Tuesday, April 29, 2025
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Uncaged Review – When Planets Fall by Abby J. Reed

By
Cyrene Olson
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0

When Planets Fall
Abby J. Reed
YA/SciFi

On a planet where the only difference between three tribes is their blood color, war is on the horizon. Breaker, an amputee, wants peace for his family and home. Malani, a kidnapped POW, wants to return home. Luka wants justice for his home. All three teens come together when Breaker is given seven days to fix a wrecked enemy starship or their home, and peace, is forfeit.

Uncaged Review: A nicely written SciFi with originality and nice world building. I was drawn into the world easily enough, being a long time reader of SciFi. The plot is one of those slow burners, which slowly ramps up the tension. The characters are well meshed, although my one complaint on them is I couldn’t really picture them in my mind right away. Normally, for me to connect with a character, I need to have my own personal visualization – and even though they each had a pretty distinct voice, it took longer than normal to connect. I only got bits and pieces of what they looked like. I think my favorite relationship in the book is Breaker and Circuit.

I would definitely recommend this scifi – but caution the young adult rating, older teens would be fine but there is quite a bit of violence/torture and some of it may be too much for younger teens. Reviewed by Cyrene

4 Stars

Uncaged Review – Bewitching the Beast by Tamara Hughes

By
Cyrene Olson
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0

Bewitching the Beast
Tamara Hughes
Paranormal Romance

Ethan Lockwood hates what he’s become—a slave to a parasitic monster whose victims’ names pepper the obituaries. He’s possessed by The Beast, a dragon who feeds off human spiritual energy. After a year of fighting The Beast’s demands, Ethan is losing the battle. The creature is taking over his mind, body, and soul. When he spies Tess, he can relate to her weary look and the sadness in her eyes, but her aura shines like a beacon, attracting The Beast. Ethan is forced to drain her energy, but for a split second, she subdues the creature inside him, compelling the spirit to slumber. How? Can she somehow free him from The Beast? Ethan chases after her. He can’t afford to let Tess die.

Since her fiancé’s death, Tess Edwards struggles to find new meaning in life. She doesn’t expect that new meaning to involve a sexy photographer who says he’s possessed by an energy-stealing beast. He claims she’s in danger and that he’s the only one who can save her. Great. He’s a nut job—cute, but delusional. She doesn’t believe in dragon spirits and magic, not until she finds her grandmother’s Book of Shadows. She’s descended from witches, and the book warns her of her fate. Although the beast inside Ethan needs her alive, he isn’t the only one of his kind. There’s another, and he wants Tess dead.

Uncaged Review: A shifter romance with a lot of twists and turns. I’m not a big fan of shifter romance books as they never seen to hold my attention. This book is very different, Tess meets a leather clad jacket guy called Ethan at a bar on New Year’s Eve so anything goes right? Ethan is extremely good looking and mysterious. A few dark secrets he is reluctant to share with Tess. I really enjoyed this book. I think there’s going to be a follow up to this. Which I’m very excited to read when it’s out. Reviewed by
Jennifer

4 Stars

Uncaged Review – The Demon Lord by Nikki Frank

By
Cyrene Olson
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0

The Demon Lord
Nikki Frank
Young Adult/Fantasy

An imp living secretly among humans, all Olivia wants is a quiet senior year. The discovery that her only friend has ties to the magic world places him on the top of the Demon Lord’s list for collection. Now she’ll do whatever it takes to keep Emmett safe, even if it means working with a mini-menagerie of magic-folk who rub her the wrong way. 

As the danger escalates, Olivia discovers friends aren’t nearly as hard to come by as she’d always thought. She soon realizes that friends are worth fighting for, and maybe even worth dying for.

Uncaged Review: First of all, this book is marketed in the wrong category, it’s in the Young Adult/Social Issues – and although there is that topic within the book, this is a pure fantasy novel at its core, and I loved the book. It had all the elements that took me out of my own mundane world and into an escape of the supernatural.

When the magic world finds out that her human best friend Emmett, is a source of magic – Olivia, an imp will join forces with a crazy menagerie of magical characters to keep him safe. And what a great ride, the secondary characters are spot on, and the action and fight scenes are dramatic. From imps to dragons to fae to sphinx, this is a book that kept me flipping the pages – and I stayed up way too long finishing it. Can’t wait for book two. Reviewed by Cyrene

5 Stars

Uncaged Review – The Space Between Worlds by J. Conrad

By
Cyrene Olson
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0

The Space Between Worlds
J. Conrad
Young Adult/SciFi

Not all prisons are escapable.

Thousands of miles from ancient Celtic Britain, Bridget awakens as a Sumerian girl standing outside the Great Ziggurat of Ur. She can’t understand where Celena is or what any of this has to do with her and their history in Wales. Her pendant has disappeared and she has no way back.

Feeling trapped in this arid land so far removed from Wales or the US, Bridget’s problems extend beyond locating her friend or finding an exit door. Her parents are forcing her to prepare for an arranged marriage, and if she doesn’t follow through, the consequences will be severe. She can’t see how to stop the tidal wave that’s threatening to engulf her life. There are many kinds of prisons, and not all of them are escapable. But when Bridget meets Relan, all of that changes.

In the blazing heat of Sumerian summer, a beautiful, pale stranger explores the marketplace of Ur, asking peculiar questions of the merchants and speaking in a strange accent. Wearing a woolen cloak over his animal skin tunic, this “barbarian” is from elsewhere and has unusual ideas. Bridget’s curiosity leads her down an alluring and dangerous path. She is afraid to find out the answers she longs for, until Relan shows her something unbelievable, wonderful, and frightening. Just as Bridget thinks she has a solution to her problems, she is faced with a disturbing choice that may cause a shift in her destiny which can’t be undone.

Uncaged Review: This was an interesting take on Time Travel, and the tale of two friends that adventure into different times. Bridget loses her pendant, which helps her to get back to her time, and is stuck in time. But changing outcomes in the time travels, can affect their real time.

I liked the friendship with the girls, this is book 2 in a series, and I think I would have gotten more out of the books if I had read the first, but it held up okay. It’s a solid 4 star read, and those that enjoy time travel, will enjoy this one. Reviewed by Cyrene

4 Stars

Uncaged Review – Kade by DeAnn Smallwood

By
Cyrene Olson
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0

Kade
DeAnn Smallwood
Contemporary Western

When the recently incarcerated Hope Jackson knocks on Kade McKune’s door, with three boxes of Girl Scout cookies in her hands, he has no clue his bitter, distrusting rancher’s world is about to be turned upside down. 

Lied to and taken to the cleaners by a beautiful blonde, Kade has learned a hard lesson and slams the door to any possibility of a woman in his life. Aren’t they all liars? And Hope, with her lie of omission about her background, unknowingly fits that description.

Kade isn’t about to give her a chance to win his love and to convince him of her innocence. His beloved Double K ranch is doing just fine with the help of his seventy-eight-year-old Gran—the only woman he can trust. He sure doesn’t need Hope Jackson, a recently returned brother and baby girl, and three abused boys complicating things and resurrecting feelings long dead.

Uncaged Review: Kade McKune runs the Double K Ranch and doesn’t trust women. Spurned once, he is distrustful of all females. He has no intention of being lied to again. All he needs is his beloved Gran, his ranch, and his family. No women needed. Then Hope Jackson shows up, reluctantly pushed into a position of nanny for Kade’s infant niece. She omits the tiny fact she has recently left jail—for drug possession. Sparks of interest soon erupt between Hope and Kade. Unfortunately, Kade has his hands full with one chaotic mess after another and Hope lives in fear he will learn about her past. Matters of the heart, however, do not care about the past.

Ms. Smallwood has a gift for writing stories with genuine characters who don’t need a lot of talking to make their presence felt. Kade is an immediately likeable hero, albeit he’s a reluctant hero. He is a man who is easy to fall in love with; strong, capable, dependable, and flawed. Maddy is precious. With no words at all, she can steal a scene with a smile or a giggle. Gran is the type of person one would want to visit with over a cup of tea and Hope is the sort of girlfriend every girl wants to have coffee with. Jesse and his brothers are boys just begging for a hug and a cookie.
The vivid imagery takes the reader directly to the Double K Ranch in all its wild Wyoming splendor.
What holds this marvelous story back are two things: frequent minor punctuation errors and Point of View. It could have greatly benefited from another round of editing to catch the numerous punctuation errors of missing punctuation and similar items. It is enough to slow the reader down as they search for where the speaker stops or began. The other drawback is two, three, and sometimes four characters all sharing point of view in scenes and within the same paragraphs. No one character owned a scene, readers were given everyone’s thoughts simultaneously. It lead to confusing situations in a book where action and internal thoughts happened more than verbal dialogue.
It would be well worth the reader’s time to search out other books by Ms Smallwood, especially the second book in the Wyoming Brothers series, to see if punctuation and point of view issues have been addressed. Reviewed by Ryan Jo

4 Stars

Uncaged Review – My Sister and I by Sean Paul-Thomas

By
Cyrene Olson
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0

My Sister and I
Sean Paul-Thomas
Psychological Thriller

MY SISTER AND I 

A young teenage girl and her Psychotic twin sister must grow up hard and fast in the unforgiving Scottish Highlands as their father – a sick and twisted, violent man, obsessed with the end of the world – teaches them how to survive out in the wild with no one to rely on but themselves.

(Strong language and graphic violence – Not for the faint of heart)

Uncaged Review: A dark thriller set in the Scottish Highlands. Two sister go on a survival trip to show their dad that they can survive any condition should the need arise. This book is very dark and twisted at times. Not for the easily offended. This is my first book I’ve read by this author I did enjoy it and rooted for the sisters the whole way through. I would definitely think this would hold the reader’s attention as it did mine. I will be reading more of this author’s books at some point in my life. I would recommend this book. Reviewed by Jennifer

4 Stars

Uncaged Review – Blood & Holy Water by Joynell Schultz

By
Cyrene Olson
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0

Blood & Holy Water
Joynell Schultz
Paranormal Romance

These vampires don’t sparkle and the angels don’t have halos.

Ava is sick of mundane angel duties, and she wants a promotion to finally earn her wings. A promotion takes more than hard work; it takes a miracle—literally. Unfortunately, her miracle’s impossible, because it involves a vampire.

Fin has no time for frivolous gestures. He’s too busy avoiding his own kind to care what a naïve angel wants. But when the other vampires uncover his deepest secret, threatening what he cherishes most, nothing can help him…except a miracle. Too bad he chased the angel away.

Uncaged Review: A very well paced start to a series. Ava is a Fourth Order Angel, she’s been trying to perform the right miracle to earn her wings for over 100 years. When she feels the pull of a miracle with a vampire named Fin, she is surprised to find out that not only can Fin see her and touch her, he’s not the typical monster vampire. He works as an emergency doctor at a hospital, and successfully keeps his monster at bay. But when angels start dying, the suspense heats up.

This is a nicely written story, with two strong characters in Ava and Fin, and a different type of paranormal when pairing vampires and angels. The suspense is well done, and keeps you guessing on what will happen to both Fin and Ava, for breaking every single angel rule trying to get to the truth. I’m looking forward to the second book in the series. Reviewed by Cyrene

4 Stars

Uncaged Review – Victorian Town by Nancy Thorne

By
Cyrene Olson
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0

Victorian Town
Nancy Thorne
19th Century Historical

Abby Parker planned out her whole life: complete her final year of high school, go to college, get a job, move away from her insane family, stay best friends with Jessica. 

But, that was before she broke into the nearby tourist attraction and unwittingly answered a call from a centuries-old spirit who dragged her into the 19th century.

Now she must solve a Victorian mystery without getting herself killed, or worse, spend a lifetime trapped in the past, leaving behind everyone she loves and altering their lives forever. 

When she meets gorgeous Benjamin, the future looks a lot like wreckage.

Uncaged Review: I am a sucker for the Victorian Time period. So when I came across the chance to read and review this I jumped at the chance. I won’t tell you this is the best book ever but it does leave you with a good enjoyable reading experience. Abby finds herself on a bit of a journey through history when her dog runs away. I myself highly recommend this book it’s heartwarming, enjoyable and full of love. I myself would have made the same decision as Abby at the end of this book. Go and read for yourself to see if you would have. Reviewed by Jennifer

4 Stars

Uncaged Review – Blood Debts by Shayne Silvers

By
Cyrene Olson
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0

Blood Debts
Shayne Silvers
Urban Fantasy

The ancient pact between mankind, Heaven, and Hell has been broken. And this upstart wizard’s quest for vengeance may have just kicked off Armageddon. So, time for a drink… or maybe two.

Already plagued with sinister night terrors that could qualify him as a card-carrying psychopathic insomniac, Nate can barely even manage to put his pants on in the morning, let alone pick teams for the Apocalypse.

But when he’s framed as a demon sympathizer, condemned by the Armies of Heaven, and hunted down by both his allies and the Four Horsemen, this wizard doesn’t think it can get any worse…

Then they take away his magic. And a wizard without magic stands no chance against the forces of Heaven and Hell…

Uncaged Review: This is a series that begs to be a television series. The book will have you laughing, crying and wanting to throw your kindle across the room in anger. This time out, Nate has been having nightmares, and is majorly sleep deprived. When he ends up drinking too much in a bar, and being warned by real angels, the wizard councils pulls him in and punishes him by putting a curse on him, the more he uses his powers, the more they will drain…permanently.

This story was smart, witty and original. And it kept everything you love from book one, and kept up the frantic pace. If you like a supernatural badass with a wicked sense of humor, then I can’t recommend this series enough. Reviewed by Cyrene

5 Stars

Uncaged Review – Remnants by Kim Loraine

By
Cyrene Olson
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0

Remnants
Kim Loraine
Contemporary Romance

Fire captain Carson Sullivan swore off love long ago. After the love of his life broke his heart and left him, he gave up on the idea of commitment and settled for the playboy lifestyle. He’s a devoted son, a loyal friend, and a dedicated firefighter. That’s all he needs. Until the one woman with the power to light a fire in his heart walks back into his life bringing with her the memories of heartache he thought he’d buried.

Sloan Thomas left Golden Beach with a shattered heart and a big secret. After the death of her grandfather brings her home, she decides a fresh start is exactly what she needs. But first love never dies, and Carson Sullivan isn’t a man easily forgotten. Now they’re left with the remnants of a life not lived and the possibility of so much more.

Uncaged Review: Another standalone novel set in Golden Beach. Shows Solan returning to her home town after her Grandfathers death. Keen to put the past behind her and move on but fate has other plans. I haven’t read many of the Golden Beach novels, what I have read I’ve enjoyed also as an added bonus, they can all be consumed at your own reading pleasure without sticking to the list of order. I’m sad to read what I believe to be the end of this series. But think this book rounded everything into a nice big bow. I’m keen to see what’s next for this author. Reviewed by Jennifer

5 Stars

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