Fated Mates

Outcast Mates #(Wounded Mate)

by Louisa Masters, Kiki Clark, Mia Monroe

Fated Mates is a Paranormal Romance Charity Anthology from some of your favorite MM authors!

It features new, exclusive stories from Kiki Clark, Mia Monroe, Louisa Masters, Kelly Fox, Sheena Jolie, Jennifer Cody, Nikole Knight, Vinni George, Chloe Archer, Meghan Maslow, Lee Colgin, Kelex, H.L Day, Grae Bryan, AJ Sherwood, Michele Notaro, Lisa Oliver, Ariana Nash, Michelle Frost, and JP Sayle.

All royalties will be donated to the Transgender Legal Defense and Education Fund and the ACLU's Drag Defense Fund.

stories list:
Aether and the Elements by Louisa Masters
How to Survive a Summoning by Nikole Knight
A Werewolf Called Ammon by Michelle Frost
A Squirrel Gets His Nut by Kelex
Fated Kiss by Mia Monroe
Inferno by Kiki Clark
Black and White by Vinni George
Violent Secret by Ariana Nash
Wounded Mate by Lee Colgin
Shiny Things by Kelly Fox
The Crow King’s Mate by Jennifer Cody
Fate’s Treasure by Grae Bryan
Deader Than Dead (Paranormal Problems: Necromancers #1) by H.L Day
Words Not Necessary by Lisa Oliver
As the Raven Flies by Meghan Maslow
Curse of Silver & Blood by Sheena Jolie
There’s A Bat in My Room! by Michele Notaro
The Demon and the Librarian by Chloe Archer
A Scent Like No Other by JP Sayle
True Mates and Where to Find Them by AJ Sherwood

this kindle edition has the stories from both Fated Mates Volume 1: an MM Paranormal Romance Charity Anthology & Fated Mates Volume 2: an MM Paranormal Romance Charity Anthology

Genres: Paranormal, Anthologies, M M Romance, Fantasy, Romance, Shapeshifters, Short Stories

1692 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 1, 2023

About the author

LOUISA MASTERS started reading romance much earlier than her mother thought she should. While other teenagers were sneaking out of the house, Louisa was sneaking romance novels in and working out how to read them without being discovered. She’s spent most of her life feeling sorry for people who don’t read, convinced that books are the solution to every problem. As an adult, she feeds her addiction in every spare second, only occasionally tearing herself away to do things like answer the phone and pay bills. She spent years trying to build a “sensible” career, working in bookstores, recruitment, resource management, administration, and as a travel agent, before finally conceding defeat and devoting herself to the world of romance novels. Louisa has a long list of places first discovered in books that she wants to visit, and every so often she overcomes her loathing of jet lag and takes a trip that charges her imagination. She lives in Melbourne, Australia, where she whines about the weather for most of the year while secretly admitting she’ll probably never move.

Reviews

[Rin (indefinite hiatus) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Buckle up, friends.

My rating reflects the anthology as a whole. Please read ahead for my individual story ratings.

The stories that made this worth it: Kiki Clark, Lee Colgin, Vinni George, HL Day, and AJ Sherwood. A couple others were ok. The rest were awful. Thank god this is in KU because I’d be PISSED if I spent actual money on this.

I DO NOT understand why authors get involved in anthologies to gain new readers then write a short a part of an already established world. It makes me NOT want to read that author because as a reader I’m totally lost. That doesn’t include stories that are prequels to series that are coming soon. THAT is a good idea!

⛔️One of the stories in here makes a joke about suicide and considering this is a charity anthology, it’s just shameful. Not to mention how many people read the draft and approved it. My rating reflects that oversight, despite the few solid shorts here. I don’t know why the MM community has fallen so hard this year but shit like this is why I don’t want to read it anymore.

I was also shocked by how many shorts here had no steam. This anthology is literally called “Fated *Mates*” Mating. Sex. They should have sex. Just… ridiculous.

**********************************

Kelly- 3.5 rounded up. Struggled to get into it because Thorin’s attitude was tough to take but when everything came together, it was a sweet and sexy little story.

Nikole Knight- 1.5 stars. ⛔️ TW for on page torture of an MC 😑 ok so there’s like, hundreds of dystopian stories where they call cities “New” capital. Like, New Chicago. Pleeeease come up with something original 😖 Hmmmmm sigil’s tattooed on his body… forced by a parent. And used to summon… sounds like a plot line from a certain monster series. 🤔😵‍💫 Lyn is a big ole walking stereotype. Gross. And after all that, no steam. FADE TO BLACK. This is fated mates!! Wtf?! This author remains shelved. 😵‍💫

Michelle Frost- 2 1/2 stars. It was ok. Just fluff without much backstory.

Kelex- 0 stars. ⛔️ There’s waaaaay too much going on. 90% of this story the MC’s aren’t together. They don’t even meet until maybe 75% and they fuck when they meet (literally met and said two sentences before they had sex) and that fuck wasn’t even on page. Like…. Wtf is going on?! The second sex scene was glossed over as well. The conflict between them was dummmmmb as fuck and made me hate Luca but honestly I didn’t care enough about this story to care that much. Technically DNF’d near the end because it just got dumber and dumber.

Mia Monroe- 0 stars. ⛔️ The writing is so bad I’m actually embarrassed for the author.

Kiki Clark- 4.5 stars. ✳️ This genre isn’t new to Kiki and it shows. I shelved her a while back but I am curious about this new series. This was a totally solid read.

Vinni George- 4 stars. ✳️ Solid short. Makes me want to read the new series, but I also felt like there was some stuff left out like the actual mating. Just felt unfinished.

Ariana Nash- 3.5 stars. A pretty epic urban fantasy with friends to lovers to enemies to lovers over centuries… there was a lot going on here but once it got going I was pretty invested in their story. It is REALLY hard to pack lore into a short so we really didn’t know what was going on as a reader. After looking, I saw this was a part of a series they already started but now I just feel like I missed something. I’m not sure I can read a whole series about these guys but it was interesting. I will say that it should just be fantasy romance, no sex. The one sex scene in this was no lube or prep after he hadn’t taken it up the ass in 2,000 years (or was it 700? 200? the timelines in this were wonky). Epic fantasy meant I expected epic sex but it was… no. Lol. They might be immortal but this isn’t omegaverse with self lubricating assholes. But it was a fun read.

Lee Colgin- 4.5 stars. ✳️ Good enough to have me curious about more of this author’s writing. It just kind of ended abruptly like some of the others and it still left me feeling like their story wasn’t finished. And it’s another that’s part of an established world so there’s definitely some background info the reader is missing if they haven’t read those. But I was still entertained.

Louisa Masters- 3 stars…. Eh. The concept is really cool but I’ve never been able to tolerate this author’s writing. I want to read this series, but only if it’s written by someone else 🤣

Jennifer Cody- No stars. ⛔️Negative stars⛔️. OMG THIS AUTHOR’S WRITING IS INTOLERABLE. It makes viscerally angry. So many words. So much stupid internal dialogue. Bouncing between perspectives. It’s. So. Bad.🫣😵‍💫

Grae Bryan- 3.5-4 stars. Pretty sweet and sexy. But… they used the word “clean” in reference to their STI/HIV status. ISN’T THERE SOME KIND OF GUIDELINE LIST WHERE AUTHORS CAN FIND THINGS THAT ARE NOT OK TO SAY ANYMORE?! This one is VERY well known to be NOT. OKAY. 😡😡😡

H.L. Day- 4.5 stars- ✳️ this was a solid read. A fun PNR adventure with lots of layers. I enjoyed every second, and wouldn’t mind something like this in a full novel.

Lisa Oliver- 2 stars. The concept is cool but there was way too much internal dialogue and an overuse of the endearment “sweet pea.” And almost zero steam. Again, this is an anthology about fated mates and there isn’t any mating in this 😵‍💫 And it’s a part of an already established series which makes a new reader feel lost.

Mehgan Maslow- 0 stars. ⛔️⛔️⛔️ Author is shelved after joking about “jumpers” when they found a “floater” under a bridge. Cool. Laughing about suicide. GROSS. Definitely a previously established world without much explanation in this. The story started out strangely, like it was in the middle of a book. Super confusing for a new reader. 80% internal dialogue. DNF at probably 50%. Way too long. Author is a HARD DNR.

Sheena Jolie- 3.5 stars. Pretty solid story but Sheena knows PNR. Bummed we didn’t get their mating (or any sex for that matter) but she said there is a full novel about them coming next year. I guess I can forgive that.

Michele Notaro- 3.5 stars. Cute and well done, even if the writing was a bit juvenile. It’s from an established series but it was done well enough to not make me feel lost.

Chloe Archer- 2 stars. There’s this trend in MM with authors writing OTT silly snarky humor set in a paranormal world. I blame Alice Winters. I’m glad people like it but it’s rarely done well. It just reads stupid. Then once the sex came and they just snarked through all of it… I was done. Paired with holy shit waaaay too much internal dialogue, this was another fail.

JP Sayle- 3-ish stars. The concept of the world JP and Kelex came up with us cool but the execution is lacking. I know this author writes odd stuff (potato shifter anyone?), but the seeping anal gland thing was a bit much for me. The last part of the story about their 3rd was solid but the cliffhanger for the new story to come is annoying. I might read it.

AJ Sherwood- 4.5 stars ✳️ THIS is exactly what a short should be. It should read like a full length book. It was sweet, sexy, funny, lil but if drama, and well written. Thank you. 🙌🏼

[Ariana Nash]

OVER $47,000 RAISED FOR CHARITY!

UPDATE: While the anthology is no longer available, I will be releasing the Violent Secret novella soon. Keep an eye on my newsletter or FB page for news.

*

I cannot wait to share with you my dark fantasy MM vampire story included in this anthology, with all profits going to two wonderful charity causes.



If you enjoy spicy vampires who are morally challenged, you're gonna love it!

[Kati *☆･ﾟ]

***CURRENTLY READING***


⚣ VIOLENT SECRET by Ariana Nash - 3.5 stars
a second-chance lovers-to-enimies-to-lovers vampire romance

As short as it was, it was a thrilling ride. My very first story by Ariana Nash and I can only support all the love the author gets for her books. I adored Aiko’s and Kota’s story, ridden by guilt and desire, both knowing they’re each one half of a whole, no matter on which side they stand. Violent Secret is a standalone novella in the author’s “Blackrose Brotherhood” series.


⚣ SHINY THINGS by Kelly Fox - 3.25 stars
accidental and unwanted mating between strangers, a wolf- and a raven-shifter

Ever since I swooned hard over Bee Cave Magic I was dying to come back to the sweet little shifter town. And while this was a cute and super steamy read it was overall pretty underwhelming, tbh but nonetheless told in Kelly’s entertaining and hot ways.


⚣ INFERNO by Kiki Clark - to read
⚣ BLACK AND WHITE by Vinni George - to read
⚣ WOUNDED MATE by Lee Colgin - to read


* These 5 books were part of the partial arc I received from GRR
** I love the cause the authors chose to donate their royalties of this to ♡

[Demetra Roussakis · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an awesome anthology. I definitely recommend.

Inferno: Kiki Clark
This is a new series started for this author. Riggs is a tiger shifter who moved away from his pack to a new one. The only thing he regrets is leaving his friend Myles behind. Riggs spoke to his alpha about having Myles come for a visit even though he knows nothing about shifters. After getting permission, Myles is now at his apartment but Riggs keeps pulling away. Myles is hurt that his friend of. 20 years is doing that. When he finds a spell book, that was when things became interesting for these mates. Loved the world building and cannot wait for more.

Black and White: Vinni George
This book is the start for a new series. Nero, an orca shifter, is a bounty Hunter. When he finds the person who he is after, he calls the police department to apprehend him. While in the car, he was asked to bodyguard someone. Without knowing many details, he agrees. He meets Felix, an otter shifter, at the police station and they discover they are mates. When they go to Felix’s place to grab some things, his apartment was broken into. Felix meets Nero’s brothers at their place. They don’t know who is after him though. Great world building and cannot wait to read the next book.

Violent Secret: Ariana Nash
This is the first book that I have read by this author. Even though, technically is the third book, I will need to go back and read more. The story starts as Aiko is dreaming of his lover of 750 years ago. With what happened 200 years ago, he went from being yakuza to the Brotherhood. The brotherhood goes after nyks (vampires) who don’t follow the rules. When he meets with the new leader of the yakuza, he realizes it is his lover Kato. Great story of love lost and found. Loved the world building and looking forward to reading more.

Wounded Mate: Lee Colgin
Valius is an incubus who works at Twigs and Berries. While entertaining a customer, he feels a pain on his side. Without bleeding he doesn’t know why. Bela, a wolf shifter, is travelling through a forest when he gets attacked by the local wolf pack for trespassing and gets hurt. When he is found, one is Valius who is his mate. This book is set in the world of Outcast Mates and is exactly like Andras. As he heals, he gets to know Valius and he told him that was on his way to meet Andras. I love this world and looking forward to reading more.

Shiny Things: Kelly Fox
Thorin, a wolf shifter, came to Bee Cave, Texas to get away from his ex. When he went to a coffee shop, he meets Poe, a Raven shifter. They ended up mating even though Thorin was surprised it happened. As they got to know each other, Thorin realized he was in the wrong and made it up to Poe. This is a new world for me and I loved it. Cannot wait to read more.

Aether and The Elements: Louisa Masters
This is the start of a new series featuring Perry and Aether. Told in Perry’s point of view, the story starts with him being on a car ride as he had a bad day. To top it off, his car breaks down. As he starts to call AAA, he hears lightning and then a naked man shows up. He was shocked to hear him say that he was so happy to find him so quickly. Perry was so confused. This starts the story of how he got his memories of the past and meeting the other elements. Cannot wait to see what happens next.

How to Survive a Summoning: Nikole Knight
Told in Jamie’s point of view, he is a human that is tethered to a mage. When a ghoul corners him, he find the amulet and summons a demon. He is very surprised it worked as he does not have magic. When Lyn pops up, he takes care of the ghoul. The story starts from there where they realize they are mates and how he ends up with Lyn. Loved the world building and here’s hoping there is more.

A Werewolf called Ammon: Michelle Frost
Ammon was running with his pack when he smell’s something wondering and runs toward it. When he realizes it’s coming from the person who’s riding his mot, he tries to stop but couldn’t. He saves him from getting hurt and called him mate. Bacchus, is a demon, who recently came to the earthly plane. Bacchus is sceptical but agrees to go on a date. Great world building and looking forward to more of this world.

A Squirrel gets his Nuts: Kelex
This is the prequel of Only Skin Deep where Luca and Ash meet. You get to read their backstories of how Luca started at Enchanted Ink and Ash coming to Salem. Great read and looking forward to reading more in this world.

Fated Kiss: Mia Monroe
Ambrose is a vampire who has lived in RavenBrook for a few years and his house has started to fall apart. He decides to go town and ask at the local diner if they knew about any handyman. As he does not visit often, people are wary of him. Calix came to town and went to the diner for a meal. He is new in town and asked if there was a place for him to sleep and for work. When he heard about Ambrose, he decided to go up the hill to meet him. OMG, Calix is so sweet, great sunshine/grumpy fated mates.

Curse of Silver and Blood: Sheena Jolie
I love this author’s books and this was a great read. Leif, a werewolf, is out in the forest when he hears noises. Going to investigate, he runs across Alec, a fae, who is running from an explosion that happened. When he sees Leif he is unafraid. Leif takes him home to recuperate and they slowly started telling their backstories and discover they are mates. This is set in the Infinite Arcana universe and wanting to read more.

There is a bat in my room: Michele Notaro
This one is set in the world of Brunswick/Elwood series. Jett, a human, came home from working as a bartender. Because his air conditioner was on the fritz, he opened his window and a bat flew in. OMG it was hilarious how he went about trying to get rid of it. When he whacked it with his tennis racket, the bat turned into a human male when he hit the wall. Ward explained what happened and why he came in. Told in Jett’s point of view, it tells the story of how he helped Ward out and they discovered they were viramore’s. Loved it and need to go back to read more in this world.

The Demon and the Librarian: Chloe Archer
This author has a great way of telling their stories. Yuki, the new librarian at Mystic Hollow, was working when he came across a small book. When reading the wording out loud, a demon came through a portal. Kassiel heard the mating gong in his realm and went to see his mate. Yuki was very sceptical about this but they had 2 weeks to figure things out. Loved the world building and looking forward to reading more.

A Scent like No Other: JP Sayle
Set in the Enchanted Ink world, this is the prequel to Pierre’s and Eli’s story. Eli is a witch, who read a job offer for a tattoo artist in Salem. When using his magic, he brought up Enchanted Ink and “met” Cassius. Fast forward one year, and Pierre, a red skunk shifter, lost his job as he was unable to control his scent glands. When saved by Eli, he gets a tattoo to help. Knowing he is part of a triad, he tells Eli that he would like to find their third. Eli is hesitant as he doesn’t think he needs a third to complete them. When Pierre goes and performs a magic spell to find their third, Eli is pulled in also. What follows is not a pleasant thing. Cannot wait to read Mage, Demons and Hunters which is coming out soon to see what happens next.

True Mates and Where to Find them: AJ Sherwood
This is the first book I have read from this author and really enjoyed the story. The story starts with. Zander meeting a client at an auction house to sign some papers. When Max walks up on the stage, he is mesmerized and gets him. After signing the contract, he takes him home. Zander found out why Max put himself up for auction and told him he will help him out. This is a slow burn, high heat book with finding out that Max is a vampire mate. Great world building and would love to get the backstories of a Ronan and Fernando.

The Crow King: Jennifer Cody
Amos is a student in college and has a huge crush on his professor. He has also befriended the crows by naming and feeding them. When his roommate says the professor will be performing at a club, he gets dragged to the show. Told in Amos’ point of view it tells the story of how his professor, Corvin, is the Crow King and Amos is his mate. Loved it.

Fate’s Treasure: Grae Bryan
Max was living in another part of the U.S. when he was feeling restless and decided to buy a place in Oregon. Walking his dog, Bacon (love that name), through the trails when he suddenly runs off. He meets his neighbor Alistair. Told in Max’s point of view, it tells the start of their relationship while learning Alistair is a dragon. Here’s hoping this author will write more in this world.

Deader than Dead: H.L. Day
John is a necromancer who had just finished a job when his boss called him to go to a hotel without giving away any details. When he gets there, it was very shady with the people around. When he gets to the room, he discovers his mate, who was dead. He tried to revive him, but it didn’t work. He was devastated and went home. After a restless sleep, he gets woken up. He was so surprised to find his mate Bellamy. Told in John’s point of view, this meeting starts with what happened and how they were able to be together. Loved it.

Words Not Necessary: Lisa Oliver
Lisa is an automatic buy for me and was looking forward to reading this book. This book is set in the Greenwood Trilogy. Rocky is a magic user who is in Poland alone, as his anchor found her mate. As he is trying to read an encrypted message but was not able to. There he meets a young girl who took him to her brother. Neo is an anchor but because he could not talk, no one would hire him. When Eocky met him, he realized they were mates. Taken along for a job, the two work together to solve the mystery. Love this world and looking forward to more.

As the Raven Flies: Meghan Maslow
Abraham, a Raven shifter, is working as a bodyguard along with three others. One, Michael, is a dire wolf, and told Abe that he was his mate. With ravens not believing in that, he was sceptical. As they start working more together, Abe realized that what Michaud was true. Told in Abe’s point of view, it tells of the start of their relationship. Great world building as it is set in the Charm City chronicles with heat and chemistry.

[Amur Thera · Rating 1 out of 5]

13 out of 20 stories (65%) were connected to existing books or series.
    - 7 of these were full of characters from past books.
    - 7 of these had complicated worldbuilding or required prior knowledge that was not explained well enough for readers who didn't read the author's other books.
    - 3 of these were actually well done and easy to understand for laymen.

4 out of 20 stories (20%) were prequels to future books or series.
    - 4 of these ended before the plot was resolved.
    - 3 of these were crammed full of characters who were probably future MCs.
    - 0 of these were actually well done and finished.

5 out of 20 stories (25%) were complete standalones.

In the end, 8 out of 20 stories (40%) could be properly enjoyed as standalones. That means that less than half of the stories could be read by all readers; the rest could only be enjoyed if the reader did some 'required reading'. As most people read for fun, not as homework, it just means the average reader can only enjoy about half of the stories. I don't understand why authors publish stories that cannot be read by new readers in an anthology. I think it's downright offensive to readers to ask them to pay $10 for an ebook or $25 for two paperback volumes and then make half of the content inaccessible. Even if we accept all four of the prequels as properly enjoyable by new readers, only 60% of the content is open to all readers. I feel cheated, and I would absolutely not recommend buying this anthology. I would advise readers to donate the $10 directly instead.


Aether and the Elements by Louisa Masters - 1 star
This is a prequel to a new future series. The plot is left unresolved, and all future MCs are introduced. The little bit of space that was left for the actual romance was very dissatisfying, and mostly filled with annoying slang. Perry had lost his memory of Aether, and the romance plot was basically just Perry remembering he loved Aether and then there was sex. There was no connection built on-page, and even the memories were described only vaguely. Together with the unresolved plot, this was a very disappointing experience. Cannot be enjoyed as a standalone.

How to Survive a Summoning by Nikole Knight - 1 star
This one was actually a standalone story. However, this was probably an MX romance. Jamie used they/them pronouns to describe the demon. He didn't actually ask Lyn what their preferred pronouns were, but let's assume they/them was correct. I think this demon was supposed to be a non-binary character. I love MX stories, or relationships of any kind, so that's not a problem at all. What is an issue, to me, is that an MX story was published in an anthology advertised as "an MM Paranormal Romance Charity Anthology". An MX story does not belong in an MM anthology. That's disparaging of Lyn's gender identity.
Aside from this, I also thought Lyn was a very unlikeable character (seriously, who waits with saving their fated mate from their abuser until said abuser tortured him in front of them twice?). Oh, and there were no content warnings, even though this story contained human trafficking, forced servitude, and graphic torture.

    "You're a pathetic, weak human who sucks at living!"
    "Wow, way to get personal."
    "I'm distraught!" they screeched. "I'm not responsible for what I say when I'm distraught."

A Werewolf Called Ammon by Michelle Frost - 2 stars
This one is a prequel to an existing series (On Guard: Mated to the Humans), and full of side characters. I didn't really understand what Bacchus was. He was a demon, but he was also called a hellhound. Was he a hellhound shifter? Or was he just a demon of a faction called Hellhounds? His true form wasn't shown on-page, even though he mentioned that he missed it. The story itself was pretty sweet, actually. I just didn't understand the worldbuilding at all, and I'm quite sad I don't even really know what species one of the MCs was... Combined with the staggering number of side characters, this was difficult to enjoy as a standalone.

A Squirrel Gets His Nut by Kelex - 1 star
This story is, again, a prequel to an existing series (Enchanted Ink). There are many side characters, and the plot and even the romance itself are left unresolved. Apparently, these MCs meet their third in the first book of the Enchanted Ink series. This absolutely cannot be read as a standalone.
The plot is confusing and will probably become clearer in the rest of the series. But Luca is such an asshole that I'm not interested anyway. He wouldn't give his fated mate a chance, and even gave him an ultimatum. An ultimatum! Oh, and Luca was incredibly speciesist against humans. Ash should have left him and found someone who deserved him instead.

Fated Kiss by Mia Monroe - 4 stars
This story was only very loosely connected to an existing series (Immortal Assassins), and could easily be read as a standalone. I actually really enjoyed this one. Calix completely dazzled Ambrose and their connection was lovely. However, it seemed like the author used up too many words for the first half and ran into problems trying to resolve everything in the second half. The second half felt really rushed and I didn't like the way Ambrose was finally accepted in his town. The way it happened now was really forced and felt like ticking off a checkbox. Other than that, I really liked this one.

Inferno by Kiki Clark - 2 stars
Here we have another prequel to a series not yet written. The reader was introduced to a bunch of characters who are obviously future MCs, but really didn't need that much detail in an anthology short story. This story and I started off at the wrong foot, when I saw the description. F$ck or die, really? Why would you censor that? I agree with a very wise fellow reader's philosophy: if you can't say the actual word, you shouldn't write about it. The story is pretty much indeed just fuck or die, and I don't care that the author said it wasn't dubcon and that allegedly enthusiastic consent was given; in this situation, real consent was impossible. I was missing some details and explanations (like what Myles' spell actually did), and the story ended rather suddenly and before Myles got to bite Riggs. I also didn't like that Riggs had chased off Myles' past boyfriends. It's not cute or whatever, it's dickish and there is no excuse for causing Myles such heartbreak. I did love the tiger cuddles so much that I'm willing to overlook the "that's what cats do when they're happy" about purring, which tigers don't actually do. Overall, I had higher hopes for this story.

Black and White by Vinni George - 2 stars
Would you look at that, it's another prequel! Again, the actual series has not yet been written. The story introduces all the future MCs and also what I assume will be the main plot. This means a lot of words were wasted on side characters and the plot was left unresolved. I have so many unanswered questions. It's a real pity, too, because I was really loving this story until it ended abruptly. This one felt like a 5 star read, but I was just left with such an incredibly disappointed feeling that everything was soured. Even the romance itself didn't feel complete; the claiming bite was teased but not performed, and apparently the killer whale shifter's mark changed when finding his fated mate but that part was left unexplained (to both the reader and the other mc).

Violent Secret by Ariana Nash - 1 star
This story is connected to the author's Blackrose Brotherhood series. I haven't read these books, and I assume that's the reason why I had no idea what was going on. The worldbuilding was very confusing and many things didn't make sense to me. This was also a second chance romance based on past events that were explained only in a rush and didn't make a lot of sense to me. I honestly don't have much to say about this story because I'm just really confused and don't understand a single choice any of the characters made. This one cannot be enjoyed as a standalone.

Wounded Mate by Lee Colgin - 2 stars
This story is connected to the author's Outcast Mates series. All six of the previous MCs and a few prominent side characters showed up, which would probably make this a very confusing experience for someone who hasn't read any of those books before. And even though the author doesn't seem to have any plans to continue the story of Wounded Mate, it feels like it ended too soon. Bela's main mission, finding another wolf like him, was left unfinished. And the main worry Valius had about their relationship, his possible need to feed sexual energy from people who were not Bela, was left pretty open-ended. I mostly enjoyed reading this, but I don't think it works as a standalone. And it should have had a proper HEA.

Shiny Things by Kelly Fox - 1 star
I hated this story. Thorin rejects Poe as his mate because Poe is a raven shifter and his evil ex was a crow shifter. That's it. That's the only reason. It's speciesist as fuck, but the narrative seems to try to push the reader towards understanding his motives? Imagine trying to execute the same narrative but then with racism, or queerphobia, or whatever. No thanks.
At least this one could be read as a standalone, even if it's very loosely connected to Bee Cave Magic.

The Crow King's Mate by Jennifer Cody - 3 stars
This story read like a standalone story. There were a few little hints at a possible sequel with two of the side characters as main characters, but their presence wasn't overwhelming and the author didn't announce a new series at the end of the story.
I liked Amos and how he befriended the crows on campus just because he didn't want to be on their bad side. His roommate was also a great guy. There was an overabundance of the word "gawd" (23 mentions in just one short story), and the fact that this was a teacher/student romance was pretty much ignored, but the students supporting their professor's pole dancing skills instead of making fun of him was a very nice touch. There was also some unnegotiated kink (breath play). Overall an okay read.

Fate's Treasure by Grae Bryan - 2 stars
This story was also a standalone. There was nothing really wrong with it, but it didn't grab me either way. I just didn't feel a connection between the main characters, partly because Alistair was courting Mal and 80% on the way to being mated forever while Mal was still completely oblivious to anything because Alistair didn't tell him. It felt like their relationship was very unbalanced. But there was Bacon, and he was a really good boy.

Deader Than Dead by H.L. Day - 3 stars
Another standalone story. This one is about a necromancer who finds his fated mate, who is already dead and beyond the 'time limit' for resurrection. I thought this one had a really confusing plot (why would the bad guys hire a necromancer in the first place, if they expected the body to rise by itself? And why did John work for such a crappy boss if his skill was so rare and valuable, instead of as a freelancer or for a better boss?), and I thought John kept Bellamy in the dark about his death for too long. Aside from that, I enjoyed their connection.

Words Not Necessary by Lisa Oliver - 1 star
This story is a prequel to the Magic Users of Greenford Trilogy. The Author Note says "the old rules regarding anchors apply", which means nothing to me, since I haven't read the trilogy. Unfortunately, as expected, the worldbuilding in the story made no sense to me at all. The way Neo was treated by society and his family made no sense, and the way his grandmother was forgiven for everything she did to him was really gross. Rocky also said he "had no doubts Neo would bottom for him when he was ready". What? Why does Neo have to bottom for him at all? This mindset is really disturbing.
But the most disturbing thing was the blatant ableism in this story. Neo couldn't speak because of a past injury, and because of discrimination against his disability, he couldn't get a job and got kicked out of his grandmother's house to live on the street. None of this was addressed. Rocky just used his magic to magically give him the ability to speak and everything was sunshine and rainbows. And the worst part of it all is that Neo honestly didn't need to speak to be an anchor. There was no reason why he had to be 'cured' in order to work or be a part of society. Don't get me wrong, I love that Rocky could help Neo speak because Neo really wanted that, but the way all the ableism was just ignored and accepted as normal is awful.

As the Raven Flies by Meghan Marslow - 2 stars
This story is connected to the existing series Charm City Chronicles. Many characters from the series show up here and make it harder to follow the story. I also don't like characters who have sex while they still feel antagonistic towards each other.
The writing didn't always work for me. Many sentences didn't have a subject ("Felt his smile against my shoulder blade.", "Didn't mind.") and it made the writing look very stilted. I did enjoy Michael's attempts at appeasing Abe's (deserved) anger. There was some drama just for the sake of drama, and things with Michael's family were left unresolved, but I liked the kid Michael took on as his ward in the end. The whole thing just felt a bit messy.

Curse of Silver & Blood by Sheena Jolie - 3 stars
This story is set in the author's Infinite Arcana Universe and can supposedly be read as a standalone.
The start of the story was really promising. The way Leif took care of Alec, carried him around everywhere, and kept tucking him in under mountains of soft blankets was absolutely adorable. Alec also got to get his revenge on his abuser. It felt like this was finally going to be the 5 star read I've been hunting for in this anthology. And then... the story ended. Just ended. Leif was still cursed and other things felt unfinished as well. Turns out, a full-length novel about these guys will be published in the future... So, surprise prequel that cannot be read as a standalone because the story is incomplete. Yay...

There's A Bat in My Room! by Michele Notaro - 2 stars
This one is connected to the Ellwood Chronicles and the Brinnswick Chronicles, and heavily features characters from The Human's Incubus. Nevertheless, the author insists this story can be read as a standalone. Spoiler alert: it can't.
Ward hanging out and maybe slightly stalking Jett while in bat form was really cute, just like the bat pets. However, there were way too many side characters and things got really confusing, especially if the reader doesn't know any of the characters yet from the author's other works. Then these random guys show up (the "famous Ellwoods") and fix all the problems while being incredibly overbearing. This story is about Jett and Ward, not about any of these other characters, so why can't Jett and Ward just be the protagonists and deal with the plot? Having everything 'fixed' by a bunch of random side characters who show up out of the blue is really annoying. Can definitely not be enjoyed as a standalone. It's maybe more fun if the reader is familiar with all the characters.

The Demon and the Librarian by Chloe Archer - 1 star
This story is set in the author's Monsters Hollow universe, but can be read as a standalone (for real, this time).
I personally hated the way fated mates worked for demons in this universe. Demons had only one chance to experience romantic love, and that was with a fated mate. If they missed this chance, they would never experience romantic love again and "without being able to know love with a partner, many demons become bitter and jaded". The human even asks the demon, "In other words, I would be relegating you to a lonely and pathetic existence where you could never love anyone ever again?" This makes me so fucking mad. As if romantic love is 'better' than other kinds of love. As if people who don't experience romantic love are 'lonely and pathetic'. This is arophobic as fuck. And also offensive to everyone else, actually, because you don't need to be aro to experience meaningful non-romantic love.

A Scent Like No Other by JP Sayle - 1 star
Another story that is definitely not a standalone. It's connected to the Enchanted Ink series, as a prequel to the second installment. The anthology story ends without even a HFN, and it was full of side characters. There was also no warning for torture and witnessing the death of a fated mate.
These guys did not communicate, and one of them ended up doing something stupid. He claims it got their mate killed (yeah, there's a third mate for this couple), even though their mate was attacked without his interference. The mate appears to have died in this story. That's when the story ends. There is no HFN and the story is incomplete. Would absolutely not recommend reading this.

True Mates and Where to Find Them by AJ Sherwood - 1 star
This story was a real standalone story. I actually really enjoyed this one, except one mc had been attacked by a vampire who had glutted himself. When the vampire mc compared this phenomenon to addiction, the human mc was so awful to people who suffer from addiction that it completely threw me out of the story. The rest of the story was good, but I just couldn't enjoy it as much anymore. It's understandable for a character to be imperfect and/or to react based on past traumatic experiences, but leaving something like this unchallenged just increases stereotyping and discrimination against people suffering from addiction.
Without this mishap, the story would have been my favorite in the anthology.

    "There's any number of explanations for it. Just like any number of explanation for alcoholics, drug abusers, etcetera. It's an addiction for vampires."
    "Oh." So glutting was something the vampire had done to himself. Max just got to pay the price for it. No sympathy there, then.

[taylor :)]

The stories below are the only ones I read in this anthology. I just got bored after these and the rest of the blurbs didn’t appeal. I may update this if I read some more, but let’s not hold our breath. Kisses!

Aether and the Elements - Louisa Masters

5 stars. This was SO FUN. This was way different than anything I have ever read, and I loved it. Very funny, too. Sex scene at the end that was good.

How to Survive a Summoning - Nikole Knight

3.5 stars. This was very funny, but I am so upset about the sex. They talked a big talk in this story saying how he was going to ride him and stuff, but at the end it was basically fade to black. It was like “and then we didn’t do much talking” and then it cuts to them panting in contentment. So rude. I wanted some demon sexy times but noooooo.

A Werewolf Called Ammon - Michelle Frost

3 stars. I didn’t love it, but I didn’t hate it either. I just felt like nothing was happening. Sex was kinda boring.

Inferno - Kiki Clark

5 stars. Oh yeah I liked this one. Tiger shifter in a spell induced heat that only his mate can help him with? Hell yeah. So good. Never doubt this author and her ability to write sex.

Fate’s Treasure - Grae Bryan

5 stars. I really liked this one. This is one of the stories where I wished it was so much longer. I wanted to know more. I also wanted more sex thank you.

[ML · Rating 1 out of 5]

Anthologies should be where an author tries to get people to actually want to buy their back catalogue or future books. Best foot forward and all of that.
This WAS NOT that. Instead most were forgettable novellas and bit and pieces of characters you never wanted to know. Blurgh 😣

I’ve definitely put some of these authors on my do not buy list. This was supposed to be an audition for new readers and that was an epic fail.

Ugh 😣 what a disappointment.

[Jewel]

I never did get back to this and the anthology isn't available anymore, so the overall rating for what I read was 3.5.


Have not finished this anthology, yet, but here are my ratings so far ...

Aether and the Elements (Louisa Masters) - 3 Stars

How to Survive a Summoning (Nikole Knight)

A Werewolf Called Ammon (Michelle Frost)

A Squirrel Gets His Nut (Kelex)

Fated Kiss (Mia Monroe)

Inferno (Kiki Clark) - 3.5 Stars

Black and White (Vinni George)

Violent Secret (Ariana Nash) - 4 Stars

Wounded Mate (Lee Colgin)

Shiny Things (Kelly Fox)

The Crow King's Mate (Jennifer Cody)

Fate's Treasure (Grae Bryan) - 4 Stars

Deader Than Dead (HL Day) - 3 Stars

Words Not Necessary (Lisa Oliver)

As the Raven Flies (Meghan Maslow) - 4 Stars

Curse of Silver & Blood (Sheena Jolie) - 3 Stars

There's A Bat in My Room! (Michelle Notoro)

The Demon and the Librarian (Chloe Archer)

A Scent Like No Other (JP Sayle) - Yeah, no thanks. Skunk shifters may deserve love, too, but I am not into loose stinky buttholes -- thank you Amanda for that description which both made me laugh out loud AND tripped my NOPE switch, so I'm skipping this one, for sure...

True Mates and Where to Find Them (AJ Sherwood) - 4 Stars

[Rachel Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

First of all, everyone should get this anthology anyway because it is all going to charity and a good cause.

Secondly, it is filled with some of the very best authors and you should support all of them!

So the arcs are all broken up into several stories, so ARC readers could pick from different segments to read and review a handful of the stories from the whole anthology. My selection included stories from Sheena Jolie, Michele Notaro, Chloe Archer, JP Sayle, and AJ Sherwood - what a great group of authors!

Sheena Jolie - Curse of Silver and Blood - I LOVED this one and OMG I need more nowwwwww. The writing is just lush and beautiful, the characters I instantly loved and I want to know more about, and I must have more with these two.

Michele Notaro - There's a Bat in my Room - This started out hilariously and I love the voice to the characters in the writing!

Chloe Archer - The Demon and the Librarian - OK I loved this. This authors' typical humor and wit shines in this, and I really loved a shorter story from her! Hilarious, fun, a bit sexy, and good chemistry between the two MCs.

JP Sayle - A Scent like No Other - this is the prequel to JP's full length Enchanted Ink book! It's so funny going back to reading this and what Pierre was like at the start of things.

AJ Sherwood - True Mates and Where to Find Them

I received an arc of several stories within this book. My thoughts are my own.

[nic✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Grae Bryan needs to write more Dragon books. I will devour that series up like it’s a fancy steak dinner.

the way she just puts the words to page and the emotions she can make the reader feel is crazy.

I loved every other book in this anthology but Fates Treasure was so amazing.

[The Word Nerd Reviews Blog · Rating 5 out of 5]

Overall, this Anthology is 5 stars!

Of the 20 stories contained within the Fated Mates anthology, I have read 10 so far. I’ve enjoyed them all, some more than others (which is to be expected), but I’ve loved that whenever I start one of these stories I know there is going to be a romance of epic proportions and if not a ‘Happily Ever After’ (HEA) at least a ‘Happy for Now’(HFN). Sometimes, having that certainty is a very much needed thing.

I will be adding to this review, but for now these are my thoughts on the first 7 stories I read. I hate ranking stories, as each one has its own merits and I don’t like saying that one is better than this one, when it is so subjective and my tastes may be very different from yours! So, to be fair, I will list in the order I read them.

As The Raven Flies - Meghan Maslow - 5 stars

I’m a massive fan of Meghan’s Charm City Chronicles, and book 1, Demon’s in the Details remains one of my favourite audios, if not my most favourite. So to read this novella was a no brainer, I was so excited to read it, and I was not disappointed!!! I was over the moon that it was one of the longer novellas in this anthology. Meghan Maslow is quite open about her inability to not blow out a word count - and I love it!

As The Raven Flies is a story about Poe’s beta raven Abe, and Tommy’s bodyguard and dire wolf shifter, Michael, both on loan as bodyguards to Kennedy who has just taken over as Roger of Central Baltimore. The story takes place after A Cat’s Chance in Hell. At first Michael is just as arrogant as he appeared in Demon’s in the Details, but he starts to show a softer centre after Abe’s constant battering of his defence, I mean he’s still arrogant, but you get to see the sweet side of him too.

I really don’t want to spoil anything, but the story is an excellent addition to the Charm City books with all the signature snark, humour and romance you’d expect. It’s also action packed, and even though it’s one of the longest stories in the Anthology, I really didn’t want it to end!

It can be read as a standalone, but you might also find yourself a bit lost as the story just takes off from the end of book 2 with not a lot of background. Enough is explained that you could probably catch on, but I HIGHLY recommend you read at least book1 (Demon’s in the Details). Although this series is so amazing I dare you to stick to just the first book. Oh, and the audio for book 1 & 2 is *chef’s kiss* with Greg Boudreaux doing his usual amazing job bringing the entire cast to life.

Fate’s Treasure - Grae Bryan - 5 stars

When I saw Grae Bryan’s name, I assumed her story would be set in the Vampire Mates world. The blurb didn’t really indicate either way, so I kept to my assumption. It was actually a couple of chapters where I thought to myself ‘hang on….’. Fate’s Treasure is not related to the Vampire Mates series, and while I love that world, I adored this taste of something new.

This is one where it’s best to go in 100% blind, it’s so worth it! It has all the hallmarks of a Grae Bryan book, beautiful prose, gorgeous characters, a good dose of steam, and beautiful romance. Although it’s not indicated, I really hope that this is a taste of books to come, I would quite happily stay in this world for more books to come.

The Crow King’s Mate - Jennifer Cody - 3.5 stars

The Crow King’s Mate was a really fun little read. Another I would be happy to see expanded into a series, as some of the members of the Murder were just crying out for their own stories. It had great characters, humour, fluff, and was just generally a light (but not superficial) read. I really enjoyed it!

Words Not Necessary - Lisa Oliver - 3 stars

Weirdly, I have not read this author before, although I do have a few of their books in my TBR. Words Not Necessary was a lovely story. I really felt for poor Neo who was stuck between two worlds and not accepted by either. Rocky was lovely though, storming into Neo’s life, and they were a great partnership together. A really fun story, it whet my appetite to read the series it is a prequel to :The Magic Users of Greenford.

Deader Than Dead - H.L. Day - 3 stars

Another author I haven’t read before. This was an interesting read. A necromancer having to (temporarily) raise his fated mate, how is this going to have a good ending? I was intrigued from the start, and despite its premise, it was a much lighter read than I was expecting. I enjoyed the writing style, the characters were lovely, and there was enough humour throughout to ensure it never became a heavy read. I enjoyed it and will be checking out this author’s other books.

The Demon and the Librarian - Chloe Archer - 5 stars

This story was so. much. fun!! A prequel of sorts to Chloe Archer’s new series, and I just can’t wait to read the first full book. The story is packed with humour, characters that are all a bit strange (in the best possible ways), and combined with the author’s witty writing style that will keep you hooked. I really can’t wait for the first full book that comes out later this month (Sept 2023), if it’s anything like The Demon and the Librarian, it’s sure to be a winner!


Wounded Mate - Lee Colgin - 4.75 stars

Wounded Mate is set in the Outcast Mate series. Although it’s beneficial to have read at least the first book, Mongrel, it’s not essential to enjoy this novella, you may not completely understand the background of many of the characters and situations, but that just means you’ll have to go back and start the series from the beginning!

Valius and Bela were beautiful characters and it was lovely to see them get their much deserved HEA and I really enjoyed catching up with characters from the previous books. Lee Colgin has a lovely understated writing style that engages the reader, enmeshing them into the world and makes you thoroughly invested in the characters. I knocked off .25 of a star because I really wanted to see them meet Bowie and Andras (from Mongrel)! Regardless, it’s a beautiful story and highly recommended.

True Mates and Where to Find Them - AJ Sherwood - 5 stars

A true ‘feel good’ story Max is sold to Zander as a blood slave, only Zander doesn’t really get it, or at least he’s not acting like a ‘master’ should, and instead he spoils Max rotten. This was so much fun to read. Light and funny, but with a bit of action/drama mixed in that kept me really flipping the pages. I would love to read more in this world!


More to come!

[Sailor Neptuno · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this kind of charity anthologies. You can discover a lot of new authors and read the ones you already love. I'd be updating this review while I read the stories!

[Edga · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you fancy something a bit different, this is the book for you. Recommended if you want a read that will you get through a rainy afternoon curled up on a couch, look no further than this- this collection of short tales, full of fantasy, humour, snark and romance. All about finding your fated mate, It certainly ticked all of my boxes.

All of the writers are talented, resulting in an anthology that has many wonderful characters, that truly come alive on the page. Even though the stories have the same theme (read the blurb), they're all different and entertaining, it’s hard not to enjoy something from every story.

I'm not going to review each and every story individually, because I don't want to give anything away. I rated the stories from a 3 to five stars, which is why I gave it 4 stars. Also, it's been written for such a worthwhile charity, I don't want to outline my preferences, well done and thank you to of the authors who have contributed their time.

Some of the tales are more serious than others, some are quite humorous. All were well written, with good story and character development, on the whole they were imaginatively written and entertaining. If you fancy something a bit different, this is the book for you. I received an ARC, but I'll certainly be purchasing it. Recommended.

[Mug]

i’ve only read two of the stories so far, so i don’t want to rate it yet. i’ll update if i decide to read more from this!

aether and the elements - louisa masters:

the concept is mad interesting….like the elements reincarnated over and over PLUS fated mates that only have a limited amount of time together before they’re split apart until the next time they’re reincarnated like sign me up!!! but it was (obvi) extremely short and the story just kinda cut off after the big explanation scene to have the mmcs fuck in the (no offense) shortest and most boring way possible and then immediately the end😵‍💫 so it felt unfinished. seems like this might be the intro to a full length ??? very sorry if i’m wrong, but ugh! why include half a story instead of a novella🥴 either way it was unsatisfying. 3 stars.

inferno - kiki clark:

instant 5 stars like it’s so fucking good!!!!!!! besties to lovers (goated) + fated mates + shifters + plus accidental induced heat ??????? it was never not gonna fuck and it fucked severely!!!!! i’m extremely feral for the new silver oak pack series now like i might have to read some other kiki clark books to tide me over in the meantime…..ugh show-stopping, stunning, spectacular🥹

[Raven Neverever · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ARC for one segment of the book with 4 short stories and 1 teaser for a series.

I enjoyed them all a lot they were short but on point which is a nice change in between reading whole books.

Very intriguing was the teaser for the ORCA series, I'm definitely looking forward to it.

All authors found a way to make the characters alive within such a short time, I will read the whole collection once it is available. And I will definitely have a look into the other books of some authors.

[SJ]

* Aether and the Elements • Louisa Masters Very enjoyable! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
* A Werewolf Called Ammon • M Frost One of my favorites! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
* A Squirrel Gets His Nut • Kelex ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 1/2
* Fated Kiss * Mia Monroe ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
* Inferno • Kiki Clark ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
* Black and White • Vinni George ⭐️⭐️⭐️
* Shiny Things • Kelly Fox ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
* The Crow King’s Mate • Jennifer Cody ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
These last two are about avian shifters, a raven and a ‘murder’ of crows. They are both very good stories with good heat. 🔥🔥🔥
* Fate’s Treasure • Grae Bryan I liked this one! Wonderful dialogue and MCs. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️🔥🔥🔥

[~nikki the recovering book addict · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best anthology

Anthologies are usually touch and go with a mix of good and not so good stories. But this one was excellent. I loved almost all of it. I’m truly impressed by the quality 😍

[Mariah]

it's probably going to take me years to read this, so I'm just going to leave it on currently reading and mark them off as I go along

Kiki Clark - 01/09/24 to 02/09/24

[Showarst · Rating 5 out of 5]

I will add more reviews as I continue to read


Inferno by Kiki Clark
4 out of 5 stars

Tiger shifter Riggs realizes his childhood friend Myles is his mate after being separated for several months. After Myles accidentally puts a spell on him that sends Riggs into a fake ‘heat’. These two were really sweet and I am looking forward to the new series based on the Silver Oak pack.


Black and White by Vinni George
4 out of 5 stars

Sea Otter shifter and hacker Felix needs protection after his identity has been leaked and his life threatened. Nero, orca shifter, is asked to protect him. These two realize that they are fated mates upon meeting. This story was SO interesting and I cannot wait to read this new ORCA series. It sounds fascinating. I loved Nero and his brothers. I wanted to see Nero and Felix claim each other but hopefully that will happen in this new series.


Violent Secret by Ariana Nash
4.5 out of 5 stars

I don’t believe that I’ve ever read an Ariana Nash novel, and the first few chapters were a little overwhelming because I felt thrust into a world I didn’t understand with characters I was supposed to be familiar with. However, once I got the story down, this was thrilling. I loved Aiko and Kota’s story so much and I am going to have to add this series to my very long TBR list. I also appreciated how it felt like a whole story. I was so afraid that it would end with a vague ending and I would have to try to catch up on an entire series to see what happened to Aiko and Kota. It was very enjoyable.


Wounded by Lee Colgin
3.5 out of 5 stars

I have read “Mongrel” , the first book in this series, so I was familiar with the world that Lee Colgin had created. I didn’t feel a strong connection between Bela and Valius. Maybe if we had seen them further down the road to see how the relationship played out. But Valius was talking about possibly taking other lovers (he’s an incubus) even in the last chapter. It didn’t feel strong enough where it ended.


Shiny Things by Kelly Fox
4.5 out of 5 stars

I really loved this story about Thorin and Poe. Thorin had been burned by an avian shifter so he wrote off all avian shifters as potential partners. However, fate had a different plan in mind. The way these two mated was very interesting and unique. I loved how Poe did not let Thorin treat him badly because of his past. These two worked well together. I would be very interested in reading more from this world.

I received an ARC for my honest review

[Leigh Gaskill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aether and the Elements by Louisa Masters -
⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️

I wasn’t sure about this one at first, I’m gonna be honest. It started a bit slow. But lemme tell you, I was SO GLAD I didn’t give up! I am such a sucker for new and exciting stories! I had to tell my husband about the premise of this one right away! I am super excited that Louis as plans (with a capital P lol) for these characters! Great intro to the series!

How to Survive a Summoning - Nikole Knight
⭐️⭐️⭐️

This one started off pretty good to me. I really liked Lyn’s character. Jamie wasn’t doing it for me. I think his character, with being sold by his own mother at 12 for goodness sake, and all the issues he has clearly been through since then, may have benefitted more from a novel length story. Lyn came out fabulous from the beginning and I loved it. The part where they yelled ‘This. Is. Prada!’ I definitely read that just like the movie ‘300’ so hopefully that’s what Nikole was going for lol.

A Werewolf Called Ammon - Michelle Frost
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This is a prequel to an established series that begins with ‘A Hellhound Called Derek’. Ammon catches his mate, Bacchus’, scent during a run in the first and sweeps him off his bike (motorcycle, see what I did there? Aaaaanyways) This was very cute and well paced, not too many details on the world but you’re supposed to get that from the main series I’m guessing. I’ve had my eye on that but haven’t made the commitment, this prequel just made that decision for me!

A Squirrel Gets His Nut - Kelex
⭐️⭐️⭐️

This is a prequel for Only Skin Deep by Kelex. The magic system and side characters seem interesting (looking at you Gideon). Luca and Ash have both had terrible experiences growing up that have shaped who they are now. Luca is a magical tattoo apprentice and Ash is a police officer/shifter. They fall into the ‘mate bond’ very quickly, no questions asked, and then Luca definitely has issues when he finds out Ash is a cop. Potential for me to read their novel, we shall see.

Fated Kiss - Mia Monroe
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This was quite sweet, and appropriately paced for a novella. Ambrose is the spooky, introverted (closeted vampire) rich neighbor who lives on the hill in town where Calix just happened to sweep into looking for a fresh start from his sad life. Looking for work he batters his (lack of) handyman skills in exchange for room and board. Lucky for them both they happen to be mates and find each other irresistible!

I really liked the interesting takes Mia had on vampires (it’s hard to refresh vampires anymore I feel like) and Ambrose and Calix were perfect for each other. I would absolutely read a full novel about these sweet babes.

Inferno - Kiki Clark
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

First off, I LOVE friends to lovers!! This had an interesting twist on mates that I don’t think I’ve ever seen before. Myles and Riggs have known each other since childhood but suddenly (after a separation) Riggs (a tiger shifter) is noticing that his tiger is liking how Myles smells more. Myles is confused why Riggs is suddenly putting distance between the two of them, and happens to unknowingly get into some magical trouble for the both of them.

This looks like it’s going to set up a new series for Kiki Clark and I’m HERE FOR IT!

Black and White - Vinny George
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This was super interesting. I have never read about an orca shifter (Nico) or an otter shifter (Felix) before. So kudos for refreshing not only the mate trope but also the shifter genre!

I did get a bit confused when Nico’s brothers arrived home, as it *seemed* like I was supposed to have some prior knowledge of their dealings that I did not. But the writer took care of this prior to the end of the story. And I’m not sure whether Nico and Felix are getting their own full novel or not but Felix’ story is definitely not resolved so maybe it will be an overarching plot? I’m intrigued to say the least!


Violent Secret - Ariana Nash
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I really liked this story. Friends-lovers-enemies-lovers. I will say you should absolutely have read Violent Desire AT LEAST prior to reading this story or you are likely going to be confused. Aiko is sent in to dispatch the new oyabun of the London Yakuza, who happens to by nyk and his former lover Kota. This took an unexpected but welcome turn at the pivotal moment, which I should have expected but it’s been a hot minute since I read Violent Desire so I was lacking on the plot. Great addition to overall story arc.

Wounded Mate - Lee Colgin
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I am familiar with the Outcast Mates Series and absolutely loved the first two books (have not yet read the third). Bela and Valius’ story was a great way for me to remember all the things I loved about their world and remind me I have another story to read!

It was interesting that Valius was alerted to Bela’s need for help when he was injured in the woods, and it makes me wonder if it would have happened if the injury had not been so dire or if their proximity to one another had not been so close. I would love to have a follow up when Bela meets Andras, he and Bowie were so sweet!

Shiny Things - Kelly Fox
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This is my favorite so far! (I’m reading in order lol). Thorin has just blown into town after leaving Seattle and a terrible relationship with a crow shifter, and meets Poe who is a witty and sexy raven shifter. They mate (unintentionally) super quick but due to Thorin’s avian shifter hang ups he is reluctant to let the bond play out which naturally causes some issues.

I really liked this story because even though the bond was there and it was quite demanding on what it wanted the two of them to do, Poe wasn’t a pushover and knew he was worth more. And Thorin heard him out (they both did really) and were willing to work through their issues and get to know each other. And surprise! They were perfect for one another!

The Crow King’s Mate - Jennifer Cody
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Damn this was SO GOOD!! I really hope Jennifer writes more about this world because I am here for it!!

Amos has befriended a murder of crows on campus, but little does he know they are not all they appear to be. This was such a cool story and I have so many questions! Does Jacob get his chance with Brigs? Who actually owns the strip club? I need more!!!

Fate’s Treasure - Grae Bryan
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Mal has uprooted his whole life to suddenly move states away and live in a secluded cabin based on a feeling he had. Luckily for him he has a handsome neighbor he can’t seem to stay away from, and it seems the feeling is mutual. It actually made me wonder if Alistair was ‘calling’ to Mal somehow or if Mal just had the feeling to move and where. Interesting take on dragon shifters for sure, and as I’ve stated before I love when tried and true themes get a refresh! Also there’s a dog named BACON!

I really like Grae’s books (Soren is my fave!) and I hope she continues this into a series of some sort!

Deader than Dead - H. L. Day
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Necromancer stories are some of my favorites and this one was no different! John is placed on a sketchy call to reanimate a corpse, and when he gets there he realizes it’s the man who is fated to be his mate.

This story had quite a few twists and turns and was very good! And it also started out quite hilarious so that’s always a plus for me! Would have loved an epilogue as a nice wrap up though!

Words Not Necessary - Lisa Oliver
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Rocky is a high magic wielder who has suddenly found himself in the middle of a case and without his anchor. Neo is a mute anchor trying to make ends meet in a system that is working against him. When both men meet each other they realize they are mates, which is perfect and good timing as they need to solve the case Rocky has been working on before more anchors die

This is an interesting premise for a magic system, which I always appreciate greatly. It did intrigue me enough that I’m going to look into the rest of the series. I was kind of put off by some of the things that Rocky thought though about Neo, or at least the order he thought them in. When he was ‘claiming’ his mate it was more important for him to do it not because it was his mate, but because he had so many anchor marks and he didn’t want someone else to come along and do it before he did? What a weird freaking thing to think while you’re literally being intimate with you’re partner.

As The Raven Flies - Meghan Maslow
⭐️⭐️⭐️

Michael (a direwolf shifter) realizes he’s mated to Abraham (a raven shifter) and royally steps in it with one line: ‘Even though you’re just a bird, I accept you as my mate’. Abe understandably tells Michael to screw off (in a sense) but unfortunately for him they both have a job to do protecting Kennedy and solving who is trying to harm her.

This story was pretty confusing to me, and I definitely felt like I was missing parts of this world (which was evident when I got to the end and found out it’s part of a bigger story). I liked Abe and Michael’s arc, and how Abe definitely made Michael work to earn his trust back. And he did, it was very sweet.

Curse of Silver & Blood - Sheena Jolie
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Alec is a Fae who orchestrated his escape from a backwoods drug lab where he was being held captive. He is found by Leif, an alpha werewolf who has been cursed by a witch and forced to be apart from other werewolves for their own safety for a long time. Fate gives Leif a gift in the form of Alec, as he is his mate, but he is hesitant to form a bond with him due to the curse.

This appears to be a prequel to a longer story for this couple (thank goodness) as we barely scratched the surface of what I think is going to be a good story for them. Fair warning, it actually turned a bit murdery which was totally fine with me, but if that’s not your jam then skip ahead a few pages in the last chapter of their story when they head into the woods. Excited for more!

There’s a Bat in My Room! - Michelle Notaro
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This was very cute and I had no idea at first that it was related to The Human’s Incubus by Michelle Notaro! Jett gets home after work and realizes he has a bat flying around his room. After flinging it into the wall with a tennis racket he quickly realizes it’s not a bat, but a shifter. Or a ‘vampire’ as he mistakenly believes for like half the story! But this bat is on the run from loan sharks and Jett is ready to help him get out of a bad situation. The added benefit that they are viramores just makes everything sweeter.

The Demon and The Librarian - Chloe Archer
⭐️⭐️⭐️

This started off really cool with a good premise, but Yuki’s attitude ruined the whole story for me. And then he does accept but it’s like 1 minute before midnight the last freaking day of the trial period? Omfg. Honestly this was going to be a 2 star, but the fact that Yuki did accept and didn’t have to be convinced at the last minute pushed it to a 3.

A Scent Like No Other - JP Sayle
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This started off a little strange but has promise. This is set in the same world as Kelex’ story above. Not sure on the timing compared to that one but I don’t think Luca has found his third yet.

Pierre (after literally falling into his mate Eli’s arms) is getting restless and takes matters into his own hands to find their third mate. This does not end well and both men are under the impression that he is dead.

True Mates and Where to Find Them -AJ Sherwood
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This one was pretty cute. Max is desperate and puts himself up for auction as a vampire slave. Zander sees him and buys him out of the goodness of his heart but proceeds to spoil the crap out of him without feeding on him. Max and Zan fall in love. I actually wonder if this is part of a larger series or if the author has plans for that? I would read the crap out of it.

2 things that confused or irked me: Zan has ALOT of money but they don’t talk about how he got it. I guess they don’t need to but he’s like 30 in human years. Also, Max is ‘a vampire mate’ not Zander’s mate. Meaning he’s compatible for everyone? Zander wasn’t about to let him go obviously but it feels less special.

[Sheena · Rating 4 out of 5]

Segment 2

Overall 4.5 stars for the stories in this anthology that I read, on the whole I enjoyed them all and found some new to me authors, which is the point of this whole thing for me. Below are the stories I did read.

Inferno by Kiki Clark
This is a new to me author, and serves as prequel to a series, I read it as a standalone and still enjoyed it. I did wonder about how the consent issue would be handled but it was done brilliantly well. I really liked Riggs and Myles, I do like a good best friends to lovers story and this was fun, hot and sweet.

Black and White by Vinni George
Another new to me author, and I really liked the world created here. I like the idea of animal shifters other than the usual and a killer whale and sea otter shifter were new ones on me, but I loved that idea. This felt less complete, it's more a teaser into the whole story and really left me hanging at the end, I wanted to know more about Felix and the brothers but will have to wait for the full series for that.

Violent Secret by Ariana Nash
This is set in the Blackrose Brotherhood world, a series I have been reading and enjoying, and while you could enjoy as a standalone, I think I got so much more out of it as I'd read the series. It was so good to be back with the brothers, and I was so happy to finally get Aiko's story - and it was a good one. Best friends to lovers, to enemies, to lovers again over the span of several lifetimes. For such a short tale, it's pretty epic in scale and I loved it.

Wounded Mate by Lee Colgin
Another new to me author. This is set in an already existing world, but as I read it going in new, I still really enjoyed it. There did seem to be existing characters and places cameoing, as it were, but I enjoyed the story for what it was, a sweet, sometimes steamy story of two people accepting each other as they are. Valius and Bela were so sweet together, I loved them finding acceptance in each other and wanting to make that life together, even after such a short time.

Shiny Things by Kelly Fox
Another new to me author. A fun, hot interlude turns into an accidental fated mates and it's fun, sexy, and ultimately sweet. I loved Poe, he is so cute and sassy and the perfect foil to grumpy Thorin. I love grumpy/sunshine and this was a lot of fun. I also liked the cast of supporting characters and the town this was set in. I'm not sure if this a set up for a series, or set in the world of an existing series but I enjoyed it on its' own.

Segment 4

Curse of Silver and Blood by Sheena Jolie
I really enjoyed this. I loved Alec and Leif, and their connection. Leif has been on his own for so long after being cursed, and thinks that his curse will transfer to Alec. Alec was a breath of fresh air, bringing some much needed and longed for companionship to Leif while standing up to him and making him believe he could help and wasn't going anywhere once they found they were mates. I was really enjoying this and was a little sad not to get their whole story here. I will just have to follow up with the series.

There's a Bat in my Room! by Michele Notaro
I have read this author before but not familiar with the universe this is set in, but I thoroughly enjoyed it as a standalone. I loved Jett and Ward, and Jett's hilarious insistence that Ward is a vampire even when Ward keeps insisting he's not. I loved their connection, and even more so after finding out Ward's sad backstory (seriously, found family is sometimes WAY better than real family). I loved getting to know these two, and didn't feel all that lost even when I realised some of the other characters had perhaps appeared in other books. This was fun, yet ultimately quite sweet.

The Demon and the Librarian by Chloe Archer
Another new to me author, and this was so much fun. I loved how clueless Yuki was, accidentally summoning Kassiel (and the incantation was hilarious, even more so when you find out how it came about). Kassiel in his turn was eternally optimistic at finding his mate, even in the face of seeming rejection. A touch of arrogance, maybe, but it suited him (demon, after all). I loved how determined he was to woo Yuki and it was so fun to see them come together even in the short time frame they had. This worked perfectly as a short, it was fun and hot.

A Scent Like No Other by JP Sayle
Another new to me author, and while I enjoyed this, I really felt a little short changed with the ending, I really wanted to know what happened with their third. I understand it's meant as a prequel to a full book perhaps, but for me the story was just getting going when it stopped. Such are things in a short story anthology though. I like the idea of different animal shifters, and the idea of a skunk shifter was new to me. I also liked Eliphas, and him finally finding his coven - found family YAY. I liked the connection between Eli and Pierre too, and I did enjoy the story.

True Mates and Where To Find Them by AJ Sherwood
This is a true standalone story, and quite possibly my favourite along with the Ariana Nash story. I loved Zander and Max and really enjoyed getting to know them. Max sells himself for a year at an auction to become a vampire servant, but is bought by Zander who is determined to look after him, and pamper him even when Max is wary of anything good - especially from vampire. Zander's love language is lavishing gifts on Max, and it's hilarious seeing Max trying to reign Zander in and failing epically. This was so much fun, while still being sweet (if a vampire story can even be that). I adored these two.

[Ashley Martinez (ilovebooksandstuffblog) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fated Mates

Fated Mates overall rating about 4.2 stars

Aether and the Elements 3

A short odd read. I wasn’t sure what to think of it. When it was explained in the end, I liked the concept with the elementals and world.

How to Survive a Summoning 5

Sweet, sexy, and oh so much fun! I really enjoyed this entertaining story. It made me smile and laugh. Definitely recommend!

A Werewolf Called Ammon 3

A short fated mates story with shifters and demons. It was cute.

A Squirrel Gets His Nut 4

Fated mates, shifters, witches and so much more is packed in this series starter. I can’t wait to read more from this one. I love the idea of enchanted ink as well!

Fated Kiss 3

A low angst easy going read. It moves rather quickly and is a very laid back read.


Inferno 3

A quick steamy read with shifter/human fated mates. It was quick paced and sexy and introduced this pack for what sounds like a new exciting series!

Black and White 4/5

Sea shifter fated mates with a dash of suspense and morally grey characters. I really enjoyed this one but it felt incomplete and I wanted more. I can’t wait for this new series to come out so I can see what happens to the characters!

Violent Secret 5

Friends to lovers to enemies to lovers again! What a beautiful heart-wrenching action-packed tale of love, hate, betrayal, and hope. I loved this emotional story part of the Blackrose Brotherhood Series (can be read as a stand-alone but best enjoyed with the rest of the series)


Wounded Mate 4

A sweet fast paced story with unlikely fated mates. The characters were sweet and adorable. I enjoyed the appearance of couples from previous stories as well.

Shiny Things 3.5

Cute! A steamy story with fated shifter mates. The characters were fun to read and the story was a quick sexy lighthearted read.

The Crow King’s Mate 3.5

Cute! It was a sweet story with crow shifters. It was fun and entertaining to read.

Fate’s Treasure 4

It was cute, sweet, and wonderful. It was a beautiful story with a dragon and his sacred treasure.

Deader Than Dead 5

Loved it! I really enjoyed the characters and unique fun twists throughout. Necromancers, morally grey men, zombies, what more could you want?

Words Not Necessary 3.5

A sweet story between a high magic user and anchor. The concept was interesting and I’d like to know more about the world.

As the Raven Flies 5

Absolutely loved this one! I really enjoyed the whole cast of characters! The main characters relationship was fun to read it was a push pull full of all sorts of adventure and I can’t wait to read more from this author.

Curse of Silver and Blood 4

Fast paced and sweet. It had all the feels and a great short monsterish romance.

There’s a Bat in my Room 5

Cute! This was such a sweet heartwarming story. It had all the feels! I also loved the crossover in the joint world and seeing previous characters from other stories as well.

The Demon and the Librarian 4

A sweet, spicy, and entertaining story between a summoned demon and human. I like the twist on things and it was a fun story with lots of laughs and sexy times.

A Scent Like No Other 4

Different and interesting. I love the concept and can’t wait to read more of their story I feel like there’s so much more to it. It was certainly an emotional rollercoaster so be prepared.

True Mates and Where to Find Them 5

So sweet! A sweet billionaire romance story that was easy to get swept off your feet in. It was low angst and completely sweet.

[Shellfish · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fated mates is a paranormal Romance Charity Anthology. So I received an ARC from GRR and this is my honest opinion.
So GRR was putting them out in segments and not the whole book. So I choose to request segment two because Kiki Clark was in that group(I just love Kiki Clark) Kiki Clark’s story, Inferno is a short story prequel to a new series The Silver Oak Pack. Which was mentioned in The Enforcer and his heart Kincaid pack book 5. I’m so excited for The Silver Oak Pack. Inferno was just a taste but you get glimpses of Alpha Liam Amato and other pack members. You meet Riggs a tiger who finds his mate in his human best friend. It was a very good short story. I enjoyed it.

The next story In the segment is Black and White by Vinni George
This had really good world building for a short story. I’m not sure if it’s a prequel or the first part of Felix and Nero’s story. It is definitely the beginning of a series though and I’m so wanting it. Orca shifters!! And a otter!! And I so want to meet the grandmother. I really enjoyed the story

The next one is Violent Secret by Ariana Nash. Holy cow this story was incredible. I loved all of it, nyks (vampires),secret brotherhood, feeders, killing, and loving. Aiko and Kota went through hurdles and obstacle after obstacle. I seriously doubted an HEA. I cried and cried and gasped out loud. I have never cried over a novella before they are just too short for me to get that emotional. That being said is a testament to how well this story was written. It was sooooo good. First Ariana Nash book I have read but not the last I’m going to devour this series.

The next story up is Wounded Mate by Lee Colgin
Great story, I was pulled in from the get go. I love how there is a variety of species in this story. Where a ware wolf can be mates with an incubus. So cool overall it was a sweet intoxicating story with fabulous characters. I’m definitely going to read everyone’s stories, Mongrel, Changeling, and Stray. Valius and Bela get their HFN and it was well deserved.

The last story in the segment is Shiny Things by Kelly Fox
I really liked this story so much. It was funny, freaking hot 🔥🔥🔥,sweet, romantic,and clever. Thorin moved to Texas to reset his life because of a really bad relationship he had just got out of. Then he immediately runs into Poe and fate takes over. The descriptions of this story were so well written I felt like I was sitting with Thorin at that table in the sun while watching Poe stare at Thorins beautiful hair. I loved Shiney things it made me happy. It was a feel good story.

The five story’s in this segment of Fated Mates were all so good and just a taste of what the full book will be like. I’m definitely going to purchase Fated Mates.

[isthisakink · Rating 4 out of 5]

So many things are going through my brain right now…

Like, did the anthology as a whole have an editor and proofreader, or did each individual story have their own and then get put together? That’s a definite contender for #1 Most Important Question on the Most Important Questions list. Because some of the stories were amazing, and some didn’t make any sense because of all of the errors. So many errors.

Sometimes I felt like I had won the damn lottery, and others I felt like I was slogging through some kind of purgatory just this side of Hell. The stories swung from “the sexiest version of Captain Planet to ever be created” to “it’s now a game to count the times ‘gawd’ was used on one page to make it through to the next one”. Which, the fact that anyone used the word “gawd” more than once is still making my grey matter dissolve into a puddle of repeated “why?!” like that mega church preacher meme…

I want to love this anthology more than I want to sleep—please note that that’s the thing I want most in life, because I sleep 4-6 hours in a good week (yes, that’s a correct number and I’ve dealt with this my whole life and it’s a whole thing)—but I’m on the fence. It’s making me feel like the worst kind of a****le, too, because I know sometimes there’s that *one* review that makes me move on, and I’d gladly carve out my worst eyeball before I am the one that makes someone not donate to charity or enjoy something. AND!! There were some real bangers in here. There are now a lot of authors I’m going to check out that I previously hadn’t or hadn’t heard of.

I liked it well enough and I’m glad I made it to the end. I just didn’t love it, and that has to be okay. I’m going to tell everyone I know to buy it and read it, because most of this is probably my snobbish me problems, but I won’t be lying in this review and acting like it’s perfect. It needs editing, some of the stories weren’t on the same level as the majority, and some only make sense if you’ve followed the series they’re connected to. It made for reading whiplash, and my brain is exhausted. It took me a while to finish it because I needed breaks.

3.5/5, but like, still get it and find your favourites in it, because charity. And sexy Captain Planet. 🥺🤤 It’s been a bad sleep week so my brain is my brain and this is what it is and we’re all going to pretend it’s fine. Because it’s fiiiiiiiine. I’m fine.

[Laina Gruver · Rating 4 out of 5]

~~~~~~
Aether and the Elements by Louisa Masters
4.25 stars

Perry is having a horrible week. He’s become homeless, jobless, and his car broke down in the middle of nowhere. A gorgeous naked man appears out of thin air and Perry decides to take Aether to find his friends. This is a unique paranormal story which Ms Masters has stated will be the foundation of a new story/series

***
POV… first person (Perry)

Standalone or series… beginning of a new storyline

Hangover… no

Recommend… yes

Reread… yes

~~~~~~~~~~

The Crow King’s Mate by Jennifer Cody
4.5 stars

Shifter crows! So cool! Amos doesn’t have many friends unless you count the crows he feeds during lunch on his college campus. He’s known as the crow dude. Not only does he spend a good portion of his food budget on making food for them, he also pours his heart out to them.

Little does he know, some of those crows are actually shifters and that hottie professor he keeps mooning over, is their king.

I love that Amos is so… ‘go-with-the-flow’ and it doesn’t take much to convince him that he and Corvin, professor hottie, are fated mates.

I’m sooo hoping this becomes a series!
POV… multi first person

Standalone or series… hopefully the beginning of a new series

Hangover… slight

Recommend… yes

Reread… yes

~~~~~~~~~~
Inferno by Kiki Clark

4 stars

Riggs asks his new Alpha if his best friend
Could come to visit his new home. Being a human, Myles is unaware that shifters and magic exist. That is, until he goes snooping to find out why his best friend is acting all sorts of weird.

Riggs discovers that his bff is, in fact, his fated mate and, wouldn’t you know it, he’s been in love with Riggs for decades!

*****
POV… third person

Standalone or series… beginning of new series

Hangover… no

Recommend… yes

Reread… sure

~~~~~~~~~~
Shiny Things by Kelly Fox
4 stars

Wolf shifter, Thorin and Raven shifter Poe meet at Poe’s shop. After they bond and mate, Thorin tries to find a way to sever the bond. He just got out of a painful relationship and doesn’t trust avian shifters. When he realizes how badly he’s hurt Poe, he attempts to apologize.

*****
POV… multi first person

Standalone or series… standalone novella

Hangover… no

Recommend… yes

Reread… maybe

[Claudia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I normally am not a big fan of anthologies but here I got an ARC for a part of this book with some of my favourite authors, so I couldn't resist:

Curse of silver and blood by Sheena Jolie
Nice story about a cursed werewolf who meets a face in the middle of the woods.
I thought it was sweet and would have loved to see more of them.

There is a bat in my room by Michele Notaro
I like the universe in which this one is placed. The way they meet is hilarious and it was perfectly paced and a good length
The story is full of fun and I enjoyed it

The demon and the Liberian by Chloe Archer
Nice short read ... I liked it.

A scent like no other by JP Sayle
This was maybe my least favourite of the five ... although I immediately went and read the next book

True mates and where to find them by AJ Sherwood
I think this was my favourite .... although it was also the book, which should have been longer to cover the developments. To give more background info on Max and give them more time to build trust.
I would love to read a longer version of this one and more books in this world

All in all was I really lucky with my books and I am glad that I read them

[Resch Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

How to Survive a Summoning by Nikole Knight
A cute, quick read from Nikole Knight. It sticks to her classic recipe of a slow burn but for something so short, the story felt longer. Jamie and Lyn were absolutely adorable together. I loved the little surprises and plot twists sprinkled throughout the story. And the last chapter was too sweet for words.

A Squirrel Gets His Nuts by Kelex
Cute by not my favorite story by Kelex; which isn't surprising considering I find her to be hit or miss. I liked the pairing, a witch and a shifter as well as the unconventional world she is setting up. I didn't care for the drama between the characters, the novella is too short to have the lovers dealing with drama on top of being complete strangers and falling in love.

Inferno by Kiki Clark
Okay, this little novella makes me extremely excited for the Silver Oak Pack series. This is fated mates and insta-love done right. Best friends their entire lives has Riggs' tiger confused but some distance does their friendship well. I love how oblivious Riggs was to his own feelings and fate. In contrast I love how Myles causes chaos and ends up bringing them together. Cute, fluffy hilarity with a dash of spice.

Wounded Mate by Lee Colgin
I enjoyed this addition to the Outcast Mates series. While at times it does seem a little long winded and dragged out, I was happy to see Valius get his HEA. And in a pleasant plot twist, Bela was not what I expected his mate to be but was the perfect balance for him. The story starts off with some light drama but quickly morphs into fated mates and riding off into the sunset.

Fate's Treasure by Grae Bryan
I will gladly read anything Grae Bryan writes, and Fate's Treasure was no exception. This was magical, I adore her vampire works and this fluffy, sweet, tender romance was exactly what I wanted. It was probably my favorite read in the anthology. The paranormal aspect was a delightful surprise and the romance was endearing. I hope Grae revisits this world down the road.

[Lillian Francis · Rating 4 out of 5]

To read:
Inferno by Kiki Clark
Best friends to lovers // fuck or die // tiger shifter // shifter/human // magic
Black and White by Vinni George
Orca shifter // sea otter shifter // bodyguard
Infuriating. This is a prequel to a new series and as such it doesn't wrap up the mystery that brings the two shifters together in the first place. Shame cos I was enjoying it.
Violent Secret by Ariana Nash
Dark // vampire
Wounded Mate by Lee Colgin
Mongrel wolf shifter // Incubus // curse // prostitute
Shiny Things by Kelly Fox
Wolf shifter // raven shifter // hated mates // high heat // knotting
First read by this author.

A mixed bag with something for everyone.
Of the five I've read I would say Shiny Things is the most typical of the shifter genre, lots of mate, mine, very high heat with knotting. Inferno comes in a close second, with the fanfic favourite Trope 'fuck or die' (with lucid consent).
My favourite is Wounded Mate by Lee Colgin. No need to have read the series it comes from but if you have then you catch up with most of the couples from the series. A lovely tale.

[Lindsay Hamilton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn’t get to read them all yet, but if the rest of the stories are half as good as the ones by Louisa Masters, Nikole Knight, Michelle Frost, Kelex, and Mia Monroe, I won’t be disappointed.
There’s a fantastic mix of species, settings, relationships, and even levels of spice just among these 5 stories.
I’m desperate to learn more about Aether and the Elements… Wish we got a better peek at anatomy of a particular enby demon… Loved the quick fall and sweetness between Ammon and Bacchus… The dedication between Luca and Ash… and what forever means for Abrose and Calix in RavenBrook.

[Ashley (Red-Haired Ash Reads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating is only for Inferno by Kiki Clark.

This was a wonderful Introduction to the Silver Oak Pack and its first official couple. This was a friends-to-lovers romance between tiger shifter Riggs and his human friend Myles. While this story is very short, I enjoyed this very cute couple. Their relationship may have been quick but there was a lot of emotion and feelings already there so it worked perfectly. I can’t wait to read more about this pack.