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Changing Moon #1
The Pauper Prince
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Lance Fitz is an orphan, lost in the foster care system. He’s a survivor and tough as nails. Attacked and beaten, his attacker is murdered. Lance, with blood on his hands and a broken spirit, flees to the solitude of the peaceful pine forest of the Black Hills of South Dakota.
Andrew Reed, a handsome shape shifter discovers a man in his barn loading a duffel bag with supplies. Before he can ask questions, the young man spots him and runs. Andrew chases after him. What he discovers at the end of a fast paced run through the woods astounds them both.
Can Andrew help Lance heal enough to trust him? Can he convince Lance to stay before he runs out of Andrew’s life, forever beyond his reach and the slavery that has him bound to the land and vampires?
Lance Fitz is an orphan, lost in the foster care system. He’s a survivor and tough as nails. Attacked and beaten, his attacker is murdered. Lance, with blood on his hands and a broken spirit, flees to the solitude of the peaceful pine forest of the Black Hills of South Dakota.
Andrew Reed, a handsome shape shifter discovers a man in his barn loading a duffel bag with supplies. Before he can ask questions, the young man spots him and runs. Andrew chases after him. What he discovers at the end of a fast paced run through the woods astounds them both.
Can Andrew help Lance heal enough to trust him? Can he convince Lance to stay before he runs out of Andrew’s life, forever beyond his reach and the slavery that has him bound to the land and vampires?
197 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 3, 2012
6 people are currently reading
363 people want to read
About the author
Sui Lynn
16 books121 followersSui Lynn is a born and raised mid-western gal. She loves Rock ‘n Roll but can get a little bit country too. She has been writing for as long as she can remember and is always found with a book or pencil and paper in hand. She has 2 Cocker Spaniels who are the comic relief in her life. She loves orange soda, Dr Who and her computer, all of which she could not function without.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 66 reviews
August 3, 2016
A bit too cheesy for my tastes. When characters start calling each other "my love" nearly every time they address each other and describe the other as the air they breathe and the holder of their heart, it starts getting into the twinkly eyeroll-grimace zone.
Also, -rant start-
I don't think I can handle another facepalm if I have to read yet another shifter story with yet another funky shifter word for 'beloved'. Seriously, someone should write a story with a funky shifter word for 'beloved' that is totally insulting in English. Even better, since I'm assuming totally smitten alpha knows English and therefore understands he can't call his mate 'azzwipe' or something of the sort, have them call each other totally beautiful sounding funky shifter nicknames that mean for example, 'sexy beast' or whatever. Beloved is way overused!
-rant end-
Also, -rant start-
I don't think I can handle another facepalm if I have to read yet another shifter story with yet another funky shifter word for 'beloved'. Seriously, someone should write a story with a funky shifter word for 'beloved' that is totally insulting in English. Even better, since I'm assuming totally smitten alpha knows English and therefore understands he can't call his mate 'azzwipe' or something of the sort, have them call each other totally beautiful sounding funky shifter nicknames that mean for example, 'sexy beast' or whatever. Beloved is way overused!
-rant end-
August 6, 2013
A Hearts On Fire Review
TWO STARS--To set the mood, let's cue the melodrama and 1000 violins. The angst should be worn like heavy perfume. Are you there yet?
Good.
Sui Lynn's "The Pauper Prince" is book #1 in the Changing Moon series. It's told in 1st POV (which usually works for me) from the barely legal, Lance Fitz. He just turned 18 and on the run, has had a crap life (rape/abuse which happened off scene) and living like a drifter of sorts. Set in Black Hills, South Dakota, Lance "borrows" some tools for his woodshed and gets caught by the future love of his life, Andrew. While running, Lance has his very first shift into his wolf. From then, his life changes for the different.
The story was liquefied sugar and flat. And truthfully, if Lance developed a case of turning into a female mid-story, I would not have bat an eye lash. He and Andrew had no chemistry. The shifter/vampire world created was interesting enough but this is supposed to be a romance so it's a FAIL.
Problems with story:
- The glossing over key points - Lance first change into a wolf, he readily accepts the change and wolf's nature. A missed opportunity -he was flat and so easily placated. We get more detail on making elk bone jewelry and pottery...too much filler and not enough substance. Another Lance states he did not know where he came from or his history since he's been bounced from foster home to foster home his entire life, Andrew's family miraculously finds Lance's records (with no problem) tells Lance and he's only worried about his love for Andrew? Are you kidding me? Shame on me for expecting some exploration from Lance since it's his story.
-Telling and not enough showing - Back to missed opportunities, I did not care for the writing style. Since Lance is a virgin to the shifter world, I did not get a sense of newness to his experiences. Everyone just tells him what to feel and he rolls over and takes it. (pun intended) Lance was pretty one dimensional, actually all of the characters. Usually, you could get a sense of different personalities with different characters but to me they were all a version of the same person. Lance just falls for a 77 year old, experienced shifter (Don't worry Andrew looks like he is in his twenties) and not try to become his own person? What I also did not like is Andrew and everyone else immersed in the culture sharing their expertise too little too late (Mating in the shifter world is a big deal, Andrew asks Lance to do this and doesn't explain the importance until later)
-The sugar mine that is Lance and Andrew's...love - It's beat over the head and too much. Lance can't stand anyone else, he's not trusting and can't stand to be touched. But he gets over it quickly for his "love". And the two nauseatingly declare each others love from 24% on! Then they asked each other a lot of "Do you love me?" If they are so insecure...maybe they should have never been together in the first place?
- Lance being told he is considered the "woman" in the relationship - since shifters are a matriarchal society and Lance gave Andrew a gift thus putting him in the female role. Why does he have to be a female? If I wanted to read MF, I would. I just did not care for this.
- The explanation given as to how the rape victim's feeling of being attack should take it. I'm not delving into it because it was just an issue for me. Others might not be bothered by it but I had to put the book down. And I'm not continuing with the series, so I won't harp on it.
The one thing that was interesting was the historical-ish tie in to the shifter history. Hint: Henry VIII I'm a fan of history, I thought it cool and would have loved to read about more of that and less on Lance and the melodrama.
In summary: Barely legal boy is on the run, he borrows tools, gets caught and falls in insta-love, no chemistry, *yawn* sugar sprinkles, "my love"/ "my mate"/"I love you"/"my life" was uttered too many times to count (could have been 100 or more but I'm not counting), sticky syrup splattered some more, shifters, MANTEARS, *yawn*, both men questioning their love a lot after declarations are made at 24% (imagine the other 76%, yikes), sugar cubes, MANTEARS, yawn-worthy sex in the last 10%, then it ends with "The Beginning".
Not for me, that's for sure. I bid you a good day.
I actually have a favorite quote that I think sums this story quite well:
"Too much sugar."
Indeed.
Less unnecessary filler and sugar could have made it work, this might have been better as a short story. *turns off violins*
TWO STARS--To set the mood, let's cue the melodrama and 1000 violins. The angst should be worn like heavy perfume. Are you there yet?
Good.
Sui Lynn's "The Pauper Prince" is book #1 in the Changing Moon series. It's told in 1st POV (which usually works for me) from the barely legal, Lance Fitz. He just turned 18 and on the run, has had a crap life (rape/abuse which happened off scene) and living like a drifter of sorts. Set in Black Hills, South Dakota, Lance "borrows" some tools for his woodshed and gets caught by the future love of his life, Andrew. While running, Lance has his very first shift into his wolf. From then, his life changes for the different.
The story was liquefied sugar and flat. And truthfully, if Lance developed a case of turning into a female mid-story, I would not have bat an eye lash. He and Andrew had no chemistry. The shifter/vampire world created was interesting enough but this is supposed to be a romance so it's a FAIL.
Problems with story:
- The glossing over key points - Lance first change into a wolf, he readily accepts the change and wolf's nature. A missed opportunity -he was flat and so easily placated. We get more detail on making elk bone jewelry and pottery...too much filler and not enough substance. Another Lance states he did not know where he came from or his history since he's been bounced from foster home to foster home his entire life, Andrew's family miraculously finds Lance's records (with no problem) tells Lance and he's only worried about his love for Andrew? Are you kidding me? Shame on me for expecting some exploration from Lance since it's his story.
-Telling and not enough showing - Back to missed opportunities, I did not care for the writing style. Since Lance is a virgin to the shifter world, I did not get a sense of newness to his experiences. Everyone just tells him what to feel and he rolls over and takes it. (pun intended) Lance was pretty one dimensional, actually all of the characters. Usually, you could get a sense of different personalities with different characters but to me they were all a version of the same person. Lance just falls for a 77 year old, experienced shifter (Don't worry Andrew looks like he is in his twenties) and not try to become his own person? What I also did not like is Andrew and everyone else immersed in the culture sharing their expertise too little too late (Mating in the shifter world is a big deal, Andrew asks Lance to do this and doesn't explain the importance until later)
-The sugar mine that is Lance and Andrew's...love - It's beat over the head and too much. Lance can't stand anyone else, he's not trusting and can't stand to be touched. But he gets over it quickly for his "love". And the two nauseatingly declare each others love from 24% on! Then they asked each other a lot of "Do you love me?" If they are so insecure...maybe they should have never been together in the first place?
- Lance being told he is considered the "woman" in the relationship - since shifters are a matriarchal society and Lance gave Andrew a gift thus putting him in the female role. Why does he have to be a female? If I wanted to read MF, I would. I just did not care for this.
- The explanation given as to how the rape victim's feeling of being attack should take it. I'm not delving into it because it was just an issue for me. Others might not be bothered by it but I had to put the book down. And I'm not continuing with the series, so I won't harp on it.
The one thing that was interesting was the historical-ish tie in to the shifter history. Hint: Henry VIII I'm a fan of history, I thought it cool and would have loved to read about more of that and less on Lance and the melodrama.
In summary: Barely legal boy is on the run, he borrows tools, gets caught and falls in insta-love, no chemistry, *yawn* sugar sprinkles, "my love"/ "my mate"/"I love you"/"my life" was uttered too many times to count (could have been 100 or more but I'm not counting), sticky syrup splattered some more, shifters, MANTEARS, *yawn*, both men questioning their love a lot after declarations are made at 24% (imagine the other 76%, yikes), sugar cubes, MANTEARS, yawn-worthy sex in the last 10%, then it ends with "The Beginning".
Not for me, that's for sure. I bid you a good day.
I actually have a favorite quote that I think sums this story quite well:
"Too much sugar."
Indeed.
Less unnecessary filler and sugar could have made it work, this might have been better as a short story. *turns off violins*
July 9, 2013
What do I say about this book, that it was a pleasant surprise, a diamond in the rough, a slow start with a great finish.
I am going to say D, all of the above.
This book started off like a gormless teenager, with abrupt sentences, grammatical errors, and a lot of telling not showing. I was thinking I made a mistake in buying a book this expensive for the quality of editing and thought of returning it.
I am SO glad I didn’t, the ending made up for the rough start, and I have the bags under my eyes to prove it. This book kept me up till midnight proving me wrong on more than one of my assumptions and thank the Sparkle Magic Fairy Princess Unicorn for that.
I really enjoyed the mythos in this book, it was more native shape shifter or skin walker than Werewolf in London and the vampires had a different twist. In this book there were two kinds of vampires, there were the royals that could breed like humans and have children. Drones the second kind of vampire are humans bitten by a royal vampire where venom is introduced to the bloodstream and transformation occurs. The shape shifters were along the same theme, where the pure bloods could shape shift into multiple animals, but over the years with interbreeding with humans a lot of the were population can only shift into one animal.
Now with this in mind, and even though I liked the mythos I got this dread, the overwhelming fear of I could see the future of this book.
Praying to the SMFPU that this was not the case and hoping the author would prove me wrong in my assumptions I kept reading even though it was a work night. Oh, and she did and then some...the ending...there is an epiphany and its beautiful!
I cant wait for the next book in the series to see were Lance and Andrew's story goes.
I am going to say D, all of the above.
This book started off like a gormless teenager, with abrupt sentences, grammatical errors, and a lot of telling not showing. I was thinking I made a mistake in buying a book this expensive for the quality of editing and thought of returning it.
I am SO glad I didn’t, the ending made up for the rough start, and I have the bags under my eyes to prove it. This book kept me up till midnight proving me wrong on more than one of my assumptions and thank the Sparkle Magic Fairy Princess Unicorn for that.
I really enjoyed the mythos in this book, it was more native shape shifter or skin walker than Werewolf in London and the vampires had a different twist. In this book there were two kinds of vampires, there were the royals that could breed like humans and have children. Drones the second kind of vampire are humans bitten by a royal vampire where venom is introduced to the bloodstream and transformation occurs. The shape shifters were along the same theme, where the pure bloods could shape shift into multiple animals, but over the years with interbreeding with humans a lot of the were population can only shift into one animal.
Now with this in mind, and even though I liked the mythos I got this dread, the overwhelming fear of I could see the future of this book.
Praying to the SMFPU that this was not the case and hoping the author would prove me wrong in my assumptions I kept reading even though it was a work night. Oh, and she did and then some...the ending...there is an epiphany and its beautiful!
I cant wait for the next book in the series to see were Lance and Andrew's story goes.
April 20, 2012
I found this book a big surprise. It's one of those stories that sneaks up on you and won't let you put it down.
I enjoyed the story a lot. I enjoyed the way the characters - Lance and Andrew - took the time to actually know each other before their declarations of 'mate' and 'love' came into play. I love the fact Lance is emotionally and physically damaged from his life as an orphan. I also liked how Andrew was willing to be patient with Lance. I found it sweet.
The beginning of this book was great. I loved the slowly developing relationship between Lance and Andrew. Since Lance doesn't trust easily, I liked seeing Andrew work for Lance's trust. That is essentially what the story revolves around. Lance finding out about himself, his nature, being a shifter, learning to trust people again and building a home. I found the book very engaging. I like the characters and this slightly different take on vampires and shifters as well as the world they inhabit.
While I enjoyed the beginning immensely, the second half of the book became a bit too much for me. The story was very cute but once Lance and Andrew admitted their feelings for each other, the story was overridden with declarations of love and commitment. Overuses of 'I love you', 'my mate', 'my love' I got frustrated and annoyed with it. It was too lovey dovey for me. I was also confused in the beginning. I couldn't figure out whether Lance was just turning or already an experienced shifter because of the way the sentences were worded made it sound like he's done it before. In addition, the ending felt too rush. It was like Lance took a 180 turn from being so timid and scared to being overly confident and bold within a few paragraphs. It was odd and felt off.
In the end, the story was very good. I liked it a lot. While I had some issues, I still enjoyed it enough to the point I didn't want to put the book down. It was cute and slow in the beginning while a bit mushy in the end but still ended up being surprising. I look forward to seeing where this series goes because Lance definitely has an important mission in his future!
I enjoyed the story a lot. I enjoyed the way the characters - Lance and Andrew - took the time to actually know each other before their declarations of 'mate' and 'love' came into play. I love the fact Lance is emotionally and physically damaged from his life as an orphan. I also liked how Andrew was willing to be patient with Lance. I found it sweet.
The beginning of this book was great. I loved the slowly developing relationship between Lance and Andrew. Since Lance doesn't trust easily, I liked seeing Andrew work for Lance's trust. That is essentially what the story revolves around. Lance finding out about himself, his nature, being a shifter, learning to trust people again and building a home. I found the book very engaging. I like the characters and this slightly different take on vampires and shifters as well as the world they inhabit.
While I enjoyed the beginning immensely, the second half of the book became a bit too much for me. The story was very cute but once Lance and Andrew admitted their feelings for each other, the story was overridden with declarations of love and commitment. Overuses of 'I love you', 'my mate', 'my love' I got frustrated and annoyed with it. It was too lovey dovey for me. I was also confused in the beginning. I couldn't figure out whether Lance was just turning or already an experienced shifter because of the way the sentences were worded made it sound like he's done it before. In addition, the ending felt too rush. It was like Lance took a 180 turn from being so timid and scared to being overly confident and bold within a few paragraphs. It was odd and felt off.
In the end, the story was very good. I liked it a lot. While I had some issues, I still enjoyed it enough to the point I didn't want to put the book down. It was cute and slow in the beginning while a bit mushy in the end but still ended up being surprising. I look forward to seeing where this series goes because Lance definitely has an important mission in his future!
March 15, 2012
2.5 stars.
An average to good M/M shifter romance, with an interesting take on the relationship between vampires and shifters, yet it doesn't quite gel for me.
Lance, just turned 18, is on the run from the foster system and the law. Andrew, a shifter living on his family's farm, finds Lance in the barn one day, 'borrowing' tools and supplies. Startled, Lance flees, with Andrew giving chase, but desperation gives Lance the speed to escape his pursuer, or so he thinks.
Thus begins the story, all told from Lance's POV. The discovery of what he actually is and a case of insta-love/mating bond, helps Lance to heal from his traumatic past, while Andrew rediscovers a freedom he was resigned to losing.
I liked the basis for the plot, but I found myself pretty distanced from the characters, due to, I suspect, the author telling me what was happening, rather than showing me. Reading what probably should have been an angst-ridden story, I found myself untouched by Lance's horrible past, and then more than a bit disbelieving of how the problems arising were so easily overcome. Then to top things off, it becomes very obvious that this is merely the beginning of a series, as several plot threads remain unfinished by the end.
I really would have liked to rated this higher, as I love a well-written shifter story, and while this one has/had the potential for more based on the plot, it doesn't quite make the grade for me.
An average to good M/M shifter romance, with an interesting take on the relationship between vampires and shifters, yet it doesn't quite gel for me.
Lance, just turned 18, is on the run from the foster system and the law. Andrew, a shifter living on his family's farm, finds Lance in the barn one day, 'borrowing' tools and supplies. Startled, Lance flees, with Andrew giving chase, but desperation gives Lance the speed to escape his pursuer, or so he thinks.
Thus begins the story, all told from Lance's POV. The discovery of what he actually is and a case of insta-love/mating bond, helps Lance to heal from his traumatic past, while Andrew rediscovers a freedom he was resigned to losing.
I liked the basis for the plot, but I found myself pretty distanced from the characters, due to, I suspect, the author telling me what was happening, rather than showing me. Reading what probably should have been an angst-ridden story, I found myself untouched by Lance's horrible past, and then more than a bit disbelieving of how the problems arising were so easily overcome. Then to top things off, it becomes very obvious that this is merely the beginning of a series, as several plot threads remain unfinished by the end.
I really would have liked to rated this higher, as I love a well-written shifter story, and while this one has/had the potential for more based on the plot, it doesn't quite make the grade for me.
February 6, 2012
3 stars. First book in the series, so it's setting up the characters and paranormal aspect of the world. Lots of questions left open at the ending.
March 5, 2012
Rating: 2.5
The writing was competent. Where it fell short was the lack of world building, as well as the lack of relationship building. I never felt that the two characters connected in a tangible way, in a world I could believe. That would have earned it a 3.
What knocked it down into the 2 category is that it ENDED WITHOUT A RESOLUTION. Then I felt cheated for purchasing a half-written book.
The writing was competent. Where it fell short was the lack of world building, as well as the lack of relationship building. I never felt that the two characters connected in a tangible way, in a world I could believe. That would have earned it a 3.
What knocked it down into the 2 category is that it ENDED WITHOUT A RESOLUTION. Then I felt cheated for purchasing a half-written book.
October 20, 2013
2.5 stars
Creating a paranormal race in the real world setting is tricky--creating more than one race is daunting. Sui Lynn's novel, The Pauper Prince sets out to do just that, establish two races, shape shifters (most commonly wolves) and vampires and tell the story of their history from their beginning on the earth. If that was not juggling enough, the author also attempts to pull into her story a thread of child abuse, life in foster homes, and a young man on the run from the nightmare his life had become. Whew--this was a loaded story.
Lance Fitz was eighteen, homeless, on the run from a horrifically abusive foster life and about to attempt to live out the next few months in an abandoned, ramshackle cabin on the edge of a farming property at the foot of the mountains. He gets caught stealing tools and supplies from the Reed family farm by their oldest son, Andrew. Along the way, as Andrew pursues Lance into the woods, a terrified Lance transforms into a wolf and his life changes irrevocably.
Andrew comes from a long line of shifters and recognizes that their is something unique about Lance. Before he knows it, his inner wolf is claiming Lance as his own--as his mate and cannot envision a future spent without him. However, convincing poor Lance that he is not only a wolf, but safe with Andrew is a huge task, particularly when Lance finds out that Andrew is forever bound, in essence, a slave to the vampire, Stephon. As the story goes on, Andrew recounts how the war between the race of vampires and sifters nearly annihilated his race and, in order, to "help" the shifters make wise choices and preserve their bloodlines, the vampires set themselves up as their overlords.
Thus begins the journey to finding out who Lance is, how he became a wolf without a pack, and why he seems to be able to shift into multiple forms without any danger of remaining locked in his animal form.
The Pauper Prince not only sets up an alternate reality but is the first in what appears to be an ongoing series for author Sui Lynn. I think that is where the problems for this little story began. There was, simply put, a huge information dump in this first novel for the series. Many, many characters were introduce, their backstories touched upon and, as a result, many tiny mysteries left unsolved, presumably kept in the dark for subsequent novels. Unfortunately, because there was so many side stories hinted at, the original story became muddied and, at times, it made the reading of this novel labor intensive.
Coupled with this problem was the love story that built between Andrew and Lance. Initially, Lance's wolf is submissive to Andrew, recognizing him as his alpha. As the story goes on, it is revealed that the shifter race is a matriarchal society--in other words, girls rule! By giving Andrew a gift of his own making, Lance becomes the more dominant one in the relationship, the wife, so to speak. But he is also wounded beyond belief, having been abused horribly by another man, and unable to barely allow anyone beyond Andrew to even touch him. I was so confused as this point. How could this slip of a man who was haunted by such fears that he regularly had panic attacks that caused him to phase into a catatonic state be the more dominant partner?
Then there was the sex, or lack there of, due to his recurring nightmares abut being forced. I just couldn't buy into this major plot point. I couldn't seem to make the leap that the author asked us to make in considering that Lance not only magically get beyond his past and be comfortable, but in fact, be the aggressor in the sex act that needed to happen to consummate his and Andrew's mating, I understood that his inner wolf gave him courage but he was so damaged initially and his remarkable recovery seemed too fast, to neat and way to predictable.
All in all, I felt that the author had set up a really good premise for a story but then let her imagination run wild and began stringing along too many plot points in order to set up her upcoming series. This was a good novel made weak by too little restraint. I felt as though the author was on a mission to set up the entire series in her first book, rather than taking her time to reveal bits and pieces over the course of many installments. On top of that, she need to make this couple a super strong and stable pairing for the series to continue. Had there been just a bit less "world building" and more attention to the main coupling of Andrew and Lance I feel this would have been a much stronger novel.
I will be interested to see what happens in the next book and how much this author is able to reign herself in. I feel Sui Lynn had the makings of a solid novel in The Pauper Prince and if she can find it within herself to edit and maintain focus I think the next novel will have quite a few more stars behind its rating marker.
Creating a paranormal race in the real world setting is tricky--creating more than one race is daunting. Sui Lynn's novel, The Pauper Prince sets out to do just that, establish two races, shape shifters (most commonly wolves) and vampires and tell the story of their history from their beginning on the earth. If that was not juggling enough, the author also attempts to pull into her story a thread of child abuse, life in foster homes, and a young man on the run from the nightmare his life had become. Whew--this was a loaded story.
Lance Fitz was eighteen, homeless, on the run from a horrifically abusive foster life and about to attempt to live out the next few months in an abandoned, ramshackle cabin on the edge of a farming property at the foot of the mountains. He gets caught stealing tools and supplies from the Reed family farm by their oldest son, Andrew. Along the way, as Andrew pursues Lance into the woods, a terrified Lance transforms into a wolf and his life changes irrevocably.
Andrew comes from a long line of shifters and recognizes that their is something unique about Lance. Before he knows it, his inner wolf is claiming Lance as his own--as his mate and cannot envision a future spent without him. However, convincing poor Lance that he is not only a wolf, but safe with Andrew is a huge task, particularly when Lance finds out that Andrew is forever bound, in essence, a slave to the vampire, Stephon. As the story goes on, Andrew recounts how the war between the race of vampires and sifters nearly annihilated his race and, in order, to "help" the shifters make wise choices and preserve their bloodlines, the vampires set themselves up as their overlords.
Thus begins the journey to finding out who Lance is, how he became a wolf without a pack, and why he seems to be able to shift into multiple forms without any danger of remaining locked in his animal form.
The Pauper Prince not only sets up an alternate reality but is the first in what appears to be an ongoing series for author Sui Lynn. I think that is where the problems for this little story began. There was, simply put, a huge information dump in this first novel for the series. Many, many characters were introduce, their backstories touched upon and, as a result, many tiny mysteries left unsolved, presumably kept in the dark for subsequent novels. Unfortunately, because there was so many side stories hinted at, the original story became muddied and, at times, it made the reading of this novel labor intensive.
Coupled with this problem was the love story that built between Andrew and Lance. Initially, Lance's wolf is submissive to Andrew, recognizing him as his alpha. As the story goes on, it is revealed that the shifter race is a matriarchal society--in other words, girls rule! By giving Andrew a gift of his own making, Lance becomes the more dominant one in the relationship, the wife, so to speak. But he is also wounded beyond belief, having been abused horribly by another man, and unable to barely allow anyone beyond Andrew to even touch him. I was so confused as this point. How could this slip of a man who was haunted by such fears that he regularly had panic attacks that caused him to phase into a catatonic state be the more dominant partner?
Then there was the sex, or lack there of, due to his recurring nightmares abut being forced. I just couldn't buy into this major plot point. I couldn't seem to make the leap that the author asked us to make in considering that Lance not only magically get beyond his past and be comfortable, but in fact, be the aggressor in the sex act that needed to happen to consummate his and Andrew's mating, I understood that his inner wolf gave him courage but he was so damaged initially and his remarkable recovery seemed too fast, to neat and way to predictable.
All in all, I felt that the author had set up a really good premise for a story but then let her imagination run wild and began stringing along too many plot points in order to set up her upcoming series. This was a good novel made weak by too little restraint. I felt as though the author was on a mission to set up the entire series in her first book, rather than taking her time to reveal bits and pieces over the course of many installments. On top of that, she need to make this couple a super strong and stable pairing for the series to continue. Had there been just a bit less "world building" and more attention to the main coupling of Andrew and Lance I feel this would have been a much stronger novel.
I will be interested to see what happens in the next book and how much this author is able to reign herself in. I feel Sui Lynn had the makings of a solid novel in The Pauper Prince and if she can find it within herself to edit and maintain focus I think the next novel will have quite a few more stars behind its rating marker.
June 20, 2013
I don't get it. This thing would have comma errors, among them comma splices, and run-ons, then turn around and demonstrate correct usage of semi-colons.
It's got heart-warming parts, and then it's got awkward word-vomit/info-dump parts. Wtf, man.
It gets a bit melodramatic later...histrionic.
I mean, it settles after a couple of dissonant moments.
It's weird that Lance refers to the wolf as a separate entity.
COMMA SPLICES. ASEJFASLKD;FJ2SLKFBADS4JKGNQWEJLKB3DMSNCA.DSKFNDS=6AJFNAKJDSHFBDJK
Gah. There are even numbers in that jumble.
And a run-on.
ME-lo-drama. ME-lo-drama. melodrama. melodrama. Melodaaaaa-aaa-ma. (Imagine that to the tune of Handel's Hallelujah Chorus).
Jack and Jill - I mean Joe - seem rather caricature-y at times.
And another thing...
YAY! Rainbow-colored wolves! Because those aren't obvious at all. Well, at least there's no blue wolf this time, right?
Did I mention the commas? Commas are needed to offset appellations.
"I will love you for forever."
...
Go back to school. Oh, wait. These magical beings couldn't go to school.
Okay, nvmd then.
OH WAIT A MINUTE DIDN'T THAT ANDREW GUY YEAH HE DID DIDN'T HE HE DID OMG SO HE CAN GO BACK TO SCHOOL
Yeah. Because punctuation is for losers.
And this is kind of a personal thing, but I've always thought "have" contractions are weird when "have" is used as a possessive verb (I have a coat --> I've a coat) as opposed to when it's used as an auxilary verb (I've thought, from previously in this sentence).
I tried saying it out loud a couple of times and I notice I do kind of run the words together. It's like a half-contraction. Actually, more commonly is "I've got a coat."
Oh, America.
Do other countries speak like this or is the "I've got" and American thing?
Another awkward thing is I read Sinner's Gin in the middle of reading this, so I'm all confused about backstories now. The MC...Oh! Lance, right?
Wasn't he a foster kid, too?
Something about how they all shunned...
Wait.
Or was that the Alchemy Mates thing?
No, I think it was that thing.
Hmm...I don't remember if he got abused or not...wait. No. He ran away before it could happen, right?
Oh. Right. Lance is the magically artistically talented dude.
I get it. His character wasn't as strong as Miki's so everytime I try to access the memory file of an abused fostercare child, Miki comes up.
Actually, the entirety of SG was pretty strong...
But it's okay. Little details are slowly filtering back as I keep reading.
The referring-to-wolf-as-separarate-entity-slash-"he" thing is still really weird.
The little aspects seem really gimmicky. The whole
NOOOOOO HOW DARE YOU PUT A COMMA WHERE IT'S UNNECESSARY?
"The drones attacked, and were incredibly fast."
Reroute that comma.
The weird
And dude. That's gross, man.
I think reading Sinner's Gin in the midst of reading this was a mistake. That was so intense that anything this attempts to do along the whole "I've been so screwed up" strain just...falls flat.
I think Lance has a bit too much Mary-Sue-ness going on about him for me to really buy into/sympathize with him. Which is a pity.
Eh. Meh.
I think in and of itself, it's not bad, but as I said above, I read Sinner's Gin.
And it's still melodramatic, which doesn't help.
And yet again, another gimmick with the OMG UBER-COINCIDENCE.
All in all, I guess it wasn't bad. Honestly, though, 3 stars is kind of pushing it. Actually, nope. I changed my mind. All of the comma problems have prompted me to downgrade its rating. Sorry (not really).
It's got heart-warming parts, and then it's got awkward word-vomit/info-dump parts. Wtf, man.
It gets a bit melodramatic later...histrionic.
I mean, it settles after a couple of dissonant moments.
It's weird that Lance refers to the wolf as a separate entity.
COMMA SPLICES. ASEJFASLKD;FJ2SLKFBADS4JKGNQWEJLKB3DMSNCA.DSKFNDS=6AJFNAKJDSHFBDJK
Gah. There are even numbers in that jumble.
And a run-on.
ME-lo-drama. ME-lo-drama. melodrama. melodrama. Melodaaaaa-aaa-ma. (Imagine that to the tune of Handel's Hallelujah Chorus).
Jack and Jill - I mean Joe - seem rather caricature-y at times.
And another thing...
YAY! Rainbow-colored wolves! Because those aren't obvious at all. Well, at least there's no blue wolf this time, right?
Did I mention the commas? Commas are needed to offset appellations.
"I will love you for forever."
...
Go back to school. Oh, wait. These magical beings couldn't go to school.
Okay, nvmd then.
OH WAIT A MINUTE DIDN'T THAT ANDREW GUY YEAH HE DID DIDN'T HE HE DID OMG SO HE CAN GO BACK TO SCHOOL
Yeah. Because punctuation is for losers.
And this is kind of a personal thing, but I've always thought "have" contractions are weird when "have" is used as a possessive verb (I have a coat --> I've a coat) as opposed to when it's used as an auxilary verb (I've thought, from previously in this sentence).
I tried saying it out loud a couple of times and I notice I do kind of run the words together. It's like a half-contraction. Actually, more commonly is "I've got a coat."
Oh, America.
Do other countries speak like this or is the "I've got" and American thing?
Another awkward thing is I read Sinner's Gin in the middle of reading this, so I'm all confused about backstories now. The MC...Oh! Lance, right?
Wasn't he a foster kid, too?
Something about how they all shunned...
Wait.
Or was that the Alchemy Mates thing?
No, I think it was that thing.
Hmm...I don't remember if he got abused or not...wait. No. He ran away before it could happen, right?
Oh. Right. Lance is the magically artistically talented dude.
I get it. His character wasn't as strong as Miki's so everytime I try to access the memory file of an abused fostercare child, Miki comes up.
Actually, the entirety of SG was pretty strong...
But it's okay. Little details are slowly filtering back as I keep reading.
The referring-to-wolf-as-separarate-entity-slash-"he" thing is still really weird.
The little aspects seem really gimmicky. The whole
NOOOOOO HOW DARE YOU PUT A COMMA WHERE IT'S UNNECESSARY?
"The drones attacked, and were incredibly fast."
Reroute that comma.
The weird
And dude. That's gross, man.
I think reading Sinner's Gin in the midst of reading this was a mistake. That was so intense that anything this attempts to do along the whole "I've been so screwed up" strain just...falls flat.
I think Lance has a bit too much Mary-Sue-ness going on about him for me to really buy into/sympathize with him. Which is a pity.
Eh. Meh.
I think in and of itself, it's not bad, but as I said above, I read Sinner's Gin.
And it's still melodramatic, which doesn't help.
And yet again, another gimmick with the OMG UBER-COINCIDENCE.
All in all, I guess it wasn't bad. Honestly, though, 3 stars is kind of pushing it. Actually, nope. I changed my mind. All of the comma problems have prompted me to downgrade its rating. Sorry (not really).
July 30, 2013
Loved it! And even better it's part of a series, so there will be more to come. Which is good because there were a lot of story threads that were left undone, and questions that need answered, but oh, what a lovely start to a bittersweet, sexy, layered, paranormal romance series. Shifters, vampires, old grudges, battles fought, mysteries, new love, old wars and laws that might be fulfilled, beginnings and danger to come.
Lance was such a bundle of neurosis combined with extreme courage, independence and power. His troubled past growing up in the worst kinds of foster homes left him with anxiety and social issues that were crippling him until he met Andrew. It was such a struggle for him to trust Andrew, but when he finally let go and fell, trusting Andrew to catch him, it was fantastic and the most rewarding choice of his life. I was so proud of him and the way that he grew as he got to know Andrew and his family.
Andrew was awesome! I loved how open and vulnerable he was with Lance. There is nothing sexier than a man who is big and strong and can take on anything, yet is completely honest, real and expressive of his emotions with his lover. The way that he loved Lance was beautiful. His unconditional love that came without any judgement or reservation was how all relationships should be. His reverence and joy in their relationship and Lane's reciprocation of his love was inspiring.
It must be said that Andrew’s family are wonderful and a huge part of the story. Andrew’s little brothers helped to acclimate Lance to not only being around people, but to the shifter community as well. They helped Andrew to show Lance that it was okay to trust and that there are people worth taking a chance on and having faith in. This story would not have been as rich or as realistic without Andrew’s family.
For my sensitive friends, Lance had a very traumatic childhood full of abuse and violence. except for some fight scenes, the violence is referred to and not on the page, but he does remember and there is discussion of beatings, rape, whippings, as well as neglect. It is integral to the story and it doesn’t get super graphic, but it’s there. As always only you can know your limits.
There were a lot of things that I really enjoyed about this story. This was a great beginning and I am looking forward to seeing what will happen with these boys next. There is so much left to tell and I am excited about spending more time with these gorgeous people and discovering all of the mysteries and secrets that are coming. Please tell me that I get another book soon?
Reviewed by Nina
Lance was such a bundle of neurosis combined with extreme courage, independence and power. His troubled past growing up in the worst kinds of foster homes left him with anxiety and social issues that were crippling him until he met Andrew. It was such a struggle for him to trust Andrew, but when he finally let go and fell, trusting Andrew to catch him, it was fantastic and the most rewarding choice of his life. I was so proud of him and the way that he grew as he got to know Andrew and his family.
Andrew was awesome! I loved how open and vulnerable he was with Lance. There is nothing sexier than a man who is big and strong and can take on anything, yet is completely honest, real and expressive of his emotions with his lover. The way that he loved Lance was beautiful. His unconditional love that came without any judgement or reservation was how all relationships should be. His reverence and joy in their relationship and Lane's reciprocation of his love was inspiring.
It must be said that Andrew’s family are wonderful and a huge part of the story. Andrew’s little brothers helped to acclimate Lance to not only being around people, but to the shifter community as well. They helped Andrew to show Lance that it was okay to trust and that there are people worth taking a chance on and having faith in. This story would not have been as rich or as realistic without Andrew’s family.
For my sensitive friends, Lance had a very traumatic childhood full of abuse and violence. except for some fight scenes, the violence is referred to and not on the page, but he does remember and there is discussion of beatings, rape, whippings, as well as neglect. It is integral to the story and it doesn’t get super graphic, but it’s there. As always only you can know your limits.
There were a lot of things that I really enjoyed about this story. This was a great beginning and I am looking forward to seeing what will happen with these boys next. There is so much left to tell and I am excited about spending more time with these gorgeous people and discovering all of the mysteries and secrets that are coming. Please tell me that I get another book soon?
Reviewed by Nina
August 26, 2013
4 1/2 Hearts
Review written for MM Good Book Reviews
Lance has grown up in the foster system being passed from foster home to foster home and State to State, when a foster father is killed, Lance goes on the run and begins to discover the secrets of his past. When Andrew discovers a young man in the barn he gives chase, when he finally catches up with him he is delighted at what he finds.
This is a wonderful story that had me enthralled with its craftsmanship. Sui Lynn has created a world that is complex but easy to follow, she explains well the world of her shifters and although we don’t get all the answers in this book… it is only the start of a great new world. When Lance is caught by Andrew it starts a slow building relationship between the two men, it is a relationship where trust has to be earned and where love develops slowly.
Lance has been badly abused in the past and although he grows to love Andrew he doesn’t think that the relationship will ever progress to sex. Andrew adores Lance and will do anything for him, when he realises the extent of Lance’s abuse he knows he has to hold back and hope that Lance will overcome his past because they have already declared each other as mates and they have to consummate their mating… or it will get violent as their animals take over.
This is a wonderfully written story where secrets come out and Lance finds out about his parents, he starts to learn about the shifter world and the circumstances that the shifters species find themselves in. The characters in this book are wonderful from the two MC’s to all the supporting characters; the emotional depth to the book is startling and well rounded out. The background of the shifters is well developed and I loved the fact that the shifters and animals choose each other instead of just being born a certain type of shifter.
Although this story doesn’t answer all our questions, it is a fantastic start to a series that promises answer’s in future books (the next one is called A Royal Bind). It has introduced us to a world of shifters and vampires that I found fascinating, it is also a book that is based on building trust and overcoming ghosts from the past and looking towards the problems of the future. A really incredible story that I adored.
I have to recommend this book to anyone who loves shifters, mystery, a bit of action, some danger, a slow love story, some hot love making and a happy ending.
Review written for MM Good Book Reviews
Lance has grown up in the foster system being passed from foster home to foster home and State to State, when a foster father is killed, Lance goes on the run and begins to discover the secrets of his past. When Andrew discovers a young man in the barn he gives chase, when he finally catches up with him he is delighted at what he finds.
This is a wonderful story that had me enthralled with its craftsmanship. Sui Lynn has created a world that is complex but easy to follow, she explains well the world of her shifters and although we don’t get all the answers in this book… it is only the start of a great new world. When Lance is caught by Andrew it starts a slow building relationship between the two men, it is a relationship where trust has to be earned and where love develops slowly.
Lance has been badly abused in the past and although he grows to love Andrew he doesn’t think that the relationship will ever progress to sex. Andrew adores Lance and will do anything for him, when he realises the extent of Lance’s abuse he knows he has to hold back and hope that Lance will overcome his past because they have already declared each other as mates and they have to consummate their mating… or it will get violent as their animals take over.
This is a wonderfully written story where secrets come out and Lance finds out about his parents, he starts to learn about the shifter world and the circumstances that the shifters species find themselves in. The characters in this book are wonderful from the two MC’s to all the supporting characters; the emotional depth to the book is startling and well rounded out. The background of the shifters is well developed and I loved the fact that the shifters and animals choose each other instead of just being born a certain type of shifter.
Although this story doesn’t answer all our questions, it is a fantastic start to a series that promises answer’s in future books (the next one is called A Royal Bind). It has introduced us to a world of shifters and vampires that I found fascinating, it is also a book that is based on building trust and overcoming ghosts from the past and looking towards the problems of the future. A really incredible story that I adored.
I have to recommend this book to anyone who loves shifters, mystery, a bit of action, some danger, a slow love story, some hot love making and a happy ending.
July 6, 2013
This novel s a recent rerelease from Dreamspinner Press, and it is well-worth the read.
This story is a wonderful new take on a shifter story. In this one, Lance is a loner who happens onto land owned by the Reed family (a family of shifters who live on a rural ranch). Over a short period of time, Lance involuntarily shape shifts into a wolf. Andrew, a young man from the Reed family, is also a wolf shifter who falls madly in love with Lance on first sight.
It is a very romantic courtship, and we find out a lot about the ways of these shifters and their kin. It is not surprising that Lance, Andrew, and various members of Andrew's family reconstruct a small cottage on the family land to be the home for the two young lovers.
There is a secret character behind the main occurrences. This secret man is named Stephon: he has been the Reeds' benefactor since the end of the Great War between shifters and vampires. In order to end the mutual extinction of shifters and vampires, there was a peace treaty that joined each pack of shifters to a single vampire, and that subjugation would continue until a pure blood prince returned to lead the shifters. So for hundreds of years, Stephon has asserted a degree of control over the Reed family, but it initially does not appear to be malevolent.
But, a good story needs to make a conflict out of the innocent, and it surely happens that vampires come to attack Lance -- presumably because it has been determined that he is the son of a purebred shifter who was one of the causes if the Great War. Further blood tests reveal that he is the only son of pure blood shifter royalty, so, he is the foretold prince, and legend says, that the pure blood prince will free the shifters from the rule of vampires.
As an ultra pure bred shifter, Lance has the ability to shift into other animals than just a wolf. He is also a black raven (and potentially a lion). Once he professes his love for Andrew, and accepts Andrew as his mate, Andrew is similarly able to transform himself into a black raven.
Clearly, this is the first of many potential stories from a whole different type of shifter novel. Surely, there will be more novels in this series, and I cannot wait to read them. In the meanwhile, this is clearly a 5 star book and an outstanding beginning of the story.
This story is a wonderful new take on a shifter story. In this one, Lance is a loner who happens onto land owned by the Reed family (a family of shifters who live on a rural ranch). Over a short period of time, Lance involuntarily shape shifts into a wolf. Andrew, a young man from the Reed family, is also a wolf shifter who falls madly in love with Lance on first sight.
It is a very romantic courtship, and we find out a lot about the ways of these shifters and their kin. It is not surprising that Lance, Andrew, and various members of Andrew's family reconstruct a small cottage on the family land to be the home for the two young lovers.
There is a secret character behind the main occurrences. This secret man is named Stephon: he has been the Reeds' benefactor since the end of the Great War between shifters and vampires. In order to end the mutual extinction of shifters and vampires, there was a peace treaty that joined each pack of shifters to a single vampire, and that subjugation would continue until a pure blood prince returned to lead the shifters. So for hundreds of years, Stephon has asserted a degree of control over the Reed family, but it initially does not appear to be malevolent.
But, a good story needs to make a conflict out of the innocent, and it surely happens that vampires come to attack Lance -- presumably because it has been determined that he is the son of a purebred shifter who was one of the causes if the Great War. Further blood tests reveal that he is the only son of pure blood shifter royalty, so, he is the foretold prince, and legend says, that the pure blood prince will free the shifters from the rule of vampires.
As an ultra pure bred shifter, Lance has the ability to shift into other animals than just a wolf. He is also a black raven (and potentially a lion). Once he professes his love for Andrew, and accepts Andrew as his mate, Andrew is similarly able to transform himself into a black raven.
Clearly, this is the first of many potential stories from a whole different type of shifter novel. Surely, there will be more novels in this series, and I cannot wait to read them. In the meanwhile, this is clearly a 5 star book and an outstanding beginning of the story.
July 3, 2013
3.5 Stars
I really like this story. Which sort of surprised me. Because I’m apt to scoff at insta-love and, more often than not, I’ve got my head hung over a bucket when two guys start declaring undying devotion to each other in flowery ‘I-can’t-face-the-dawn-without-you-at-my-side’ prose. Yuck! But it worked for this story. It really did. Okay, I skimmed some of the mushier hand-wringing parts, but Lance Fitz and Andrew Reed’s almost immediate attraction wasn’t an issue because it was established early on that these two guys were more wolf than human and let’s face it, wolves don’t play silly-assed games like humans do. So it was easy to accept that the instant they meet, they were more or less mated for life.
At first I didn’t have a clue what was going on. (Maybe I should have read the blurb first – can’t remember why I didn’t because I usually do, although I do wish they would stop giving away the ‘whoa’ bits.) Anyway, I was just thrown into the story, no build up, no exposition, just bang you’re right there and something is happening fast. The narrator – it’s written in first person and it’s sometime before we learn Lance’s name - is caught stealing some tools from a farmer, a gorgeous sexy farmer who is none too happy at being robbed. Attempting to escape, Lance flees into a nearby forest, but the farmer gives chase. Lance, while fast, can’t seem to shake his pursuer. For reasons that are slowly revealed later on Lance is terrified of capture. Panicking, he starts to feel strange and to his horror begins to painfully change into a dark-furred wolf. This is the first time anything like this has ever happened to him, and while Lance still retains his human side and is able to analyse the situation, he’s also aware of the wolf side of his nature now. When he considers he might be suffering from a multiple personality disorder and wonders if he could even find a psychiatrist that allows pets in his or her office, I was hooked – even if I hadn’t been captivated there was no chance I wasn’t going to finish reading this book, just on the off-chance I could have me another little tee-hee-hee....
Syd's full review can be found at Live Your Life, Buy The Book
I really like this story. Which sort of surprised me. Because I’m apt to scoff at insta-love and, more often than not, I’ve got my head hung over a bucket when two guys start declaring undying devotion to each other in flowery ‘I-can’t-face-the-dawn-without-you-at-my-side’ prose. Yuck! But it worked for this story. It really did. Okay, I skimmed some of the mushier hand-wringing parts, but Lance Fitz and Andrew Reed’s almost immediate attraction wasn’t an issue because it was established early on that these two guys were more wolf than human and let’s face it, wolves don’t play silly-assed games like humans do. So it was easy to accept that the instant they meet, they were more or less mated for life.
At first I didn’t have a clue what was going on. (Maybe I should have read the blurb first – can’t remember why I didn’t because I usually do, although I do wish they would stop giving away the ‘whoa’ bits.) Anyway, I was just thrown into the story, no build up, no exposition, just bang you’re right there and something is happening fast. The narrator – it’s written in first person and it’s sometime before we learn Lance’s name - is caught stealing some tools from a farmer, a gorgeous sexy farmer who is none too happy at being robbed. Attempting to escape, Lance flees into a nearby forest, but the farmer gives chase. Lance, while fast, can’t seem to shake his pursuer. For reasons that are slowly revealed later on Lance is terrified of capture. Panicking, he starts to feel strange and to his horror begins to painfully change into a dark-furred wolf. This is the first time anything like this has ever happened to him, and while Lance still retains his human side and is able to analyse the situation, he’s also aware of the wolf side of his nature now. When he considers he might be suffering from a multiple personality disorder and wonders if he could even find a psychiatrist that allows pets in his or her office, I was hooked – even if I hadn’t been captivated there was no chance I wasn’t going to finish reading this book, just on the off-chance I could have me another little tee-hee-hee....
Syd's full review can be found at Live Your Life, Buy The Book
July 19, 2015
This book has one thing going for it but it just wasn't enough to save the rest of the book. It has an interesting idea of vampires controlling shifters. It is an interesting idea to hang a plot on and I'm assuming the future books might actually explore this idea in more depth. Unfortunately the writing style and flat characters drag the story down way to far for me to continuing on with the series.
The romance is like most shifter books an insta-love type. Andrew and Lance take it one step further and lose any common sense and do nothing but cling to one another and take turns acting like damsels in distress. Sugary sweet to the point of cloying, I got very tired of the both of them.
I also disliked the info dumps of dialogue that basically told the Lance's whole past in a few long paragraphs. When my mind shouts info dump more than twice in a book I start to get very annoyed. To add to that Lance seems very stereotypical with very few twists in his character. Sexually abused foster kid that has trouble dealing with people. Yet when I read him I just didn't feel alot of emotions coming from the character despite the book being in his POV. He takes turning into a wolf, finding a mate, and all the other weird stuff without a lot of turmoil. Instead of retreating he does the opposite and opens up which makes very little sense.
For me there were just a lot of little things in this book that didn't make sense, or were brushed off to easily for me to enjoy the book.
The romance is like most shifter books an insta-love type. Andrew and Lance take it one step further and lose any common sense and do nothing but cling to one another and take turns acting like damsels in distress. Sugary sweet to the point of cloying, I got very tired of the both of them.
I also disliked the info dumps of dialogue that basically told the Lance's whole past in a few long paragraphs. When my mind shouts info dump more than twice in a book I start to get very annoyed. To add to that Lance seems very stereotypical with very few twists in his character. Sexually abused foster kid that has trouble dealing with people. Yet when I read him I just didn't feel alot of emotions coming from the character despite the book being in his POV. He takes turning into a wolf, finding a mate, and all the other weird stuff without a lot of turmoil. Instead of retreating he does the opposite and opens up which makes very little sense.
For me there were just a lot of little things in this book that didn't make sense, or were brushed off to easily for me to enjoy the book.
September 29, 2013
It's good, I like it but didn't love it.
The description of the shifter world is superb. This is one of the best book I ever read about shifters. There is A LOT of explanation and talk about how the world is. I like it a lot.
Lance is a broken young man and it almost break my heart too. Read about his horrible past and suffering in the foster family system is horrible. If you like stories with a tormented hero this book is perfect to you.
Maybe that's why I didn't love this book. I ADORE tormented heroes but dammit... everything has a limit. I don't like when the tormented hero don't find how strong he is by his own actions. I like Lance a lot, don't get me wrong, but I don't love when the tormented hero need someone else to "heal" his inner injuries. And of course, don't like "magically" things go right because his mate (Andrew) make him see it.
I loooooove Andrew family. All of them... ADORED ALL!
It's a pity there is not much about the vampire society, probably book 2 will have it?
In conclusion, I wish I could give it 5 stars, but I can't. It's full of wonders (the shifter world), but near the end it slow down so much I almost got bored.
The description of the shifter world is superb. This is one of the best book I ever read about shifters. There is A LOT of explanation and talk about how the world is. I like it a lot.
Lance is a broken young man and it almost break my heart too. Read about his horrible past and suffering in the foster family system is horrible. If you like stories with a tormented hero this book is perfect to you.
Maybe that's why I didn't love this book. I ADORE tormented heroes but dammit... everything has a limit. I don't like when the tormented hero don't find how strong he is by his own actions. I like Lance a lot, don't get me wrong, but I don't love when the tormented hero need someone else to "heal" his inner injuries. And of course, don't like "magically" things go right because his mate (Andrew) make him see it.
I loooooove Andrew family. All of them... ADORED ALL!
It's a pity there is not much about the vampire society, probably book 2 will have it?
In conclusion, I wish I could give it 5 stars, but I can't. It's full of wonders (the shifter world), but near the end it slow down so much I almost got bored.
March 3, 2013
Seeing as it's 2 am and I'm exhausted I can't give this title the review it deserves, but I loved it so much I wanted to write a few lines...
I've seen this around forever and kept passing it by, I don't remember why. So I finally picked it up. When I read The Beginning at the end of this book the smile on my face was huge. What a simply beautiful statement. What a way to end a book. It was their beginning. I also loved all of the suspense and info, that really built it up for me. I'm a HUGE fan of tension. That makes up for the fact that there's not much smexy going on. Although there was a reason for that. I loved how Lance was all I'll kill anyone for you, it's just that simple. Lance was super badass, even while being a weenie (be impressed by my awesome 2 am vocab!) and all of his circumstances. Can't wait to see what he does in the next book, and to delve deeper into the world of these guys I'll be back soon to rereview. Um, ps, I didn't read over this. So if I sound crazy, that's not surprising. I sound like that a lot anyway. ;)
I've seen this around forever and kept passing it by, I don't remember why. So I finally picked it up. When I read The Beginning at the end of this book the smile on my face was huge. What a simply beautiful statement. What a way to end a book. It was their beginning. I also loved all of the suspense and info, that really built it up for me. I'm a HUGE fan of tension. That makes up for the fact that there's not much smexy going on. Although there was a reason for that. I loved how Lance was all I'll kill anyone for you, it's just that simple. Lance was super badass, even while being a weenie (be impressed by my awesome 2 am vocab!) and all of his circumstances. Can't wait to see what he does in the next book, and to delve deeper into the world of these guys I'll be back soon to rereview. Um, ps, I didn't read over this. So if I sound crazy, that's not surprising. I sound like that a lot anyway. ;)
July 11, 2014
I don't even know how many times I puked in my mouth. It's just so... so cheesy it should be illegal. Urgh, I want to cry and never read anything again.
"my love.. blablalba, my sky, blablabla, my angel, i can't live without you please hold me oh no don't leave to pee, just pee with me in my arms oh yes please i'm so lost without you i'll live in your fucking lap forever, we'll just move together as one." *puking*
AND IT WAS LIKE THIS EVERY TWO FUCKING MINUTES.
WHAT IS WRONG WITH THEM.
I'm forever damaged and I won't thank you, Sui Lynn.
"my love.. blablalba, my sky, blablabla, my angel, i can't live without you please hold me oh no don't leave to pee, just pee with me in my arms oh yes please i'm so lost without you i'll live in your fucking lap forever, we'll just move together as one." *puking*
AND IT WAS LIKE THIS EVERY TWO FUCKING MINUTES.
WHAT IS WRONG WITH THEM.
I'm forever damaged and I won't thank you, Sui Lynn.
October 4, 2012
This was so-so. It's nothing to write home about, but it wasn't unreadable. I didn't really connect with the characters as the writing style was more about telling me what was happening rather than it happening naturally through the actions of the characters. I know it's called storytelling, but there's a way to do that that lets me fall into the story effortlessly.
Still, it was a nice way to pass a bit of time while waiting in the doctor's office. :)
Still, it was a nice way to pass a bit of time while waiting in the doctor's office. :)
March 14, 2012
WOW.. after reading some of the reviews i was kindda hesitant on reading this book... So glad that i did, excellent world building for the first book... I adore the main characters, nothing cheesy abt them, this is the first sui lynn book that i have read and now I will be sure to purchase a few more.
March 5, 2012
It's... it's like Twilight, except Lance is even more of a Gary Stu than Edward. He's like Edward in Bella's role, except with 10x more angst. I don't even.
I guess it says something about what I'll give one star to if this gets two. For the record, that second star is for world-building, which just got totally screwed by the ridiculous characters.
I guess it says something about what I'll give one star to if this gets two. For the record, that second star is for world-building, which just got totally screwed by the ridiculous characters.
March 27, 2012
Although I got tired of some of the lovey dovey stuff, I really enjoyed the story itself especially as we learn more about Lance. The author definitely built up the suspense about possibilities for the future, and I can't wait to find out what happens in the next book!
July 7, 2012
A little on the sweet side for me, but it is possibly the most interesting take on werewolf and vampire mythology I've read in ages. It's always a pleasure to read something this well thought out and developed, and I look forward to finding out more about the characters and the world they live in.
did-not-finish
February 25, 2012DNF... I should have known better...
February 10, 2012
WOW!! This was an amazing book, I will be on the edge of my seat waiting for the next book. I loved, loved, loved the characters and the plot, so freaking cool.
May 15, 2012
4 1/2 Hearts
Review to follow
Review to follow
February 23, 2024
3.5 stars
Overly sweet , fated mates shifter story that i seem to have forgotten already , first time with this author and may give a miss
Overly sweet , fated mates shifter story that i seem to have forgotten already , first time with this author and may give a miss
March 9, 2017
I love this. It's different and beautiful.
It's very very rare for a foster child to cross state lines unless going to a parent, specialized group home, or for adoption. It's unheard of for the child to be moved more than once across state lines without major family connections in multiple states. The child is a dependent of the state and what state would willingly take another child into their system who they'd have to pay so much money to keep? It also decreases the likelihood of eventually finding family who might take the kid in if the kid is moved out of the area. If a child runs across state lines, he or she would be returned to the originating state when found.
But the whole foster care thing here is portrayed so negatively with 25 homes all being evil. They explained away some of that but not all.
Those are the most romantic letters I've ever read.
How did he pay for the glazing to start with? Also, how could a few pieces of pottery be made without a wheel--and therefore not perfect--make enough to pay for a ?
How did the armband fit him in both wolf and human form?
The historical timeline makes no sense. If they're five generations past the war, and his mother then, but he's only 18, how? Was he born to a wolf?
So romantic and sweet.
Let me get this straight: The only reason he's incapable of having sex after being brutally raped and then witnessing others being raped is because he's of a higher order of species and if they'd been the same species he'd have been fine? And if he's taken now by force he'll be fine with it? Excuse me? And no talk of him taking the other guy instead. Oh, right, he took on the role of the woman when he gave Andrew the armband. Of course, even though he's more pure and powerful, he has to submit. This was five stars up until that little gem.
And the whole requiring penetration to mate thing really pisses me off anyway, always does. If fingers aren't enough, how do lesbians mate?
sounds terrifying to me but it's not true anyway or he .
Now the sappiness is going on too long. A bit too talky. It also feels weird having an 18-year-old boy refer to someone as "my love."
Well that ending was a bit sudden.
It's very very rare for a foster child to cross state lines unless going to a parent, specialized group home, or for adoption. It's unheard of for the child to be moved more than once across state lines without major family connections in multiple states. The child is a dependent of the state and what state would willingly take another child into their system who they'd have to pay so much money to keep? It also decreases the likelihood of eventually finding family who might take the kid in if the kid is moved out of the area. If a child runs across state lines, he or she would be returned to the originating state when found.
But the whole foster care thing here is portrayed so negatively with 25 homes all being evil. They explained away some of that but not all.
Those are the most romantic letters I've ever read.
How did he pay for the glazing to start with? Also, how could a few pieces of pottery be made without a wheel--and therefore not perfect--make enough to pay for a ?
How did the armband fit him in both wolf and human form?
The historical timeline makes no sense. If they're five generations past the war, and his mother then, but he's only 18, how? Was he born to a wolf?
So romantic and sweet.
Let me get this straight: The only reason he's incapable of having sex after being brutally raped and then witnessing others being raped is because he's of a higher order of species and if they'd been the same species he'd have been fine? And if he's taken now by force he'll be fine with it? Excuse me? And no talk of him taking the other guy instead. Oh, right, he took on the role of the woman when he gave Andrew the armband. Of course, even though he's more pure and powerful, he has to submit. This was five stars up until that little gem.
And the whole requiring penetration to mate thing really pisses me off anyway, always does. If fingers aren't enough, how do lesbians mate?
sounds terrifying to me but it's not true anyway or he .
Now the sappiness is going on too long. A bit too talky. It also feels weird having an 18-year-old boy refer to someone as "my love."
Well that ending was a bit sudden.
October 14, 2016
I liked the premise, there are new ideas here about interactions between vampires and shifters. But instead of giving me an interesting fantasy, the author gave me a cheesy m/m romance, complete with lovey-dovey nicknames from another language. Guys, don't do this. Honestly. It ranks right up there with random apostrophes in names. If it's bad to have your MC call his lover "baby" in every second sentence (it is), then it's just as bad to replace "baby" with "leannan". Sorry. Andrew speaks no Scots Gaelic otherwise, so this just looks pretentiously twee. Nick names are tricky -- it's something that works in private between too people, but expose it to the public, and it makes people hurl a little in their mouths.
Andrew is one of my biggest problems with the book; he is too perfect and too lovey-dovey for a supposedly 77 years old alpha wolf shifter.
Lance is the much more interesting of the two, but feels often... flat, because he doesn't have a lot of affect. He also doesn't have enough agency; other people keep doing for him, but he isn't actually helpless at all, so this creates tension in a bad place, while there's no tension where it ought to be -- he's turning into a wolf! That would pretty much throw anyone into a tizzy, at least for a time. Lance treats it like, oh look, there are freckles on my back; huh.
Andrew's family has potential, but the lot of them don't tell Lance important things they should be telling him, which makes me distrust them, and I doubt the author wants me to.
The pacing feels off. I like it at the start, but towards the end it just gets all jumbled and too many important things happen at once.
And I am obviously too tired to write a decent review. I can't decide whether this is 2 or 3 stars; it pretty much feels exactly in between, but I just rated a couple of books 2 stars that were clearly not as developed as this, 3 it is. But grudgingly. Get a real rating system, GoodReads.
Andrew is one of my biggest problems with the book; he is too perfect and too lovey-dovey for a supposedly 77 years old alpha wolf shifter.
Lance is the much more interesting of the two, but feels often... flat, because he doesn't have a lot of affect. He also doesn't have enough agency; other people keep doing for him, but he isn't actually helpless at all, so this creates tension in a bad place, while there's no tension where it ought to be -- he's turning into a wolf! That would pretty much throw anyone into a tizzy, at least for a time. Lance treats it like, oh look, there are freckles on my back; huh.
Andrew's family has potential, but the lot of them don't tell Lance important things they should be telling him, which makes me distrust them, and I doubt the author wants me to.
The pacing feels off. I like it at the start, but towards the end it just gets all jumbled and too many important things happen at once.
And I am obviously too tired to write a decent review. I can't decide whether this is 2 or 3 stars; it pretty much feels exactly in between, but I just rated a couple of books 2 stars that were clearly not as developed as this, 3 it is. But grudgingly. Get a real rating system, GoodReads.
July 20, 2014
Abandoned at birth, foster homes, state homes, and juvenile detention shaped runaway and newly 18 year old Lance Fitz. There are very few happy or good memories for Lance to remember. He's been moved around and through the system so much that Lance is pretty sure he doesn't retain his birth name.
Living off the land in the Black Hills beholden to no one gives Lance a sense of peace. Coming across an old derelict shack he's hoping to make it habitable for the coming winter.
A few miles away a thriving ranch is the first sign of civilization Lance's seen in awhile. Sneaking quietly into the barn he `borrows' some tools with the intention of returning the things when he's done. Unfortunately for Lance he's caught by the owner's son, Andrew Reed who gives chase. During his flight for freedom Lance is overwhelmed by intense pain. After blacking out he awakens to find he's no longer human. Life will never be the same for Lance. He will soon learn that meeting Andrew is the best thing that's ever happened to him. And this is only the beginning.
A mesmerizing, expertly crafted tale of love, redemption, and mystery unfolds. The Pauper Prince takes readers on an incredible journey where falling for Lance and Andrew is a given. An emotional tsunami builds from the start though Lance certainly doesn't want anyone's pity for the life he's had to endure. Plenty of surprises and thrills only adds to the drama that is The Pauper Prince. This multilayered story satisfies on every level from start to finish. Romance, fast paced action, and an intense plotline are packed within Lance and Andrew's tale. I Joyfully Recommend The Pauper Prince. Obviously, Book 2 can't come soon enough.
This book was reviewed by Lisa for Joyfully Reviewed (JR), and was provided by the publisher/author at no cost to JR for the purpose of being reviewed.
Living off the land in the Black Hills beholden to no one gives Lance a sense of peace. Coming across an old derelict shack he's hoping to make it habitable for the coming winter.
A few miles away a thriving ranch is the first sign of civilization Lance's seen in awhile. Sneaking quietly into the barn he `borrows' some tools with the intention of returning the things when he's done. Unfortunately for Lance he's caught by the owner's son, Andrew Reed who gives chase. During his flight for freedom Lance is overwhelmed by intense pain. After blacking out he awakens to find he's no longer human. Life will never be the same for Lance. He will soon learn that meeting Andrew is the best thing that's ever happened to him. And this is only the beginning.
A mesmerizing, expertly crafted tale of love, redemption, and mystery unfolds. The Pauper Prince takes readers on an incredible journey where falling for Lance and Andrew is a given. An emotional tsunami builds from the start though Lance certainly doesn't want anyone's pity for the life he's had to endure. Plenty of surprises and thrills only adds to the drama that is The Pauper Prince. This multilayered story satisfies on every level from start to finish. Romance, fast paced action, and an intense plotline are packed within Lance and Andrew's tale. I Joyfully Recommend The Pauper Prince. Obviously, Book 2 can't come soon enough.
This book was reviewed by Lisa for Joyfully Reviewed (JR), and was provided by the publisher/author at no cost to JR for the purpose of being reviewed.
July 22, 2013
Sui Lynn has written a new, fresh, and original twist on the usual shifter tale with The Pauper Prince. This is the first book in the Changing Moon series and I must say that it's off to a fantastic start. The blurb does cover the major points of the book but the story itself is SO much more and you definitely need to read it for yourself.
This is a character driven story told from the first person POV of Lance Fitz, an eighteen year old man who has been on the run since a tragedy sent him fleeing from a life of foster homes, abuse, and neglect. The plot has a smooth flow from beginning to end, and the author has laid a solid foundation for future books with a richly detailed backstory. Her world building is superb, and the characters are very believable, struggling to overcome horrendous abuse, the physical and emotional scars that come with it, and finally finding the strength to put the past behind them with the love and understanding of the other. The sex is tender and passionate without being overly smutty.
The author's writing style is lush, simple, and eloquently concise, with a fresh twist on an average storyline. There isn't anything I dislike about this story, and the HFN ending leaves me eagerly looking forward to the next installment in the series. I really enjoyed reading this fascinating tale, and if you're looking for a shifter story that is a fantastic start to a new series, then I can recommend this book to you.
Please leave comments on Pattycake's 4 1/2 sweet pea review at Mrs Condit & Friends Read Books
This is a character driven story told from the first person POV of Lance Fitz, an eighteen year old man who has been on the run since a tragedy sent him fleeing from a life of foster homes, abuse, and neglect. The plot has a smooth flow from beginning to end, and the author has laid a solid foundation for future books with a richly detailed backstory. Her world building is superb, and the characters are very believable, struggling to overcome horrendous abuse, the physical and emotional scars that come with it, and finally finding the strength to put the past behind them with the love and understanding of the other. The sex is tender and passionate without being overly smutty.
The author's writing style is lush, simple, and eloquently concise, with a fresh twist on an average storyline. There isn't anything I dislike about this story, and the HFN ending leaves me eagerly looking forward to the next installment in the series. I really enjoyed reading this fascinating tale, and if you're looking for a shifter story that is a fantastic start to a new series, then I can recommend this book to you.
Please leave comments on Pattycake's 4 1/2 sweet pea review at Mrs Condit & Friends Read Books
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