Ancient Protector

Star is a famous singer, but her career is a means to an end. She’s determined to rescue her sister who was kidnapped by a ruthless dragon shifter. By agreeing to performing at his fortified estate, she along with her team of shifters plan to free Aurora. Here Star finds her mate. Lachlan is an Ancient who went into hibernation when he lost his true love. Now he’s back to lead his clan. What is the strong connection between Star and her Scottish dragon? Are her strange dreams actually memories of a lost love? Ancient Protector is an action packed story which takes place in our world after a massive dragon attack destroys life as we know it. The supernaturals are now in control. I was anxious to see what would happen next. Can Star open herself to love? She has endured so much. Lachlan is so powerful and his love is so strong. I knew that he would do whatever was necessary to protect Star and all those she cares about. This is the first book by Katie Reus in her new series. I’m already a fan. I loved her characters. The are both spunky and humorous. They make me want to know more about them. Also I liked that Star and Lachlan are equals. She’s no damsel in distress. This book is filled with nonstop action. I hope that I don’t have to wait long for their next adventure. I can’t wait to see what happens next.

Ancient Protector by Katie Reus is mainly set in a post apocalyptic New Orleans after an uprising led by dragons has left most of the world in ruins and the exposure of supernatural beings has led to a new world order where humans are no longer the superior species. Lachlan is an ancient dragon who after the loss of his mate went into hibernation millennia ago. Recently risen he finds himself drawn to singer Star and will stop at nothing to have her. Star, however has secrets and her own reasons for not trusting dragons so Lachlan will an uphill battle in front of him if he is to win his prize.

This is the first book in the Ancients Rising series and features some of the characters introduced in Katie’s Darkness series and it has got off to a great start with Scottish dragons, werewolves, vampires, witches and a whole assortment of various shifters….. did I mention the Scottish dragons wear kilts at one point?! The characters are well written with a plot that goes at a steady pace with plenty of action and one or two surprises along the way. My one niggle with this book was with the reincarnation element which just seemed a bit rushed to me and I would’ve liked if it had been explained in a bit more depth instead of just being presented as a bit of a ‘fait accompli’ to everyone.

Thrilling beginning to a new series with tons of supernatural beings. The story begins with superstar singing sensation, Star, a shifter hiding her true nature and in a race to save her sister, Aurora, from captivity and the evil dragon, Oscar. I love Star and her crew of shifters that she rules as their Alpha. The plan is set to free Aurora and with the help of a sexy Scottish dragon, Lachlan, it’s successful. But it’s an all out war as the dragons and Star’s group of shifters cause the facade between humans and supernaturals to break. Humans are adapting to a new world after the fight left the world in chaos with the supernaturals taking over to create a new order in the face of ruin. The good are rooting out the bad and protecting the humans. But that’s not the end of Oscar. His obsession with Aurora has Star’s crew fleeing to New Orleans and under the rule of the city’s Alpha, wolf shifter King. For me this started out reminiscent of other dragon/shifter stories but as it continued it separated itself with fabulous characters and the unique writing of this terrific author, especially with her sexy romance between the main characters. It wasn’t too difficult to figure out the kind of shifter Star and Aurora are and the visual of their unveiling was fantastic. This was a quick, thrilling read with intriguing characters including shifters and also a few humans. I loved all the different types of shifters in different types of relationships and the set up for the coming stories. I can’t wait Aurora and King’s story. And my favorite the sexy lion shifter, Axel. I look forward to the next installment in this new exciting series full of fierce battles, sexy romance, and fantastic family and friends.

I’ve been waiting for Ancient Protector ever since the entire world went to hell in a handbasket in Darkness Rising, the last book in Ms. Reus’ Darkness Series. I’ve wanted to check back in with all my favorite characters and see how they were doing and how things worked out as they tried to regroup and rebuild. I was also curious to see how humanity was going to deal with finding out that all those scary things nobody believed existed really do. Yeah, I had a lot of expectations going in.

At first, I was a little disappointed when I realized both MC’s were new characters and we weren’t even in the United States anymore. I reminded myself this is a new series and I should have expected this. It did perk me up when the setting switched to New Orleans and I was back in familiar territory with characters I liked dropping in here and there.

The story starts out with Star and her motley crew in the midst of a jailbreak type of caper at a celebrity-studded charity auction and concert of all things. I immediately liked Star and admired her strength, loyalty, and the depths to which she went to rescue her sister. Her cluelessness as to what to do when she realized she had a sexy Scottish dragon by the tail, or should I say on her tail, was cute.

Like most of the newly risen ancient dragons, Lachlan had me chuckling at first with his sheer lack of game. His opening bid cracked me up as did his somewhat clumsy interactions with Star. But he was an alpha ancient dragon, so I knew those alphahole qualities would show up soon enough.

Like all Ms. Reus’ couples, these two had chemistry in spades and when they finally got together, sparks and flames flew, figuratively and literally. Lachlan proved without a doubt that old dragons still got it going on.

Speaking of Lachlan, I love an alpha that lets his woman take care of business and show her pure badassedness, and he impressed me with his willingness to follow Star’s lead in keeping her and her sister safe. Well, within reason, he is a dragon, after all.

Spending time with Cynara and getting an update on her and Justis was a treat. And I liked the time spent with King. He gets more intriguing every time he shows up on the page and I can’t wait for his story.

One minor issue I had was after witnessing the end of the world in Darkness Rising, I wanted more world-building, or should I say more of them putting the world back together. There were little tidbits here and there, but I thought it would be more of a struggle after all the carnage that happened. Like I said, a minor issue overall.

Like the books in the Darkness Series this is spun-off of, I read this straight through in one sitting and enjoyed every minute of it. I just can’t get enough of these sexy, growly, dragons and the women who are strong enough to put up with them.

Rating: 4 Old Dragons Got It Going On Stars

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.

We’re back in the land of dragon shifters, just after the events of Darkness Rising.

This may be spin-off series but it’s absolutely jam-packed with action and isn’t just an after-thought.

Star needs to rescue her sister before the dragon who has captured her realises that she is beyond special. Using her talent as a singer she whips herself into a superstar in order to be able to get invited to his estate. With her rag-tag pack of shifters of various kinds, they infiltrate and rescue her sister. But not before a particularly ancient Dragon comes to their aid.

Fast forward a few months and Lachlan finds himself in New Orleans. He soon realises that Star is also in New Orleans and sets out to woo his mate! But she is keeping secrets from him. He’s not sure what but he is determined to find out.

Lachlan is the perfect is of determined, craggy, Scottish Dragon, Alpha Male and romantic! Star was a great personality. Tough elder sister, tender friend and lover and reluctant alpha. I cannot wait to see how the saga unfolds!

Ancient Protector is book 1 in the Ancients Rising series by Katie Reus. This is Lachlan and Star’s story.
This new series is a spin-off from the Darkness series so it’s great we get back into the paranormal/sci-fi world.
Star is this superstar singer who has this extra something else that she hides to keep herself safe. Lachlan is an ancient dragon alpha shifter whose come out of this 1000 year hibernation. He’s also this Alpha Laird of a clan of dragons from Scotland.
Theirs is a story full of feels, danger, action, paranormal romance, magic, intrigue, drama, adventure and more. Star and Lachlan have this great chemistry. Without giving any spoilers away, this book is a great 1st book in a new series. I can’t wait for more in this exciting new series.

My Rating: 4.5 stars *********

Ancient Protector by Katie Reus

Paranormal romance with dragon shifters. First in the Ancient Risings series.
A spin off from the Darkness series. Can be read without reading the prior series.
Quasi post-apocalyptic. Reincarnation / fated mate troupe.

Dragons have been outed to the world, as have other paranormals. Humans are no longer at the top of the food chain. The transition in power has changed the dynamics in the world. Everything from the dollar to health care to food distribution and housing must be reconfigured.
New Orleans is largely undamaged with alpha werewolf King is coordinating witches, food supplies, housing and security.
Star and band have taken refuge in New Orleans knowing that her sister’s kidnapper will obsessively try to reclaim possession.
Scottish dragon Lachlan follows Star to New Orleans. He will protect her at all costs. She is his mate.

I loved both the hero for his protectiveness and willingness to let the heroine lead. The heroine is a bit naive but trusts her pack to do their jobs.
My only issue was tracking all the secondary characters, especially at the end. Perhaps because additional help in the final battle came from the Darkness series which I haven’t read. In the end it didn’t really matter because of the hea, but like others have said – I hope to read King’s hea soon.

Absorbing, creative and heartening.

I received a copy of this from NetGalley. I also purchased a copy to share.

It is no secret that I really, really like Katie Reus’ contemporary romantic suspense stories but I LOVE her paranormal romantic suspense ones. Ancient Protector is the first of a spin-off from the Darkness Series. It is beyond amazing. I once said that Katie Reus’ books were the kind that I loved to read but really hated it when I finished the last page, wanting more and more. That was certainly true for Ancient Protector.

Star and Lachlan pulled me right into their world so that I was begrudging the fact that I had to stop reading when it was time to fix dinner, going right back to the book when everyone was fed at this house. This story takes place when the world is at a new normal, haven’t we heard those words a lot lately. The reason for this is completely different but it was still surprising. If the story had mentioned the sudden shortage of toilet paper it would have seemed too weirdly prophetic.

One of the great things about this author is that her books read well as a stand-alone. Yes, there is a bigger picture going on in a series but you don’t feel as if you are being strung along to teased. The stories feel completed, not just the romance part but the over-arching theme has some closure too. I will say that two strong supporting characters had their story in Darkness Rising so that is a book that you will be tempted to read if this is your first Reus book. What I do know is that it won’t be your last. These books are addictive.

An ARC of the book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley which I voluntarily chose to read and reviewed. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This series is a spinoff from the Darkness series that’s already completed, but you don’t have to read that series to understand this one. But it was good to see some of the characters from those books again. I loved that series.

This series is going to be entirely different and change is always good, but I’m not sure this one is going to entirely work for me. The setting is semi-dystopian and I seriously dislike dystopian novels. There are some major differences from the traditional dystopia genre, but some is still the same. It can’t be avoided.

There has been an event called “The Fall”. The cities on the Eastern seaboard are wiped out, including Washington DC. Other major capitals throughout the world are wiped out, too and now the supernaturals are in charge. It all sounds bad, but the supernaturals are a benevolent lot and are trying to help humans while they war among themselves. There is no monetary system. There is internet, cell phones, and electricity. There are few cars, yet Lachlan has a private jet. Who is keeping all of this going and making it possible? I get that internet and cell phone coverage can (and does) come from satellites, but still there’s technology involved with getting it to the masses. Weren’t the towers damaged or destroyed when The Fall occurred? Those are just a few things that didn’t work for me in the story. I know it’s fiction and I should just take it as it comes and I usually do, but this stood out for me.

With that being said, the book itself is very good. I loved the characters, the plot, and the tight story line. There was a lot of action, tension, and steam. Those three together make this a character-driven story and an enjoyable read.

Onto the story. Star is a singer, has a band, and is on a quest to find her sister, Aurora, who was kidnapped by a demented, nefarious dragon. She’s zeroed in on where she is and a celebrity auction is just what she needs to rescue her. What she wasn’t counting on was a big, burly Scot making an astronomical bid that no one can touch and then infiltrating her life. Star is an enigma with what sort of shifter she is and the author masterfully kept it hidden until the end. I won’t say what it is because I don’t want to take any readers from going through the guessing game of just what she is. That was part of the fun in reading this book.

Lachlan…oh my. I loved him from the moment he entered the story. I love me a Scot and read all kinds of books about Highlanders and such. This was not my first rodeo. I have to give kudos to the author for doing a pretty good job with the Scottish brogue. Lachlan is everything a man should be. He’s big, strong, protective, loves his mate, and is a dragon shifter. WOOT! I love dragons and he is up to par.

He’s a beautiful indigo in his dragon form and has indigo eyes. I’ve read a lot of books by this author and she never lets me down on character descriptions, but this time I feel a little let down. I know he was big and strong. I know he had indigo eyes, but after that I’m drawing a blank. I don’t know if he had long or short hair and I don’t remember a color being mentioned. I wish I’d had more description of him. The model on the cover has tattoos, but there is no mention of any tattoos on Lachlan. At least none that I remember. Like a few other readers/reviewers I know, I read romances for the heroes, including but not limited to physical appearance.

On the flip side of that, Lachlan had an outrageous sense of humor. He said the most inappropriate things and it made me laugh every time. Star was embarrassed more than once and she seemed hard to embarrass.

Overall, I enjoyed this book, but I think I would’ve enjoyed it more without the dystopian theme. It’s a personal preference and may not bother others. It’s worth the read and I will read the next in the series. There were some secondary characters that played a big part that I hope stories are written for.

Star has built her singing career until she is easily recognizable, but despite her stardom, she is hiding a secret. She and her friends are using her stardom to travel as they search for Star’s sister, who has been kidnapped.

Lachlan is an ancient dragon shifter, recently awoken from a forced hibernation. He forced himself into hibernation in reaction to losing his first love. In the present day, he is working to bridge the world he knew when he went to sleep with the world as it is now. A lot has changed in all that time, including the outing of supernatural beings. There is a power struggle as the shifters and humans work to set the world to rights again.

Lachlan is drawn to Star after he hears her sing. Something about her pulls him, and because he is so interested in her he ends up being in the right place at the right time several times to help Star and her friends out of dangerous situations. Star isn’t sure what to do with this old dragon who keeps turning up, especially because she doesn’t trust dragons entirely.

These two have a fantastic chemistry. Both are alphas in their own right, and as such they have to learn when and how to compromise and let go of control. Star’s group may not all be the same type of shifters, but they have formed a family that looks to Star for their guidance. Lachlan is used to having his orders followed, so when Star challenges him it takes him some time to get used to the idea of another with power so close to him. This makes for both great teamwork (when their goals are the same) and epic sparks when they challenge each other.

Somehow I have missed Katie Reus’s entire backlist of PNR, but that is something I will be remedying in the near future. Even though I hadn’t read any of her Darkness series, from which the Ancients Rising series spins off, there is enough of the world built here that I was not lost at all. This had all the imagination and fantasy I love from PNR and was a great change of pace from my usual. I look forward to more from this world.