needs his help.

Lance Davies is more comfortable with computers than people. He never knew how to handle his beloved, mercurial Jen. But now her future self is here in front of him and he wants another chance.

Jen finds herself torn. Her traitorous body insists that home is in Lance’s arms, but her heart has trust issues. 

Can two people whose timelines are thirteen years apart find a future where they can be together?

Uncaged Review: A second chance romance features Jen Knight. An actress who is about to get a birthday present from her niece Kat that will leave her in a spin. This book was very enjoyable to read even with the whole time travel concept. I could see a little of Jen in myself. Plus there was a lot of funny one liners that made laugh out loud. Reviewed by Jennifer

4 Stars

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