For the first time in my entire life, I've found a community that accepts me. The village of dragon shifters knows what it's like to be different. These men care about me. And I care about them. I might even love them.
Among all that perfection, terror creeps in. It haunts this place during the night. Something dangerous, powerful, and deadly has found these innocent people.
And it wants me.
This is a Reverse Harem series containing M/M themes. Recommended for readers 18 and over.
A.K. Koonce is a USA Today best selling author. She's a mom by day and a fantasy and paranormal romance author by night. She keeps the fantastical stories in her mind on an endless loop, while she tries her best to focus on her actual life and not that of the spectacular but demanding fictional characters who always fill her thoughts
Ya know how some people say how much they lOvE their characters and could read them doing literally doing any goddamn thing
Well that’s all this book fucking is *flails arms*
“I’m going to get some air,” I whisper to Kain. “You’re outside, try again, Low.” Aggie doesn’t look at me as she says it, taking another big gulp from her glass.”
The dragon shifters are back! Chaos, Rime, and Kain
They are honestly the reason I keep reading because of how unique their backstories and characters are. Plus they are hot as fuck.
This was just a character-developing book. It's fun because we see what “normal” everyday life is like for them ... But plot?? Advancing the series goal ?? Learning more info ?? Nahhhh, write in more dragon sex
So yeah this book is just fun kinda has a bunch of random shit happening that doesn't really have any contribution to the series.
But I kept reading because ... it was just funny I guess
“So why were you dancing like that?” “No one fucks with the local crazy woman. They leave me in peace to ward off the lingering spirits.” My brows tense. “Do you know how to ward off lingering spirits, Aggie?” “Not a fucking clue. I used to specialize in Sight Seeing”
In an ideal world... ✨ the village has a past that contributes knowledge about magic or dragon world to help Arlow ✨ the bad guy has spies in the village himself that sneaks information ✨ Arlow's background as a magic beast tamer has more relevance cuz honestly that was a cool job and more magical beasts would've made the worldbuilding stronger and more unique
This series definitely has some potential but it clearly is just a fun reverse harem so I guess I gotta just lower my standards and enjoy it as it goes. I would recommend the first book but honestly, the fun quality and development of the first book does not continue to build up in the rest of the series-- it sorta plateaued.
Thank the ever loving goddess for the scene I’ve been waiting for.
AKA: Rime + Chaos + Arlow.
BECAUSE THIS BOOK SUCKED BALLS.
I am in almost tears.
This series has been one of my favorite RH reads out there. Arlow is downright infuriating but knows her flaws. The men are fucking perfect.
But this book was a huge disappointment.
Nothing. Happened.
Until the very end.
But let’s go back to the beginning: Essentially we find the harem and Arlow are in the quaint village where the dragons grew up. Sinister is making friends with Kain’s mom. Kain’s mom “hates” Arlow. Arlow is throwing a pity party. Weird intro to Kain’s ex. Fuschia candles are involved. Lots of hot sex.
BAM A GIRL DIES FROM DARK MAGIC.
A festival. A birthday. A proposal of sorts.
BAM KAIN’S EX DIES. (Sorry if you haven’t read the books and you’re reading this lol)
And then it’s like Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing. Because the reaction was so much out of whack I nearly pissed my pants from laughing. Because without so much as an explanation from Arlow (because she’s just traumatized and speechless so much so that she can’t explain something that’s very much explainable)....she ends up in a jail cell.
LOTS of pity party of one for Arlow ensues and I’m outraged. GET IT TOGETHER SIS. Fucking moron.
The whole thing coulda been avoided had she just fucking said something. Instead a fight breaks out and some Solstice bitch who is trying to lure Arlow away ends up harming them but hey apparently they can still be cool. Come with meee Arlow even tho I just tried to kill your mates.
BAM THE HAREM AND ARLOW END UP IN ARLOW’S HOMETOWN.
That was it.
SO AGAIN: Thank the goddess for good orgasms in this book.
Except that one alpha who won’t be named has still yet to penetrate her and I’m finding this theme in other series and it’s just not my favorite.
So that leaves me with so many questions as to where the fuck book 4 will go as far as direction. There are so many loose ends.
I’m not impressed. Take your time writing the other book, Koonce. Please.
It was good but it slowed down with the character development and the plot is a bit shaky. In fact, we don’t really get any progress furthering the plot. Instead, its a lot of hiding and visiting with the dragon’s village and that brings a side plot story which I found lazy and tired. Arlow is trying to come to terms with being the mate of all the dragons while simultaneously dealing with her tranformed hellhound being her old bae.
I don’t understand why she couldn’t rekindle things with her hellhound. We get no real closure for that relationship so why is she keeping him at arms length? And also, its like the big bad was trying to find her fast in the first book but in this one he seems to be on her watch, which doesn’t make sense to me. There is no rush and I would think by the third book there would be more progression towards the ultimate climax.
I’m gonna take a break from reading from reading more in this series for a while.
Well that was a rush of WTF just happened. After the last book I thought I had an idea what was going on but that just doesn't seem to be the case now. Hopefully the 4th book clears some things up for me! After every book I read I am falling more in love with these amazing guys! I can't wait to see more with Kain and Sinister!
The honeymoon is over for me and this series. This book was a little ridiculous being set in Kain and Chaos’ hometown. There’s this tension built up between Kain’s mom and Arlow that amounts to nothing in the end. Then a “traveling” mage shows up but only appears to Arlow without Arlow even asking herself wtf the mage is really doing there?? It’s like all of a sudden Arlow’s brain shuts down and she’s too cockstruck to question anything. And then there’s Arlow’s constant teasing of Sinister. It’s like, dude, come on just figure it out and stop leading him on! Don’t get me started as to why Brylee would be present for the bonding ceremony or whatever that was??? I mean, she was nothing but vile to Arlow so why have her ruin such an important thing , why would the guys do that? It’s silly. I rate this 3.5.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
*I received a free copy of this book which I voluntarily chose to write an honest review for.
Arlow is way out of her depth in this newest installment to this great RH series. She is in the guy's home town surrounding by all the things they know as well as their families. This makes Low uncomfortable since she want their parents to like and she wants to be accepted how she is. It looks like things will go pretty smooth for a little bit but then some surprises pop up that change the course of the rest book leading us all the way to the end which leaves you wanting more. Great writing describing a wonderful world full of characters that we can relate to on so many levels. I really liked it so I give it 4/5 stars.
This book felt like a new journey title. Low and the guys are working out what this new relationship is and now the potential MILs are around! It starts off more finding her feet in the world now she doesn't have to run. Even Aggie is having fun!
But of course there is no rest and there is more out there to deal with...including Kane and Chaos ex. There is also no stop to the smex smut happy bumping beautiful uglies. It was good smut, but still something is missing and it's still falling a little flat. Although the MM action was hot! but still confusing, I have read other books with MMF in them and felt the MM connection more than in this book....then again their affection is new to them, they kissed for the first time in book 1, that was like 8 days ago in book world!
Again I laughed a lot at a lot of things in this book. Just full of moments when you can't help and go on no and laugh at their antics, or Aggies cut to the point words.
Something big is coming and I am all up to finding out what in the next book
I "lovk" this book, wow what an ending! I really adore these characters; they're complicated, realistic, and relatable! I loved seeing Rime and Chaos develop their relationship, as well as Rime softening up! I had hoped to see more of Sinister in this book, for their issues to get worked out and the tension there to lessen,; he's honestly my favorite! I can't wait for the next book!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
After a misunderstanding with the town's people Arlow is on the run again. On the search for place that will accept her for what she is. But in the heat of disaster she takes her men with her. To keep them safe and together. But has her decision to keep the men she promised her heart to by her side been too much of a rash decision? Or can she truly keep them safe?
Read with Kindle Unlimited. Generously giving this 2 & 1/2 stars rounded up. This book moved so slow with nothing happening, then suddenly something exciting happens in the last few chapters & then it's over, with a mild cliff-hanger ending. I have to say, this did not hold my attention, I put it down to watch a movie on Netflix instead of reading (which is unheard of for me). I considered quitting around the 75% point, but decided to plow thru to finish it. This really didn't have much for a plot, just a lot of insecurity by Arlow, & that got old in a hurry. I still haven't gotten to warm up to Arlow. Some of the dragons are endearing at times, and Sinister is endearing. But I feel like Arlow is stringing some of them along in the relationship. I especially feel bad for Sinister. I just don't feel the desire to continue on with the series, this one has left me uninterested in what happens next.
Apparently A.K. Koonce decided my version of a relaxing reading experience should involve a smartass mage, dragon shifters, dangerous magic, demons, found family, emotionally damaged men, questionable decision-making, and enough supernatural chaos to keep me yelling at fictional people. Honestly, she wasn’t wrong. 😂
To Tame a Shifter follows Arlow, a mage who has spent most of her life hiding what she is because being discovered could have deadly consequences. Then Kain, Rime, and Chaos enter her life, and what begins as one completely ridiculous situation involving three dragon shifters gradually turns into something much bigger. As the story develops, Arlow’s hidden identity, her magic, the dragons’ histories, supernatural politics, dangerous enemies, and secrets from the past all begin colliding.
Arlow was one of my favorite things about this omnibus. She’s funny, stubborn, capable, emotionally guarded, powerful, and occasionally makes the kind of decisions that had me wondering whether common sense had simply packed its bags and left. I loved her humor, but I also appreciated that there was actual substance underneath it. Her past and the danger surrounding her magic affect how she sees herself, how easily she trusts people, and why she is so accustomed to handling everything alone.
I also genuinely got to know Kain, Rime, and Chaos instead of feeling like I had been handed three versions of the same attractive dragon shifter. Kain has that dominant, controlled alpha energy that occasionally made me want to punch him in the face, Rime is more guarded and reluctant to trust, and Chaos brings warmth, humor, affection, and exactly the kind of ridiculous energy this emotionally damaged group desperately needs. As the story expands, Sinister adds another completely different personality and relationship to the mix.
That’s one of the biggest reasons this worked so well for me as a why-choose romance. Each relationship felt different, and the men developed relationships with one another as well. They weren’t simply several guys orbiting Arlow because they all wanted the same woman. The friendships, arguments, loyalty, teasing, protectiveness, and bonds among the entire group made them feel like an actual found family.
And I am a sucker for found family. Give me a bunch of emotionally damaged fictional people who slowly realize they have accidentally acquired a family, and apparently I will follow them anywhere. 😂
I also really enjoyed how the world grew throughout the omnibus. What starts relatively small expands into dragon hierarchy, mages, demons, magical creatures, kingdoms, prejudice, supernatural politics, power struggles, and secrets surrounding Arlow herself. Her abilities are important to the actual plot rather than existing solely to make her special enough to attract several powerful men, which I appreciated.
Most importantly, there was enough storyline outside the romance and sex to keep me invested. I knew who these characters were with their clothes on. I understood their personalities, histories, fears, insecurities, loyalties, and why they mattered to one another before the spice became a major part of their relationships.
And yes, there is definitely spice. 😂 I’m giving the complete omnibus 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ 4/5 peppers. The relationships become explicit, but the sex never replaced the actual story for me. There was still character development, magic, danger, humor, emotional growth, and a larger plot happening around it. That’s exactly the balance I want. I enjoy spice, but if I know everyone’s preferred position before I know their personality, we’re going to have a problem.
There were a few places where I would have happily slowed down and spent more time with the emotional aftermath or explored certain parts of the world in greater depth. There were also moments when better communication could have saved these people approximately seventeen problems, but apparently talking before charging headfirst into supernatural disaster would have been far too reasonable.
None of those things were significant enough to lower my rating, though.
For me, five stars doesn’t mean a story has to be technically flawless. It means the overall reading experience gave me what I was looking for strongly enough that the smaller issues didn’t outweigh everything I loved. To Tame a Shifter held my attention, gave me an actual plot and world to become invested in, made me laugh, gave me distinct characters and relationships, balanced its spice with substance, and—most importantly—made me care about these freakin’ lunatics.
By the end, I wasn’t reading just to find out what happened next. I cared what happened to them. I wanted Arlow, Kain, Rime, Chaos, and Sinister to get through the latest disaster because somewhere along the way I had become emotionally attached to this ridiculous supernatural family.
I laughed, got angry, worried about them, wanted to hug them, and occasionally wanted to knock a few fictional heads together. I even got the occasional urge to punch an alphahole in the face, which at this point may actually be one of my requirements for a successful reading experience.
Basically, I had a wonderful time. 😂
If you enjoy dragon shifters, why-choose romance, fated mates, found family, dangerous magic, protective and possessive men, a strong smartass FMC, supernatural politics, demons, humor, emotional depth, and plenty of spice without sacrificing the actual storyline, this omnibus is absolutely worth checking out.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5/5 Stars 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ 4/5 Peppers
As always, all thoughts, reactions, fangirling, suspicious side-eyeing, and sleep-deprived ramblings are entirely my own. 🖤🐉📚 SassyReviews. com
I really love this series. I love that Arlow has a heart of gold and loves her shifters despite being in hiding all her life and initially coming off as selfish and self serving. Like most she just wants to be loved and belong; something she thinks she is going to get in the dragon village, until the dragons’ past comes back to haunt them and a dark and mysterious presence comes in the village. Arlow does what she feels she has to, no matter the cost, in order to protect those she loves. Magic, mayhem and scorching bedroom (or basement) scenes. Includes multiples and M/M.
Not bad, although a part of this book felt a bit like a filler.
The h is beginning to be a bit annoying, as expected, but it's not as bad as it could have been. She knows and admits her flaws, so eh, I can get over it all.
The H are still awesome (nothing unexpected here).
The plot only gets interesting at the end of the book, but it was nice to see the 5 in a normal situation.
All in all, it's getting a bit boring, but there's only 1 book left, so on we go!
Arlow finally has found a family. I enjoyed seeing the five of them get closer and learn how to live together in Chaos and Kain's hometown. Each had their own breakthroughs and I think everything would have been fine except Elisse showed up. She is obviously insane and no doubt Kreedence was talking about her before he died. Its crazy how bespelled Arlow is around her.
This is a fantastic RH series. I absolutely love the characters and it has a good plot. This book was a lot shorter than the others. I would have preferred for it to be longer.
This series is just awesome. Arlow and the boys complete each other. Hope for Arlow and Sinister relationship to match the bond she has with dragons. What's better is that there's not a lot of wait time for the next book.
I really am enjoying the interactions between all the main characters. The author definitely knows how to keep you wanting more. I cannot wait to read Sustaining at the end of February when it comes out!
I stumbled upon this series and Sind respect to like it SO much! I’ve binged these books over the past couple days. Can’t wait to see if some of the suggested things happen.... yum!
I am so glad I started this series bc I cannot put it down! I have read at least one a day bc they is so much action, adventure and a journey of five ppl brought together by all of their broken pieces!
Amazing as always. I knew as soon as this mysterious woman was talked about, that I knew who it would be. Now I just need to know what she wants lol I'm still stuck in this series happily flying through ituntil I read that final page lol
I’m newest this series just keeps getting better. Normally by book 3 in a series I am done and over the story, plot, characters. This series however has been able to keep me focused and loving every book a little more than the last!
Arlow is trying so hard to fit in and it isn't working. I am so worried about Chaos though. The beginning of this book was very slow and it took a while to get to a exciting part.