Slow Shift

by Nazarea Andrews

One angry, grieving boy. Chase DeWitt is fourteen when his mother dies and he stumbles into the woods beyond his home, angry and heartbroken. He didn’t know that it would change the course of his life. Two broken, lonely men. Tyler Reid is twenty three, grumpy and angry, trying to take care of his injured brother, while rebuilding a life blind hatred destroyed in one night. But he understands the boy who stumbles out of the woods and into his life, understands the grief in his eyes and the rage that makes him shake. And there is something in that familiar grief that makes Tyler trust Chase, when trusting humans has only ever lead to disaster. And a falling down house they make a home. As the summer passes and the years turn, as Chase cares for Tyler’s brother, as he helps rebuild the house in the woods--as they help each other rebuild a life beyond the little house, Chase realizes two important these men matter to him, could be family. And they are not nearly as human as they seem.

Genres: M M Romance, Fantasy, Paranormal, Shapeshifters, Romance, Magic, Friends To Lovers

650 pages, Paperback

First published December 6, 2018

About the author

Nazarea Andrews is an avid reader and tends to write the stories she wants to read. She loves chocolate and coffee almost as much as she loves books, but not quite as much as she loves her kids. She lives in south Georgia with her husband, daughters, and overgrown dog.

Reviews

[Reem]

this story should have been left in AO3 to rot and I do not recommend you waste your time on it if you have other books to read. I thought I was going to be enjoying a story with characters that are similar to a fan favorite non canon couple, but I have no other way to describe this than: plagiarism. I wanted to read something new, not a badly written fanfiction that didn’t bother with changing more than names and minor details. I stopped after finishing chapter five.



first of all, the writing style is vague and unpolished, it’s snippets of events happening over a year so far where not a lot happens. the paranormal elements are sudden, as if it’s magical realism but I don’t believe it was a conscious choice by the author, most probably is she expect you already understand this world, which is what bad fanfic writers do. the point of views change every paragraph without warning and sometimes in the middle of a sentence, i got headaches trying to keep up.

second of all, and this point needs its own detailed explanation; is that it seems like the author is trying to show us that a father who wasn’t there all the time for his son when he needed him, has no right to fear for that 14yo kid when he’s hanging out in the woods with a 24yo man and his catatonic older brother, as if he’s overreacting!!! now I do not care if they reconcile later on, because I’m already pissed about this,, since the father/son relationship in the show was one of my favorites and now I’m supposed to hate him? she didn’t even bother to change his name ffs.


click here for more dad&son feels🤍

the plot, up to 15% : boy-mc loses mum and since pops ‘chief of police’ is a drinker who isn’t checking on his kid, he goes into the woods and finds a catatonic scarred man in a wheelchair while his grumpy-soft-hearted leather-jacket-wearing brother is fixing up a cottage, so he starts hanging out with them. we learn that the brothers lost their family ‘mum, pops and kid sis’ in a car accident leaving them and an old sis alive, YEP! the boy-mc’s bestie is a good guy but when a new girl comes along, boy-mc is basically forgotten. on halloween, the brothers visit the police station celebrations, where boy-mc gives them REECE’S CUPS🙂 then his bestie and new girl walk in and catatonic brother goes into seizure because they recognize her family’s scent. also, there are nightmares for everyone, even catatonic brothers where all three of them are howling or something.

additionally there are vague and sometimes random conversations like bestie telling the boy-mc he’s visiting his father for holiday and he ”goes very still, because he knows.” WHICH THE READER WON’T KNOW UNLESS THEY WATCHED THE SHOW, because it was a throwaway comment. or the scene where grumpy-mc is telling chief-pops that he understands his fear for his son hanging out with an older man more than he knows, WHICH THE READER WON’T UNDERSTAND SPECIFICS UNLESS THEY READ FANFICS; I’m almost sure they explain it later on but I couldn’t care less to be honest.

prediction based on a sentence, so don’t come at me it’s in the show but the redhead boy-mc is crushing on will get some kind of powers and catatonic bro will have some weird connection/relationship with her.



-

reading update
omg is this book based on sterek and teen wolf universe? mc’s dad is the police chief and he has a crush on a redhead. the other mc, i kid you not, is called TYLER and he’s grumpy and wears a leather jacket. his ‘older brother’ is catatonic in a wheelchair with injuries on his face, but he used to be fun and liked playing mind games!!!! BRO! I’m excited for this.

[JenMcJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is very much in the vein of Wolfsong or In This Iron Ground as far at the paranatural events and scope. All of these start with young kids and follow them for many years on their magical journeys. Of course they have different voices and writing styles and frankly, I appreciate all of the differences even as I recognize the parallels.

This was a good book. I loved the scope. I enjoy following a somewhat epic tale from childhood to adulthood. Seeing what makes a boy into a man and what breaks a man before he can be rebuilt or not. I loved the determination to keep loved ones safe and to eradicate threats by all means necessary without remorse. I loved the flow of the storytelling and the seamless way of switching between vague magical abilities, strong feelings and precise narrative.

It had some flaws. The writing style has a lot of POV's and each paragraph has to be deciphered to figure out whose head the reader is in. This, honestly, at times, was distracting and made a long book seem a bit longer. Next, the character of Ty, although a character to love and root for, he seemed so enmeshed in his grief and abandonment issues that too often I couldn't see him as the older adult in the relationship, his growth seemed very stunted. Chase seemed so much more mature at times it made things seem uneven. There were also inexplicable plot drivers that I struggled to understand and undermined my ability to sink into the story at first while I waited for the information that never came. (why didn't Chase's dad like Tyler? He doesn't like him even before he know Chase has met him and has a lot of negative things to say that for unexplained reasons Ty "understands" but for all of the book there is only mention of how much Ty's family was admired) . Finally, this book is really two different types of books. The first part is a coming of age, finding yourself and building family. The second part is paranatural action. I liked both but I'm not sure that this couldn't have been stronger if somehow they didn't seem so separated.

Regardless of my niggles this was a really good book. Another book that you have to read carefully and pay attention and the payoff is an HEA that everyone deserves.

This book is hard to find because it's not listed in Amazon under any of the LGBT tags as far as I can see. It's coming up mostly under paranormal romance and sci fi fantasy.

[Tee loves Kyle Jacobson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have to say that Nazarea has done it again! She has created a world where I am so drawn into I can feel it and see it while I am reading. I love that about authors because that means I get to have a vacation without leaving my home.

Chase my poor poor Chase loses his mother at a young age and runs away into the forest. It is there that he meets two brothers Tyler and Lucas. They soon become friends and Chase and Tyler share in their grief and rage that they have towards their families. As Tyler starts to trust Chase he shows him his life and how he has to care for his brother and rebuild the house they live in.

As the summer goes on Chase helps Tyler rebuild the house and as they are rebuilding the house they are building a relationship as well as a friendship and the two know that they need each other. As the summer turns into years the boys navigate through life together and share so much.

This is a coming of age story with a twist of paranormal to it. I loved how Chase and Tyler fell in love slowly and did not rush it. They had a friendship that turned into true love and family and that is what makes this a wonderful story.

[Shonee · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF @ 47% (ch. 16)

I lied. In a way, this is worse than Hamartia because I've read the same plot a million times over as Teen Wolf fanfiction. At least with Hamartia, it was only a single character that was imitating a real person that I already knew almost everything about.

I can tell that this author writes well, and if they'd put more effort into differentiating the setting and plot of this book from the fanfiction they repurposed it from, I would have loved it.

[rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

(reread) Somehow it seems impossible for me to say much about my second experience with this book. And I don't feel like making the effort to find words to describe what I feel. I don't have to, I don't think. My previous review seems to be enough already.

———

This was so not an easy read. There was a lot of death and blood and pain (so much pain). It was definitely not an easygoing romance with a touch of paranormal as the blurb kind of suggests, but it was absolutely phenomenal to read. I loved this book.

The plot was chaotic and sometimes not easy to follow because so much information was dumped on me I couldn’t always figure out what to do with it. But I found a way to understand eventually and I honestly didn’t mind the chaos at all. It was part of the experience.

And sometimes there were little tidbits thrown out into the world that were never mentioned before and never mentioned after and I was wondering where those came from because there were no indications of their existence. I didn’t mind that either since it was part of the chaos.

But this book, this story, touched something in me. It was emotional and painful and beautiful and phenomenal. I really loved everything about this book.

[Cassie May · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reviewed on behalf of 3 Degrees of Fiction Blog
Wow. Just wow. This book… This book was exceptional. I hope I can find the words to describe everything I felt while reading, because this book is a total recommendation for everyone. Seriously, everyone should read this book!
It started slow, almost a bit as if the author just put her thoughts to paper without really caring if it would become a story and then – BOOM – development. After the first few pages, I was hooked. I was hooked in this book. In the pain of these three men. I didn’t even realize how much till I looked up and the day was almost over. I did not notice the time running while I read.
This book is a fairy tale. A real life modern fairy tale about a boy and a man and how they completed each other and grew with each other. This book showed me that love is unselfish. That love is stronger than hate. That love can overcome everything. I was stunned to see how much Chase grew throughout the book. Personally and as a character.
The plot itself was woven like an intricate blanket giving the reader just enough information to understand the important things, while showing the other things in an almost magical way, I cannot really explain. The writing style was the perfect mix between show and tell, I felt as if I was INSIDE the book. As if I was there with Chase and Tyler and Lucas and the others. More than once I wept with them, because I had to let the emotions out that this book made me feel. It made me feel everything. Loss. Joy. Hunger. Fear. Hopelessness. Love. Everything. I could go on and on and on, but it would be better if you would just read this book for yourself. It is worth it. It is worth every penny you spend and every minute you use for reading it.
And one final thought: I never say anything about covers in my reviews, since I am not a cover buyer, but I had to mention this one. It’s beautiful and I love it and I will put this book in print in my bookshelf so I can look at its prettiness.
That’s all. Read this book. You will not regret it.

[m. · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 STARS

Slow Shift was an emotional coming-of-age journey through love, friendship, family and self-discovery. If you've read Wolfsong by TJ Klune, this book reminded me of that a lot, in a good way. It gave me the same kind of feelings, especially in the beginning.

I really enjoyed watching Chase grow from a lost, grieving teenager to a confident, beautiful man. His friendship with Tyler and Lucas was sweet and heart-warming and so sincere. I could feel that bond between them, that love and need they all have for each other.

It was especially adorable to see the love start to bloom between Tyler and Chase. To see them tentatively go from friends to lovers. Honestly, they were gosh darn cute together (plus that first sex scene between them hello that was hot).

The only thing I wish had been different is the ending. I really, really would've prefered it had the story ended at 72% or so. The perfect ending was right there, it felt natural. I did like what came after, but I feel it almost should've been a sequel novel because it was just too much for this one book. It almost made it feel like there were two endings and it just didn't flow well. It kind of dragged.

But besides that, I pretty much devoured it and I would gladly read other stories set in this world if Nazarea Andrews was to ever write more!

[Kay ❣ · Rating 3 out of 5]

It feels so similar to Wolfsong that I couldn't help comparing the two as I was reading along.

-age gap/they initially meet while one is still a minor
-everyone's traumatized and the human is what ties people together and heal
-human forms a pack despite not being a werewolf
-the result is a special pack with non-standard members
-human gets magical alpha abilities through the power of friendship and love

Ultimately the story didn't feel unique enough for me to judge it without noticing the similarities. The writing is beautiful and if slowburn with angst/healing is your kind of jam then you'll probably enjoy it

[Erica Chilson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this title to read and review for Wicked Reads

DNF @21% may attempt again at a later date.

Automatic 3 stars for a DNF since I didn’t finish the novel.
4 stars on the plot I read thus far, as well as the characterization.
2 stars on the writing, not just the style but the execution.

I need to be honest, I’ve never read third-person present tense previously, so that took a lot to get used to, but it wasn’t something I couldn’t overcome. But added with the fact that I never knew who the narrator was until a paragraph into the narration, where I deduced who was whom by their thoughts, which switched up from one sentence to another. Once, the narrator switched mid-sentence out of nowhere, from Chase to his father.

With this struggle, and the fact that many scenes were only a paragraph or two in length, I had a difficult time connecting to the story or the characters. I'd finally get the voice of the character in my head, only to be thrown because the next passage made no sense from them, only to work through the fact that it had to be someone else's narration.

I was provided an uncorrected proof that should be edited upon publication. However, the version I received was riddled with errors, to the point that it did affect my overall reading enjoyment and my ability to connect to the story. The little things, like ‘Dad’ always being capitalized when it shouldn’t be, were easily overlooked in the face of the major sentence structure issues. Slow Shift read as a first draft prior to editing/proofreading/rewrites. Due to this, it won’t affect my rating, but it had to be stated because it affected my ability to read to completion and write a review.

There was no hook gripping me at the beginning to have me continue reading. If it hadn’t been for a fellow book mate of mine warning how the beginning was difficult to get through, I would have stopped reading by the third or fourth page. Since she adored the story, I’ve tried to read for the past few days, struggling with every attempt.

While the story was intriguing, the writing style and execution did not live up to the plot’s potential. The flow was jarring, especially when passages in time were only a few paragraphs at most. While the wolf angle was interesting, it was just dropped out of nowhere, combined with the Drakes. It just felt so random with the previous pacing and content, as well as abrupt how Tyler told Chase. Just blurted it out.

The little things mixed with the big for me. In a passage, Chase tells Tyler his father is the sheriff. The next is a random thought from Chase about how nice it was that Tyler didn’t apologize for his mother’s death… but Chase didn’t tell Tyler about his mother’s death, only his father's profession (I reread this passage 5 times). As a reader, I only knew the mother passed but not how at this point, so why would Tyler know when they're strangers? That is the oddness that made reading the novel impossible for me. The things an editor would/should point out.

Currently at 21%, while I’m curious to see where it goes, every page I read doesn’t grip me at all. I started another novel, hoping to come back refreshed and able to tackle the novel. But on my third attempt, I realize reading should be about enjoyment, not taxing or work, and I’m beyond struggling to find the story beneath the writing issues.

Honestly, no matter how much my fellow book mate loved the book, at this point, I’d rather she just tell me what happened, because the writing style and editing issues has the novel impossible for me to read.

I wish the author luck- while the plot itself is my cup of tea, the writing style is not.

Edit: upon publication, I downloaded the sample and used the Look Inside function on Amazon. The copy I received was the final, published copy. I suggest downloading the sample or using Look Inside to determine if the novel fits your reading tastes.

[Malkamutzunka · Rating 3 out of 5]

As another reviewer mentioned, this must have started out as a Teen Wolf fan fiction. Overall, the novel is absorbing and in the first half, especially, we get to know and empathize with all the characters. However, it feels as if in the middle of the story, the editors/writer got tired finding ways to work around all the Teen Wolf universe details and decided it's fine to dump all the extra info on the reader. If you are familiar with the fandom, it's not a big deal, but I can imagine that someone who has no idea what's going on would be pretty confused. Nevertheless, I enjoyed the story (I just kept substituting the names in my mind) and would recommend for a quick read. If you liked it, do check out other TW fan fics on Archive of Our Own- there are really really good ones out there!

[Steph ☀️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

***4.5 stars***

[Happy Being A Nerd · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF at 80%

I got so annoyed with this book, that I just couldn't keep reading. This book is straight up plagiarism. If you were to change the names, and a minuscule of the setting - you have the tv show Teen Wolf. And as if that isn't bad enough, it's very poorly written. This reads as a bad Stiles/Derek fan fiction.

[Angela Goodrich · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book to read and review for Wicked Reads.

I’m going to be straight up honest with you, this was a difficult book to read in the beginning. Why? It's written in third person, present tense and it’s not a format I’m accustomed to reading. As this is the first book by Nazarea Andrews I’ve read, I don’t know if this is her usual writing style or not. I’m not opposed to it, it just felt awkward when I began reading. Added to that is the author’s use of head hopping to tell the story from the various characters’ points of view. A LOT of head hopping, sometimes with rapid shifts in the point of view. Being as most of the main characters are male, the head hopping was a bit jarring to begin with because there are no obvious warnings to the point of view changes and the third person writing results in a lot of HEs. So more than once I had to reread a couple of paragraphs to reframe the scene for the correct character when I realized a head hop had occurred. HOWEVER, after a few chapters, once I got to know the characters and became familiar with their voices, the point of view shifts weren't as jarring because I could almost always tell whose point of view it was. And then I got sucked into the story. I stayed up all night reading it. My point? If you’re like me and find the writing style jarring, stick with it because the payoff is tremendous.

I'm not sure what I was expecting, but this was sooooo much better than I envisioned. Slow Shift does not fit neatly inside a genre box. It’s part coming of age, part paranormal romance with a bit of an age gap, and part fantasy with a whole lot of action. Because the book begins when Chase is fourteen, we get to see him grow up over the years as he deals with grief, mortality, unrequited love, and duty, all while he cobbles together a family of his own making. The loss of his mother at fourteen reinforces what Chase already knew – that family is everything and there isn’t anything he wouldn’t do for those he loves and considers family. Stumbling upon a wounded and kindred spirit in Tyler and a keeper of secrets in Lucas, Chase finds a place to heal and a family to call his own, much to his father’s dismay when he finally puts the pieces together. Despite an initial, near disastrous, knee-jerk parental reaction, truces are forged and bonds are formed that strengthen over the years as the men in his life come to terms with what is in Chase’s best interest. They commiserate in shared fear as they realize the boy has become a man who will do whatever he must to protect those he loves, even when the consequences of those actions can and do harm him. For Chase, no price is too steep when it comes protecting his ever-growing family.

Slow Shift is one of my top reads of the year because it’s not my typical shifter romance fare. Not only does it cross genre lines, but the characters became so real to me – being in their heads and privy to their thoughts, while at first jarring, made the story unfold in such a way that not even sleep could pull me away from it. I don’t remember the last time I stayed up all night reading, unable to put the book down until I finished it. And the twists! There were things that happened that I never saw coming. Yes, there were predictable threads, but Andrews crafts a world that is more than just shifters and humans and does it such a way that the surprises and twists felt right and not over-the-top. Much like Chase did a time or two, I held my breath, waiting for the other shoe to drop, rolling with the punches, and hoping beyond all hope that Chase and his chosen family would make it through. While the inevitable romance between Chase and Tyler plays out, it doesn’t take center stage the entire time, and I think this is what contributes to the coming of age feel in the beginning. Another reason I enjoyed the book so much was that I got to see their relationship develop and change gradually over the years, cementing the foundation for the family Chase was building even before he was aware of it. This adds to the poignancy of the story and makes the suspenseful scenes when Chase’s resolve is tested, even more moving. My only complaint is that there's nothing to indicate Slow Shift is the first in a series and I want to spend more time in Andrew’s world!

Please note: My review is of an unedited, pre-release copy of this book and assumes that any errors were corrected prior to publication.

[Lidia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow, I did not expecting this story...this beautiful story. It has everything I love in a book, a paranormal one. First , is some time that I haven't read about werewolf, magi, magic and supernatural and I like like the author writes , as all is natural and real, and Nazarena Andrews makes it as a compendium on paranormal stuff, in an only book all the paranormal world is present: nothing demons but there is a dragon! Then , there is the love story between Chase and Tyler and that of friendship with Lucas and Aurora and the dynamics of pack: intense, moving, heartbreacking. And in the end ,there is the writing, slow paced, precise, poignant. I enjoyed every page, and little import how young is Chese to front everything came in his way because it worked and was exciting.

[**KAYCEE** · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ok. While reading this book (and to be honest, during some other books as well), I pondered how I and others rate books. Do we rate based on grammar? Believability? Accurate Continuity of facts and details? Or how about originality? I would have to say All of the Above. And also, maybe, it depends a little on what mood we are in. 🤷🏼‍♀️

I’m late to the game reading this novel, as it was published almost three years ago, and has been on my Kindle almost as long.

I give kudos to this author for the story especially given its on the longish side (over 300 pages). It reads like a fanfic. I adored the story, and it’s characters, especially Chase. I loved how the author begins the story with Chase as a young teen. We not only get to see how he grows and matures, but we see the dynamics of Chase, Tyler, and Lucas evolve. So when the romance begins, there’s a connection there between the reader and the characters. We get to invest in what’s happening and where the story leads.

Improvements (ie. and editor) are needed to correct spelling mistakes and continuity. As I witnessed Chase age, I swear he was older than the author states throughout. For example, his birthday is said to be in April, and as the years pass, sometimes his birthday is mentioned and sometimes it’s not. So, sometimes his age went up and sometimes it didn’t.

Those issues aside, it was a great story, reminiscent of TJ Klune’s Green Creek series. Not quite as well done, though. But definitely worth reading if you enjoy slow burns, paranormal, shifters, age gap, and some fantasy. I give 4 stars, despite the lack of editing, because of the feels. Oh, the feels ❤️

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars - I was given a free copy of this book to read and review for Wicked Reads.

This is the story of a grieving boy who meets two men in the woods. What happens next is both Chase’s coming of age story and the story of the relationship he builds with Tyler and Lucas.

This is a difficult story to review without revealing key plot points. The first half of the story is about Chase growing into himself. It’s about the way he works through his grief and relates to his friends and to his father. It’s about the second family he starts to build with Tyler and Lucas. The second half of the book is a world away from the first. Action, suspense and drama make a fairly domestic story into something much closer to Urban Fantasy.

I enjoyed the storytelling and worldbuilding in this book. I liked the characters but it took me some time to fully engage with the story. I found the first half of the book a little bit too slow and the second half slightly bewildering. This is a long book and at times I found it hard work. I enjoyed Chase’s personal development more than the bigger plot strands that emerge in the second half of the book and I really liked many of the platonic relationships that develop across the story.

For me, it’s the writing that lets this story down. I’ve never enjoyed novels written in the present tense. In this book, I found the writing jarring and I was never able to ignore the writing and settle into the story. The story flashes between perspectives and I found myself re-reading to figure out who was telling various scenes. I feel like there are also too many continuity issues - ages, times, years and seasons didn’t always make sense to me. Some of this is personal preference but some of these issues are editing problems that I hope will be rectified before publication.

[M · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this. Oh wow! The world building, the story, the characters (and character DEVELOPMENT)— it was all so amazing. I loved everyone so much. Chase, Tyler, my sweet Lucas, even secondary characters like Aurora and Chase’s father John. They were all so precious, I honestly felt like I was part of their pack while reading this. I usually don’t like having multiple POVs but it WORKED for this. Just being able to delve into the minds of these wonderful characters—whether it be Chase’s selflessness, Tyler’s guilt and pain, or even John’s grief and struggle—was MAGICAL.

I don’t know why but I felt like this book had a really similar vibe to TJ Klune’s Wolfsong series. Not that the stories were similar or anything, because they weren’t, but just a similar essence to it. I mean this in the best way possible as the Wolfsong series are one of my all time favourite shifter stories. I can now add Slow Shift to that list as well. I really hope we get to see more from this universe.

This was my first book by this author but definitely won’t be my last.

PS: Lucas is one of my favourite characters ever now, the world better protect him at all costs (though he probably doesn’t need any help).

[Riayl]

Not rating.

If I came across this on AO3, or another fanfic site, I would probably give it 3 or 4 stars.

But as something I paid for, with no clue that it was previously a fanfic, and a very obvious, the-author-did-nothing-to disguise-it fanfic, I'm kind of pissed off. Don't get me wrong, I love Sterek (and Steter), I read tons of fics, but I bought this expecting something new, something I hadn't read before, and what I got wasn't even a very original Teen Wolf AU.

It only took a page or two of reading to get a horrible sense of deja vu. I finished it, even somewhat enjoyed it, but I was irritated that the author didn't even try to hide that it was fanfic, and then I was irritated because I had to read the wrong damn names for the characters - which was pretty much the only thing done to hide that this was fanfic.

So now I am just grumpy all over.

But the reviews gushing over the world the author "created" do amuse me...

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was engrossed in this story from the very beginning, I just had to know Chase and his story. The intricate story with all the amazing people Chase is surrounded by, really made this book wonderful. I enjoyed every minute of it. I am so happy Chase and Tyler found each other when they needed each other the most. They built a family and home together, and it was beautiful to watch them grow together.

[Raj · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some books spark an ember in your mind that lingers with warmth long after the last word vanishes.This is one of those books.For fans of the TV series Teen Wolf this offering is going to be instalove and for the rest it's going to be a feast of the senses.

[Natalia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ay, me encantan los libros con ésta dinámica. Hace demasiado tiempo que quería leer Slow Shift y fue tan bueno!! Lo recomiendo, es un libro que te cuenta a través de los años y que a pesar de que es lento te mantiene pegada leyendo sin poder parar.

[thunderlightning · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars

Pro: engaging as fuck. Doesn’t have alphaholes. Interesting idea. Different from typical alpha/omega books

Cons: Lacks structure, purpose, and the writing is distracting and sometimes dislodging. Every single antagonist is horribly written, and a lot of thing don’t make any sense. Things are not smoothly developed and also too many elements. Author allergic to details.

So basically like the story but I don’t like how it’s written.

Either way I made it till the end so I count it as a win.

[TrickLolly · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF at Chapter Four (I think)

I've read FAR too many Sterek fanfics not to note all of the similarities. This author was just too lazy with her pull to publish game. I don't care if a story is p2p as long as authors are upfront about it and they REALLY make the story and characters their own. CLEARLY this was a Sterek fic.

Just a few similarities to fanon off the top of my head that appear in the little of this book I read:

Chase is Stiles, complete with his love of comics and curly fries.

His mom dies when he's young.

Tyler is Derek, complete with the gruff and growly demeanor. The actor who portrays Derek in Teen wolf is also named Tyler Hoechlin, which makes this even more cringe.

Chase's father is the Chief of Police and is an absent father and widower. His name is also John which, if you're a part of the Sterek fandom, you know is the fandom name of choice for Stiles' father.

Lucas is Peter, only in this he is Derek's (Tyler's 😒) brother instead of uncle. Still, he's wheelchair bound, burn scarred, and catatonic like Peter is in season one if I'm remembering correctly.

Benny is Scott and Marie is Melissa.

Aurora, the redhead, is most likely Lydia. I didn't read far enough to warrant my suspicions further.

Brielle Drake (Allison Argent) is part of a family of werewolf hunting witches, I guess. I didn't read far enough to confirm more details.

I skipped to the end and skimmed a bit and found that a Malia like character who lives as a feral coyote and a kitsune also show up at some point.

This author is lazy.

I don't think I even want to attempt to read any other books by this person.

[M.A. Grant · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5

[Agalactiae · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mais quelle jolie surprise ce petit livre !

Je suis tombée sur ce titre complètement par hasard sur Goodreads. Je ne savais pas à quoi m'attendre et pourtant j'étais attirée par ce livre comme un aimant. Malgré une période assez en dent de scie côté lecture, j'ai finalement tenté. Et qu'est-ce que j'ai bien fait !

Chase est un jeune garçon de 14 ans. Venant de perdre sa mère, il n'arrive pas à se rapprocher de son père... En se promenant dans la forêt, il tombe sur une petite maison, enfin plus ou moins une cabane. Et un peu plus tard, il rencontre ses habitants : Tyler et Lucas, deux frères. Chase va se lier d'amitié rapidement avec eux, en particulier Tyler avec lequel va se développer avec vraie complicité.

Le début du livre est ainsi consacrée à l'amitié, la complicité entre Chase et ses nouveaux amis. Chase va rencontrer une première fois Tyler et Lucas, puis va les voir une seconde fois... pour revenir à la cabane très régulièrement et participer à la rénovation de celle-ci. Cela va égayer son quotidien et je dirais même presque redonner un but à sa vie à ce moment-là.
La relation qu'il va entretenir avec Tyler, de 10 ans son aîné, est touchante. Une réelle complicité va se créer. Lucas est un homme un peu à part du fait de son état, mais malgré tout, Chase va trouver en lui une oreille attentive et saura presque tous les secrets du jeune garçon. Chase va devenir une partie à part entière de cette famille, naturellement.
J'ai vraiment aimé ces personnages et l'évolution de leurs relations au fil des pages.

Nous avons aussi toute une brochette de personnages secondaires par la suite. J'ai vraiment aimé le père de Chase aussi, qui ne sait plus comment se rapprocher de son fils et qui voit d'un mauvais œil cette relation privilégiée avec Tyler.

La plume est très agréable et j'ai aimé na narration, même si de temps à autre, j'avais un peu peur que certaines choses soient survolées. Le thème fantastique arrive tardivement, d'ailleurs je trouve l'histoire assez originale de par la manière dont elle est développée. Personnellement, j'ai été captivée du début à la fin ! Il y aurait beaucoup à dire mais je pense qu'il vaut mieux en savoir le moins possible afin de se réserver toute surprise ^^

Comme je le disais, ce fut donc une très bonne surprise, vraiment une très chouette lecture !

[Rebecca Austin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Chase DeWitt is 14 years old and an angry boy after the death of his mother and he meets Tyler and Lucas Reid while out walking in the forest one day and a friendship develops between them. Chase's dad, John, is the Chief of Police and doesn't want Chase anywhere near the Reid men but soon realizes that they truly care.

Tyler Reid is 23 and takes care of his brother Lucas after an accident claimed the life of his parents. He struggles with finding his place but there is something about Chase that brings him peace.

As a friendship develops between them all they must deal with what they are up against and find their way. When secrets are revealed will Chase stand by the Reid men or will he run?

There were parts of the book that I really enjoyed and other parts that I struggled to get through. I found the book quite long and some parts just didn't seem to flow as well as others.

I liked Chase and felt bad with everything that he was going through after the death of his mom. It was clear how much he struggled with his dad's drinking and also he was struggling with his identity a lot.

I did really like Tyler right from the beginning and it was obvious how much he cared about Chase yet he didn't act on his feelings and let Chase live his life and was just there for him. He was there for his brother Lucas and it was sad seeing Lucas so injured from the car accident.

I enjoyed seeing John change with his opinion of Tyler especially when he understood that he truly cared and wasn't taking advantage of him.

The end was good and I was definitely expecting it.

I struggled with keeping interested in the story at times and I found myself drifting and losing interest. I would like to try reading the author again as I did really enjoy the premise of the story but I just couldn't keep interested in it.

[Storied Conversation · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book for free from in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

The reason I gave it 4.5 stars is because of all the switching characters. Not to much characters since the story is told in the 3rd person but as the narrator switched characters it took me a moment or two to catch up. Once I did the story was great. I have never read anything by Nazarea Andrews before. When you start to read if you feel a bit overwhelmed keep reading, I promise this story is so worth it.

We begin with Chase at the age of fourteen and after the death of his mother stumbles his way into a family of his own creation. Of a sorts. This book is so hard to put into words the emotions that it has in it. We have everything from grief to love. We watch ad Chase grows into a man any mother would be proud of. Most of that is thanks to relationships and love he build with Tyler and Lucas. Both of whom are just as wounded as Chase we first meet them.

I am a die-hard romance junkie and while the romance between Tyler and Chase was there it wasn't always the focal point. I think that is one of the thins that made this story so great. We watch as their relationship changes through the years and it honestly makes a lot of the action and suspense all the better. There is no one genre for this book. It has everything I could want from a book and left me with one of the worst (in the best possible way) book hangovers I have had in a long time.

This review was originally posted on A Lucky Grace

[Zana Hsu · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5⭐️
Yes this is like in this iron ground (which I had just read) with a ten year age gap. But I liked this better. It is the found family, growing into yourself, teenage angst pining with a plot. Slowburn through so many years, it just held a lot more complexity for a reader.

I cannot say how this compares to wolf song (btw I am still looking for the original covers dammit) because it has been an AGE since I’ve read that book. But I think it comes close.

Chase, stumbling into Tyler and his brother Lucas in the woods. Chase had bloomed, from a neglected, sad, angry young boy into someone so beautiful in the best way possible. I LOVE a love story spanned through the years, the pining and want always gets to me in the best way possible, the bittersweet ache when they’re still figuring themselves out.

Tyler, oh Tyler. Being the mentor then friend Chase craved when he was younger. Caring for the neglected boy when no one else was there for him. Always being there for Chase every step of the way.
Then holding himself back when he realized this is becoming something MORE. Due to trauma inflicted years before by Mia. But Chase showed him that he’s not leaving, he’s here forever.

Slowing and surely, Chase grew to be Tyler’s equal, their age gap not as noticeable, sometimes it was Chase who exhibited more maturity and wisdom, as he shouldered the responsibility of the pack.

The plot is pretty good, with the basic threat of other clans, fighting and kidnapping. The kidnapping is kinda lackluster tbh but whatever I’m here for the love story anyways.

I’m so glad they got their happy ending (I know they all will but it’s still heartwarming to read it as it folds out.)

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read books by this author before, but this is the first PNR I've read by her (possibly her first published?!?) When I read the blurb, I couldn't help but be totally intrigued. There was so much that grabbed my attention! And then I got started..... I read this book within a matter of hours, unable to put it down. It was absolutely amazing!

This book centers around a teenage boy, who is working his way through a pretty traumatic series of events. His loneliness leads him to a couple of brothers, who had themselves had something pretty horrific happen to them. They forge a friendship that begins to rebuild the lives of all three of them. The bonds they create stand the test of time, and lead to things none of them could have ever saw coming.

Slow Shift, to me, was less about romance (don't get me wrong, this book was HOT and there was lots of romantic angst involved!) and more about the importance of family, whether it be the one you are born to or the one you make. Just a few warnings though. This is not the kind of book that can be read a bit at a time. There is so much going on, you won't be able to put it down. This also isn't a light hearted rom-com, that you will get a few laughs out of. This book was full of angst, drama, and very emotional. (Definitely, don't take it to work!) But in all seriousness, this book was definitely one I'd read again, and would recommend to my friends.

[blub · Rating 3 out of 5]

I couldn't finish it and may go back to it at the different date but as of right now I going to say DNF.
I liked the story starting out. In fact at chapter 7 I was reading this at 4am and didn't want to stop but did. At chapter 16 (46.3%) I don't want to read it anymore. The one scene with the threat/abuse/possessive protectiveness thing between Chase and Tyler seemed very out of character and violent to me but then again Chase is now a hormonal teenager and not a 13yr old anymore. That being said it's very slow and the build up feels like it's taking forever. I 'm usually okay with this and I love me some slow burn romance from Anyta Sunday but this book is something else. I want to know if Tyler and Chase will work it out but it's getting a bit boring for me. Not to mention how it will end with that wicked witch Mia (literally she's a witch).

Hierarchy of the pack is a bit weird also. Tyler previously said/thought him and his brother were omegas. Then it's later said that Lucas is a beta. It just confused me. Also the group was fragmented and I didn't like Chelsea, their pack alpha and sister. The shifters of this book were unique from other books I've read.

That being said I did like somethings about the book. I liked that Chase found a new family and he innocently incorporated himself into their pack., that he has good morale and would do anything for the Reid family. I like in turn that the Reid family would also go to lengths to keep chase safe.