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The Outlier Prophecies #5
Shifter Variance
After Kate Hale dodges her predicted death, she learns the anti-fate group Wyrd wasn’t her only enemy. Complicating matters, it seems a highly respected colleague tampered with a forecast. Nobody believes Kate’s discovery, so she must discreetly determine if the hero she admires is involved in the conspiracy to undermine the oracle net. But Kate sets aside that investigation when Dalia Swanson, Becker’s maybe-sister, is flagged in a missing persons case. All she and her horny werewolf boyfriend would like is some quality time together—except this is the one case that demands their immediate attention. With New Karma threatening to fill the hole Wyrd left, Kate and Becker struggle to define their relationship and unpredictable future, especially where it concerns Becker’s fate of turning violently feral. The Outlier Prophecies Romancing the Null (book 1) Big Bad Becker (novella) Conditional Probability of Attraction (book 2) The Werewolf Coefficient (book 3) Standard Deviation of Death (book 4) Shifter Variance (book 5) Correlation of Fate (book 6) Half Cup Magic (Ali's book)
246 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 14, 2016
13 people are currently reading
39 people want to read
About the author
Tina Gower
27 books61 followersTina Gower grew up in a small community in Northern California that proudly boasts of having more cows than people. She raised guide dogs for the blind, is dyslexic, and can shoot a gun or bow and miraculously never hit the target (which at some point becomes a statistical improbability). Tina also won the Writers of the Future, the Daphne du Maurier Award for Mystery and Suspense (paranormal category), and was nominated for the Romance Writers of America® Golden Heart® (writing as Alice Faris). She has professionally published several short stories in a variety of magazines. Tina is represented by Rebecca Strauss at DeFiore and Company.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
January 28, 2017
This is a great paranormal series. I love the characters. All of them. They are all inclusive and they enrich the main characters lives . I personally see Chris Pratt as Ian Becker. Just a little younger. Can hardly wait for the next book.
May 12, 2019
We are well into actuarial Kate Hale and police detective Becker's relationship by this book (5 in the series) but they're only just enjoying the culmination of the dance they've been doing between being romantic and Kate fulfilling Becker's shifter pack needs.
And now that they've more or less taken out the anti-fate group, Wyrd, and have a bead on New Karma, and found out about Becker's genetic background, we are in a holding pattern with Kate disbarred from her work and Becker figuring out how to handle their bond with the addition of a another female shifter from the nearby Turmoil pack with claims on him.
And Kate's cousin, Ali, doing her usual magic baking, is having her world changed as well by Kate's relationships.
There's a lot of what I like in this book: Becker/Kate tension, fate magic through the lens of police work and insurance and probability, lots of delicious Ali baked goods and meddling, and the punning snark of Becker's partner the Troll-Gremlin, Hank.
But this one didn't quite measure up to the others for me plot-wise (although Gower does a good job of bringing in new wrinkles every few books or so) as I just got...lost. There was no real, identifiable enemy until late in the game, and the constant theorizing about Wyrd, New Karma, and the Turmoil pack and who was buying shifter blood, and the ripples caused by the possible new member of Becker's pack...etc. etc... was super confusing for me. I just couldn't follow it.
Still...it's an Outlier Prophecy novel, and we're getting close to what it means that Kate is an outlier herself. Hopefully things will get a bit less muddled and move forward (there's alot of waiting in this one until the very end) a bit more evenly in the next one.
And now that they've more or less taken out the anti-fate group, Wyrd, and have a bead on New Karma, and found out about Becker's genetic background, we are in a holding pattern with Kate disbarred from her work and Becker figuring out how to handle their bond with the addition of a another female shifter from the nearby Turmoil pack with claims on him.
And Kate's cousin, Ali, doing her usual magic baking, is having her world changed as well by Kate's relationships.
There's a lot of what I like in this book: Becker/Kate tension, fate magic through the lens of police work and insurance and probability, lots of delicious Ali baked goods and meddling, and the punning snark of Becker's partner the Troll-Gremlin, Hank.
But this one didn't quite measure up to the others for me plot-wise (although Gower does a good job of bringing in new wrinkles every few books or so) as I just got...lost. There was no real, identifiable enemy until late in the game, and the constant theorizing about Wyrd, New Karma, and the Turmoil pack and who was buying shifter blood, and the ripples caused by the possible new member of Becker's pack...etc. etc... was super confusing for me. I just couldn't follow it.
Still...it's an Outlier Prophecy novel, and we're getting close to what it means that Kate is an outlier herself. Hopefully things will get a bit less muddled and move forward (there's alot of waiting in this one until the very end) a bit more evenly in the next one.
October 10, 2017
Faith
I can not tell you much about this excellent story as it will spoil it for you. The story is full of mystery, action, some humor and romance. So much happens to the pack. We meet Becker’s parents plus a twist to this group. Old hero’s are proven to be not so good and many people are hurt but the will to survive is strong! Excellent book!
I can not tell you much about this excellent story as it will spoil it for you. The story is full of mystery, action, some humor and romance. So much happens to the pack. We meet Becker’s parents plus a twist to this group. Old hero’s are proven to be not so good and many people are hurt but the will to survive is strong! Excellent book!
December 15, 2016
I received this book in exchange for an honest review.
My complete review is also available at papercraneseandd.blogspot.com
Shifter Variance picks up right where Standard Deviation of Death left us hanging. Kate, Becker, Ali, and Lipski are recuperating from the ordeal with the witches in the last book, but also assessing new threats from groups who are looking to damage the complex system their society is built upon. Becker is dealing with new information regarding the Turmoil werewolf pack member, Dalia—beyond the fact that she’s predicted to go missing. (And I must say that Lipski delivered this news to Becker in the best way possible—Go Lipski!) Kate and Becker are also dealing with their (FINALLY) blossoming relationship, both in their everyday lives and with what it could mean for their jobs. So there’s a lot going down in all of their lives, but I’ll try not to give too much away on that front.
One of my favorite things about this series has been the growth of the characters both individually and together. But in addition to that, I also deeply appreciate how more characters are being tossed in and all serving a great purpose—I hate when books throw in useless characters for no reason—everyone who has been thrown in within this growing world has had their own time to shine and stand out. In particular, I loved the dynamic of getting to see the relationship between Becker and his dads more—even if they were in the standalone novella for a bit—and I really loved that Lipski’s wife Angela made an appearance, and she made a point of standing out and being appreciated. The only character who was added in that I’m not as into yet is Abbott—I won’t say how he fits in—but I’m assuming I’ll get to learn a little more about him in the next book. Becker and Kate have their own little family made up of a bunch of different personalities, backgrounds, and creatures—they’re their own odd little pack.
Now while I do love Kate and Becker and their dynamic, my opinions on them haven’t changed much from my last reviews. I love them together, but I enjoy seeing their dynamic as a couple while interacting with everyone else. That being said, I have to once again brag on my ultimate favorite characters…
LIPSKI LIPSKI LIPSKI. His devotion to Becker and Kate is beautiful. The lengths he goes to in this book… just… ugh. I love him. He goes farther for Becker than any normal everyday co-worker would, and even his wife Angela shows her devotion to them too. Lipski is one of those characters who I tend to fondly refer to as “the teddy bear” because I just want to hug him because I can see how much he cares, but he chooses to only really show it through his actions. Not only do I appreciate his devotion, but his humor gets me every time too. I love how he picks on Becker, and of course how Becker tries to pick back. But I also admire the way he treats Kate, he can be real with her at times, but he also teases her like he does Becker—and Kate should see that as a sign that he cares about her just as much as he does Becker.
I always enjoyed him referring to Kate as "Cupcake" but now I enjoy it even more after this book.
The real treasure though… I don’t think that this series would stick with me as much as it does if it wasn’t for Ali. She always garners a fantastic laugh out of me in each book.
EVERY.
SINGLE.
TIME.
Her situational humor gets me. I always want to pick out a small snippet of a line she has, but it’s just one of those things where you have to read it to get it. But she also gained a lot more depth in this book; she got a wider range of emotions other than the snarky kick-ass druid/witch who likes to stir up trouble and cooking ingredients. Her life has been hinted at a lot outside of what she goes through with Kate and Becker and readers get to see how her life and her family affects her choices and how she views the world over the course of this book. I root for Ali every time. She’s probably one of my favorite book characters that I’ve come across so far, and I look forward to more and more about her.
Overall, I'm still really hooked into the series as a whole and I've loved the growth it has gone through. I highly recommend this series.
My complete review is also available at papercraneseandd.blogspot.com
Shifter Variance picks up right where Standard Deviation of Death left us hanging. Kate, Becker, Ali, and Lipski are recuperating from the ordeal with the witches in the last book, but also assessing new threats from groups who are looking to damage the complex system their society is built upon. Becker is dealing with new information regarding the Turmoil werewolf pack member, Dalia—beyond the fact that she’s predicted to go missing. (And I must say that Lipski delivered this news to Becker in the best way possible—Go Lipski!) Kate and Becker are also dealing with their (FINALLY) blossoming relationship, both in their everyday lives and with what it could mean for their jobs. So there’s a lot going down in all of their lives, but I’ll try not to give too much away on that front.
One of my favorite things about this series has been the growth of the characters both individually and together. But in addition to that, I also deeply appreciate how more characters are being tossed in and all serving a great purpose—I hate when books throw in useless characters for no reason—everyone who has been thrown in within this growing world has had their own time to shine and stand out. In particular, I loved the dynamic of getting to see the relationship between Becker and his dads more—even if they were in the standalone novella for a bit—and I really loved that Lipski’s wife Angela made an appearance, and she made a point of standing out and being appreciated. The only character who was added in that I’m not as into yet is Abbott—I won’t say how he fits in—but I’m assuming I’ll get to learn a little more about him in the next book. Becker and Kate have their own little family made up of a bunch of different personalities, backgrounds, and creatures—they’re their own odd little pack.
Now while I do love Kate and Becker and their dynamic, my opinions on them haven’t changed much from my last reviews. I love them together, but I enjoy seeing their dynamic as a couple while interacting with everyone else. That being said, I have to once again brag on my ultimate favorite characters…
LIPSKI LIPSKI LIPSKI. His devotion to Becker and Kate is beautiful. The lengths he goes to in this book… just… ugh. I love him. He goes farther for Becker than any normal everyday co-worker would, and even his wife Angela shows her devotion to them too. Lipski is one of those characters who I tend to fondly refer to as “the teddy bear” because I just want to hug him because I can see how much he cares, but he chooses to only really show it through his actions. Not only do I appreciate his devotion, but his humor gets me every time too. I love how he picks on Becker, and of course how Becker tries to pick back. But I also admire the way he treats Kate, he can be real with her at times, but he also teases her like he does Becker—and Kate should see that as a sign that he cares about her just as much as he does Becker.
I always enjoyed him referring to Kate as "Cupcake" but now I enjoy it even more after this book.
The real treasure though… I don’t think that this series would stick with me as much as it does if it wasn’t for Ali. She always garners a fantastic laugh out of me in each book.
EVERY.
SINGLE.
TIME.
Her situational humor gets me. I always want to pick out a small snippet of a line she has, but it’s just one of those things where you have to read it to get it. But she also gained a lot more depth in this book; she got a wider range of emotions other than the snarky kick-ass druid/witch who likes to stir up trouble and cooking ingredients. Her life has been hinted at a lot outside of what she goes through with Kate and Becker and readers get to see how her life and her family affects her choices and how she views the world over the course of this book. I root for Ali every time. She’s probably one of my favorite book characters that I’ve come across so far, and I look forward to more and more about her.
Overall, I'm still really hooked into the series as a whole and I've loved the growth it has gone through. I highly recommend this series.
March 12, 2017
I've really enjoyed reading this series. I like the world building, I like the characters and their interactions with each other and I like the stories. The big reveal at the end of book four was, IMHO, telegraphed very early on, as I'd picked up on it very early on (which is not something I'm particularly good at, so it must have been blindingly obvious!).
Hopefully not too long to go before the next (and, afaik, last( book is released.
Hopefully not too long to go before the next (and, afaik, last( book is released.
February 1, 2017
*I received this book free from the author in exchange for an honest review*
With Kate and Becker now officially a couple you'd think it would make things easier for them, but that's never the case in their world. There's always something that pops up that causes trouble or in this case causes a serious need for scent removal. Never a dull moment when it comes to the Outlier Prophecy.
Becker has new family, Kate has a missing persons case to thwart, and of course they overlap with a side of crazy woman who can do a little magic. Kate will also discover there are more people like her than she thought and I cannot wait to see what happens down that road. Nor can I wait to see what happens with the baby fever that seems to be catching.
Shifter Variance is book five in a series that pulls you in and keeps you wondering what will happen next. There's always some little twist that I never see coming and it's what keeps me coming back for more. Not to mention I love Becker and Kate! And her cousin, who by far adds the humor.
My Favorite Moment is when Kate learns the meaning of her nickname, Katie Cupcake. Hank is such the romantic.
With Kate and Becker now officially a couple you'd think it would make things easier for them, but that's never the case in their world. There's always something that pops up that causes trouble or in this case causes a serious need for scent removal. Never a dull moment when it comes to the Outlier Prophecy.
Becker has new family, Kate has a missing persons case to thwart, and of course they overlap with a side of crazy woman who can do a little magic. Kate will also discover there are more people like her than she thought and I cannot wait to see what happens down that road. Nor can I wait to see what happens with the baby fever that seems to be catching.
Shifter Variance is book five in a series that pulls you in and keeps you wondering what will happen next. There's always some little twist that I never see coming and it's what keeps me coming back for more. Not to mention I love Becker and Kate! And her cousin, who by far adds the humor.
My Favorite Moment is when Kate learns the meaning of her nickname, Katie Cupcake. Hank is such the romantic.
December 30, 2016
How Could You Do This to Me, Tina??? (No Spoilers)
March 27, 2018
Absolutely loved this entire series. The character development is fantastic--Kate and Becker are dynamite! The romantic tension between them is off the charts. Additionally, the atmosphere and world building is phenomenal. This book caught my interest and kept it for the entire series. It is rare for me to get past the second or third book in a series, but I followed this one till the end. Very much worth the read.
Each underlying plot is well thought out and creative. This series has several twists that keep a reader on their toes and wanting more.I literally read four books in three days. Highly recommend.
Each underlying plot is well thought out and creative. This series has several twists that keep a reader on their toes and wanting more.I literally read four books in three days. Highly recommend.
December 21, 2016
I really liked this installment in the Outlier series. Kate and Becker are so awesome together. Ali and Lipski keep it very entertaining and the new characters are seamlessly fitting it with the rest of the pack. Except maybe Abbot. He'll take some getting used to but he does add to the story instead of being just fluff. There is great character development that has flowed throughout the entire series. My favorite though is the relationship between Kate and Becker. Finally they get close and aren't running away from each other. Loved it!
December 17, 2016
I love all the twists and turns! Even though you know who the baddy is, the way it was presented was a suprise.
December 18, 2016
Great book
Really enjoyed this series of books. Loved all the characters in it & loved the humour in it too. Looking forward to the next one. Wish I could read it now!
Really enjoyed this series of books. Loved all the characters in it & loved the humour in it too. Looking forward to the next one. Wish I could read it now!
April 28, 2017
Another good book.
I really enjoyed watching the people and relationships develop, especially between Kate and Becker. Kate is so determined and dare I say, plucky. She's smart, which I love. No screaming at the protagonist for doing something stupid. I'm going to buy the next book right now.
I really enjoyed watching the people and relationships develop, especially between Kate and Becker. Kate is so determined and dare I say, plucky. She's smart, which I love. No screaming at the protagonist for doing something stupid. I'm going to buy the next book right now.
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July 31, 2018Didn't finish
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews