Taming the Wolf by Stephanie Nelson
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Well, well, well…look what the wolf dragged in…a sexually charged, down & dirty paranormal story.

I picked up “Taming the Wolf” by Stephanie Nelson to indulge in as a guilty pleasure. While on a jog in the Big Horn Mountains Anna Avery is attacked by a wolf and poof! She’s a werewolf with amnesia about her attack. As the newest pack member she’s stuck with the most mundane of chores all while resisting the sexual advances of her pack mates.

The book contains an almost glutenous amount of sexual tension but not much else. Don’t get me wrong. I enjoy smut as much as the next over-30 lady 😉 but found myself wanting more substance. I’ve read my fair share of werewolf stories and I’ll be the first to acknowledge that the setting has to be remote due to their lifestyle, diet, and to elude prying eyes. With that being said the characters in this story came across to me as “back woods” and “hicks” instead of mysterious and elusive. For werewolf stories to resonate with me I need the characters to have more of a wild majestic quality or perhaps a tad more polish to reflect the dignity of their race.

Also, wondering minds want to know…are Stephanie Nelson’s werewolves immortal? This subject was never broached to my chagrin. There was mention of an older, disgustingly abusive werewolf so perhaps not?

Le sigh. It was a quick read and satisfied my itch but I won’t be continuing the series.

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My Commander by Alanea Alder
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What can I say about this book? Reading it was pure fun. Admittedly there were a few plot holes and I had to make a “leap of faith” to follow some of the story but nonetheless it was absolutely a blast to read!

Nerdy pixie Meryn answers fate’s call and finds herself in the middle of nowhere surrounded by hunky military men. (The absolutely opposite of a problem in my not-so-humble opinion.) Their commander Aiden McKenzie recognizes her as the girl from his dreams and, in typical alpha bravado, whisks her away with little to no explanation.

CONS:
At times I felt the dialog was choppy or unnatural. Several of the characters weren’t developed enough for me to find them realistic. When Meryn learns how old Aiden is she just rolls with it. Ummm, come again?!? For someone unaware of the paranormal realm she seems to accept that with no hesitation. Certainly you’d have a few moments of shock and follow up questions?

PROS:
Humorous book especially if you’re a fangirl to some of the more popular fandoms. The tampon scene is also adorable and endearing. Usually I shy away from that type of humor (period jokes always remind me of junior high kids) but this was different. The scene was comical without being too crude.

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With Everything I Am by Kristen Ashley
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Well hello there baby doll! (cringes while writing this) If that term of endearment drives you batty this book most definitely will crazy!

Once again I’m grateful that Kristen Ashley continues to grace her avid readers with such fantastic stories. I truly enjoy her writing style and *almost* always enjoy the characters and plot line.

“With Everything I Am” was fun to read but this series in particular has started to grate on my nerves a teensy-tiny bit. Thus far in the series both Leah (Until the Sun Falls from the Sky, Book#1) and Sonia (With Everything I Am, Book #2) are both larger women and their size is discussed more frequently than necessary (in my humble opinion). For example, in “Until the Sun Falls from the Sky” Leah attempts to purchase a dress but none were made large enough. Therefore she purchases 2 and sews them together in order for it to fit her body. Now, before you let my comments ruffle your feathers give me a chance to explain. In no uncertain terms do I think female love interest has to be stick-skinny! Imperfections can be endearing and bring a sense of realism to the story. But, in this case I had a hard time immersing myself in the romance and the story when their weight was mentioned every few pages.

“Wild and Free” is the third book in this series and I’m hoping that Kristen Ashley changes up the looks and body style of her female characters. Just like real life, people come in all shapes and sizes.

Now that I’ve got that off my chest let’s discuss the other aspects of the book.

First, let’s take a moment of silence to thank the heavens above for sexy werewolves. Next, I’d like to mention how much I loved Sonia’s personality. Her obsession with all things Christmas-related was endearing. As a reader I truly understood how magical that time of year was for her. Callum was so bossy and I kept hoping that Sonia would get feisty and put him in his place.

Last thought- his brothers seemed so charming and I’d like to read more about them in the future.

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Original Sin by Samantha Towle
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Wait…what the what??? Why do I feel like Samantha just boned me in the toot-chute? (And not in the fun way! I feel like she whispered sexy promises in my ear, led me into a dark corner and then stuck it to me.) Just finished this book and scrambled to download the 3rd and final book of the series to enjoy on my long airplane flight. Guess what?!? 4 years after this book was released she still hasn’t written it!!! I may or may not have shed an angsty tear and shook my fist at the sky. Darn you Samantha! Ps. I still love you and will continue to read anything and everything you write.

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