Warlord, Witch, or Wolf: what’s your poison?Whatever your fantasy, dive into 11 original stories from bestselling and new Australian authors for a limited time only. Featuring rousing action, sizzling or sweet romance, and journeys to far-off lands, the heroes and heroines of Warlords, Witches and Wolves will keep you on the edge of your seat and conjure your darkest desires.What are you waiting … desires.
What are you waiting for?
Unleash the beasts, summon the magic, and conquer new worlds today!
Eleven novellas coming in at 1250 pages of awesome stories:
The Rising Wave by Michelle Diener
Of Kisses & Wishes by Lana Pecherczyk
The Heart and Soul of Ragnar the Red by Daniel de Lorne
The Daughter’s Duty by Claire Leggett
Wolf Blood by Shona Husk
Courting the Witch by MJ Scott
Witch Bound by Leisl Leighton
The Soldier’s Familiar by TJ Nichols
Salvation by Cassie Laelyn
The Shadowed Moon by SE Welsh
Curse: Rose Red Retold by Demelza Carlton
more
Like many others I thoroughly enjoy an anthology as it gives me the opportunity to try authors I might not have heard of. If blunt I chose to read this particular one because Michelle Diener has a story in it but I’ve previously read Shona Husk and Demelza Carlton so was reasonably sure that it would be an interesting read. Although both Ms Diener and Ms Carlton offers stories that are most definitely fantasy based most of the others have more of a paranormal slant but were equally entertaining.
Of course I have preferences and loved The Rising Wave which I can only hope the author will revisit or expand in some way because the characters and world created were appealing. Wolf Blood and Witch Bound both had Wolf Packs that also embraced other paranormal species which made them both a wholly unique take on Shifters which I very much enjoyed. My biggest surprise though were the two MM romance stories included here because I normally don’t read those and commend Mr De Lorne on taking an unlikable character and making him slightly more likeable as the story ended. As for The Soldier’s Familiar it blew me away as not only was it very different for me but I was completely drawn in and loved everything about it. Yes some stories were longer or more romantic then others but this was an excellent way for me to try new authors and also tropes and styles of writing that I normally wouldn’t even consider. This wasn’t a quick read but it was a really good one and I happily recommend it.
This voluntary take is of an advanced copy and my thoughts and comments are honest and I believe fair
The Rising Wave by Michelle Diener—A kidnapped princess with a unique set of powers and the rebel warlord she rescues….I am utterly intrigued with this new series!! Ava and Luc’s novella captivated me from the opening chapter and I hit preorder on The Turncoat King as soon as I finished.
Of Kisses and Wishes by Lana Pecherczyk—A shifter who is willing to strike a bargain with a witch in exchange for something she’s longed for her entire life…should never strike a deal with the Devil before reading the fine print! Heartwarming with touches of vulnerability and sweet feels, I really enjoyed Anise and Caraway’s novella. (Although it took me a while to quite thinking of a spices every time their names appeared, lol)
The Heart and Soul of Ragnar the Red by Daniel De Lorne—Ragnar wishes to be immortalized-why are men so tempted by this idea?-and will do anything to achieve his goal, including sell his soul. But will he like the end result? De Lorne is a new author to me and he definitely achieved my investment in this enemies to lovers (m/m) tale! I wanted to smack Ragnar for his selfishly blind ambition and tar him to a wall for bugs to feast on! No, I didn’t feel Ragnar redeemed himself enough to gain forgiveness…okay mine at least… I think Sol could have done so much better. Trogen was adorable even when I was questioning this fur baby’s sense of good and bad-ie, Ragnar is bad for Sol! The premise this novella introduced does make me curious enough about the Apocalypse trilogy to check it out.
The Daughter’s Duty by Claire Leggett—When her father is slain after setting out to revenge his tribe, Shuree picks up his mantle and tries to find a way to peace. This was an interesting tale. Warring tribes and the seemingly far-fetched idea for peace shows an intimate tale of trust and perception. The dragons were an unexpected surprise.
Shadowed Moon by SE Welsh—Another new author and I am hoping this becomes a series!!! (Tabitha’s twin brother Ryan needs a tale) I loved the spicy, fated mates vibes between Tabitha and Jarrad and their banter had a flirty overtone I couldn’t resist! Tabitha’s daughter Luna was also too cute and sassy as was her new friend Cole… The bad guy had the hair on my arm raising up with his evil stench…All around great story!
Wolf Blood by Shona Husk—This was a different take on vampires and wolves and the separating line that divides them. Discrimination and traditional versus changing ideology…interesting take.
Courting the Witch by MJ Scott
Witch Bound by Leisl Leighton
The Soldier’s Familiar by TJ Nichols-(m/m)
Salvation by Cassie Laelyn
Curse: Rose Red Retold by Demelza Carlton
This review is for Of Kisses & Wishes by Lana Pecherczyk. This novella occurs between book 2 and 3 of the Season of the Wolf trilogy, but can be read as a stand alone. Anise and Caraway first appeared in the Longing of Lone Wolves which is book 1 of the trilogy. I really liked them in that book so I’m so glad that they got their own story.
Anise is a wolf Fae who cannot shift into a wolf but has wolf ears, a dark nose, and a tail. She wants to be able to shift and not feel like a lesser Fae so is going to go see Ice Witch to bargain for the power to shift. Caraway is a Fae Guardian who is friends with Anise and has always loved her; but Guardians are discouraged from having relationships. When the order gives him a mission to get information from the Ice Witch and to follow Anise to do it, he jumps at the chance to be with her and protect her. He knows that bargains with the Ice Witch never end well.
I really enjoyed this story and highly recommend it if you like fantasy adventure romance books.
I’ve read The Rising Wave by Michelle Diener
So after the cover drew me in for The Turncoat King, I found out about this novella in this anthology so I read this first. It was so good and it sucked me in. I just hope more of the world building will get explained in the series. Michelle is a new to me author and I look forward to reading more.
No spoilers of any kind included.
I thought this anthology Warlords, Witches, and Wolves was awesome!
So many amazing authors and so many awesome stories are packed tightly into one fantastic read. But my absolute favorite was Of Kisses & Wishes by Lana Pecherczyk.
Now don’t get me wrong all the stories were fantastic but the one that Madam Pecherczyk wrote and also the one that Demelza Carlton wrote Curse: Rose Red Retold were my absolute favorites.
Anyway it’s definitely going to be a big HECK YEAH I do recommend this anthology to anyone wanting some awesome to climb into and get completely lost within the pages.
*An ARC was provided by the author, publisher or a promotional service and I have chosen to publish a fair and honest review*
This anthology had some great stories, and some not so great, but on the whole it was well worth reading:
The Rising Wave by Michelle Diener: Ava has been kept prisoner for 2 years and is planning to escape when Luc is thrown in her cell with her and she decides to take him with her. A story of magic, danger, intrigue, and romance that I didn’t want to end. There’s more to be told and I hope I get the chance to see Ava’s revenge on her captor. This was my favorite story in the anthology. 5 Stars
Of Kisses and Wishes by Lana Pecherczyk: The tale of Anise and Carraway is the story of a girl who wanted to be something other than herself, she didn’t feel like she was enough, and he liked her just the way she was. It took an adventurous journey to learn the truth. 3 Stars
The Heart and Soul of Ragnar the Red by Daniel de Lorne: DNF-I couldn’t care about the protagonist, he used everyone that he came across, then he was held captive by the man he abandoned, I just couldn’t make myself finish, especially since I don’t enjoy M/M stories. 1 Star
The Daughter’s Duty by Claire Boston: Among the warring tribes, Shuree’s dream is to convince the Khans to make peace and Dagar works with her to achieve it. And there were dragons. 4 Stars
Wolf Blood by Shona Husk: There are werewolves and wolves that can’t shift become vampires – Owen is a wolf that wants to form a new, progressive pack and Macey is a vampire that wants to leave her family pack. Even though a relationship is forbidden, they’ll find a way to be together. 5 Stars
Courting the Witch by M.J. Scott: Lieutenant Imogene Carvelle is a witch in the Imperial Mages, set on a diplomatic career until she meets Jean-Paul du Laq, heir to the Duq of San Pierre and way out of her league. Of course Jean-Paul doesn’t agree and pursues her with interesting results. I really liked this one and look forward to reading more by this author. 5 Stars
Witch Bound by Leisl Leighton: Paul Collins and Ivy McVale are fated mates. Paul mistakenly tries to change their fate with disastrous results. They work together to put things right. 3 Stars
The Soldier’s Familiar by T.J. Nichols: After Sergeant Kassidy Robinson kisses Bailey Fisher in a nightclub, they end up connected by a mating bond, and though trouble follows both of them, they work through it to their fated happiness. I don’t care for M/M, but despite that, it was a good love story. 3 Stars
Salvation by Cassie Laelyn: Mia Jones inherits her grandmother’s house and returns to Woodland Falls and Noah Cole, the shifter she met as a wolf when she was 14. Now 15 years later, he’s been waiting for her to return, since she’s his fated mate. Lots of secrets, some danger, a curse, and true love, I really enjoyed it and plan on checking out more by this author. 5 Stars
Shadowed Moon by S.E. Welsh: Witch Tabitha Lewis and daughter Luna arrive in the werewolf town of Echo, hoping to be safe from the Inquisitors that hunt witches. Jarrad Forrester is the Alpha who recognizes Tabitha as his mate and does everything he can to protect her and his new daughter. A somewhat steamy story and a bit brutal, but I loved it. 5 Stars
Curse: Rose Red Retold by Demelza Carlton: Crown Prince Boris becomes a white bear after he’s cursed and his family is killed and Rossa, an enchantress, encounters him in the woods and helps him. A lovely story that I enjoyed very much. 5 Stars
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book.
Thank you for the ARC read. I voluntarily give this book an honest review of The Heart and Soul of Ragnar the Red by Daniel De Lorne.
Ragnar had taken his men deep in the forest but tales of a Skogsrå, but what he meets is far worse than any folktale could image. For a past deed he is told everyday that his deadline was coming due because of a betrayal of love but will the new and improved Berserker Absolon really kill him? Was his selfishness going to be his undoing or would he trick his way in to getting just the thing he craved only to loss so much more? Could he win his love backOver all a great Anthology of different realms of people finding the meaning of love. Worth a thrilling little reads.
Salvation by Cassie Laelyn
Throughout mia’s life she has always felt herself under everyone elses decisions. A major decision which left mia staying with her grandmother Joan .
Where Mia has an unusual encounter with the most beautiful animal she had ever seen a wolf she named thor .
But later on in life mia encounters thor again when she comes to settle her grandmother’s estate .
She soon learns there is more to thor than she suspected her is actually the hottie bartender Noah and they are about to fulfill their fate
But this shifter romance can’t go that smoothly can it ? …
I like the cole family a lot. what a great pack
Joan is a star in her own right as well and they help Noah and Mia reconnect.
Michelle Diener’s novella is top notch fantasy
So far in this boxed set I have only read Michelle Diener’s novella “Rising Wave”, and I absolutely loved it! Just this novella makes the boxed set a must buy for all fans of epic fantasy and all fans of Michelle Diener. “The Rising Wave” is completely compelling from the first page to the last. Now I know this author is as brilliant at writing epic fantasy as she is at writing romantic space operas. The tension starts at the first page, and I was hooked for the entire novella, which was a nicely satisfying length. It ends at a nice pausing point, and I can’t wait for the next book in January, “The Turncoat King”, which will continue the story. Ava is a wonderfully intelligent and capable heroine who never gives up. She also has an unusual magical ability. Luc is an intelligent and talented warrior who respects and appreciates Ava’s strengths. The romance is light, the plot is gripping, and the sensory details transported me to that subtly magical world. There are a couple of mildly graphic love scenes. The action scenes were perfect! I love everything about this novella.
‘I want to be wanted for me. Not because I have power. Not because I have power. Not because my gift gives my pack an advantage.’
This is possibly one of the most relatable quotes from a story I have ever read, and it’s not from this world at all. It’s from Witchbound, by Leisl Leighton, part of the Warlords, Witches & Wolves anthology. The collection is more of a set of novellas than short stories so it’s great if you want something ‘more’ than a quick read but don’t have time for a full length novel. The collection contains eleven novellas full of action, and weird and wonderful beasts. Escapism is a huge part of why I read and this anthology fits the bill nicely.
I loved so many things about these stories. I especially enjoyed the quality of the writing, and the way I received such a great sampling of writers’ works, some of whom I’d not read before. This is another of the main reasons I seek out collections like this one.
There were two novellas I especially enjoyed: Witchbound has such a fast-paced story, I found myself almost panting to keep up, which fits well with the were characters. Another thing I like about this novella, is the sense of immersion. I felt immediately drawn into the world of the story, which is something only the best paranormal romance delivers. I didn’t need masses of expositional mapping or glossaries. It was easy enough to pick up the threads and I was hooked very quickly into the world of warlocks, weres and witches. The heroine is exciting and courageous, and the hero is suitably conflicted. I’ll definitely be on the lookout for the new series that follows this teaser.
The other one that really drew me in was The Rising Wave by Michelle Diener. This is the first novella in the book, and it’s an absorbing beginning. Again, the world building felt effortless to me. It was so easy to lose myself in the story.
I also enjoyed The Soldier’s Familiar, and I will be seeking out more of TJ Nichols’s work. This is an excellent read if you enjoy some military action, and a strong sense of destiny in your romance.
Ordinarily, I’d single this collection out as a perfect commuter’s read, but I’m not sure how many of us are still doing that these days. Length-wise, I found the chapters of each novella fit in well for just about anything where I was kept waiting. A quick chapter here and there, and as I’ve mentioned, such lovely escapism into so many other worlds.