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My Review:Title: (Un)bidden
Author: Melissa Haag
Series: Judgement of the Six #4
Published by: Indie
Release Date: November 24, 2014
Format: Kindle Book
Pages: 324
Genres: Paranormal Romance
Reading Challenges: Lenoreo's COYER Summer Hunt
Find it: Goodreads ✩ Amazon ✩ B&N ✩ Google ✩ Kobo ✩ iBooks ✩ IndieBound ✩ Book Depository
My rating:
Blurb:I left home because I didn’t want to end up in a cage like a lab rat. Hitching rides, begging for cash, and sleeping on the ground got old fast. That was the only reason I braved an overgrown path to a group of buildings. I’d hoped to find a bed and a decent night’s sleep. However, what I found was a place overrun by werewolves.
While on the run, Charlene finds herself surrounded by werewolves, creatures she can’t control with her mind like she can humans. Their existence has her believing she’s found a safe place to stay, a place where secrets are okay. However, she soon discovers she’s anything but safe. Charlene must learn how to use her abilities to influence the strange new species because if she can’t, the next bite she suffers might just kill her.
Read how the cycle begins, and have no doubt. Charlene’s past will shape the future of the Judgements.
ON REREAD:
4.5 stars — I don’t know, I feel like I enjoyed this one even more the second time around. I still had the same issues with Charlene’s age, it just WASN’T believable AT ALL, and I think I would have enjoyed it way more if she’d even just been 16 going on 17 instead of 15 going on 16. A lot changes in the teen years. And I realize now that the reason it didn’t bother me with Mary as much is that she is a Werewolf, and thus the way she grew up and the expectations she had would be COMPLETELY different from what society dictates for us.
I will also admit that I was less than pleased with how the Mating occurred. Charlene was pretty clear about wanting to call the shots, and I feel like Thomas manipulated that and pressured…I get that it’s a paranormal, but I still would have appreciated it more if Charlene had clearly consented.
But besides that, I really enjoyed the glimpse into the past! I loved all the things I loved the first time around, getting to see how the Werewolves were back then, and watching Charlene open their eyes and encourage them to become active participants in their survival.
And I loved Charlene herself! She was so strong in the face of all she was facing, and I loved her sense of empathy for all living creatures. I felt like her reactions were so real, and something I could really connect with.
I also appreciated that the romance between Charlene and Thomas wasn’t completely in the background like Bethi’s…we got to see them connecting with one another, and there were some really sweet moments.
So yeah, still wish we got a bit more in certain areas, but really loved what we did get.
COYER Summer Hunt: Read a book featuring a strong female protagonist — 3 points.
My Review:Title: Thomas' Heart
Author: Melissa Haag
Series: Judgement of the Six Companion Series #4
Published by: Indie
Release Date: November 22, 2016
Format: Kindle Book
Pages: 319
Genres: Paranormal Romance
Reading Challenges: Lenoreo's COYER Summer Hunt
Find it: Goodreads ✩ Amazon ✩ B&N ✩ Google ✩ Kobo ✩ iBooks ✩ IndieBound ✩ Book Depository
My rating:
Blurb:Thomas’ race is dying. To protect those left, the Elders create a safe haven. However, the safety of their sanctuary is threatened by the cause of their kind’s decline. A human. But, she’s not like the rest; and despite his hatred of humans, Thomas wants her for his own.
When females start dying while trying to reach safety, Thomas realizes it’s no longer just humans who pose a threat but desperate males. Thomas must secure his place at Charlene’s side as the leader of their sanctuary, or everything they’ve worked to build together will crumble, and any hope of a future for Thomas’ race will die.
4.5 stars — I felt like Luke’s Dream was one of the first where I felt like I’d have missed out on a bit if I hadn’t read it as well, and Thomas’ Heart went even further. We actually got a lot more from his story, not just his POV. I think part of that is getting to see what Thomas and his pack were like before they encountered Charlene, THAT was really eye-opening! And it wasn’t just that, it was also all the stuff we didn’t know about the females, the deaths, and even a glimpse of Grey’s journey to become an Elder. I LOVED all those pieces, and it made me really happy that I’m reading these companion novels side by side, b/c it gave a bigger picture of what’s going on.
The other thing I LOVED about this book is how much more I connected with Thomas. Don’t get me wrong, he was still frustrating at the beginning, but I finally understood a bit more about his prejudices. And I truly got what he was thinking at each point. Also, I saw their courtship from his perspective, and with his upbringing, I get how things went the way they did. So I’m not upset about Charlene being young from Thomas’ perspective, just from a reader perspective (from an I wish the author had done something different perspective).
And besides all the Thomas and Charlene goodness, I also really loved how much more I learned about so many of the other wolves, from Nana Wini, to Mary and Gregory, to my favourite: Grey!! He was just…perfection, I loved his big brotherness, and I loved that you could really feel how close they were as brothers. I also feel like I see a lot of his influence on Jim. He just made my heart happy. I still enjoyed Anton, and I’m still super confused about why we never hear about him.
So yeah. I was so happy that this one gave a bit more, and I’m excited to finally learn more about Carlos! 3 more books to go!!
COYER Summer Hunt: Book set in the state you live in (for those international then the region you’re in) — 5 points.
I agree about the age thing, that was the only thing I didn’t enjoy.