Black and White

Shifting Crossroads #15

by Zenina Masters

Ty was raised by a mage who took her on as a favour to her mother. She can read magic, feel magic but not use it. Her skills come in handy while working for the Shifter Council as a hunter or bounty hunter for misbehaving shifters.On assignment to find a man guilty of the ultimate betrayal to their kind, she is doped and caged by some mages, and what a shock, so is her opposite number, Alatas.Al has been trying to get himself assigned to every job that Tyanna does. He has been enthralled with her, but he has known from the outset that he was punching above his weight class. What use could a panda have for a binturong after all?

Genres: Romance, Paranormal, Shapeshifters, Paranormal Romance, Fantasy, Novella, Contemporary

87 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 1, 2014

About the author

Zenina Masters was born in Canada and lives in Canada. She has a regular job and does nothing particularly exciting with her life. She enjoys fishing, silence and the ability to pick and choose friends she can trust. Life is too short to watch your back all the time.

Her writing life is a teeny bit of escapism, she would probably chicken out if confronted by three naked men and looks forward to one day finding out.

Email: zenina@zeninamasters.com

Zenina also writes as Viola Grace.

Reviews

[BookAddict ✒ La Crimson Femme · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Shifting Crossroad series is addictive. In the latest installment, the readers are treated to a panda and a bearcat shifter. What exactly is a bearcat? It is also known as a binturong, which is a Southeast Asian mammal. It's hard to describe and best to see pictures of it on the internet. It sort of looks like an animal with a raccoon head without the mask and the body of a wolverine. The tail is long and plush like a cat but much thicker.

Tyanna is a panda who is sensitive to magic and also a bounty hunter. A fellow hunter is Alatas, a bearcat. The plot of the story reveals more details about kidnapped shifters. The horror of what the shifters go through is degrading. The darkness of this plot is balanced by the romantic element between Tyanna and Alatas. It's sweet and enjoyable to watch.

This story isn't complicated. The characters aren't even that complex. The world building is becoming more involved with new twists and reveals.

What pulls a reader back over and over again to this series is how Ms. Masters creates her shifters. Ms. Masters is an artist when she blends behaviours of a panda with a human. Some of the calming actions Tyanna uses are shown in panda form. It's this attention to detail and the little nuances which makes the story rich and enjoyable. The tidbit regarding varieties of bamboos and how Tyanna grows them and when she eats them is clever. The confessions with the worst thing for being a panda or bearcat will cause a reader to chuckle. All of this together makes Ms. Masters' Crossroad series a must read for me. I just can't stop after one.

Recommended for paranormal lovers who like innovative new shifters.

[Marisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

★★★★☆

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tyanna and Alatas are both rare exotic shifters and they are also both bounty hunters for the council. Ty is a panda raised by a powerful mage and Al is a binturong (bearcat). They are hot on the trail of a ring of fey that are kidnapping shifters when their next tip takes them to the Crossroads. After Ty is inadvertently trapped in the Crossroads Al knows he needs to make a move and fast. Just when they finally come together there is a break in the shifter kidnapping case and only Ty and Al can wrap it up.

[April · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved the shifter hunters in this one!!! Ty and Al are awesome. This is what I have been looking for in the latest books, a look into the investigations! I also loved hearing more of the mages and the fey. Things are really moving in a new direction for the series and I heartily approve! Perhaps the books will get a touch longer now with more detail and drama?

Most of the book is from Tyanna's POV, which is a change up from most of the series. I prefer getting both lead character's thoughts, it makes for a fuller story. Most of the time you have to guess at what Alatas is feeling/thinking. I love her narrative but it would have been nice to have more of him as well.

Not a lot of sexy steam but enough to keep things hot. When these two get together the sparks fly and cuff might have been brought out!

Loved seeing a Giant panda find her mate in a binturong. I admit I had to look up the bearcat, really freakin cute!! I can just picture these two cuddling in their beast forms!

This book was more about story than steam, which is fine by me. I was eager to see what would happen with the missing shifters. Definitely cannot wait to see more this year and what will happen in the winter!! Ms Masters always give a tease at the end in her bio and this one hints at more drama to come! I can not wait!!!!

[Kelly *oh boyeee* · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved the shifter mix in this one, but I didn't really feel "them" as a couple. Maybe if they had one more day at the crossroads and there was a little more "something", I would of felt their relationship a little better.

It will be interesting to see where the stories go as we find out more and more about who was taking the shifters. Every month I will keep on reading, as it's something to look forward to in between home and school life.

[Haikufall · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cute story but a little short.

[Rita · Rating 2 out of 5]

This one was too short again. It needed more of the two protagonists interactions before they got together. I am enjoying that the overall arc is continuing.

[Tammy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good Story

This was a nice book. Good characters and plot line. The only problem I had was with the editing. I was missing pages and it made it hard to read the story.