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A review by mousegoddess
Alpha Shifters After Dark by Angelica Dawson, Phoenix Johnson, M. Corchis, Lori King, Amber Ella Monroe, Rachael Slate, Kiki Howell, Gina Kincade, Ann Gimpel, Crystal Dawn, Ariana Hawkes, Anna Lowe, Cara Wylde
2.0
this is going to have to be a review as I go. two stories in told me this set needed better editing, but I'm going to try and not judge the authors on that one.
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Alrighty, I'll be kind and put my overall review here so it's easy to find. This box set was poorly edited with mediocre stories except for a few shining examples. Sexual assault is treated like it's nothing in a couple of them. The lack of editing isn't just annoying, it's confusing and downright painful at times. I would not recommend it.
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1st story- Strangers in the Night by Anna Lowe - solid 3 star read -clearly part of a series but enjoyed it nonetheless. love established couples and anxious fathers to be.
2nd- Carpathian Wolf by Cara Wylde-2.5 stars imo - So I found a lot about this world that roused my curiosity but the story itself was just okay. However the whole secret societies thing is a weakness of mine so I'll probably read more in this universe.
3rd-Once Bitten Twice Shy by Phoenix Jones-1 star...maybe -20 stars-look, maybe I'd like the first book but this is a big old pile of nope for me.I don't like when rape is used as a minor plot point and then completely bypassed in the story. Even if you're going to say "It's only rape if the rapist is doing the penetrating!" it was STILL SEXUAL ASSAULT. His ex started having sex with him in his sleep after he EXPLICITLY turned her down. THAT IS NOT OKAY. And then it's just treated like a woman being manipulative and desperate. NO. IT IS NOT OKAY. It doesn't matter WHAT the gender of the victim is IT IS NOT OKAY. I feel like I need to take a shower, and not in a fun way. I don't even know how I feel about the rest of the story because I am THAT offended. Fuck.
4th-Nixed by Lori King - 2 stars - it was barely an appetizer, but nicely seasoned.
5th- Secret Desire by Crystal Dawn - 1 star - *eyeroll*
6th- Mystical Mayhem by Kiki Howell- 2 stars? maybe? - Why have an indigenous character (who has what seems to be a popular fake indigenous name for authors who don't do their research) if you're going to have her practicing western "magick"? I have issues with authors practicing tokenism. I can't decide if using new age witchcraft and acting like it's traditional is better or worse than playing up stereotypes. Then there are bits where I can't tell if it's horrible writing or poor editing/formatting. THEN there's the random complete recap of another couple's romance that was BEYOND pointless. The only thing that kept this from being a one star is that I found the world building vaguely interesting.
7th- Matching Dragons by Rachael Slate - 4 stars - I'm not an instalove fan but it was written into the worldbuilding so I can deal. intrigue, evil, insanity, sex, magic, dragons, yes. Less appropriative than some stuff I've had the misfortune to read lately.
8th- Rebel Howl by M Corchis- negative 9000 - This one starts with the "hero" leaving a woman crying and feeling violated. Specifically saying she tried to get away in the narrative. But he blows it off because it started consensual and he gave her orgasms. I think there's a word for that, what could it be...
9th- Woman's Best Friend by Angelica Dawson - 4 stars - This one gets four stars for doing something I have not seen executed in such a way before.
10th- Once Bitten Twice Smitten by Ariana Hawkes - 3 stars - I know I wasn't gonna comment on editing but this one was basically error free which earns it an extra star. story was okay, nothing extraordinary, but I liked the spin on mates the author did.
11th- Gabrielle's Cauldron by Ann Gimpel-4 stars - Ooooh I like this world building. Story has whetted my appetite to read a series based in this.
12th - Shifter Unleashed by Amber Ella Monroe - 2 stars - Um...when a story told in the third person intermittently switches to first person during sex it's a bit jarring.
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Alrighty, I'll be kind and put my overall review here so it's easy to find. This box set was poorly edited with mediocre stories except for a few shining examples. Sexual assault is treated like it's nothing in a couple of them. The lack of editing isn't just annoying, it's confusing and downright painful at times. I would not recommend it.
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1st story- Strangers in the Night by Anna Lowe - solid 3 star read -clearly part of a series but enjoyed it nonetheless. love established couples and anxious fathers to be.
2nd- Carpathian Wolf by Cara Wylde-2.5 stars imo - So I found a lot about this world that roused my curiosity but the story itself was just okay. However the whole secret societies thing is a weakness of mine so I'll probably read more in this universe.
3rd-Once Bitten Twice Shy by Phoenix Jones-1 star...maybe -20 stars-look, maybe I'd like the first book but this is a big old pile of nope for me.
4th-Nixed by Lori King - 2 stars - it was barely an appetizer, but nicely seasoned.
5th- Secret Desire by Crystal Dawn - 1 star - *eyeroll*
6th- Mystical Mayhem by Kiki Howell- 2 stars? maybe? - Why have an indigenous character (who has what seems to be a popular fake indigenous name for authors who don't do their research) if you're going to have her practicing western "magick"? I have issues with authors practicing tokenism. I can't decide if using new age witchcraft and acting like it's traditional is better or worse than playing up stereotypes. Then there are bits where I can't tell if it's horrible writing or poor editing/formatting. THEN there's the random complete recap of another couple's romance that was BEYOND pointless. The only thing that kept this from being a one star is that I found the world building vaguely interesting.
7th- Matching Dragons by Rachael Slate - 4 stars - I'm not an instalove fan but it was written into the worldbuilding so I can deal. intrigue, evil, insanity, sex, magic, dragons, yes. Less appropriative than some stuff I've had the misfortune to read lately.
8th- Rebel Howl by M Corchis- negative 9000 - This one starts with the "hero" leaving a woman crying and feeling violated. Specifically saying she tried to get away in the narrative. But he blows it off because it started consensual and he gave her orgasms. I think there's a word for that, what could it be...
9th- Woman's Best Friend by Angelica Dawson - 4 stars - This one gets four stars for doing something I have not seen executed in such a way before.
10th- Once Bitten Twice Smitten by Ariana Hawkes - 3 stars - I know I wasn't gonna comment on editing but this one was basically error free which earns it an extra star. story was okay, nothing extraordinary, but I liked the spin on mates the author did.
11th- Gabrielle's Cauldron by Ann Gimpel-4 stars - Ooooh I like this world building. Story has whetted my appetite to read a series based in this.
12th - Shifter Unleashed by Amber Ella Monroe - 2 stars - Um...when a story told in the third person intermittently switches to first person during sex it's a bit jarring.