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Alpha Unit One #1
Alpha Unit One, New York
The cat’s out of the bag….
In a world that accepts shifters as normal and thinks nothing of human/shifter couples, baby shifters and small shifters are treated as subpar. They are not allowed into the more dangerous professions, and their mates have legal control over what they can and cannot do.
Nicholas Reed is about to challenge the established rules. At twenty-eight, Nick has just been accepted into New York’s Alpha Unit One—an elite law enforcement team, composed equally of humans and shifters, that specializes in drug crimes. It is Nick’s dream job. But if they find out what he’s hiding, his career could be destroyed.
Enter a huge complication in the form of Sam Black, an older lion shifter who is the leader of the unit… and Nick’s mate. Nick wants Sam, and he wants to keep his job, but he can’t have them both. He also can’t choose between them.
In a world that accepts shifters as normal and thinks nothing of human/shifter couples, baby shifters and small shifters are treated as subpar. They are not allowed into the more dangerous professions, and their mates have legal control over what they can and cannot do.
Nicholas Reed is about to challenge the established rules. At twenty-eight, Nick has just been accepted into New York’s Alpha Unit One—an elite law enforcement team, composed equally of humans and shifters, that specializes in drug crimes. It is Nick’s dream job. But if they find out what he’s hiding, his career could be destroyed.
Enter a huge complication in the form of Sam Black, an older lion shifter who is the leader of the unit… and Nick’s mate. Nick wants Sam, and he wants to keep his job, but he can’t have them both. He also can’t choose between them.
161 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 27, 2018
43 people are currently reading
249 people want to read
About the author
Chris T. Kat
26 books208 followersChris T. Kat lives in the middle of Europe, together with her husband of many years and their two children. She stumbled upon the M/M genre by luck and was swiftly drawn into it. She divides her time between work, her family—which includes chasing after escaping horses and lugging around huge instruments such as a harp—and writing. She enjoys a variety of genres, such as mystery/suspense, paranormal, and romance. If there's any spare time, she happily reads for hours, listens to audiobooks, or crafts.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 82 reviews
July 21, 2019
3 Stars
First impression - If you like Cochet’s THIRDS then this definitely has some close parallels.
-law enforcement unit that is a mixture of both humans and shifters
-leader of said unit is tall, dark, and handsome, who’s been burned by the past but can't help but be attracted to the newest member of the team
-newest member of the team is blonde, snarky, and has a lot to prove despite one big secret, all the while resisting an undeniable pull towards his team leader
Admittedly, this is a very odd concept that initially was equally very hard for my old brain to wrap around. In this world, some shifters actually change into their baby animal form, and whose kind is coddled with a social dynamic that is reminiscent of ABO undertones where they have less rights and equality.
Nick is a baby snow leopard shifter, and he’s determined not to let biology dictate his dream of becoming a member of Alpha Unit One, top tactical team in fighting drug crimes. The only problem is, baby shifters aren’t allowed to do any job deemed even remotely dangerous, so while he must guard his secret closely, he soon discovers that fate has an awful sense of humor - Nick’s mate is his team leader Sam, whose alpha instinct would never let him remain on the force.
Throw in fanatical bad guys with their own dangerous agenda that must be stopped and again, the setup is comforting familiar. Though this was rough around the edges, at times incongruous and needing more finesse, the absolute adorableness of the various baby shifters was the definite win despite being disconcerting at the same time.
Overall, THIRDS grew on me, becoming a top favorite series and this may too. I’m intrigued and will read the sequel.
First impression - If you like Cochet’s THIRDS then this definitely has some close parallels.
-law enforcement unit that is a mixture of both humans and shifters
-leader of said unit is tall, dark, and handsome, who’s been burned by the past but can't help but be attracted to the newest member of the team
-newest member of the team is blonde, snarky, and has a lot to prove despite one big secret, all the while resisting an undeniable pull towards his team leader
Admittedly, this is a very odd concept that initially was equally very hard for my old brain to wrap around. In this world, some shifters actually change into their baby animal form, and whose kind is coddled with a social dynamic that is reminiscent of ABO undertones where they have less rights and equality.
Nick is a baby snow leopard shifter, and he’s determined not to let biology dictate his dream of becoming a member of Alpha Unit One, top tactical team in fighting drug crimes. The only problem is, baby shifters aren’t allowed to do any job deemed even remotely dangerous, so while he must guard his secret closely, he soon discovers that fate has an awful sense of humor - Nick’s mate is his team leader Sam, whose alpha instinct would never let him remain on the force.
Throw in fanatical bad guys with their own dangerous agenda that must be stopped and again, the setup is comforting familiar. Though this was rough around the edges, at times incongruous and needing more finesse, the absolute adorableness of the various baby shifters was the definite win despite being disconcerting at the same time.
Overall, THIRDS grew on me, becoming a top favorite series and this may too. I’m intrigued and will read the sequel.
August 6, 2019
3 stars for cute factor. 🐈🐀🐣🐢🐇🐕 I love baby a shifter and these guys are adorable! The plot, eh. More like the execution of the plot. Great premise. Don't read this expecting novel of the year, but it's still a fun read. I did skip parts because the action was too ridiculous and I just wanted to see the baby shifters play anyway. 😉
Plot: 3.5 for a great idea
Execution: 2 stars
Cuteness: 5 stars 😻
Overall: 3 stars
Plot: 3.5 for a great idea
Execution: 2 stars
Cuteness: 5 stars 😻
Overall: 3 stars
August 1, 2018
~5 Stars~
This book was great! It’s one of those books that you cannot stop reading and you don’t want to put down. I ended up reading this one straight through to the end. I’m not quite sure if this is going to be a series of books or not, but it for sure needs to be. I would love to read more about these characters and learn more about the other Alpha Teams in different cities as well, I really think the premise of this story could be taken a lot further and I would read every single one of them without hesitation.
I’ve never read this author before and I was really impressed with everything they packed into this book. It was really interesting. This book had a lot of suspense and a little mystery behind what was happening and who was behind it all. The storyline and background were explained and laid out pretty well and it all progressed at a really decent pace. I loved all of the characters and all of their interactions together they just really had the best dynamic going between all of the team members and not just the main characters. I have actually never read a shifter book quite like this before. I loved the aspect of them being in a police unit filled with Alpha shifters and humans mixed together. But that there are different types of shifters; not just Alpha/Omega and that some actually shift and revert into a “baby” and/or small animal form. Those shifters are not allowed to do “dangerous” jobs since they have more innocent type personalities when they are in their baby shifter form. They are just supposed to be cared for and looked after even though they are still human adults they are looked at and treated differently than everyone else.
Sam is the lead Alpha shifter on Team One, New York. When Nick joins the team as a human all the members seem to realize something is different about him but can’t determine right away exactly what it is. Sam and Nick have an instant connection to each other that they slowly realize is the mate bond trying to surface. I really enjoyed reading how Nicky was so determined to push past the stigma and stay with the team even when he had to deal with mating Sam. And Sam, I was really happy he pushed away his Alpha side enough to allow Nicky to stay in place and do his job with the team. Can I also just mention how freaking cute it is when they are both shifted and interacted together in their animal forms, that just makes you melt a little inside, they end up being so great together as a couple. This book was really fantastic and I cannot wait to see if we get more, but it’s for sure going onto my need to re-read soon shelf for now.
*** Copy provided to Bayou Book Junkie by Dreamspinner Press for my reading pleasure, a review wasn't a requirement. ***
This book was great! It’s one of those books that you cannot stop reading and you don’t want to put down. I ended up reading this one straight through to the end. I’m not quite sure if this is going to be a series of books or not, but it for sure needs to be. I would love to read more about these characters and learn more about the other Alpha Teams in different cities as well, I really think the premise of this story could be taken a lot further and I would read every single one of them without hesitation.
I’ve never read this author before and I was really impressed with everything they packed into this book. It was really interesting. This book had a lot of suspense and a little mystery behind what was happening and who was behind it all. The storyline and background were explained and laid out pretty well and it all progressed at a really decent pace. I loved all of the characters and all of their interactions together they just really had the best dynamic going between all of the team members and not just the main characters. I have actually never read a shifter book quite like this before. I loved the aspect of them being in a police unit filled with Alpha shifters and humans mixed together. But that there are different types of shifters; not just Alpha/Omega and that some actually shift and revert into a “baby” and/or small animal form. Those shifters are not allowed to do “dangerous” jobs since they have more innocent type personalities when they are in their baby shifter form. They are just supposed to be cared for and looked after even though they are still human adults they are looked at and treated differently than everyone else.
Sam is the lead Alpha shifter on Team One, New York. When Nick joins the team as a human all the members seem to realize something is different about him but can’t determine right away exactly what it is. Sam and Nick have an instant connection to each other that they slowly realize is the mate bond trying to surface. I really enjoyed reading how Nicky was so determined to push past the stigma and stay with the team even when he had to deal with mating Sam. And Sam, I was really happy he pushed away his Alpha side enough to allow Nicky to stay in place and do his job with the team. Can I also just mention how freaking cute it is when they are both shifted and interacted together in their animal forms, that just makes you melt a little inside, they end up being so great together as a couple. This book was really fantastic and I cannot wait to see if we get more, but it’s for sure going onto my need to re-read soon shelf for now.
*** Copy provided to Bayou Book Junkie by Dreamspinner Press for my reading pleasure, a review wasn't a requirement. ***
January 4, 2019
I really enjoyed this book. It was fun, sweet, sexy and had a different take on shifters.
Nick is 28 years old and a cop who is keeping a secret. When he shifts, he is a "baby shifter". His shifted form is a 3-month-old snow leopard and apparently always will be. When he is in his shifted form he retains his human sensibilities for the most part, but also takes on some of the attributes of the young leopard and the longer he stays shifted, the more they come to the forefront. Outside of his shifted form he is an adult human. I had no issues with the "baby shifter" and in fact found it refreshing and quite adorable. There is quite a distinction between Nick the adult and Nick the baby shifter.
The problem is that he is keeping his shifter form secret since there is a prejudice against baby shifters doing anything perceived as dangerous or difficult. While there's no law against him being a cop, it would not be allowed, especially if he was ever mated. Enter Sam, his older lion-shifter team leader on the elite force he has just been assigned to, and who happens to be Nick's mate. Nick is barely hiding his shifter form as it is, but if Sam and Nick mate there is no chance he can hide and probably no chance Sam will allow him to continue working with Alpha One. I found myself quite invested in Nick's problem and his need to tear away at Sam's prejudiced thinking.
I loved that there was good world building and a varied team of shifters and humans. I also was thrilled that they spent a lot of time in their shifted forms. Much of the action takes place on the job too, so there is a focus on the unit working together. There were a couple of times where things didn't seem to really fit for me, but the sheer entertainment I got out of the story made up for that.
I'm glad that there will be follow-up to the story. I'd love to get more background on Sam and some of the others in the unit. (I'd also love to know what happens to their clothes when they shift since they shift not only in private but in the office at random and nothing is said about them having to get new clothes afterwards!)
********
Thank you Secret Santa!
Nick is 28 years old and a cop who is keeping a secret. When he shifts, he is a "baby shifter". His shifted form is a 3-month-old snow leopard and apparently always will be. When he is in his shifted form he retains his human sensibilities for the most part, but also takes on some of the attributes of the young leopard and the longer he stays shifted, the more they come to the forefront. Outside of his shifted form he is an adult human. I had no issues with the "baby shifter" and in fact found it refreshing and quite adorable. There is quite a distinction between Nick the adult and Nick the baby shifter.
The problem is that he is keeping his shifter form secret since there is a prejudice against baby shifters doing anything perceived as dangerous or difficult. While there's no law against him being a cop, it would not be allowed, especially if he was ever mated. Enter Sam, his older lion-shifter team leader on the elite force he has just been assigned to, and who happens to be Nick's mate. Nick is barely hiding his shifter form as it is, but if Sam and Nick mate there is no chance he can hide and probably no chance Sam will allow him to continue working with Alpha One. I found myself quite invested in Nick's problem and his need to tear away at Sam's prejudiced thinking.
I loved that there was good world building and a varied team of shifters and humans. I also was thrilled that they spent a lot of time in their shifted forms. Much of the action takes place on the job too, so there is a focus on the unit working together. There were a couple of times where things didn't seem to really fit for me, but the sheer entertainment I got out of the story made up for that.
I'm glad that there will be follow-up to the story. I'd love to get more background on Sam and some of the others in the unit. (I'd also love to know what happens to their clothes when they shift since they shift not only in private but in the office at random and nothing is said about them having to get new clothes afterwards!)
********
Thank you Secret Santa!
July 27, 2018
So this was interesting and quite quirky...I'm not sure how I feel about the "baby shifter" aspect, but in all I sped through this and will definitely give the next book, if this turns into a series, a go.
March 25, 2020
I liked this but...
It felt a lot like the THIRDS series but not as good and when Nicholas shifted into his baby leopard and started acting like a very young character it really threw me off. It just felt bizarre to have a romance between a baby shifter (since his personality seemed to regress a lot after shifting) and an adult lion. I would have liked it a lot more if Nic didn't act so much younger when shifting. The fact that he would get distracted so easily made it hard to believe he would be part of an Alpha Cop Team.
It felt a lot like the THIRDS series but not as good and when Nicholas shifted into his baby leopard and started acting like a very young character it really threw me off. It just felt bizarre to have a romance between a baby shifter (since his personality seemed to regress a lot after shifting) and an adult lion. I would have liked it a lot more if Nic didn't act so much younger when shifting. The fact that he would get distracted so easily made it hard to believe he would be part of an Alpha Cop Team.
July 31, 2018
No, this wasn't a 5-star read because it felt like something was missing... but it sure was cute... and adorable... and did I say cute? *grin*
We need more shifter snow leopard cubs in our shifter books...
This was my first book by this author and I enjoyed it VERY much, but the writing was a bit... lacking? I can't put my finger on it right this second, but it didn't hit any of my emotions except for my "awwwww" one, because... adorable! ;D Hopefully, this will be something we see develop with this author because I really thought the world building and the characters were right on the mark!!! Sam and Nicky were quite the duo not to mention all the other "baby" issues going on around them! Maybe I just need a bit more depth, more pages, more... something to grab me and say YES that is what was missing. But you won't hear me complaining about the adorable baby shifter cubs and their oh so manly counterparts! And neither will Sam, Jesse or Nate! *waggles eyebrow*
We need more shifter snow leopard cubs in our shifter books...
This was my first book by this author and I enjoyed it VERY much, but the writing was a bit... lacking? I can't put my finger on it right this second, but it didn't hit any of my emotions except for my "awwwww" one, because... adorable! ;D Hopefully, this will be something we see develop with this author because I really thought the world building and the characters were right on the mark!!! Sam and Nicky were quite the duo not to mention all the other "baby" issues going on around them! Maybe I just need a bit more depth, more pages, more... something to grab me and say YES that is what was missing. But you won't hear me complaining about the adorable baby shifter cubs and their oh so manly counterparts! And neither will Sam, Jesse or Nate! *waggles eyebrow*
January 21, 2021
I loved Nicky. He was just so cute. What I didn't like was Jesse and Connor's story. No offence against either of them but I felt like their story was intruding on Nicky and Sam's, which I didn't like.
I also saw an eerily similar resemblance with the THIRDS series by Charlie Cochet.
I also saw an eerily similar resemblance with the THIRDS series by Charlie Cochet.
July 27, 2018
A Joyfully Jay review.
3.5 stars
I have to give author Chris T. Kat credit for creating a new take on shifters in this story. There are many books out there in the genre, and this is the first I have seen that takes on the concept of adults who shift into baby animals. In this case, in human form these shifters are fully grown adults with adult temperaments and abilities. But when they shift, they turn into baby versions of their animals and have a more childlike personality. They end up facing a lot of discrimination, particularly by the larger cat shifters, as well as having a lot of their autonomy turned over to their mates. Along with smaller shifters, the baby shifters are also limited in what jobs they can have. So this was an interesting spin on the shifter genre and I liked the way Kat plays with this dichotomy of adult form and child form in some fun ways. She also does a nice job building the members of the Alpha team and I enjoyed these side characters and the team dynamics.
Read Jay’s review in its entirety here.
3.5 stars
I have to give author Chris T. Kat credit for creating a new take on shifters in this story. There are many books out there in the genre, and this is the first I have seen that takes on the concept of adults who shift into baby animals. In this case, in human form these shifters are fully grown adults with adult temperaments and abilities. But when they shift, they turn into baby versions of their animals and have a more childlike personality. They end up facing a lot of discrimination, particularly by the larger cat shifters, as well as having a lot of their autonomy turned over to their mates. Along with smaller shifters, the baby shifters are also limited in what jobs they can have. So this was an interesting spin on the shifter genre and I liked the way Kat plays with this dichotomy of adult form and child form in some fun ways. She also does a nice job building the members of the Alpha team and I enjoyed these side characters and the team dynamics.
Read Jay’s review in its entirety here.
March 31, 2019
This was a fun read! Different than any other shifter book I have read, Alpha Unit kept me hooked.
Set in a world where shifters and humans live together by baby shifters don’t have a whole lot of freedom. When they mate, their mate decided what they can do. No one understands that just because their shifter is a cub doesn’t mean that they can’t handle dangerous jobs. The human side is an adult. Nicky is proving they can.
I love Sam’s protectiveness and Nick’s determination. They both have to go against their natures and it shows the trust and love between them that they support each other. Great read!
Set in a world where shifters and humans live together by baby shifters don’t have a whole lot of freedom. When they mate, their mate decided what they can do. No one understands that just because their shifter is a cub doesn’t mean that they can’t handle dangerous jobs. The human side is an adult. Nicky is proving they can.
I love Sam’s protectiveness and Nick’s determination. They both have to go against their natures and it shows the trust and love between them that they support each other. Great read!
April 29, 2021
Aw ❤️
Ich lese ja unglaublich viele Wandlergeschichten und es ist schwer, etwas Neues zu finden. Aber diese Geschichte hat mir von Anfang an so viel Freude bereitet. Es herrscht ein unglaublich heimelige Atmosphäre, ich hab mich sofort wohl gefühlt. Es gibt Action, Drama und jede Menge Alpha-Gehabe. Gekrönt wird das Ganze von den Baby-Wandlern. Es gibt Wandler, die sich selbst im Erwachsenenalter noch in Baby-Tiere verwandeln und sich dann auch nicht immer sehr erwachsen verhalten. Gott, das ist so süß!
Ich bin total verliebt in die Geschichte.
Ich lese ja unglaublich viele Wandlergeschichten und es ist schwer, etwas Neues zu finden. Aber diese Geschichte hat mir von Anfang an so viel Freude bereitet. Es herrscht ein unglaublich heimelige Atmosphäre, ich hab mich sofort wohl gefühlt. Es gibt Action, Drama und jede Menge Alpha-Gehabe. Gekrönt wird das Ganze von den Baby-Wandlern. Es gibt Wandler, die sich selbst im Erwachsenenalter noch in Baby-Tiere verwandeln und sich dann auch nicht immer sehr erwachsen verhalten. Gott, das ist so süß!
Ich bin total verliebt in die Geschichte.
August 1, 2018
DNF. Very different PNR. Instead of adult omega shifters, there were adult BABY shifters - adult shifters who turned into BABY animals. They acted like BABY animals in their animal forms. They exhibited infantile behaviors in their human forms Their pheromones caused other shifters to treat them like BABIES. It was NOT sexy.
July 22, 2018
I had a lot of fun reading this book. This was a one-sitting read for me.
Blurb sums up the book fairly well. It’s a society of human and shifters, and shifters come in all varieties including those who revert to a “baby” form. For reasons only barely explained, these “baby” shifters are to be protected, cannot take perceived dangerous jobs, and must have a legal guardian. Baby shifters also have the ability to comfort and soothe, which makes them ideal for care-giving professions.
Nick is one such shifter, reverting to a 3 month old (it might have been 6 month old) snow leopard cub. So far he has been successful in hiding his shifter “Tiny” as he climbed the detective ranks. Being accepted to Alpha Unit One, though, is going to be a challenge with Unit comprised of a lion, jaguar, tiger and wolf shifter. The reader knows this is going to end only one way and it's a matter of sitting back and enjoying the show.
Aspects I enjoyed about this book: the main mating between Nick and his mate was kept to a day. I was concerned after the story and plot set up that I was in for sex scene after sex scene with the plot relegated to the background. Thankfully the author brought our main characters back on the job.
The mix of shifters was a nice change. Many paranormal story settle with just one, wolves, or felines, but this really mixed it up.
The author kept the overall plot chugging right along. I was engaged from page one till the end.
Aspects that detracted for me: I have very mixed thoughts on the “baby” shifter status. On one hand, it was an unusual element that I haven’t read before. Cool! On the other hand, once things started snowballing, it seemed that baby (and small) shifters were a very large portion of shifter society. This baby shifter aspect became kinda garbled in the larger theme of the book. Not lost, just, a bit confusing.
Nick’s personality seemed to change from the opening chapter (masculine, nervous about starting a new job, sassy) to almost pre-teen child-like partway through (shrieking, squealing). I would have liked to have seen different descriptors and yes, I fully acknowledge the whole baby-shifter aspect. But set up was different than execution (and I’m being a bit vague to avoid spoilers).
And, what is the point of our baby shifters and small shifters hiding, when everyone knows anyway? Seriously.
Finally, this felt like a melding of a contemporary detective mystery/thriller series (non-M/M) I follow, and a very popular paranormal cop series (M/M). I won’t name either, but there were some strong parallels to this one, so there might be a bit of fan-fic in Alpha Unit One?
Ultimately, as I noted earlier, I did enjoy this book and felt a bit bereft when I realized it was over and I had no second book to pick up. So I turned around and started reading it again.
It’s that much fun.
Review is cross-posted at Gay Book Reviews
A copy of the book was provided by the author and publisher in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!!
Blurb sums up the book fairly well. It’s a society of human and shifters, and shifters come in all varieties including those who revert to a “baby” form. For reasons only barely explained, these “baby” shifters are to be protected, cannot take perceived dangerous jobs, and must have a legal guardian. Baby shifters also have the ability to comfort and soothe, which makes them ideal for care-giving professions.
Nick is one such shifter, reverting to a 3 month old (it might have been 6 month old) snow leopard cub. So far he has been successful in hiding his shifter “Tiny” as he climbed the detective ranks. Being accepted to Alpha Unit One, though, is going to be a challenge with Unit comprised of a lion, jaguar, tiger and wolf shifter. The reader knows this is going to end only one way and it's a matter of sitting back and enjoying the show.
Aspects I enjoyed about this book: the main mating between Nick and his mate was kept to a day. I was concerned after the story and plot set up that I was in for sex scene after sex scene with the plot relegated to the background. Thankfully the author brought our main characters back on the job.
The mix of shifters was a nice change. Many paranormal story settle with just one, wolves, or felines, but this really mixed it up.
The author kept the overall plot chugging right along. I was engaged from page one till the end.
Aspects that detracted for me: I have very mixed thoughts on the “baby” shifter status. On one hand, it was an unusual element that I haven’t read before. Cool! On the other hand, once things started snowballing, it seemed that baby (and small) shifters were a very large portion of shifter society. This baby shifter aspect became kinda garbled in the larger theme of the book. Not lost, just, a bit confusing.
Nick’s personality seemed to change from the opening chapter (masculine, nervous about starting a new job, sassy) to almost pre-teen child-like partway through (shrieking, squealing). I would have liked to have seen different descriptors and yes, I fully acknowledge the whole baby-shifter aspect. But set up was different than execution (and I’m being a bit vague to avoid spoilers).
And, what is the point of our baby shifters and small shifters hiding, when everyone knows anyway? Seriously.
Finally, this felt like a melding of a contemporary detective mystery/thriller series (non-M/M) I follow, and a very popular paranormal cop series (M/M). I won’t name either, but there were some strong parallels to this one, so there might be a bit of fan-fic in Alpha Unit One?
Ultimately, as I noted earlier, I did enjoy this book and felt a bit bereft when I realized it was over and I had no second book to pick up. So I turned around and started reading it again.
It’s that much fun.
Review is cross-posted at Gay Book Reviews
A copy of the book was provided by the author and publisher in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!!
July 5, 2018
•*´¨)
¸.•´¸.•*´¨) ¸.•*¨)
(¸.•´ (¸.•`Much like Victoria Sue's Enhanced series, I was captivated by this writer's writing style and the paranormal world she had built. In this world, humans and shifters are well aware of each other and despite some "war-like" qualities earlier, everyone seemed to be getting along. However, certain discriminations occur. One of them hit me hard, as it was apparent that, baby shifters as they were called were the equivalent to omegas in this universe. There were limits to what they could and couldn't do and couldn't do. And just like omegas, their alpha mates had control over their lives.
Nick had a secret and he had hoped to keep it under wraps. A cop when he shouldn't be one because of his state of being, Nick applied to the Alpha Unit One department and was accepted. Now he just needed to stay under the radar of his team and their leader Sam, who just happened to be a big lion shifter and horror of horrors, his mate.
This was a case of romantic suspense and all of the team were affected. I enjoyed it to the end, though several instances gave me pause. Character development aside, because oh boy, I can say, Nick was a little baby at times, he proved himself to the team and to Sam. At one point I thought this was book two, but I guess it was wishful thinking.
I voluntarily and honestly reviewed this book without bias or persuasion from Dreamspinner Press
Reviewed by Cee from Alpha Book Club
¸.•´¸.•*´¨) ¸.•*¨)
(¸.•´ (¸.•`Much like Victoria Sue's Enhanced series, I was captivated by this writer's writing style and the paranormal world she had built. In this world, humans and shifters are well aware of each other and despite some "war-like" qualities earlier, everyone seemed to be getting along. However, certain discriminations occur. One of them hit me hard, as it was apparent that, baby shifters as they were called were the equivalent to omegas in this universe. There were limits to what they could and couldn't do and couldn't do. And just like omegas, their alpha mates had control over their lives.
Nick had a secret and he had hoped to keep it under wraps. A cop when he shouldn't be one because of his state of being, Nick applied to the Alpha Unit One department and was accepted. Now he just needed to stay under the radar of his team and their leader Sam, who just happened to be a big lion shifter and horror of horrors, his mate.
This was a case of romantic suspense and all of the team were affected. I enjoyed it to the end, though several instances gave me pause. Character development aside, because oh boy, I can say, Nick was a little baby at times, he proved himself to the team and to Sam. At one point I thought this was book two, but I guess it was wishful thinking.
I voluntarily and honestly reviewed this book without bias or persuasion from Dreamspinner Press
Reviewed by Cee from Alpha Book Club
January 22, 2019
Again with the pretty cover and the good blurb. I was honestly intrigued by the concept and wanted this to work so bad. And then I stopped taking the protagonist seriously a few pages in. This is one of the main reasons I don't enjoy 1st person pov characters. It definitely lays the characters bare with all their insecurities and doubts before the reader gets to know and love them despite them. I don't want to read about the badass cop and his first day jitters. Especially not if he 'talks' like a teenager. Sorry, I want my bamf's old enough to drink and with a bit more swagger so I can buy the inevitable feats of glorious violence they will pull off later.
August 25, 2018
I was looking forward to this story but in the end it was annyoing. the development of the relationship was not as well done as I hoped ... honestly, I was annoyed with Sam .. and than with Nick because of how they interacted.
the suspense part was nearly not there and I was disappointed in how this part in the end played out
the suspense part was nearly not there and I was disappointed in how this part in the end played out
January 28, 2025
3.5 Stars ~ It was one small portion of the blurb that really made me interested in reading this book: “baby shifters and small shifters”. My mind latched onto that immediately and screamed “ooh, new take on lore in worldbuilding”. I love interesting worldbuilds especially when it’s original and not something I’ve seen before so Chris T. Kat caught me before I even opened the book.
In this world baby shifters are shifters whose animal form doesn’t match their human persona – regardless of their chronological age, when they shift, it’s always into the baby form of their animal. When in the baby form of their animals they also tend to want what any baby animal would – play, eat, and sleep – not necessarily in that order. These types of shifters, along with any of the smaller animal shifters, are considered incapable of taking care of themselves and need a mate to watch over them. Well, Nick’s been a detective for a number of years and has managed to hide his shifter status and he’s not about to give up his new position on the most elite alpha unit in the city. These alpha units are comprised of shifters – the large cats, wolves, and dogs – and humans, and each unit specializes in a specific area. Alpha Unit One handles the drug problems in New York City.
Please find my full review at Rainbow Book Reviews
In this world baby shifters are shifters whose animal form doesn’t match their human persona – regardless of their chronological age, when they shift, it’s always into the baby form of their animal. When in the baby form of their animals they also tend to want what any baby animal would – play, eat, and sleep – not necessarily in that order. These types of shifters, along with any of the smaller animal shifters, are considered incapable of taking care of themselves and need a mate to watch over them. Well, Nick’s been a detective for a number of years and has managed to hide his shifter status and he’s not about to give up his new position on the most elite alpha unit in the city. These alpha units are comprised of shifters – the large cats, wolves, and dogs – and humans, and each unit specializes in a specific area. Alpha Unit One handles the drug problems in New York City.
Please find my full review at Rainbow Book Reviews
July 27, 2018
3.5 Stars
+++++++++++++++++++
I have not read very many shifter books, but this one is definitely different than any I’d read before.
We have a world where shifters are accepted and human/shifter couple are as well. Nicholas Reed has started his dream job in New York’s Alpha Unit One-a very elite law enforcement team. Nick is excited, nervous and hiding a couple secrets. When Nick meets his new boss, Sam Black, he knows all his secrets are going to be found out.
Sam is a lion shifter and everything about Nick calls out to the man and his lion. Sam knows he’s met his mate and he knows Nick is hiding something. Once Nick’s secrets come out, the mates have some adjustments to make. Sam has to control every protective instinct he and his lion have and put their trust in Nick. This is easier said than done at times, but Sam loves his mate and wants him to be happy. The author does a good job of keeping the police work a part of the story and not just focusing on the mating of Nick and Sam. I love myself some kinky books, really, but there were some parts of this book that even I felt uncomfortable. That was my only issue though. That said, this was a good read with some really cute moments.
+++++++++++++++++++
I have not read very many shifter books, but this one is definitely different than any I’d read before.
We have a world where shifters are accepted and human/shifter couple are as well. Nicholas Reed has started his dream job in New York’s Alpha Unit One-a very elite law enforcement team. Nick is excited, nervous and hiding a couple secrets. When Nick meets his new boss, Sam Black, he knows all his secrets are going to be found out.
Sam is a lion shifter and everything about Nick calls out to the man and his lion. Sam knows he’s met his mate and he knows Nick is hiding something. Once Nick’s secrets come out, the mates have some adjustments to make. Sam has to control every protective instinct he and his lion have and put their trust in Nick. This is easier said than done at times, but Sam loves his mate and wants him to be happy. The author does a good job of keeping the police work a part of the story and not just focusing on the mating of Nick and Sam. I love myself some kinky books, really, but there were some parts of this book that even I felt uncomfortable. That was my only issue though. That said, this was a good read with some really cute moments.
July 28, 2018
Alpha Unit One, New York is a new book by the wonderful Chris K. Kat. Nicholas Reed is a new member of Alpha Unit One, an elite law enforcement team that is made of both humans and shifters. It's his dream job but while applying he leaves out a very important piece of information. The leader of said team, Sam Black, is a lion shifter and Nick's mate. Nick has to make an important decision, his mate or his job?
Nick's character was very cute. He was funny, good at his job and while in his second form, adorable. I started off not liking Sam but with Nick he was so sweet and caring. I loved the rest of the team, too. I liked how while not main characters we saw a lot of them.
This book reminded me a lot of another well-known series. Even the main character somewhat reminded me of it. While it was somewhat similar, it was also very different, the whole baby shifter's situation was both odd and unique. How can one have a different age while human and shift? But the author made it work. It was insta-love, though, which kind of brought the rating down for me a bit.
*** Copy provided to Bayou Book Junkie for my reading pleasure, a review wasn't a requirement. **
Nick's character was very cute. He was funny, good at his job and while in his second form, adorable. I started off not liking Sam but with Nick he was so sweet and caring. I loved the rest of the team, too. I liked how while not main characters we saw a lot of them.
This book reminded me a lot of another well-known series. Even the main character somewhat reminded me of it. While it was somewhat similar, it was also very different, the whole baby shifter's situation was both odd and unique. How can one have a different age while human and shift? But the author made it work. It was insta-love, though, which kind of brought the rating down for me a bit.
*** Copy provided to Bayou Book Junkie for my reading pleasure, a review wasn't a requirement. **
August 7, 2018
Rating: 4 stars
At first I didn’t understand the premise of this story. I wasn’t sure what they meant by baby shifters. Turns out they are shifters who for some reason shift into baby animals instead of full grown ones. Since it is believed that they take on too much of their shifted personality while in human form, they are not afforded the same rights as full grown shifters and must be protected at all costs.
I must say that the cute factor for this story was off the charts. If you are looking for a gritty shifter story, this is not for you. I personally love it when we get to see small/baby shifters. I love cute so that didn’t bother me at all. I loved Nicky and Sam together. Sam tried so hard to be the big tough alpha, but it didn’t always work in the face of Nicky’s cuteness. I also loved the rest of the Alpha One Unit. I thought they meshed together well.
While not perfect and if I’m honest pretty low on the believability scale, I really liked this story. I really hope the author writes more in this series. Highly recommended.
At first I didn’t understand the premise of this story. I wasn’t sure what they meant by baby shifters. Turns out they are shifters who for some reason shift into baby animals instead of full grown ones. Since it is believed that they take on too much of their shifted personality while in human form, they are not afforded the same rights as full grown shifters and must be protected at all costs.
I must say that the cute factor for this story was off the charts. If you are looking for a gritty shifter story, this is not for you. I personally love it when we get to see small/baby shifters. I love cute so that didn’t bother me at all. I loved Nicky and Sam together. Sam tried so hard to be the big tough alpha, but it didn’t always work in the face of Nicky’s cuteness. I also loved the rest of the Alpha One Unit. I thought they meshed together well.
While not perfect and if I’m honest pretty low on the believability scale, I really liked this story. I really hope the author writes more in this series. Highly recommended.
September 4, 2018
SERIOUSLY
Baby shifter forms?! How could I resist.
It's a little disjointed and the plot has holes, BUT! The twist on the common shifter trope is worth the read.
I'm looking forward to book 2. I just hope it fills a couple of gaps in the story arc and it's slightly more polished in terms of flow and continuity.
Either way, this is one to watch for additional installments.
Baby shifter forms?! How could I resist.
It's a little disjointed and the plot has holes, BUT! The twist on the common shifter trope is worth the read.
I'm looking forward to book 2. I just hope it fills a couple of gaps in the story arc and it's slightly more polished in terms of flow and continuity.
Either way, this is one to watch for additional installments.
January 22, 2022
cute story. I was a little unsure about the "baby shifter" idea but it worked out in the end. Interesting take on shifters. I liked the dynamics of the Alpha unit, i liked that there was a straight couple and they weren't just a throwaway couple but actually participated in the story. I'm glad i decided to give this one a go even though i worried about the baby shifter aspect.
August 5, 2018
Full review at :
https://optimumm.blog/2018/08/05/review-alpha-unit-one-new-york-by-chris-t-kat/
Nicholas Reese is 28 years-old. He dreams to be a cop and especially a member of the Alpha Unit One. It’s a unit where humans and shifters work together. Nicholas decides to enter this unit as human and does everything in his power to keep his secret safe, but he didn’t plan to meet his true mate in the person of Sam Black an alpha lion shifter and his boss.
They will have to decide what they really want if they want a chance of a future together.
Alpha Unit One, New York is my first book by the author Chris T Kat. I liked this book.
In a world where humans and shifters are equals and live together, the baby shifters aren’t really free to do what they want. Baby-shifters are humans who can shift into the baby’s form of their animal, no matter their ages or sizes. When they’re in this form, they act like little child, so humans and shifters (the adult ones) decided that the baby-shifters can’t have dangerous work (like being a cop) and when they mate, their mates have all power, decisions and responsibilities over them.
Nicholas is an adult, he’s 28 years old. But when he shifts, he becomes a baby snow leopard and that’s where the problem is. He’s a good cop, strong, and mature, but because of his shifted form, people think he’s a kid who needs to be protected. Mating Sam scares him because he refuses to lose his job, but he can’t resist his pull for Sam too. I adore Nick, he’s strong, mature, very smart and super cute. When he shifts he’s just so cute. His shifted form, named Tiny, is so adooooooorable I wanted to put him in my pocket and never let him go.
Sam is an older Lion shifter. He’s strong, fierce, loyal, very protective and hot, like super-hot and I want to do things to him that I can’t really write right now! Sam doesn’t freak out about Nick’s secret, but all his protective instincts kick in, and he tried to protect his baby-mate, even if he’d be hurting him in the process. I sooo love Sam.
I really liked this book. I was afraid when I read the blurb that the book would be a copy of the “Thirds” series by Charlie Cochet, but it wasn’t at all. Yes, it’s a world where shifters and humans live together, and yes, it’s about a unit where shifters and humans are partners, but it ends there. The plot, the characters, the particularities of this universe, are different from the other series, and it was original and pretty good in Alpha Unit One, New York.
I don’t know if it’s the beginning of a series, so I’m torn, let me explain. If it’s the beginning of a series, this book put just all the ingredients for a good series. The main characters, the plot and subplot, and the background are all introduced in the book but not thoroughly, and it’s okay for me because it mean I will learn more about Sam and Nick, their dynamics, their world in the next books. If it’s just a standalone, well, it was good but too superficial for me.
Anyway, if you like a good universe with shifters and humans, I recommend this book, it’s a pleasurable read. And I do hope to have another one (me? greedy? … Naan)
3.5 Stars for The King Lion and his baby prince!
https://optimumm.blog/2018/08/05/review-alpha-unit-one-new-york-by-chris-t-kat/
Nicholas Reese is 28 years-old. He dreams to be a cop and especially a member of the Alpha Unit One. It’s a unit where humans and shifters work together. Nicholas decides to enter this unit as human and does everything in his power to keep his secret safe, but he didn’t plan to meet his true mate in the person of Sam Black an alpha lion shifter and his boss.
They will have to decide what they really want if they want a chance of a future together.
Alpha Unit One, New York is my first book by the author Chris T Kat. I liked this book.
In a world where humans and shifters are equals and live together, the baby shifters aren’t really free to do what they want. Baby-shifters are humans who can shift into the baby’s form of their animal, no matter their ages or sizes. When they’re in this form, they act like little child, so humans and shifters (the adult ones) decided that the baby-shifters can’t have dangerous work (like being a cop) and when they mate, their mates have all power, decisions and responsibilities over them.
Nicholas is an adult, he’s 28 years old. But when he shifts, he becomes a baby snow leopard and that’s where the problem is. He’s a good cop, strong, and mature, but because of his shifted form, people think he’s a kid who needs to be protected. Mating Sam scares him because he refuses to lose his job, but he can’t resist his pull for Sam too. I adore Nick, he’s strong, mature, very smart and super cute. When he shifts he’s just so cute. His shifted form, named Tiny, is so adooooooorable I wanted to put him in my pocket and never let him go.
Sam is an older Lion shifter. He’s strong, fierce, loyal, very protective and hot, like super-hot and I want to do things to him that I can’t really write right now! Sam doesn’t freak out about Nick’s secret, but all his protective instincts kick in, and he tried to protect his baby-mate, even if he’d be hurting him in the process. I sooo love Sam.
I really liked this book. I was afraid when I read the blurb that the book would be a copy of the “Thirds” series by Charlie Cochet, but it wasn’t at all. Yes, it’s a world where shifters and humans live together, and yes, it’s about a unit where shifters and humans are partners, but it ends there. The plot, the characters, the particularities of this universe, are different from the other series, and it was original and pretty good in Alpha Unit One, New York.
I don’t know if it’s the beginning of a series, so I’m torn, let me explain. If it’s the beginning of a series, this book put just all the ingredients for a good series. The main characters, the plot and subplot, and the background are all introduced in the book but not thoroughly, and it’s okay for me because it mean I will learn more about Sam and Nick, their dynamics, their world in the next books. If it’s just a standalone, well, it was good but too superficial for me.
Anyway, if you like a good universe with shifters and humans, I recommend this book, it’s a pleasurable read. And I do hope to have another one (me? greedy? … Naan)
3.5 Stars for The King Lion and his baby prince!
September 9, 2018
Die Alpha Unit One hat ein neues Teammitglied: Nick. Ein Mensch, der es in diese Spezialeinheit geschafft hat. Diese wird von dem Löwenwandler Sam geführt, jedoch sind auch andere Menschen in der erfolgreichen Einheit. Nick hat sich diese Chance hart erarbeitet und will seinen Platz nicht verlieren. Aber er muss auf der Hut sein. Denn Nick ist nicht das, was er zu vorgeben scheint. Tatsächlich ist Nick ebenfalls ein Wandler, gehört jedoch der Gruppe der 'Baby-Shifter' an.
Diese Wandler werden nicht erwachsen, bleiben in ihrer Wandlerform Tierbabies und haben somit eine besondere Stellung in der Gesellschaft. Man gesteht ihnen keine gefährlichen Jobs zu, will sie beschützen und von jedem Ärger fern halten.
Auch Sam sieht das so. Babyshifter haben in seiner Einheit nichts verloren. Doch Sam hat noch ganz andere 'Probleme' mit Nick, der sich schnell als fähiger Kollege und Mitarbeiter erweist. Sam kann Nick nicht 'riechen' und fühlt sich zu dem jüngeren Mann hingezogen. Die Möglichkeit dass Nick sein Gefährte ist, wird immer klarer. Doch Sam hat ein Vertrauensproblem und wurde schon einmal von einem angeblichen Gefährten hintergangen.
Sehr witzig und flüssig erzählt, hat mich die Geschichte schnell gefesselt und eingenommen. Die Helden wirken im ersten Moment ein wenig streotyp, können dann aber durchaus überraschen. Auch Sam, der eben durch und durch ein Alpha ist. Sehr lustig fand ich die Episoden, wo Nick sich in sein Alter Ego verwandelt und als Cub ist er wirklich tödlich süss.
Der Hauptfokus der Geschichte liegt eben auf Sam und Nick und eben des Geheimnisses, das Nick mit sich herumträgt. Amüsant ist es, dass alle andere Mitglieder der Einheit Nick sehr schnell als Babyshifter identifizieren. Sam braucht dazu ein wenig länger. Die Storyline ist leider etwas dünn. Deswegen ziehe ich einen Stern ab. Trotzdem empfehle ich die Geschichte sehr gern weiter, weil sie eben wirklich sehr humorvoll geschrieben ist und alle - wirklich alle - auftretenden Personen witzig, interessant und liebenswürdig sind.
Diese Wandler werden nicht erwachsen, bleiben in ihrer Wandlerform Tierbabies und haben somit eine besondere Stellung in der Gesellschaft. Man gesteht ihnen keine gefährlichen Jobs zu, will sie beschützen und von jedem Ärger fern halten.
Auch Sam sieht das so. Babyshifter haben in seiner Einheit nichts verloren. Doch Sam hat noch ganz andere 'Probleme' mit Nick, der sich schnell als fähiger Kollege und Mitarbeiter erweist. Sam kann Nick nicht 'riechen' und fühlt sich zu dem jüngeren Mann hingezogen. Die Möglichkeit dass Nick sein Gefährte ist, wird immer klarer. Doch Sam hat ein Vertrauensproblem und wurde schon einmal von einem angeblichen Gefährten hintergangen.
Sehr witzig und flüssig erzählt, hat mich die Geschichte schnell gefesselt und eingenommen. Die Helden wirken im ersten Moment ein wenig streotyp, können dann aber durchaus überraschen. Auch Sam, der eben durch und durch ein Alpha ist. Sehr lustig fand ich die Episoden, wo Nick sich in sein Alter Ego verwandelt und als Cub ist er wirklich tödlich süss.
Der Hauptfokus der Geschichte liegt eben auf Sam und Nick und eben des Geheimnisses, das Nick mit sich herumträgt. Amüsant ist es, dass alle andere Mitglieder der Einheit Nick sehr schnell als Babyshifter identifizieren. Sam braucht dazu ein wenig länger. Die Storyline ist leider etwas dünn. Deswegen ziehe ich einen Stern ab. Trotzdem empfehle ich die Geschichte sehr gern weiter, weil sie eben wirklich sehr humorvoll geschrieben ist und alle - wirklich alle - auftretenden Personen witzig, interessant und liebenswürdig sind.
May 17, 2019
I love the work of Chris T. Cat. This one is fast paced and full of surprises. I did not want to stop reading until I read the last word. Sam and Nicky were incredible together. the new world for this one is fascinating. I can't wait for more. There is another coming out and I have pre-ordered it.
August 8, 2018
I received a copy to read and review for Wicked Reads.
I really enjoyed this book. It reminded me of several series I have read in some aspects. It was a fast read for me and I really hope there will be more books around this group of characters. I had never heard of baby shifters before but I really liked the concept. Nick and Sam were so good together. The story was good and I think they could have taken things further and made it better. I wanted to see more with Connor, I felt deprived of what everyones reaction to him was. I want more Nick and Sam and how things worked after the last case. I wanted to know more about Roland. Ugh.....I just want more!!!
I really enjoyed this book. It reminded me of several series I have read in some aspects. It was a fast read for me and I really hope there will be more books around this group of characters. I had never heard of baby shifters before but I really liked the concept. Nick and Sam were so good together. The story was good and I think they could have taken things further and made it better. I wanted to see more with Connor, I felt deprived of what everyones reaction to him was. I want more Nick and Sam and how things worked after the last case. I wanted to know more about Roland. Ugh.....I just want more!!!
August 5, 2018
✮3.5 Stars✮
August 8, 2018
* I received a free copy to read and review for wicked reads review team*
I liked this book, I've never read a story with baby shifters before so that was new to me.
Not going to Lie, Nick grated on me and little and I felt sorry for San but I guess that goes with the baby shifter issues.
I hope this turns into a series because I felt the story left a good foundation for future books, I want to see how the whole rebellion will play out.
Overall i enjoyed the book and would read more from this author.
I liked this book, I've never read a story with baby shifters before so that was new to me.
Not going to Lie, Nick grated on me and little and I felt sorry for San but I guess that goes with the baby shifter issues.
I hope this turns into a series because I felt the story left a good foundation for future books, I want to see how the whole rebellion will play out.
Overall i enjoyed the book and would read more from this author.
May 14, 2023
lo disfruté más de lo esperado
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