Lost Soul by Theresa Van Spankeren
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I was not sure what to expect out of this book, but I ended up really enjoying it! I was drawn into this book and it felt like I was right beside Julia and was going through the exact same things. I definitely recommend this book!
Song of Earth and Claws by Lena Abram
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Song of Earth and Claws is a fantasy story set in a world of fae where clear rules and procedures dictate how politics and justice are acted out. This includes how and in what circumstances revenge should be taken, and how kingdoms can be lost and run.
The main character, Lannahi, is a young adult and daughter of a powerful king. Secrets from her past mean that she has to work strategically to keep her family safe. She has to make a bold and dramatic gesture that will make her vulnerable and isolate her, but could also bring her power and, eventually, safety.
I enjoy the world created in this story. There are clear social structures which mean that actions and decisions have inevitable consequences. This adds to the tension of some of the more dramatic scenes as we wonder what the knock-on effects will be.
The over-the-shoulder narrative lets us see how Lannahi analyses different situations and chooses her course of action. Her naivety can be frustrating at times but serves as a reminder of her youth, and that she wasn’t intended and therefore adequately prepared for the world she has ended up in.
This book gets five stars from me, and I look forward to reading more Faelands books! I’d recommend it to fans of high fantasy who enjoy stories with intrigue and romance. Particularly if you like books with lots of music in them, this is for you!
Shifter Shorts by T.K. Lawyer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This collection of “shorts” is a cute, sexy, easy read. Different couples, different shifters, different situations. All determined to get their mate.
This is not my first story from this author so I knew things would be steamy and interesting to say the least. Most of the stories in this collection I enjoyed more than others. With my favorite two being Gargoyle Mine and Haven. I would have loved a different ending for Release the Hellhound, but I did like the way Mate for Draco wrapped it up.
Many short stories are just a tease, a sample of a couple and their situation. Oftentimes I find it difficult when reading to get the full picture. A few of these shorts are that way, here’s hoping this author writes more about these couples because I really need more shark shifter and gargoyle stories!!
Pursuit into Darkness by Theresa Van Spankeren
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This is the second book in the series and can be read as a stand alone. I did not read the first book before this one and I felt like I didn’t miss anything that would make this book hard to understand. What I did feel was missing was more of the background story. I am sure that I would be given that in book one. So, it isn’t super important to read the first one but you might want to, to have a better understanding of what each of the characters are going through and have been through. This book has everything you could possibly think of for a book to have. It has intrigue, mystery, the evolution of characters, and an amazing plot line. Speaking of characters in this book, they will run you through the ringer. I have gone from loving them to hating them back to loving them. It felt like a viscous cycle but it is worth it in the end. I promise. If you have loved any vampire story, this is going to be a series that you will want to read. I am not normally a reader of paranormal, I will but it isn’t always my first choice. However, this book made it enjoyable to read and I will go and read the first one because this book takes a jump forward in the time line of the story. I have a feeling that I will feel even more connected to the characters by doing that. Maybe, I will even have a roller coaster of emotions again.
Reviewed by: @bbohls
Pursuit into Darkness by Theresa Van Spankeren
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This is book two in the series and it starts shortly after the first book. It again starts with a little introduction to the book that Julia is writing about her past. I say shortly after but it is about 80 years which is short in vampire time. The group of vampires has come back to London after having to leave after the fight at the end of book one. There are still many of the original vampires so I only had to learn a few new vampires from the resistance group. Valentino’s men are searching for Samuel and Julia to kill them. Many of the resistance vampires are being attacked so they all come together to make a plan. There are so many twists and turns in this book. I feel like I’m following the story pretty well and then all of the sudden something happens that doesn’t make sense so I have to go back and reread. There are also times where I feel that the dialogue doesn’t flow well or there is not enough description. I will keep reading the series because this one ends and I need to know what happens next.
Shifter Shorts by T.K. Lawyer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Shifter Shorts is a collection of love stories about different types of shifters. The stories are all fast paced and most have a happy ending. I liked the majority of the stories.
There was only one I did not enjoy which was “Release the Hellhound”. That one was too dark for my liking and did not have a happy ending. If you are triggered by SA, steer clear of this one.
My favourite story was “Gargoyle Mine”. The main character was a sweetheart always living in the shadow of her “hot” friend and found it hard to believe that love found her. That resonated with me since I always felt that way in highschool with my best friend.
I really enjoyed these stories, each one was different. Different personalities and characters, making it exciting all over again with each new story.
Shifter Shorts by T.K. Lawyer
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
This is an interesting collection of stories. Each story gives readers a look into a different characters and their journeys. Some are darker than the others and may be a trigger for some readers. These are all quick reads that give you a taste of the authors writing. There a shifters of all sorts in these stories and each couple has their own adventure to go through. Shifters and their mates must figure out how to communicate and work towards finding a happy ever after. There are some strong characters in these stories and emotions come in to play. It was nice to see that there were different kinds of shifters in these short stories. I would have liked a bit more character and plot development with these stories. I felt as if the stories were interesting but I was not invested in the characters and their plight.
Pursuit into Darkness by Theresa Van Spankeren
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I really enjoyed the first book so I was looking forward to this one. I was surprised by the space in time between the first book and this second one. I do not think it took away from the story though. I believe you should read the first in order to get the full back story of the characters, especially the main one. The way the vampires are written in this series is very intriguing. I always like to see the different ways authors write about vampires and how they survive. This didn’t capture my attention as much as the first one, but it was still a great story.
Lost Soul by Theresa Van Spankeren
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
The writing in this book is incredible. You really feel like you’re in the story with the main character, going through everything she goes through. You feel all she feels. It can be quite intense but that makes for a great book. I immediately felt for Julia, as my daughter’s name is Julia and is the same age as the main character in the beginning. Help comes from the most unexpected place and Julia’s journey after is surprising.
Shifter Shorts by T.K. Lawyer
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I’ll be honest, based on the cover and the play on words in the title, I went into this thinking it was going to be much more lighthearted than it was. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good, dark story. It just wasn’t what I expected going in.
In addition to that, the content warning in the blurb is vague, so you don’t have a clear idea of what exactly the subject matter is that might be triggering. I’ll say this, if you’re not a reader of dark romance, or romance with dark themes, you may want to steer clear of the Hellhound story. But there are a few grey areas in some of the other stories as well. A content warning page with more specific detail would be a good addition to the contents of the book.
All of that being said, my favorite story in the book is Gargoyle Mine. I’d read an expanded version of it. It seemed to be the most fleshed out. The characters felt like that had more of a build up to things, whereas the other stories seemed to be instalove/lust. I’d almost say, because of the length of each story, the bulk of them read more as erotica than romance. Which again, nothing wrong with that if you’re expecting it.
The other story I enjoyed, and would love to see an expanded version of, is Haven. In my opinion, there are not enough aquatic shifter romances out there.
Overall, once you get past the incongruent vibe between the cover/title and the contents, and when you get in the brain space to read more steamy than story line, it’s not a bad read.
Shifter Shorts by T.K. Lawyer
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Nothing is what it seems. So, my oh my, this is the first book I have read by this author and honestly, I had zero ideas of what I was getting myself into. The cover seemed innocuous and that intrigued me, and the synopsis had me completely curious. Six stories, six couples.
Each story is its own story. The only thing they have in common is a shifter finding their mate and the journey they must go through or in some cases survive to get that happily ever after they never dreamed possible. Cougar, Gargoyle, Hellhound and more await you inside the pages of this wicked little book. While just over two hundred pages each short story only takes about two hours or so to read which was perfect for a crazy week of delays and no school. Short escapes into an adventure that leaves you on edge begging for the characters to escape and get a chance at happy. Looking at you “Release the Hellhound”. Before this story the first two were almost sweet and very rom com in some respects but with the warning in the synopsis this was the story that intrigued me the most. It did not disappoint, Lorena and Brian/Ezekiel found something precious in honestly the top tier of terrible places and timing, but it gave them the fire he needed to find a way out after so many years of holding on to hope he was rewarded with his vixen.
Each story leaves you with a sense of ease as they find their way to their own HEA. Knowing they were coming but honestly in moments not seeing the light myself it was satisfying to see how they got there. I will certainly be keeping an eye on this author in the future. Each world is completely different from the one before. The characters are so diverse and unique in their own ways. And bonus the female main characters were not the typical supermodel-esque physic they had curves and were real.
Pursuit into Darkness by Theresa Van Spankeren
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This is book two in the War of Destiny series. This book can be read as a stand alone, but helps for back story of the first one is read. The novel continues from book one 70 years later. There’s enough time that’s elapsed to not feel disconnected from the plot. There’s plenty of intrigue, a complex plot line, and characters you love and hate. The ending was a surprise. If you love vampire stories then you will enjoy this novel.
Lost Soul by Theresa Van Spankeren
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I was not sure what to expect from this book especially since it seemed like historical fiction. Then I read the prologue and BAM vampires! There was a lot going on and quite a few characters but it was an original story and I really enjoyed it. The setting is the early 1500s but I felt like it could have been the early 1900s. Julia is 15 and being married off to a man she doesn’t know. She is in love with Adam, the son of a family household servant. Her sister tells her that she doesn’t trust him, her father and brother are pushing her towards him, her mother is just silent and not saying anything. She married Gregory and it didn’t go well. He is abusive and she tries to get away a few times. She meets Adam a few times in the market and has to cover her bruises and hide her face. She finally hits the desperate point of no return and is saved by a stranger who turns out to be a vampire. I enjoyed the characters, the family vibe of the vampires, and even England in the 1500s. Can’t wait to dig into book two!
Pursuit into Darkness by Theresa Van Spankeren
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Pursuit into Darkness (War of Destiny Book 2) by Theresa Van Spankeren. This is a great Vampire Paranormal read. Its set in the 16th century Elizabethan London and its about new and old vampires! There is a fight against Valentino the strongest Vampire of them all. Samuel and a new vampire Julia are leading the fight against Valentino. The battle is intense and seems to get very risky. Samuel and Julia know they are outmatched but they have to use their brains to figure out how. This story would be enjoyed more if you read the first book. The author writes so well that you truly feel like you are in 16th century England. This isn’t my favorite genre but I have really enjoyed this series so far! Beware when you start reading be prepared to finish because you won’t want to put it down!
.•°*°•. PREORDER .•°*°•.
Reading a book of 300 pages in 2 days is a new record for a bookworm like me! I couldn’t put it down! Julia is a sweet woman in the 1500’s who falls in love with a simple servant boy name Adam. But her parents have other plans for her! She is forced to marry Gregory and he gives her sister Crystal horrible vibes!!! What will the tale lead to? How will Julianna’s future end? I seriously recommend the first book to this amazing series!!!!
Shifter Shorts by T.K. Lawyer
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I have to be up front and say I am not usually a short story reader, for some reason I often have trouble connecting properly in a short storyline so I sometimes wonder if that impacts my reading experience. This author however, presents the reader with a real mix of stories with hot shifter alphas and fated mates that I did enjoy. None are what you might typically expect and I love that. Don’t go into reading this with any preconceived ideas, simply start reading and enjoy this fun and unusual collection of stories.
Shifter Shorts by T.K. Lawyer
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
These are short, exciting, heart racing stories. While they are short, they are complete as intended. Even though I would love to see more of each character. One story is very intense so it would not be for those under 18. The stories are well written, engaging and will keep you turning the pages..This is the type of book to take and read while waiting at the Dr’s office or soccer field. Those are the places I find myself with nothing to read, and a short amount of time sitting around waiting.This was a great time filler. I loved every story including the Hellhound! While this is a new author for me, I would love to read which story comes next.
Review@cinful
Shifter Shorts by T.K. Lawyer
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
This is a collection of short stories featuring shifters. I liked the premise of most of the collection and could see that there was potential had some of them been more developed but I felt that the shortness minimised the impact they could have had.
There is one that gets quick dark, I’m not opposed to dark or triggering content, but this may not be for everyone so if that is the case, this may not be the right book for you.
Some of the shorts appear rushed and end abruptly and the characters aren’t as developed as I usually prefer but this being said I still enjoyed reading this collection.
I can certainly see the potential and the directions these could take with a little more fleshing out and the plots themselves are interesting.
Overall an interesting collection, with great potential.
Shifter Shorts by T.K. Lawyer
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
3 Stars
Shifter Shorts by T.K. Lawyer is a bit of a nibble platter of bite-sized morsels of tempting tasty treats. Having read and enjoyed several of Ms. Lawyer’s stories in the past few years, I thought I knew what to expect… but she surprised me (in a good way).
This is a collection of six short paranormal romance stories bundled into one. The collection of stories are all shifter romance and range from friends to lovers, to darker more dangerous tones, sprinkled with some sweetness, a little sexiness, some spice, a touch of creepy tension, intriguing developments, gargoyles, wolves, cats, sharks, and hellhounds- just to name a few.
‘Gargoyle Mine’ was definitely my favourite- but I was surprised by the shark shifter story- ‘Haven’ as I had not read another shark-shifter story before, and wasn’t sure I would like it- but Ms. Lawyer has given me a taste for something new.
While I did enjoy the collection, I felt like I wanted more. There were times I felt like the story was rushed, or abrupt. I think these stories are ones I would like to read longer, meatier versions of- as there are a lot of intriguing possibilities here.
Looking forward to seeing what Ms. Lawyer does next.
Happy reading…
Thank you, T.K. Lawyer!
Reviewed by @angelahayes
Shifter Shorts by T.K. Lawyer
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
3 stars
There is a *content warning*.
I love anything paranormal, and I have read several of TK’s books and enjoyed them, so it was a no brainer when I saw this book was out.
Shifter Shorts is collection of 6 short stories full of sexy shifters and their fated mates but the road to love is never straight forward. The stories are so short that some feel like they are over before they begin. This book may not be for everyone or should I say some of the stories may not be for everyone. What I like about T.K. Lawyer’s stories are that they are a little different and this is full of that.
There are fighting couples, some wimpy and some undecided heroines that I wanted to shake, some had characters that I liked and others I didn’t, some that I wanted a bit more erotic and some a bit more love, some flow better than others and some don’t, some are dark and others darker, and all had danger of some kind.
It is TK’s fresh take on characters that are sexy and stubborn shifter Alphas, but not your typical shifter types, there are gargoyles, hellhounds, cats, sharks and more that would do anything for the love of a good woman.
They are whimsical short shot tales as I like to call them or bite sized tales that were intriguing enough to keep me reading. I like reading something a little different and that’s what these tales are.
All in all, you should give this collection a go as you may be missing out on some good stories. Step out of your comfort zone and give it a try.
Reviewed by @jennadb
Shifter Shorts by T.K. Lawyer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This is an interesting mix of stories, all focusing on different characters. I found myself able to read through them quite quickly and some were definitely more engaging than others. I think each of these stories has the basis of something great, but would have benefited from being full length novels rather than short stories.
I thought the authors writing style was great to read. The flow of each book felt natural and they were obviously very well developed. The stories have caught my interest enough that I would want to explore other work by this author. Overall, these are good stories and I found them to be enjoyable.
Lost Soul by Theresa Van Spankeren
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This book was so good to start this series! I was completely engaged while reading it! With every chapter I was excited to keep reading. I love that there is clear depth to each character but the author does a great job at keeping your attention, and keeping everything connected between all of the very complex characters. I literally didn’t want to put the book down! I love when I read fantasy books but you can still really relate to their issues, even though the book is created in some far away place. I was so full of empathy for the main character from the very start of the book. I kept being excited to see what would happen next. She’s such a strong woman naturally, so it was empowering to read such a story about a string woman learning how to face her circumstances head on. I highly recommend this one!
Shifter Shorts by T.K. Lawyer
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
These short stories all play off of one another in some way or form. I love what he author shows a vast amount of knowledge with dealing with each short story. There is plenty of steam with each one, so there is no fear in that. These stories are all about shifters finding their mates and the route to get there isn’t always pretty. However, that said each story does take you on an adventure and packs lots of adult content. It was fun to read because the stories are short that it doesn’t allow for you to get bored or feel like something is dragging on. If anything the book leaves you wishing for one to two more chapters from each story. That said, I thoroughly enjoyed the quick once that each story set and loved the amount of steam put into each of the stories. It is a great book if you can’t read a bunch because you could finish a story and put it down and then come back to read another. Sometimes life is busy and calls for something simple that you can come back to over and over again.
Reviewed by: @bbohls
Shifter Shorts by T.K. Lawyer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This was an entertaining little read. This is a collection of short stories about shifters. Most have HEA’s. I found the stories to be quite interesting for a short story. I wish they could have had a touch more meat to the story. Reading about female humans getting claimed by their male shifters is my favorite genre so I read this fairly quick. There are spicy parts so you might want to watch where you read. Gargoyle Mine was my favorite story. It’s a quick read that if you like this genre as much as I do, you should pick it up.
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•*••°• BOOK SPOTLIGHT SHOWCASE •°••*••*••°•
Passionate * Playful * Paranormal
Award winning, International Bestselling author, Tamara K. Lawyer, who writes under the pseudonym TK Lawyer was born in Colon, Panama. She moved to the United States with her family to pursue her post- secondary education aspirations and found her love of writing sometime in 2013. Her first book, Nightfall was published shortly afterward, in October 2014.
She writes steamy and heartwarming paranormal and contemporary romance with HOT alpha males and curvy women. Her books often toe the line, straying from traditional ideas and opening readers’ minds and hearts to unlimited possibilities. She loves exploring new ideas and new ways of thinking.
When she isn’t reading or writing, she is likely spending time with her husband/best friend or catering to their lovable American Foxhound misfit who steals all the attention in their house.
Pursuit into Darkness by Theresa Van Spankeren
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This book was so much fun to read. It was tough to see all that happened to Julia, including all the loss she had to suffer while uric to rebuild. This was a really great sequel to book one. The author crafts some very interesting stories and I’m looking forward to reading more stories from the author in the future.
Pursuit into Darkness by Theresa Van Spankeren
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I went into this book without reading the first book of the series. It was easy to catch onto things, I felt there was enough time between the books to not be confused about book two. I think I will go back and read the first book just to see if the author explains more about the vampires, I love reading the different types of vampires everyone comes up with. I like that these vampires do need blood, are fighting to not be killers, people know about them, and I really like that they get injured. They are out in the night and avoid daylight, I’m not sure exactly what daylight does to them, I’m assuming only weakens them since Julia was out during the day.
Speaking of, I couldn’t stand Julia. I really enjoyed the other characters, I think Rab was my favorite but Julia was just too selfish for me. I know she’s the main character but she really had to make everything all about her. I hope she gets better character growth in the rest of the series.
I was rooting for Samual since the beginning, I instantly liked his character, I’m not 100% on his and Valentinos relationship but like I said, I plan to go back to book one to get my unanswered questions. I like the cause of the resistance and he makes the book worth sticking around to read.
Pursuit into Darkness by Theresa Van Spankeren
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This is a wonderful addition to this series. Book two picks to years after Julia accepted Samuel’s offer of helping them overthrow the Vampire King. We find Julia still developing her powers and abilities, while also acknowledging that she’s light years away from her full potential. Thinking they’ve got plenty of time on their hands for her to grow into her own at her own accord, they are shocked to learn that Valentino himself had shown up determined to find those within the resistance.
This paranormal storyline is a bit complex but not overwhelming, so all levels of readers should be able to follow the intricacies in the plot and character growth. While you can read this book on its own, I think the reader will get the full effect if they take the time to read book one as well. Either way, you will be entertained and intrigued.
The author did a fantastic job adding to Samuel and Julia’s journey. I think both characters are impressive, especially when trying to determine how best to beat your nemesis when strength alone will not allow you to protect yourself and your team.
Pursuit into Darkness by Theresa Van Spankeren
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Pursuit into Darkness is book 2 of a 3 book series and it brought a lot more to the story of Julia, Adam and Samuel. The development of new characters, several twists and turns and so much more. As with book 1, I am not typically drawn to vampire books, but this series is a good one and has very strong character development and a strong storyline. If you enjoy vampire books, I would highly recommend this book and this whole series. The author really puts the reader through a roller coaster of emotions in book 2 and I look forward to how it will all come to a close in book 3.