Book Review: Treasured Find (Royal Pride Book 1) by Nancy Corrigan

Treasured Find (Royal Pride #1)
by Nancy Corrigan
ASIN: B016LI22XC
Length: 92K
November 11th 2015
Pages: 329
After five centuries, Rafe Alexander knows what to expect from life--boredom broken by the occasional call from Shifter Affairs. No matter how mundane the job, he always accepts their plea for help. He knows what it's like to lose loved ones to the shifter trafficking rings decimating their species.

But the task that takes him to West Virginia changes everything. A human is dead. A shifter child is missing. And the human female connected to both tragedies is hiding a secret.

He needs to discover the mystery surrounding her. But the felines he houses--lion, tiger and jaguar--want him to get close to her for another reason. Jasmine is special, both for how she affects him and for the treasure she's been guarding.

And as danger mounts, he's left balancing his desire for revenge and his need to protect. But the line between them isn't always black and white, especially where his family is concerned.

This book was previously released. It has been revised and re-edited..

amazon-Goodreads

Other shifter books:
ROYAL Pride series
Ø Beautiful Mistake, book 2, releases 12-22-15, available for Pre-order
Ø Favorite Obsession, book 3, releases 1-29-16, available for Pre-order soon
KAGAN Wolves series (a parallel series set in the same world as the Royal Pride series)
Ø Chance on Love, book 0.5, releases 2-23-16
Ø Bridged by Love, book 1, available now
Ø Shared for Love, book 2 (MMF), releases 5-10-16

NOTE: The Royal Pride series is set in the same world as the KAGAN WOLVES series.

Review

Rafe Alexander is a shifter who houses three felines – lion, tiger and jaguar. He has lived for five centuries and works for Shifter Affairs. As part of Shifter Affairs, a government agency, he helps stop shifter trafficking rings where shifters are kidnapped for numerous different uses and none are pleasant.

This book was hot and steamy and the passion between Rafe and Jasmine was explosive! Rafe is everyone woman’s dream of unimaginable great sex. If you aren’t one to like a nice, long sex scene than this is not the book for you. But for those of you that have a good imagination than you will love the romance in this book.

I did not read the Kagan Wolves prior to reading this book and you should be fine starting the series here instead of back with the Kagan Wolves series if you want to.


Getting 4 sheep

Denise B

Excerpt #1

“Don’t get any crazy ideas. I am not going out with any of your husband’s friends. No more blind dates, thank you very much.”

“You don’t need any help from me. Once you drop the ‘stay away from me’ glare you usually wear around members of the opposite sex, you’ll have no problem picking up a guy.” Cindy tapped a single finger against her chin. “We might even have to beat them off you, especially if you display your goods a little more.”

She tugged at Jazz’s shirt until the lacy edge barely covered her nipples.

Jazz gasped and slapped away her friend’s hands. She quickly righted her top and glared at Cindy. Jazz hated her goods. Her breasts were too big for her frame, but genetics was a crapshoot. You got whatever the DNA mixing bowl dished out.

“Stop it. I am not enticing any lewd perverts with a showing of my goods.”

Cindy raised her hands. “Just promise me you’ll keep an open mind.”

She bit back her sharp retort. Cindy meant well. It wasn’t her fault Jazz had to keep men at arm’s length. It wasn’t Jazz’s either, but those were the facts. Time for another lie. What was one more?

“Fine. The next hot guy who shows any interest in me…” I’ll ignore just like I did with the blond hunk Josh was talking with.She inwardly rolled her eyes at the ridiculousness of her lame fib. “…will be the one I take home.”

“Now that’s an offer I can’t resist.”

Jazz pivoted. A wide expanse of muscle filled her vision. She followed the ridges of his stomach lower. His narrow waist met lean, denim-covered hips. Openmouthed, she stared at the growing bulge in his pants. An answering spark of arousal lighted within her. Shivers of awareness, the same ones that had skipped down her spine a few minutes ago (omitted last part of this sentence because this is a PF-13 site and OH DEAR!)

She glanced into his face. Exotic, uptilted honey-brown eyes were framed by long blond lashes. Beautiful and downright captivating.

His full lips, parted slightly, glistened as if he’d licked them. She swiped her tongue across her suddenly dry ones.

“Am I hot enough for you?” He rubbed his thumb over the corner of her mouth. “Because I’m interested. Very, very interested.”

About the Author:
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A true romantic at heart, Nancy Corrigan is convinced there’s a knight in shining armor for every woman (or man), but you won’t find damsels in distress in her stories. She adores pairing alpha heroes with women strong enough to match them and bring them to their knees. She also enjoys flipping the traditional roles in romances because her motto is—love and people should never be forced to conform to anyone’s norm.

She holds a degree in chemistry and has worked in research but now focuses on ensuring quality. She considers it the perfect outlet for her as she’s the first to admit she has some OCD tendencies. It carries over into her writing life too. While engrossed in a novel, she has a habit of forgetting to eat and sleep. Fortunately, she’s married to her own knight in shining armor who understands her oddities and loves her anyway. They reside in Pennsylvania with their three children, dog, snake and guinea pigs. Her other interests include tattoos, animals, classic cars and all things spooky and sexy.

Sheep Book Review: Othersphere by Nina Berry

Othersphere (Otherkin book 3)
By: Nina Berry
Young Adult
Paranormal
320 pages

Plot:
I always wanted to know where I came from. Now that knowledge could destroy me.

Dez thought she knew who her mother was, who she was. Thought she had friends, a boy who loved her, and a school where she finally fit in.

But across the veil linking our world and the next lurks a monster which can annihilate. . .or liberate her. Now she must confront it there with help from one boy who loves her and one who can't stand the sight of her.

Dez thought she understood her tiger form, her deepest self. But in this treacherous place, she'll have to choose between the two halves of her soul--and determine which world survives.

Here we are at book 3 in this Young Adult series, and I find myself utterly and completely invested in the outcome. I waited months for this latest edition and it was worth it, with just a few tiny issues.

Let me take you back a little in the series. Dez is a tiger shifter, maybe the only one left in the world. She's rare and she's had no idea about her shifting abilities until recently. This being a YA story, you're thinking what I was in the beginning, "omg not teen angst!". Let me assure you, there is very little of that. It helps that this story is not placed in a typical human high-school filled with locker-room drama. Thank the undead gods!

This saga is set in something more akin to Harry Potter, and there are a lot of influences from that world which I sense transferred over. I don't see this as a copy or knock off but as a use of some great elements in a new world. The kids are each shifters of some kind, rats, hawks, bear, wolf, etc. And each type of animal has it's prejudice towards the others. But these young adults have to find a way to work as a team, grow their abilities and survive in a world that wants to see them dead.

Sounds good right? It is!

Now we jump to book 3, and after the dramatic ending in book 2 I didn't know what to expect! I certainly didn't expect Dez to start this story the way she did. It was a little shocking, but as with any love triangle...drama will ensue. Being honest, I could have lived without it though. Maybe just having Dez all by herself to do some soul searching, but it seemed like instead she was very emotionally needy and jumping from man to man.

As we move into the meat of the story, Nina takes us into the world of Othersphere. It was a magical place, filled with many animals from Earths past. Extinct breeds have been living there, thriving in a world that couldn't bare to see them lost. There was a real message in the story about how destructive humans can be. It's truth and one we should all take heed of.

There's plenty of action and adventure, with evil dead set on taking over Earth, the story gets going into full swing. Shifters will have to unite and it seems an almost impossible task. But it's fight or die time, and finding out what you're made of.

I've heard this is the last installment in this series and I certainly hope that's just not true. There is a ton of room to grow and continue this saga. 

I would personally like to see it move over to PNR at this point. The characters are all at the 18 year old mark, and it would be wise to make this open to the adult readers as well. 

Getting 4 'shifter' Sheep
KD

Sheep Book Review: Othermoon by Nina Berry + Giveaway

Othermoon, by Nina Berry, is the second installment in her YA series Otherkin. This book is just as riveting as the first story in this saga, Otherkin, and layered with emotional drama that had me flying through the pages like a witch on a broomstick. 

Plot:

Everyone has secrets. When Dez rescued a boy, Caleb, from a cage, she discovered secrets she never knew she possessed, Now she's sure she's found the place where she belongs. With the otherkin - and with Caleb. But as the barriers between the mortal world and Othersphere fall, a wall rises between Dez and Caleb, leaving her fiercest enemy her only friend ...and maybe something more. Now Dez must make a devastating choice: keep the love of her life, or save the otherkin from annihilation...

There's YA out there that's geared pretty much for that one age group, and then there's YA that takes on a life of its own and allows anyone of any age to get sucked into the pages, which is what Nina has created here; A story of epic proportions that anyone of any age can enjoy. The typical YA is littered with locker chit chat and who's going with Betty Sue to the sock hop after school. (let's pretend it's the 50's)*yawn* That bores me, makes me want to crawl back into my coffin and sleep for the next century.Othermoon delivers on multiple levels and dishes out the adventure and drama in a very adult fashion while still maintaining that PG-13 reading level. 

Now, I've personally asked Nina if this saga may kick it up a notch at some point, I'd love to see these characters hit the PNR realm. And while she never said yes or no to that exact question I take that as hope! *fist pump* But, back to the story at hand. We jump right back into the world of the Otherkin, a small group of magical other worlders who call earth home and want nothing more then to live their lives and stay in the shadows. 

Out to destory the otherkins are a group of radical zealots that want to "exercise the demon" and kill every last otherkin that's out in the world. Nina sets up this second story very nicely, we pick up a few months after book one and jump right back into the young group of high-school age kids that are learning to control their shifter powers. Amongst it all is friendship, learning new ways of thinking, and forming life long bonds. Prejudice runs rampant amongst the shifters, and while it would serve them better to unite they are at constant odds with one another. 

Dez and her main squeeze Caleb are a strong force, both romantically and power wise. There are some major falling ins and outs that happen this time around. I am so severely invested in this series, already, that I wanted to scream by the end! Caleb, dude, don't talk to me. *turns back on Caleb* Men in general can be pigheaded idiots and while I like Caleb to pieces, I saw a new side to this young man that rubbed me the wrong way! *throws glass of water in Caleb's face*

Othermoon is an adventure and life lesson all kind of wrapped up in one. The stakes are high and the bad guys are worse then ever, action and suspense to the max this time around! There are lots of moral issues and plenty of "what's the right thing to do" type of scenarios taking place. There are hard calls that someone needs to stand up for, and it's all very moving and heartbreaking at the same time. And I would not have it any other way! 

If you've yet to check out this series now's the time! Book two hits shelves January 29th, I will recommend picking up from the start or you will miss out on all the excitement as to where we are now. 

Getting 4 'pretty kitty, nice kitty' Sheep

KD 

***GIVEAWAY***

One lucky winner is going to win a paperback copy of Othermoon. Please list the following in the comments below to be entered to win! 

1. Your Email Address 

2. You must follow our site, tell us how you follow

3. If you could throw a cup of "something" in someones face, what would it be and why? (Get as creative as you want!) 

Contest open to US/Canada ONLY 

Ends January 24th at midnight

Sheep Interview: Author Nina Berry + Giveaway!

Today we welcome debut author Nina Berry to I Smell Sheep! This lady is one amazing writer and we are VERY excited to pick her braiiiiins!! Or, just sit down and talk like normal people. Make sure to stay tuned until the very end to win a signed copy of Otherkin! 

Katie: Hello Nina and welcome to the flock! Just step around the herd droppings…it's been a busy week!

*Sharon walks up with the pooper scooper* Um…lift your foot…thanks!

Nina: *lifting foot* Have you tried litter box training?

Katie: Great idea!

Katie: Can you start out by telling folks a little about your YA series Otherkin?

Nina: It’s about a girl with a back brace who learns she can shape-shift into a tiger. Almost the exact moment that happens, she’s captured by a secret group bent on wiping out her kind – the otherkin. She escapes with help from a mysterious, handsome boy and is off to find allies, foil the bad guys, learn the truth about who she is, and maybe fall in love. It’s got fiery helicopter crashes, first kisses, and a tiger. Something for everyone!

Katie: How long did it take you to come up with this story idea?

Nina: I wanted to write about a girl with a back brace for years, because I had one in high school, and it had a big effect on me. But I didn’t know quite how the story would go until I got a separate idea about a girl who turns into a tiger. Then I thought – how would my life have been different if I’d found out I could shift into a tiger while I had the brace? Would that have changed how I thought about myself and my body? So you could say it took years, or you could say it was – bam! One second when the ideas came together. I took maybe a couple weeks to outline it, then I started writing.

Katie: What can readers look forward to in the next installment?

Nina: Othermoon will be out January 31, 2013. I think of it as “The Empire Strikes Back” of the trilogy. It’s darker and deadlier. The bad guys come back stronger and more dangerous than ever. And there’s trouble on the love boat between Caleb and Dez, from a direction you would never expect. Book three should be out early in 2014.

Katie: Oh! You dirty tease!

Nina: Mwhahaha!

Sharon: Would you want to be your heroine?

Nina: Ooh, tough one. On one hand I’d love to be able to shift into a tiger – to be that powerful and fearless. On the other hand, I’d rather not have an entire secret organization bent on killing me and those I love. Drama’s better on the page than in real life.

Katie: I wonder as the series grows, and the characters ages, will this move into the adult realm of PNR?

Sharon: I think what she wants to ask is will there be of-legal-age smut eventually.

Katie: Yes, yes I do.

Nina: Hmm, don’t want to be spoilery, so let’s just say things do get hotter and heavier in the second book. But this is YA, so we won’t be going fifty shades of tiger, if you catch my drift.

Sharon: Katie, should we make her spell it out?

Katie: I’ve still got the duct tape and feathers from the last author that tried to hold out with the juicy details…

Nina:

Sharon: What would you use a do-over spell for?

Nina: Wow, so many things. The worst events were all things I couldn’t control, like friends and relatives passing away, so even a do-over spell wouldn’t help, unfortunately. So I wish I could go back in time knowing it’s silly to worry about what people think and dedicate myself more to writing earlier in life. I’d trust myself a bit more. Also, there was this cute guy in college who really seemed to like me, and looking back, I can see I was super clueless. Do over!

Katie: Was Harry Potter an influence while writing because I hand some strong Potter moments!

Nina: I know what you’re talking about. I loved the Harry Potter books, but I wasn’t consciously thinking of them when I came up with the concept. Then, when I got to writing the school parts of my book, I realized the similarities and they worried me. I comforted myself with the thought that Morfael’s school is a lot less cozy than Hogwarts, and way smaller. They don’t have magical spells at my school to keep the bad guys out. Also, all the students hate each other. At least at first.

Sharon: Sounds like middle school…

Katie: In no way was I trying to say anything negative about the story Nina. It’s fantastic!

Nina: Oh no worries. It’s an honor to be compared to Harry Potter. And thanks!

Katie: If you could shapeshift in to an animal that's not listed in your stories what would it be and why?

Nina: A dolphin. I love the water. I grew up in Hawaii and learned to bodysurf when I was nine, and I go back every year to my favorite beach. It’s where I feel happiest. Can you imagine how awesome it would be to surf as a dolphin? I’d slice through the water with all their power and grace, and I’d have a huge school of dolphin friends around me who love to do that too. We’d figure out a way to free all the dolphins and whales currently living in captivity and stop those damned whaling ships too. Now you’ve made me want to write a book about dolphin shifters, so good job.

Sharon: What would your dolphin superpowers be!? Shoot acid out of your blow hole? (okay, that sounds really wrong once I wrote it down)

Nina: That is a very disturbing and yet very cool idea. I was going to go much more conventional and say that maybe I had sonar that could penetrate objects, but let’s go for acid instead!

Sharon: Which Disney Princess would you like to be?

Nina: I’m a bit like Belle, a book reader. But the princess that inspired me the most comes from an obscure animated series from Japan that aired in Hawaii when I was six called Princess Knight. It had a huge effect on me, but I have yet to meet a single other person who’s seen it. I’d love to be Princess Sapphire in that show. She’s an expert with a sword, rides a horse as smart as she is, and has an angel in training as an ally. She kicks butt, has a great sense of humor, and breaks all the rules. Love her!

Here’s a link to the Wikipedia page in case anyone is interested:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Princess_Knight

Sharon: Sounds cool. Mulan is one of my favorite Disney heroines and this seems very similar.

Katie: Now it's time for some rapid fire questions! Hold on tight and answer with the first thing that pops up.

Nina: *holding tight*

Katie: Grilled cheese or Quesadilla?

Nina: Grilled cheese. Yum! Sharp cheddar, please.

Sharon: Newsweek or People Magazine?

Nina: Newsweek has jumped the shark with its silly controversial cover stories lately, so People.

Sharon: Plus People covers the best and worst dressed at award shows…and that is quality entertainment there.

Nina: The worst dressed are totally my favorite. Not that I can be catty or anything *cough cough*

Katie: Coke or Pepsi?

Nina: Coke, Diet. With ice. I love that sweet, acrid taste that can burn through rubber.

Sharon: *turns up music* sorry…can’t hear yoooooou!

Katie: Coke again for the win!!!! *dances a burn rubber dance to music* 

Sharon: Porch or deck?

Nina: Lanai, actually. I’m a Honolulu girl.

Sharon: Pssst…Katie. That is a Hawaiian porch. I googled it…

Katie: Ah, thanks Sharon. Was just going to smile and nod like I knew.

Katie: Stab in the back or stab in the heart?

Nina: I’m no backstabber. Right in the heart, face to face. Take that! (And yes, I’d take a stab in the heart first. You die faster that way. And betrayal’s the worst.)

Sharon: I think I am scared of you…

Sharon: Stephen King or Shakespeare?

Nina: Shakespeare. Greatest writer of all time, blah blah blah. I think even Stephen King would choose Shakespeare, but oooh, Salem’s Lot was fantastic.

Sharon: I know, right?! I loved that one. Read it when I was 11 scarred me for life!

Nina: His friend the vampire right outside the window….? Gah. I’m scared now!

Katie: Christmas cookies or Halloween candy?

Nina: Cookies! My mom and I make these shortbread snowball things every Christmas, then I inhale all of them while she smirks.

Sharon: Classic or modern?

Nina: Classic. Especially in movies and manners.

Photo by: Jeni Darling Photography

Katie: Haunted house or Haunted graveyard?

Nina: Graveyard! I love graveyards and cemeteries. Send me to a chapel made of bones, a catacomb of moldering bodies, or a dank Egyptian tomb and I’m the happiest girl on Earth.

Sharon: Still scared…

Katie: Action hero or Romance hero?

Nina: Action hero. Adds excitement to the romance.

Sharon: Got a favorite?

Nina: I’m a fan of the most recent James Bond, Daniel Craig. Also Spike in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and of course Buffy herself.

Katie: Would you like to add anything before we wrap?

Nina: Thanks for having me. It was sheep-tastic!

***Giveaway***

Nina is giving away a signed copy of Otherkin to one lucky winner. US/Canada only. To enter please do the following in the comments below: 

1. Your Email Address 
2. What animal would you like to shapeshift in to? 
3. Double entries for followers!

Contest ends November 12th at midnight. Good luck! 

Sheep Review: Bear Meets Girl by Shelly Laurenston

Bear Meets Girl, by Shelly Laurenston is the seventh novel in her PNR Pride series. An animal kingdom fist-fighting, sexually good time!

Plot:
He's big, burly, and way smarter than your average shapeshifting bear. He's also about to get trapped by own his game...Lou Crushek is a reasonable, mellow, easygoing kind of guy. But once someone starts killing the scumbags he works so hard to bust, that really gets under his fur. Especially when that someone is a curvy she-tiger with a skill set that's turning Crush's lone-bear world upside down - and bringing his passion out of hibernation...As a member of an elite feline protection unit, Marcella Malone has no problem body-dropping anyone who hunts her kind. But Crush is proving one major pain in her gorgeous tail. The only reason she's joined forces with him is to track down the wealthy human who's got her entire species in his ruthless sights. It sure isn't because Crush's stubborn and contrary attitude is rubbing Cella in all the right ways...

I jumped into Shelly's world of shifters with this latest book, so knowing nothing about the author or her saga I wasn't sure what to expect. Bear Meets Girl is a snark-fest of one liners and banter that's so over the top I loved it. Playful humor and pranks are used between characters from beginning to end and I found myself laughing through the story consistently. I love a good comedy and some raunch to go along with it! You'll get both in this one, and if you enjoy adult humor played to the tunes of East Cost fist-pumping tigers then you'll want to pick this up.

Our lead couple was Polar Bear Crush and She-Tiger Cella. The playful tiger meets the safe and steady polar bear and let me tell ya, all hell's about to break loose. Cella sure knows how to dish out the punches because not only is she trained in special ops but she's also a badass hockey star. Crush is ALL male and good lordy is he hot hot hot on page! Tall and ripped to the gills this man-candy beef-cake steams up the pages with his bear charm. Someone pour honey on me! [BAK: You do know polar bears are the only creatures known to actively hunt humans, right? Furthermore they eat seafood so do you want to be covered in fish guts?] Riiight, ok so no fish guts for me but you get the idea. A hot lead male that knows how to lay it all down for the woman his body craves and a gal who can take on any situation with guts, glory, and a wicked right hook!

It's always nice to read about woman who can be WOMAN and not weep or moan about men all the time. Cella won me over and Crush only added to the whole package. On the downside though this saga is deeply involved and jumping in where I did left me confused in parts. So many different shifters are in this one. From tigers, bears, dogs, rats, wolfs, hyenas, woodchucks to penguins. Ok, maybe not the cute little tuxedo buddies but there are many different huge shifters families involved so it's hard to keep track of who is who.

It's a dialog heavy book with the focus being on the main couple, hockey, and snark. When the action comes it is fast and to the point, which was good and bad, but with the ladies beating each other up all the time you get more then enough fighting to keep things interesting. The romance was out of this world between our leads, you can feel the sparks and trust me you'll want more! Overall I'd recommended newcomers to do your homework and get up to speed with where things are in the overall saga and folks already invested should have no problems getting to the good stuff.

3 and 1/2 'Ma'am I'm going to cuff you now' Sheep
KD