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Shifter Kings of Kartak #1
Renegade Leo
When I signed up to serve as engineer on a spaceship bound for Kartak, I thought I had life figured out. Explore the ruins of a dead civilization. Take everything worth selling. Buy myself status and an easy life. How hard could it be?
Turns out, Kartak is very much alive… and the inhabitants are the stuff of nightmares.
When I crash land on Kartak, I lose all my supplies and my only friend. With an inhospitable environment, violent natives, and an apocalyptic cult hunting me… death stalks me at every turn.
My only chance to survive is by taking shelter with a brutal alpha lion shifter. Deadly but irresistible, he declares me his fated mate… and leaves me walking on the knife’s edge between pleasure and fear.
In the struggle to save my own life, I will have to choose: the danger of a fierce, frightening mate… or certain death without his protection.
Renegade Leo is a standalone romance novel set in the Shifter Kings of Kartak universe. No cliffhangers and a sexy happy ending guaranteed!
Turns out, Kartak is very much alive… and the inhabitants are the stuff of nightmares.
When I crash land on Kartak, I lose all my supplies and my only friend. With an inhospitable environment, violent natives, and an apocalyptic cult hunting me… death stalks me at every turn.
My only chance to survive is by taking shelter with a brutal alpha lion shifter. Deadly but irresistible, he declares me his fated mate… and leaves me walking on the knife’s edge between pleasure and fear.
In the struggle to save my own life, I will have to choose: the danger of a fierce, frightening mate… or certain death without his protection.
Renegade Leo is a standalone romance novel set in the Shifter Kings of Kartak universe. No cliffhangers and a sexy happy ending guaranteed!
133 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 30, 2016
97 people are currently reading
315 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 93 reviews
May 15, 2016
First book I have stayed up late reading in weeks!
The author really built a unique world. I guess to me it ended up like a Mad Max alien world with some old advanced technology. I thought she did a good job building the world without devoting chapters to it. You discovered it throughout the book.
I did not dislike the heroine as much as others but her internal thoughts made her hard to like at times. I kind of understood her actions though. But I agree it took too long for her to get there emotionally with Leo. The scene with his clan was too much for me. I needed that to be genuine. So I had to deduct some for her continuing to lie to herself or others at that point.
I loved Leo. Not liking the fur everywhere though! I can totally get into the blue alien with the purple dick but not the fur on it! That just gives me the willies. He was sweet but killed for/protected his woman without hesitation or mercy. A bit if graphic violence. But that never stopped me before.
His first meeting with her was funny. He thought her spitting was a mating ritual. LOL!
For a first book, this was awesome! Yes it has some small grammatical/editing issues. Some plot holes that I would have liked filled in but I felt confident in my assumptions.
Since the brother just dropped off I hope the next book is about him. I feel I need closure for him. I had hoped he would be mated to Rhea.
I cannot wait for the next book.
Thanks to Orange and Ashleyjo for recommending!
Safety gang
The author really built a unique world. I guess to me it ended up like a Mad Max alien world with some old advanced technology. I thought she did a good job building the world without devoting chapters to it. You discovered it throughout the book.
I did not dislike the heroine as much as others but her internal thoughts made her hard to like at times. I kind of understood her actions though. But I agree it took too long for her to get there emotionally with Leo. The scene with his clan was too much for me. I needed that to be genuine. So I had to deduct some for her continuing to lie to herself or others at that point.
I loved Leo. Not liking the fur everywhere though! I can totally get into the blue alien with the purple dick but not the fur on it! That just gives me the willies. He was sweet but killed for/protected his woman without hesitation or mercy. A bit if graphic violence. But that never stopped me before.
His first meeting with her was funny. He thought her spitting was a mating ritual. LOL!
For a first book, this was awesome! Yes it has some small grammatical/editing issues. Some plot holes that I would have liked filled in but I felt confident in my assumptions.
Since the brother just dropped off I hope the next book is about him. I feel I need closure for him. I had hoped he would be mated to Rhea.
I cannot wait for the next book.
Thanks to Orange and Ashleyjo for recommending!
Safety gang
May 11, 2016
I'm not a fan of short stories, but this was good for what it was. It's maybe a little longer than novella-length; I'm not sure because there isn't a page count?!?
For a debut novel about alien shapeshifters on a far away planet, this was very well written.
The writing is causal-friendly, and the author occasionally takes familiar language liberties like "gotta go" and "specially with all that he.." There are very few grammatical errors and typos, a particular feat considering this looks to be a self-pub.
Again, this is a short book. So, I was very surprised at how much plot it punched. Romance, friendship, mates, shifters, fleshing out a new planet, a clan intro,betrayal, kidnapping rescues, etc.
The initial spaceship chapter was a little slow, but otherwise the plot and writing had an upbeat tempo.
There's some funny, some sexy, and some action. Good balance.
The MMC is the quintessential mate lover - protective, immediately in love, bends to her every whim, attentive, loyal, fierce, and with a giant purple eggplant penis. WTF more could a gal ask for~ ;)
Lmfao:)
The weakest element is the FMC.
Yes, she's that chick that can't walk two feet without getting herself in trouble. She's not particularly stupid so much as she is bullheaded, reckless, and selfish. She's a bitch. She's not likable. I hated that she stole from him, took pleasure and didn't even offer him relief during their first sexual scene, etc. etc.
Satisfying ending that wraps this storyline up nicely while still leaving lots of room for future series installments featuring secondary characters.
For The Author
Did you forget about Kole's fate?
The plot timing for such a short book was off a just little... The FMC doesn't meet the MMC until 25%. I'd personally have preferred less spaceship time and more time with her on the planet with the MMC. Aside from the closing chapter and epilogue, the entire book takes place over a couple of days. The book is also almost over before the FMC acknowledges she's his mate.
Bottom Line
I agree with Orange.Is.Happiness... a great first book effort by a newbie author:)
For what it is, I'll rate it 3 1/2 -4 stars. The FMC significantly impacted the rating because I didn't feel a romantic connection from her and just couldn't connect with her as reader.
For a debut novel about alien shapeshifters on a far away planet, this was very well written.
The writing is causal-friendly, and the author occasionally takes familiar language liberties like "gotta go" and "specially with all that he.." There are very few grammatical errors and typos, a particular feat considering this looks to be a self-pub.
Again, this is a short book. So, I was very surprised at how much plot it punched. Romance, friendship, mates, shifters, fleshing out a new planet, a clan intro,betrayal, kidnapping rescues, etc.
The initial spaceship chapter was a little slow, but otherwise the plot and writing had an upbeat tempo.
There's some funny, some sexy, and some action. Good balance.
The MMC is the quintessential mate lover - protective, immediately in love, bends to her every whim, attentive, loyal, fierce, and with a giant purple eggplant penis. WTF more could a gal ask for~ ;)
"I smirk at her and she responds by spitting in my face. I'm shocked at her sexual display."
Lmfao:)
The weakest element is the FMC.
Yes, she's that chick that can't walk two feet without getting herself in trouble. She's not particularly stupid so much as she is bullheaded, reckless, and selfish. She's a bitch. She's not likable. I hated that she stole from him, took pleasure and didn't even offer him relief during their first sexual scene, etc. etc.
Satisfying ending that wraps this storyline up nicely while still leaving lots of room for future series installments featuring secondary characters.
For The Author
Did you forget about Kole's fate?
The plot timing for such a short book was off a just little... The FMC doesn't meet the MMC until 25%. I'd personally have preferred less spaceship time and more time with her on the planet with the MMC. Aside from the closing chapter and epilogue, the entire book takes place over a couple of days. The book is also almost over before the FMC acknowledges she's his mate.
Bottom Line
I agree with Orange.Is.Happiness... a great first book effort by a newbie author:)
For what it is, I'll rate it 3 1/2 -4 stars. The FMC significantly impacted the rating because I didn't feel a romantic connection from her and just couldn't connect with her as reader.
May 31, 2016
*Taps the microphone*
Alright. I, the blog-less wonder, have waited a long time to say this...
.....I was given an ARC by this author in exchange for an honest review.
Well, this book was AWESOME. I'm talkin' 4 stars awesome.
How I got it: Of course I received the ARC in pdf format but for everyone else it's either available for free with Kindle Unlimited or available for purchase for only 99 cents. I have KU but actually chose to buy the book so I can own it and read it whenever I want.
This is this author's debut novel and I have to say, I'm very impressed.
We start off with the h, Astrid, who is a salvager and engineer. She and her fellow salvager and comm officer Rhea answer to a real sexist POS Merchant Prince Captain and are in a ship headed for the Planet Kartak, which they've classified as dead/uninhabited. So imagine their surprise when they're fired upon and are forced to evacuate in separate escape pods.
*Side note: The attention to detail this author gave relating to mechanics and space travel was truly well done. I'm talking Star Wars level shit here. (But not so technical you were cross eyed or confused.)
Down on the surface our H, Leo, spots their crash landings. He immediately heads towards the closest, the lovely Miss Astrid, and their journey begins.
Oh did I mention this hot as sin space alien is ALSO a shifter? It's the best of both genres! Woo hoo!
The hero: Possessive, savage but intelligent and totally devoted to his newfound mate. He is on his own and has been for some time. (His people are on the planet and it's revealed later why he is alone.)
The heroine: Sassy, funny, and of course stubborn at times and just as in insta-lust with the H although she's of course without knowledge or understanding of life bonds or fated mates (which is the norm in novels such as these). In fact this is her first alien contact at all as for all their space travel humans had not yet encountered other life.
If there's any questions from the safety gang, please ask away, but I assure you it is absolutely safe.
Descriptive sex:
OW/ex-lover drama/mentions:
I see that the author included this in her synopsis so I can tell you without spoiling it that there's a HEA ending and no cliffhanger although it definitely gives you a setup for the next book in the series.
Overall 4 stars. Minus 1 star for new author boo boos, nothing huge. Some loose strings that weren't tied up, ie: what the heck happened to Kole? What did Astrid steal and what happened to it? as well as more info/details needed on what happened towards the end to have certain someones appointed to certain high ranking positions. These concerns were communicated to and acknowledged by the author so I have high hopes for the next installment :)
Very much looking forward to her future work.
Alright. I, the blog-less wonder, have waited a long time to say this...
.....I was given an ARC by this author in exchange for an honest review.
Well, this book was AWESOME. I'm talkin' 4 stars awesome.
How I got it: Of course I received the ARC in pdf format but for everyone else it's either available for free with Kindle Unlimited or available for purchase for only 99 cents. I have KU but actually chose to buy the book so I can own it and read it whenever I want.
This is this author's debut novel and I have to say, I'm very impressed.
We start off with the h, Astrid, who is a salvager and engineer. She and her fellow salvager and comm officer Rhea answer to a real sexist POS Merchant Prince Captain and are in a ship headed for the Planet Kartak, which they've classified as dead/uninhabited. So imagine their surprise when they're fired upon and are forced to evacuate in separate escape pods.
*Side note: The attention to detail this author gave relating to mechanics and space travel was truly well done. I'm talking Star Wars level shit here. (But not so technical you were cross eyed or confused.)
Down on the surface our H, Leo, spots their crash landings. He immediately heads towards the closest, the lovely Miss Astrid, and their journey begins.
Oh did I mention this hot as sin space alien is ALSO a shifter? It's the best of both genres! Woo hoo!
The hero: Possessive, savage but intelligent and totally devoted to his newfound mate. He is on his own and has been for some time. (His people are on the planet and it's revealed later why he is alone.)
The heroine: Sassy, funny, and of course stubborn at times and just as in insta-lust with the H although she's of course without knowledge or understanding of life bonds or fated mates (which is the norm in novels such as these). In fact this is her first alien contact at all as for all their space travel humans had not yet encountered other life.
If there's any questions from the safety gang, please ask away, but I assure you it is absolutely safe.
Descriptive sex:
OW/ex-lover drama/mentions:
I see that the author included this in her synopsis so I can tell you without spoiling it that there's a HEA ending and no cliffhanger although it definitely gives you a setup for the next book in the series.
Overall 4 stars. Minus 1 star for new author boo boos, nothing huge. Some loose strings that weren't tied up, ie: what the heck happened to Kole? What did Astrid steal and what happened to it? as well as more info/details needed on what happened towards the end to have certain someones appointed to certain high ranking positions. These concerns were communicated to and acknowledged by the author so I have high hopes for the next installment :)
Very much looking forward to her future work.
Read
May 2, 2016I'm not going to rate this because it's more of a "not really my thing" then a badly written book. Giant blue Aliens with huge purple cocks, just don't work for me. Plus Astrid was a HUGE ASS biatch...
May 11, 2017
Here's the thing: Astrid is a manipulating, selfish bitch who uses a man's belief to her own benefits. Let's just say that Leo deserves so much better. I wouldn't mind having him, that's for sure. He's a man that would do anything and everything for his woman. The story could have been good, however, the 'insta-love' and Astrid's personality ruined things for me. Also the book was very confusing... Oh and I wonder; what happened to Kole? Is he dead?
Quick basic facts:
Genre: - (Adult) Science Fiction
Series: - Series, Book One
Love triangle? -
Cheating? -
HEA? -
Would I read more by this author/or of series? - No, but who knows.
Would I recommend this book/series? - Sure, it wasn't all that bad. Give it a go :) Leo might be worth it...
Will I read this again in the future? - No.
Rating - 2.5/3 *I did like Leo* Stars.
“It's too cold in space for love, Rhea. I'll settle for a warm bath, a hot cup of coffee and a few pleasure boys to work my back. And everywhere else. I'm going to pay them enough so they pretend they like doing it too.”
Quick basic facts:
Genre: - (Adult) Science Fiction
Series: - Series, Book One
Love triangle? -
Cheating? -
HEA? -
Would I read more by this author/or of series? - No, but who knows.
Would I recommend this book/series? - Sure, it wasn't all that bad. Give it a go :) Leo might be worth it...
Will I read this again in the future? - No.
Rating - 2.5/3 *I did like Leo* Stars.
May 9, 2016
Not sure if I would give this a 3 1/2 or 4 stars, the story is very interesting and really easy to get pulled into. Yes there is insta-love on the heroes(Leo) part but he knows the heroine(Astrid) is his fated mate he was told about. The hero Leo is hard not to love he see's Astrid and thats it, his world revolves around her and keeping her safe and happy is all that matters and if killing is something he has to do to make sure she is safe and happy he will gladly do it.
Astrid our heroine comes into this having no clue who Leo is and only wanting to leave. So on one hand you see the complete devotion from Leo and from Astrid you don't. That at times left me irritated and frustrated with her but you have to see it from her end she doesn't know or believe she is fated mates with Leo in fact she doesn't even know they exist till Leo tells her. Astrid wants off the planet and to save her friend but once she realizes Leo is in fact her mate she is all in and will sacrifice her life for him. I wish we could have had more Leo Astrid time showing their love and relationship grow but all in all this is a really interesting good book that I really enjoyed reading. Will I read book two? Yes, this is definitely a series I will be keep an eye out for and be reading more from.
Astrid our heroine comes into this having no clue who Leo is and only wanting to leave. So on one hand you see the complete devotion from Leo and from Astrid you don't. That at times left me irritated and frustrated with her but you have to see it from her end she doesn't know or believe she is fated mates with Leo in fact she doesn't even know they exist till Leo tells her. Astrid wants off the planet and to save her friend but once she realizes Leo is in fact her mate she is all in and will sacrifice her life for him. I wish we could have had more Leo Astrid time showing their love and relationship grow but all in all this is a really interesting good book that I really enjoyed reading. Will I read book two? Yes, this is definitely a series I will be keep an eye out for and be reading more from.
May 11, 2016
Desert planet, water hugely important, giant devouring worms, a prophecy.
The similarities to Dune end there. This is written in first person present tense (some sentences are flat) with two POV. My rating 2.5
"He stops when I resist says something in his deep voice." This is the first nonsensical sentence I read. There are homophone mistakes and other small mistakes. An editor would bring this up a star for me.
The h is a cursing, mouthy spacer that has no morals about using people. The H is a strong desert alien shifter that believes in fated mates. The beginning caught my interest but the insta-attraction that is acted on at first opportunity disappointed me. The sex scenes were difficult for me to enjoy because The world building was awesome although some parts were vague (the Void scene was confusing and resolved easily).
As this is a first attempt, I will look for more from this author. I think she will improve and has great ideas.
Mature content
Read in KU
The similarities to Dune end there. This is written in first person present tense (some sentences are flat) with two POV. My rating 2.5
"He stops when I resist says something in his deep voice." This is the first nonsensical sentence I read. There are homophone mistakes and other small mistakes. An editor would bring this up a star for me.
The h is a cursing, mouthy spacer that has no morals about using people. The H is a strong desert alien shifter that believes in fated mates. The beginning caught my interest but the insta-attraction that is acted on at first opportunity disappointed me. The sex scenes were difficult for me to enjoy because The world building was awesome although some parts were vague (the Void scene was confusing and resolved easily).
As this is a first attempt, I will look for more from this author. I think she will improve and has great ideas.
Mature content
Read in KU
May 4, 2016
AlrightI actually enjoyed this book. I was a little worried about it mainly because I seem to be reading a lot of alien books and most of them aren't that great, but this one I liked.
So we have Astrid, who is an engineer on her ship. She works for a terrible man who is demeaning and thinks he knows everything. Well they go to land on Kartak and the boss man won't listen to the warnings and the ship ends up crashing. That's where we meet Leo. He sees the ship falling from the stars and knows it is his destiny. So he goes searching for Astrid, finds her and takes her back to his cave.
They can't communicate and everyone knows how much I love that. They still get along but they get a translator pretty quickly. When they go to save Rhea there's enemies and then we meet Leo's brother. Lots and lots of action in this book. I won't tell you guys exactly because I hate spoilers but the book was never boring.
The only real thing that bothered me was Astrid was a tad bitchy. She was lying to Leo saying she was going to stay to get him to do things but in her mind she was trying to come up with a plan to leave. That reaction I guess seems natural. But Leo was just so freaking sweet that it made me hate her a little bit. The other thing that bothered me was that she was planning on leaving and then did a 180 and wanted to be queen.
But other than that I really enjoyed reading this book and I will defiantly be reading other books from this author!
So we have Astrid, who is an engineer on her ship. She works for a terrible man who is demeaning and thinks he knows everything. Well they go to land on Kartak and the boss man won't listen to the warnings and the ship ends up crashing. That's where we meet Leo. He sees the ship falling from the stars and knows it is his destiny. So he goes searching for Astrid, finds her and takes her back to his cave.
They can't communicate and everyone knows how much I love that. They still get along but they get a translator pretty quickly. When they go to save Rhea there's enemies and then we meet Leo's brother. Lots and lots of action in this book. I won't tell you guys exactly because I hate spoilers but the book was never boring.
The only real thing that bothered me was Astrid was a tad bitchy. She was lying to Leo saying she was going to stay to get him to do things but in her mind she was trying to come up with a plan to leave. That reaction I guess seems natural. But Leo was just so freaking sweet that it made me hate her a little bit. The other thing that bothered me was that she was planning on leaving and then did a 180 and wanted to be queen.
But other than that I really enjoyed reading this book and I will defiantly be reading other books from this author!
October 16, 2016
While pretty run of the mill alien romance fun, it is fun. If you like crashing on alien planets and alien heroes. you should enjoy this book.
The heroine isn't as honest with the hero as I would like and that sours things a little and the world building is a bit unclear in places but the pace of the plot pulls us along.
The heroine isn't as honest with the hero as I would like and that sours things a little and the world building is a bit unclear in places but the pace of the plot pulls us along.
May 11, 2016
Sorry,but Poor Leo deserved 100% better h than Astrid ;(
Sorry this was a DNF for me got to 60% yet just could not stay w/it,when off and read other book and found I just Didn't wanna come back.... I adored Leo !! He could be ruthless but was his mate he was sweet and kind and amazing,he'd waited a l o n g time for her in a rough waste land kinda world and all he wanted was to love and protect his mate,while Astrid , Astrid just wanted to use him to further her own means.... Hopefully for Leo's sake somewhere past chap. 17 where her stubborn stupidity and total lack of common sense,where she needlessly and foolishly puts herself and him danger because again she's stupid,selfish and lacks and and seemingly lacking any and all self awareness.. Sorry Astrid is just horrible to me, she's saved from the crash of her ship by Leo this wonderful Blue muscled alien and supposed maybe lion shifter ( I say supposed because up 60% we hadn't had him shift yet) w/a shot 1st and ask questions later response and yet from the beginning thinking she's special he takes it in stride w/out any malice or retaliation in kind and feels she's his mate an takes her home to care for her.... From the very beginning Leo uses everything at his disposal to care for her and make sure her needs are met,treats her heat exposure, feeds her,clothes her trades valuable items to get het an injection that's kinda like a virus but will them able to understand each other when they speak ,but is she every really grateful ? Aaaaaaa No! When they go off to trade for water ( which being human she needs more of than him and the injection) she blithely just wanders off on a strange planet where she knows no one but Leo and almost gets herself killed,Leo has to save her of course,while he's consumed w/her care and safety all she's thinking about is all the valuable trades she could make and "House" she could buy etc. all the riches she wants to collect... Goes back have has sex w/Leo ,he thinks their bonding she's thinking it's great to end her dry spell... He goes out of his way for her and all she thinks is how to use him to further her own mercenary ambitions... She made me sick... There was no connection or chemistry and no thought about the H or any real gratitude... h was just worth saving to me, Leo deserved better, Hell we all deserved better than Astrid ;( two stars are just for the effort.. Off to delete ;(
Sorry this was a DNF for me got to 60% yet just could not stay w/it,when off and read other book and found I just Didn't wanna come back.... I adored Leo !! He could be ruthless but was his mate he was sweet and kind and amazing,he'd waited a l o n g time for her in a rough waste land kinda world and all he wanted was to love and protect his mate,while Astrid , Astrid just wanted to use him to further her own means.... Hopefully for Leo's sake somewhere past chap. 17 where her stubborn stupidity and total lack of common sense,where she needlessly and foolishly puts herself and him danger because again she's stupid,selfish and lacks and and seemingly lacking any and all self awareness.. Sorry Astrid is just horrible to me, she's saved from the crash of her ship by Leo this wonderful Blue muscled alien and supposed maybe lion shifter ( I say supposed because up 60% we hadn't had him shift yet) w/a shot 1st and ask questions later response and yet from the beginning thinking she's special he takes it in stride w/out any malice or retaliation in kind and feels she's his mate an takes her home to care for her.... From the very beginning Leo uses everything at his disposal to care for her and make sure her needs are met,treats her heat exposure, feeds her,clothes her trades valuable items to get het an injection that's kinda like a virus but will them able to understand each other when they speak ,but is she every really grateful ? Aaaaaaa No! When they go off to trade for water ( which being human she needs more of than him and the injection) she blithely just wanders off on a strange planet where she knows no one but Leo and almost gets herself killed,Leo has to save her of course,while he's consumed w/her care and safety all she's thinking about is all the valuable trades she could make and "House" she could buy etc. all the riches she wants to collect... Goes back have has sex w/Leo ,he thinks their bonding she's thinking it's great to end her dry spell... He goes out of his way for her and all she thinks is how to use him to further her own mercenary ambitions... She made me sick... There was no connection or chemistry and no thought about the H or any real gratitude... h was just worth saving to me, Leo deserved better, Hell we all deserved better than Astrid ;( two stars are just for the effort.. Off to delete ;(
May 4, 2016
I love a book with a spunky, no-nonsense, kick-ass, smart-mouthed female lead character. In Delores Diamonds' Renegade Leo we have all that and more in Astrid, a spaceship engineer who, along with shipmate and friend Rhea, are two women working hard and trying to make a better life for themselves. Unfortunately, having their ship fired upon and subsequently crash landing on the planet Kartak puts their plans on hold as each woman is faced with the immediate task of mere survival.
Enter the strong, sexy, shape-shifting lead male character of the books title, Leo. He manages to get Astrid to safety and quickly realizes that she is his fated mate.
The story then follows their adventures in attempting to rescue Rhea; a more-than-a-little-uncomfortable homecoming for Leo; and the sweet, sometimes tempestuous, but always sexy, budding romance between Leo and Astrid.
I enjoyed the author's skill in explaining technical information in an easy-to-understand (and not boring) manner. Her world-building efforts were exemplary and her characters were believable, engaging, and thoroughly likable.
I found the story to be very entertaining and it evoked that sense of wonder that all good Science Fiction should. I look forward to the next book in the series.
I'm rating this book at 4 ½ stars. The loss of half a star is due to numerous spelling and grammatical mistakes. If the book received a good, solid copy edit/proofread I'd give it 5 stars.
*** I was given an ARC by this author in exchange for an honest review ***
Enter the strong, sexy, shape-shifting lead male character of the books title, Leo. He manages to get Astrid to safety and quickly realizes that she is his fated mate.
The story then follows their adventures in attempting to rescue Rhea; a more-than-a-little-uncomfortable homecoming for Leo; and the sweet, sometimes tempestuous, but always sexy, budding romance between Leo and Astrid.
I enjoyed the author's skill in explaining technical information in an easy-to-understand (and not boring) manner. Her world-building efforts were exemplary and her characters were believable, engaging, and thoroughly likable.
I found the story to be very entertaining and it evoked that sense of wonder that all good Science Fiction should. I look forward to the next book in the series.
I'm rating this book at 4 ½ stars. The loss of half a star is due to numerous spelling and grammatical mistakes. If the book received a good, solid copy edit/proofread I'd give it 5 stars.
*** I was given an ARC by this author in exchange for an honest review ***
May 8, 2016
The story was interesting but I really disliked Astrid. She dropped the rating significantly although the creative world building kept my attention. I'm willing to check out the next book, though, because I liked most of the other characters.
May 2, 2016
Renegade Leo by Delores Diamond is a new great book series, that i warmly recommed that you read it. Because it shows a lot of potential as a sci fi romance book. I enjoyed reading it very much.
Leo and Astrid two people that are great and honorable; we have a sexy, muscled, affectionate hero warrior; and a beautiful, smart, loyal, courageous heroine.
The plot was well developed, a spitfire for a heroine, and I for one loved it when there's a kick ass female lead in a book. And a warrior willing to kill for his mate and do anything to keep her safe kind of a hero.
The story is a sweet one, a king turned renegade because he doesn't believe in the prophecies
of the Blind Witch anymore. And that is until he sees the strange female from the skies
with pale skin and golden hair, the color of the sands of their planet Kartak.
It has a bit humour a bit of action, unconditional love once the personages realize they are meant for one another.
Also a new world is presented to us, one that is more a desert than a world full of water and
sweet, lush vegetation. But that is expected as a great disaster took place many ages ago.
We have blue lion shape shifting aliens, green lizardmen, skinners and all kinds and shapes of
aliens never seen by the human kind before in their exploration throughout space.
Leo and Astrid two people that are great and honorable; we have a sexy, muscled, affectionate hero warrior; and a beautiful, smart, loyal, courageous heroine.
The plot was well developed, a spitfire for a heroine, and I for one loved it when there's a kick ass female lead in a book. And a warrior willing to kill for his mate and do anything to keep her safe kind of a hero.
The story is a sweet one, a king turned renegade because he doesn't believe in the prophecies
of the Blind Witch anymore. And that is until he sees the strange female from the skies
with pale skin and golden hair, the color of the sands of their planet Kartak.
It has a bit humour a bit of action, unconditional love once the personages realize they are meant for one another.
Also a new world is presented to us, one that is more a desert than a world full of water and
sweet, lush vegetation. But that is expected as a great disaster took place many ages ago.
We have blue lion shape shifting aliens, green lizardmen, skinners and all kinds and shapes of
aliens never seen by the human kind before in their exploration throughout space.
May 6, 2016
*I received this ARC from the author in exchange for a honest review*
RENEGADE LEO by Delores Diamond
Astrid is an engineer on a ship bound for Kartak. When her arrogant and rude boss doesn't listen to the warnings signs of the ship, it crashes. But Kartak is not as dead as she thought, but actually very much alive with inhabitants that come straight from your nightmares. But she has bigger problems, she loses her supplies, her only friend, and now she is been hunted by the violent natives.
Her only chance of surviving is hiding out with a ruthless lion shifter. His a deadly alpha who says she's his fated mate, but he both scares her and draws her in. Which leaves her with two options, to struggle out on a planet she knows nothing about without any protection or to choose a fierce and frightening mate.
Which choice does she make?
OMW what an awesome book, I loved it. This author is creative and has a great imagination, making this storyline interesting and very entertaining. This story has great characters, they're strong, fierce, and but really sweet at the same time. It's filled with action, drama, and romance. However the editing wasn't great, there were quiet a few grammatical errors. But overall a fantastic read!
RENEGADE LEO by Delores Diamond
Astrid is an engineer on a ship bound for Kartak. When her arrogant and rude boss doesn't listen to the warnings signs of the ship, it crashes. But Kartak is not as dead as she thought, but actually very much alive with inhabitants that come straight from your nightmares. But she has bigger problems, she loses her supplies, her only friend, and now she is been hunted by the violent natives.
Her only chance of surviving is hiding out with a ruthless lion shifter. His a deadly alpha who says she's his fated mate, but he both scares her and draws her in. Which leaves her with two options, to struggle out on a planet she knows nothing about without any protection or to choose a fierce and frightening mate.
Which choice does she make?
OMW what an awesome book, I loved it. This author is creative and has a great imagination, making this storyline interesting and very entertaining. This story has great characters, they're strong, fierce, and but really sweet at the same time. It's filled with action, drama, and romance. However the editing wasn't great, there were quiet a few grammatical errors. But overall a fantastic read!
May 10, 2016
Pretty good for a first book.
Ok, so the author of this book ( or her team, whatever) reached out to me on goodreads asking me to read her book for free and review it honestly.
It's been a week, no book. No problem, I have kindle unlimited. The premise is one I like a lot. I didn't love the title, but it's not a deal breaker.
I liked the characters, the world building was well done. There were a few grammatical errors, but not too many. The plot moves a long pretty smoothly. There were a couple of times when I thought maybe I missed something,but I was fully invested in the story so I moved on.
This is an erotic romance so if you don't like strong language and steamy sex scenes then you won't love this book.
I found a few things unbelievable, technological stuff and a couple of plot points that maybe could have used more explanation or back story. Also, a couple of things that were given explanations that honestly felt unnecessary.
It dragged a little toward the end for me. I skipped over the final sex Scene, maybe it was the mood I was in. Not sure.
Over all it's a very good book for a new author and I wish her all the best and will be looking out for more books from Delores Diamond.
Ok, so the author of this book ( or her team, whatever) reached out to me on goodreads asking me to read her book for free and review it honestly.
It's been a week, no book. No problem, I have kindle unlimited. The premise is one I like a lot. I didn't love the title, but it's not a deal breaker.
I liked the characters, the world building was well done. There were a few grammatical errors, but not too many. The plot moves a long pretty smoothly. There were a couple of times when I thought maybe I missed something,but I was fully invested in the story so I moved on.
This is an erotic romance so if you don't like strong language and steamy sex scenes then you won't love this book.
I found a few things unbelievable, technological stuff and a couple of plot points that maybe could have used more explanation or back story. Also, a couple of things that were given explanations that honestly felt unnecessary.
It dragged a little toward the end for me. I skipped over the final sex Scene, maybe it was the mood I was in. Not sure.
Over all it's a very good book for a new author and I wish her all the best and will be looking out for more books from Delores Diamond.
May 21, 2016
DNF
I was pleasantly surprised, considering it was a paranormal sci-fi romance. Honestly, most of these shifter romances that have been popping up recently, let's face it, are mediocre at best. The plots are not developed or thought through well, but I really and truly was surprised when I started this up. It was captivating from the start, and I was thinking it was such a good book. That is, until it got to the sexual nature. It wasn't even romance, it was sex, and it wasn't even that good. It was crass, and completely unrealistic. Add it, there was no feeling to it. After she got "orgasm after orgasm," she thinks "It's a good thing I'm sterile, or else I'd have to worry about whether he could get me pregnant." What? Lame......
He was calling her mate, and fated mate, and instead of asking what it means, she just assumes it's a translation issue, he is calling her his, and immediately gives him a blow job. I couldn't finish any more. I hated h. I liked H enough, and I initially enjoyed h and her not being a push over, but she never softens towards H.
Disappointed.
I was pleasantly surprised, considering it was a paranormal sci-fi romance. Honestly, most of these shifter romances that have been popping up recently, let's face it, are mediocre at best. The plots are not developed or thought through well, but I really and truly was surprised when I started this up. It was captivating from the start, and I was thinking it was such a good book. That is, until it got to the sexual nature. It wasn't even romance, it was sex, and it wasn't even that good. It was crass, and completely unrealistic. Add it, there was no feeling to it. After she got "orgasm after orgasm," she thinks "It's a good thing I'm sterile, or else I'd have to worry about whether he could get me pregnant." What? Lame......
He was calling her mate, and fated mate, and instead of asking what it means, she just assumes it's a translation issue, he is calling her his, and immediately gives him a blow job. I couldn't finish any more. I hated h. I liked H enough, and I initially enjoyed h and her not being a push over, but she never softens towards H.
Disappointed.
May 4, 2016
Whenever I read a debut novel, I always try to keep an open mind and not be too critical but I have to say for a debut novel, this is truly really good! Yes, there seems to be a need for an editor but taking into account the storyline, I must say I am truly impressed. The world building is truly interesting with skinners, icky green lizardmen, shape shifting blue aliens with purple cocks ... yes, purple cocks!
Astrid, the h is spunky, sassy and all around kickass engineer. Leo is affectionate, sexy, muscled bound 7footer who at first did not believe in fates mates and prophecies until one fall from the sky. He abdicated his throne and lived alone but is forced to returned when Astrid when gravely injured. I wasn't bored and I was truly invested in the characters. If you're looking for a sexy scifi read then look no further!
I was gifted a copy by the author but the views are all my own.
Astrid, the h is spunky, sassy and all around kickass engineer. Leo is affectionate, sexy, muscled bound 7footer who at first did not believe in fates mates and prophecies until one fall from the sky. He abdicated his throne and lived alone but is forced to returned when Astrid when gravely injured. I wasn't bored and I was truly invested in the characters. If you're looking for a sexy scifi read then look no further!
I was gifted a copy by the author but the views are all my own.
July 11, 2016
Hot Sex!!
If you want to read about Hot Alien Shifter sex then this book will be right up your alley. The alien hunk has an purple anaconda in his pants. Plus he puts his mouth to good use as the hero and heroine have a huge language barrier. No words are needed as human girl is on her back and ready for action.
I think I am just too old for easy human girls, even if the alien has a magic long tongue that can give a girl an incredible O! First contact with and unknown alien sources and she is a one woman welcoming party. I need more world building and I felt that the world building and it's background was left on the editing room floor with the heroine's panties. The world building and the backstory to this world got lost along with the heroine's common sense once she let Leo the alien hunk go down on her. When she gets a load of his purple penis she goes from horny girl to let's get herself killed girl!
If you want to read about Hot Alien Shifter sex then this book will be right up your alley. The alien hunk has an purple anaconda in his pants. Plus he puts his mouth to good use as the hero and heroine have a huge language barrier. No words are needed as human girl is on her back and ready for action.
I think I am just too old for easy human girls, even if the alien has a magic long tongue that can give a girl an incredible O! First contact with and unknown alien sources and she is a one woman welcoming party. I need more world building and I felt that the world building and it's background was left on the editing room floor with the heroine's panties. The world building and the backstory to this world got lost along with the heroine's common sense once she let Leo the alien hunk go down on her. When she gets a load of his purple penis she goes from horny girl to let's get herself killed girl!
September 3, 2016
Not a bad read for alien smut. Here's what I liked and didn't like:
Liked:
- there were a couple little surprises in the plot that I didn't see coming. That's a nice change.
-epilogue was pleasant and a good set up for the next book
-characterization was pretty good for what this book is.
-world building was pretty good for shorter length.
Didn't care for:
-too short for all that happened and some things happened "off screen" that should have been added in fully to story
-intimacy was a bit too quick and unfortunately, the Dude is a 2 pump chump. Sex scenes need some work.
-there were many missing details such as logistics
-actions scenes were too "easy". They just weren't hard enough for the MC's so any conflict was just resolved too easily.
-little dialogue
Overall: Most of my dislikes were related to the shorter length of the book. I wish the author would write out a full fledged story because she had a decent and somewhat new plot going on here.
Liked:
- there were a couple little surprises in the plot that I didn't see coming. That's a nice change.
-epilogue was pleasant and a good set up for the next book
-characterization was pretty good for what this book is.
-world building was pretty good for shorter length.
Didn't care for:
-too short for all that happened and some things happened "off screen" that should have been added in fully to story
-intimacy was a bit too quick and unfortunately, the Dude is a 2 pump chump. Sex scenes need some work.
-there were many missing details such as logistics
-actions scenes were too "easy". They just weren't hard enough for the MC's so any conflict was just resolved too easily.
-little dialogue
Overall: Most of my dislikes were related to the shorter length of the book. I wish the author would write out a full fledged story because she had a decent and somewhat new plot going on here.
May 7, 2016
A love that crosses the stars!
RENEGADE LEO
A SCIFI ALIEN SHIFTER ROMANCE
DELORES DIAMOND
Astrid's life is never going to be the same. Will Astrid find riches or a love that crosses the stars? What will she get in this alien planet, Kartak? Will it be beyond her wildest imagination?
Leo has given up hope of ever getting a fated mate. His disenchantment and disillusionment made him into something else. Read to find out what he gets in the pages of this book. Did he get fated mate?
This story rocks! You'll just have to read, enjoy and relax with this book. Let the story take you away.
The book was dead on with its romance, drama, action, danger, and suspense. It was entertaining, hot read, wrapped up nicely. Readers are in for space travel and finding fated mates. Both are great themes. Reader will be looking forward to the HEA. This is 4.5 star read!
RENEGADE LEO
A SCIFI ALIEN SHIFTER ROMANCE
DELORES DIAMOND
Astrid's life is never going to be the same. Will Astrid find riches or a love that crosses the stars? What will she get in this alien planet, Kartak? Will it be beyond her wildest imagination?
Leo has given up hope of ever getting a fated mate. His disenchantment and disillusionment made him into something else. Read to find out what he gets in the pages of this book. Did he get fated mate?
This story rocks! You'll just have to read, enjoy and relax with this book. Let the story take you away.
The book was dead on with its romance, drama, action, danger, and suspense. It was entertaining, hot read, wrapped up nicely. Readers are in for space travel and finding fated mates. Both are great themes. Reader will be looking forward to the HEA. This is 4.5 star read!
May 9, 2016
Rating 2.75
Unlike many of the other reviewers I found this to be just a so-so sort of story. While there were a number of interesting and original bits about it, I felt like it borrowed a bit from other things I read. Mainly I was reminded of Ice Planet Barbarians (which I love) with Leo being seven feet tall, blue, and with some enhanced and interesting male equipment, as well as the the setting of a planet with extreme temperature conditions (although desert-like instead of arctic). There was a bit of a Mad Max vibe too. I actually put the book aside for several days when I was about 80% done and considered just checking it back in on KU. Not because it was bad but I just wasn't invested in it. I stuck it out, and found it ended strong. I don't know if I'll give any of the forthcoming ones in the series a try; I guess it will depend on show strong the blurb is.
Unlike many of the other reviewers I found this to be just a so-so sort of story. While there were a number of interesting and original bits about it, I felt like it borrowed a bit from other things I read. Mainly I was reminded of Ice Planet Barbarians (which I love) with Leo being seven feet tall, blue, and with some enhanced and interesting male equipment, as well as the the setting of a planet with extreme temperature conditions (although desert-like instead of arctic). There was a bit of a Mad Max vibe too. I actually put the book aside for several days when I was about 80% done and considered just checking it back in on KU. Not because it was bad but I just wasn't invested in it. I stuck it out, and found it ended strong. I don't know if I'll give any of the forthcoming ones in the series a try; I guess it will depend on show strong the blurb is.
May 6, 2016
Up coming author alert!!!!
This is the first book by Delores Diamond and for a newbie she's done well. Leo what can I say... He's an alien, he's blue and with eight ridges he outshines all the rest but that's not all he has going for him. Astrid well she took a bit longer to like as she's as stubborn as they come, thinks before she acts and maybe a bit danger prone but by the end of the story I was cheering her on as well. I love sci fi and this one has all the good bits e.g good aliens, bad ones, action, adventure, hot nookie oh and big worms. But to work out what, where and when and what the ridges mean... Well your just going to have to have a read to find out. I'm really looking forward to reading more from Delores in the near future. Great first book.
This is the first book by Delores Diamond and for a newbie she's done well. Leo what can I say... He's an alien, he's blue and with eight ridges he outshines all the rest but that's not all he has going for him. Astrid well she took a bit longer to like as she's as stubborn as they come, thinks before she acts and maybe a bit danger prone but by the end of the story I was cheering her on as well. I love sci fi and this one has all the good bits e.g good aliens, bad ones, action, adventure, hot nookie oh and big worms. But to work out what, where and when and what the ridges mean... Well your just going to have to have a read to find out. I'm really looking forward to reading more from Delores in the near future. Great first book.
May 5, 2016
I found this to be a very interesting and unique book/story. At first, it was a little slow going,but then it picked up and I was riveted to it, and had a hard time putting it down!! Leo is a really different alien but just as HOT as any other alpha male!!! I was totally surprised with Astrid and how she changes, is able to shift, and what she shifts into!! It is so awesome. A rather emotional part of the book is when Leo thinks he's lost her! A romantic happy ending and I do recommend this book if you're into shifter alien romances!
August 1, 2016
Holy freaking epic coolness!!!! Definitely at least top ten in the past 3 months epic coolness list! Despite some drawbacks (see tags) and complete lack of genre-savviness (I was screaming at the protagonist in my head several times: "Don't you see?!?" XD) I was genuinely involved with the characters and rooting for them! A quick, easy ready that was freakin' awesome! Could be fleshed out more~~
May 2, 2016
A wonderful fast read that was different, hot and all out engaging! I've been on a alien romance kick lately and I loved getting to know the characters in this story. Leo with his alpha lion personality and Astrid with her fierce independence, this made one hell of a great read. Here's to hoping more stories come from this new author and her series of aliens and romance and sexiness.
May 3, 2016
I received this book as an ARC...... I am ashamed to say I forgot about it until this morning.
It was a good read. Kinda sorta reminded me of Dune and Ruby Dixon's series Barbarian Planet with a totally new spin on it. Having said that... It is original and has great potential as a series and I'd definitely read more!
It was a good read. Kinda sorta reminded me of Dune and Ruby Dixon's series Barbarian Planet with a totally new spin on it. Having said that... It is original and has great potential as a series and I'd definitely read more!
June 27, 2016
Intense
The relationships of the characters really dragged me into the story. The heroine was outspoken, feisty and sometimes selfish. The hero is kind and very giving. I wondered why he didn't just tell her to sit and shut up because at times she was testing even my patience. Lol. Overall I really liked the story and can't wait to read the others
The relationships of the characters really dragged me into the story. The heroine was outspoken, feisty and sometimes selfish. The hero is kind and very giving. I wondered why he didn't just tell her to sit and shut up because at times she was testing even my patience. Lol. Overall I really liked the story and can't wait to read the others
May 2, 2016
Omg I loved this book I was blown away by this book I can't believe that this book is the author first novel written the details of the story plot was well written I loved the connection between both MC no spoilers here
I was given this copy for an honest review
I was given this copy for an honest review
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May 16, 2016I'm not going to rate this book because for some reason I couldn't get into it. Sometimes it's because I'm just not feeling it at the moment. I'm going to put this on my read later list an try it again at a later date.
June 11, 2016
Leo got a solid 3.5 stars. He was loving, caring, protective and willing to trust his woman to handle herself. Astrid, well, she barely gets a 2.5. She was ungrateful, uncaring and lied. Hard to like someone that stole from a person that saved their life and was planning on stealing more.
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