Dani HarperReseñas

Well written story of a wolf shifter who lived as a wolf for 30 years after his wife was murdered. I liked it. It felt pretty different from most shifter stories out there. There wasn't a lot of posturing and badassness. There wasn't any fighting vampires or fae creatures which aspect I liked. The thing that kept it from getting more stars is that the hero and the heroine did not spend much time together. There was a lot of him staying away from her for her own good. Also the heroine eventually finds out from others that he is a werewolf instead of from the hero. As I've said many times before grand revelations that affect the relationship between the hero and the heroine should always be reveal between the hero and the heroine. It's just stronger story telling thaty way with greater emotional impact. I think that the story overall had great potential for more emotion but the characters were not together enough. That being said I did enjoy it and will probably read all the others in the series.

And another thing. What is up with the girl on the cover? I keep looking and her anatomy doesn't seem to make any sense at all. Does she have breasts? What is that lighted streak below her neck?

The author did a lot of handwaving to get past issues such as werewolves changing form and somehow retaining their clothes. (Because the clothes are inside their aura, apparently.) I appreciate the effort, but it turns out I prefer stories where my were character plans for this sort of thing.

This book just wasn't for me.

(Provided by publisher)

note to self: started off looking like there was going to be a great story.... then... WHAM... went to smut and story got lost in WAY too much detail about tab a and slot b. I gave up and went back to the TBR list :-(

Changeling Moon
3 Stars

The small town of Dunvegan, Canada is home to a werewolf pack living in harmony amongst unsuspecting humans. Unfortunately, a rogue puts their peaceful existence at risk when he attacks the new editor of the local paper, Zoey Tyler. Soon Zoey is involved in a relationship with her rescuer, Connor MacLeod, but there is more to the sexy vet than meets the eye and her life will never be the same again.

The setting, the romance and the werewolf lore all have potential, but each is missing a crucial element that would make this book something special.

While small towns are amongst my favorite settings, this one is decidedly lacking in atmosphere as none of the residents are fleshed out well. Each is a one-dimensional - the diner owner, the publisher, the mayor, the RCMP sergeant. None have any quirky or unique traits to make them more than a superficial stereotype.

Zoey and Connor's romance also falls flat as the fated-mates trope is unrealistic and their chemistry is virtually non-existent. They go through all of the motions, but the emotional attachment simply isn't there.

The plot revolving around a disgruntled rogue wolf attempting to out the pack starts out well as the villain is quite vile and his plans suitably nefarious. Unfortunately, the threads ultimately devolve as bad guy turns into a typical stalkerish creep and the climax and resolution are drawn out and unsatisfying.

In sum, Changeling Moon does not offer anything new to the vast number of wolf-shifter stories available and it is unlikely that I will continue with the series.

I understand why some people like this book but, i found it far from likable. I like Paranormal, shapeshifts and all of that but I think I try to compare the works to other series that I have read. This one just did not do it for me. It was awkward to me. Seems like a lot of other people like it just not me.

I don't have much to say, it was okay. I didn't even make one note while reading this. There was nothing new with characters that just weren't interesting enough to want more. I will not be continuing the series.½

Neva and Travis
Interesting Werewolf/Changeling story. The bad guy of the story is using black magic.

This is the first and only book, so far, in the Dark Wolf series.

3.5 stars

By far the best of the series! Really liked this one!

An Interesting read - has drama along with action & romance - gave an excellent insight of being "bitten" and not wanting to "change" - really it was fun to read and has some good to great charcters - even an Evil Twin....

This novel has 280 pages on the Nook. I thought book had a good storyline that kept you reading. The characters were defined and very likeable. This is the first book in the Changeling series. After reading this book I will be looking for more books by Dani Harper.

He roams the moonlit wilderness, his every sense and instinct on high alert. Changeling wolf Connor Macleod and his Pack have never feared anything—until the night human Zoey Tyler barely escapes a rogue werewolf's vicious attack.

As the full moon approaches, Zoey has no idea of the changes that are coming, and only Connor can show her what she is, and help her master the wildness inside. With her initiation into the Pack just days away and a terrifying predator on the loose, the tentative bonds of trust and tenderness are their only weapons against a force red in tooth, claw. . .and ultimate evil.

Our Review, by LITERAL ADDICTION's Pack Alpha - Chelle:
*Copy gifted in exchange for an honest review

I utterly enjoyed this book. It seemed to be exactly what I needed at the time, and kept my interest from beginning to end.

It should be noted that I hadn't read the previous 2 installments of the Grim series before reading this for review, and that was O.K. Sorta. The book was absolutely fine as a standalone, but now I have 2 more books that I've bumped up in my TBRSoon list. :)

Storm Warned had one of those despicable villains that you love to hate, heroes and heroines that you cheer on every step of the way, an interesting and beautifully built world with some very cool intricacies, and a supporting cast that will definitely make you want more.

Liam is a tortured hero. He had a bad break in life and it caused him to put aside his dreams and secret himself away. You can't help but feel for him, and while there were times I sort of wanted to shake him, it all played out beautifully. Caris was fun, feisty and independent, a true counterpoint to his misery. The two of them together blended harmoniously to create a beautiful melody of love (yes that was a terrible punish statement, as the storyline very heavily revolves around music, something I absolutely adored!!).

I am really looking forward to reading more in Ms. Harper's Grim world, and I definitely recommend Storm Warned if you're in the mood for some Fae.

This is a good start to a new series. I loved The Changeling series and this one has the potential to be just as good.
What I liked about this one is the fact that Neva has to take time to adjust to and accept being a Changeling. That probably has a lot to do with how she was changed. She doesn’t understand what she is and is terrified, for good reason. The person who changed Neva wanted to have her under complete control. The fact that both Neva and Travis had some issues to face in order to move forward was well done.

I did liked Travis. At first he did take a while to understand what his wolf was trying to tell him and it made it feel as if his wolf had its own thoughts and opinions. It was a nice addition to the werewolf mythology.

Neva and Travis are fairly quickly attracted to each other, resist that attraction and still end up bonded. Not that they are complaining. I really enjoyed that last hot and steamy scene at the end.

It did take me a bit to get into this one, it wasn’t until about the 4th chapter I got to the point I didn’t want to put it down. I was a bit confused with the party scene in the beginning. It felt like it came out of nowhere. It wasn’t until after I was through reading it that I realized it was a flash back.

Overall this is a well written story that has action, mystery, magic and shifters. Would I recommend this to my friends and people I know like PNR? Yes. This does not end with a cliffhanger it’s a HFN and it sounds as if Travis and Neva’s story will continue in the next book.

(I received a copy from publisher for an honest review.)

A fantastic start to a new paranormal romance. The story opens with a young woman Neva frightened of something dark and dangerous she believes she's become and deciding to end if all by throwing herself off a cliff before she hurts someone. She's saved by hunky Changeling Travis who happens to be passing through.

Neva is less than grateful for Travis's interruption and he's no more thrilled at helping her but he feels a duty to at least explain to Neva what she is. Both are on the run from some dark secret and there's enough mystery about both that kept me interested in two characters.

The story is well written with some good mythology and world building. The relationship between Travis and Neva is one that builds through our and they work at before getting together.

Some fantastic plot twists and one of the most power obsessed scary vilenesses I've seen in a while.

So thank you Netgalley for approving my request for this title. I will definitely been looking for more titles in this series.

Listened for Review (Brilliance)
Overall Rating: 3.50 (originally rated at 3.00)
Story Rating: 3.50
Character Rating: 3.50

Audio Rating: 4.00 (not part of the overall rating)

First Thought when Finished: I was hooked on Storm Bound by Dani Harper until the very last chapter and then it kind of fell apart for me.

Story Thoughts: You know how they always say that reading is a personal experience and what we experience in life impacts how elements of a story resonate with us? Well that happened with Storm Bound! I adore the series (and can't wait to continue) and even 98% of this story was really good for me. However, the end just had one of the "pet peeve" things that stopped the story in it's tracks for me. This thing won't bother 90% of the people I know so please don't let it stop you from reading this really good book. (Originally I had the rating set at a 3 but bumped it up because a chapter shouldn't knock it down that far--this was a solid 4 read for me up to that point).

Character Thoughts: (Let's just forget how the story ended for me particular and focus on the bulk of the character interaction) Brooke was a kick ass, strong, smart, and unusual character. I adored her gumption and quick wit. Her friends were super supportive and her "family" (of the heart) was great too. I was gutted by Aiden's backstory and despite everything he made me swoon. He was just so delicious and perfect for Brooke!

Audio Thoughts:

Narrated By Justine Eyre / Length: 9 hrs and 25 mins

Justine does a very good job with this series. I think she has a great voice for PNR! She has good timing and pacing. Her men voices aren't always macho enough for me but they aren't distracting either. Overall, I enjoy listening to this series and will continue them on audio.

Final Thoughts: Really enjoying this series!½

Review Available Soon At:

www.nocturnereads.com

About a 3.5

Extremely quick, entertaining read.


What I liked: For a first in a series, First Bite was a solid beginning. The Changeling world is bit different from other were-books. The explanations provided by Ms Harper concerning Changelings was well plotted and thought out. The story stays on track and doesn't jump all over the place. I felt connected with the main character, "Neva" and could identify with her problems. I loved to hate the bad guy, Meredith. She was just so amorally written. The story in First Bite had an ending but leads to a good opening in the next book.


What I didn't like: I had a hard time connecting with the hero, Travis. I actually liked some of the secondary characters more. Not sure what the author could have changed to make him more appealing to me. She checked all the typical hero boxes but he just didn't engage me.


As I said, overall, a good beginning to a new series. I've never read anything by Ms Harper before and now might go back and try some of her other books.


The cost could be a factor for some. The paper back is priced at $7.77 and the Kindle version at $3.99. At 287 pages, the price seems a bit high.


Recommend

Neva has no clue what's really happening to her, all she knows is that she is about to change into a monster and that is the last thing she wants. Travis likes to keep to himself and but when he watches Neva jump to her death his wolf pushes him to save her. The romance between the two is OK but it didn't blow me away.

I enjoyed the storyline but the pace was a little off to me and the characters didn't draw me in like I was expecting. I appreciated the little twists and turns the story brought with it. It was a good start to the series but I recommend borrowing before you buy for this one.

First Bite is actually the first book that I have read by Harper, and it made me wonder why I waited so long to read one of Harper's books. First Bite proved to be an amazing read full of action, intrigue, romance, and suspense. I really enjoyed how Harper created her Changeling world which was different from most of the typical werewolf books by adding her own spin to it. By combining shifting and magic, Harper did a great job at building a suspenseful tale and adding a twist to it with the addition of magic and creating a real super villain. Both Neva and Travis are well developed not just as a couple but as individual characters as well. Both characters have ghosts from their pasts that they need to overcome in order to defeat their current threat. They also proved to be a great couple to root for not just for First Bite but for future books as well. I liked how Harper left it open for their next adventure because I hated to say goodbye to these two great characters. I also liked the secondary characters of Baker and Riley and felt that they only added to the book. Harper also did a great job at creating a really creepy villain that served as a formidable opponent to Neva and Travis. Overall First Bite was an amazing read that I would most definitely recommend to anyone who enjoys a great paranormal romance. I am looking forward to Neva and Travis's next adventure as well.

Received a copy of First Bite through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Here on Goodreads I've found only positive reviews, so I suppose it's up to me to correct the misconception that this is a good book.

The story begins with a prologue containing some useless stuff written from the POV of the werewolf bad guy; in the first chapter, Zoey is attacked by said bad guy. In defending herself, she manifests some grit that's going to be drowned in tons of fluff and giggles in the rest of the book and will never come on the surface again. Connor, our hero, comes to save the damsel in distress, and the author makes a big production out of a little wound: the damsel swoons, passes out and suffers of hypothermia (all for a stupid dog bite on a calf, what a feat!). But our hero saves the day and in the meantime he realizes also that he's already halfway in love with this unconscious woman, with whom he has not even exchanged a word.

Here I was ready to throw the book away. I don't know why I didn't.

Nothing relevant happens between this episode and the final scenes.
There is no plot to speak about. Just a couple of uninteresting events that have been impossibly stretched to fill out pages: the introduction of Connor's friends and relatives, some interaction with the locals, the arrival in town of bad guy #2, some lore about werewolves here and there.
Boring, boring, boring.
Someone here said that “there's mystery in this book”: please, point it out to me, because I've found none.

Zoey is supposed to have psychic abilities, but they are lost in the emptiness of her cranium and don't play a foremost role in the story.
Her spoken pieces are mortifying in their stupidity. For the most part, they are along the lines of:
“What a cute puppy!”
“Oh, your house is gorgeous!”
“Let's pet some dog/cat/cow/moose/pig, they are so pretty!”
I have no further comments to make on this, it's too disheartening.

The author's habit of continuously referring to Connor as “the tall vet” is disturbing.
“The tall vet did this” or “the tall vet thought that”: is it just me or is this a truly horrific writing style?

Let's now get physical.
We have already established that Connor is tall (and he's a vet, a “tall vet”!), in case you've forgotten. Zoey has “russet hair”. Her hair is actually mentioned more times than her supposed psychic gifts. She has also “amber eyes”. You have to forgive me if I rant a bit about this, but I have a thing against authors that come up with absurd (but nonetheless trite) physical descriptions to make their characters appealing. So. This is amber:



It's yellow. Have you ever seen eyes this color? If so, please give me a call, because I never did.

Let's get more physical.
The sex scenes lack in credibility. Oh, scratch that, they are just crap. Here's an example chosen at random:

She did cry out as he kissed her right leg, above and below the bandages, but it certainly wasn’t from pain. Eventually he lapped up the little droplet of moisture on her inner thigh, and the ones that had followed it. Closer, closer.… His hot mouth kissed its way over her cheeks, adding soft gentle bites. She was shaking, she couldn’t help it, and she was on the verge of begging when his big hands suddenly parted her and his hot wet tongue slicked over her in one long stroke from clit to tailbone.
The orgasm slammed into her with all the force of a tsunami [...]

I'm sorry honey, but that's not how it works. Some leg fondling and a lick are not going to make it, no matter how skilled you think you are.
If you don't give me a solid plot, at least give me some good sex scenes!
I feel like I got nothing for the money I've spent.

Don't be fooled by the cover and if you ever feel the urge to buy this book, just bang your head on something hard a couple of times, you'll save yourself a lot of further pain.



EDIT 29/9/2011
Here's a graphic aid to help you understand my idiosyncrasy for weird eye colors:



(Am I not a badass graphic designer? :D )

Listened for Review (Brilliance)
Dewey's 24 Hour Read-a-Thon Oct Read
Overall Rating: 4.00
Story Rating: 3.75
Character Rating: 4.25

Audio Rating: 4.00 (not part of the overall rating)

First Thought when Finished: Storm Warrior was an awesome audiobook to fill in the hours of the 24 Hour Read-a-Thon! Just enough romance, action, and fun!

Story Thoughts: Automatic Hook Alert: Put a freaking vet as your lead character and I am almost guaranteed to read the story. This was the perfect occupation for Morgan and a great backdrop for Storm Warrior. Needless to say there is a lot of fae "messing around" going on and a whole lot of "magic doesn't exist" thoughts. That combines to make a story that is both fun and annoying at times. I love how Rhys' story played out because it never felt rushed or forced. I felt that Dani stayed true to both of the leads and that made Storm Warrior that much more interesting because there were some major hurdles to overcome!

Character Thoughts: Rhys was an awesome leading man. I loved his protectiveness, giving attitude, and gratefulness. He was very unique in the way he approached things (alpha yet not overbearing)and I fell in love with him from the beginning. Loved Morgan though she annoyed me at times. She was strong, smart, caring, and really good with animals. Dani took her occupation and made it part of the story. Morgan's friends were the bomb diggity! They were smart, unusual, and fantastically fun. Old man and little dude (their names are slipping my mind)were great friends to Rhys and he needed that! The characters really shined and made Storm Warrior great.

Audio Thoughts:

Narrated By Justine Eyre / Length: 8 hrs and 27 mins

I am a fan of Justine! I think she has great timing and does a great job with characters that have accents. She nails Morgan and does a pretty good job on Rhys. Overall, this was a good book on audio!

Final Thoughts: This was my first Dani Harper book but it won't be my last!

Reviewed by: Rabid Reads

After only a few chapters I found myself transfixed by Dani Harper’s new Dark Wolf series. The opening chapters are intense with Neva preparing to throw herself off a cliff rather than face becoming a werewolf at the next full moon. It was impossible to not be moved by her determination to sacrifice her life in order to save countless others. Aside from an incredibly brave heroine, First Bite also brings plenty of action, romance and wolfy goodness to the table. Harper’s Changelings are back for another round and if this first installment is anything to go by, you’re not going to want to miss take 2!

I love that Harper’s Changelings spend an equal amount of time in both of their forms; not all series shelved as “werewolf” deserve to be classified as such but this book most certainly does. The author wastes no time in enlightening readers on the rules of her world and I particularly enjoyed the distinctions between Changelings and werewolves. The two aren’t synonyms in this universe; in fact, the latter is actually kind of derogatory which I found interesting. The mystery of what happens to their clothes when they shift continues to entertain and watching the newly turned try to figure out the trick is always good for a laugh.

The story unfolds in such a way that it felt like a werewolves for dummies course in that Travis must instruct Neva on Changeling ways only for her to have to do the same later on for Baker. The second part was more a case of the blind leading the blind but that just made it all the more comical. The plot is nicely balanced which makes the budding romance feel as important as the looming battle against Neva’s evil twin. There’s also just the right amount of sex to help ensure that all of your senses are equally satisfied. I enjoyed the ticking-time-bomb-like suspense although I was disappointed by the anti-climatic final battle. Geneva’s attack strategy was also somewhat questionable.

Travis wasted no time in worming his way into my heart; it’s hard not to love a tortured hero with a soft spot for damsels in distress. His patience and willingness to teach Neva how to cope with her new reality also helped to earn him bonus points. The tables end up turning not too long after their first meeting though and I liked that Geneva was given the chance to return the favour and to prove her loyalty. I wish the mate aspect had taken a little longer to kick-in but once set in motion it was easy to get caught up in the two main characters’ strong emotional bond. The book ends on a high note with a good old fashioned romp that’s sure to make your toes curl with its heat.

First Bite is a must read for all werewolf addicts and the best book yet from Dani Harper.

This review was originally posted on my Alaskan Bookie Website at:
http://alaskanbookie.com/review/storm-warrior/

This book starts out with Rhys fighting for is life against the Romans. They had captured and then enslaved him to use as a fighter in the arena. After his escape he is wounded and crawls into a cave only to be captured by the Tylwyth Teg (the Fae) and starts his enslavement all over again. Only this time instead of fighting in the arena, they turn him into a Grim and use him as a foreteller of death to those that see him.

This story had the perfect mix of Paranormal and Romance. The main characters, Rhys and Morgan, feel an attraction to each other but Morgan fights the attraction every step of the way. She believes he is mentally unbalanced and doesn’t want get involved with a crazy person. Just when she thinks she is over her weird attraction to Rhys, he does something that makes her more attracted to him than she was before. When she finally does decide to give in, she cannot get her head around the strange story that Rhys tells her about his past and sets her mind (and her traitorous body) against him again.

Though Rhys believed he was free from the Tylwyth Teg, he quickly finds that that is not the case. They have their sights set on him and will use his friends against him in order to lure him back. He uses all his old tricks to keep them from getting close to Morgan, but it will not be enough.

This story was like baking brownies. You are surrounded by the tantalizing smell so you know there is chocolaty goodness baking and you know you will not be satisfied until the last gooey morsel melts on your tongue. I enjoyed this book to the very last byte. I look forward to the next book in the series. Just like another box of brownie mix - I will definitely continue on!

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel, and found it rather difficult to put down. At first I was sceptical - werewolf novels are a dime a dozen and tend into the cliched. But I vey quickly found myself hooked. This is probably more romance/erotica than I normally read but I enjoyed the characters and the plot was well paced. Connor was suitably loveable - then again, I am rather drawn to sexy veterinarians - a good way to display his compassionate and empathic side. This doesn't really bring much new to the werewolf genre - there are no startling revelations or dramatic twists to the common mythology, although it does combine somewhat some of the vampire mythos to the werewolf mythos. It is not entirely generic either.

All in all, a worthy read, although now I'm hooked - the prices on her other books are a wee bit higher!

Set in Dunvegan, the same cozy town in Southern Ontario where the first book in the series, Changeling Moon, took place, Changeling Dream is James Macleod's story. After 30 years of being trapped in wolfen form, Connor's estranged brother rises to humanity when a vaguely familiar new face, Jillian Descharme, comes to town. James has never met Jillian before but recognizes her somehow—he knows her from the soul—but comes to realize the person he really doesn't recognize is himself—neither as wolf, nor man.

The storyline with the mysterious connection between Jillian and James is compelling but everything else was a disappointment for me. I didn't totally love the first book, but wanted to give this second book a try because the "lost brother" story intrigued me; however, I didn't enjoy it at all. Typically with series, I am particularly fond of later installments because of the recurring characters, but even with the reprise of Zoe and the Macleods, I felt pretty much nothing.

The main characters, for one, I had a huge problem with. James's guilt over a family tragedy 30 years ago has given him an overactive sense of responsibility, which is why he overcompensates by desperately trying to keep Dr. Descharme out of danger. This would be a great alpha male quality, but it was written so simply and choppily that it actually makes him rather stalkerish... showing up in her bedroom in the middle of the night, visiting her at work every day, coming to her rescue at every possible moment. Yeesh. And then there's Jillian, who just may win the "Least likable romance heroine" award. Described as feisty and independent, this girl's maddeningly sensitive, and an irritatingly raging feminist. She only comes off as cold, pigheaded, and can just never cooperate, so the fact that she ends up "falling" for James is not only uncharacteristic, but also unbelievable. Even though she has her own demons, I felt no sympathy for her whatsoever, and found most of her points of argument very trivial and illogical. 80% of the book is her talking to herself (she talks to herself more than she talks to other characters... what the f*ck?) and apprehending over a stagnant relationship. It isn't just the attitude I found distasteful, it was everything.

And then we need to talk about the so-called romance itself. All it is is terribly angsty, with no formidable foundation or realistic expectation... and yet Jillian and James are absolutely soul mates. She doesn't even like the guy one minute, then is yearning for his touch and affection the next. Finger. Down. Throat. Now.

I literally had to keep asking myself why I was bothering to finish this book. I found it painfully boring, annoying, and although not completely unreadable, something I mostly skimmed—particularly for the last half (aka the part where everything happens).

Pros: Captivating premise about dreams and guardian wolves

Cons: James is suffocating and dislikable // Jillian is inflexible and dislikable // Unrealistic, tiring "relationship" // Messy, inconclusive story // Terrible climax

Love: "James was very much like the river. Calm and steady on the surface, but somehow [Jillian had] been drawn in and captured by the deep current beneath. Would she escape? And did she really want to?"

Verdict: "The lycanthropic and mystical aspects of Changeling Dream were enough to hold my attention, but I definitely had to grit my teeth through this one. James's story was nice to read, but the exasperating rising action, a messy, premature climax, and ridiculous insta-romance between him and Jillian had me rolling my eyes."

Rating: 3 out of 10 hearts (2 stars): Not a fan; I don't recommend this book.

Source: Complimentary copy provided by FSB Media in exchange for an honest and unbiased review (thank you, Leyane!).