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Files of the Otherworlder Enforcement Agency #3
Lycan Unleashed
A paranormal category romance from Entangled's Covet imprint... To lead a lycan into temptation... Detective Astrid Holmes is a sensitive with the gift of being able to sense the presence and powers of Otherworlders. But when a vampire turns up dead and key evidence disappears, Astrid is pulled from both the case and Chicago Police's “freak squad” Paranormal Unit. Now she's out to clear her name....and there's only one man who can help her. Mason Sanderson is an investigator with the Otherworlder Enforcement Agency—and a lycan with a few control issues. While Mason needs Astrid's help almost as much she needs his, he can't afford any wildcards. As it is, he's already playing with fire...the kind that led to a sizzling kiss at last year's Christmas party. But this killer will do anything to get away with murder...and the only thing standing between Astrid and disaster is one seriously bad-ass lycan.
176 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2013
2 people are currently reading
181 people want to read
About the author
Tiffany Allee
33 books441 followersTiffany Allee currently lives in Phoenix, AZ, by way of Chicago and Denver, and is happily married to a secret romantic. She spends her days working in Corporate America while daydreaming about sexy heroes, ass-kicking heroines, and interesting ways to kill people (for her books, of course). Her nights are reserved for writing and bothering her husband and cats (according to them). Her passions include reading, chocolate, travel, wine, and family.
BLOG at http://tiffanyallee.com/blog/
Info sourced from authors website.
BLOG at http://tiffanyallee.com/blog/
Info sourced from authors website.
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
March 16, 2013
Rating: 2 out of 5.
Lycan Unleashed by Tiffany Allee
Detective Astrid who is undertaking an investigation of the death of a paranormal person, finds herself working with the man who had once kissed her Mason. At this stage, I was thinking, what, they only kissed ONCE! :O . I didn’t understand what the big issue was. So they kissed once, and they didn’t talk about it afterwards. How did that drive Mason out of the Chicago Police Department? Seriously, over one kiss? How is this enough material for the history of their relationship, how is it enough to sustain the antagonist tension that permeated their interactions in the beginning. It wasn’t. For me, this book couldn’t back up the history between the characters, this made their current interactions too dramatic
Moreover, the jokes in this novel fell flat. Such as, there was this one point where Mason asks Astrid how she feels, and she thinks to herself, that the day when Mason cares about her health is the day when something equally absurd will happen, like when pigs fly. The thing is, it was obvious that Mason cares about her, but I felt as though the author was trying hard to come up with some complication.
Another thing that annoyed me was that Astrid either glared or frowned at Mason whenever she could. It was so goddam annoying. Over little things, she would glare at him. I was sitting there wondering what on earth there was to glare over.
I also disliked how she didn’t follow police procedures. Like when she takes the coin out of the evidence bag. Then she gets angry when her boss follows procedure and questions her regarding its disappearance. She just took everything personally. Then she gets distracted easily on the job. If Mason is next to her, she goes into dream-land. She was so unprofessional. Then with the succubus, she doesn’t let Mason interrogate the succubus properly, because she is like, oh no, succubus is distressed. But Mason is correct in pointing out that spouses are first suspects in murder. When he points out that fact, she turns around to glare at him, again…
Finally, she is always on the verge of tears. I think she wanted to cry like five times in this novel over reasons that had me utterly baffled, and she is supposed to be a detective at that.
ARC courtesy of NetGalley and Entangled Publishing.
Lycan Unleashed by Tiffany Allee
Detective Astrid who is undertaking an investigation of the death of a paranormal person, finds herself working with the man who had once kissed her Mason. At this stage, I was thinking, what, they only kissed ONCE! :O . I didn’t understand what the big issue was. So they kissed once, and they didn’t talk about it afterwards. How did that drive Mason out of the Chicago Police Department? Seriously, over one kiss? How is this enough material for the history of their relationship, how is it enough to sustain the antagonist tension that permeated their interactions in the beginning. It wasn’t. For me, this book couldn’t back up the history between the characters, this made their current interactions too dramatic
Moreover, the jokes in this novel fell flat. Such as, there was this one point where Mason asks Astrid how she feels, and she thinks to herself, that the day when Mason cares about her health is the day when something equally absurd will happen, like when pigs fly. The thing is, it was obvious that Mason cares about her, but I felt as though the author was trying hard to come up with some complication.
Another thing that annoyed me was that Astrid either glared or frowned at Mason whenever she could. It was so goddam annoying. Over little things, she would glare at him. I was sitting there wondering what on earth there was to glare over.
I also disliked how she didn’t follow police procedures. Like when she takes the coin out of the evidence bag. Then she gets angry when her boss follows procedure and questions her regarding its disappearance. She just took everything personally. Then she gets distracted easily on the job. If Mason is next to her, she goes into dream-land. She was so unprofessional. Then with the succubus, she doesn’t let Mason interrogate the succubus properly, because she is like, oh no, succubus is distressed. But Mason is correct in pointing out that spouses are first suspects in murder. When he points out that fact, she turns around to glare at him, again…
Finally, she is always on the verge of tears. I think she wanted to cry like five times in this novel over reasons that had me utterly baffled, and she is supposed to be a detective at that.
ARC courtesy of NetGalley and Entangled Publishing.
April 9, 2014
Prelim Review: Three things to keep in mind - 1) I really liked the old covers a lot, but that being said I like the colors of this cover quite a bit. 2) Astrid! I'm so happy we got her tale! and 3) Please please please tell me there will be a book about Claude? Everyone keeps talking about him and his 'mysterious' disappearances, but I really want to know!
Also I wasn't qutie as happy with Mason's reasoning as I could have been
Full review to be posted at Poisoned Rationality
Also I wasn't qutie as happy with Mason's reasoning as I could have been
Full review to be posted at Poisoned Rationality
February 11, 2013
Originally published at Book Lovers Inc.
Now that we're three books into the Otherworlder Enforcement Agency, the "world" it operates in is already established. This is excellent, as this series is made up of novellas rather than full-length novels, and each one ends up being just a bit short. Prior background is good.
The heroine of Lycan Unleashed is Astrid Holmes, and she's someone we've met before. Astrid is the "sensitive" who's been called on in previous cases. Astrid can, well, "sense" what type of paranormal committed a crime, and what kind of energy surrounds a crime scene.
She's usually an office worker, because her sense is acute. She senses paranormal energy all the time. From every paranormal or Otherworlder (OW) around her. Every aura they exude. For example, vamps smell like old cigarettes and are surrounded by a miasma of fear. The scene where Astrid describes what it's like to be her is truly awesome.
But speaking of aromas, lycans smell like the forest. Mason Sanderson particularly. Astrid thought that they might have the possibility of a relationship, but one kiss, one year ago, and after that, he can't seem to stand to be in the same room with her. Not even when they have to work together on a case for the OWEA.
Still, when Astrid's current case goes totally pear-shaped, she has nowhere else to turn. Her vampire partner Claude is away for one of his mysterious disappearances. A vampire is killed in a particularly nasty way (even for vamps) just to send a message to the Magister of the City. And then a critical piece of evidence goes missing while she is handling it.
Astrid is taken off the case and put on administrative leave. Of course she is. Cops do what cops do, even when they're otherworlder cops.
To save her badge, and to redeem her name, Astrid needs to stay on the case. For that, she goes to Mason. And once they are back in each other's close orbit again, she discovers that his regret over their one kiss last year wasn't because he was sorry that he kissed her.
It was because he was sorry that he didn't think it was a good idea to keep right on kissing her, and a whole lot more. Forever.
It's just too bad that they're trying to resolve their misunderstanding while people, and others, are trying to kill them.
Verdict: I like the world that Allee has created in this series. The more of it I learn, the more I want to know. In general, the books are too short.
In specific, this one was definitely too short.
Both Mason and Astrid are not on speaking terms with their birth families. Clearly, something terrible happened in both their pasts that is messing with their heads. It's a factor in why Mason pushed Astrid away the previous year. But we don't find out nearly enough details about what the heck happened with either of their families. We get some info, but it's not enough.
The lack of closure or healing left me feeling a bit shortchanged regarding the love story. On the one hand, it wasn't insta-love. On the other hand, I wasn't quite sure why Mason finally gave in to his emotions. He didn't really resolve any of his issues. He just stopped resisting.
There's a lot in this story that's about family. The crime that's being investigated is a family crime. For those details, you need to read the story.
I enjoyed this particular "File" from the Otherworlder Enforcement Agency, but it didn't quite live up to the previous entries. Banshee Charmer did a better job with the cop shop aspects of the story and Succubus Lost hit the high points of the romance higher. But the series as a whole is pure paranormal romance/urban fantasy fun and I'm looking forward to the next installment.
And Astrid's partner Claude definitely needs his own story. Where does that vamp keep disappearing to?
I give Lycan Unleashed by Tiffany Allee 3 and 1/2 wolfish stars.
Now that we're three books into the Otherworlder Enforcement Agency, the "world" it operates in is already established. This is excellent, as this series is made up of novellas rather than full-length novels, and each one ends up being just a bit short. Prior background is good.
The heroine of Lycan Unleashed is Astrid Holmes, and she's someone we've met before. Astrid is the "sensitive" who's been called on in previous cases. Astrid can, well, "sense" what type of paranormal committed a crime, and what kind of energy surrounds a crime scene.
She's usually an office worker, because her sense is acute. She senses paranormal energy all the time. From every paranormal or Otherworlder (OW) around her. Every aura they exude. For example, vamps smell like old cigarettes and are surrounded by a miasma of fear. The scene where Astrid describes what it's like to be her is truly awesome.
But speaking of aromas, lycans smell like the forest. Mason Sanderson particularly. Astrid thought that they might have the possibility of a relationship, but one kiss, one year ago, and after that, he can't seem to stand to be in the same room with her. Not even when they have to work together on a case for the OWEA.
Still, when Astrid's current case goes totally pear-shaped, she has nowhere else to turn. Her vampire partner Claude is away for one of his mysterious disappearances. A vampire is killed in a particularly nasty way (even for vamps) just to send a message to the Magister of the City. And then a critical piece of evidence goes missing while she is handling it.
Astrid is taken off the case and put on administrative leave. Of course she is. Cops do what cops do, even when they're otherworlder cops.
To save her badge, and to redeem her name, Astrid needs to stay on the case. For that, she goes to Mason. And once they are back in each other's close orbit again, she discovers that his regret over their one kiss last year wasn't because he was sorry that he kissed her.
It was because he was sorry that he didn't think it was a good idea to keep right on kissing her, and a whole lot more. Forever.
It's just too bad that they're trying to resolve their misunderstanding while people, and others, are trying to kill them.
Verdict: I like the world that Allee has created in this series. The more of it I learn, the more I want to know. In general, the books are too short.
In specific, this one was definitely too short.
Both Mason and Astrid are not on speaking terms with their birth families. Clearly, something terrible happened in both their pasts that is messing with their heads. It's a factor in why Mason pushed Astrid away the previous year. But we don't find out nearly enough details about what the heck happened with either of their families. We get some info, but it's not enough.
The lack of closure or healing left me feeling a bit shortchanged regarding the love story. On the one hand, it wasn't insta-love. On the other hand, I wasn't quite sure why Mason finally gave in to his emotions. He didn't really resolve any of his issues. He just stopped resisting.
There's a lot in this story that's about family. The crime that's being investigated is a family crime. For those details, you need to read the story.
I enjoyed this particular "File" from the Otherworlder Enforcement Agency, but it didn't quite live up to the previous entries. Banshee Charmer did a better job with the cop shop aspects of the story and Succubus Lost hit the high points of the romance higher. But the series as a whole is pure paranormal romance/urban fantasy fun and I'm looking forward to the next installment.
And Astrid's partner Claude definitely needs his own story. Where does that vamp keep disappearing to?
I give Lycan Unleashed by Tiffany Allee 3 and 1/2 wolfish stars.
January 20, 2013
Astrid is a sensitive, working for the Chicago Police dept on what is lovingly referred to as the Freak Squad. She can sense the energies of otherworlders, identifying their race (vampires, banshee, imp, Lycans, witches all live in this world) and can tell how powerful they are. She can also read objects. So when she comes across a coin at a brutal murder scene, she knows it was carried by a vampire, possibly for centuries. Not something they would want to just leave behind. When evidence goes missing, moments after she takes it out of an evidence box, Astrid is put on temporary suspension. Her only hope to clear herself means getting back in on the investigation, now taken away from the Chicago Police and in the hands of the OtherWorld Enforcement Agency, and Mason. She tells Mason she might be able to identify the killer from the energy signature left on the coin. Did I mention he's a Lycan? A big sexy Lycan?
This is the 3rd book in the Other World Enforcement Agency books, and I think the writing and the plotting just keeps getting tighter. Novella length, I read this in two days and was engaged the whole way through. Allee always starts off with a bang, and is very good at gently sprinkling in the hook. We know right away that there is some Vampire intrigue in the background, we've had interactions with this vampire family in previous books and know them to be shady, and that our heroine has some serious mommy issues. There's something in her past that she doesn't like to talk about, but she can't keep out of her internal monologue. She can't swear without hearing her mom in her head - interesting for a cop. What I am saying is that we've got well rounded characters with real motivations. She's a cop who isn't crazy about the field, but due to the danger to her reputation, her badge and her career, she is forced to follow Mason, our sexy where-beast with whom she shared one kiss, into the field to investigate. Sexual tension and good police procedural ensue.
You don't have to read the other books before reading this one, but I think you'll want to. :) This seamlessly mixes in magic and myth and good old police procedural. I'm looking forward to more of these.
This is the 3rd book in the Other World Enforcement Agency books, and I think the writing and the plotting just keeps getting tighter. Novella length, I read this in two days and was engaged the whole way through. Allee always starts off with a bang, and is very good at gently sprinkling in the hook. We know right away that there is some Vampire intrigue in the background, we've had interactions with this vampire family in previous books and know them to be shady, and that our heroine has some serious mommy issues. There's something in her past that she doesn't like to talk about, but she can't keep out of her internal monologue. She can't swear without hearing her mom in her head - interesting for a cop. What I am saying is that we've got well rounded characters with real motivations. She's a cop who isn't crazy about the field, but due to the danger to her reputation, her badge and her career, she is forced to follow Mason, our sexy where-beast with whom she shared one kiss, into the field to investigate. Sexual tension and good police procedural ensue.
You don't have to read the other books before reading this one, but I think you'll want to. :) This seamlessly mixes in magic and myth and good old police procedural. I'm looking forward to more of these.
February 8, 2013
This was my first book in this series (I know it's out of order...duh) but I was able to read this on netgalley as a free read and I will say this it WON'T be my last read. I can't wait to start from the beginning and see what I missed. Astrid has some an interesting ability and an even more interesting love interest. Very enjoyable with lots of fun paranormal creatures to sink your teeth into (ha! ha! get it...sink your teeth into). Oh well, we all can't have a great sense of humor. Pick this title up...I'm sure you'll love it!
February 10, 2013
Tiffany Allee has created an interesting world and populated it with an intriguing variety of supernaturals. Police Detective Astrid Holmes is a human sensitive. She can sense energy and know what sort of otherworlder it is. If they are strong enough, she can even identify individuals. She doesn't get out in the field much because that is her only talent and a 4' 11" mostly human detective doesn't stand up well against most otherworlders who are stronger than she is. She is called to a case in a floating casino owned by the Magister—the most powerful vampire—of Chicago. There she finds a relatively young vampire has been murdered and staked to the wall in a high stakes poker room. Astrid discovers a magical coin under a table. She wants to touch it to see if she can learn who it might belong to. However, the OWEA is taking the case away from the Chicago police.
Agent Mason Sanderson has been given the case. He is a Lycan who used to be with the Chicago police but transferred to the Other Worlder Enforcement Agency. Before he left the department, he and Astrid shared a pretty hot kiss. Now that they are working together, the attraction is beginning again. Mason and Astrid have to sort through vampire rivalries, vampire assassins and vampire politics before they manage to solve the case.
They also have to sort through their own relationship and family difficulties. I really liked both Mason and Astrid and was rooting for them to solve the crime and find a way to live happily ever after. Now, I want to read the other two books in the Other Worlder Enforcement Agency series. Luckily, Succubus Lost and Banshee Charmer are waiting for me on my Kindle.
Agent Mason Sanderson has been given the case. He is a Lycan who used to be with the Chicago police but transferred to the Other Worlder Enforcement Agency. Before he left the department, he and Astrid shared a pretty hot kiss. Now that they are working together, the attraction is beginning again. Mason and Astrid have to sort through vampire rivalries, vampire assassins and vampire politics before they manage to solve the case.
They also have to sort through their own relationship and family difficulties. I really liked both Mason and Astrid and was rooting for them to solve the crime and find a way to live happily ever after. Now, I want to read the other two books in the Other Worlder Enforcement Agency series. Luckily, Succubus Lost and Banshee Charmer are waiting for me on my Kindle.
January 20, 2013
Lycan Unleashed is the third book in the Otherworlder Enforcement Agency series, and is my favorite so far. The series of long novellas is sent in an alternate contemporary world where paranormals exist and are integrated with humans.
Astrid Holmes is a sensitive, able to sense and distinguish other not-quite-humans, working for the Chicago PD. Mason Sanderson is a lycan who bounced around the Chicago PD before moving to the Otherworlder Enforcement Agency (like the FBI). They have a history together, were friends for awhile and something more for a moment, but have been estranged. Working together to investigate a vampire murder, they find themselves drawn inexorably together even as they both have secrets and reservations.
Astrid has spent her life being abandoned and underestimated, and she's fed up with that. Mason has other issues (spoilery ones) that make it difficult for him to be close to anyone. I adored seeing them melt and draw one another in. They're just so right for each other. Astrid is fun and spontaneous, and Mason's the strong, silent type who - amazingly - gets even better when he opens up.
The mystery is taut and twisty, and ties in nicely with some suspicious things that have been ongoing throughout the series. Lycan Unleashed contains a satisfying mystery and a delightful romance. And while I could hang out with Mason and Astrid all day, I can't wait to see what Ms. Allee delivers in her next installment!
Astrid Holmes is a sensitive, able to sense and distinguish other not-quite-humans, working for the Chicago PD. Mason Sanderson is a lycan who bounced around the Chicago PD before moving to the Otherworlder Enforcement Agency (like the FBI). They have a history together, were friends for awhile and something more for a moment, but have been estranged. Working together to investigate a vampire murder, they find themselves drawn inexorably together even as they both have secrets and reservations.
Astrid has spent her life being abandoned and underestimated, and she's fed up with that. Mason has other issues (spoilery ones) that make it difficult for him to be close to anyone. I adored seeing them melt and draw one another in. They're just so right for each other. Astrid is fun and spontaneous, and Mason's the strong, silent type who - amazingly - gets even better when he opens up.
The mystery is taut and twisty, and ties in nicely with some suspicious things that have been ongoing throughout the series. Lycan Unleashed contains a satisfying mystery and a delightful romance. And while I could hang out with Mason and Astrid all day, I can't wait to see what Ms. Allee delivers in her next installment!
April 22, 2014
This book was provided to me in exchange for a honest review. Please visit sslyblog.wordpress.com for more reviews!
For all you lovers of the Otherworlder Enforcement Agency, let’s do a happy dance that another novel is here! I’m not sure how I missed this one, but sadly, I did. Luckily, I just got my hands on a copy, and devoured it. Lycan Unleashed focuses on Astrid Holmes, a sensitive, and Mason Sanderson, a Lycan (even his name sounds delish, doesn’t it?). This is a story of two outcasts- one by choice, the other by chance- finding love and starting over.
Allee has done a wonderful job creating this new world inhabited by an incredible cast of Others, and a few humans tossed in for good measure. Each book has been a pleasure to read, filled with excitement, mystery, romance, and adventure. This book is no different.
When faced with a murder, and some disappearing evidence, Astrid hooks up with Mason, to try to find the killer. With all sorts of powerful characters around, the road to justice is a bit of a perilous one. However, with some loving on the side, it’s also a very, very fun one. I’d strongly recommend this book to lovers of paranormal romance, urban fantasy, and shifter stories. While it includes some hot loving scenes, it stops this side of erotica, leaving us with a pleasurable tale. Well, what are you waiting for? Go read it. And while you’re at it, read the other books by Allee as well. They are all good.
4 flames for hotness
For all you lovers of the Otherworlder Enforcement Agency, let’s do a happy dance that another novel is here! I’m not sure how I missed this one, but sadly, I did. Luckily, I just got my hands on a copy, and devoured it. Lycan Unleashed focuses on Astrid Holmes, a sensitive, and Mason Sanderson, a Lycan (even his name sounds delish, doesn’t it?). This is a story of two outcasts- one by choice, the other by chance- finding love and starting over.
Allee has done a wonderful job creating this new world inhabited by an incredible cast of Others, and a few humans tossed in for good measure. Each book has been a pleasure to read, filled with excitement, mystery, romance, and adventure. This book is no different.
When faced with a murder, and some disappearing evidence, Astrid hooks up with Mason, to try to find the killer. With all sorts of powerful characters around, the road to justice is a bit of a perilous one. However, with some loving on the side, it’s also a very, very fun one. I’d strongly recommend this book to lovers of paranormal romance, urban fantasy, and shifter stories. While it includes some hot loving scenes, it stops this side of erotica, leaving us with a pleasurable tale. Well, what are you waiting for? Go read it. And while you’re at it, read the other books by Allee as well. They are all good.
4 flames for hotness
January 16, 2013
Tiffany does it again, my only complaint is the book was too short I wanted to know more about the motivations of the baddies (I find the pat explanations provided to the Police suspicious) and I really wanted to find out what happened next. I was intrigued by both families. Sorry for the vagueness but I'm trying not to spoil.
Having said previously that Tiffany avoids the clichés of normal paranormal novelists and introduces us to the more unusual paras like Salamanders, Succubi and Banshees I was worried by the title of this book but I shouldn't have been. Mason isn't your archetypal Lycan.
If you haven't read the other books in the series I highly recommend them and I'm eagerly awaiting the next - could you make it a bit longer next time please Tiffany?
Having said previously that Tiffany avoids the clichés of normal paranormal novelists and introduces us to the more unusual paras like Salamanders, Succubi and Banshees I was worried by the title of this book but I shouldn't have been. Mason isn't your archetypal Lycan.
If you haven't read the other books in the series I highly recommend them and I'm eagerly awaiting the next - could you make it a bit longer next time please Tiffany?
June 17, 2017
This was a valley in this series. The heroine (Astrid), a sensitive who is a detective with the Chicago PD, was a wet blanket. She cried a lot and had a fair amount of TSTL moments; however, at other times, she was incredibly smart cop. The hero (Mason) was a lycan working with the Otherworlder Enforcement Agency. They teamed up to find a killer(s) of a vampire/succubus couple.
The romance would have been stronger if the history the hero and heroine shared was a little more fleshed out beyond one kiss two years ago. The mystery was a complete snooze and I named the killers as soon as each made their first appearance in the book. I do think they made a good couple, just wasn't up to the standard the author set from the first two books in the series.
The romance would have been stronger if the history the hero and heroine shared was a little more fleshed out beyond one kiss two years ago. The mystery was a complete snooze and I named the killers as soon as each made their first appearance in the book. I do think they made a good couple, just wasn't up to the standard the author set from the first two books in the series.
March 3, 2013
Braine's Talk Supe Review
This is good but I wish the format and chemistry is new. The structure of the story is basically the same as the previous two novellas.
LYCAN UNLEASHED may not be my favorite installment in the series but overall I still enjoyed the story. TAllee's formula after all is exciting and both emotionally and sexually charged. Looking forward to OWEA 4, I'm not sure who the next set of characters are going to be but I'm sure there'll be all kinds of highly entertaining otherworldly stuff about to go down.
This is good but I wish the format and chemistry is new. The structure of the story is basically the same as the previous two novellas.
LYCAN UNLEASHED may not be my favorite installment in the series but overall I still enjoyed the story. TAllee's formula after all is exciting and both emotionally and sexually charged. Looking forward to OWEA 4, I'm not sure who the next set of characters are going to be but I'm sure there'll be all kinds of highly entertaining otherworldly stuff about to go down.
March 18, 2013
For this review, please check out PLACE OF READS BOOK BLOG
March 2, 2013
Mason is one sexy Lycan!
October 11, 2019
Reviewed by Shyla
Book provided by the publisher
Lycan Unleashed is an interesting, fresh take on the paranormal. I loved the thought of otherworldly enforces, and I like the details Ms. Allee put into the police procedure. In a world full of magical creatures, that dose of reality made the world more believable.
Astrid was a heroine after my own heart, smart, capable, and confident. A sensitive, she works for the Chicago PD on what they refer to as the Freak Squad. She can sense other worlders, identify their species, and how powerful they are. A handy skill to have when you’re investigating paranormal murder scenes. Her life takes a turn when she’s suspended from work for allegedly losing a piece of evidence. The main word is allegedly.
Mason is a Lycan detective and Astrid’s only hope for redemption. Given their rocky past, putting them together on this case is like lighting a long fuse and waiting for it to go off. He was a brooding man with a dark past, and a suitcase full of relationship baggage. I liked him, but I wanted to dig deeper. It made me wonder if reading the first two books in the series would’ve made me feel differently.
In the end, this was an enjoyable murder mystery set in a fantastically built paranormal world. The perfect blend of reality and fantasy, it made for an enjoyable. I did long for more character and relationship development. But again, I came into the series in the third book, and that might be part of the reason why I felt disconnected.
Book provided by the publisher
Lycan Unleashed is an interesting, fresh take on the paranormal. I loved the thought of otherworldly enforces, and I like the details Ms. Allee put into the police procedure. In a world full of magical creatures, that dose of reality made the world more believable.
Astrid was a heroine after my own heart, smart, capable, and confident. A sensitive, she works for the Chicago PD on what they refer to as the Freak Squad. She can sense other worlders, identify their species, and how powerful they are. A handy skill to have when you’re investigating paranormal murder scenes. Her life takes a turn when she’s suspended from work for allegedly losing a piece of evidence. The main word is allegedly.
Mason is a Lycan detective and Astrid’s only hope for redemption. Given their rocky past, putting them together on this case is like lighting a long fuse and waiting for it to go off. He was a brooding man with a dark past, and a suitcase full of relationship baggage. I liked him, but I wanted to dig deeper. It made me wonder if reading the first two books in the series would’ve made me feel differently.
In the end, this was an enjoyable murder mystery set in a fantastically built paranormal world. The perfect blend of reality and fantasy, it made for an enjoyable. I did long for more character and relationship development. But again, I came into the series in the third book, and that might be part of the reason why I felt disconnected.
January 10, 2021
Proceed With Caution:
This book contains violence, death, and blood.
The Basics:
This is the third in a series, but it stands alone. Nothing from the previous two books is carried over other than the characters being coworkers. We're now following Astrid, another detective, but she's human. She's also a sensitive, meaning she can sense otherworlder energy on objects and people.
My Thoughts:
Now that my expectations have been adjusted, I knew not to focus too much on the romance going into Lycan Unleashed. Coincidentally, the relationship between Astrid and Mason is more developed than the previous two couples. That's likely due to them having a history with unresolved tension. Mason is also just around more and the two actually communicated outside of work and sex. It was nice.
It's a good thing that I liked the romance because the mystery aspect of Lycan Unleashed wasn't as interesting. Astrid is on a case involving a dead vampire, and their only clue is an ancient coin. She tries to get a read off of it to identify the owner and the killer, but it goes missing from the evidence locker! Of course, Astrid is suspended because she was in the room when it went missing. What follows is a desperate attempt to prove her innocence. Yes, Astrid is also still investigating the murder without her agency, but really she just wanted to clear her name and get her job back.
Lycan Unleashed was pretty good. The mystery wasn't my favorite, because it just felt kind of messy. There was no real connection there, so I honestly didn't care who did it or why. Especially, since the perpetrator doesn't really have a presence at all. I did enjoy Mason and Astrid though.
Read more at Pinkadot Pages.
This book contains violence, death, and blood.
The Basics:
This is the third in a series, but it stands alone. Nothing from the previous two books is carried over other than the characters being coworkers. We're now following Astrid, another detective, but she's human. She's also a sensitive, meaning she can sense otherworlder energy on objects and people.
My Thoughts:
Now that my expectations have been adjusted, I knew not to focus too much on the romance going into Lycan Unleashed. Coincidentally, the relationship between Astrid and Mason is more developed than the previous two couples. That's likely due to them having a history with unresolved tension. Mason is also just around more and the two actually communicated outside of work and sex. It was nice.
It's a good thing that I liked the romance because the mystery aspect of Lycan Unleashed wasn't as interesting. Astrid is on a case involving a dead vampire, and their only clue is an ancient coin. She tries to get a read off of it to identify the owner and the killer, but it goes missing from the evidence locker! Of course, Astrid is suspended because she was in the room when it went missing. What follows is a desperate attempt to prove her innocence. Yes, Astrid is also still investigating the murder without her agency, but really she just wanted to clear her name and get her job back.
Lycan Unleashed was pretty good. The mystery wasn't my favorite, because it just felt kind of messy. There was no real connection there, so I honestly didn't care who did it or why. Especially, since the perpetrator doesn't really have a presence at all. I did enjoy Mason and Astrid though.
Read more at Pinkadot Pages.
August 2, 2023
A murder mystery mixed in with a paranormal romance.
Both Astrid, a sensitive and Mason a Lycan are good characters, both with their own issues.
The investigation and the romance side mix well and make an entertaining read.
3.5 stars
Both Astrid, a sensitive and Mason a Lycan are good characters, both with their own issues.
The investigation and the romance side mix well and make an entertaining read.
3.5 stars
November 28, 2014
So Lycan Unleashed was a bit of a disappointment for me. This really sucks for me because I loved and I mean LOVED the first two books, Banshee Charmer and Succubus Lost. This series... It was new, it was interesting, it had paranormal creatures I don't usually read about. And then this happened. I'm not sure why. Is it because the last time I read a book in this series it was over a year ago and my expectations for books are higher now? Maybe. But I just didn't like the story, the characters and how it was written. I know this author is a really good writer and personally I think the other books were better, way better.
The main character in this book is Astrid Holmes, who we already saw in one or both of the previous books. I can't quite remember but we did knew her a little bit, knowing she's a sensitive. She really wasn't my kind of heroine. I didn't like the way she was like always drowning in self-pity. Always whining about Mason, her job or her family, especially her mother. And she wanted to cry like all the freaking time. Jesus Christ.
Mason wasn't much better, either. I mean, he wasn't as annoying as Astrid but lots of his actions didn't make sense. And I usually love werewolves so much. But, ugh... the reason why he didn't want to get involved with someone new was just, and excuse me for my French, total bullshit. I really couldn't get it.
The only other character that I liked, only appeared in it for a moment and that was Mac who we know from Banshee Charmer.
The story confused me a bit. At some points I really couldn't follow it at all. It jumped from here to there. Also, it was all kind of really obvious what was going to happen. I didn't trust that Jarvis guy from the start. Very obvious there. Yes, sometimes guessing who is one of the bad guys isn't too bad but with this story I can't help but be annoyed by it. And I also must say that I didn't care for the romantic scenes either.
Although Lycan Unleashed started out very promising, it lacked character building, good dialogues and good romance. The story was too rushed, at times even boring and I couldn't seem to like any of the main characters. I wish I'd loved this book, I really did but sometimes a book in a series that you love just falls flat. But this doesn't mean I don't want to read the next book in the series, Vampire Games. I just hope it's a whole lot better.
The main character in this book is Astrid Holmes, who we already saw in one or both of the previous books. I can't quite remember but we did knew her a little bit, knowing she's a sensitive. She really wasn't my kind of heroine. I didn't like the way she was like always drowning in self-pity. Always whining about Mason, her job or her family, especially her mother. And she wanted to cry like all the freaking time. Jesus Christ.
Mason wasn't much better, either. I mean, he wasn't as annoying as Astrid but lots of his actions didn't make sense. And I usually love werewolves so much. But, ugh... the reason why he didn't want to get involved with someone new was just, and excuse me for my French, total bullshit. I really couldn't get it.
The only other character that I liked, only appeared in it for a moment and that was Mac who we know from Banshee Charmer.
The story confused me a bit. At some points I really couldn't follow it at all. It jumped from here to there. Also, it was all kind of really obvious what was going to happen. I didn't trust that Jarvis guy from the start. Very obvious there. Yes, sometimes guessing who is one of the bad guys isn't too bad but with this story I can't help but be annoyed by it. And I also must say that I didn't care for the romantic scenes either.
Although Lycan Unleashed started out very promising, it lacked character building, good dialogues and good romance. The story was too rushed, at times even boring and I couldn't seem to like any of the main characters. I wish I'd loved this book, I really did but sometimes a book in a series that you love just falls flat. But this doesn't mean I don't want to read the next book in the series, Vampire Games. I just hope it's a whole lot better.
February 22, 2013
So, in the world of paranormal fiction/romance, I have been converted...I have officially switched teams. Go werewolves - or, in this case, Lycans!
Author Tiffany Allee creates a strong, albeit small-statured, lead female in Astrid Holmes (good choice for a last name. Can never go wrong with Holmes for a detective). Allee did not follow the norm for a female detective by avoiding the typical need for a masculine "I am a bad-ass female that carries a gun - just like a man" attitude, and refreshingly showed Atrid's dislike for being placed in danger, and preferring 'desk duty' to 'field work'. It did not detract from her being strong, and actually made her actions when she was in danger more impressive and admirable. I also appreciated the explanation of "otherworlders," which included vampires, imps, succubi, and sensitives - oh, and sexy lycans! - and how they live among the non-otherworlders (that would be you and I) in full view and in an awkward harmony. There did seem to be an edge of contention between the regular detectives (for lack of a better term) and otherworlders on the police force, but I wish it had been played up a little more. Perhaps, the "us against them but we are all still ultimately against the bad guys" tension. I was also a little distracted by the switch in terminology between "otherworlders" to "OW" to "oh-dub" - perhaps explain the correct pronunciation of "OW" as "oh-dub" in the beginning, then stick to OW. But that is just me, and others may not have that issue.
Mason is a strong, sexy, werewolf-esque romantic interest. It was clear that he had been avoiding a relationship with Astrid over a period of time, for his own reasons (which came out later in the story) and his struggle with being around her again. I wish there had been a little more of a build up of sexual tension, and frustration, between the two before the "big event."
All-in-all, this is a really interesting concept for a continuing storyline, and I was able to connect with the unique characters.
Author Tiffany Allee creates a strong, albeit small-statured, lead female in Astrid Holmes (good choice for a last name. Can never go wrong with Holmes for a detective). Allee did not follow the norm for a female detective by avoiding the typical need for a masculine "I am a bad-ass female that carries a gun - just like a man" attitude, and refreshingly showed Atrid's dislike for being placed in danger, and preferring 'desk duty' to 'field work'. It did not detract from her being strong, and actually made her actions when she was in danger more impressive and admirable. I also appreciated the explanation of "otherworlders," which included vampires, imps, succubi, and sensitives - oh, and sexy lycans! - and how they live among the non-otherworlders (that would be you and I) in full view and in an awkward harmony. There did seem to be an edge of contention between the regular detectives (for lack of a better term) and otherworlders on the police force, but I wish it had been played up a little more. Perhaps, the "us against them but we are all still ultimately against the bad guys" tension. I was also a little distracted by the switch in terminology between "otherworlders" to "OW" to "oh-dub" - perhaps explain the correct pronunciation of "OW" as "oh-dub" in the beginning, then stick to OW. But that is just me, and others may not have that issue.
Mason is a strong, sexy, werewolf-esque romantic interest. It was clear that he had been avoiding a relationship with Astrid over a period of time, for his own reasons (which came out later in the story) and his struggle with being around her again. I wish there had been a little more of a build up of sexual tension, and frustration, between the two before the "big event."
All-in-all, this is a really interesting concept for a continuing storyline, and I was able to connect with the unique characters.
February 9, 2013
This is the third installment in the Otherworlder Enforcement Agency saga, and as another reviewer also said, I won’t be reading the others. This book, while short in pages, read as if it were much longer. It was a slow, sometimes tedious, read and it just didn’t keep me interested.
Astrid is a Detective and a sensitive with the Chicago police department. Mason is a lycan and an agent with the same police department. They kissed…once. At the time of the kiss, he claimed it was a mistake. Now Mason is all Astrid can think of and wonder why he never kissed her again.
There has been a murder of a vampire on a floating casino and Astrid has been called in to help with the case. Unfortunately, things go very wrong and Astrid is temporarily relived of her duties.
Both of these characters have issues, which can make for an angst-filled read at times. Astrid is one of those ‘heroines’ that seems to weep or to be holding back tears on nearly every other page and Mason is the type of male who doesn’t want to talk, to explain things or to even treat Astrid as the competent Detective she supposedly is.
The characters never seemed to develop and the story itself was a bit unbelievable, with a typical plot device to sew up the loose ends.
*ARC SUPPLIED BY PUBLISHER*
Astrid is a Detective and a sensitive with the Chicago police department. Mason is a lycan and an agent with the same police department. They kissed…once. At the time of the kiss, he claimed it was a mistake. Now Mason is all Astrid can think of and wonder why he never kissed her again.
There has been a murder of a vampire on a floating casino and Astrid has been called in to help with the case. Unfortunately, things go very wrong and Astrid is temporarily relived of her duties.
Both of these characters have issues, which can make for an angst-filled read at times. Astrid is one of those ‘heroines’ that seems to weep or to be holding back tears on nearly every other page and Mason is the type of male who doesn’t want to talk, to explain things or to even treat Astrid as the competent Detective she supposedly is.
The characters never seemed to develop and the story itself was a bit unbelievable, with a typical plot device to sew up the loose ends.
*ARC SUPPLIED BY PUBLISHER*
February 17, 2013
I received this ARC from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review. Thank you.
This is the 3rd in this series. I did not read the two previous to this book. I think if I had it would of been less confusing. There are way too many supernatural characters for me. There were the three major ones like vampires, lycans and whiches. But there was others like Succubus. What ever in the heck that is. I guess I could google it if its not a made up thing.
This book was about Astrid, a human sensitive. (See what I mean??) she senses energy of otherworlders. Mason is a Lycan who has been given Astrids case. She inserts herself into is investigation, since her job is on the line. They have a year long attraction that shared a kiss a year earlier but went cold minutes later.
This book needs a lot more description that a novella can give in order to fully connect with its characters. It felt really long and slow to read for being only 150 pages. I think I'll pass on any other in this series.
This is the 3rd in this series. I did not read the two previous to this book. I think if I had it would of been less confusing. There are way too many supernatural characters for me. There were the three major ones like vampires, lycans and whiches. But there was others like Succubus. What ever in the heck that is. I guess I could google it if its not a made up thing.
This book was about Astrid, a human sensitive. (See what I mean??) she senses energy of otherworlders. Mason is a Lycan who has been given Astrids case. She inserts herself into is investigation, since her job is on the line. They have a year long attraction that shared a kiss a year earlier but went cold minutes later.
This book needs a lot more description that a novella can give in order to fully connect with its characters. It felt really long and slow to read for being only 150 pages. I think I'll pass on any other in this series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 3, 2013
Good solid concept and characters, which initially started off really strong, but was a little disappointing in the long run. It felt as if every time the plot set off at a faster pace the author would reign it back in and jump to the next chapter or sub-plot.
The flow between chapters was awkward and off. The plot could have been more developed. The build up to the sex culminated with a rather boring experience.
I mean come on, you have a hot lycan and a gal just waiting to be his hot fudge sundae and instead the reader gets a mild meoww rather than the expected roar.
All the ingredients for an exciting supernatural are there, the author just needs to polish the edges and delve deeper. More emotion and a lot more wild seductive abandonment.
I like the ideas and hope the next book is a better indicator of what the author is really capable of.
I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley for my review.
The flow between chapters was awkward and off. The plot could have been more developed. The build up to the sex culminated with a rather boring experience.
I mean come on, you have a hot lycan and a gal just waiting to be his hot fudge sundae and instead the reader gets a mild meoww rather than the expected roar.
All the ingredients for an exciting supernatural are there, the author just needs to polish the edges and delve deeper. More emotion and a lot more wild seductive abandonment.
I like the ideas and hope the next book is a better indicator of what the author is really capable of.
I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley for my review.
March 15, 2013
I had a hard time getting into this one. It never really grabbed my attention. The characters fell a bit flat for me. I had no major editing issues except for a few instances of a complete lack of transition from one place and characters to others. It would happen from one paragraph to the next, not from one chapter to another. I was left a little confused for a few seconds.
Astrid is a sensitive with the police department and Mason is a were with the Otherworld Enforcement Agency. They work together to sovle a murder after she is relieved of her duty on the force. She and Mason have some issues to deal with in their personal lives. The sex was steamy if not very detailed. Mason came across as a strong, silent, and hot alpha.
I received a copy of this from NetGalley for my honest review.
Astrid is a sensitive with the police department and Mason is a were with the Otherworld Enforcement Agency. They work together to sovle a murder after she is relieved of her duty on the force. She and Mason have some issues to deal with in their personal lives. The sex was steamy if not very detailed. Mason came across as a strong, silent, and hot alpha.
I received a copy of this from NetGalley for my honest review.
March 9, 2013
4.5 stars.
Astrid and Mason have a bit of a rocky past. Both are drowning in trust issues and baggage with a side element of a single perfect kiss. Too bad that kiss shattered their blooming friendship and drove Mason away. Oh you moody, broken wolf...
Forced back together by a case they have to find a killer and navigate the rocky terrain of emotions and danger at the same time. I only wish Mz. Allee had more time w the relationship portion. Because the exciting procedural kept me so engrossed I didn't get too upset.
I loved Astrid's gift. It was unusual and the way she saw the world was so unique. The great way the author weaves in the OW chars with the humans makes this world very intriguing.
I can't wait for book 4. I neeeeeed to figure out all these secrets with Claude!
Astrid and Mason have a bit of a rocky past. Both are drowning in trust issues and baggage with a side element of a single perfect kiss. Too bad that kiss shattered their blooming friendship and drove Mason away. Oh you moody, broken wolf...
Forced back together by a case they have to find a killer and navigate the rocky terrain of emotions and danger at the same time. I only wish Mz. Allee had more time w the relationship portion. Because the exciting procedural kept me so engrossed I didn't get too upset.
I loved Astrid's gift. It was unusual and the way she saw the world was so unique. The great way the author weaves in the OW chars with the humans makes this world very intriguing.
I can't wait for book 4. I neeeeeed to figure out all these secrets with Claude!
July 17, 2013
My thoughts:
This was a fun, light read that was exactly what I was looking for in the midst of all my review books and tour books. It is a murder/mystery paranormal romance. The murder mystery part of the plot is interesting, nicely paced and carefully planned, but the main focus to me was about Astrid and Mason. The characters are wonderful; the self-assured, strong, capable heroine and the mysterious, overpowering, sexier than he should be, tortured by his past hero. Who could want for more. The secondary characters are well done and add depth to the story. I enjoyed the book, although it is book 3 and I had not read the first two. It stands alone well, but I plan to go back and read books 1 and 2 before looking for book 4.
This was a fun, light read that was exactly what I was looking for in the midst of all my review books and tour books. It is a murder/mystery paranormal romance. The murder mystery part of the plot is interesting, nicely paced and carefully planned, but the main focus to me was about Astrid and Mason. The characters are wonderful; the self-assured, strong, capable heroine and the mysterious, overpowering, sexier than he should be, tortured by his past hero. Who could want for more. The secondary characters are well done and add depth to the story. I enjoyed the book, although it is book 3 and I had not read the first two. It stands alone well, but I plan to go back and read books 1 and 2 before looking for book 4.
February 9, 2013
Although this is the third book in the From the Files of the Otherworlder Enforcement Agency, it is the first I have read. I liked Astrid and Mason, but for such a short book it lacked urgency. At just over a hundred pages I found myself bored a few times. There was action and conflict, but the story just seemed to lag at times. The love scene’s were hot, but not explicit or detailed. I won’t be going back to read the previous installments, but I may continue on with this series when I am in the mood for a quick read.
February 18, 2013
This third installment Lycan Unleashed: From the Files of the Otherworlder Enforcement Agency series was an interesting take on the lives of the supernatural/paranormal. I have not read the two previous books in this series, but that did not take away from the story line at all.
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December 5, 2014
Disclaimer: This ARC was given to me for free in exchange for an honest review from Netgalley.
This was an okay book. The writing was decent enough. A good read for when you are just relaxing with a bottle of wine and want a paranormal romance read.
This was an okay book. The writing was decent enough. A good read for when you are just relaxing with a bottle of wine and want a paranormal romance read.
December 17, 2014
didn't really get it too short for a fully developed plot. decent intro to the world
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