TIGER MAGIC (Shifters Unbound # 5) by Jennifer Ashley-a review

Pre-Order: Amazon.com / Amazon.ca/ Barnes and Noble / The Book Depository /

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date June 4 2013

He was once a captive, but his urges were never caged. Now he’ll release them on a beautiful stranger whose own secret desires are longing to be sated…

He doesn’t have a name. He doesn’t have a clan. The humans who held him prisoner for forty years have taken them away. He knew nothing but captivity until nearly a year ago, when he was released into the light. Now Tiger lives in the Austin Shiftertown, where he struggles to belong and searches for an identity.

Carly Randal thinks her fabulous life is complete—until her car breaks down on the side of the road, and a wild-looking Shifter is the only one to help her. Tiger takes one look at Carly and knows instantly—she will be his mate. As Carly is drawn into his Shifter world, she risks everything she has for that forbidden something she still wants: passionate love.

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REVIEW: TIGER MAGIC is the fifth storyline in Jennifer Ashley’s Shifters Unbound series focusing on the animal shifters and the people they love in the Shiftertown of Austin. The premise of Shiftertown is similar to the Japanese Internment Camps of the 40s and the Native American Indian reservations of North America-animal shifters are relegated to second class citizens; tagged and collared and must remain within the confines of a pre-arranged area because of preconceived notions, stereotyping and prejudices about animal shifters and the like. Tiger Magic follows an unknown shifter known only as Tiger as he traverses a new world-one in which he was never raised and a world that wants to use and destroy the beast within the man.

Tiger is an anomaly to the world of shifters-his heritage is unknown to all but the scientists and the government who have tortured, persecuted and experimented all in the name of security, warfare and a better army. Tiger is a hunted animal, a wounded soul who wants to be left alone to live his life. But the day he stopped to help a human female with car trouble, is the day that will change his life-for better or for worse. Tiger will discover the woman is his mate but his identity and the truth about his DNA will place everyone he cares about in danger-including the woman who calls to his soul. Tiger is more beast than man and believes a little bit of magic can be found in every shifter-including himself.

Jennifer takes the reader on a journey of discovery. We watch as some of those wanting to take Tiger down will be forced to see that not every shifter is an animal, but a human with a beating heart; a mind; with the ability to love and hurt, feel sorrow and pain, and experience the loss of a loved one. But not everyone is willing to accept the human side of the beast. There are those still willing to cull the pack, round up the rogues, and control the shifters with every available method.

Tiger and Carly’s attraction is immediate. Reeling from betrayal, Carly will discover that Tiger is unlike any man she has ever encountered especially when he can shift into a larger than life tiger that is willing to defend and protect her at all costs-and it will cost Tiger plenty. Tiger has been created for one purpose and that purpose will show itself time and again. But those who know Tiger are still fearful of the beast, and it will take a small human female to show the shifters of Austin that the beast has been tamed by the ‘mate of his heart’.

TIGER MAGIC is a fascinating look at shifters and their lives. Jennifer keeps the series cohesive and up to date by including many of the previous storyline characters allowing for a smooth jump from one book to the next. The reader never has to wonder what happened to..? The colorful and imaginary characters of Shiftertown are as real and human as any man or woman; they love and hate; cry and laugh; feel pain and pleasure; and most of all will pull you into the story with their heartbreaking tales of discrimination because they are different – different makes things interesting and Jennifer weaves an interesting and wonderful series for everyone to enjoy.

Copy supplied by the publisher through Netgalley

Reviewed by Sandy

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Lone Wolf (Shifters Unbound #4.5) by Jennifer Ashley-a review

LONE WOLF (Shifter’s Unbound #4.5) by Jennifer Ashley

Order:  Amazon.com / Amazon.ca/ Barnes and Noble/ KOBO

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date April 16, 2013

Ellison Rowe, a Lupine Shifter, makes it his goal to protect Maria, once held captive by ferals, from male Shifters looking for mates. He likes Maria’s resilience and fire, but she’s been broken, and Ellison wants more than anything to heal her. When a new danger threatens Shiftertown’s cubs, Maria partners with Ellison to stop a cold-blooded criminal.

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Review: LONE WOLF is the latest novella (150 pages) in Jennifer Ashley’s Shifter’s Unbound series focusing on the shifters of Shiftertown, Austin Texas. The storyline focus is on wolf shifter Ellison Rowe and the mate of his heart Maria, the young woman rescued in Wild Cat where she was held captive by a feral pack of shifters.

Ellison has always been protective of Maria and knew she would one day be his mate, but her history with the feral shifters meant Maria was off limits to everyone. There would be more than one male vying for Maria’s attention and Ellison knew he had to step up his game before another male claimed mate status and he lost Maria forever.

Maria is well aware of Shifter rules and knew that she could refuse a mate claim. Wanting to go back to university, Maria sets her sights on an education but when the younger shifters are targeted from the human population, Maria will have to put her future on hold, when the Shifters must hunt down the people responsible. For all of the trauma she has suffered in the past, Maria is a strong, independent woman who knows what she wants and saving the cubs of Shiftertown has moved to the top of her list.

LONE WOLF is a well-written, wonderful short story that finds another Shifter mated and a continuous uneasy alliance between the human population of Austin and the Shifters of Shiftertown. The relationship between Ellison and Maria growls steadily, as both have been drawn to each other for several storylines. Lone Wolf is the culmination of one woman’s healing at the hands of her intended mate. Jennifer Ashley brings together many of the previous storyline characters to add a familiar feel to each and every installment in the Shifters Unbound series.

READING ORDER
0.5. Shifter Made (April 2011)
1. Pride Mates (January 2010)
2. Primal Bonds (March 2011)
2.5 Body Guard (December 2011)
3. Wild Cat (January 2012)
3.5 Hard Mated (August 2012)
4. Mate Claimed (October 2012)
4.5 Lone Wolf (April 2013)
5. Tiger Magic (May 2013)
6. Wild Wolf (2014)

Reviewed by Sandy