Filthy Beast

Junkyard Shifters #1

by Liza Street

Do you have a misbehaving, violent, or otherwise problematic shapeshifter in your pack?

Send them to the Junkyard, dumping ground and magical holding pen for unwanted shifters.

Cougar shifter Lena has one goal, and one goal only: to stay out of reach of the vicious alpha of her pride. If that means being exiled to the Junkyard, then so be it.

Carter, a grizzly shifter, let his rage take the reins after his brother's death. His clan alpha can't control him and he refuses to change, so into the Junkyard he goes. When Carter meets Lena, though, his protector instincts kick into high gear... especially when the other shifters in the Junkyard seem intent on harming her.

What happens when Beauty meets Brawler?

He has to be gentle to prove his love... but he has to be violent to save her.

Filthy Beast is the first book in the Junkyard Shifters series. It features a dirty-talking hero, a smart heroine, and all kinds of hijinks and trashy romance.

Genres: Paranormal, Shapeshifters, Romance, Paranormal Romance, Fantasy, Amazon, M F Romance

200 pages, Paperback

First published May 11, 2020

About the author

Liza got her start in romance by sneak-reading her grandma’s paperbacks. Now she divides her time between freelance editing and writing books about shifters with fierce and savage hearts.

FREE BOOKS--Book 1 in Liza's Sierra Pride series is free to anyone! Join Liza's mailing list and get Book 2, Fierce Heartbreaker, FREE, as well as an exclusive Sierra Pride prequel story! Start by clicking here to sign up and receive Fierce Heartbreaker and the prequel story.

Reviews

[Cécile Smits · Rating 2 out of 5]

Since the blurb sounded interesting,and the excerpt felt good,i decided to buy this quick read.
After all,at only €0,99 it seemed a safe bet.
Having read it,i have to say i’m glad it was only €0,99.....
Don’t get me wrong,it wás an entertaining story.
But....
I didn’t really get a feel for the story,if you know what i mean.
Sure,Lena is a tough cookie with a sweet heart,hurting after her sister’s death.
And Carter may be grumpy and happy to fight,but deep down he is a great guy.
They díd have chemistry.
I just....missed something.

It could be me,as others did really enjoy it.
So,if you were thinking about reading it,and are into this kind of quickies,go ahead and make up your own mind.

[Teri · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF

Not funny. Just boring. I expected it to be like Celia Kyle's Grayslake series. I was wrong. DNF (stopped at 30%)

[Lauren Seiberling (Romance Novel Giveaways) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book!!!

Is it just me, or is each book Liza writes better than the last? Oh good, it's not just me. ;)

Liza takes all of the things I love about romances and puts them into her stories:

A strong heroine, like Lena. She can certainly take care of herself, but I wasn't beaten over the head with how independent she was like I am in so many other romances. Instead, her actions showed me her strength and self-reliance.

A scarred hero, like Carter. I met Carter in a previous book and wasn't quite sure what to make of him. But I loved how he instantly knew that Lena was going to be special to him, and how she seemed to calm the raging blackness within him. But on top of that, deep down, Carter was just a good guy with a good heart, no matter how hard he tried to deny it.

An engaging plot. This book grabbed me at page one and didn't let go until...well...I'm currently waiting (a little impatiently) fir the next book in the series. A mystery was presented in the beginning, and I was on the edge of my seat waiting to find out what really happened!

Romance! But not just flowers-and-rainbows romance; these two had love with true passion and steamy-hotness that only Liza can give to her characters. Trust me, the love and the love scenes in these pages are very well done and will get you hooked on Liza Street!

This book is all-around terrific and I am SOOO happy more books are coming!!!

[Jai M {Cat Crazy Dragon } · Rating 3 out of 5]

So, I didn’t, love or hate this. Meh..

Sweet, cute little story

Very carefull with the whole content issue. Perhaps a little overdone at times, very PC.
Hey, they even use condoms, YaY 😃

The thing is, the whole thing is all so polite, and careful. The story is predominantly a romance, and yet there is hardly any conflict between the characters. However, there is hardly any story development outside of the romance. It’s a pretty straight up idea, fully predictable. While there’s hints with the other characters, it’s obvious that’s intended for future stories, and will not influence this one.
I believed in the romance, of them getting to know each other (though it happened faster than necessary or truly believable), but I never felt it, never experienced their chemistry.

Truly, if it’s going to be a romance, then you need conflict there, something that needs resolving, a story to follow. Uncertainty, details that tease and entice. The brief issues they had never stopped them. They were the equivalent of a couples arguments. Leaving it feeling a little empty and stale.

If you want it to be more than sex, than you need to have more than characters who want to force sex or kill, a problem to understand and solve. One not boringly obvious.

I really enjoyed all the potential threads in this, was just disappointed none of them succeeded.
I’d still be willing to continue reading this series, just not if it cost more than $1. Sad but true.

Added: after reading some other reviews, needed to add this, it’s really a pet peeve of the whole genre
The shifters are humans who can change shape and have extra sensitive sight and smell. Nothing truly non-human or different about them.
I Want Real Shifters! 🤯
Alien thought patterns, unique societies, obscure behaviour traits.
Not Humans who happen to be furry 🐻🦁
Okay, rant done 😇

[Romance Rehab · Rating 4 out of 5]

The lead in for this book on Amazon says: "Do you have a misbehaving, violent, or otherwise problematic shapeshifter in your pack? Send them to the Junkyard, dumping ground and magical holding pen for unwanted shifters." That line alone was enough to sell me on the book. I wasn't disappointed, either. It was a cool concept! Lena is a cougar shifter who gets sent to the junkyard for refusing to mate with the a-hole who killed her sister, and Carter is a bear shifter who was sent to the junkyard because...well, I don't know really. He's grumpy, for sure. But once they meet, a fairly lively fated mates story follows. It's a good, fast read. 4 stars all day long. (Not a ton of world building or intricate plotting, though. That's a plus for me, but if you're into that sort of thing, you'll want to look elsewhere. This is a character driven story.)

[Sydney M Neblett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Crossing the line
Such a shocking turn of events, and I loved every minute of it. This book is fast paced and so exciting. The author really took the time to set the stage and build the characters until I found myself lost in the story. I enjoyed all of the underlying issues going on with the characters and I hope we get to see more of them find their HEAs. I can’t wait to read all about what happens next in the junkyard.

[Marsha Keeper Bookshelf · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reviewed at Shifter Haven

‘Filthy Beast’ kicks off the ‘Junkyard Shifters’ series with a tale that is explosive and sexy in the same heartbeat – and your heart will be beating faster as you enter into Lena and Carter’s world where only the strong -and the smart- survive.

If you’re a fan of Shifter Romance then somewhere along the line you’ve read of shifter prisons, the place where the really bad guys go if they aren’t outright killed for their actions. Yet. What if shifter prison was really worse in some ways than we thought? What if there are no guards, simple food deliveries, and a magical barrier to keep them in and the rest of the world unaware? Just out of control, mean, nasty, bad guys, eventually killing each other for dominance, right? Well… maybe not. And that is where both ‘Filthy Beast’ and the premise of ‘Junkyard Shifters’ becomes, to me, a bit fascinating in the overlying, carefully woven storyline, plot, and characters we’ll meet. Not everything is as it appears, not everyone is a true bad guy – or not in the sense that we accept as the ‘villain’.

The cover description gives you the basics, enough to pick up ‘Filthy Beast’, what it doesn’t show are the emotional reasons behind why Carter and Lena are there in the first place. Or the very real danger they are both in from not only other, let’s call them inmates, but from shifters paid to harm Lena at the directive of a very nasty piece of work who should be the one in prison, not Lena. Carter is, at the heart, a good guy who has suffered from his brother’s death, an event that has left Carter unable to control his rage or his actions. Neither is weak, neither is sick, neither really should be in this prison – yet, both will find their mate, find answers, and eventually escape. But not before they go through some intriguing twists, turns, and the unexpected in the process of finding their mate and simply surviving – and taking down the real bad guy, eventually.

I’ve said more than I normally do, yet I do find this story and the premise of the series to be rather, well, in the words of my favorite Vulcan, “Fascinating.” We’ll meet some truly interesting characters, some who may have stories to come (we’ll just have to wait and see), a desperate couple for different reasons finding the one, the mate who completes them in most unusual circumstances, some definitely sizzling sexy times, and two people to truly like, respect, and want only good things to happen in their future. So, yeah. I was hooked on this one and I’ll definitely be following the adventures of any and all ‘Junkyard Shifters’.

I own a Kindle edition of this title.

[Hearts Tea Cups · Rating 4 out of 5]

There was action and some angst. They were smexy times, sweet moments, sad moments. No stupid drama with other females and ex sex partners like it's often the case. It was well balanced. The author did a good job at creating this fictional scenery. The characters had all something that at least made them mildly intriguing. Especially the silent shifter who spends most of his time reading books. I want his story !

Would I recommend it ? Yes. The idea of a junkyard as a kind of prison for violent and problematic shifters was Interesting. I was less fan of all the fights and violence but I get it. It was necessary.

Would I reread it ? No. However, I will continue this series for now. I wouldn't classify this series as a new favorite because I don't enjoy so much stupid violence just to show dominance but it was entertaining enough.

One thing tho, regarding the whole boundary / mate thing. I'm just a bit unsettled that by the end of the book the other prisoners didn't seem to find it strange that suddenly Carter and Lena weren't in the junkyard anymore. None of them even seem to know about Grant and his mate living just beside the boundaries and now Carter and Lena. Do you really want me to believe that the other prisoners are blind to their presence on the other side and have never encountered Grant, even tho he was himself a prisoner once. No one questions it ?! I don't know if it an oversight by the author and she just didn't thought of that or if it was voluntary and will be explored in future books.

We'll see.

[Coco.V]

🎁FREE on Amazon & on Apple iBooks today (4/16/2021)! 🎁

[Randy O'Keefe · Rating 5 out of 5]

You know how the sequel is never as good as the original? Well, that was not the case here! I LOVED this story as much, if not more, than the prequel. This book is Carter and Lena’s story. If you’ve read Filthy Vandal then you remember that Carter was sent to the Junkyard for being too aggressive and in this book, poor Lena was sent to the Junkyard because the Alpha of her pride was a dick. No, seriously. Her Alpha’s obsession with her family line has cost her dearly and when forced to choose between mating with him and being sentenced to the Junkyard, she willingly chooses the Junkyard. There’s only one way to escape the Junkyard’s magical barrier but Lena is content to remain safely inside from her Alpha with her two new friends, Kyle and Marcus, who she met on the truck that brought them there. That is until her Alpha, Shaw, sends himself to the Junkyard and her sanctuary becomes her prison.

Along the way, there is love, loss and a lot of combat. I adore Carter, he is absolutely hysterical. His style of fighting is pretty much no holds barred and apparently so is his mouth filter. When he speaks, you are left in no doubt of his opinion. Carter is an excellent foil to Lena, who tries to keep the peace between Carter and her friends whenever she can and then lets loose when she’s had enough. As different as Carter and Lena can be, they can be similar. Their approach to each other and others differ but they are both pretty open and up front about who they are and what they want. Whether friend or foe, you know where you stand with them. While Caitlyn and Grant had a rushed courtship due to needing her human self safely out of the Junkyard, Carter and Lena have more time to explore their relationship and I became even more invested with them as I watched it take root and grow. They may have been instantly attracted to each other but the love gradually evolves as they give each other space, face and talk out their problems and give each other their full support. The banter they have with each other is so fun, the wit and comebacks flying back and forth, and it fills my heart watching them be able to close out everything and anyone around them except what they feel for each other. They seem to lose all ability to guard their hearts whenever they’re in close proximity of each other and I’m in awe at the care and tenderness that they have for each other at all times, even if they’re out of sorts with each other.

Kyle and Marcus are incredible, they are both strong men but who don’t look down on females and although they tended to be more considerate of Lena for being female, it still didn’t make her any less in their eyes. The bonds of trust and friendship between these three grew quickly and for the situation they are in, it is entirely believable. The guys aren’t just her friends or allies, they’re her family and it’s felt so strongly between all of them that it was palpable right off the page. Even Kyle and Carter are able to make peace when a secret comes to light and its resolution was nothing that I ever would have expected but heartily embraced for not just it’s originality, but heart.

There is loss in the book. One that truly left me reeling and others that made me cheer out loud. The villains, new and old receive their comeuppance in the best ways and each time it was an excellent twist that I didn’t see coming. Although Lena’s Junkyard family readily came to her aid throughout the story, she was the one who finished the battle. She saves Carter and I LOVED THAT! Thankfully the women who find themselves in the Junkyard are strong and resourceful and the men around them respect that. As always, the secondary characters never feel like background created to propel the story and even as the main characters’ story evolves so do characters like Kyle, Marcus, Jase and Stetson to where you can’t wait to know more about them. Speaking of which, I promised myself to break from this series to read a book that’s been in my TBR pile but that was such a hard promise to keep after finishing this book, especially with the teaser for the next one! Marcus will feature in the next book and I can’t wait. Marcus was hit especially hard in this book, physically and emotionally, and it will affect both his human and shifter side. I’m looking forward to seeing how Marcus handles these afflictions because he’s so strong and protective of those he considers in his care. After what happened in this book, it makes me wonder how he’ll be able to open himself up to taking any type of risk again. Sorry for the long review, there’s just so much to love about this book and I honestly don’t think you’ll be disappointed if you read it.

[Mindy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a really great start to a new series. I'm not sure why I was so hesitant initially, but I'm so glad I gave this book a chance. The basics of this story are that the 'Junkyard' is a shifter jail. A place where shifters are sent when they can't control themselves, their beasts or the impulses of either within shifter/human communities. However, there are also corrupt leaders/alphas out there that use the 'Junkyard' as their own personal form of torture for anyone who stands against them.

Lena is one such unlucky person. Her sister Sarah recently died. The alpha, Shaw, who was mated to Sarah, announces that he wants to take Lena as his new mate. Lena, after reading a note from her deceased sister warning her that Shaw is most likely responsible for her sister's untimely death, refuses his adavances and is sent to the Junkyard as punishment. Once inside the Junkyard, Lena finds allies in three of the most unlikely of men. Marcus, a wolf shifter, Kyle, a bear shifter, and Carter, another bear shifter.

Carter was sent to the Junkyard after being unable or perhaps unwilling to control his beast's need for violence. After getting/causing one too many fights, his alp[ha sentences him to the Junkyard. The day Carter lays eyes on Lena, he knows she's different. There's omething about her that calls to both him and his beast. He feels things for and around her that he's never experienced before. While being unwilling to name those feelings or the reason they keep occuring, he has no plans to fight his pull or desire for Lena.

The two of them are trying to navigate a budding romance while also navigating life inside the barrier of the Junkyard. Each task is equally difficult, but together they seem nearly impossible. Throw in an added complication in the form of a new, dangerous arrival to the Junkyard, and that nearly impossible task quickly becomes a life-or-death necessity.

I really enjoyed this series. Kyle's fate saddened me, but I'm looking forward to seeing what the author has in store for Marcus in the next book. I would also like to read more about Jace and Stetson.

[Ashante Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

WOW. What a concept. So the idea is that Alpha's, clan and/or pride leaders of whatever animal shifter can send their members to a sort of shifter prison. That prison is a junkyard in the forest, that is surrounded by a magical, invisible wall that will not let them leave. Nice. I can dig it. The junkyard is overpopulated with males. So what do they do… FIGHT FOR DOMINANCE. That's what Carter, the bear shifter does… he's dealing with some deep pain and fighting keeps his bear calm. Lena, a cougar shifter, also had some deep pain. Her alpha wants her to be his mate, she has recently found out some bad things about him and quickly denies his request. For her defiance… to the junkyard. Only problem, the alpha is obsessed with her bloodline so …. On the way to the junkyard, Lena develops a friendship/alliance with two other shifters, a bear (Kyle) and a wolf (Marcus). This book had a lot going on way too much to review so I'll focus on the important stuff. Carter sees her and it's instantly interested in Lena. She is too but she dislikes his violent side. I loved the world building and the character building in this book. There's no insta romance but there is insta chemistry. One thing I couldn't figure out was how everyone seemed to pick up that Lena and Carter were mates before they did. That's something I wished the author explained more. Despite that, I really enjoyed this book and I'm anxious to see how the rest of the series goes.

[Cheri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lena & Carter

Ever wonder what a shifter prison looks like? The author's worldbuilding skills have created The Junkyard. A large area with junked cars and much more is surrounded by a magical barrier keeping the inmates in. They get food deliveries but have no guards to set and rules and make sure they obey.

After her sister's death, Lena is sent to the junkyard when she doesn't comply with her brother-in-law the cougar shifter pride alpha. She's okay with the junkyard since he won't be there. Little does she know what she'll find. Carter first of all. He is much more than a battling bear shifter. Their attraction is instant and strong even though they both fight it.

He's a fighter. The reason he's in there, to begin with. Her other allies won't refuse a fight but don't set out to start one or finish them as Carter does. While the couple is trying to work through their problems, Lena's life is in danger. Who? Why? They don't know but need to find out.

I absolutely love this series. It is so different from the usual shifter romances. Not exactly a glorious place to find their mates but it sure makes for a uniquely interesting setting. Please bring on the next filled with steam, interesting characters, bad bad guys and some friends from the past on the outside.

[Mary Lou Hoffman · Rating 5 out of 5]

FILTHY BEAST is the first book in the Junkyard Shifters series. Though each book will focus on one couple, I recommend reading the whole series and in the order of release.

There are no flowers and chocolates in this romance. Not when their “meet cute” is in a junkyard that is the prison for incorrigible shifters. I love that the men are rough, hard, masculine, alpha to the nth degree and the two women present are strong but soft.

I loved this story. It was different in so many ways. Yet, there was the steam, fated mates, and plenty of hints of who may feature in future stories that I hope to find in a shifter story.

I wish I had read Caitlyn and Grant’s story. They are the shifters who live just outside of the Junkyard and help Carter and Lena. In my research for this review, I found out that there was a prequel, but it is not available on Amazon. On the other hand, I am standing ready to accept each book as it releases, and I will serve my time in the junkyard awaiting my perfect mate to arrive.

Note: While I received this book as a gifted ARC via Booksprout, my opinions are my own and are given freely.

Title: FILTHY BEAST
Series: Junkyard Shifters #1
Category /Genre: Paranormal Romance
Recommended for: 18+ due to sexual content
Grammar/editing: received as an unedited ARC / errors excused
Received from: Keira Blackwood

[Alejandra Guerrero · Rating 2 out of 5]

Predictable, but enjoyable overall. There are some things I didn't understand, though.
Why would the "bad guy" (who felt cartoonish) send the FMC to the junkyard, when he wanted to breed her? It's not said like that, but he's "obsessed with her bloodline" (whatever that means) and wants the, supposedly, very powerful children they can have, that he didn't get from the sister. Why did he kill the sister, again? not that we have proof of that, of course, other than "he's evil". So, the FMC doesn't want to become the villain's mate, so she defies him and he sends her to the junkyard. Why? Why not just lock her up in the basement (where they have cages) until she accepts? or simply force her, since he just wants the children? He's the villain, after all. And, Ok, I can get behind him sending her away, and then trying to kill her when he finds out she knows he killed her sister, but Why did he go into the prison himself, without a plan of escape? Because no one is supposed to know how to get out. What, did he plan to kill everyone but her so she would have no choice but accept him? And what if she wouldn't accept even then? Force her? Why not doing it from the beginning, then? Why his obsession with the children she possibly could give him, if inside the junkyard it wouldn't have mattered how powerful they were? That almost ruined things for me.

[Mandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cougar shifter Lena has the one goal in her life - to stay clear of Shaw the vicious alpha of her pack and so if she is sent to where misbehaving shifters are sent (the junkyard) then she is fine with that. Grizzly shifter Carter has let his internal rage have control after his brother died and as he has refused to change he is sent to the junkyard. When Carter meets Lena his protective instincts kick in, especially when others in the junkyard are intent on harming her. He is going to have to be gentle to prove his love... but he will need to be violent to save her.

I really enjoyed this story which was set in an area where pack rejects are banished to. I loved the way that trust and relationships built differently in there due to the place that they had found themselves and how loyal Lena could be to her friends. I did find the mate thing a little inconsistent as they did not bite each other and so I assume that they have admitted their love for each other and that is enough. I really hope the other guys who were her friends find their mates too. Well written and easy to read and understand. Contains some explicit sexual content.

[Darla Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lena's a cougar shifter whose main goal is to get away from the vicious alpha of her pride. When she's exiled to the Junkyard she just knows that she has accomplished that goal. Carter is a grizzly shifter who loves to fight and believes that he belongs in the Junkyard but when he sees Lena, a lot of other feelings come to him. The two are drawn to each other and Carter knows that he has to protect Lena from the trouble that seems to have followed her and those who are out to hurt her.

I was given an ARC of this book and am providing my honest review. First in the Junkyard Shifters series, this book was a fabulous read. While there is some language that might offend some, it's not bad and I'd say it would be an R rating if I had to give it one. I was drawn into this book from the beginning and loved getting to know Lena and Carter as they found their way to each other. I'm definitely eager for more of this series so I can get to know more about the other characters. I highly recommend this book.

[MooseGirl · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cougar shifter Lena is determined to avoid her alpha. So much so, that she chooses to be sent to the Junkyard rather than be mated to him. Bear shifter Carter spends much of his time fighting, which is the only way to keep his beast under control. When he meets Lena, he finds himself wanting to protect her.

This was an okay read. As with the other book I've read from this author, I felt like I was missing things that were never really explained. It's odd for the first book in a series. I assume that this is connected to another series, but it's bad form to assume everyone will have read everything in the order you intended, especially when it isn't made clear what that order is. For a start, the Junkyard itself isn't properly explained here. What is it? How does it work? What are the rules? Also, Carter's friend Grant seems to have a whole story that I know nothing about.

The book was okay and worth a read, but it was let down by the lack of detail. The book focussed mostly on sex and fighting, and the plot and character development were tossed away as unimportant.

[Lorna Coon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading this book. I liked the idea of the shifters prison, somewhere you can send those that really should not be around others without having to kill them. Though of course like our judicial system some people end up there that should not be there, like Lena, our heroine. Lena is a strong woman, strong enough to not bow down to her Alpha's desires but not so in your face strong that she doesn't accept help or protection from others when needed. You see in everyone of the shifters you meet that they are a little broken in some way, each has their own demons to battle & there are some that are just plain mean, like Mathers. Our hero Carter has his own demons dealing with the anger from his brother's death but he is not so lost in himself to not see what Lena could mean to him. I look forward to reading the other books in this series & would recommend this series to my friends.

[Pam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lena is a shifter and she needs to escape her pack before something terrible happens. Lena's sister is dead and after finding a note from her Lena believes her sisters husband Shaw the pack alpha killed her. Shaw calls Lena to a meeting were he advised her she will be his new mate. Lena refuses and finds herself in the junkyard. The place all uncontrollable shifters are placed for the rest of their days. Lena meets Carter a bear shifter at the junkyard and there is chemistry between them but Carter is cocky and too sure of himself. Now that Lena is in the junkyard this get dicey, the other shifter want her and the other new comers to fight but Leah and a few others refuse. Lena is in danger whether she knows it or not. Carter believes she is his fated mate and will do anything to keep her safe. There is a lot more going on in this story than I have included in my review. This is a must read if you love shifters.

[Diane · Rating 5 out of 5]

I voluntarily reviewed a copy of "FILTHY BEAST" This was well written by Liza Street she can write a very interesting, captivating, intriguing, suspense filled paranormal drama so addicting you can't stop reading until the end.
I really enjoyed Lena a cougar shifter and Carter a Grizzly Shifter journeys to find their HEA both meet in the Junkyard she was avoiding mating her vicious pack leader and he was out of control since his brothers death.
The world these shifters take you to for bad unwanted shifters a prison for them the Junkyard is where it all happens and everthing that goes on there it's a unique, interesting, place.
I definitely recommend to this series you will thoroughly enjoy it won't disappoint so well worth the read I enjoyed it very much can't wait for next book in this series.

[Alice · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF at 35% when the FMC Lena ended up training with Carter alone.

The writing and character development was super flat and boring. I had high hopes for Lena being a badass and taking charge after getting exiled to the Junkyard, but she was just a mediocre wimpy character that went along with what others wanted to do.

For a "prison" full of murderers and rule-breakers, they seemed rather tame and not dangerous. Sure, they pretty much had no brain cells other than fighting among each other every day, but I would have expected more viciousness and dominance for a group full of shifters.

Every male just had fighting on the mind, and the contrived mate bond between Carter and Lena was unexciting and not romantic at all. I couldn't handle reading any more dumb useless "fight scenes" and had to quit.

[Jamoz23 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Spoilers due to extremely dark actions and outcomes.
Different and interesting, though I wouldn’t state the Junkyard was a true prison for criminals. Seems to be somewhere shifters are dumped for many varied reasons. Not all of the inhabitants seemed bad.
But I didn’t like the flow of this story, a bit jerky at times.
Also I really hated what happened to Kyle (killed) and Marcus (looses a hand). Not cool and not a plot line I want to read.
I feel there was no need to have gone so dark in such a short story.
Shaw, and Mathers, are obviously no loss as they had no honour.
I ended this upset and resentful that there were no warnings. It’s actually described as - all kinds of hijinks and trashy romance - NOPE.
Free read but I won’t be paying for any more, even though I’d love to see Marcus get out of the Junkyard.

[Margaret · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Lena refuses to mate the alpha who killed her sister she is sent to the Junkyard.
As Mountain Lion Shifter Lena clears out her sisters belongings she finds a letter from her stating that she thinks her mate Alpha Shaw is going to kill her soon for for her failure to breed. Lena is then called to go to see Shaw who tells her she will be his new mate and when she refuses he sends her to the Junkyard a place where uncontrolled or dangerous shifters are locked in a contained area. On the trip there she meets Marcus and Kyle and they seem to help keep her safe. Once inside she encounters Carter a Grizzly Bear Shifter who enjoys fighting.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Kathleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is more like a 3 star, like 3.6. I really do not get all the 5 star ratings. There are so many great well written shifter novels that are five stars. Authors like Singh, Laurenston, Eden, the list goes on. Heck, if you want porn with great plot, Lauren Dane. This story had the alpha hero and strong female but something was lacking. Not enough character development maybe. Maybe plot development was weak. We never really get an answer for why the Shaw, the antagonist, wanted Lena or her sister. Why was Marcus so loyal to Lena. No real explanation other than maybe he liked her. Why?It felt more like an outline or a rough draft. Still there are many much worse reading options and maybe its an off day for me.

[Wanda Jewell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lena loved her sister Sarah and she died. Her sister left her a letter telling her a truth Lena did not realize. Sarah was married to Shaw the violent Alpha of the pack. Shaw wants to mate Lena and she refuses him in front of the entire pack. Therefore, Shaw sentences her to the Shifter Junkyard. Marcus is a wolf shifter who is sentenced to the Junkyard and for some reason feels protective of Lena as does Kyle a bear shifter. They become friends. Carter is a bear shifter already in the junkyard who has a bear that lives to fight. Carter is complicated, but his bear knows he wants Lena. This is their story. It was a good story too. The junkyard prison versus a real prison is a good touch. I would recommend it.

[Jill K. Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fighting Attraction

Interesting spin on shifters and how they deal with their "problems". I found it curious that even shifters didn't know a lot about the Junkyard. I read reviews saying there was a lot of fighting, but I would have expected more in the situation that they found themselves in, even if it wasn't very detailed. I also felt like the heroine should have been able to handle herself a little better in a fight. She jumps in to several only to have to be "rescued". Both characters are deluding themselves about something in the beginning, and that colors their interactions together. The story was well paced, and although I was frustrated more than once with both characters. Both characters grow throughout the story, and I'm interested to read the next book.

[Dana Busenbark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Who are Sarah and Lena? Who is Shaw? What happens to Sarah and Lena? What does Shaw have to do with anything? Or everything? I liked Kyle, Marcus, and Carter. It was good to see Caitlyn and Grant again. Who shows up at the Junkyard that changes everything? How and why? What happens on the night Kyle is murdered? Who is behind it? Read and enjoy this book to see what happened!

RECEIVED THIS BOOK AS A GIFT from Bookfunnel FOR A FAIR/HONEST REVIEW and REVIEWER FOR Bloggin' With M. Brennan.

[Lisa Bing · Rating 5 out of 5]

This fast paced read really embraced so many things it was a page turner, for me, and over waay too soon ;) Lena, the first female inmate of the Junkyard really brings change to the peeps living there. She's a strong character and like many of the Junkyard, suffers from family loss, bullying, secrets and danger. All of that is well balanced, though, with caring, compassion and romance. Carter, stepping up to help Lena survive her new home, shows he has a good heart, despite his need to fight to appease his bear. This combination of characters, and their strengths, made it an exciting read and I look forward to the next book.

[Jennifer's Reading · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holy cow this isn’t the standard shifter book.

These characters are filled with anger, frustration, and are true beasts at times. They are all there at the Junkyard for one reason or another.

This was a great way to be introduced to a new collection of characters that are from all over, and brought together due to their not being able to work with their shifter clans.

Carter totally comes off as a Uber dominance fighter who just wants to beat people up to show how strong he is.

Lena is there to get away from her past and to try and be safe.

These two are night and day different from each other, or are they??