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Uncaged Review – The Fixer by Ginger Ring

By
Cyrene Olson
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0

The Fixer
Ginger Ring
Mafia Romance

Best-selling mafia romance author Vanessa Stone moved to Deadwood hoping it would provide rest, relaxation, and improve her word count. So far, it’s been anything but. Her long-time stalker has followed her there, and the handsome next-door neighbor might not be as kind and innocent as he appears. Her heroines may fall for bad men with good hearts, but Vanessa has never wanted to live out the storyline of her books.

Tony Rossi left his mafia family and big city life to start a business in a historic town in the Black Hills of South Dakota. Having a gorgeous woman as a neighbor is an added bonus. This new start is supposed to free him from the dangers of his past, but does one ever really leave the mafia?

In the past, Tony could fix any problem his organized crime job required, but he soon learns he can’t fix everything, including the loss of trust and the broken heart of the woman he loves.

Uncaged Review: Vanessa moved to Deadwood to get some peace and quiet while working on her novels. Vanessa has a stalker, that seems to have followed her to Deadwood. Her next door neighbor, Tony, hears her screaming one night and bashes the door open to get in. Tony was known as a “fixer” with the DeSalvo mob in Chicago, and he’s left the mob for a more peaceful and lawful existence in Deadwood. Vanessa and Tony begin a friendship, but Vanessa is still be stalked and Tony will do his best to protect her. But will Tony ever be free of the mob?

There is suspense, danger, behind-the-doors romance, betrayal, friendship, love and two people that will need to overcome their pasts to find their HEA. The time jumping in the book was a bit confusing at times, and I actually thought this was a little tame to be a mafia romance, but I’m looking forward to how this series progresses as this author is so good at the mafia romances.
Reviewed by Cyrene

4 Stars

Uncaged Review – Creek by Linda Broday

By
Cyrene Olson
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0

Creek
Linda Broday
Western Historical

A mysterious man with one name and secrets that gnaw at his soul.

Creek has a reputation as a gunslinger, a lawless man—one to be feared. So, when an orphaned eleven-year-old girl in this rough border town claims she’s his daughter, it jolts the very fiber of his being. For a man making a living with a gun, he’s not father material in any sense of the word. And he has serious doubts he ever met her mother.

Yet Willa July stands firm. Creek has the mark on his wrist that proves her claim. When she’s taken by a crazed killer from his past, Creek is propelled into a desperate chase. He alone understands the depths of this monster’s evil mind.

Time is his enemy as he races to save her. But if he succeeds in getting the girl back, can Creek tear down his walls and embrace the role he never dreamed possible?

Uncaged Review: Creek is a gunslinger, in a lawless western town of El Paso, TX, traveling to see a friend who is very ill, and the only person who may know who his parents are. Along the way he saves a young girl, Willa, from some young men who have trapped her in an alley. When he brings her back to her home, he meets the woman that has taken care of the orphan girl, Liberty. But Creek doesn’t want to get to close, because men like him don’t live long. He meets a nun in and she wants to “hire” him to find a cruel, evil man named Felipe, who poses as a priest, but terrorizes women and children and now feels he’s after her. The same Felipe that abused Creek as a child, and a man he wants dead.

This is a shorter book, so I read this pretty quickly, and when Willa is kidnapped, Creek will tear apart the town to find her. This is a good action packed and danger ridden book that has some great characters and a gunslinger with a heart of gold as the hero. But will he ever lay down his guns for a more peaceful life? The suspense and action keep this story moving along at a good pace, and this is the first book in a series with several authors and it’s a good beginning.
Reviewed by Cyrene

4 Stars

Uncaged Review – The Spinster’s Secret Stake by Collette Cameron

By
Cyrene Olson
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0

The Spinster’s Secret Stake
Collette Cameron
Historical Romance

He vowed to protect her—even if it meant risking her heart and his life.

Roxina Danforth vowed long ago to remain a spinster rather than risk her heart to another selfish, reckless man. Abandoned by her much older half-brother Mitchel and forced to fend for herself, Roxina has built a life of independence through grit and cunning. As a founding member of the Ladies of Opportunity, she relies on the secret gambling society to secure her meager income. Trusting anyone—especially Shelby Tellinger, Mitchel’s disreputable friend—is out of the question. Handsome, roguish, and as dangerous as he is infuriating, Shelby is the last man Roxina would ever depend on.

Shelby Tellinger has devoted his life to shielding Roxina from the consequences of her brother’s reckless actions—without her ever knowing. Though she despises him, he’s secretly protected her for years, even sending money to keep her safe and comfortable. But Mitchel’s latest betrayal leaves Shelby ruined, a thousand pound debt, and pursued by ruthless moneylenders. With his fortune tied up in a risky shipping venture, Shelby has nothing left but his determination to find Mitchel and protect Roxina—no matter the cost.

When the ruthless leader of a band of highwaymen abducts them because Mitchel cheated him, Roxina and Shelby must fight for their lives—and their hearts—as they’re forced to flee and into hiding together. As truths and confessions blur the line between love and hate, Roxina must decide whether to cling to her pride or risk her heart on a man she vowed never to trust.

Can a hardened spinster and a reformed scoundrel defy the odds—or will betrayal and danger destroy their chance at happiness?

Uncaged Review: Roxina is considered a spinster, and her half brother Mitchel has cheated and swindled many people, including Shelby, whom Roxina had believed was as bad as Mitchel until Mitchel stole Shelby’s identity and put Shelby on the run from creditors trying to clear his name. Roxina lives in a small cottage and her and some of her lady friends place wagers in secret to boost their income. She also befriends a small stray dog that is a great addition to the story.

The cast of characters are well flushed out and I laughed out loud at the neighbor’s antics, but I won’t give that away. There is plenty of danger and suspense and Roxina will have to go on the run with Shelby who has vowed to protect her at his own risk, ever since her brother betrayed her. But Roxina will have to dig deep to find her true feelings for Shelby as they fight their way to their HEA. Great storyline, nice action, a good pace and just the right amount of tension and romance.
Reviewed by Cyrene

5 Stars

Uncaged Review – The Laird’s Magical Lass by Julie Johnstone

By
Cyrene Olson
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0

The Laird’s Magical Lass
Julie Johnstone
Medieval Romance

Freya

Aye, I stole a goblet. A magical one. From a witch.
In my defense, I returned it.
I just… took too long.
I was trying to save myself from a loveless marriage, not doom my future.
But witches don’t take kindly to thievery that cost them dearly.
She granted my wish—then twisted it into a curse.
Now I’m thrice wed, never for love.
Men want me for my sight, not my heart.
And when they don’t heed my visions, they die.
I’ve been taken again, this time by Colin bloody MacDonald.
A brute. A Highland warlord. My father’s greatest enemy.
He says he’s not like the others. I say he’s worse.
He married me to ruin my clan.
He thinks he can use me.
But I’ve had my fill of being used.
And yet… he’s careful with me. Fiercely so.
Worse still, he’s handsome when he’s not scowling,
and kind when he thinks I’m not looking.
I won’t give him my heart.
But I fear it may no longer be mine to keep.

Colin

I didn’t want a wife.
I needed leverage. A weapon. A way to end this war.
Freya MacLeod is all of that—and more trouble than I bargained for.
I forced her hand, aye. But I swore not to touch her until she’s willing.
And now, every day she refuses me feels like its own kind of curse.
She’s fire and prophecy, steel wrapped in silk.
And I’m starting to forget I married her for vengeance.
Starting to wonder what it would mean to earn her trust.
There’s no room for softness in war.
No space for hearts in bargains.
But when it comes to Freya, I’ve already lost more than I meant to give.

Uncaged Review: At first I wasn’t sure where the author was going with this one, but Freya has been used by her father for power and greed, and when he is going to marry her off for an alliance, her and her friends steal a magical goblet from Morgana, the witch in the dark woods. Freya wishes for the “sight” to be able to change her future, but instead she’s caught by Morgana and is cursed instead. When her visions start coming true – men want to marry her for her “gift,” but they keep dying like her visions tell. Colin, the Laird of the enemies, is to be her fourth husband, and Freya has been abused in many ways from the previous marriages, but Colin is an honorable man, and it will take time to break through Freya’s defenses.

This is a bit different from what I’ve read before from this author, and it was hard to put the book down, especially at the back half of the book. Freya will finally find her own way, and Colin will learn to love again after losing his wife. The tension is high, and the war between the clans and Colin will get more than he bargained for just for peace. This book doesn’t slow down much and even though sometimes I thought Freya a bit overdone, I was still rooting for her. Nice start to this series. Reviewed by Cyrene

4.5 Stars

Uncaged Review – A Ghost of a Chance by Debbie Cassidy

By
Cyrene Olson
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0

A Ghost of a Chance
Debbie Cassidy
Urban Fantasy

They say the dead don’t speak. That’s a lie. They speak to Kat Justice, but most of the time, she chooses not to hear them.

I’m a Nightwatch agent, a nightblood charged with enforcing the supernatural laws. Humans can’t know the shit that goes bump in the night is real. It’s sweaty, tough work, with crappy pay, but I love it.

Things would be perfect if not for my secret.

Pureblood Nightbloods can’t see or hear the dead. The fact that I can exposes my mixed breeding. I’m not meant to exist, and if the council find out about my secret it’s the executioners block for me.

Keeping a lid on my ghost whisperer ability is a must.

So, when my gramps orders me to head to the arse end of nowhere, a nowhere that just happens to be the most haunted place on the bloody map, I’m a little confused.

This transfer doesn’t jive with trying to keep the ghost chat to a minimum.

But with my golem partner and gargoyle companion in tow, I’m sure I can figure out why I’ve been sent to this weird coastal town. I mean, they even have a ghost bar.

You’d think the local souls would be eager to chew my ear off, right? Wrong.

For the first time in forever, the dead aren’t talking.

Now I need to know why…

Uncaged Review: A great start to a four book series, this one got my attention and kept it. In this world, the supernaturals are kept secret from the human population, and are enforced by the Nightwatch, groups of different supernaturals that enforce the laws, spread out across the world. Kat is a Nightblood, but also is not a pureblood, so she has to keep that part of her secret as it could get her killed if it gets out. She is sent by her Gramps to a town called Scorchwood, to work with the team there, and she travels with a golem construct named Henri and a gargoyle, Tris. But one of the quirks to Kat’s heritage, is she can see and communicate with ghosts, and not all is what it seems in this town and her and the team at Scorchwood will have their hands full.

This book is layered in suspense and a couple of subplots running in the background that will be flushed out in the coming books. The supporting cast of characters were great additions and the author keeps the action level going strong, and even though I’m not usually a huge fan of first person narratives, it works for this one. There is a small cliffhanger at the end, but it’s not a huge one, but it definitely sets up for book two. These are not standalones, you should read from the beginning to make sure you are not lost.
Reviewed by Cyrene

4.5 Stars

Uncaged Review – Dead Man’s Detective by Rachel Graves

By
Cyrene Olson
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0

Dead Man’s Detective
Rachel Graves
Paranormal Romance

All ex-army witch Elisabeth Hicks wants for her twenty-fourth birthday is to keep the small-town gossips from staring at her artificial limbs. Instead, she’s pushed into helping an army buddy on an illegal job for the scariest vampire in town. Her magic tells her the vampire is lying but it’s too late to walk away. Things go sideways, and her first date in years ends when she finds her friend’s dead body. The body disappears from the morgue, and a deadly, magical, necklace winds up in her lap all before she gets to her birthday cake. Now a sexy master vampire will kill her if she doesn’t use magic to find the woman he loves, and the police refuse to investigate the murder. It’s up to Elisabeth to protect her family, solve the mystery, and survive long enough to go on a second date.

Uncaged Review: Elisabeth is ex-military and home with her family, working odd jobs for some cash. When another ex-military friend tells her about a job he was offered, she knows it’s a bad job and tries to talk him out of it. Elisabeth has some magic as she’s a spirit witch, she can see the dead and she can feel what others are feeling with touch. When Douglas is found dead after his “job,” Elisabeth is hell-bent on getting justice for her friend. During this time, she meets Gina’s boss, Ted, whom everyone thinks is “gay,” even though she knows better. Striking up a romance with Ted, even though her family only thinks it’s friendship. But as Elisabeth uncovers more about Douglas’ death, she gets involved with the very powerful vampire that hired him.

This book started out a bit slowly, but still interesting, and it really got moving along through the back half of the book. There is a lot going on in this book, and it’s a good start to a new series and this is different from most urban fantasy books I’ve read. The sex scenes might have been a tad too long, but they were easy to skim over if you are in a hurry to get on with the story. This book ended in a way that sets up well for the next in the series, but not a cliffhanger. All-in-all, I would definitely move on with this series.
Reviewed by Cyrene

4 Stars

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

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