Altered

The Made Ones Saga #1

by Vicki Stiefel

The Eleutians are dying out, one female at a time. To save their species, the powerful Alchemic Clan conscripts women from parallel worlds, altering them into the perfect breeding stock.
Kitlyn, a retired circus equestrian broken in both body and spirit, awakens on a strange world in her own much-younger body. She has been transformed into a Made One, but the gift of youth and the promise of a new life come at a terrible price.
Rafe, the Wolf Clan's warrior champion, vows to find the cause of the species' decline. He's certain the Alchemics' bid to save the Eleutians is but a thin veneer masking a dark purpose.
That vow becomes hard to keep with the threat of an inter-clan conflict and the arrival of the proud Made One named Kitlyn.
To save herself and those like her, Kit must carve a dangerous path in this new reality and make a choice that may cost her her freedom, her life, and the life of the Eleutian warrior she's come to love.

Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Science Fiction, Romantasy, Paranormal, Time Travel

398 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 12, 2019

About the author

Author also writes under Sanna Brand

Award-winning author Vicki Stiefel now also writes as Sanna Brand, including Regency Romances, THE BOND (Book 1, The Secret Tales), THE DECEPTION, and now, THE SEER. Vicki’s s fantasy romance series, The Made Ones Saga, launched with ALTERED, continued with CHANGED, and climaxed with ASCENDANT.
Vicki continues work on her Afterworld Chronicles and her award-winning mystery/thrillers feature homicide counselor Tally Whyte.
Vicki tapped into her love of knitting to produce Chest of Bone The Knit Collection and co-write 10 Secrets of the LaidBack Knitters.
After running The Writers Studio with her late husband, William G. Tapply, Vicki taught fiction and modern media writing for six years at Clark University.
She grew up in professional theater and planned to become an actress. Instead, she slung hamburgers, managed a scuba shop, and became a college professor. She is a mom to two wonderful humans and a furry pack. Her passions for scuba diving, fly fishing, knitting, and horses pop up in her novels, as do chocolate, bourbon, and lobster. Currently, she's playing with her menagerie while working on THE UNSEEN (as SANNA BRAND) , the fourth book in The Secret Tales.

Reviews

[Bex (Beckie Bookworm) · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first thing I have read by this author and I really did enjoy it.
Altered is the first book in a new series later books will explore what happens to Kitlyns sisters Bree and Sybi.
Kitlyn a fifty-eight-year-old retired circus performer with Huntington's finds herself transported to a parallel world Eleutia and remade by the Alchemists as a made-one.
basically, the best version of herself with all her genetics corrected and in a much younger body.
The Elautians females are dying out and they need breeding stock hence the made ones.
Kit is taken in by the wolf clan and adopted into the pack.
Deeply fascinated by Rafe the wolf clan champion Kit starts to grow closer to him as he covertly courts her but with so much worry over her sister's current whereabouts Kit also has other things cluttering up her mind.
Add to the fact that Kit seems to be in danger from various multiple sources also a jealous rival for Rafe's affections and the Kat clan breathing down there necks this one was definitely ramped.
This is told from various POV and is also quite a lengthy read.
In terms of the romance, this is quite slow burn but this did work.
I am looking forward to picking up this story again in book two which will follow Kits sister Bree.
This one gets a thumbs up from me I really did enjoy myself.
I voluntary reviewed a copy of Altered: The Made Ones Saga Book 1.



Reviewed By Beckie Bookworm
https://www.facebook.com/beckiebookworm/
www.beckiebookworm.com

[Carol (StarAngel's Reviews) Allen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book – Altered
Author – Vicki Stiefel
Series – The Made Ones #1
Cliffhanger? - Yes
Publication Date – August 12, 2019
Genre – Fantasy Romance
Rating – 4 out of 5 Stars

Complimentary copy generously provided by NetGalley for the author in exchange for an honest review.

My Thoughts - Story
First things first…this was such a unique storyline and I found myself totally involved with Kit and especially Rafe. I can’t even describe the genre because it gathers so many together…while the clans live in almost a historical time with a few gadgets, the Alchemists would fall more under Sci-Fi….while we have Rafe and Kit which brings in the romance aspect…I can keep going! Oh…and don’t let me forget about the paranormal aspect too…hahahaha

Think of it this way…there aren’t many women in Kit’s world and the Alchemists want to recreate but there aren’t enough women. So what they do is to take women from other parallel worlds and bring them into theirs with enhanced abilities. Kit is an aging women when she is transformed into a twenty-something and now she has a second chance to live her youth.

There are many obstacles but between Rafe and Kit….they continue to fight to overcome them and get closer together.

Yes, there were some over the top moments, especially with Kit but it was easy enough to overlook.

Reason for Reading – NetGalley Request
Story – 4 out of 5 Stars
Steam – 4 out of 5 Stars
Angst – 4 out of 5 Stars
Writing – 4 out of 5 Stars
Content Flow – 3.5 out of 5 Stars
Would Read More from Author? Yes
Recommend To – Readers who love to be entertained and fast paced action

[Mei · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this book from Netgalley for my honest review.

This book can be fantasy, SF, romance, paranormal… a poutpourri of different gendres.

The heroine, Kit, is a 58 years old woman, crippled and dying of Huntington's who mysteriously, while trekking with her sisters, falls into a cliff and instead of dying, emerges into a parallel world young and whole again.


So, you would think that she would act like a mature woman. Nooo.. she acts like a 20 something, full of fears and indecisions and doubts.

I could understand doubts since the world she fall in is different than our Earth. There’re magical creatures, wolf talk with people, people live longer, it’s mix of bucolic, rural life like in a feudal Earth, but mixed with technological innovations like TV and phone and hoover-cars.

I could also understand her fears of thigs that remind her of her accident. Like riding…

But, I couldn’t understand her fears about everything else. Why would she fear the clan who accepts her? Why would she fear the attraction toward Rafe? Why would she fear being young and healthy again?

And there’s so much NA vibe here. They’re both acting like a 18 years old would… I didn’t like it at all.

The backstory and the world building is nice and interesting enough, but, even if the author tries to create differences, often they are not different enough. Even the language is too similar.

Also, the clans being unable to oppose the Alchemists’ tyranny is lame. The clans obey the Alchemists blindly like they’re small children. They don’t think, they just obey even the stupidest order! It was so frustrating!


There were so many instances where Kit’s thoughts were so OTT that I wanted to yell to her to snap out of it!!

Still it was not without merit! As I said the world bulding is interesting and would like to see if the clans would defeat the Alchemists!

[Marta Cox · Rating 4 out of 5]

Three and a half
This is a difficult book to categorise as its a mixture of science fiction spliced with fantasy elements and all wrapped around a romance. Kit is a fifty eight year old woman who finds her consciousness waking up in a different dimension and she is now inhabiting a twenty something version of herself ! You would expect she would run around screaming but actually no because she's quickly taken in by a Clan who have a symbiotic relationship with Wolves and although initially Kit feels like a prisoner she adapts and starts to form attachments but there's a sinister plan taking place and Kit is slap bang in the crosshairs !
Such a lot going on here and it could have easily turned into a Shifter romance but I liked that the author took a different path. Make no mistake this is probably more sci fi than perhaps the cover indicates with its technology but there's also magic present although it's something that those in charge are seeking to eradicate. It's a strange mish mash that oddly enough does work although I couldn't quite believe the way these Clans blindly follow the Alchemists Clan . It was a very interesting idea and there's a lot more to come although for this reader at times the characters didn't feel realistic in their actions but as a first in the series it certainly felt unique and original.
This voluntary take is of a copy I requested from Netgalley and my thoughts and comments are honest and I believe fair

[Christa · Rating 5 out of 5]

In a world that is dying due to no females being born, scientists, known as Alchemist, pull women over from parallel dimensions.

Kit is walking with her two sisters when a cliff opens up beneath them and they fall into another world.

The face of her youth stared back at her. She wasn’t just whole again. She was young again.
Tears spilled over her lids and tracked down her rosy cheeks to hang suspended on her undamaged chin.
Kit whirled, putting her back to the mirror and crossing her arms around her waist.
Astonishing. Incredible.
But what about her Huntington’s?

Kit has a new lease on life - not only is she in a younger body but she also has no signs of the disease that was slowly taking her life.

She is found by leader of the Wolf clan Rafe. She learns more about their world and its people.

These people hadn’t given her a choice, just dragged her here and changed her without her permission. Now, she chose to leave.

The world building is fun. I liked Kit as a main character - she’s strong and emphatic. She comes a long way from her frightened self at the start of the book. Rafe is a great love interest. He’s a good guy who slowly falls for Kit. Their relationship going from two people who are attracted to each other to falling in love was realistic and well paced.

I enjoyed this book and I’m looking forward to see what else the author does in this world she’s created.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Eva Millien · Rating 4 out of 5]

To save their species from dying out, the powerful Alchemic Clan conscripts women from parallel worlds and alters them into the perfect breeding stock. Kitlyn has been transformed into a Made One but the gift of youth and promise of a new life come at a terrible price. The Wolf Clan’s warrior, Rafe has vowed to find the cause of the species’ decline and he’s certain the Alchemics bid to save the Eleutians is but a thin venner masking a dark purpose.

This new series is starting off on the right track with a fascinating world and unique story elements that make for great reading. The characters are strong, bold and easily captivate readers with their stories and the romance between Rafe and Kit has lots of chemistry and they are made for each other but the relationship is hampered by the insistent of other clans wanting her for themselves so this happily ever is not a sure thing. Lots of emotional turmoil flows from the pages, making the characters come alive and ensuring that readers connect and understand where the characters are coming in their situations.

The plots starts off a little on the slow side before it picks up momentum, however this builds up the suspense and gives readers vital information about the world they are experiencing and lets them really get to know the characters and the politics. The only ones readers can’t get a true feel for is the devious enemy that seems to rule everything but this is probably because their overall plot is quite complex and has far reaching consequences so readers definitely wants to know more.

[Lucy Gardiner (luc_lostinbooks) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Altered follows a 58year old woman called Kit and her two sisters who all have a disease which is slowly killing them. Whilst on a walk the sisters seem to fall into a parallel world. Kit has been remade from an old women to the best version of her younger self with no disease or scarring she had as a result of a circus accident in her past. Rafe is in a wolf clan and the one to find her, but not her two sisters.

I thought the world building was done really well, it was detailed and easy to picture. The same goes for the physical descriptions of the two main characters. I also liked that they were late twenties, although they both acted quite immature at times.
I adored Kit as a character, I felt because she had already lived her life as a retired circus performer on earth she utilised her experience and was logically minded. She also had some humorous moments that made me smile.
Rafe seemed a bit strange, I wasn’t sure what to make of him. The fark and shote replacing swear words was kind of annoying me.
The romance was slow burn which I prefer in books, there wasn’t any insta-love although Kit & Rafe both were attracted to each other to start with.
I originally thought that this was going to be about shifters but was pleasantly surprised, I can honestly say I’ve never read anything like this before. It was unique, imaginative and a refreshing change from the usual type of shifter/fantasy story. The cover is also beautiful!

I’d give this book 4 stars out of 5 ⭐️

Thank you to Netgalley & Afterworld publishing for sending me this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Kara-karina · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5/5

I always read Vicki's books with great pleasure. They are so vivid, original and incredibly cinematic, I can almost imagine them on the big screen. Altered is no exception.

Other people already noticed that Altered is difficult to categorise: fantasy, sci-fi and a bit of steampunk together. There are parallel worlds, technological advances, genetic experiments and at the same time, flying horses, floating islands and clans of people with an affinity to different spirit animals.

We meet Kitlyn, one moment crippled by Huntington's along with her two younger sisters, suffering from old injuries in her late 50s and slowly dying, and next moment she is rescued in a parallel world possessing a young, strong body in peak condition and freaking out, not knowing what's going on.

She goes to live with the Wolf Clan to which her rescuer, Rafe, belongs, and slowly finds out why she was transported to Eleutia and how messed up that world is.

Eleutia is pretty torn between two directions. The Alchemics possess all knowledge to the technological advances and share it sparingly with the clans. They are hated, feared and pretty much rule Eleutia, especially because this world is dying due to the birth rates drastically falling in the last hundred years. The Alchemics' solution is to bring dying women from Earth to periodically bear children to men from some of the clans.

The clans (the two we interact with here are Wolfs and Cats) are a bit like Highlanders, chafing under The Alchemics rule and forbidden to use their old customs and magic. They are warriors, and their world is getting more and more narrow under the Alchemics constraints.

Kitlyn and Rafe slowly become entangled in each other's lives and caught into a major intrigue which will probably continue developing throughout the rest of the books. By the way, Kitlyn and both her sisters are transported at the same time, so we can only assume, that this series will have at least three instalments.

There are plenty of very interesting characters, which I'd have loved to see more fleshed out. Rafe's father, for example, or his friend. Kitlyn herself is a fascinating woman with much-hidden depth. She went through major trauma, she grew up as a circus performer. she's been abused and she is well-versed in the art of self-defence. She is a true survivor and a formidable one at that.

Altered is fast-paced and juicy, and it will definitely make you want to learn more about its characters and world-building. This is perhaps my only complaint: the storyline needed fleshing out. There were so many small details which were only mentioned in passing and left me hungry for more. Otherwise, don't hesitate to try this author, she has a unique writing style and vivid imagination, and the originality of her storytelling hasn't disappointed me so far.

* * *
Я всегда читаю книги Вики Стифель с большим удовольствием. Они такие яркие, оригинальные и необычайно кинематографичные, их так легко представить на большом экране! В этом плане Altered - не исключение.



Другие читатели уже заметили что жанр Altered тяжело характеризовать. Она и фэнтези и роман и научная фантастика и даже немного стимпанк. Здесь параллельные миры, новые технологие и генетические эксперименты сосуществуют с плавающими островами, летающими конями и кланами людей, связанных с определенными животными душами.


В один момент мы встречает Китлин, умирающую от Хантингтона и страдающую от старых травм. Ей за пятьдесят лет, и она вместе со своими двумя сестрами поднимается в гору. В другой момент она перенесена в параллельный мир Элютии, ее тело в пиковой форме и разум пытающийся осознать что же с ней произошло. Рэйф, ее спаситель, забирает ее в клан Волка, где перед ней потихоньку вырисовывается картина того, что происходит на Элютии, и почему она туда попала.


Элютия разрывается в двух направлениях. Алхимики управляют всеми технологиями и берегут их секреты. Около сто лет назад уровень рождаемости в кланах упал и они решили переодически доставлять умирающих женщин с Земли кланам, чтобы хоть как-то новое поколение пополнялось. В то же время, кланы построенные наподобие воинствующих горцев, тяжело переносят тиранию Алхимиков и запрет на использование их природной магии.


Рэйф и Китлин оказываются вовлечены в романтические отношения и в большую интригу, которая будет разворачиваться по крайней мере на протяжении трех книг этой серии, так как Китлин и обе ее сестры каждая получат свою книгу.


Китлин - очень интересная женщина, бывший цирковой акробат, прошедшая через много душевных и физических травм, владеющая многими боевыми искуствами. Она - по жизни борец. Да и вообще, много здесь интересных персонажей, о которыхмне хотелось узнать побольше.


Altered - книга сочная и быстрая, и она очень разогреет ваше любопытство. Скорее всего, ее единственный недостаток, это отсутствие масштаба. Очень много интересных деталей, о которых бы хотелось узнать подробности, но их нет. В остальном, это автор, которого читать стоит, она очень оригинальна.

[Lynn Latimer · Rating 4 out of 5]

A race called the Eleutians has been struggling with fertility issues and a lack of females being born. The Alchemic clan, ersatz rulers of their world have been stealing Earth women in parallel universes and transforming them into essentially breeders. Kitlyn, who was a circus performer until injury and disease forced her retirement, was snatched along with her sisters to this unknown place and altered to become a Made One. Kit’s newly young and restored form does not prepare her for all the changes nor give her the ability to cope with the new world into which she has been thrust.

Rafe of the Wolf Clan knows something is wrong with his world that likely has to do with the overbearing Alchemics who hold his planet hostage by their control. Conflict with other clans over the possession of the Made One causes more problems. Rafe finds himself drawn to Kit who is a fierce and brave woman learning to deal in hyper speed with her new paradigm. Having to absorb a language, customs, and unknown environment challenges Kit in ways she never dreamed of though there certainly are some major pluses with a revitalized healthy young body.

Kit and Rafe bravely face their challenges while drawing closer though many obstacles must be overcome for them to be as one. The world building in this series is creative and imaginative with a new spin on the connection between the clans and the animals they take their names and characteristics from in this unique place. This story belies the adage that you cannot put an old head on a young body providing a fascinating take on what it would feel like to be given a second chance at life, but with wisdom and knowledge already gained. Fans of Ms. Stiefel will enjoy this first in a series.

[Erika (The Nocturnal Fey) · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you are into fantasy and science fiction, you’ll surely love the mixture of these elements here, together with the spectacular world-building.

Altered’s premise is enough to keep me absorbed throughout my reading journey. But it was the exquisite world-building and interesting characters that made me even more eager to go deeper into the story.

Disclaimer: I received an eARC in exchange for an honest review in participation for a blog tour organized by Xpresso Book Tours. This doesn’t affect my opinion of the book in this review in any way.

You can read my full review here: The Nocturnal Fey

[Stacey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review excerpted from my blog post over at FanSciHist (https://fanscihist.wordpress.com/2019...)

My Rating: 4 stars

Library recommendation: Recommended for public library fantasy, paranormal, and/or science fiction romance collections.

Warning: Hereafter, you chance spoilers. I will try never to reveal major plot points, but to review any book, you must reveal some parts of the story.


______________________


Number of titles I have read by this author: 2

Love story speed: Medium burn

Relationship dynamics: The Wolf Alpha’s Son (H) / The Remade Middle Aged Circus Performer (h)

Sexual content: Some, both “on-screen” and “off-screen”. “On-screen” sexual content is explicit.

Triggers: PTSD (h); Loss of free will for women that may be interpreted as misogynistic; violence (not too graphic)

Grammar/Editing: Some typos; lack of apostrophes with possessive forms of plural nouns

Review: This evenly paced novel is set on a parallel world that evolved differently from Earth to include magic, advanced technologies and symbiotic relationships with animals. While there is some repetition of details within the story, the world building is well-done, both at the micro and macro level, while leaving enough to be described in future installments of the series. The physics are consistent with Earth physics, but the biology appears to differ in a way that wasn’t sufficiently explained. That is, women appear to be responsible for genetic sex selection in babies, but on Earth, this is not the case. I look forward to seeing if this is delved into further later in the series.

Rafe and Kit begin as acquaintances in a situation of need and develop a very mature, realistic, loving relationship. They are very sure of one another and remain so throughout. They trust one another a lot – far more time was dedicated to actual plot points than communication errors, wish I appreciated a lot (a lot). Some supporting characters were developed more than others and some of the villainous characters could have been given more back story to understand their motivations better, but overall, character development was well done and it was clear, even without reading the sneak peek for the next book, who the hero and heroine of the subsequent novel will be. Paulo the coywolf was also a definite highlight for me.

I am quite excited to read the next installment in this series and can’t wait until it comes out next year.

Bigtop version: An entertaining spectacle featuring unique tricks and old favourites that will entertain the majority of circus lovers and will leave the crowd feeling that the show can’t come back to town soon enough.



Full disclosure: I received a free advance review copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[S.S. Bazinet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exciting romance, beautiful world-building and mysteries that keep you turning pages!

Imagine being a fifty-eight-year-old woman who’s disfigured and has a fatal disease. What would it be like to wake up in a parallel world? Even if you had a healthy, young body, would you have the courage to face such a situation when you’ve left behind everyone and everything you know and love?

Kitlyn finds herself facing such a challenge. Yes, her body is thirty years younger, and she’s beautiful again, but she’s been given these gifts for a singular purpose. She’s supposed to help the people in her new world by bearing female children, a capacity that its native people are losing.

The story’s premise proves to not only be thought provoking, it’s so well told that the ideas seem plausible and exciting to explore. Kitlyn is portrayed in a way that I found satisfying. Some heroines can be young and prone to making a lot of mistakes. Kitlyn isn’t like that at all. She’s learned a lot in her fifty eight years on Earth. Now, faced with a totally new life, she’s able to maintain a very wise and courageous approach in how she goes about adjusting to her circumstances. When she interacts with the people and her environment, she’s able to keep a lid on her fears for the most part. Yet, her strong, indomitable spirit is always questing for freedom not only for herself, but for the people in her new world.

Her involvement with a handsome, clan warrior is also handled in a way that keeps you turning pages, enjoying the fire that pulls them closer and closer together. Meanwhile, there are lots of mysteries that keep you wondering. Why have the people lost their ability to produce enough female children? Why are they denied access to the sciences? Who are the Alchemists and what is their plan for the planet and its peoples? There are also telepathic relationships with animals, magic that is yet to be revealed, and other elements that make this a must read for people who love fantasy, romance and discovering other dimensions and parallel worlds.

[Space Cowgirl · Rating 5 out of 5]

His🐺 Greatest Weakness💘 and His🐺 Greatest Strength💘

ADULT Alpha Alien Male🐺🍆⛲💪🔪 Romance, Adventure🔪 and Betrayal.
We have to decide What to do with the Time⏳ that is given us...
This is quite a long book that chronicles the new beginning of a new life for Kit👵, a woman from 🌎Earth. On Earth🌍, she and her two sisters were in their fifties, and she was dying of Huntington's disease.

Suddenly, she is somehow transported to another planet🌍 and found at the top of a mountain encased in ice by Rafe🐺💪🔪Wolven, a warrior and the Commander of the warriors of the Wolf🐺 clan.

When Kit💃💋 wakes up, Rafe💪🔪 tells her she is a "made one" and she soon realizes she is now healed of her disease and made much younger! But at what cost? The clans would fight a war over her!

The secretive Alchemic clan is responsible for her transport and transformation to their parallel world🌍. They hold The power on Eleutia🌍. But for how long?

The inhabitants of Eleutia🌍, are 80% male of various animal clans, and competition is high for the made ones. Kit💃💋 is never safe unless she is in Rafe's🐺🍆⛲💪🔪 company or in the company of wolves🐺 from his clan.

Kit💃💋 wants to know what has happened to her sisters. She is sure they are on Eleutia🌍, too. But there is a web of secrecy by the Alchemics about their whereabouts.

ARC Provided by Hidden 💎Gems
I also got this ebook with Amazon Free📚
Opinions Expressed here are entirely my own.

I really enjoyed this ADULT novel with a strong heroine💃 and her hero🐺! There are ADULT scenes, but mostly the book is about the secretive anti-made ones trying to kill Kit, and the competition for her between Gato, the Alpha 🐱Cat and Rafe🐺🍆⛲💪🔪, the son of the Alpha Wolf. These human like men do not shift, but still retain some animal features of their clans.

This book is a mixture of several genres, sci-fi, paranormal, fantasy and magic, as well as a deep romance💕, but it all works pretty well together.

[Cranky - The Book Curmudgeon · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 CRANKY STARS


This is a delightfully different book. I loved the characters and the world the author created. The whole subject of parallel universes is fascinating. It’s a simple story but tugs at your heartstrings. Makes one wonder, how would I react if this happened to me?


Kitlyn and her sisters Sybi and Bree are in their fifties. They live in northern Maine and are former circus performers. Their parents owned the circus. Kit was an equestrian performer and a tragic accident left her scarred and broken. She has not been able to ride a horse since the accident and is prone to flashbacks. As if life hasn’t been hard enough, she has been diagnosed with Huntington’s Disease. It’s not just her either, all three of the sisters are affected by this genetic disease. It means a terrible and painful death at some point. However, the women try to remain upbeat and live their lives to the fullest.


One sunny afternoon, they are hiking the mountains in Acadia when they stop on a cliff side to enjoy the view. The cliff gives way and all three tumble to “somewhere”. Kit wakes up at the bottom of a cliff in a cold creek and can’t find her sisters. She is in a thin dress and nothing looks familiar. All she knows is that she will freeze if she doesn’t start moving. Carefully, she fights her way up the steep cliffside to the top and passes out under a tree. When she wakes again, she is in a vehicle with a strange but handsome man. He takes her to a strange medical clinic where she sees herself for the first time since the fall. Who is she? The image staring at her in the mirror is a twenty something woman with no scars and a perfect body. After her medical exam she is told some shocking news. Where is she and what has happened?

[Valerie - Cats Luv Coffee Book Reviews · Rating 3 out of 5]

Altered is such a unique story. I’ve truly never read anything like it. Kitlyn is 58 years old, with a vibrant history of training and riding horse, until an accident and Huntington’s takes that away from her. She’s out walking with her sisters when suddenly the world falls away. She wakes up in another world, in a younger, perfect body, one free of the disease taking her life. This new realm is not like Earth either. Rescued by Rafe, the leader of the Wolf clan, she’s taken back to their home and all is eventually explained to her.

It was such a strange book. Altered has so many indicators of multiple genres. It was almost as if a paranormal romance was having an identity crisis! It has paranormal elements, such as the “real” wolves that the Wolf clan can communicate with and the other clans, such as Cat and Falcon that can do the same with the corresponding animal. It had elements of science fiction, like the parallel worlds and the Alchemics’ genetically altered “Made Ones”. Technology that is doled out by the Alchemics that essentially rule this world. There’s land crusiers like in Star Wards too. It also had a dystopian vibe, given that the women are zapped from their world into Eleuthia to essentially be broodmares and save the diminishing population. Then there were fantasy elements: horses with wings, floating cities, and magic.

Read more at Wicked Cool Flight

[Camille · Rating 5 out of 5]

Altered is a gorgeous fantasy romance with elements of sci-fi, plenty of action, and richly developed characters and their symbiont animals. Vicki has built a compelling world on Eleutia, a parallel world to Earth, where we experience a more ancient way of life (think warriors and gladiator-style fights) with modern technology (hovercars and laseblasters).

I fell in love with the proud Kitlyn, a complex woman who finds herself in a new body on a strange world. And her love interest, the Wolf Clan alpha Rafe, is as deep and layered as she is. Watching their story unfold was beautiful and kept me on the edge of my seat until the very end.

Not only do we have amazingly developed main characters, but Vicki is as masterful in creating her secondary characters and villains into people that you actually care about. It all weaves together into a compelling story that draws you in and doesn’t let go until the satisfying conclusion.

I would recommend this book to any read who loves strong female characters, hunky but sensitive males, richly developed worlds, and love stories that develop realistically and beautifully. Lucky us – Vicki sets up the series to continue through Kit’s sisters, Bree and Sybi. I can’t wait for the next one!

[The Book Junkie Reads . . . · Rating 4 out of 5]

New author. New read. New world. New characters. New chance at life in a different realm.

Altered was a fitting description of what happened to Kitlyn and the life she once knew to be hers. She one day wakes to find herself in a completely new body, new world, and surrounded by newer and stranger things.

This one was more than a fantasy, more than a romance, more than what it was. I found so much more in this world to question, to want to know more, to keep turning the pages for.

Altered was no afternoon in the sun and done. It was long and varied form one POV to the next. You most certainly needed to pay attention to all that you were reading and the various characters that you ran in to and the ones you only read about and not meet yet.

With this being the beginning of a series, I wanted more of it to get a deeper understanding. I am looking forward to book two and the new story along with having the opportunity to return and re-read book one with Kitlyn and Rafe as the star couple.

[Caroline Noe · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the parallel world of Eleutia, extinction beckons as the female population dwindles. Cold and scheming, the scientist ruling clan steal the dying and rebirth them as Made Ones, ready to bear precious girls for their adoptive clan.
Middle aged, traumatised and horribly wounded, former circus performer Kit, now remade as a young beauty, is taken in by the Wolf Clan and their fierce leader Ralf, but that is just the start of a war which will call on every talent of her past.
Altered is a strangely eclectic mix of genres. The cover screams fantasy and there are elements of the magical, such as the symbiosis with wolves and flying horses, but the majority of the narrative thrust is more in the realms of romance with a smattering of sci fi. The story is built around the burgeoning relationship between Kit and Ralf which is sexual and infuriating in equal measure.
The book both begins and ends well, but does tend to drag a little in the middle, where a plot twist or two might have helped. Still I very much enjoyed it, despite not being particularly drawn to the Clan Viking feel.
A formidable 4 stars.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ooooh!! Altered is this wonderful mix of fantasy and a bit of Sci-Fi, which, if you didn’t know, is my obsession. I was pretty fascinated with the plot of this novel.

This is my first read by Vicki Stiefel, and it won’t be the last. Her world-building is so rich and deep, that I could escape into the world while I was reading.

Sometimes the characters reacted in ways I didn’t expect them to. Sometimes that was good, and sometimes it confused me. The positive to this is that Altered is the first in the series and there’s plenty of room to grow the characters more!

I’m glad I had the chance to read this one and I definitely recommend it.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book as part of a blog tour with Xpresso Book Tours. All opinions are my own.*

Find this review and more on my blog: https://www.jessicabelmont.wordpress.com

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

“I’m here to help you,” he said.
Ted Bundy had probably said the same.

I did not go into this book with many expectations, but I was pleasantly surprised by the development of Kitlyn’s character through the reveal of the events of her past and her time with the Eleutians. Her romance with Rafe developed logically (at least to me) and her focus on finding her missing sisters never wavered in the face of a hot guy or a new world. Her persistence in facing down the negative events of her past, even when her fear sometimes got the better of her, struck a chord with me and actually improved the overall reading experience. I am certainly looking forward to the next book in the series.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Sasha Casillas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Altered was the first book I have read from author Vicki Stiefel. Altered is the story of Kit, a woman in her fifties dying of disease. She is brought unwillingly into a parallel world where she is returned to the youth and health of her mid-twenties. I was immediately drawn into the first Made Ones story, it had a fascinating premise and a quick start. I did struggle about a quarter of the way into the book; I wanted more detail on the world and the characters and wasn’t getting it. I did continue the book after a couple of days and I was very glad I did! The story really picked up and I devoured the rest in about a day. I will definitely be picking up book 2.
I received an ARC of Altered by Vicki Stiefel from NetGalley for an honest review.

[Karen Machamer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review. I really enjoyed reading this , and I recommend it to everyone

[Nerdy Housewifey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yes! This book was so full of action I loved it! Kit is a retired circus performer that is captured by a different race and then altered to be more genetically perfect as they are in need of new breeding stock. This was definitely a science fiction book but I loved the sprinkles of magic and romance. I really can’t wait for the next books about Kit’s sisters

[This Literary Life · Rating 5 out of 5]

Altered is the first book that I have read by this author. I was happy to be offered a chance to read an ARC of it and it’s a pleasure to leave a review as my thanks.

I wasn’t sure what to expect, as I said I’ve not read a book by this author before and fantasy books (aliens or other Planet types) aren’t always my cup of tea. I was so very pleased with this book though! The fantasy aspect was done so well! The story is set in a dimension that is parallel to earth. So similar, yet the differences are so interesting! Sometimes when you are world building, there are so many things that differ from our ‘norm’ that it can make it difficult to read and comprehend, but this book was seamless. I settled into the story easily.

I was sucked in immediately, and felt connected to Kitlyn. Her adventure, however unchosen into the world of Elutia is fabulous. She is no damsel and even when she finds herself in unimaginable circumstances she focuses herself and finds her center keeping her intelligent head above water until she can get her bearings. She is strong, but she is also human and finds friends quickly that she learns she can depend on.

The ‘shifter’ aspect is one I have never heard of before. I won’t spoil it for you but it was unique and I truly enjoyed reading a different take in the world of all things shifter. (I’m a huge shifter book fan!) Rafe is an admirable leading male. A sexy, charismatic, and honorable alpha type with a heart of gold and a laugh to fall in love with. It is a perfect match between he and Kit as he is supportive and forward thinking in a world stuck in oppression and lies. It is an enjoyable mirror to the oppression women face in our world, but are slowly breaking free of.

The governing society in Elutia is secretive and manipulative, doling out scraps of information and controlling the world they live in by oppressing the entire society. It’s an unacceptable way of leading, and the fire that Kitlyn has brought with her in her heart is going to set it on fire, I just know it! I can not wait to see where this story goes, I feel a battle is coming!

[Dena Garson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Altered is the first book in a new fantasy series by Vicki Stiefel. In it, we follow Kitlyn from the world she knew into a whole new life. Not only does she have to come to terms with losing everything and everyone she knew she must re-learn what it mean to be young and healthy once again.

At her side is the strong, handsome, and oh so sexy Rafe. Rafe is the one who finds Kit when she wakes in his world. He does everything he can to help her find her place. And since this is a romance, we get to see these two fall in love.

Vicki created a marvelous cast of characters in Altered. Each one felt unique even though there were subtle similarities between clan members. Not only is Kitlyn’s story interesting but so is the sub-plot that has been woven in. And of course, the romance is also satisfying.

I will admit that the start of the book felt a little unpolished but it did get better. The climax certainly kept me riveted. I’m really glad I stuck with it. Overall I would recommend Altered – I will be looking for the next book.

*I did receive a complementary copy of this book but my review and comments are my own thoughts and opinions.

[Lucy-May · Rating 4 out of 5]

Altered is a romantic, slow burning fantasy that feels fresh & unique; the concept behind the “Made Ones” is completely new to me & I’m so intrigued by the politics & science of Eleutia. I am truly desperate for more books set in this world & would love to get my hands on the Eleutian history books. I must be honest in saying that, for me, the romantic aspects of the story bored me at times, however I’m not a romance fan so I guess it’s to be expected; nevertheless the magic & mystery of Vicki Stiefel’s creation was wonderful & I hate that the next book is out in 2020.

⚠️ This book contains violence, detailed scenes of a sexual nature, a protagonist with PTSD & Huntington’s disease, some ableist slurs, references to an abusive marriage & some sexism ⚠️

I would also like to mention that the background of this story is based on someone with scars & physical disabilities being “altered” to be in full health - as a disabled reader I wasn’t upset by this but I know some disabled readers will be.

I was sent this book to review as part of a blog tour organised by Xpresso Tours.

Extended Review: https://wp.me/p8MbIo-2TW

[Fiona Weaver · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my first book that I’ve read by Vicki StiefeI and I really loved this story. Parallel worlds and Wolves - my perfect story. The story of Kit, who one day finds herself not at all where she expected to be. It is a story full of rich characters, friendships, romance and more than once I needed to put the book in the freezer. It made me happy and it made me tense. I loved every minute of it and I can‘t wait to read the next installment.

[Matilda (booksinwildplaces) · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF 27%

I really enjoyed the introductory scene where the women were transported to the alien planet in different locations. The initial description of the landscape was really captivating as well. I also liked the use of new technologies, like floating cars, laser guns, medical tablets, etc. I think this could have been expanded on more and new technologies, rather than just changing the name (i.e. TV), would have been more exciting and made the book stand out more too.

If you don’t take the book too seriously then you could probably scrape through the book with only mild pain.

However, there were quite a few glaring issues in this edition. In terms of the writing, time moved really strangely between paragraphs and I think a lot of parts could have been fleshed out a bit to work on character development, world building and relationship building. There’s also sections where you’re in one scenario, and then in the next paragraph you’re in a completely different scenario with absolutely no lead up. For example, when the Kit and Rafe are going to the medic for the second time to see if Kit’s genetic disorders are present in her new body, it’s written as if we should have been expecting it and both main characters knew that this was where they needed to go next. It just seemed so random and not well planned at all.

The power structure of the world was a bit hit and miss for me. I felt like the explanations occurred randomly and skipped over big parts that I guess were assumed knowledge, leaving me really confused and disengaged.

I also wasn’t a fan of Kit’s personality. She didn’t seem to act her age - she’s supposed to have the mature mind of a 50-something year old, but speaks and thinks like a teenager. I literally rolled my eyes when she told the horse carer that the reason she should go visit the sacred horses in this alien planet is because she likes horses...like her responses were just so weak and childish.

I liked Rafe’s character - I thought it was really interesting to have the commander with a playful personality. Usually, commanders are hard, unyielding and a bit painful to like, but Rafe was a bit like comedy relief and easy to like.

Despite this, the use of a 'bitchy blonde' that is jealous of Kit was a bit irritating. This seemed like such a cop out to create a sense of drama, and is overused in YA books.

I think this book had great potential, but required more planning and editing before being released. I was planning on reading the second book when I first started this one, but I am no longer interested in pursuing this series. I can't even put myself through reading the rest of the first book.

This also reminded me a lot of Haag and Vincenza's 'Resurrection Chronicles' series, which is set in an apocalyptic rather than an alien world, and is far more interesting. I would 100% recommend Haag's series over this one.

Literally ready to go DNF all of my YA books, so over it at this point.

[Riley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Vicki Stiefel is a new author for me and I loved Altered! And it is the first of a new series. This makes me happy! This tale of an Earth woman, suddenly transported to a parallel world where she becomes whole, healthy and young again, was refreshing and compelling.

Is it fantasy or scifi? Either way, the story is little different and a little adventurous. And a lot of fun!

The simpler bucolic lifestyle, clan conflicts, old style weapons, flying horses and magic scream fantasy. But the advanced technology, such as floating cities and hover cars, make me think scifi.
Call it what you want. There are so many things to recommend this book.

Lets start with characters. Kitlyn and Rafe are the romantic couple. Though it seemed from the first they would be together, there were many things to prevent that from happening easily. Clan tradition, family, rival suitors, rival clans, and events from the past.

Rafe, and other Wolf clan members, will be subjected to Kit’s earth jargon – entertaining for both Kit and her new friends and the reader.

Then there are the Alchemics. These are the people who created the technology, brought Kitlyn to the world of Eleutia and, in general, manipulate events and people to their own greedy benefit. They are the plotters and the source of intrigue in this series. They transport women from Earth to Eleutia because very few women are born in this world. However, as Kitln mused in her unique earthly manner:

That the Alchemics could bring her across worlds, yet fail to find a solution for the gender disparity signaled Will Robinson warnings.

These Alchemics are trouble and will continue to be. Goody, goody!

The Wolf clan is so named because of their symbiotic connection to wolves. Like wise, there is a Cat clan, a Bear clan and so many others. Paulo is the coywolf who immediately bonds with Kit, to the surprise of pretty much everybody. Paulo is a cool pup and I loved his part in this book.

I also enjoyed the rival Cat clan’s leader and his attempt to kidnap and win Kitlyn as his own. You can be sure he is in for a surprise. And it is not what he might have thought. I am please that the Alpha cat will continue to figure in this series.

Kit’s two sisters were transported to Eleutia at the same time as Kit. While they are not present for most of the story, it is obvious, by story’s end, that they will get their own stories. I look forward to them!

Fantasy, scifi, and romance are all part of this most captivating story. I can’t wait for the next book in The Made Ones Saga. 5 stars!

[Rebecca/Bex · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kitlyn's body is dying. Between her accident back in her circus days and her Huntington's genes, Kit finds the days of enjoying the outdoors is almost behind her.


Until Kit and her sisters find themselves tumbling down a cliff into... another world? With a younger, new body and a totally hot Wolf Clan Warrior telling her she's a Made One- a woman brought to their parallel universe to help birth females for their clan.


On top of squashing all the advances of her expected role, Kit spends her days trying to locate her sisters who have yet to be found. But being the only known Made One makes Kit a hot commodity- one that the Clans are willing to start a war over. Though if Kit has any say in it, she will be fighting the war to win her freedom- and save her new Clan from a bloody grave.


I thought quite long and hard about the rating I wanted to give this novel (I wish that could be why I'm late with my review- but let's be real: I'm a total procrastinator when it comes to writing my feelings). I did not want to give this less than 4 stars, and I will explain why below. BUT it didn't quite hit 5 stars for me.


The plot of this story played a huge role in its higher rating. I can't tell you one thing about it that was overdone, and there was a huge, well planned arc that brought you from the beginning to the set up for a sequel. I mean, tell me another novel that has a middle-aged woman falling through dimensions to be remade, only to stumble upon a war between clans that want to use her to birth female babies? You can’t.

Kit's character was a refreshing point of view as well. As a woman who has been through her prime and lost so much, looking through her eyes when she is remade is so humbling. You go on her journey of self-love with her, and you want her just to enjoy her life again and root for her entirely. But Kit is more than that- she's stronger, faster, better as a Made One. And she uses this to fight for herself against the men who want to use her. She's no damsel, and she's got the wisdom of experience to back her in her decisions.


The romance was good, but it wasn't something I found myself obsessing over (as I usually do). I loved the relationship that formed between Kit and Rafe, that grew from her mistrust into him helping her be the best she can be. They had a respectable, strong relationship, and Rafe was an amazing point of interest, but there were so many lags in their romance I found myself under-stimulated 🤷🏻‍♀️


There were also a few points where the storyline seemed to drag, and I thought I could stop reading and still know what happened. But I'm glad I didn't quit- the ending was so worth every bit of lag there was. It was so satisfying, and brought Kit full circle, with her keeping her vow to fight for herself and make her own name. And it was so sweet and romantic and Rafe bowed to her like the Alpha she is. 💪🏼


Lastly, I want to end off saying that I am pretty excited for the sequel! I feel like a story of Kit's unyielding sister and her game of cat and mouse with the Cat Clan- where she is every bit the predator- will be more entertaining than Altered!