Sealed by Magic by A. Catherine Noon and Rachel Wilder

acn-rw_sealedbymagicTitle: Sealed by Magic
Series: Emerald City Shifters, #2
Author: A. Catherine Noon & Rachel Wilder
Genre: Fantasy & Paranormal/Shapeshifters
Length: 256 pages
Publisher: Loose Id (August 3rd, 2015)
Heat Level: Moderate
Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥4 Hearts
Blurb: Seattle has been at peace since before it was founded on the banks of the Puget Sound. The war between the witches and the snake shifters ended and they now live separate lives. Generations of distrust have kept them separated, until Ari Fitzgerald meets sexy Zachary Bennett, a young witch from the Queen City Coven.

Ari is the son of the lamia king. He needs to find the source of the black market trading in lamia venom before any other snake shifters are hurt, or worse. The young ones are most at risk, because their venom is more potent. Ari discovers the source is a witch and suspicion falls on Zac and his coven. Ari doesn’t want to believe it.

Zac works for his brother-in-law, a powerful bear shifter who doesn’t care about shifter politics. When three coyote shifters come to town, looking for black-market lamia venom and a witch to kidnap, Zac gets caught in the middle between the bears, the lamiae, and the power-hungry coyotes. He’s going to need all the help from Ari that he can get.

Ari and Zac must find the source of the venom before the city erupts into a dangerous war, with the two of them on opposite sides.

ISBN: 978-1-62300-959-5

Product Link: http://www.loose-id.com/emerald-city-shifters-2-sealed-by-magic.html

Reviewer: Shorty

Review: This is the second book in Emerald Shifters.

I thought this book was so much better than the first. I did not feel like it went on and on about mundane things like it did in the first. Not to mention going into more details about important things that pertain to the plot instead glossing over them.

There were a lot of characters throughout this book that resulted in a better understanding of story as it progressed. Zac and Ari, the main characters, go on a dangerous mission to find out who is the source for the black market trying to endanger Ari’s kind. Zac with his connections help Ari out.

I loved how the mystery played out and all the details surrounding it. It draws you in and has you on the edge of your seat waiting to see what happens. The combination of shifters and witches added a surprising great element to the book. I loved how two sides seemed to find common ground to achieve the same goal.

I thought Zac and Ari’s relationship suited them well.

Great book.

* I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review through http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com *

Sealed By Fire by A. Catherine Noon and Rachel Wilder

acn_rw_sealedbyfireTitle: Sealed By Fire
Series: N/A
Author: A. Catherine Noon and Rachel Wilder
Genre: Fantasy/ Paranormal
Length: Novel (291 pages)
Publisher: Loose Id (June 24th, 2014)
Heat Level: Explicit
Heart Rating: ♥♥♥3Hearts
Blurb: Vanya is a sorcerer’s apprentice who finally achieves his goal, initiation as a sorcerer – only to find that he, himself, is the intended sacrifice in their ritual. When the ritual goes wrong, his master flees and he is left with the creature that his master summons.
Stranded on this side of the portal, Nash is a powerful being with only one desire – find the sorcerer who stranded him and wreak his revenge. Vanya agrees to help, and in the process, he and Nash find more than they ever bargained for: love, friendship, and belonging.

Can they protect themselves against the sorcerer’s growing power, or will he destroy all that they hold dear?

Product Link: http://www.loose-id.com/sealed-by-fire.html

ISBN: 978-1-62300-143-8

Reviewer: Shorty

Review: Vanya, a handsome human virgin, sorcerer’s apprentice, learns at the last-minute that he’s the intended sacrifice to the Fire Elemental Ignatius. The ritual goes wrong and King, the mage who started the ritual, flees. Coming face to face with fire elemental intrigues, yet terrifies Vanya. What he doesn’t realize but Ignatius tells him, is the sacrifice is his innocence and not his life. Ignatius, the sexy fire elemental, binds himself to Vanya so King can’t get him for at least three days.

What he doesn’t realize but Ignatius tells him, is the sacrifice is his innocence and not his life. King wants power and immortality and will get it at any cost even murder. After getting help from the Lamia to track down King and to protect Vanya, they all set out to find the truth about King. Vanya learning that King put everything in Vanya’s name is horrified to learn that King named himself as beneficiary in the event of Vanya’s death. As the story unfolds, we learn of lies and deceptions of King’s and the length’s he’s willing to go to get power as well as who Ignatius really is. Hot sex scenes between Nash and Vanya ignite the pages. The details of Swallows Nest and the cottage were both breathtaking and frightening.

It was an interesting story to read and well written but it felt unbalanced to me. A lot of focus in this book is on Vanya’s thoughts and feelings on different matters. The scenes that involved King seemed rushed with not a lot of details that would have added to the appeal of the story. All in all in it was a good read.

Taking a Chance by A. Catherine Noon and Rachel Wilder

16005956Title: Taking a Chance

Series:  Torquere Press Short Story

Author:   A. Catherine Noon and Rachel Wilder

Genre: Contemporary

Length:  Short (26 pages)

Publisher:  Torquere Press (September 11th, 2012)

Heat Level:  Explicit

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥ 5 Hearts

Reviewer: Eli/Mandingo

Blurb:Doctor Jacob Davison has outgrown the hookups of his younger days and wants to settle down. When he’s abandoned by the side of the road, a leather-clad stranger stops and offers him a ride. Chance Renton is different from anyone Jay’s ever met. He’s caring and helpful, yet cynical and world-weary.

From the first moment of their shared motorcycle ride, an attraction begins to simmer between them. Between Jay’s ex-boyfriend showing up and the misconceptions they have about each other, does this relationship have a chance?

Originally released as a part of the 2012 Charity Sip Blitz

Purchase Link:   http://www.torquerebooks.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=79_93&products_id=4074

Review: Okay, so what’s the basic formula for a romance? Boy meets boy, boy falls for boy, there is a conflict, followed by a resolution and then a happily ever after. There is no rule that says that all these things cannot happen in a single day, date or within 26 pages.  Jacob and Chance are hot, they are compatible and when they meet between the sheets, it’s combustible. The fact that the romance formula is captured within 26 pages with characters which are likable and believable is not an easy feat, but is one accomplished well in this story.

A very fun little read.  You need a quick fifteen to twenty-minute pick me up? Then this will definitely do the trick.

Seeking Hearts by A. Catherine Noon and Rachel Wilder

18518351Title: Seeking Hearts

Author: A. Catherine Noon and Rachel Wilder

Genre: Science Fiction / Alternate World

Length: Short Story (28 pages)

Publisher: Torquere Press (September 18th 2013)

Heat Level: Moderate

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥3.5 Hearts

Reviewer: Thommie

Blurb: On the harsh desert world of Persis, most of the inhabitants flee to the cliff cities during the searing heat of Daymonth. A young hosteller and his grandparents choose to remain in their waystation as caretakers. This proves to be a wise decision, as a Truth Seeker is stranded there with them. Isolated, the Seeker and the hosteller begin to develop feelings for each other, but the discovery that they are not alone could threaten more than their relationship.

Product Link: http://www.torquerebooks.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=79_111&products_id=3991

Review: When I get a short story and the genre is sci-fi I get a bit wary. They are so tricky to accomplish, what with creating a new world and keeping up with your story in such short amount of space. However, this one quite made it and provided me with a most enjoyable read.

The World: Persis, this planet is quite peculiar. Two suns shine in a mostly desert land, aka sand everywhere. There are also periods of times when both suns shine all day and night, hence a Daymonth, and when neither sun shines at all, hence Nightmonth. There are three Cities in this world and the rest of it appears to be desert land with the occasional Oasis in it. These Oases have hostels for the travelers to rest and move on to their destination, which bring us to the core of this story.

Now as a world, I loved this one, so much so that I wouldn’t mind one bit a proper novel set on Persis. The language/voice used from the characters reminds me something akin to fantasy tales, with kings and knights. I liked it, it gave the read a different air, and it took it away completely from any resemblance with Earth.

The Romance: Rik is the grandson of a hosteller and he’s helping his opa for the Daymonth – a period of time when both suns’ shine so bright that makes it impossible to stand under their rays. Stranded there is something Rik doesn’t mind at all, but when Seeker Marc gets stranded, there with him this relatively boring month seems quite exciting suddenly.

And this was lovely. I liked Marc, he is mysterious and dangerous, while quite sensual and protective as well. This character made pay attention and wish for more of him. Rik was nice as well but he didn’t capture my “eye” same way Marc did. Both of them as a pair somehow didn’t quite work for me. I don’t know, another character might have suited Marc better.

The Action: So there was also a bit of suspense here as well. This fact nearly scared me on this books behalf. I mean it’s such a short one, do you really need to add suspense? It worked though, probably because it’s light and in the end when all reveals itself you get that “duh” face about you. It gave the story some spice, made it a bit more fun and funnier.

In the end all I have to say is: I love sci-fi and I loved this one. Do you?

P.S. Dear Author, write a novel about Marc pretty please. He is delicious!