by Penny Angeles-Tan | Jul 17, 2023 | Book Reviews
I came across You Are Mine, Omega by AlisTae on Goodnovel and decided to give it a chance because I was curious about what was so special with this omega that an alpha or two would be desperate to claim her. In most stories, omegas are treated with disdain or indifference.
Allison is the Beta’s daughter, but instead of having Beta blood, she is (apparently) an omega. She likes to keep things low-key so no one in school knows who she is except for the alpha’s son, Ethan, who she has had a crush on for a long time. Because of this, she gets bullied, but she ignores it.
On her 18th birthday, she discovers that Ethan is her mate, but he rejects her. In the meantime, Ryan, Ethan’s brother, is constantly in the picture and seemingly into her without saying anything.
But at the same time, he also alternately pays her attention and then ignores her completely. I swear it is causing whiplash.
Because the rejection almost killed Allison, she is unsure about how she feels for Ethan. However, she is also confused about how her body reacts when Ryan is near. Does anyone else think that Ryan is her second-chance mate?
The story has potential but needs a lot of editing, not just grammatically but also for consistency. The author tends to be repetitive, perhaps to emphasize a point. Instead, it appears that the author didn’t proofread before posting.
That I think is unfair to the readers who are paying per chapter, especially when we consider that most of these authors who post on reading apps are keeping track of their word count, and I’ve noticed that quite a few would write the bare minimum to publish a chapter as scheduled.
That being said, The story is engaging enough for me to say, “Go ahead and give it a gander,” but with a warning label that says, “Proceed with caution. It may inflame you, lol!”
It is still an ongoing story, a quick read, and not too much drama. You may enjoy it. You can find You Are Mine, Omega by AlisTae on Goodnovel.
by Penny Angeles-Tan | Jul 14, 2023 | Book Reviews
The Arena by Cooper was a change of pace for me. For the longest time, I have been reading shifter stories with werewolves and lycans as the main characters. The Arena brings into play many different types of shifters such as lions, a Bengal tiger, a polar bear, and kestrels. The main characters, however, are Cedric (the last Lycan) and Tana (the last Elemental Fire Dragon).
The last of their kind
For many years, humans have hunted and killed supernaturals (or supes) out of fear. But something changed recently. For the past year )at least), supes have been hunted and captured. Why? For entertainment! They were imprisoned, starved, and then forced to fight to the death against other supes gladiator-style in the Arena. This is while being in their human form and unable to shift.
In the world, only 4 dragons remain, one for each element – earth, air, water, and fire. Tana is the last fire dragon. Her family chose to kill themselves rather than be captured by humans.
His pack was attacked on the day of Cedric’s ascension to Alpha of Alphas. His parents were killed while he and many of his pack members were captured and sent to the arena.
The Arena is where Tana and Cedric meet. They have been fighting in the Arena for about a year … which proves that they are very good fighters as they have not lost once. The hunters think Cedric is an Alpha werewolf. Cedric thinks Tana is an Alpha werewolf as well, and she has not taken the time to enlighten him otherwise. Cedric also thinks that Tana might be his mate but can’t be sure because of the suppressants the hunters have been given them to prevent them from shifting.
Mate!
I thought that seeing how the mate bond manifests for different kinds of shifters is interesting and it made sense that it wasn’t quite the same thing for dragons. A major difference is that simply biting or getting bitten is not enough. Dragons need to be claimed.
When Cedric and Tana finally get together and he bites her, he finally realizes that she isn’t an Alpha werewolf but something else altogether that is probably even more powerful. In his confusion he leaves her, presumably to work things out in his head. Unfortunately, Tana took this as a rejection and left with a broken heart.
This becomes the turning point for everything that happens in the rest of the story.
The Review
I have what I like to call a “cinematic brain”. It means that when I read I can picture what is happening in my head and, often, the words actually disappear and I am reading the book as if I were watching a movie. This translates to if the movie in my head is bad or subpar I figuratively walk out of the theater.
Cooper describes scenes in The Arena so vividly I find myself living in the story. I would put her in the same league as Chris Columbus and Peter Jackson if she were a film director. Yes, that is how gorgeous the scenes play in my head. While prone to not using the Oxford comma (hyuk!), Cooper skillfully manages to keep me so engaged that I find myself savoring all the pages, rather than flying through the book as I usually do. I spent more time reading, not because it was a struggle, but because I would rewind to see a scene more clearly.
I would classify The Arena by Cooper as a fantasy/adventure/romance and at that, I would say it is more fantasy than romance. Yes, steamy scenes can get pretty steamy, but possibly 90% of the story has nothing to do with sex … which I thought was masterful! This opens up the audience of this book to more than just thirsty women.
If a fantasy story with dragons, lycans, werewolves, etc. is something you are interested in, you may want to check out The Arena by Cooper on the Goodnovel app. This is a story I highly recommend and eagerly await on Amazon.
by Penny Angeles-Tan | Jun 30, 2023 | Book Reviews
Lately, Alpha’s Hidden Obsession by Misha K keeps getting recommended to me when I open iReader so I thought, “Sure, let’s give it a try”. From the title, I knew it had to do with shifters, werewolves specifically, and that there was an obsessed alpha in it.
The main character in this story is Poppy who has been tortured for years by her Alpha grandfather because she was wolfless. She scented her mate and when she followed the scent it led her to Nash, an Alpha heir for another pack. Unfortunately, he was in the middle of a sexual encounter with Cynthia at the time and he decides to reject her in favor of Cynthia, his chosen mate.
Poppy is then sent to Umbra Academy where she fears she will be killed as it has the reputation of being a tough/savage school where few survive. There she meets Damon, the biggest baddest Alpha in the school.
Damon is betrothed to Monica and yet for some inexplicable reason, he finds himself drawn to Poppy. It takes him a while but he realizes that she is his mate and he does everything he can to resist.
Interestingly, while Poppy felt the mate bond with Nash, she could not even sense it with Damon. Why? She is, however, extremely attracted to him but fighting it herself. As far as she was concerned, Damon was bad news.
Story development and character development are good. It’s not a sex romp or bogged down with so many minutiae. However, the book does need editing as there are too many times when the wrong word (homonym) is used or an incorrect turn of phrase/idiomatic expression was written in.
The most glaring example is when the author says that Poppy is “in heats” or “her heats”. I thought it was a typo at first but since she is consistent in using that term it tells me that the author thinks that “in heats” is the correct term.
It isn’t. A she-wolf goes into HEAT (singular) or she is IN HEAT.
That being said, I am 37% into the story and it is going well. I am loving how possessive Damon is being and how he actually came out and told her how he feels for her. Now that Nash is back in the picture, I am interested to find out how it will play out. It’s good enough that I am buying coins just so I can read the whole book.
I think Alpha’s Hidden Obsession by Misha K is good enough to publish … just get a copy editor first to clean it up. You can find this jewel of a story on the iReader app.
by Penny Angeles-Tan | Jun 26, 2023 | Book Reviews
I read so many books on at least four reading apps, not counting Amazon Kindle and ARCs, that I didn’t think I would add another app to my reading roster. But then, this story kept appearing in my feed and on targeted ads, So one day I decided to (finally!) succumb and read the first chapter.
Reading that first chapter was a big mistake because King of the Underworld by RJ Kane is so well written that I am addicted and can’t stop reading! Here’s a clear sign that I think it is good … there are 514 chapter and I am reading it. That is 514 chapters of ONE BOOK, not a series of stories pulled together into one book.
Anyone who knows me or has read my previous reviews knows I avoid stories this long like the plague. This is usually because, from my experience, the stories that are that long (or longer) as usually written by juvenile authors who have terrible grammar which often means that English is not their first language. Yes, I know it is a generalization, but I have found it to be true in most cases.
So you can just imagine my surprise when I start King of the Underworld by RJ Kane to find not only minimal errors but an actual engaging story. I am only 60 chapters in but every chapter has been a joy to read. Persephone, the female main character, is someone I would love to befriend. Her personality is so sunny that I couldn’t help but smile. How she interacted with Adrik, the male main character, and his 5 personal bodyguards was amazing!
No, it is not a reverse harem … at least it doesn’t seem like it is 60 chapters in. Her relationship with the bodyguards is more like that of siblings. In contrast, with Adrik, from the get-go, we know it is a love match. So far it seems to be going well. My main concern as I read is, will the author be able to sustain this level of writing for 514 chapters? I’m willing to read on to find out.
So far there is no supernatural element yet but we will wait and see. King of the Underworld by RJ Kane can be found on the Anystories app. I think you’ll enjoy it, too. 🙂
by Penny Angeles-Tan | Jun 24, 2023 | Book Reviews
There is just something about well-executed body art that is so darned sexy, and the grumpy men of Brothers in Ink in Four Tattoos by Stephanie Brother are prime examples.
The female lead character is Rose, a beautiful woman in her 20s who works in Island Java (a coffee shop owned by her brother) by day and at the front desk of Club Red (a male revue club) at night. She meets her men for the first time when she delivers coffee to their shop.
Mace, Zipper, Christian, and Hutch are the owners and tattoo artists behind Brothers in Ink. They bonded while in the army and have been as close as brothers since.
From the moment Rose meets the four she found herself inexplicably drawn to them and at the same time confused at how she can be attracted to all of them at the same time. Despite Christian’s and Zipper’s initial grumpiness, it didn’t detract from their appeal. She was excited for their next coffee delivery order so that she could see them again.
Christian, Hutch, Mace, and Zipper usually have different preferences when it comes to the women they date or sleep with. However, in this instance they found themselves unanimous in their desire for Rose. This was not the first time they have found themselves all attracted to the same woman. They had a polyamorous relationship in the past that did not end well. Nevertheless, this did not deter them from deciding to pursue Rose together. It’s a good thing they did or we wouldn’t have this story, lol!
I was bothered by the fact that she was keeping them as her “dirty little secret”. I understand her hesitation in saying anything to her brother Patrick and his fiancé, Nancy. I had hoped, though, she would have told someone in Club Red, like Brittany. She would definitely understand Rose’s situation, as would the the owners of Club Red and some of the dancers and Duke.
When it comes to their intimate moments, despite there being four of them, the men mostly tend to give each other one-on-one time despite all being in the same room. So, smut level is dialed down but still leaves room for my imagination to run wild. I thought that was actually sweet because it meant that Rose had the opportunity to really connect with each man and it didn’t read like a gang bang.
If you like age gap romances, tattoo artists, and grumpy men (in general) then you will enjoy. Four Tattoos by Stephanie Brother. You can get a copy of this story in Kindle and paperback format on Amazon, free with Kindle Unlimited. 🙂
Eager to know what else happens to Rose, Christian, Hutch, Mace, and Zipper? Check out the bonus chapter HERE.
by Penny Angeles-Tan | Jun 14, 2023 | Book Reviews
Female main characters come in all shapes and forms but this is probably the first time I’ve encountered one who is pretty much a tomboy. In Fake and Don’t Tell by Rebel Bloom, Poppy grew up with 5 brothers and if that wasn’t enough to make her a certified tomboy she also has 3 male best friends she’s known since they were in diapers. Despite all that testosterone in her life, she was still girl enough to fall in love with Andrew.
For 10 years, Andrew has been mean and unkind to Poppy and only used her sexually when it was convenient for him. Poppy, on the other hand, worshipped the ground he walked on. They eventually broke things off when Andrew said that Poppy was not mature enough for them to marry.
A couple of years later they meet again at Poppy’s family reunion. Why? Because he was engaged to her younger cousin! As if that wasn’t bad enough, they add insult to injury and invite her to the wedding. She has no desire to attend but isn’t given much of a choice so she needs a fake boyfriend, stat!
Enter her best friends: Jude, Cyrus, and Sam. They have known each other for years. At her SOS they go to her house and wait for her to arrive. She tells them what happened and somehow the idea of one of them being her fake date comes up. But how does she choose? Poppy ends up kissing them one after the other to help her decide, but that opens a different can of worms.
From hanging out every week at a sports bar, going to each other’s houses to drink beer and shoot the breeze, and playing baseball with her friends and brothers … now their thoughts are occupied with kisses, hardons, and so much more! I’m on Team Why Choose so I was rooting for all three men from the get-go but I was curious how this would play out.
It was so much fun! To be honest, it wasn’t the intention of the author but I actually forgot about Andrew, lol! Poppy’s encounters with Jude, Cyrus, and Sam were just so different and eye-opening (and dare I say, fun!)
I also need to mention her lovely family from her parents to her brothers who are all very loving and supportive. I don’t want to say more. This was just so much fun to read so I think you should check it out yourself. 🙂 Fake and Don’t Tell by Rebel Bloom is on Amazon for $2.99 but if you have Kindle Unlimited, it’s free!
I kid you not, at the moment this is my favorite story written by Rebel Bloom.
For many years, humans have hunted and killed supernaturals (or supes) out of fear. But something changed recently. For the past year )at least), supes have been hunted and captured. Why? For entertainment! They were imprisoned, starved, and then forced to fight to the death against other supes gladiator-style in the Arena. This is while being in their human form and unable to shift.
The main character in this story is Poppy who has been tortured for years by her Alpha grandfather because she was wolfless. She scented her mate and when she followed the scent it led her to Nash, an Alpha heir for another pack. Unfortunately, he was in the middle of a sexual encounter with Cynthia at the time and he decides to reject her in favor of Cynthia, his chosen mate.
Reading that first chapter was a big mistake because King of the Underworld by RJ Kane is so well written that I am addicted and can’t stop reading! Here’s a clear sign that I think it is good … there are 514 chapter and I am reading it. That is 514 chapters of ONE BOOK, not a series of stories pulled together into one book.
The female lead character is Rose, a beautiful woman in her 20s who works in Island Java (a coffee shop owned by her brother) by day and at the front desk of Club Red (a male revue club) at night. She meets her men for the first time when she delivers coffee to their shop.
For 10 years, Andrew has been mean and unkind to Poppy and only used her sexually when it was convenient for him. Poppy, on the other hand, worshipped the ground he walked on. They eventually broke things off when Andrew said that Poppy was not mature enough for them to marry.
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