Wildfire

Malice, Mischief & Men Anthology

by Mina Khan

Lynn Hana Alexander is a 25-year-old Japanese American shape-shifter haunted by guilt. She’s been questioning herself and her dragon abilities ever since she failed to save her grandmother.

When her best friend is threatened by mysterious fires burning up acres of West Texas, Lynn rushes to the rescue determined not to fail again. However, with a tempting firefighter, a flirty city developer and dragon pheromones distracting her, how is she going to find the arsonist?

And worse: is her primary suspect a malicious rogue dragon or the love of her life?

*** Author's Note: Wildfire is a paranormal mystery with romantic elements. It is not a traditional romance. I hope y'all enjoy the read!***

Genres: Paranormal, Dragons, Fantasy, Shapeshifters, Paranormal Romance, Romance, Mystery

380 pages, Paperback

First published September 10, 2013

About the author

Mina Khan is a Texas-based writer and food enthusiast. She daydreams of hunky paranormal heroes, magic, mayhem and mischief and writes them down as stories. Between stories, she teaches culinary classes and writes for her local newspaper. Other than that, she's raising a family of two children, two cats, two dogs and a husband.

She grew up in Bangladesh on stories of djinns, ghosts and monsters. These childhood fancies now color her fiction.

You can find her at www.facebook.com/Mina.Khan.Author

http://minakhan.blogspot.com/

or on twitter @SpiceBite

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Reviews

[Ilona Andrews]

This is not our book. Please DO NOT buy this. This is a scam. We've escalated this with Amazon where it's coming from.

[☔️ Stormy Day Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awwww I don't want it to be over! This book was great. I loved Lynn. She was such a "real" character. The blurb that describes the book doesn't do it justice. I decided to read this book because I have been in the mood for different lately. I haven't read many mysteries in years but I'm addicted to anything paranormal so I figured it was worth a try. The closest comparison I could make is The Dresden Files... without the witty humor. I hope that the author decides to write more dragon stories.

Lynn is the main character. She is a dragon-shifter who is suffering from the recent loss of her grandmother/mentor and the nasty breakup with her fiance. She's struggling with her place in the world and the fact that her dragon seems to be attracted to everyone in her friend Jen's town makes things even worse. I liked Jen, as with Lynn she seems like the girl next door. Then we have Jack and Henry... Lynn finds herself attracted to both but at the same time suspicious that one of them is involved in the recent arsons.

If you've read some of my other reviews you'll know that I like it when the author goes in depth with the characters careers. Having worked for a newspaper I found Lynn's coverage of her stories very interesting. Unlike a lot of mystery-type books lately she's not a private eye or something but falls into a journalism career. I also liked that the story is based in Texas since there aren't many paranormal books based there. I enjoyed the history of the area. All in all a great book and I plan to read Mina Khan's other books.

**Book provided by the Author through PNR NaUBA group Author/Reader Exchange**

[Jenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really great shape-shifter story. I liked the whole concept and the characters involved all except for the villain of course. The story kept me guessing on who the villain was for the first part of the book and it's nice to not have it so obvious at the beginning. It doesn't hit me so much as a romance because of the suspicion keeping the heroine and hero separated even though there is an attraction and sexual tension between both. It comes off as more of a fantasy with sparks of romance, but the story was still very good and kept my attention which is hard to do when Supernatural is on ;3.
My only complaints about the book is that there are some areas where mindspeaking is involved but the words are not italicized or made any different from the normal text so it caught me off guard, there are some punctuation errors towards the end of the book, and finally I wish it was longer! I didn't want the story to end and I wanted to see more of a development between Lynn and Jack's relationship.
***book provided by the Author through PNR NaUBA group Author/Reader Exchange***

[Sophia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dragons, Hottie Cowboy suspect, Small Town Backdrop for an arson mystery? Bring it, baby! I read the blurb and was convinced that reading this one would be no hardship. I love being right.

Lynn Alexander is from a long line of Japanese dragons. Her life has hit an all time low with the death of her grandmother that she is convinced is her fault, estrangement with her mother, finding her long-time boyfriend had cheated on her with a skank and being stuck in a dead-end dull job of writing ad jingles instead of using her journalism degree. Her dragon is even restless and she tries to follow her dead dragon grandmother's advice about centering herself. After the mishaps with her dragon, would she ever be able to trust and accept that side of her nature? Something has to give.

And that something happens when she gets a premonition in the middle of the night that her best friend, Jen who has moved out to West Texas, is in trouble. Lynn looses her dragon and flies with all possible speed to her friend not knowing what she will find. On arrival and spotting a wildfire headed for Jen's house, she is hit with the scent of another dragon and her own dragon goes lusty when she is slammed with all those musky male pheromones. Little does she know that her arrival on the scene has put her on someone's radar. She takes care of the fire and transforms just in time to avoid freaking out the regular humans. The fire was no accident and a dragon was involved. Firefighters and other rescue workers are swarming so she can't tell who the dragon is. Fire investigators rule it arson, but soon another suspicious fire occurs and this time its a family home so off they all go to do what they can even Lynn.

At the Jarvis fire, Lynn meets the enigmatic Jack Callaghan who rescues young Timmy and his cat. He's heroic, he's fun and he's attractive, but she suspects that he's something more and too good to be true. As the facts and clues mount up, Jack stays high on a short list of others as her suspect as the dragon arsonist. Are the fires connected to the new secret development project or is a male dragon trying to impress her with a bizarre dragon form of courtship? Is Jack, the man she can't get out of her thoughts, the dragon or not? Lynn can't make heads or tails of anything and the one stocking her is getting ever closer to what he wants.

The plot on this one grabbed me from the get go. I enjoyed the dual dilemma of solving the arson crimes as well as figuring out the dragon angle. Everyone seemed to have their secrets, agendas and pasts so it was pretty up in the air at first before the change in narrators from Lynn to the others helped me as the reader know what was going on overall even if the main players were still in the dark. With the understanding I got knowing what was going on before Lynn and Jack did, it did leave me impatient at times while I waited for them to figure it all out. Not that I blame Lynn.

The pacing fluctuated a bit as it shifted between action and internal stuff when characters had to deal with personal growth. It never got boring and a few times it got downright nailbiter-thrilling. There were some side issues that I was glad to see dealt with like the thing with her mom, the situation around her grandmother's death, Jack's family history and understanding who and what the dragon master was. The climax was nice and big. I wondered in that last bit as it raced along how they could possibly get out of such a tight spot. The resolution was a bit abrupt, but satisfying nonetheless with the direction it was pointing toward.

The backdrop of the West Texas community and the people was a treat and could almost be included as another character in the story because of how well-developed it was. I've never been in that part of Texas, but I felt like I was through the descriptions in the story. Description was woven in so that it added depth without bogging down the story.

The dragon aspect was creatively done. A little background into the dragon history was given and a bit about that side of Lynn's nature and that of other dragons, but it was left more of a mystery in ways. My curiosity led me to wanting more, but I have to admit that much more would have interfered with pace and plot. It suited the story to have less anyway because Lynn herself is a young dragon and alone now just trying to find her way so it wouldn't make sense for her to have all the answers about her race.

The story teetered between a combo of character development, suspense and romance. It got a bit heated (no pun intended) a few times between Lynn and Jack, but the other components of the story interfered before it could get too interesting. Lynn had trust issues mostly in herself plus she still hadn't accepted her dragon half so couldn't imagine anyone else accepting her dragon either. Jack had the Callaghan name and reputation to live down so he had to gain perspective and realize that he wasn't the only one who faced not being accepted for who they were. It was interesting getting the villain's perspective woven in to make him more than just a two-dimensional figure.
But back to Lynn and Jack- hooboy were they good together. Jack is almost every girl's dream because he's a sexy cowboy AND firefighter. Lynn thought he was an arsonist and killer and could barely resist all that charm and appeal. Let's just say that I found him so appealing that I didn't care if he was the bad guy. Kidding, sort of...

So all in all, it was an engaging read with its blend as a Paranormal Romantic Suspense hinting at a bit of spiciness and promising a bit of danger.

My thanks to the author for sending along a copy of her book in exchange for an honest review.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

A refreshing new approach to shapeshifters. Drawing upon traditional mythologies, but adding her own spin to things as well, Ms. Khan gives us a very unique sort of dragon shifter in the form of Lynn Alexander and others who are seen or mentioned within the story. While there are strong romantic elements here, this is primarily a mystery: who is setting the fires in a small West Texas town that claim at least one life and leave many homeless.

Lynn is a typical young woman in her early 20s. She has known about her abilities for most of her life, and learned from her grandmother how to use them. Circumstances surrounding her grandmother’s death have left her doubting her own judgment and more than a little afraid of what she might do when in dragon form. Still, for all her self-doubts, she isn’t lacking in courage, and when her best friend is in imminent danger she doesn’t hesitate to answer the call. Arriving just in time to avert a catastrophe for her friend, she ends up staying with her and getting involved in investigating the recent string of arsons in the area. In the course of her investigations she discovers a new career in journalism, and two possible love interests in Henry and Jack. Despite her dragon’s raging hormones, however, Lynn remains focused on her main priorities and sticks to doing her job instead of indulging her desires or fantasies.

Henry is an enigma from the start. He’s working for a local development company that has an interest in buying the land currently occupied by several different landowners to create a new upscale housing development. This fact alone makes him a suspect in the arsons, for clearly his employer will benefit greatly if the landowners are more willing to sell because their home has burned down; but is he being paid to set them? Or is he really the charming and sincere man that he seems to be who sympathizes with those who have been affected and is something of a victim of circumstance?

Jack is likewise something of a puzzle, for while on some levels he seems to be well-respected in the community, he’s also something of an outcast simply because of his family name. He’s a Callaghan, and distrust and dislike of the Callaghans runs deep in this small community due to wrongs done to others in the area by one of his ancestors. While he seems to be an upstanding and honest rancher and volunteer firefighter, he still seems to have something of a dark side –as well as a few unaccounted for absences -- that make him a suspect as well.

The pacing here is excellent, with the author feeding us just enough clues along the way to hold our interest but not enough to be able to tell what the real answers are. You’ll think you’ve got it figured out, then something will happen that changes your mind – then a little while later something else happens that changes it back. Ms. Khan manages to keep us guessing right up until nearly the end and manages to throw in a twist or two along the way that you probably won’t see coming.

Overall, an excellent read and one I’d definitely recommend to fans of mysteries, particularly ones with a paranormal element to them. Paranormal romance readers will like this one as well I think, for there’s enough romance happening to keep things interesting on that front as well (though don’t look for any steamy bedroom scenes here, because there aren’t any). It probably goes without saying that dragon fans will love this and will likely be squeezing over the unique worldbuilding regarding them. 4&frac; stars to an excellent and highly recommended book.

Note: I read this in a beta version, and my review is based upon that. There may or may not have been changes to the text or story that are unaccounted for in the review.

[Annie Slasher (Booked & Loaded) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an original review from http://bookedandloaded.com I personally purchased this title and all opinions are my own.

Wildfire by Mina Khan is a nontraditional type of paranormal. With dragon shifters and cowboys set in Texas…how could one go wrong?

Wildfire is a great example of what I love about self-published books. It keeps that nontraditional and free spirited edge to every page. I think the author nails it by calling it “a paranormal mystery with romantic elements. It is not a traditional romance.” Although it certainly did have some romantic elements, I would certainly not define it as romance either. It had a slight Urban Fantasy feel with the mystery background and character development.

Lynn is a Japanese American dragon shifter who finds herself luered to Pleasant Valley Texas where her best friend resides. Lynn finds more than she expected in so many different ways. The development of the story was clear and well written. With some hot cowboys/firefighters thrown in the mix the adventure contained on the pages was yummy and fun! I think any paranormal or urban fantasy fan would appreciate and enjoy Wildfire!

[Eva Millien · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 STARS

The first thing that caught my attention about this book was “Cowboys & Dragons,” I didn’t even have to read the rest of the title, I was intrigued. I love dragons and there is certainly nothing wrong with cowboys in their tight jeans, cowboy boots and hats.

The story didn’t disappoint, from the beginning to the end, there is action, mystery and bewitching characters that keep you thoroughly entertained. The author has created a unique world of dragons that she brings to life with her vivid descriptions and captivates the reader as the story progresses at a steady pace with fight scenes that are believable and well written.

The suspense builds as Lynn, a dragon shapeshifter, tries to figure out who the arsonist is and save the lives of her friends. Lynn uses her job as a reporter to investigate the crimes and then things become even more complicated when the arsonist tries to draw her into his game and she doesn’t know who to trust.

Lynn believes that another dragon with weird psychic powers may be involved, but can she trust her instincts, especially when things are complicated by her past. The story does concentrate more on the mystery and paranormal elements of the story, but there is enough romance involved to keep things even more interesting, especially as Lynn seems to be attracted to two men, both of whom could be suspects.

The book is an interesting mix of paranormal and mystery with life like characters that keep the reader entertained throughout. I will certainly be looking for more books by this author and I hope to see more in this dragon world.

[Kathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cowboys & Dragons. Not much more needed to say about this story because that's right up there on my Top 10.

When Lynns grandmother died, she was left with unanswered questions and a whole bunch of guilt. Trying to get her life back together she's begun to start dreaming of things coming. When she sees her best friend, Jen, in trouble, she flies to her rescue. Unraveling a whole lot of trouble.

Jack is one of the wealthiest ranchers around. Although he lives under the black cloud of his ancestors. He's trying to do better for the town in West Texas, but he's turned away by more than a few. When Lynn hits town the sparks between them fly. But are these the sparks that are causing all the trouble?

Whispers in the wind torment both Lynn & Jack as they watch from the sidelines as tragedy after tragedy happen. Who's to blame? Is there a sinister plot to damage this town? Or is there someone else hiding in the black clouds?

I really enjoyed this story. It's fairly fast paced, the author builds this small town in Texas to an unbelievable reality in your mind, and makes the characters work. The good, the bad AND the ugly come to life with her story telling abilities.

[Jeannie Platt · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have to say I loved this book... It had a very interesting story line which kept you captivated and had you wanting to continue reading and wanting to know who is responsible for the fires.

The characters are interesting and were thoughtfully constructed. Lynn has a hard time of it lately her grandmas death and dumping her cheating fiance... Add in Jack and Henry which are handsome men who attract both her human and dragon side and both attracted to Lynn but both have her questioning which one has alternative motives.

Mina has spun a suspenseful and interesting story which leaves you hoping she will write more dragon stories.

I hate giving away ending but have to say that you will be happy with the outcome of this book and if you like inquisitive reporter, who did its and romantic tension this book is for you.

I rate this book a 4.5 out of 5

* I recieved a copy of this book for my honest review.

[Snarktastic Sonja · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was utterly frustrating to me. On the one hand, dragons. On the other hand, they are also people. And, idiots. :D On the one hand, the premise is intriguing. On the other hand, it is poorly executed.

This book. I could not toss it aside, because I was too intrigued. Yet, it actually frustrated me to read it. I could not just skip to the last chapter, because I wanted to know not only what happened, but how it happened.

Ultimately, I think the characters were too one dimensional. We basically just get to know the MC and her about to be love interest. Maybe there were just not enough other people to keep me entertained. And, in an interesting twist for a PNR, the next book involves characters that are barely mentioned in this one.

One thing it did *really* well . . . It handled the death of her parents (this was going to happen - it was stated unequivocally early on). After recently losing my father, this was a very painful thing for me. It concerned me that it would drag me into a deep dark depression. But it didn't. Destiny was sad, but she did not dwell on it. She did what she needed to do and loved her father. It was beautifully done and well handled. And *that* brought this 2 star read up to 3.

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lynn Hana Alexander is a Japanese American dragon-shifter tormented by fleeting memories of her grandmother's death by fire. She feels enormous guilt for her grandmother's death because Lynn failed in saving her.

So... when she sees her friend threatened in the same way in a dream, she doesn't think; she shifts into her dragon form and rushes to her from her apartment in Houston to her friend's home in relatively small Paradise Valley in west Texas. Once she arrives, she immediately smells the musky scent of a male dragon nearby who calls to her and brings back memories of when her grandmother died. She is determined to find and bring this rogue dragon to justice as she feels that he's also connected to her grandmother's death.

Lynn was a journalism major in college and, after the fire, her friend, Jen, encourages her to write a story about Jen's fire to gain some publicity for what has been happening in Paradise Valley and hopefully help bring the arsonist to justice. After submitting her story to the paper, she's offered a job as an investigative reporter, takes it, and starts investigating. Lynn quickly discovers that Paradise Valley is being plagued by fires which reinforces her resolve to actively pursue tracking down the dragon responsible. Being a relatively new dragon, she flounders in her investigation as she's not adept at deciphering who is and who is not a dragon, but she perseveres.

This story is primarily a paranormal mystery with cowboys and dragons. Solving the mystery of who is setting the fires is paramount. Additional subplots include Lynn's confusion over her developing dragon side, her amnesia over what really happened when her grandmother was murdered, and her poor relationship with her mother who keeps encouraging her to renew her relationship with her ex-fiance who Lynn had found to be cheating on her. Within the mystery of all the fires, Lynn seeks to discover who and what she is.

There are romantic elements also. Jack Callaghan is a hot fireman and a nerdy cowboy - his family has lived large in the area for years, and Jack serves as a part-time volunteer firefighter. He meets Lynn at Jen's fire and continues to show up at each of the successive fires. She is shocked when they first meet as he is the same person that she has been dreaming about. They are mutually attracted to each other, but Lynn worries that he may be the arsonist rogue dragon. Henry, a smooth-talking city developer, is also at the fires and he's also attracted to Lynn. Both men distract her from her primary purpose and she has to fight her own hormonal urges arising at the most inopportune times.

Overall, I found this book to be an enjoyable read. I was drawn to the book by the paranormal aspect and the author utilizes those elements uniquely well in the story. I loved the dragon/cowboys aspect and thought it worked very well. The story was good and the characters were well-developed. My one issue with the book was that I wasn't able to fully connect with Lynn, so I enjoyed the mystery but didn't really develop sympathy with the heroine.

I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys paranormal mysteries.

3 stars!

[Romance Novels in Color · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lynn Hana Alexander is a Japanese American dragon-shifter tormented by fleeting memories of her grandmother’s death by fire. She feels enormous guilt for her grandmother’s death becauseLynn failed in saving her.

So… when she sees her friend threatened in the same way in a dream, she doesn’t think; she shifts into her dragon form and rushes to her from her apartment in Houston to her friend’s home in relatively small Paradise Valley in west Texas. Once she arrives, she immediately smells the musky scent of a male dragon nearby who calls to her and brings back memories of when her grandmother died. She is determined to find and bring this rogue dragon to justice as she feels that he’s also connected to her grandmother’s death.

Lynn was a journalism major in college and, after the fire, her friend, Jen, encourages her to write a story about Jen’s fire to gain some publicity for what has been happening in Paradise Valley and hopefully help bring the arsonist to justice. After submitting her story to the paper, she’s offered a job as an investigative reporter, takes it, and starts investigating. Lynn quickly discovers that Paradise Valley is being plagued by fires which reinforces her resolve to actively pursue tracking down the dragon responsible. Being a relatively new dragon, she flounders in her investigation as she’s not adept at deciphering who is and who is not a dragon, but she perseveres.
This story is primarily a paranormal mystery with cowboys and dragons. Solving the mystery of who is setting the fires is paramount. Additional subplots include Lynn’s confusion over her developing dragon side, her amnesia over what really happened when her grandmother was murdered, and her poor relationship with her mother who keeps encouraging her to renew her relationship with her ex-fiance who Lynn had found to be cheating on her. Within the mystery of all the fires, Lynn seeks to discover who and what she is.

There are romantic elements also. Jack Callaghan is a hot fireman and a nerdy cowboy – his family has lived large in the area for years, and Jack serves as a part-time volunteer firefighter. He meets Lynn at Jen’s fire and continues to show up at each of the successive fires. She is shocked when they first meet as he is the same person that she has been dreaming about. They are mutually attracted to each other, but Lynn worries that he may be the arsonist rogue dragon. Henry, a smooth-talking city developer, is also at the fires and he’s also attracted to Lynn. Both men distract her from her primary purpose and she has to fight her own hormonal urges arising at the most inopportune times.

Overall, I found this book to be an enjoyable read. I was drawn to the book by the paranormal aspect and the author utilizes those elements uniquely well in the story. I loved the dragon/cowboys aspect and thought it worked very well. The story was good and the characters were well-developed. My one issue with the book was that I wasn’t able to fully connect with Lynn, so I enjoyed the mystery but didn’t really develop sympathy with the heroine.

I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys paranormal mysteries.

- Reviewed by Linda

[Billy Buttons · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was recently entered in The Wishing Shelf Book Awards. This is what our readers thought:

FEEDBACK

Author: Mina Khan
Title: Wildfire

COVER: 7/10
The readers very much liked the cover. They thought it was perfect for the genre with a strong suggestion of fantasy and adventure. They also loved the letter fonts and the way the hand turns to a dragon’s claw. However, a number of the female readers felt there was a little too much emphasis on her ‘perfect body’ and very large busy size. They felt the pic was a little too sexual. One teacher put in her feedback, ‘Why is it every strong female character in fantasy has to look like a page 3 model?’

CONTENT 6/10
The readers very much enjoyed this story. They liked the central character and the strong plot, particularly the dragon/shape shifting angle. They also liked the interesting mix of genre: cowboy/mystery and fantasy (with a bit of romance thrown in). One reader put in her feedback, ‘This is a very entertaining read and there is strong chemistry between Lynn and Jack which I thought was well written.’
However, a number of the readers felt there was little in the way of ‘original’ plotting. For example, a super hero (of sorts) who works as a reporter (very Superman, Spiderman) and the most likely suspects are the two men she is attracted to (a plot device in 1000s of films and mystery novels). One reader put in her feedback, ‘This is a very enjoyable story but, apart from the unusual mix of genre, it lacks originality. Even the twist at the end i.e. who the arsonist is, can be seen coming a mile off. Don’t get me wrong, this is well written and there is a good balance between mystery and romance, but the plot needs work.’

EDITING 8/10
The readers thought the book was well edited and discovered no glaring problems with grammar, punctuation or spelling. The readers though the book had, mostly, excellent pacing and was well-structured with an interesting opening chapter and a twist (although a number of readers saw it coming) at the end.

STYLE 9/10
The book scored very highly here. The readers thought the author had a very descriptive style and her language was, often, extremely beautiful. They liked the way the author described the Texas setting and went the extra mile to describe the characters in an interesting way. They also felt the author worked well with speech, providing the reader with witty and sharply-written dialogue. Finally, the readers loved the way the author described shape shifting.

TO SUM UP 30/40

STATS
Of the 17 readers:
15 finished the book.
2 did not (male who felt there was too much romance)
11 though the cover was good or excellent.
6 (all female) thought the pic on the front was too stereotypical ‘gorgeous fantasy heroine with big boobs’.
12 though the best part of the book was the descriptive style.
3 felt the best part of the book was the strong lead character and the chemistry between her and Jack.
13 would read another book by this author.

‘An exciting mystery with a hefty topping of fantasy and a sprinkling of romance.’ The Wishing Shelf Awards

[Lexi · Rating 5 out of 5]

** I received a copy of the book in exchange for an unbiased and honest review**

Review:5 stars

General: Mina Khan has such a wonderful way with descriptions that the minute you open one of her novels you can't help but be transported inside of it. Wildfire is no exception. From plot, to characters the book is filled with details that drag you right inside and force you to face all the pain, romance and even comedic moments that Lynn goes through. I think the romance was perfectly weaved into the mystery and felt that it did not overshadow or take away from the primary genre of the novel. I'm also notoriously against a love triangle but think it was well done and the men were distinctly different, allowing me to enjoy it more. I wasn't completely fooled in what was really occurring but I'm a tough cookie to trick when it comes to hiding the bad guy in any genre so I certainly would recommend this as a strong mystery.

WIldfire amps up the idea of dragon shifters again for me. I'm increasingly becoming attracted to this breed and Lynn helped tremendously. There were little details about these shifters that helped add the needed element of originality to the book. Aside from the fact that a paranormal mystery is a rare and awesome book to being with. I loved the use of reporting within the story as a device to push it forward, it's not often done and I found it refreshing.

Total side note- this cover is absolutely fantastic. The blurb on the back doesn't completely explain the awesome story within but I think the cover does ten fold. It evokes the old west feeling while showing you something isn't quite normal.

Characters: Lynn- Lynn was amusing from the get go. I'm not 100% why but I was immediately drawn into her and attached. She was quirky, independent and had so much common sense I wondered just how she would wind up getting herself into trouble...it's always men though isn't it? :). She was a very strong character and her reactions to everything felt genuine right off the bat. Not to mention I always love a good reporter.

Henry- Henry was mysterious, in both a good and bad way since it pointed fingers straight at him for his secrecy. His charm also adds to that. I am personally always suspicious over overly charming people, they always appear to be hiding something, but is Henry? Don't forget he is well off and attractive but overall he wasn't my favorite male.

Jack- Jack is your traditional hero male. He's been dealt a bad set of cards in life and is using it to make himself stronger. He felt like the sexy boy next door with a dark side that had my fantasies pulling for him from the get go.

[Ikebukuro · Rating 4 out of 5]

I receive this book from the author Mina Khan through a GR giveaway. I really enjoy this book but I must say, that I love dragons’ stories. I like a lot the mix of romance, mystery, dragon shifters and the main characters, particularly Lynn. The writing and the descriptions are vivids and it brings a lot of dynamism to the novel. I recommend this book to anybody who likes mystery and shape shifters stories. I don’t know if it will be a “one shot” book but I would be ready to follow Lynn's adventures a little bit more.


J'adore les histoires de dragons alors quand j'ai été sélectionnée pour ce Giveaway et que Mina Khan m'a envoyé son livre, j'étais ravie. J'ai passé un très agréable moment de lecture et c'était le roman parfait pour mes dernières vacances. Les différentes parties sont bien équilibrées, entre mystère, romance, intrigue et dragons, tous les ingrédients étaient réunis pour en faire une réussite. J'ai aimé l'héroïne, ce qui n'est pas forcément toujours le cas dans ce genre de livre, où l'on se retrouve quelquefois avec des filles particulièrement agaçantes et dont le caractère vous influence dans votre perception de l'histoire. Ici ce n'est pas du tout le cas, j'ai trouvé l'héroïne touchante et sympathique, elle fait attention aux autres, à ses amis mais aussi aux personnes qu'elles rencontrent, sans forcément tombée dans la mièvrerie, elle a du caractère mais aussi des faiblesses et ses failles, liées à son passé et à la mort de sa grand-mère, l'humanisent. Lynn se transforme en dragon et à ce titre peut reconnaître ses semblables ce qui va lui permettre de savoir que l'un d'entre eux est un incendiaire en puissance qui sévit dans la région et s'attaque à des familles sans défense. C'était une lecture divertissante, bien construite et plutôt prenante, une fois que l'on est plongé dans l'histoire. Le style est vraiment agréable, l'écriture vivante et dynamique et l'ensemble se lit vraiment très facilement. Mon seul regret c'est que le dragon de Lynn n'ait pas été plus présent au cours du récit, du moins sous sa forme de dragon, même si l'on ressent sa présence tout au long de l'histoire.

Je ne sais pas si ce livre est un "one shot" ou si Lynn deviendra un personnage récurrent dans les prochains romans de l'auteur, mais si c'est le cas, je continuerai de suivre ses aventures avec plaisir.

[Elisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dragons . . . cowboys . . . what could be better? I was caught up in this story before I even started it. I mean, come on, 2 of my favorite things in one book. It was either going to be love at first read or an unmitigated disaster.

Well, let me tell you this. On the very first page of this book, the author throws you head first into this lovely, scintillating story. Mina has a way with words, a very good way. First of all, her dialogs are delightful. Intelligent, witty and thoughtful conversations and reactions by the characters were a pleasure to read. I often find myself cringing when reading dialog in some of the books I have read but there was no cringing in this book, just wallowing in this very well written story.

Mina has obviously been in the areas where she bases her story. The descriptions of the area, the history of the people and places and the utter believability of her character's reactions to the heat and circumstances they found themselves in made me feel like I was right there with them.

Oh, I need to tell you another thing that impressed me, near the end of the book there is one of the best depictions of the shape shifting process that I have ever read! It just made it seem so real.

Needless to say, I am doing the happy dance over finding another author that is going to be put on my 'must-buy' list. I am really hoping Mina is going to be writing more books in this series as I want to read more about these dragons. This is the first story I have read where the dragon shifters seemed like they could actually exist in this day and age.

All in all, I would highly recommend this book to anyone who likes a mystery as that seemed to be the main point of the story with a little romance added on. I would also highly recommend it to anyone who loves dragons, shifters, cowboys, or anything paranormal. Or, for that matter, anyone who enjoys a well written story where you are dragged along for a rollicking good read.

I was given this book and promised to post an honest review which I have done as well as I can.

[Melindeeloo · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars - Even though the promised cowboy aspect of the story was pretty incidental, overall I liked Wildfire - since I did like the dragon-shifter freelance journalist leading lady Lynn and the investigation into the arson fires occurring in a small Texas community.

The story is mainly focused on the mystery, so there isn't exactly a romance but there are lots of little hormonal dragon moments. Lynn senses that there is another dragon-shifter nearby and thinks it may be one of the two guys interested in her, volunteer firemen/farmer/rancher Jack whose wealthy ancestors took advantage of neighbors' misfortune to amass wealth and property - and Jack has grown up with the resentment of the descendants of those families - and the developer Henry - who is trying to acquire property to put in a development catering to wealthy would be ranchers. Lynn finds both of the guys attractive, but I never had any question as to who I wanted Lynn to end up with - and really Lynn isn't all that ambivalent about her choice.

I do have to admit that I was happier near the end of Wildfire when the bad guy finally revealed himself to the Lynn and there were no longer chapters trying to lead us into believing that one or another of the men was really the baddie. Although that is probably due to the fact that all of the little bits and pieces of the story begin to come together then and Khan had doled out those pieces in such a manner that I was even able to figure out things along with Lynn.

So bottom line on this one is that it wasn't exactly what I was expecting - since Khan has also written some Nocturne Cravings, I was expecting some spicy romance to go with the mystery, dragons, and 'cowboys'. Even though the story is more about Lynn's attraction to the guys and the romantic payoff was limited to a couple intimate touches and some kisses since I did like Lynn, and the people surrounding her, I enjoyed Wildfire despite my expectations.

[Bookish Satty · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got this book from the author, free of cost, in exchange of an honest review from my side.
Firstly I would like to thank Mina Khan, author of Wildfire, for giving me this opportunity of reading and reviewing this fabulous book.
Here we meet Lynn who is a shape-shifter (one of the good points that I liked) and she can change into a dragon form!!! (Cool! Isn’t it?) She tries to save her friend and is plagued by the guilty conscience which got triggered when she failed to save her grandmother, now at any cost she will save her friend but who is the culprit? What’s the reason of these fire break outs? Is the malicious rogue dragon responsible for all this chaos or is it the true love of his life? Tough situation, eh?
This story has a spark in it and the way this whole concept is presented within the few pages of the book, really impressed me a lot. The perfect portray of the emotions is one of the many reasons for which I liked this book a lot, I mean the guilt feeling of Lynn, her confusion, the dilemma that she faced regarding her situation and the choices that she has to made were portrayed so vividly and with such passion that I quickly got connected with the story. The characterization is good and the characters developed a lot throughout the whole story.
The plot is well planned out and the concept of the female lead being a dragon shape-shifter really made the read a refreshing one. The writing style and skill of the author is awesome and I loved the simple yet enriched words she used. The action scenes dominate the book which I liked and there was just a touch of romance which according to the story-line is good. The unexpected surprises shocked me very much and I was at a complete loss at times and couldn’t guess the direction in which the author will be taking us next.
A recommended read for ya all and hope that you guys will love it as well. Enjoy reading!!!

[Kimiko Kotani · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kimi was pretty tickled to see that the story was set in San Angelo, Texas. It's the San Angelo I knew, minus Goodfellow AFB nearby, which is just as well as I doubt dragons would have done well flying close to a military installation. Other than this bit of literary license, her description fairly had me tasting the grit that always seemed present in the desert air and the fine layer of dust that seemed to coat everything. Thankfully, her descriptions did included offices, public buildings, and farm houses and not the oogly boogly apartments not far from the mall that I had the misfortune to live in. Those apartments were famous because they were whitewash, with red Pizza hut style roofs. Seriously.

Khan's world building was excellent, taking the time to explain the legacy of the dragon shifter bloodlines and how it diluted, recombined, and sometimes skipped a generation. She managed to do this and yet made the shifters quite ordinary people living very ordinary lives, integrating right into society as professionals from all walks of life, but no one the wiser. Her characters are beautifully flawed human beings, struggling to find themselves. The only fly in the ointment was that the suspense part was only really suspenseful for Lynn. Seeing as she was still reeling from her grandmother's death by arson, her fiance's betrayal, and trying to deny her fierce attraction to the sexy rancher and volunteer firefighter, Jack, it is understandable that she was focusing on the wrong things while looking for the person to pin the blame on.

With an independent, strong female lead and a rugged, strong but vulnerable rancher, and suave, sophisticated businessman forming an unwitting love triangle that rouses the instincts of inner dragons, this was an excellent way to spend a too cold to go outside day indoors. Complete with a nice little twist that kept things interesting, I really enjoyed the tale. And it was het! I KNOW!!!! I read a het and I liked it.

[Jeanie Jackson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am reading Wildfire as part of the Malice, Mischief & Men collection. A while back I saw a description of this books and was intrigued, but I had so many other books to read I didn't know if I would get to it or not. Then I attended the online release party for MMM7 where Mina Khan talked about the book, and I found it irresistible, pretty much the reaction that I had to all of the books discussed that day.

With a TBR pile of over 100 books I had to dive into MMM7 immediately. The idea of dragons in modern day West Texas was a particular draw for me because I spent much of the best times of my youth in the area. To say this book didn't not disappoint would be such an understatement that it wouldn't even be fair to fellow readers. The characters, the pacing, the little details that make everything seem so real without overburdening the story, all drew me in, just as MK's first description did. But the story it self, a suspenseful tale of family and greed and survival and love in so many of its faces, flowed and raced so beautifully that as soon as I finished, I had to jump out of bed to share it with my friends and fellow readers.

This is my first book by Mina Khan and it will soon be followed by more.

Lynn, a shape-shifter dragon, flies to the aid of a friend drawn by a nightmare, barely arriving in time to save her friend. Once there she discovers two things, there have been too many fire in the area, and a male dragon is responsible for this fire. Lynn writes an article about the next fire and is offered a job with the local newspaper which gives her a great excuse and opportunity to investigate the fires. Thereafter follows emotional conflict and confusion as signs seem to lead in too many directions; I mean, how many dragons can one expect to find in a in all of West Texas?

[Ginny Lurcock · Rating 4 out of 5]

First things first. The formatting on my version was not good. In the PDF the font was huge, and in the MOBI version the space between POV switches vanishes.

Not a dealbreaker though, because when I got home I was all "AHH ... time to read more about dragons and cowboy firefighters!"

Then I remembered that I'd finished the book.

Then I cried.

So clearly the POV switching thing did not deter me in the slightest.

Reviewing this title is going to be tricky though. Since I love stories about cowboys and I super love dragons. Cowboys because the books are full of this life experience that is so totally different from my own ... and really nommy sounding food. And dragons because ... they're dragons.

DRAGONS.

Putting those two facts aside, what I enjoyed most about the book was the way the mystery was written. Too often in books and movies I (or my husband) will figure out the whodunnit early on, which takes some of the fun out of things. Or worse ... you can't figure it out because it makes no sense. In "Wildfire" I had no idea who the bad person was until they went full on crazy about sixty someodd percent into the book. But because there were too many suspects.

And actually, there were parts where I was all "are we sure it's not Lynn?" which was bad. Because I was on break at the time and work an aisle over from a woman named Lynn.

The only real gripe that I have isn't a gripe at all. Not really. It's more of a wish. I would've liked more at the end. Just like a scene or two so we could've seen how things worked out with that whole *plot point redacted* with *name redacted*

Maybe there'll be a book two? *fingers crossed*

If you're a fan of UF/PNR, give this one a shot. I mean, it's a PNR mystery set in a small town in Texas. Dragons and cowboy-fire fighters. What else do you need?

[Kel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was provided a free copy of this ebook in exchange for an honest review.

Wildfire by Mina Khan: A Paranormal Mystery with Cowboys & Dragons. Isn’t that cover great? It drew me in initially. Lynn Alexander is a Japanese-American Shape shifter who winds up searching for a fire-starter, trying to mend fences with her mother, and maybe falling in love? If being 25 and trying to have a life wasn’t hard enough, add everything else and who wouldn’t need some alone time?
I liked the characters a lot… Lynn Alexander is young and beautiful and deadly when she changes to a dragon. Living in Houston Texas with her parents and just having lost her grandmother, Lynn wakes from a dream knowing that she needs to get to her best friend Jen in Paradise Valley, Tx ASAP. “The grand adventures of Mizz Loca Latina and the Wasabi Shrimp continue” Jen tells Lynn one morning after she comes to stay with her. Jen, an eclectic artist and Lynn’s best friend since childhood, these two are faced with trying to find the person responsible for setting fires to the small community.
Jack Callaghan is tall, muscular, handsome and not very popular among the townspeople. Jack’s family history always putting a splinter in their paws. But the real Jack is so wonderful; sure he has a temper, but who doesn’t. Watching his interactions with the other and Lynn just melts your heart.
I feel that Mina Khan has created this great place to lose yourself. I just couldn’t put this book down. ‘A Paranormal Mystery with Cowboys & Dragons’, it was light on the cowboys but heavy on the dragons. Set in Texas, when she described the land you could picture it perfectly in your head. And that ending… wow. I didn’t want it to end.

[Cianna Sunshine & Mountains Book Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

***Review has been done in conjunction with Nerd Girl Official. For more information regarding our reviews please visit our Fansite: www.facebook.com/NerdGirl.ng ***


“Well, the title has dragons in it, so I read it, though I couldn’t figure out how the dragons and the cowboys got together, but I guess that’s the point of the book!

I wasn’t really interested by the blurb, and I can honestly say the blurb doesn’t come close to making your realize how cool this book was. Dragon shapeshifter, mystery solver Lynn is an amazing character. She’s honest, smart, and as realistic as a dragon shapeshifter can be. She’s got some guilt she’s dealing with, and that helps motivate her character into doing everything she can to solve this mystery!

There is a little bit of romantic tension throughout this book as well, as Lynn is torn between two men, each calling to a different side of her. She’s trying to solve this mystery but the extra elements are making it that much tougher. She’s a journalist by trade, and the author definitely does go into detail about her career and her method but it’s quite interesting and give you a little more then just the private eye line.

The book ends well, and this is one of those books you should definitely check out if you like a good mystery, or a good paraormal story, the author weaves together both of these elements, out in the wild texas and makes it work somehow! I was sad to see it end because it really was captivating!

Overall I liked this story. I thought it was well written, interesting, smart and really good mix of paranormal and mystery. Check this out! :)”

[Pam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Even while Lynn struggles with guilt over her grandmothers death she jumps to help her friend when fire is threatening her. She is a shapeshifting dragon and while that helps her she still struggle to figure out who is behind the fires. She is having some troubles because she is tempted by a hot fireman and a smooth city developer. She has to keep her dragon hormones under control if she is going to help her friend. There is a mystery to solve and Lynn needs to take the time to get over her grief as well.

I really enjoyed this book as it's not the typical shifter book. For one the shifter is a dragon and there isn't a ton of that out there. Another thing is this book doesn't rely heavily on the romance. While it is there the mystery is more to this story to me anyways. Lynn is a wonderful character that will stay with you till the end. You really get to know her and what drives her. Her friend Jen is someone else I loved. She seems like a real person and as Lynn is helping her she is also helping Lynn cope with things. They make good friends as they seem to settle each other in ways. Jack and Henry both have great qualities but you are never sure whether they are the good guys or the bad ones until the end. The author does a great job with all of the characters. The mystery is one you get the more you read. I will say at one time I thought I know who did it only to be wrong. I kept turning pages to see if I was right. This is the first book I have read by this author but it won't be the last as she does a phenomenal job with this book. Recommend for anyone who loves a book with dragons, mystery or just want a great story.

[Alisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dragon shifter Lynn Alexander scrambles to Texas in the middle of the night in fear for her best friend's life. Fires have been raging all over the area Jen lives in and Lynn senses something is very wrong. Immediately upon arrival Lynn senses that there is another dragon in the area. While she is not sure what is really going on she knows something is wrong. Lynn lands a freelance journalist job and stays in Texas while trying to solve the mystery of who is setting these fires as well as who is the other dragon she senses & is it behind the fires. Lynn meets Jack, a local cowboy with whom she has an immediate attraction. She also spends some time with Henry who is a local land developer. Her dragon is hormonal and likes both of the men but Lynn is not so sure. This book continues on with the action packed mystery that Lynn is determined to solve.

I thought this was a solid read and a unique look on dragon shifters. I have not before read a book with a female dragon as the lead. I felt this was a great idea and Lynn was tough, smart and a really likeable heroine. There is plenty of romance and plenty of action and adventure. As the story unfolds it becomes more detailed and it was a really enjoyable story. I would definately recommed this story to those who enjoy paranormal reads.

This book was provided to me by the author in exchange for an honest review as a part of the PNR Na UBA author/reader exchange program.

[Jasmyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a bit time lover of old school fantasy stories, I always love when I see dragons and magic brought into more contemporary story lines. Mina Khan does the wonderfully with her dragon-shifter, Lynn Alexander. She's not some little petite dragon - she's the real deal and could probably eat you whole if she got angry enough. After experience a series of somewhat prophetic dreams she flies off to check on her friend Jen and finds her house about to go up in flames. When she senses the presence of a powerful male dragon in the area she wonders if he might be the cause of the blaze, which is just one in a string of what looks like arson.

I loved Lynn. She was just the right mixture of tough and timid, confidant and unsure, all at the same time. Just when she thinks she has everything finally figured out, a series of events changes everything putting her friends, both new and old, in great danger. She will need to learn to trust and balance the dragon in her in order to save everyone.

Through all this mystery and detective work, she meets a few eligible bachelors - all of which could be the bad guy. When her heart settles on the one that looks the most guilty, she resolves herself to finding proof and living with her broken heart. I think the only small part I didn't like about this was at times her best friend, Jen, got a little on my nerves. This is a great story for lovers of crime drama, romance, or fantasy.

[Merissa (Archaeolibrarian) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book free from StoryCartel in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I love books about shifters and if you throw in a bit of romance as well then I'm happy. I wasn't too sure about the mystery part of this book but I thought I'd give it a try. I'm glad I did. This is a fast paced, funny, action packed book.

Lynn is a wonderful main female who is trying to figure out how to go one when the one rock in her life has been killed and she was accused of killing her. Then she gets a feeling that her best friend is in danger so of she goes. Lynn spends a lot of time second-guessing herself, both as human and as dragon, but seriously, if you've been through what she has, I think you'd take a step backwards too.

I loved the "tempting firefighter" and hated the "flirty city developer" so it didn't really come as a surprise that he was the bad guy. However, how it was wrapped into the story was wonderful and a delight to read.

If you want to read about dragons, firefighters, hormones, mystery then give this one a go!

http://archaeolibrarianologist.blogsp...

[Beth P · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wildfire is a lovely book that is somewhat hard to classify genre-wise. To me, the classification doesn’t matter, but when recommending it to others I am often asked “What type of story is it?” Well, it has the feel of an urban fantasy with dragon shifters and a mystery to be solved, but is set in somewhat rural west Texas. It’s not a romance, but there are romantic elements. (Yay!) So I’ll go with the author’s description that it is “a paranormal mystery with romantic elements. It is not a traditional romance.” Well put!

I enjoyed the two mystery plot threads of the book. There is the current mystery regarding fires in the town of Pleasant Valley where Lynn’s best friend lives. There is also an older mystery regarding the death of Lynn’s grandmother who was also a dragon shifter. I loved the emotional journey traveled in the relationship between Lynn and her mother. I really enjoyed the overall story. The only thing that kept me from loving it was that the “dragon pheromones” thing got a little too repetitive. That complaint aside, Wildfire is a book that I found entertaining and recommend wholeheartedly to fans of Urban Fantasy and Paranormal Romance.

[Alexandrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book that I've read of Mina Khan's and I must say that it did intrigue me. I am looking forward to reading any of her other books. I have liked reading books about shape shifters for years now but you don't read about dragons often. And that made this book different from the rest. I liked that there was back story and some flashbacks to help explain what has already happened so the new reader won't feel left out at all. Though I could see where Lynn was coming, from past pain and traumatic events involving someone she was close either, I felt that she fought so hard to be separate from others that it made her feel almost awkward to try to integrate into her friend Jen's town. The craziness of the plot kept me turning the page and trying to guess who the fire starter was. Can't wait to read her other books now.

[Roxy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to win a copy of this book from the author through goodreads.

I really enjoyed this story. It was loaded with a good dose of drama and intrigue. Just when you think you've got it pegged there's a twist that alters your thinking.
Full of mystery, my suspicions were jumping from one character to another. The cowboy element is a little incidental and not really necessary to the story, although I must admit I like a good hunky cowboy so I would have liked a little more of that throughout the story.
It could have been a little tighter in places but overall it was a captivating read. I would have liked a little more heat between the leading characters.
The traditional mythologies coupled with modern paranormal shape-shifting elements makes this a unique and compelling tale. Looking forward to reading more from this author.