Three days to reach the summit and retrieve the flag. Those who drop out go home. The bootcamp’s alpha asks Alistair to protect their omega wolf, Penny. All they have are the clothes on their back when the worst storm of the winter hits. But it's got nothing on Penny. No shifter has ever torn Alistair open or exposed him like her, all with the razor edge of her tongue. Forget the blizzard, the real danger is the sharp curve of her smile and the lengths he'll go to get a taste.
Annie Nicholas hibernates in the rural, green mountains of Vermont where she dreams of different worlds, heroes, and heroines. When spring arrives the stories pour from her, in hopes to share them with the masses one day.
Mother, daughter, wife are some of the hats she happily wears while trudging after her cubs through the hills and dales. The four seasons an inspiration and muse.
My favorite thing about Annie's shifter books is how the human exhibits qualities of their alter ego animals. In other words, even in human form, the werewolves growl, snarl, nuzzle, etc. I do a lousy job explaining it, but in context, it's really cool how Annie writes it.
I met Penny in the first book in this series and I loved her immediately. Being the omega, her persona just oozed "calm and zen" and it was nice to read her low-stress-ness.
While the premise of this series is a boot camp for the underdogs of the wolf shifter world (pun unavoidable), Penny was tasked with a unique challenge involving the underdogs of the underdogs, and, boy, what an adventure!
I'll read anything Annie writes and I am looking forward to more books in this series, but I am DYING to read Pallas' story (the trainer of these misfit wolves), as his story has been slowly unfolding across the books in this series. Can't wait!!!
(I received a copy of this book in consideration of an honest review)
Book:Penny of the Paranormal: Shifter Romance (Vanguard Elite Book 4) Author:Annie Nicholas Publication Date:1/30/2017 Reviewed by: Tammy Payne-Book Nook Nuts My Rating: 5 Stars
This was a serious, but also very funny shifter book. It's book four in this series and I have to say my favorite so far. I think Pallas may be softening? Well that isn't a bad thing as far as his boot camp of misfits go.
Pallas is sending them all out on another task/mission. Will they all win? ha-ha not likely. Each team will go through things that will make or break them. But it's the Omega Penny that takes this story a long side of the rich Alpha male who lost out on the girl in the last book.
I would suggest you start with book one so you get to know all of the characters as they continue in each book.
I'm not sure why so many packs abuse their Omegas! I feel in a world as volatile as a wolf pack, the Omega is a God sent. Their caring natures are so essential to keep the pack balanced, they should be treasured not stepped on because at the end of the day its not always about whose the fastest nor the strongest, those characteristics don't do well in many situations and Pallas brought that to their attention fast quick! His challenges are tough and super extreme but when you sit back and really think about his reasons...they make complete sense, even if he's a bit off sometimes.
It was nice to see Alastair humbling himself once he realized his feelings for Penny. He was quite a douche when he first arrived but as we all know...appearances can be very deceiving and his just blinded everyone. At the core of him he was a pretty decent guy who cared about others, which is why Julia's antagonist attitude towards him was so uncalled for and super aggravating. After his fight with Darrell, which in my opinion neither man won, he pretty much left Julia alone. He acknowledged that she was Darrell's mate so her being so fucking nasty to him was quite confusing. I think he makes a better leader than Darrell, after all it was because of him and Penny that all the wolves survived, something Darrell nor Julia were able to do..hell not even their alphas weren't able to keep it together! So I'm glad things worked out for Penny and Alastair...much to Pallas funny dismay!
I love the togetherness of the entire group at boot camp. No matter what mission Pallas comes up with, the teams stick together. They also take care of the rest of the pack if needed. In previous books the wolves who got cast out of boot camp was allowed to be part of Ian's pack when camp gets done. This book is about Penny, the Omega of the group. Pallas put her in charge of one of three groups. Alistair joins her group to help her if needed, voluntarily, because he is not part of the group. This book follows Penny and her group as they go through hunger, blizzard and feral wolves. Read this book to find out the outcome of the mission and what happens between Alistair and Penny. Will he go back to his pack when all is said and done? Or will he stay to join boot camp?
This is the fourth book of the Elite Wolves, being trained. All I can say is that they keep getting better with every book. I love stories in which the author develop characters that are multifaceted and Ms. Nicholas doesn't disappoint. The characters of the books well develop with depth and heart and all the characteristics we as imperfect humans have. When an author is capable of creating stories with these quality the reading if meaningful and enjoyable. I loved this series from the beginning. I look forward to every book by this author especially this series. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys paranormal with a little bit of sexy but all in great taste.
Each one addresses a different area of strength and character but they are written in such a way that they not only touch your heart, they make you smile or hurt, cheer or grieve, along with the characters. That is a sign of a truly great story teller.
In this one Penny learns what it really means to be an Omega wolf. She also discovers her mate along the way and the lovemaking between them is described in all its graphic steamy glory!
Pallas has come up with another mission for boot camp shifter. This one aim at the Omega of the pack, to see if they can survive the weather and to see if they can do it without going feral. Will Penny succeed and find her mate in Alistair?
Just because someone seems weak doesn't mean they have no heart. Excellent story of survival and determination to prove themselves.
I really loved both Penny & Alistair's characters. Such an unlikely couple that ended up complimenting each other so well. This entire series has been a lot of fun to read. Can't wait to read about Pallas and the sheriff next! Highly recommended+++
I didn't like Alistair at all and I am not sure his change really is convincing - but here he's just swoonworthy and Penny really got me rooting for her. She thinks she is so weak but she is so strong, I loved her story and especially the end.
This series does not disappoint. Penny comes into her own in this book. She learns her place is not at the bottom but the heart of the pack. They need her to survive.
Yeah Penny. Who would have thought she could pull this off and snag a hunter as well. Allister came through big time. Another great story. Now ready for Pallas' story.
4,5 stars I do love the “Vanguard Elite” series by Annie Nicholas and frankly it’s one of the few paranormal romance series which has always something new to tell me, thanks to its protagonists. This is because the werewolves recruited in the boot camp are different from the usual standards of the immortal and invincible paranormal creatures.
This is a group with wolves from different packs, who are often considered the weak point of the various groups and therefore as liabilities to eliminate without much thought.
Taking part in the bootcamp under Pallas’ hard training, the vampire, and be able to overcome it for them has become their only objective, to gain a place to return to live and be accepted. Pallas submit them to grueling tests and imposes many sacrifices, to push them to face their limits.
“Penny of the Paranormal” is the fourth book in the series.
The main protagonists in this story are Alistair, a werewolf we had already met in the previous books. At the time the gorgeous werewolf gave the worst of himself, not giving a really good impression at all, after arriving at Pallas’ bootcamp, aboard on his shiny car, to retrieve his mate, chosen for him by his pack only for pure interest.
In this story with Penny and the rest of the group we discover a very different Alistair.
Penny, the female protagonist, is the Omega of the pack and this story put the spot on her qualities, revealing how she’s amazing, and showing the true importance of her role in the pack. A role almost more important than the Alpha, less obvious, but it shows how she is the real heart of the group, the one who manages to keep intact so many delicate balances, which could give the rise to the true strength of a pack.
To achieve that, however, they must all face one of the tough and dangerous trials prepared by Pallas: a challenge to retrieve the flags on top of a peak, in terrible weather conditions. The werewolves will be divided into three teams, with as many leaders and one of them will be just little Penny, while Alistair, as outsider, will only watch over Penny to protect her.
From the beginning of the mission between Penny and Alistair there are big differences in their point of view: in her people choices, the future alpha in Alistair sees only a bunch of losers, Penny instead can see only their different qualities, such as strengths. And her way to see the things, little by little, changes everything, even in the eyes of Alistair, starting to open his eyes and questioning everything he was always taught, thanks to Penny. Opposites attract and Penny and Alistair are certainly not the exception to the rule in this case.
This book is perhaps the one I liked the most in the whole series. I love very much the way this author tells her stories, always creating the right balance between passionate romance moments and parts full of action, but mostly I like to see, thanks to her, new perspective shown in her stories , as she did in this case with Penny as heroine, the Omega of the pack, along with an amazing Alistair.
Pallas in the series has become more and more important. He is an enigmatic and compelling character, even if he has his own way of demonstrating how he cares for these werewolves who trust him. A vampire worth to be discovered and finally the next book in the series will be about him as protagonist.
The Vanguard Elite stories continue to be captivating!!
We return to boot camp where vampire Pallas the instructor continues to challenge the wolf shifter recruits in sometimes death defying ways. Penny has always been an omega. While important to the pack, she is not competitive. Now her stomach is growling as Pallas has not allowed any food in the camp for days. A little cold and hunger still beats living with an abusive pack.
Alistair is finally recovered from a gunshot wound thanks in part to Penny’s care. She even hid food so he could complete his recovery by staying fully nourished. Alistair treated Penny kindly as she tended to him, but she knows that most shifters consider omegas easy targets. When Pallas creates a competition and teams are created with Penny as a lead; she picks the “nice” wolves which may be a problem as it is a survival assignment. Alistair (who is not really a part of the camp) volunteers to join Penny’s team to even up the numbers, but really he is concerned for her safety; to the extent of risking a year of his life in service as a bet with Pallas
As Penny’s group coalesces into a pack, Alistair gains further appreciation for Penny and her abilities. Putting pack first might be just the way to go – even though the pack he came from was “myself first”. Will the dangers encountered cause the demise of some? Will Penny give in to her attraction to Alistair, knowing he will be leaving at the end of the exercise?
Insights into pack politics; combined with danger and a scintillating relationship make this an excellence read!!
**I am voluntarily leaving my honest review of this book**
This is another solid piece of writing from Annie Nicholas as we visit her Bootcamp for Misfit Wolves. This time the focus is on pack omega Penny and newcomer Alistair (who turns out to be a pretty decent guy, despite our introduction to him in the last book).
There is no shortage of action as Pallas (their slave-driver vampire) sends them out on a new challenge. As per usual, the challenge is fraught with danger and unexpected difficulties, but ends with a significant lesson learned.
Penny and Alistair are sympathetic characters, each flawed in his/her own way, but made better by being together. It's heartening to witness how they fill the emptiness within each other.
There was nothing wrong with this book, yet I can only give it 4 stars and I think that's because it didn't make me feel anything. I'm not sure why. I liked the characters and the plot, but I guess I just didn't connect with them the way I have with some of the others in this series. Still, I would recommend this book and any other by Annie Nicholas.
I loved this book. I started at the end though lol. That's ok cause it's so good I'm gonna go start at the beginning. This is Penny and Alistair's story. Penny is an omega wolf she's at the boot camp because she's treated like trash she wants a free life. Alistair is a rich punk who came for his fiancee what he gets is shot and Penny taking care of him. When the leader puts Penny in charge of a very dangerous exercise Alistair can't help but want to protect the little omega. When push comes to shove this little omega has a lot of fight in her and it's up to her to save all the wolves in the pack. What happens when wolves get to cold and hungry they go feral and will eat anything or anyone they catch. Can Penny get the pack to their destination and back before they all freeze to death? What happens when one of the teams is frozen and one has turned feral? Check it out and find out.
I loved this book. Penny is an omega, lowest in a pack hierarchy. In her old pack omegas were treated poorly, almost like slaves, used and abused. All packs were told to submit a candidate to the vampires to train as elite werewolf soldiers. In a show of defiance, packs submitted their weak and misfit shifters. Pallas is the vampire trainer, harsh and uncaring as to basic comforts. Penny is glad to be there as she is better treated and safer than in her old pack. But this time Pallas has a training mission that will push Penny to her limits. In the past the other shifters have had her back. This time, she is to lead one of the teams on the most brutal mission to date. There will be some surprises and a lot of revelations during this mission. Action, passion, and danger made this book a page turner. I could not put it down.
I really enjoy this series. These shifters have really formed a strong bond even when competing against each other.
Penny is an omega and considered weak by many packs. She has a great strength of character. She really tries to help others. Alistair doesn't have any friends but it doesn't stop Penny from taking care of him. He is used to having money and anything he wants. He now finds himself having to rely on his own abilities. I really like the relationship that develops between them. He supports her and believes in her. They really bring out the best in each other.
I recommend the whole series but you can read them as stand alones. There are great characters in the story and it is great to see them find love after many have been mistreated by their packs.
The story of these two characters was sweet, and I can see my self reading it again. I enjoyed the relationship of Penny and Allister, and the different aspects of their natures that drew them together.
I think I lie the elite series better than the vanguard original books. Well written so easy to read I would recommend the series to anyone. Annie Nicholas never fails to create great reads
Penny is an omega. Allistair is an Alpha. Pallas is a vampire running a bootcamp for misfit wolf shifters. Pallas has a training planned and chooses two Alpha females - Julia and Clair and The omega Penny to choose and lead three groups to retrieve a flag. Penny's group is the only one that doesn't turn feral because while leading she makes sure everyone is fed and protected from the cold.