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A Walk on the Wild Side Anthology
Shift into love with romantic short stories featuring at least one character who is a shapeshifter. These lovers are taking a walk on the wild side, indulging their animal instincts when they find love.
Quiet as a Mouse by Asta Idonea
Upon moving to a new town, shy shifter Paul is instantly smitten with local choirmaster Cale. Wanting to spend as much time with Cale as possible, he becomes the proverbial church mouse so he can enjoy Cale’s music without revealing his feelings. But when Cale sees him and traps are set, Paul faces a difficult choice. What does he want out of life, and does he have the courage to go after it? Will he be a man… or a mouse?
Daniel's Lynx by Ava Hayden
Daniel Rigaud never imagined he’d be starting over at fifty-five, but relocating from his city practice to small-town Alberta to become the staff veterinarian at the Lac LaForge Wildlife Rescue Center might help him forget his deceitful ex—especially considering his handsome new neighbor, Ronan Magister.
At fifty-three, Ronan’s given up on love and prefers to keep relationships short and sexual. It’s easier than revealing his secret—he’s a lynx part of the time. Something about Daniel makes him long for more, but telling the truth proves disastrous. Daniel believes he’s traded one deceptive man for another.
If Daniel actually fell for Ronan’s outrageous fabrication, then he might be worried that several animals were caught in poachers’ traps near their homes that morning. He might wonder why Ronan isn’t answering his phone….
A Cat Builds a Raft by Bee Allen
Families, Zeke knows, are complicated… and shapeshifter families are a whole other ball of catnip. Ten months ago, Zeke went off the Schuyler clan radar, determined to live a painless life of luxury as a housecat. It was a fantastic decision: his human, Toby, feeds him, cuddles him, and loves him with all the simple devotion he could ever want. Sure, he sometimes feels the desire to know Toby on a real, human basis, but it’s squashed by terror and inertia.
But Zeke isn’t the only one with a complicated family. A break-in heralds the end of Zeke’s fantasy life and throws him headlong into a new drama. Toby’s family is from the sea, where conflict is resolved a little differently. Zeke will have to use all his feline cunning to get him and Toby out of this mess safely—and both men will have to confront their fears, their families, and their future.
More Beautiful Than a Unicorn by Bell Ellis
Tobias is a twenty-five-year-old virgin, bored with his life, and unsatisfied with how average and unremarkable he is—until he sees a silver unicorn. When the beautiful creature begins appearing to him regularly, Tobias doesn’t know if it’s a cruel joke or some form of mental illness. What interest could the unicorn have in someone like him? Searching for it in a park at night leads to an attack on Tobias, but he’s rescued by a handsome and mysterious man called Amar. Something about the man calls to Tobias, and suddenly his life feels a lot less ordinary and a lot less lonely. But fate can be harsh, and the biggest challenge to Tobias and Amar’s relationship has yet to reveal itself.
Shifting Silver by Brandon Witt
The year is 1618, and Allakau is different from the other members of the Alaskan Yupik tribe. His people survive by hunting, but Allakau is unable to kill or eat flesh. As another season reaches its end and winter approaches, Allakau encounters a narwhal with silver eyes similar to his own. He saves the creature’s life but incurs his father’s wrath, and Allakau is given one last chance to prove himself a productive part of the tribe or be left behind to die. As he spends time alone in the woods, clues about his past and destiny begin to fall into place with the aid of another silver-eyed creature. His hunt might finally lead him to the truth about what sets him apart and where he belongs—if he can survive it.
Man's Best Friend by C.B. Lewis
Sam Eastman lives a lonely existence in the mountains of Colorado, working as a ranger and taking care of holiday cabins during the winter. He gets a new dog from the animal shelter and is shocked to find out he has accidentally adopted a shape-shifter.
Philip, a young Englishman, was on holiday and got a bit carried away on a night out. Sam agrees to help him get back to his friends, but a landslide cuts them off, stranding them in Sam’s cabin together. They end up getting closer than either of them expected.
When they go their separate ways, Sam gives Philip his number to stay in touch, but Philip loses it. He’ll have to resort to desperate measure to find Sam again.
Love, Marriage, and a Baby Carriage by C.S. Poe
Theodore Reinhart is a young man looking for love. In San Diego. At a convention. For penguin shifters. WaddleCon is the go-to event of the year when looking for your life partner, but Theodore isn’t comfortable with the game they’ve turn...
Quiet as a Mouse by Asta Idonea
Upon moving to a new town, shy shifter Paul is instantly smitten with local choirmaster Cale. Wanting to spend as much time with Cale as possible, he becomes the proverbial church mouse so he can enjoy Cale’s music without revealing his feelings. But when Cale sees him and traps are set, Paul faces a difficult choice. What does he want out of life, and does he have the courage to go after it? Will he be a man… or a mouse?
Daniel's Lynx by Ava Hayden
Daniel Rigaud never imagined he’d be starting over at fifty-five, but relocating from his city practice to small-town Alberta to become the staff veterinarian at the Lac LaForge Wildlife Rescue Center might help him forget his deceitful ex—especially considering his handsome new neighbor, Ronan Magister.
At fifty-three, Ronan’s given up on love and prefers to keep relationships short and sexual. It’s easier than revealing his secret—he’s a lynx part of the time. Something about Daniel makes him long for more, but telling the truth proves disastrous. Daniel believes he’s traded one deceptive man for another.
If Daniel actually fell for Ronan’s outrageous fabrication, then he might be worried that several animals were caught in poachers’ traps near their homes that morning. He might wonder why Ronan isn’t answering his phone….
A Cat Builds a Raft by Bee Allen
Families, Zeke knows, are complicated… and shapeshifter families are a whole other ball of catnip. Ten months ago, Zeke went off the Schuyler clan radar, determined to live a painless life of luxury as a housecat. It was a fantastic decision: his human, Toby, feeds him, cuddles him, and loves him with all the simple devotion he could ever want. Sure, he sometimes feels the desire to know Toby on a real, human basis, but it’s squashed by terror and inertia.
But Zeke isn’t the only one with a complicated family. A break-in heralds the end of Zeke’s fantasy life and throws him headlong into a new drama. Toby’s family is from the sea, where conflict is resolved a little differently. Zeke will have to use all his feline cunning to get him and Toby out of this mess safely—and both men will have to confront their fears, their families, and their future.
More Beautiful Than a Unicorn by Bell Ellis
Tobias is a twenty-five-year-old virgin, bored with his life, and unsatisfied with how average and unremarkable he is—until he sees a silver unicorn. When the beautiful creature begins appearing to him regularly, Tobias doesn’t know if it’s a cruel joke or some form of mental illness. What interest could the unicorn have in someone like him? Searching for it in a park at night leads to an attack on Tobias, but he’s rescued by a handsome and mysterious man called Amar. Something about the man calls to Tobias, and suddenly his life feels a lot less ordinary and a lot less lonely. But fate can be harsh, and the biggest challenge to Tobias and Amar’s relationship has yet to reveal itself.
Shifting Silver by Brandon Witt
The year is 1618, and Allakau is different from the other members of the Alaskan Yupik tribe. His people survive by hunting, but Allakau is unable to kill or eat flesh. As another season reaches its end and winter approaches, Allakau encounters a narwhal with silver eyes similar to his own. He saves the creature’s life but incurs his father’s wrath, and Allakau is given one last chance to prove himself a productive part of the tribe or be left behind to die. As he spends time alone in the woods, clues about his past and destiny begin to fall into place with the aid of another silver-eyed creature. His hunt might finally lead him to the truth about what sets him apart and where he belongs—if he can survive it.
Man's Best Friend by C.B. Lewis
Sam Eastman lives a lonely existence in the mountains of Colorado, working as a ranger and taking care of holiday cabins during the winter. He gets a new dog from the animal shelter and is shocked to find out he has accidentally adopted a shape-shifter.
Philip, a young Englishman, was on holiday and got a bit carried away on a night out. Sam agrees to help him get back to his friends, but a landslide cuts them off, stranding them in Sam’s cabin together. They end up getting closer than either of them expected.
When they go their separate ways, Sam gives Philip his number to stay in touch, but Philip loses it. He’ll have to resort to desperate measure to find Sam again.
Love, Marriage, and a Baby Carriage by C.S. Poe
Theodore Reinhart is a young man looking for love. In San Diego. At a convention. For penguin shifters. WaddleCon is the go-to event of the year when looking for your life partner, but Theodore isn’t comfortable with the game they’ve turn...
ebook
First published June 1, 2016
1 person is currently reading
72 people want to read
About the author
Bee Allen
2 books3 followersBee Allen is an accomplished reader, a competent baker, and a failed warlock. She has spent her time on earth dragging her miserable flesh sack through the forests of the Pacific Northwest, and therefore believes that umbrellas are the tragic sign of a crude upbringing. Her chief writing influences are science fiction/fantasy and dreary Edwardian social commentary, but she tries to lighten the drama with what the kids call “jokes.” She works hard to keep her cat in the lavish lifestyle to which he has become accustomed, and hopes one day to be able to support roughly two to thirty-nine more small monsters. When not writing or crumbling under the furious whip of capitalism, Bee enjoys sipping a gin and tonic and bringing all the girls (and some boys) to the yard.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
March 5, 2017
I love when DSP releases their annual Daily Dose collection and the fact that I've been on a shifter kick makes this year even more fun!
Buddy the Cat - 2 Stars
Buddy the Cat review
Of Nuts and Men - 4.5 Stars
Of Nuts and Men review
Man's Best Friend - 4 Stars
Man's Best Friend review
Daniel's Lynx - 3 Stars
Daniel's Lynx review
Quiet as a Mouse - 3.5 Stars
Quiet as a Mouse review
A Cat Builds a Raft - 4 Stars
A Cat Builds a Raft review
Putting Down Roots - 3 Stars
Putting Down Roots review
More Beautiful Than a Unicorn - 3 Stars
More Beautiful Than a Unicorn review
Shifting Silver - 5 Stars
Shifting Silver review
Love, Marriage, and a Baby Carriage - 4 Stars
Love, Marriage and a Baby Carriage review
To Arizona - 4 Stars
To Arizona review
A Cobra's Charm - 5 Stars
A Cobra's Charm review
Love Unmasked - 4.5 Stars
Love Unmasked review
Reviews will be posted here once they go live on the bloggage.
**The Walk on the Wild Side Daily Dose collection was provided to BMBR for honest reviews**
Buddy the Cat - 2 Stars
Buddy the Cat review
Of Nuts and Men - 4.5 Stars
Of Nuts and Men review
Man's Best Friend - 4 Stars
Man's Best Friend review
Daniel's Lynx - 3 Stars
Daniel's Lynx review
Quiet as a Mouse - 3.5 Stars
Quiet as a Mouse review
A Cat Builds a Raft - 4 Stars
A Cat Builds a Raft review
Putting Down Roots - 3 Stars
Putting Down Roots review
More Beautiful Than a Unicorn - 3 Stars
More Beautiful Than a Unicorn review
Shifting Silver - 5 Stars
Shifting Silver review
Love, Marriage, and a Baby Carriage - 4 Stars
Love, Marriage and a Baby Carriage review
To Arizona - 4 Stars
To Arizona review
A Cobra's Charm - 5 Stars
A Cobra's Charm review
Love Unmasked - 4.5 Stars
Love Unmasked review
Reviews will be posted here once they go live on the bloggage.
**The Walk on the Wild Side Daily Dose collection was provided to BMBR for honest reviews**
July 18, 2016
Overall, I found this to be a wonderful collection, providing a nice range of settings, characters, and approaches to short, romantic stories. For those of us who have read many m/m shifter stories, perhaps the strongest parts of the anthology are the innovative and novel takes on shifter species and settings.
While I found there was a range in the strength of the storytelling and writing, overall I enjoyed 28 of the 30 (and the two I didn't really like were for personal reasons, rather than weak efforts on the part of the authors). There were also a few that blew me away (again often due to my personal interests and preferences). For those readers who did not purchase the discounted pre-order of this collection, the reviews on Goodreads should be a good guide to finding some short, quick reads that can fill a nice void and be a wonderful reading experience when time is limited.
I purchased the Daily Dose version (one story delivered per day during June 2016) of this anthology. I published a review of each story every day on a blog (Romance, Sex, and other Queer Comfort Lit) as well as here on Goodreads.
Alpaca Lies by Elizabeth Coldwell
2.5 stars (short / full review)
Short story (7k words, 23 pages)
Alfie the Alpaca lusts after estate heir Sam (who has a dodgy boyfriend)
Always Follow Your Goat by Nora Roth
2.5 stars ( short / full review)
hort story (9k words, 29 pages)
Meddling Milly the goat leads Noah the shifter camp counselor to her blunt and charming Jack
Buddy the Cat by Sara Stark
2.75 stars (short / full review)
A librarian, a wandering cat, and the hunky businessman
Bye-Bye Birdie by Lex Chase
2.75 stars (short / full review)
hort story (10k words, 29 pages)
Flighty parakeet shifter flees from the heroic but clueless iguana shifter
A Cat Builds a Raft by Bee Allen
3 stars (short / full review)
Novella (18k words, 52 pages)
Zeke lives as a housecat for Toby, but when Toby's family causes issues, his pampered lifestyle may not last
Chords by Taylor Roxton
3 stars (short / full review)
Short Story (11k words, 33 pages)
Werewolf howls should soar at Julliard but for a mysterious, unscented upperclassman - and a cage
A Cobra's Charm by Meghan Maslow
4.5 stars (short / full review)
Novella (17k words, 52 pages)
A harem of shifter slaves is joined by a fierce honey badger, and the pampered, belly-dancing cobra shifter needs to size up his arch enemy
Daniel's Lynx by Ava Hayden
4.5 stars (short /full review
Novella (16k words, 55 pages)
Jilted middle-aged man finds the missing Lynx
A Dove's Wing by Katya Harris
3.5 stars (short / full review)
When his nephew shoots a dove with a BB gun, uncle Abe is in for a surprise
Faerie Riddles by Cassia Rose
4 stars (short / full review)
Fantasy Novella (17k words, 55 pages)
The scholar and the bounding fae puppy are riddled with danger beyond the Great Iron Wall
Fieldwork by Charles Payseur
4 stars (short / full review)
Short Story (12k words, 38 pages)
Shy accountant (with a secret) is paired with a tiger-shifter agent on a dangerous assignment in the field
Holy Cow! by E.M. Lynley
While I found there was a range in the strength of the storytelling and writing, overall I enjoyed 28 of the 30 (and the two I didn't really like were for personal reasons, rather than weak efforts on the part of the authors). There were also a few that blew me away (again often due to my personal interests and preferences). For those readers who did not purchase the discounted pre-order of this collection, the reviews on Goodreads should be a good guide to finding some short, quick reads that can fill a nice void and be a wonderful reading experience when time is limited.
I purchased the Daily Dose version (one story delivered per day during June 2016) of this anthology. I published a review of each story every day on a blog (Romance, Sex, and other Queer Comfort Lit) as well as here on Goodreads.
Alpaca Lies by Elizabeth Coldwell
2.5 stars (short / full review)
Short story (7k words, 23 pages)
Alfie the Alpaca lusts after estate heir Sam (who has a dodgy boyfriend)
Always Follow Your Goat by Nora Roth
2.5 stars ( short / full review)
hort story (9k words, 29 pages)
Meddling Milly the goat leads Noah the shifter camp counselor to her blunt and charming Jack
Buddy the Cat by Sara Stark
2.75 stars (short / full review)
A librarian, a wandering cat, and the hunky businessman
Bye-Bye Birdie by Lex Chase
2.75 stars (short / full review)
hort story (10k words, 29 pages)
Flighty parakeet shifter flees from the heroic but clueless iguana shifter
A Cat Builds a Raft by Bee Allen
3 stars (short / full review)
Novella (18k words, 52 pages)
Zeke lives as a housecat for Toby, but when Toby's family causes issues, his pampered lifestyle may not last
Chords by Taylor Roxton
3 stars (short / full review)
Short Story (11k words, 33 pages)
Werewolf howls should soar at Julliard but for a mysterious, unscented upperclassman - and a cage
A Cobra's Charm by Meghan Maslow
4.5 stars (short / full review)
Novella (17k words, 52 pages)
A harem of shifter slaves is joined by a fierce honey badger, and the pampered, belly-dancing cobra shifter needs to size up his arch enemy
Daniel's Lynx by Ava Hayden
4.5 stars (short /full review
Novella (16k words, 55 pages)
Jilted middle-aged man finds the missing Lynx
A Dove's Wing by Katya Harris
3.5 stars (short / full review)
When his nephew shoots a dove with a BB gun, uncle Abe is in for a surprise
Faerie Riddles by Cassia Rose
4 stars (short / full review)
Fantasy Novella (17k words, 55 pages)
The scholar and the bounding fae puppy are riddled with danger beyond the Great Iron Wall
Fieldwork by Charles Payseur
4 stars (short / full review)
Short Story (12k words, 38 pages)
Shy accountant (with a secret) is paired with a tiger-shifter agent on a dangerous assignment in the field
Holy Cow! by E.M. Lynley
4 stars (short / full review)
Novella (17k words, 55 pages)
Shiva's bull rushes an American doc in exotic, intriguing India
Love, Marriage, and a Baby Carriage by C.S. Poe
4 stars (short / full review)
Queer penguins looking for a mate at heterosexual WaddleCon find an egg
Love Unmasked by Dale Cameron Lowry
4.5 stars (short / full review)
The shame of being a varmint 'Coon could challenge the most open-minded of critters
Man's Best Friend by C.B. Lewis
4 stars (short / full review)
Colorado lumbersexual looks for the dog he rescued only to find a naked Englishman wearing a leather collar
More Beautiful Than a Unicorn by Bell Ellis
3.5 stars (short / full review)
Short Story (12k words, 28 pages)
Twenty-five year old virgin, a unicorn, an exotic Indian... nice gay fairy tale
More Fish in the Sea by Fil Preis
3.5 stars (short / full review)
Novella (17k words, 49 pages)
Betrayed Wiccan bisexual beseeches the Hawaiian Moon only to get fed to the sharks
Of Nuts and Men by L.E. Franks
2.5 stars (short / full review)
Short Story (14k words, 41 pages)
On a hunt for summer nuts, the squirrel shifter encounters alpha pheromones gone wild, shifter pee, and a treed man
Pastures New by Parker Foye
2.75 stars (short / full review)
The champion stallion retires to be a lonely stud and is forced to preen for an inquisitive journalist
Putting Down Roots by Tam MacNeil
4 stars (short / full review)
Short Stories (9k words, 29 pages)
Bookstore clerk gets a teaching job in an isolated manor rooted in a haunted village
Quiet as a Mouse by Asta Idonea
4 stars (short / full review)
Short Story (8k words, 25 pages)
Shy church mouse shifter trapped by his feelings for the choirmaster
Shifter by Mark Wildyr
4 stars (short / full review)
Short Story (5k words, 19 pages)
Gray Fox canoes past the enchanted isle to meet his Elk Horn, but witch spirit will trans-form the pair?
Shifting Silver by Brandon Witt
4 stars (short / full review)
Novella (15k words, 45 pages)
Sparing the life of a narwhal may mean death for a vegetarian Alaska native
Spiked and Feathered by Jessica Walsh
2.75 stars (short / full review)
Short Story (7k words, 21 pages)
Anthony wakes up with a hang over and wonders why his one-night stand has feathers
They Called Him Nightmare by Deja Black
5 stars (short / full review)
Short Story (7k words, 26 pages)
A bright boy turns into a businessman of the night who burns for the dark one called Nightmare
To Arizona by Meg Harding
1 star - due to personal dislikes (short / full review)
Novella (15k words, 46 pages)
Hockey player/otter shifter shipped to the desert deals with a tough captain
A Werewolf in Sheep's Clothing by Rob Rosen
3 stars (short / full review)
Vegetarian predatory shifters must stick together lest they fall off the wagon
Werewolf PTA by Felicitas Ivey
3 stars (short / full review)
Novella (18k words, 51 pages)
Small-town PTA meetings, an exotic Doctor, a hunky sheriff, and multiple murders spell... werewolf?
Wild Fate by Savannah Brooks
Novella (17k words, 55 pages)
Shiva's bull rushes an American doc in exotic, intriguing India
Love, Marriage, and a Baby Carriage by C.S. Poe
4 stars (short / full review)
Queer penguins looking for a mate at heterosexual WaddleCon find an egg
Love Unmasked by Dale Cameron Lowry
4.5 stars (short / full review)
The shame of being a varmint 'Coon could challenge the most open-minded of critters
Man's Best Friend by C.B. Lewis
4 stars (short / full review)
Colorado lumbersexual looks for the dog he rescued only to find a naked Englishman wearing a leather collar
More Beautiful Than a Unicorn by Bell Ellis
3.5 stars (short / full review)
Short Story (12k words, 28 pages)
Twenty-five year old virgin, a unicorn, an exotic Indian... nice gay fairy tale
More Fish in the Sea by Fil Preis
3.5 stars (short / full review)
Novella (17k words, 49 pages)
Betrayed Wiccan bisexual beseeches the Hawaiian Moon only to get fed to the sharks
Of Nuts and Men by L.E. Franks
2.5 stars (short / full review)
Short Story (14k words, 41 pages)
On a hunt for summer nuts, the squirrel shifter encounters alpha pheromones gone wild, shifter pee, and a treed man
Pastures New by Parker Foye
2.75 stars (short / full review)
The champion stallion retires to be a lonely stud and is forced to preen for an inquisitive journalist
Putting Down Roots by Tam MacNeil
4 stars (short / full review)
Short Stories (9k words, 29 pages)
Bookstore clerk gets a teaching job in an isolated manor rooted in a haunted village
Quiet as a Mouse by Asta Idonea
4 stars (short / full review)
Short Story (8k words, 25 pages)
Shy church mouse shifter trapped by his feelings for the choirmaster
Shifter by Mark Wildyr
4 stars (short / full review)
Short Story (5k words, 19 pages)
Gray Fox canoes past the enchanted isle to meet his Elk Horn, but witch spirit will trans-form the pair?
Shifting Silver by Brandon Witt
4 stars (short / full review)
Novella (15k words, 45 pages)
Sparing the life of a narwhal may mean death for a vegetarian Alaska native
Spiked and Feathered by Jessica Walsh
2.75 stars (short / full review)
Short Story (7k words, 21 pages)
Anthony wakes up with a hang over and wonders why his one-night stand has feathers
They Called Him Nightmare by Deja Black
5 stars (short / full review)
Short Story (7k words, 26 pages)
A bright boy turns into a businessman of the night who burns for the dark one called Nightmare
To Arizona by Meg Harding
1 star - due to personal dislikes (short / full review)
Novella (15k words, 46 pages)
Hockey player/otter shifter shipped to the desert deals with a tough captain
A Werewolf in Sheep's Clothing by Rob Rosen
3 stars (short / full review)
Vegetarian predatory shifters must stick together lest they fall off the wagon
Werewolf PTA by Felicitas Ivey
3 stars (short / full review)
Novella (18k words, 51 pages)
Small-town PTA meetings, an exotic Doctor, a hunky sheriff, and multiple murders spell... werewolf?
Wild Fate by Savannah Brooks
3.5 stars (short / full review)
Novella (17k words, 55 pages)
Heading deep into the Alaskan wilderness, the photographer is fated to meet a bear of a man
A Wolf's Résistance by T.J. Nichols
4.5 stars (short / full review)
Renny, a member of the resistance and a shapeshifter, flees the Germans and encounters Marc, the village blacksmith
Novella (17k words, 55 pages)
Heading deep into the Alaskan wilderness, the photographer is fated to meet a bear of a man
A Wolf's Résistance by T.J. Nichols
4.5 stars (short / full review)
Renny, a member of the resistance and a shapeshifter, flees the Germans and encounters Marc, the village blacksmith
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April 29, 2021OUT OF PRINT.
Love, Marriage, and a Baby Carriage by C.S. Poe will not be republished.
Love, Marriage, and a Baby Carriage by C.S. Poe will not be republished.
February 9, 2017
As a collection of stories, 'A Walk on the Wild Side' worked particularly well for me. For one thing, I love paranormal creatures and the problems and challenges they face. Then there is the sheer variety of beings and stories displayed in the anthology. And, last but not least, the characters I got to know as I worked my way through the books making up the 2016 'Daily Dose' were fun, entertaining, creepy, and interesting. What more could I want?
NOTE: This collection of stories was provided by Dreamspinner Press for the purpose of a series of reviews on Rainbow Book Reviews.
NOTE: This collection of stories was provided by Dreamspinner Press for the purpose of a series of reviews on Rainbow Book Reviews.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews