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Midnight Rodeo #1-3
The Mark of Cain
Almost twenty years have passed since Cain, the formidable T-Rex shifter, and his Ultimate Predators attacked the Shifting Sands Ranch. Jax, Dakota, and the rest of the Pack have matured and prospered. A new generation of shifters have come into their own at the Ranch, not least of which are twins Tai and Mal, who give their uncles no end of sass, just like teenagers should. Life is good, but the peace they’ve enjoyed is about to be splintered.
Cain left behind more than just his mark on the lives of the folks at the Shifting Sands Ranch, and his twin legacies are vengeful, lethal, hungry, and headed for the Ranch, intent on finishing what Cain began.
What happens when the next generation of shifters collide just like their parents' did? Who will survive? Who will come out on top?
Find out in this exciting sequel to In Their Own Shifting Sands.
Cain left behind more than just his mark on the lives of the folks at the Shifting Sands Ranch, and his twin legacies are vengeful, lethal, hungry, and headed for the Ranch, intent on finishing what Cain began.
What happens when the next generation of shifters collide just like their parents' did? Who will survive? Who will come out on top?
Find out in this exciting sequel to In Their Own Shifting Sands.
184 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 1, 2009
2 people are currently reading
101 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
July 25, 2019
This is the continuation of the story about Shifting Sands Ranch and all its inhabitants, so it can not be read as a standalone. 18 years have passed since the day Cain the Tyrannosaurus Rex shifter entered the ranch with intent to kill everybody but was slayed himself. The ranch has prospered, Jax's pack grew 50 strong and new generation is ready to spread their wings. Yet Jax and Dakota remain vigilant because it's a dangerous world out there, and they think that the Ultimate Predators are not quite done with them yet. Told from multiple POVs that of MCs, side characters and the villains, the story is more than just a romance but a coming of age, atoning for mistakes and finally finding one's own purpose and place in the pack.
I liked the danger angle - actually there were two. Both varied in reasons and intensity. There was a bit of young adult drama, new love and secrets, youthful exploration and courage to stand up for their loved ones. I enjoyed different POVs that showed the ranch from different sides. There were steamy encounters, a bit of humor, sweet romance and enough dangerous fighting to keep me engrossed till the very end. It was all in the open but the story had just enough zest to make me want to know just how the author was going to wrap up the story. I enjoyed the overall result and subsequent hours of reading it (the editing was much better here as well). I recommend it. Copy received for my honest and unbiased review
I liked the danger angle - actually there were two. Both varied in reasons and intensity. There was a bit of young adult drama, new love and secrets, youthful exploration and courage to stand up for their loved ones. I enjoyed different POVs that showed the ranch from different sides. There were steamy encounters, a bit of humor, sweet romance and enough dangerous fighting to keep me engrossed till the very end. It was all in the open but the story had just enough zest to make me want to know just how the author was going to wrap up the story. I enjoyed the overall result and subsequent hours of reading it (the editing was much better here as well). I recommend it. Copy received for my honest and unbiased review
February 3, 2016
A supernatural rodeo with werewolves, vampires, and loads of other paranormal beings? All doing what cowboys do best – except in a supernatural way? Yee-haw and bring it on! With a unifying theme of “homecoming”, all three stories show characters who find a home. In the first story it’s a return to an old place long missed, in the second story it’s finally finding a group of people to belong, and in the third story it’s all about finding the mate and home you’ve always wanted, even though it may be a little unexpected. I totally enjoyed all of them!
Welcome to the Pack by BA Tortuga
This story proves that supernatural beings can be just as selfish and nasty toward their fellow beings as humans. Actually, this makes sense since it is humans who “think them up”, but bear with me here. Even though it is fiction and all make-believe, the sense of “reality” is great when all these creatures behave just like humans – or worse!
Denver is a werewolf, the younger of twins, who left years ago so his older brother Denton could rule the pack. Unfortunately, that brother is killed by a demon bull (under very suspicious circumstances, I must add), and now Denton is suddenly called back from the human rodeo to run the pack and work in the paranormal arena. Luckily he remembers how everything works from before he left, but he has his work cut out for him!
Blaine is an outcast werewolf who is treated pretty badly, just because he was not born into the pack. He is bullied all the time, never has enough to eat, but has nowhere else to go so he perseveres. He also loved Denton – a love that remained unrequited since Denton was straight. I loved how Blaine suddenly has hope for a better future when Denton turns up and makes it very clear his sense of justice is pronounced and someone’s origins don’t matter to him half as much as their work ethic.
If you like the idea of a supernatural rodeo where all the bulls are far more dangerous than normal, and some of the other rodeo workers are vampires, ghost riders, etc., and if you’re looking for an entertaining and suspenseful read full of hot cowboys, then you will probably like this novella.
Oklahoma Rain by Kiernan Kelly
What I really liked about this story is how it shows the danger and effects of reverse discrimination. For once it isn’t humans who reject supernatural beings, or Supes, instead it shows how Supes deal with a human suddenly in their midst. Granted, he is only a child, and that helps, but some of them still have an issue accepting him.
Blaze is a psychic, a Supe who shows no visible signs of his talent. He supports the wizards who set up the protective spells (so humans never find out the rodeo is full of paranormal talent – that made me laugh), but looks human. When he finds another psychic and the boy he rescued, Blaze wants to help them, but knows he has an uphill battle to fight with the rodeo owners. Not that this stops him, he is determined to help Zack and the kid.
Zack has a very rare psychic talent, and a need to protect Mikey ever since he rescued him from being beaten up after he was stolen from an orphanage. Zack himself used to live on the streets, so he is more determined to help the kid than most. His talent is needed by the supernatural rodeo, so he is allowed to stay and gradually begins to trust that he has finally found a home. I loved watching him open up and learn to trust Blaze, to the point where they work together to solve the crisis they find themselves in.
If you like the idea of a supernatural rodeo and want to explore more of the paranormal talents needed to make it run smoothly, and if you’re looking for a suspenseful read full of hatred from a bigot on the one hand and a developing romance on the other, then you will probably like this short novella.
Big Bear, Little Bear by Julia Talbot
The third story in this wonderful collection tackles the topic of finding a true home with a lover, as opposed to the home you grew up in. Ben has been hoping for Ozzie to notice him for a very longtime, but it takes him being hurt and needing help to recover before Ozzie gets over his hesitation.
Ben, the horse trainer and a black bear, is attracted to Ozzie, but thinks he is not enough for the big grizzly to notice him. After he gets hurt badly in an accident involving hell hounds and his horses, his road to recovery is much longer than he expected. But one good thing happens: Ozzie finally shows an interest in him.
Ozzie is the rodeo’s clown (at least in summer, since he hibernates in winter) and a huge grizzly bear. He is interested in Ben but wants him to grow up a little. After the accident he can’t hold back any longer, especially when he gets suspicious about Ben’s medication and the fact that Ben is no longer able to shift. Ozzie won’t rest until he gets to the bottom of what is wrong, and I am very happy he is so persistent! Ben needs all the help he can get.
If you like the idea of a supernatural rodeo and want to explore more of the paranormal talents needed to make it run, and if you’re looking for an emotional read full of great food and naps (these are bears, after all) on top of developing love, then you will probably like this short novella.
NOTE: This book was provided by the author for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
Welcome to the Pack by BA Tortuga
This story proves that supernatural beings can be just as selfish and nasty toward their fellow beings as humans. Actually, this makes sense since it is humans who “think them up”, but bear with me here. Even though it is fiction and all make-believe, the sense of “reality” is great when all these creatures behave just like humans – or worse!
Denver is a werewolf, the younger of twins, who left years ago so his older brother Denton could rule the pack. Unfortunately, that brother is killed by a demon bull (under very suspicious circumstances, I must add), and now Denton is suddenly called back from the human rodeo to run the pack and work in the paranormal arena. Luckily he remembers how everything works from before he left, but he has his work cut out for him!
Blaine is an outcast werewolf who is treated pretty badly, just because he was not born into the pack. He is bullied all the time, never has enough to eat, but has nowhere else to go so he perseveres. He also loved Denton – a love that remained unrequited since Denton was straight. I loved how Blaine suddenly has hope for a better future when Denton turns up and makes it very clear his sense of justice is pronounced and someone’s origins don’t matter to him half as much as their work ethic.
If you like the idea of a supernatural rodeo where all the bulls are far more dangerous than normal, and some of the other rodeo workers are vampires, ghost riders, etc., and if you’re looking for an entertaining and suspenseful read full of hot cowboys, then you will probably like this novella.
Oklahoma Rain by Kiernan Kelly
What I really liked about this story is how it shows the danger and effects of reverse discrimination. For once it isn’t humans who reject supernatural beings, or Supes, instead it shows how Supes deal with a human suddenly in their midst. Granted, he is only a child, and that helps, but some of them still have an issue accepting him.
Blaze is a psychic, a Supe who shows no visible signs of his talent. He supports the wizards who set up the protective spells (so humans never find out the rodeo is full of paranormal talent – that made me laugh), but looks human. When he finds another psychic and the boy he rescued, Blaze wants to help them, but knows he has an uphill battle to fight with the rodeo owners. Not that this stops him, he is determined to help Zack and the kid.
Zack has a very rare psychic talent, and a need to protect Mikey ever since he rescued him from being beaten up after he was stolen from an orphanage. Zack himself used to live on the streets, so he is more determined to help the kid than most. His talent is needed by the supernatural rodeo, so he is allowed to stay and gradually begins to trust that he has finally found a home. I loved watching him open up and learn to trust Blaze, to the point where they work together to solve the crisis they find themselves in.
If you like the idea of a supernatural rodeo and want to explore more of the paranormal talents needed to make it run smoothly, and if you’re looking for a suspenseful read full of hatred from a bigot on the one hand and a developing romance on the other, then you will probably like this short novella.
Big Bear, Little Bear by Julia Talbot
The third story in this wonderful collection tackles the topic of finding a true home with a lover, as opposed to the home you grew up in. Ben has been hoping for Ozzie to notice him for a very longtime, but it takes him being hurt and needing help to recover before Ozzie gets over his hesitation.
Ben, the horse trainer and a black bear, is attracted to Ozzie, but thinks he is not enough for the big grizzly to notice him. After he gets hurt badly in an accident involving hell hounds and his horses, his road to recovery is much longer than he expected. But one good thing happens: Ozzie finally shows an interest in him.
Ozzie is the rodeo’s clown (at least in summer, since he hibernates in winter) and a huge grizzly bear. He is interested in Ben but wants him to grow up a little. After the accident he can’t hold back any longer, especially when he gets suspicious about Ben’s medication and the fact that Ben is no longer able to shift. Ozzie won’t rest until he gets to the bottom of what is wrong, and I am very happy he is so persistent! Ben needs all the help he can get.
If you like the idea of a supernatural rodeo and want to explore more of the paranormal talents needed to make it run, and if you’re looking for an emotional read full of great food and naps (these are bears, after all) on top of developing love, then you will probably like this short novella.
NOTE: This book was provided by the author for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
February 2, 2016
A supernatural rodeo with werewolves, vampires, and loads of other paranormal beings? All doing what cowboys do best – except in a supernatural way? Yee-haw and bring it on! With a unifying theme of “homecoming”, all three stories show characters who find a home. In the fist story it’s a return to an old place long missed, in the second story it’s finally finding a group of people to belong, and in the third story it’s all about finding the mate and home you’ve always wanted, even though it may be a little unexpected. I totally enjoyed all of them!
Welcome to the Pack by BA Tortuga
This story proves that supernatural beings can be just as selfish and nasty toward their fellow beings as humans. Actually, this makes sense since it is humans who “think them up”, but bear with me here. Even though it is fiction and all make-believe, the sense of “reality” is great when all these creatures behave just like humans – or worse!
Denver is a werewolf, the younger of twins, who left years ago so his older brother Denton could rule the pack. Unfortunately, that brother is killed by a demon bull (under very suspicious circumstances, I must add), and now Denton is suddenly called back from the human rodeo to run the pack and work in the paranormal arena. Luckily he remembers how everything works from before he left, but he has his work cut out for him!
Blaine is an outcast werewolf who is treated pretty badly, just because he was not born into the pack. He is bullied all the time, never has enough to eat, but has nowhere else to go so he perseveres. He also loved Denton – a love that remained unrequited since Denton was straight. I loved how Blaine suddenly has hope for a better future when Denver turns up and makes it very clear his sense of justice is pronounced and someone’s origins don’t matter to him half as much as their work ethic.
If you like the idea of a supernatural rodeo where all the bulls are far more dangerous than normal, and some of the other rodeo workers are vampires, ghost riders, etc., and if you’re looking for an entertaining and suspenseful read full of hot cowboys, then you will probably like this novella.
Oklahoma Rain by Kiernan Kelly
What I really liked about this story is how it shows the danger and effects of reverse discrimination. For once it isn’t humans who reject supernatural beings, or Supes, instead it shows how Supes deal with a human suddenly in their midst. Granted, he is only a child, and that helps, but some of them still have an issue accepting him.
Blaze is a psychic, a Supe who shows no visible signs of his talent. He supports the wizards who set up the protective spells (so humans never find out the rodeo is full of paranormal talent – that made me laugh), but looks human. When he finds another psychic and the boy he rescued, Blaze wants to help them, but knows he has an uphill battle to fight with the rodeo owners. Not that this stops him, he is determined to help Zack and the kid.
Zack has a very rare psychic talent, and a need to protect Mikey ever since he rescued him from being beaten up after he was stolen from an orphanage. Zack himself used to live on the streets, so he is more determined to help the kid than most. His talent is needed by the supernatural rodeo, so he is allowed to stay and gradually begins to trust that he has finally found a home. I loved watching him open up and learn to trust Blaze, to the point where they work together to solve the crisis they find themselves in.
If you like the idea of a supernatural rodeo and want to explore more of the paranormal talents needed to make it run smoothly, and if you’re looking for a suspenseful read full of hatred from a bigot on the one hand and a developing romance on the other, then you will probably like this short novella.
Big Bear, Little Bear by Julia Talbot
The third story in this wonderful collection tackles the topic of finding a true home with a lover, as opposed to the home you grew up in. Ben has been hoping for Ozzie to notice him for a very longtime, but it takes him being hurt and needing help to recover before Ozzie gets over his hesitation.
Ben, the horse trainer and a black bear, is attracted to Ozzie, but thinks he is not enough for the big grizzly to notice him. After he gets hurt badly in an accident involving hell hounds and his horses, his road to recovery is much longer than he expected. But one good thing happens: Ozzie finally shows an interest in him.
Ozzie is the rodeo’s clown (at least in summer, since he hibernates in winter) and a huge grizzly bear. He is interested in Ben but wants him to grow up a little. After the accident he can’t hold back any longer, especially when he gets suspicious about Ben’s medication and the fact that Ben is no longer able to shift. Ozzie won’t rest until he gets to the bottom of what is wrong, and I am very happy he is so persistent! Ben needs all the help he can get.
If you like the idea of a supernatural rodeo and want to explore more of the paranormal talents needed to make it run, and if you’re looking for an emotional read full of great food and naps (these are bears, after all) on top of developing love, then you will probably like this short novella.
NOTE: This book was provided by Torquere Press for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
Welcome to the Pack by BA Tortuga
This story proves that supernatural beings can be just as selfish and nasty toward their fellow beings as humans. Actually, this makes sense since it is humans who “think them up”, but bear with me here. Even though it is fiction and all make-believe, the sense of “reality” is great when all these creatures behave just like humans – or worse!
Denver is a werewolf, the younger of twins, who left years ago so his older brother Denton could rule the pack. Unfortunately, that brother is killed by a demon bull (under very suspicious circumstances, I must add), and now Denton is suddenly called back from the human rodeo to run the pack and work in the paranormal arena. Luckily he remembers how everything works from before he left, but he has his work cut out for him!
Blaine is an outcast werewolf who is treated pretty badly, just because he was not born into the pack. He is bullied all the time, never has enough to eat, but has nowhere else to go so he perseveres. He also loved Denton – a love that remained unrequited since Denton was straight. I loved how Blaine suddenly has hope for a better future when Denver turns up and makes it very clear his sense of justice is pronounced and someone’s origins don’t matter to him half as much as their work ethic.
If you like the idea of a supernatural rodeo where all the bulls are far more dangerous than normal, and some of the other rodeo workers are vampires, ghost riders, etc., and if you’re looking for an entertaining and suspenseful read full of hot cowboys, then you will probably like this novella.
Oklahoma Rain by Kiernan Kelly
What I really liked about this story is how it shows the danger and effects of reverse discrimination. For once it isn’t humans who reject supernatural beings, or Supes, instead it shows how Supes deal with a human suddenly in their midst. Granted, he is only a child, and that helps, but some of them still have an issue accepting him.
Blaze is a psychic, a Supe who shows no visible signs of his talent. He supports the wizards who set up the protective spells (so humans never find out the rodeo is full of paranormal talent – that made me laugh), but looks human. When he finds another psychic and the boy he rescued, Blaze wants to help them, but knows he has an uphill battle to fight with the rodeo owners. Not that this stops him, he is determined to help Zack and the kid.
Zack has a very rare psychic talent, and a need to protect Mikey ever since he rescued him from being beaten up after he was stolen from an orphanage. Zack himself used to live on the streets, so he is more determined to help the kid than most. His talent is needed by the supernatural rodeo, so he is allowed to stay and gradually begins to trust that he has finally found a home. I loved watching him open up and learn to trust Blaze, to the point where they work together to solve the crisis they find themselves in.
If you like the idea of a supernatural rodeo and want to explore more of the paranormal talents needed to make it run smoothly, and if you’re looking for a suspenseful read full of hatred from a bigot on the one hand and a developing romance on the other, then you will probably like this short novella.
Big Bear, Little Bear by Julia Talbot
The third story in this wonderful collection tackles the topic of finding a true home with a lover, as opposed to the home you grew up in. Ben has been hoping for Ozzie to notice him for a very longtime, but it takes him being hurt and needing help to recover before Ozzie gets over his hesitation.
Ben, the horse trainer and a black bear, is attracted to Ozzie, but thinks he is not enough for the big grizzly to notice him. After he gets hurt badly in an accident involving hell hounds and his horses, his road to recovery is much longer than he expected. But one good thing happens: Ozzie finally shows an interest in him.
Ozzie is the rodeo’s clown (at least in summer, since he hibernates in winter) and a huge grizzly bear. He is interested in Ben but wants him to grow up a little. After the accident he can’t hold back any longer, especially when he gets suspicious about Ben’s medication and the fact that Ben is no longer able to shift. Ozzie won’t rest until he gets to the bottom of what is wrong, and I am very happy he is so persistent! Ben needs all the help he can get.
If you like the idea of a supernatural rodeo and want to explore more of the paranormal talents needed to make it run, and if you’re looking for an emotional read full of great food and naps (these are bears, after all) on top of developing love, then you will probably like this short novella.
NOTE: This book was provided by Torquere Press for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
July 18, 2019
3.5/5⭐
[I received a digital arc for an honest review]
"You're you, you're special, and baby, you're all mine."
The Mark of Cain, the second book in Kiernan Kelly's In Their Own Skins series, picks up 18 years after the end of the first book in the series. This time it focuses on the twins born in the first book who are trying to figure out who they are and curious of the world outside of the Shifting Sands Ranch. It also follows the twins that predator Cain left behind while they head out to avenge their father. Both set of twins struggle with becoming their own people and end up at odds with their siblings. In the end there's a bigger threat to a member of the ranch and this one is a predator of the human variety.
I enjoyed The Mark of Cain more than the first book in the series. Mostly because it wasn't bogged down by excessive sex. It focuses more on the interactions and relationships between the shifters. I loved getting to see more Ghost and Aiden and I fell in love with Mal and Caedes. I'm interested to find out what direction the author take the story in the next book.
[I received a digital arc for an honest review]
"You're you, you're special, and baby, you're all mine."
The Mark of Cain, the second book in Kiernan Kelly's In Their Own Skins series, picks up 18 years after the end of the first book in the series. This time it focuses on the twins born in the first book who are trying to figure out who they are and curious of the world outside of the Shifting Sands Ranch. It also follows the twins that predator Cain left behind while they head out to avenge their father. Both set of twins struggle with becoming their own people and end up at odds with their siblings. In the end there's a bigger threat to a member of the ranch and this one is a predator of the human variety.
I enjoyed The Mark of Cain more than the first book in the series. Mostly because it wasn't bogged down by excessive sex. It focuses more on the interactions and relationships between the shifters. I loved getting to see more Ghost and Aiden and I fell in love with Mal and Caedes. I'm interested to find out what direction the author take the story in the next book.
October 26, 2024
4.2
First off – awesome concept, combining the cowboy and the paranormal to make one ass-kicking rodeo. This anthology has three stories tied together by the Darque and Knight rodeo company. This is no ordinary rodeo – all manner of paranormal beings perform in it and come to see it and the bulls are overseen by a demon. Necessary, since the bulls are demons. Well, they have demons inside. The rodeo is owned and run by a vampire and a demon. I was pleasantly surprised at how much I liked all of them.
In Welcome to the Pack by Kiernan Kelly, Denver is returning to the pack as Alpha after his twin brother, Denton (and former Alpha) is killed by a bull in the rodeo. A bull possessed by a demon, no less, and fully aware of what he was doing. Denver had to leave his pack and his twin when it became apparent two Alphas were detrimental to the pack but he’s missed his brother and the death is so painful.
He returns and has to face not only his brother being gone but he is challenged every night for the Alpha spot. Two shifters a night and while he fights them all off, he’s getting tired. He meets Blaine, a former friend of Denton’s, and Blaine is stunned at how the rumors aren’t true. Denver isn’t some “violent, leather-wearing biker asshole”; instead he is funny and well-liked by most of the people he was forced to leave behind. Him in the kitty pile? Adorable.
Of course there are factions of the pack that just don’t give up and Denver has to deal with this, as well as protect Blaine. Denver shows just how much of an Alpha he is. Loved him (and Dmitri “You do not want all these marvelous things?” is even more adorable. We get some interesting intro to some paranormals (Blaine himself gets squicked a couple times!) Denver’s Alpha Command? Yes!
The next story, Oklahoma Rain by Kiernan Kelly continues the rodeo story, this time picking up with Blaze, a worker at the rodeo who’s paranormal gift is hidden from physical view, which causes some to treat him as a “mundane” (human). No matter, Blaze knows his worth and he’s happy where he is. It is part of his job to set up for the next stop on the rodeo, put the spells in place that keep the mundanes from seeing the supernatural part of the rodeo (so cool!) and making sure anyone who does somehow see it doesn’t remember it. He also has to deal with Hitch, a huge, mean troll who delights in making Blaze’s life miserable.
On one such trip, he meets Zach and Mikey, an adult and child squatting in a building where Blaze is setting up the rodeo site. Zach is telekinetic, a huge draw for the rodeo, and Blaze wants nothing more than to keep both Zach and Mikey safe but can he? Mikey is human and there is no room for a human at the rodeo. Blaze is so forthright, admitting to them, through a door they are hiding behind, “I really don’t want to break the door down. I bruise like an overripe peach.” For his part, Zach just wants to keep Mikey safe and maybe his own heard. “Well, then don’t use your super porn powers on me.” Too late, Zach!
Just have to mention in this story, artificial fruit made of Styrofoam stuck with straight pins and hundreds of beads are mentioned and immediately zinged me back to 1970s kitchens, where those things were everywhere.
This one had the cute factor of Mikey, who was viciously abused before being saved by Zach and is now growing into his own. Zach’s fear when Mikey wants to ride a sheep, again, adorable! There’s a more serious side with a murder and a kidnapping and I was glad to see the bad guy get his, creepy creepy thing.
The final story, Big Bear, Little Bear, by Julia Talbot has bear shifters! I admit, Ozzie (Big Bear) was sort of a jerk to Ben (Little Bear) in the beginning and I wasn’t sure about him. I had to go along with it because Ben didn’t seem to hold any grudges, but …
Ben has been part of the rodeo but he was grievously injured and is just now starting to heal. He has a problem he’s hiding, though, so that he can actually get back to working in the rodeo. They are bears and cute one at that, wanting “…someone who understand about naps and salmon. Mmmm. Salmon.” And then while eating (believe me, in this anthology these guys love them some food!), “Did I make sex noises?”
Ben’s problem was probably one of the saddest because he was trying so hard to overcome it and the root of the problem was devastating. Poor bear.
Each story builds on the next so that Denver and Blaine from the first show up through the other two, etc. Great supporting characters, awesome concept and I loved it!
First off – awesome concept, combining the cowboy and the paranormal to make one ass-kicking rodeo. This anthology has three stories tied together by the Darque and Knight rodeo company. This is no ordinary rodeo – all manner of paranormal beings perform in it and come to see it and the bulls are overseen by a demon. Necessary, since the bulls are demons. Well, they have demons inside. The rodeo is owned and run by a vampire and a demon. I was pleasantly surprised at how much I liked all of them.
In Welcome to the Pack by Kiernan Kelly, Denver is returning to the pack as Alpha after his twin brother, Denton (and former Alpha) is killed by a bull in the rodeo. A bull possessed by a demon, no less, and fully aware of what he was doing. Denver had to leave his pack and his twin when it became apparent two Alphas were detrimental to the pack but he’s missed his brother and the death is so painful.
He returns and has to face not only his brother being gone but he is challenged every night for the Alpha spot. Two shifters a night and while he fights them all off, he’s getting tired. He meets Blaine, a former friend of Denton’s, and Blaine is stunned at how the rumors aren’t true. Denver isn’t some “violent, leather-wearing biker asshole”; instead he is funny and well-liked by most of the people he was forced to leave behind. Him in the kitty pile? Adorable.
Of course there are factions of the pack that just don’t give up and Denver has to deal with this, as well as protect Blaine. Denver shows just how much of an Alpha he is. Loved him (and Dmitri “You do not want all these marvelous things?” is even more adorable. We get some interesting intro to some paranormals (Blaine himself gets squicked a couple times!) Denver’s Alpha Command? Yes!
The next story, Oklahoma Rain by Kiernan Kelly continues the rodeo story, this time picking up with Blaze, a worker at the rodeo who’s paranormal gift is hidden from physical view, which causes some to treat him as a “mundane” (human). No matter, Blaze knows his worth and he’s happy where he is. It is part of his job to set up for the next stop on the rodeo, put the spells in place that keep the mundanes from seeing the supernatural part of the rodeo (so cool!) and making sure anyone who does somehow see it doesn’t remember it. He also has to deal with Hitch, a huge, mean troll who delights in making Blaze’s life miserable.
On one such trip, he meets Zach and Mikey, an adult and child squatting in a building where Blaze is setting up the rodeo site. Zach is telekinetic, a huge draw for the rodeo, and Blaze wants nothing more than to keep both Zach and Mikey safe but can he? Mikey is human and there is no room for a human at the rodeo. Blaze is so forthright, admitting to them, through a door they are hiding behind, “I really don’t want to break the door down. I bruise like an overripe peach.” For his part, Zach just wants to keep Mikey safe and maybe his own heard. “Well, then don’t use your super porn powers on me.” Too late, Zach!
Just have to mention in this story, artificial fruit made of Styrofoam stuck with straight pins and hundreds of beads are mentioned and immediately zinged me back to 1970s kitchens, where those things were everywhere.
This one had the cute factor of Mikey, who was viciously abused before being saved by Zach and is now growing into his own. Zach’s fear when Mikey wants to ride a sheep, again, adorable! There’s a more serious side with a murder and a kidnapping and I was glad to see the bad guy get his, creepy creepy thing.
The final story, Big Bear, Little Bear, by Julia Talbot has bear shifters! I admit, Ozzie (Big Bear) was sort of a jerk to Ben (Little Bear) in the beginning and I wasn’t sure about him. I had to go along with it because Ben didn’t seem to hold any grudges, but …
Ben has been part of the rodeo but he was grievously injured and is just now starting to heal. He has a problem he’s hiding, though, so that he can actually get back to working in the rodeo. They are bears and cute one at that, wanting “…someone who understand about naps and salmon. Mmmm. Salmon.” And then while eating (believe me, in this anthology these guys love them some food!), “Did I make sex noises?”
Ben’s problem was probably one of the saddest because he was trying so hard to overcome it and the root of the problem was devastating. Poor bear.
Each story builds on the next so that Denver and Blaine from the first show up through the other two, etc. Great supporting characters, awesome concept and I loved it!
August 11, 2019
18 years have passed since Shifting Sands. The pack live a reasonably peaceful and prosperous life.
The twins are now 18 and wanting to explore life beyond the ranch.
The pack continues to grow and thrive together but are always wary of outsiders and the world beyond the ranch - for good reason.
Enemies old and new want something that isn't theirs to take.
I loved how Dakota and Jax were still as in love with each other as ever. Dakota is still using sex to get his own way.
I found this to be an excellent continuation of the series.
A story of love, loyalty, trust, and family.
The twins are now 18 and wanting to explore life beyond the ranch.
The pack continues to grow and thrive together but are always wary of outsiders and the world beyond the ranch - for good reason.
Enemies old and new want something that isn't theirs to take.
I loved how Dakota and Jax were still as in love with each other as ever. Dakota is still using sex to get his own way.
I found this to be an excellent continuation of the series.
A story of love, loyalty, trust, and family.
February 15, 2016
This was a good book full of paranormal fun! You have to leave your "real-life" brain at the door when reading this book.. and enjoy the mystery and fun that B.A. Tortuga Brings you!
July 19, 2019
ok this one was better then book 1 for sure.. i loved all the different shifters.. this one was fast paced and interesting.. and it kept my attention. i really liked it
August 11, 2019
"The Mark of Cain" is the second volume of "In Their Own Skins" series, and thus our next meeting with the characters we already know. What almost immediately catches our eye in this part is the multitude of points of view, because the narrative focuses on a large number of characters. Thus, we see the events which take place in various places and get to know closer many characters, because we have an insight into their thoughts. It is worth noting, however, that this type of narrative doesn't confuse the readers, so they follow the plot without any problems. I believe that every change in the narrative is thought out and structured in such a way that we immediately know who we are dealing with at the moment and at which point in the story we are. In this case, the irresistible charm has also the fact that we see the events not only from the point of view of the new and some already known characters, but we have the opportunity to meet with our two beloved remarkable shapeshifters, Jax and Dakota.
The expanded narrative also has an impact on the plot of "The Mark of Cain", because it consists of more than just one story. This is a big advantage of this novel, as our interest is ignited all the time and regardless of the number of events, we follow everything that is happening in this book with bated breath. It is worth mentioning that this time the action of the novel consists not only of romance and fight with a given antagonist of the volume. We also find here numerous and diverse family problems, forbidden feelings, need to understand and find oneself, bigger and smaller lies, bigger and smaller drama, and what's more, a completely unexpected threat. In other words, in "The Mark of Cain" we can find a lot of action and even more of strong emotions, and all this makes us really curious how the adventure Kiernan Kelly prepared for her readers in this book ends.
A very interesting element of this volume is also the expansion of the presented world, which is enriched with new skills of some shapeshifters and new facts about their integration with ordinary people. The latter is undoubtedly a little surprising, especially when it comes to relationships when we look at them from this human's point of view. Either way, because the main action of this volume takes place several years after the events of the previous installment, more light is shed on the importance of the shapeshifters' farm in the world of people who are unaware of their second nature. This is even more important because it plays a huge role in the plot of this part of "In Their Own Skins" series. The only thing I regret is the fact that not enough emphasis was putted on explaining the unusual skills of Tai and Mal, although I believe that the lack of any explanation also makes sense in this case.
In summary, "The Mark of Cain" is better than the previous novel of the series. The reader is engrossed in the story all the time and really wants to quickly see how the events presented here end, as they eventually form one, neat storyline. I really liked "The Mark of Cain", so I recommend this book to all fans of crazy stories about extraordinary shapeshifters.
_____________________________________
„The Mark of Cain” jest drugim tomem serii „In Their Own Skins”, a tym samym naszym kolejnym spotkaniem z dobrze znanymi nam już bohaterami. Tym, co niemal od razu rzuca się nam w oczy w tej części jest mnogość punktów widzenia, ponieważ narracja koncentruje się na naprawę dużej liczbie postaci. Tym samym, obserwujemy wydarzenia mające miejsce w różnych miejscach oraz poznajemy bliżej wielu bohaterów, gdyż mamy wgląd w ich myśli. Warto jednak zauważyć, że ten rodzaj narracji nie wprowadza do powieści zamętu, a czytelnik nie gubi wątku. Uważam, że każdy przeskok w narracji jest przemyślany i skonstruowany w taki sposób, że od razu wiemy z kim mamy do czynienia i w którym momencie historii się znajdujemy. Nieodparty czar ma w tym wypadku także fakt, iż poza śledzeniem wydarzeń u boku nowych i znanych nam już bohaterów mamy okazję ponownie powrócić do naszej ukochanej dwójki niebanalnych zmiennokształtnych, Jaxa i Dakoty.
Poszerzona narracja ma także wpływ na fabułę przedstawioną w „The Mark of Cain”, ponieważ składa się na nią więcej niż tylko jedna historia. To duża zaleta tej powieści, jako że nasze zainteresowanie jest za każdym razem na nowo rozpalane i bez względu na liczbę wydarzeń, z zapartym tchem śledzimy wszystko to, co dzieje się w tej książce. Warto nadmienić, że tym razem na akcję powieści składają się nie tylko romans i starcie z wybranym antagonistą tego tomu. Znajdziemy tu także liczne i różnorodne problemy rodzinne, zakazane uczucie, potrzebę zrozumienia i odnalezienia siebie, kłamstwa, kłamstewka, duże i małe dramat, a nawet zupełnie niespodziewane zagrożenie. Inaczej mówiąc, w „The Mark of Cain” znajdziemy sporo akcji i jeszcze więcej gwałtownych emocji, a wszystko to sprawia, że jesteśmy naprawdę ciekawi jak zakończy się przygoda, którą tym razem przygotowała dla swoich czytelników Kiernan Kelly.
Bardzo interesującym elementem tego tomu jest także rozbudowa świata przedstawionego, który zostaje wzbogacony o nowe umiejętności niektórych zmiennokształtnych oraz o nowe fakty na temat ich integracji ze zwykłymi ludźmi. To ostatnie jest niewątpliwie czymś zaskakującym, szczególnie jeśli chodzi o związki, gdy spojrzymy na nie od tej ludzkiej strony. Tak czy inaczej, ponieważ główna akcja tego tomu rozgrywa się kilkanaście lat po wydarzeniach poprzedniego, więcej światła zostaje rzucone na miejsce, jakie farma zmiennokształtnych zajmuje w świecie nieświadomych ich drugiej natury ludzi. Jest to tym ważniejsze, że odgrywa ogromną rolę w fabule tej odsłony „In Their Own Skins”. Jedynym czego żałuję jest raczej niewielki nacisk położony na wyjaśnienie niecodziennych umiejętności Tai i Mala, chociaż nie zaprzeczam, że brak jakichkolwiek wyjaśnienia również ma w tym wypadku pewien sens.
Podsumowując, „The Mark of Cain” jest powieścią jeszcze lepszą od poprzedniej. Czytelnik nie nudzi się nawet przez chwilę i naprawdę chce szybko poznać zakończenie przedstawionych tu wydarzeń, które ostatecznie schodzą się w jedną, zgrabną całość. „The Mark of Cain” naprawdę przypadł mi do gustu, więc mogę polecić tę książkę wszystkim fanom szalonych i nietuzinkowych historii o zmiennokształtnych.
The expanded narrative also has an impact on the plot of "The Mark of Cain", because it consists of more than just one story. This is a big advantage of this novel, as our interest is ignited all the time and regardless of the number of events, we follow everything that is happening in this book with bated breath. It is worth mentioning that this time the action of the novel consists not only of romance and fight with a given antagonist of the volume. We also find here numerous and diverse family problems, forbidden feelings, need to understand and find oneself, bigger and smaller lies, bigger and smaller drama, and what's more, a completely unexpected threat. In other words, in "The Mark of Cain" we can find a lot of action and even more of strong emotions, and all this makes us really curious how the adventure Kiernan Kelly prepared for her readers in this book ends.
A very interesting element of this volume is also the expansion of the presented world, which is enriched with new skills of some shapeshifters and new facts about their integration with ordinary people. The latter is undoubtedly a little surprising, especially when it comes to relationships when we look at them from this human's point of view. Either way, because the main action of this volume takes place several years after the events of the previous installment, more light is shed on the importance of the shapeshifters' farm in the world of people who are unaware of their second nature. This is even more important because it plays a huge role in the plot of this part of "In Their Own Skins" series. The only thing I regret is the fact that not enough emphasis was putted on explaining the unusual skills of Tai and Mal, although I believe that the lack of any explanation also makes sense in this case.
In summary, "The Mark of Cain" is better than the previous novel of the series. The reader is engrossed in the story all the time and really wants to quickly see how the events presented here end, as they eventually form one, neat storyline. I really liked "The Mark of Cain", so I recommend this book to all fans of crazy stories about extraordinary shapeshifters.
_____________________________________
„The Mark of Cain” jest drugim tomem serii „In Their Own Skins”, a tym samym naszym kolejnym spotkaniem z dobrze znanymi nam już bohaterami. Tym, co niemal od razu rzuca się nam w oczy w tej części jest mnogość punktów widzenia, ponieważ narracja koncentruje się na naprawę dużej liczbie postaci. Tym samym, obserwujemy wydarzenia mające miejsce w różnych miejscach oraz poznajemy bliżej wielu bohaterów, gdyż mamy wgląd w ich myśli. Warto jednak zauważyć, że ten rodzaj narracji nie wprowadza do powieści zamętu, a czytelnik nie gubi wątku. Uważam, że każdy przeskok w narracji jest przemyślany i skonstruowany w taki sposób, że od razu wiemy z kim mamy do czynienia i w którym momencie historii się znajdujemy. Nieodparty czar ma w tym wypadku także fakt, iż poza śledzeniem wydarzeń u boku nowych i znanych nam już bohaterów mamy okazję ponownie powrócić do naszej ukochanej dwójki niebanalnych zmiennokształtnych, Jaxa i Dakoty.
Poszerzona narracja ma także wpływ na fabułę przedstawioną w „The Mark of Cain”, ponieważ składa się na nią więcej niż tylko jedna historia. To duża zaleta tej powieści, jako że nasze zainteresowanie jest za każdym razem na nowo rozpalane i bez względu na liczbę wydarzeń, z zapartym tchem śledzimy wszystko to, co dzieje się w tej książce. Warto nadmienić, że tym razem na akcję powieści składają się nie tylko romans i starcie z wybranym antagonistą tego tomu. Znajdziemy tu także liczne i różnorodne problemy rodzinne, zakazane uczucie, potrzebę zrozumienia i odnalezienia siebie, kłamstwa, kłamstewka, duże i małe dramat, a nawet zupełnie niespodziewane zagrożenie. Inaczej mówiąc, w „The Mark of Cain” znajdziemy sporo akcji i jeszcze więcej gwałtownych emocji, a wszystko to sprawia, że jesteśmy naprawdę ciekawi jak zakończy się przygoda, którą tym razem przygotowała dla swoich czytelników Kiernan Kelly.
Bardzo interesującym elementem tego tomu jest także rozbudowa świata przedstawionego, który zostaje wzbogacony o nowe umiejętności niektórych zmiennokształtnych oraz o nowe fakty na temat ich integracji ze zwykłymi ludźmi. To ostatnie jest niewątpliwie czymś zaskakującym, szczególnie jeśli chodzi o związki, gdy spojrzymy na nie od tej ludzkiej strony. Tak czy inaczej, ponieważ główna akcja tego tomu rozgrywa się kilkanaście lat po wydarzeniach poprzedniego, więcej światła zostaje rzucone na miejsce, jakie farma zmiennokształtnych zajmuje w świecie nieświadomych ich drugiej natury ludzi. Jest to tym ważniejsze, że odgrywa ogromną rolę w fabule tej odsłony „In Their Own Skins”. Jedynym czego żałuję jest raczej niewielki nacisk położony na wyjaśnienie niecodziennych umiejętności Tai i Mala, chociaż nie zaprzeczam, że brak jakichkolwiek wyjaśnienia również ma w tym wypadku pewien sens.
Podsumowując, „The Mark of Cain” jest powieścią jeszcze lepszą od poprzedniej. Czytelnik nie nudzi się nawet przez chwilę i naprawdę chce szybko poznać zakończenie przedstawionych tu wydarzeń, które ostatecznie schodzą się w jedną, zgrabną całość. „The Mark of Cain” naprawdę przypadł mi do gustu, więc mogę polecić tę książkę wszystkim fanom szalonych i nietuzinkowych historii o zmiennokształtnych.
August 18, 2021
Fun series
I like this series. Fun stories about shifters that come together on Shifting Sands Ranch. This story happens 18 years after the first book. It focuses on the next gen and their needs. Really good book.
I like this series. Fun stories about shifters that come together on Shifting Sands Ranch. This story happens 18 years after the first book. It focuses on the next gen and their needs. Really good book.
December 5, 2014
Welcome to the Pack by BA Tortuga
Denver left his pack and his twin long ago; only one could be alpha. They remained in contact though they played the role of rival alphas. Now his twin is gone and the pack needs him to return.
Blaine is easy going with no drive to challenge for pack alpha. That is a good thing when he discovers the new alpha is his mate.
Denver had no idea he would find more at home beyond a fractured pack. Destiny has a way of closing one door to open another, if Denver can survive the coming challenges.
Denver is an extremely strong alpha who loves as deeply as he leads. Blaine is his perfect counterpart as he is meant to love, but will fight when his is threatened. The love story was beautiful and the two sexy men make the sex sizzling.
Oklahoma Rain by Kiernan Kelly
Blaze is the psychic scouter for Darque and Knight paranormal rodeo. He is responsible for scouting locations, but in Oklahoma he finds so much more.
Zack has been on his own for a long time, using his powers to survive, until he saves Mikey from a nightmare and they have been on the run ever since; until Blaze.
Zack and Mikey find a place with the rodeo and Blaze takes them in. Blaze is as hot as his name and before long Zack stops fighting the lure. There is someone watching, determined to exact his revenge, but failed to calculate the difference love makes.
Ms. Kelly offers a look at the unique characters of the Darque and Knight. She creates a love which is rare and lasting while offering a tense drama full of death and love.
Big Bear, Little Bear by Julia Talbot
Ben is a sweet and gentle bear. He suffers a terrible tragedy after rejection from the big bear he is unable to hide his attraction for. Now he is back, but something is still wrong.
Ozzie missed Ben and almost lost the little bear. He will not make the same mistake twice, but something is wrong and when he figures it out, someone will pay.
Ben is excited to have Ozzie in his life, but he misses his bear. He does not understand why he is unable to find his bear, but with Ozzie at his side he can find happiness. Sometimes love can hurt more than it helps. Will Ben figure out who is trying to hurt him before it is too late?
Big Bear, Little Bear is my absolute favorite story though they were all excellent. Ben is a bear after my own heart and Ozzie is a close second. The love between these two leaps off the page and drags the reader right into their lives.
Midnight Rodeo is an outstanding set of stories all set in the Darque and Knight rodeo. The cast of characters is superb and I hope this is not the last for them as there are so many worthy of their own story. I highly recommend the writing of these three truly talented story tellers who provide entertainment with every page. I look forward to a future full of the world of Darque and Knight.
Delane
Reviewer for Coffee Time Romance & More
Official Review @ Coffee Time Romance & More
Denver left his pack and his twin long ago; only one could be alpha. They remained in contact though they played the role of rival alphas. Now his twin is gone and the pack needs him to return.
Blaine is easy going with no drive to challenge for pack alpha. That is a good thing when he discovers the new alpha is his mate.
Denver had no idea he would find more at home beyond a fractured pack. Destiny has a way of closing one door to open another, if Denver can survive the coming challenges.
Denver is an extremely strong alpha who loves as deeply as he leads. Blaine is his perfect counterpart as he is meant to love, but will fight when his is threatened. The love story was beautiful and the two sexy men make the sex sizzling.
Oklahoma Rain by Kiernan Kelly
Blaze is the psychic scouter for Darque and Knight paranormal rodeo. He is responsible for scouting locations, but in Oklahoma he finds so much more.
Zack has been on his own for a long time, using his powers to survive, until he saves Mikey from a nightmare and they have been on the run ever since; until Blaze.
Zack and Mikey find a place with the rodeo and Blaze takes them in. Blaze is as hot as his name and before long Zack stops fighting the lure. There is someone watching, determined to exact his revenge, but failed to calculate the difference love makes.
Ms. Kelly offers a look at the unique characters of the Darque and Knight. She creates a love which is rare and lasting while offering a tense drama full of death and love.
Big Bear, Little Bear by Julia Talbot
Ben is a sweet and gentle bear. He suffers a terrible tragedy after rejection from the big bear he is unable to hide his attraction for. Now he is back, but something is still wrong.
Ozzie missed Ben and almost lost the little bear. He will not make the same mistake twice, but something is wrong and when he figures it out, someone will pay.
Ben is excited to have Ozzie in his life, but he misses his bear. He does not understand why he is unable to find his bear, but with Ozzie at his side he can find happiness. Sometimes love can hurt more than it helps. Will Ben figure out who is trying to hurt him before it is too late?
Big Bear, Little Bear is my absolute favorite story though they were all excellent. Ben is a bear after my own heart and Ozzie is a close second. The love between these two leaps off the page and drags the reader right into their lives.
Midnight Rodeo is an outstanding set of stories all set in the Darque and Knight rodeo. The cast of characters is superb and I hope this is not the last for them as there are so many worthy of their own story. I highly recommend the writing of these three truly talented story tellers who provide entertainment with every page. I look forward to a future full of the world of Darque and Knight.
Delane
Reviewer for Coffee Time Romance & More
Official Review @ Coffee Time Romance & More
August 11, 2014
The Manic Monday REVIEW
Rating: 4.5 stars
Story #1 is Welcome to the Pack by BA Tortuga. In this, the Alpha, Denton, was killed by a demon bull. His twin, Denver, has returned to take over the Pack. Things are not rosy. Actually, there are probably more thorns than petals in the beginning, lol. Denver is repeatedly challenged by other bullfighters in the pack for the Alpha position. Two come at night, every night. One around midnight, and another around three a.m. Denver is getting tired, and he’s also grieving for his twin. The same twin he hadn’t seen for a long time. Tensions are high. Then there is Blaine, an outcast himself. Things get interesting quick.
This is a great opening story. It introduces the concept of the anthology, and the readers meet all different kinds of paranormals. Each story sets up the next one, and main characters show up in the other stories.
Story #2 is Oklahoma Rain by Kiernan Kelly.
Blaze is part of the rodeo, but some of the others treat him differently. Why? Blaze is a paranormal, but his gift isn’t noticeable. He looks like a “mundane” (human). Blaze’s job is to place spells that keep the humans from seeing the supernatural parts of the rodeo. Very important lol! But there are those who harass Blaze because he looks human.
While traveling ahead to spell the next location for the rodeo, Blaze meets Zach and Mikey, an adult and child squatting where the rodeo is planned to be set up. Zach is telekinetic, and Mikey is a human child. And humans aren’t welcome. Blaze is interested in Zach. He manages to talk the owners into letting the pair stay. But things aren’t safe for the child. A threat is hiding in the dark, just waiting to attack.
Story #3 is Big Bear, Little Bear, by Julia Talbot.
Title say it all lol! There are bear shifters. Ben is part of the rodeo family, but he was grievously injured. He nearly died, and is now on the road to recovery. But… not all is going well with that recovery. There’s a problem he’s hiding, but he has to, in order to be cleared to ride again. What he’s hiding is serious, and it got to me.
This one was the tearjerker of the three, and an excellent way to end the anthology. I just… Poor little bear, you just want to hug him up. These two are so cute in their bearness, lol. There’s a lot of eating, talking about salmon, lol, and eating. And I’m talking food here, by the way. *wink*
OMG, what a totally awesome concept. The idea of combining the cowboy/rodeo and the paranormal is brilliant. The paranormal aspect caught my attention, I’ll admit.
This is an anthology, and all three stories take place at the Darque and Knight rodeo. Remember that paranormal aspect? Well, this rodeo is run by all paranormals. It’s owned by a vamp and a demon. And speaking of demons, the bulls have demons inside them. Talk about mean buggers.
If you like cowboys and you like paranormal stories, you can’t go wrong with this. I loved every minute of it lol.
~M
Rating: 4.5 stars
Story #1 is Welcome to the Pack by BA Tortuga. In this, the Alpha, Denton, was killed by a demon bull. His twin, Denver, has returned to take over the Pack. Things are not rosy. Actually, there are probably more thorns than petals in the beginning, lol. Denver is repeatedly challenged by other bullfighters in the pack for the Alpha position. Two come at night, every night. One around midnight, and another around three a.m. Denver is getting tired, and he’s also grieving for his twin. The same twin he hadn’t seen for a long time. Tensions are high. Then there is Blaine, an outcast himself. Things get interesting quick.
This is a great opening story. It introduces the concept of the anthology, and the readers meet all different kinds of paranormals. Each story sets up the next one, and main characters show up in the other stories.
Story #2 is Oklahoma Rain by Kiernan Kelly.
Blaze is part of the rodeo, but some of the others treat him differently. Why? Blaze is a paranormal, but his gift isn’t noticeable. He looks like a “mundane” (human). Blaze’s job is to place spells that keep the humans from seeing the supernatural parts of the rodeo. Very important lol! But there are those who harass Blaze because he looks human.
While traveling ahead to spell the next location for the rodeo, Blaze meets Zach and Mikey, an adult and child squatting where the rodeo is planned to be set up. Zach is telekinetic, and Mikey is a human child. And humans aren’t welcome. Blaze is interested in Zach. He manages to talk the owners into letting the pair stay. But things aren’t safe for the child. A threat is hiding in the dark, just waiting to attack.
Story #3 is Big Bear, Little Bear, by Julia Talbot.
Title say it all lol! There are bear shifters. Ben is part of the rodeo family, but he was grievously injured. He nearly died, and is now on the road to recovery. But… not all is going well with that recovery. There’s a problem he’s hiding, but he has to, in order to be cleared to ride again. What he’s hiding is serious, and it got to me.
This one was the tearjerker of the three, and an excellent way to end the anthology. I just… Poor little bear, you just want to hug him up. These two are so cute in their bearness, lol. There’s a lot of eating, talking about salmon, lol, and eating. And I’m talking food here, by the way. *wink*
OMG, what a totally awesome concept. The idea of combining the cowboy/rodeo and the paranormal is brilliant. The paranormal aspect caught my attention, I’ll admit.
This is an anthology, and all three stories take place at the Darque and Knight rodeo. Remember that paranormal aspect? Well, this rodeo is run by all paranormals. It’s owned by a vamp and a demon. And speaking of demons, the bulls have demons inside them. Talk about mean buggers.
If you like cowboys and you like paranormal stories, you can’t go wrong with this. I loved every minute of it lol.
~M
September 13, 2014
5 star review by Cindy
I have a few favorite genres when I’m reading and the supernatural and cowboys are right at the top of my list, so when I saw this, I knew I had to read it.
What a treat this book was. Three amazing stories by three different writers that flow together seamlessly, and I was taken on a wonderful journey.
B.A. Tortuga introduces us to the Midnight Rodeo with Denver and Blaine. These two men are very different but fit together so very well. Denver comes home to do his duty to his family after his twin brother is killed. He’s been gone for a long time and coming home is never easy, but meeting Blaine helps ease things a bit. Denver seems to find a fight in every direction and he’s determined to win and with Blaine’s help, he just might.
These characters are well written and smart with just the right amount of steamy, sexy heat. It’s not all about the sex, but when it’s there, it adds just the perfect spice to the story.
Kiernan Kelly keeps the excitement going by bringing alone Blaze, Zack and Mikey. Blaze works for the rodeo as a location scout. It’s his job to keep the rodeo safe from the prying eyes of the “mundanes” who are basically normal people with no supernatural abilities. While checking out one such site, he comes across Zack, whose psychic abilities are astounding, and Mikey, the human child he rescued and looks after.
After checking with the bosses, Blaze invites Zack and Mikey to join the rodeo and Zack’s talent soon becomes invaluable to everyone. Mikey is easily adopted by most of the other rodeo folk, and Blaze and Zack find themselves getting closer and closer, but some people aren’t happy about having a human in their midst. When tragedy strikes Mikey, it’s up to Blaze and Zack to make it right.
Julia Talbot finishes off this set of wonderful tales with Ozzie and Ben. They are bear shifters with big hearts and honey sweet personalities. These two men heal each one another in different ways and it was a joy to read as they slowly circled their way into each other’s hearts.
The author gives these bear shifters a definitive characterization and the way she writes their thought processes helps cement them as the animals that live in their souls.
This trio of talented writers managed to pull together something almost perfect. While they definitely each have their own style, they merged them into a solid unit that pushes all my buttons. They each lend a unique voice to their characters that defines each story and each one added interesting side characters that helped to fully develop the combined story as a whole.
I don’t have a single complaint about these stories. They are well edited and all around enjoyable. I would love to read more stories from the Midnight Rodeo!
A copy of this book was provided in exchange for an honest review. Please visit www.lovebytesreviews.com to see this and many more reviews!
I have a few favorite genres when I’m reading and the supernatural and cowboys are right at the top of my list, so when I saw this, I knew I had to read it.
What a treat this book was. Three amazing stories by three different writers that flow together seamlessly, and I was taken on a wonderful journey.
B.A. Tortuga introduces us to the Midnight Rodeo with Denver and Blaine. These two men are very different but fit together so very well. Denver comes home to do his duty to his family after his twin brother is killed. He’s been gone for a long time and coming home is never easy, but meeting Blaine helps ease things a bit. Denver seems to find a fight in every direction and he’s determined to win and with Blaine’s help, he just might.
These characters are well written and smart with just the right amount of steamy, sexy heat. It’s not all about the sex, but when it’s there, it adds just the perfect spice to the story.
Kiernan Kelly keeps the excitement going by bringing alone Blaze, Zack and Mikey. Blaze works for the rodeo as a location scout. It’s his job to keep the rodeo safe from the prying eyes of the “mundanes” who are basically normal people with no supernatural abilities. While checking out one such site, he comes across Zack, whose psychic abilities are astounding, and Mikey, the human child he rescued and looks after.
After checking with the bosses, Blaze invites Zack and Mikey to join the rodeo and Zack’s talent soon becomes invaluable to everyone. Mikey is easily adopted by most of the other rodeo folk, and Blaze and Zack find themselves getting closer and closer, but some people aren’t happy about having a human in their midst. When tragedy strikes Mikey, it’s up to Blaze and Zack to make it right.
Julia Talbot finishes off this set of wonderful tales with Ozzie and Ben. They are bear shifters with big hearts and honey sweet personalities. These two men heal each one another in different ways and it was a joy to read as they slowly circled their way into each other’s hearts.
The author gives these bear shifters a definitive characterization and the way she writes their thought processes helps cement them as the animals that live in their souls.
This trio of talented writers managed to pull together something almost perfect. While they definitely each have their own style, they merged them into a solid unit that pushes all my buttons. They each lend a unique voice to their characters that defines each story and each one added interesting side characters that helped to fully develop the combined story as a whole.
I don’t have a single complaint about these stories. They are well edited and all around enjoyable. I would love to read more stories from the Midnight Rodeo!
A copy of this book was provided in exchange for an honest review. Please visit www.lovebytesreviews.com to see this and many more reviews!
March 24, 2018
Review written for Love Bytes Reviews.
ANTHOLOGY REVIEW:
I love Cowboys and pretty much anything Paranormal so this book was just totally made of win. Each story brought something different and enjoyable to the anthology and left me wanting to read so much more. If you’re looking for something a little different or like either Cowboys or various paranormal creatures, I’d give this one a try; I highly doubt you’ll be disappointed. :)
REVIEW:
Welcome to the Pack by B.A. Tortuga
I loved this story! It set the scene up for the rest of the book really well and was interesting enough to draw me in very quickly. Denver, aside from being a twin, is nothing like his brother Dent was regardless of looks. What I liked best about him was that he was willing to give everyone a chance and based his opinion of them on how they acted and what he thought instead of how things were under his brother’s leadership. Blaine was a nice counterbalance to Denver’s exuberance and easy going nature and I thought the two fit well. The story was interesting and the flow was great; not too slow and I still felt like I got a great story for the length. My only complaint is that you never find out why Denver had to leave in the first place but it was an otherwise great story. 4.5*
Oklahoma Rain by Kiernan Kelly
This was kind of a nice interlude between the two shifter stories in the book and I liked it. Like the first story, the pacing was good and I felt like I got a nice complete story by the end of it. Blaze and Zack are similar in that they both have abilities that aren’t readily apparent just by looking at them but they have much different personalities. I found Mikey cute and it was great to see so many people willing to welcome him in to the community, even though he was human. There was a bit more conflict in this one, which I really liked, and it still ended up with a nice happy ending. (more or less) 3.5*
Big Bear, Little Bear by Julia Talbot
This…was so cute! All Ben wanted was to catch the eye and attention of older Bear Ozzie but when he’s rebuffed, he decides not to try again. After this point the story fast forwards a bit as Ben is injured and his recovery, until he returns to the rodeo, is bypassed. Ben and Ozzie seemed more in touch with their inner animal than most other shifters I’ve read about and I enjoyed that aspect of their characters a great deal. There really isn’t any drama to speak of in this one; it pretty much just focuses on Ben and Ozzie getting together and Ben working through the rest of his recovery. This was a great end to the book, however, as it left of on a high note and I still found seeing more aspects of the rodeo intriguing, even without all the action. I liked it and look forward to maybe seeing more of these characters in the future. 4*
ANTHOLOGY REVIEW:
I love Cowboys and pretty much anything Paranormal so this book was just totally made of win. Each story brought something different and enjoyable to the anthology and left me wanting to read so much more. If you’re looking for something a little different or like either Cowboys or various paranormal creatures, I’d give this one a try; I highly doubt you’ll be disappointed. :)
REVIEW:
Welcome to the Pack by B.A. Tortuga
I loved this story! It set the scene up for the rest of the book really well and was interesting enough to draw me in very quickly. Denver, aside from being a twin, is nothing like his brother Dent was regardless of looks. What I liked best about him was that he was willing to give everyone a chance and based his opinion of them on how they acted and what he thought instead of how things were under his brother’s leadership. Blaine was a nice counterbalance to Denver’s exuberance and easy going nature and I thought the two fit well. The story was interesting and the flow was great; not too slow and I still felt like I got a great story for the length. My only complaint is that you never find out why Denver had to leave in the first place but it was an otherwise great story. 4.5*
Oklahoma Rain by Kiernan Kelly
This was kind of a nice interlude between the two shifter stories in the book and I liked it. Like the first story, the pacing was good and I felt like I got a nice complete story by the end of it. Blaze and Zack are similar in that they both have abilities that aren’t readily apparent just by looking at them but they have much different personalities. I found Mikey cute and it was great to see so many people willing to welcome him in to the community, even though he was human. There was a bit more conflict in this one, which I really liked, and it still ended up with a nice happy ending. (more or less) 3.5*
Big Bear, Little Bear by Julia Talbot
This…was so cute! All Ben wanted was to catch the eye and attention of older Bear Ozzie but when he’s rebuffed, he decides not to try again. After this point the story fast forwards a bit as Ben is injured and his recovery, until he returns to the rodeo, is bypassed. Ben and Ozzie seemed more in touch with their inner animal than most other shifters I’ve read about and I enjoyed that aspect of their characters a great deal. There really isn’t any drama to speak of in this one; it pretty much just focuses on Ben and Ozzie getting together and Ben working through the rest of his recovery. This was a great end to the book, however, as it left of on a high note and I still found seeing more aspects of the rodeo intriguing, even without all the action. I liked it and look forward to maybe seeing more of these characters in the future. 4*
September 19, 2014
Welcome to the Pack by BA Tortuga
Pack tradition required Denver to come home and take his place as Alpha since his twin brother had been killed by a demon bull. Denver expected to be challenged for the alpha position, but what he did not expect was to discover that a mixed blood wolf named Blaine is his mate.
Oklahoma Rain by Kiernan Kelly
The rodeo employees consider each other as family; nevertheless in every family there is always one member that is an outcast. Blaze, a psychic, had been tormented for years by a vindictive troll until Zack joined the rodeo family. Zack’s powers could fling large objects into bone breaking deadly heights including the hateful troll obsessed with Zack’s new lover Blaze.
Big Bear, Little Bear by Julia Talbot
Grizzly bear Ozzie is overjoyed when black bear Ben returns, but something is different about Ben, his bear form is in hiding. Ozzie is on a mission to discover what happened to Ben during his head injury treatment as well as assist the healing process with love.
Midnight Rodeo: Homecoming is a collection of three impressive romantic paranormal stories written by three creative authors. The stories illustrate natural animal behaviors with an entertaining twist. All the stories are heartwarming with fascinating characters. Each couple consists of individuals close to their own breed. I thoroughly enjoyed Midnight Rodeo: Homecoming.
Pack tradition required Denver to come home and take his place as Alpha since his twin brother had been killed by a demon bull. Denver expected to be challenged for the alpha position, but what he did not expect was to discover that a mixed blood wolf named Blaine is his mate.
Oklahoma Rain by Kiernan Kelly
The rodeo employees consider each other as family; nevertheless in every family there is always one member that is an outcast. Blaze, a psychic, had been tormented for years by a vindictive troll until Zack joined the rodeo family. Zack’s powers could fling large objects into bone breaking deadly heights including the hateful troll obsessed with Zack’s new lover Blaze.
Big Bear, Little Bear by Julia Talbot
Grizzly bear Ozzie is overjoyed when black bear Ben returns, but something is different about Ben, his bear form is in hiding. Ozzie is on a mission to discover what happened to Ben during his head injury treatment as well as assist the healing process with love.
Midnight Rodeo: Homecoming is a collection of three impressive romantic paranormal stories written by three creative authors. The stories illustrate natural animal behaviors with an entertaining twist. All the stories are heartwarming with fascinating characters. Each couple consists of individuals close to their own breed. I thoroughly enjoyed Midnight Rodeo: Homecoming.
July 29, 2019
I enjoyed reading this very intriguing MM shifter romance & found the continuation of the story from the first book “Shifting Sands” into this book “Mark of Cain” very smooth & quite flawless. The story-line & plot is well-written & interesting with different views from the various characters. The complex characters are impressive, well-developed & at times quite dangerous.
There is: various kinds of shifters, a predator pack (Ultimate Predators), Cain’s sons (Caedes & Nex) a safe haven (Shifting Sands Ranch), the alpha wolf shifter of the ranch (Jax), his alpha bear shifter mate (Dakota), the twins born at the ranch 18yrs ago (Mal & Tai), a dishonest tax assessor (Joseph aka Joe Wheaton), family issues, twist & turns, intrigue, suspense, action, secrets, deceit, danger, threats, enemies, devious plans, murder, conflict, violence, cults, experiments, attractions, surprises, bonding, memories, protectiveness, sibling disagreements, manipulations, compromises, contentment, verbal banter, steamy scenes & a wonderful intriguing conclusion. There are two quick-read bonus MM shifter romances included in this book. I enjoyed reading this MM shifter romance & look forward to the next book in this series with great anticipation.
There is: various kinds of shifters, a predator pack (Ultimate Predators), Cain’s sons (Caedes & Nex) a safe haven (Shifting Sands Ranch), the alpha wolf shifter of the ranch (Jax), his alpha bear shifter mate (Dakota), the twins born at the ranch 18yrs ago (Mal & Tai), a dishonest tax assessor (Joseph aka Joe Wheaton), family issues, twist & turns, intrigue, suspense, action, secrets, deceit, danger, threats, enemies, devious plans, murder, conflict, violence, cults, experiments, attractions, surprises, bonding, memories, protectiveness, sibling disagreements, manipulations, compromises, contentment, verbal banter, steamy scenes & a wonderful intriguing conclusion. There are two quick-read bonus MM shifter romances included in this book. I enjoyed reading this MM shifter romance & look forward to the next book in this series with great anticipation.
September 1, 2014
A Joyfully Jay review.
4.5 stars
Welcome to the Darque and Knight Rodeo, where you will find demon-possessed bulls, trolls, witches, warlocks, and shifters of all kinds. If you’re paranormal, this is the place for you. Stay with me as we journey through the lives for three couples who all call the rodeo home.
I loved how the three stories in this anthology followed different couples within the Darque and Knight rodeo, with the rodeo and a few key characters being the constant thread binding the stories together, with cameos by others. I was also impressed with how the three authors incorporated character traits and behaviors from the characters in each story, as this element added a solid feeling of continuity from beginning to end. I can easily recommend Midnight Rodeo: Homecoming as a fun paranormal read.
Read Jason’s review in its entirety here.
4.5 stars
Welcome to the Darque and Knight Rodeo, where you will find demon-possessed bulls, trolls, witches, warlocks, and shifters of all kinds. If you’re paranormal, this is the place for you. Stay with me as we journey through the lives for three couples who all call the rodeo home.
I loved how the three stories in this anthology followed different couples within the Darque and Knight rodeo, with the rodeo and a few key characters being the constant thread binding the stories together, with cameos by others. I was also impressed with how the three authors incorporated character traits and behaviors from the characters in each story, as this element added a solid feeling of continuity from beginning to end. I can easily recommend Midnight Rodeo: Homecoming as a fun paranormal read.
Read Jason’s review in its entirety here.
July 27, 2019
The author picks this story up eighteen years after the first book. Jax and Dakota have established a haven for over fifty shifters within the confines of the ranch. They are all protected by electric fences around the property.
The author keeps the story fresh with new couples and new, unexpected threats.
These threats are unexpected in their origin, but, as dangerous as the situation is, I had to chuckle at Jax’s feeling of vindication that his paranoia is justified. I enjoyed seeing established characters and getting to know the new characters and learning how they would fit in on the ranch.
There is plenty of sexy times, and they are quite spicy.
The multiple POV helps the reader get to know the new couples and reunite with the old.
There are some editing issues, but on the whole, I like this book and look forward to book 3.
BTW, there is bonus content at the end of the book. Interesting reading.
The author keeps the story fresh with new couples and new, unexpected threats.
These threats are unexpected in their origin, but, as dangerous as the situation is, I had to chuckle at Jax’s feeling of vindication that his paranoia is justified. I enjoyed seeing established characters and getting to know the new characters and learning how they would fit in on the ranch.
There is plenty of sexy times, and they are quite spicy.
The multiple POV helps the reader get to know the new couples and reunite with the old.
There are some editing issues, but on the whole, I like this book and look forward to book 3.
BTW, there is bonus content at the end of the book. Interesting reading.
August 3, 2019
At the end of the first book of the series, when Cain's twin sons were born,I kind of thought to myself: wouldn't it be cool if in the next book,one of them would fall for one of the twins born at the Shifting Sands ranch? And what do you know? I got my wish. Mal and Caedes mate and,of course,there's bound to be some hardship before they can openly be together.
The Mark Of Cain takes place 18 years after Shifting Sands had ended and it's mainly focused on the younger generation of shifters, but I really liked the fact that the other,now matured characters ,haven't changed ,mainly because Jax and Dakota have such a hilarious dynamic and really made me laugh. Once again there are MPVs,which I really appreciated, and the story line is pretty intriguing, with enough twists to the plot to keep me engrossed in the book.
Also,there are three short cute additional stories after the ending that make the book all the more worth reading.
The Mark Of Cain takes place 18 years after Shifting Sands had ended and it's mainly focused on the younger generation of shifters, but I really liked the fact that the other,now matured characters ,haven't changed ,mainly because Jax and Dakota have such a hilarious dynamic and really made me laugh. Once again there are MPVs,which I really appreciated, and the story line is pretty intriguing, with enough twists to the plot to keep me engrossed in the book.
Also,there are three short cute additional stories after the ending that make the book all the more worth reading.
August 21, 2014
Rating: 4.75 stars out of 5 (rounded up)
For the full review story by story visit http://wp.me/p220KL-2UI
From that review: "This book checked all the boxes for me. It's got the rodeo and cowboys (as such), it's got weres (both cat, wolf, and more), vampires, demons, and paranormals…all on the search for love, home, and a family. It's also by Kiernan Kelly, BA Tortuga, and Julia Talbot, a trio of authors who always manage to bring it home with their stories and viewpoints. All three stories are centered around the Darque and Knight Rodeo (love that play on words).
I'll be taking a look at each story as they appear in the book. First up? A werewolf homecoming of sorts in "Welcome to the Pack"…"
For more reviews, author interviews (including one with all 3 authors here), visit http://ScatteredThoughtsandRogueWords...
August 8, 2019
Mark of Cain is the second book in the In Their Own Skin series by Kiernan Kelly. This story is even better than the first book. It takes place just shy of 20 years after the events of the first book and the main focus is on the new generation of shifters. These new adults are coming into their own, discovering truths and uncovering lies, making choices that will change their lives.
There is suspense, violence, drama, angst, revelation, growth, lust and romance. It really is a unique take on the shifter genre and I loved seeing the different species. I cant wait to see what book three brings to the Ranch.
Bonus stories included are Shifting Perspective, Catch of the Day and Stray. They are interesting and fun treats.
☆☆☆☆☆ I received an advanced reader's copy of the book and I am voluntarily leaving my honest review and recommendation.
There is suspense, violence, drama, angst, revelation, growth, lust and romance. It really is a unique take on the shifter genre and I loved seeing the different species. I cant wait to see what book three brings to the Ranch.
Bonus stories included are Shifting Perspective, Catch of the Day and Stray. They are interesting and fun treats.
☆☆☆☆☆ I received an advanced reader's copy of the book and I am voluntarily leaving my honest review and recommendation.
August 5, 2019
This book takes place 18 years after the events of shifting sands. Things at the ranch have settled down and children have grown but still they stay vigilant. This book is better than the first one, and has lots of drama, passion and secrets in it. What do you expect with teenagers growing up.
I’m not sure that this is completely my cup of tea, but I enjoyed the multiple POV and the fact that the dynamic between Jax and Dakota have carried over from book one but I liked hearing how the children are now young adults. This was a fun and enjoyable read I will continue onto the next one. I have given it 4* but only just, for the storyline.
I’m not sure that this is completely my cup of tea, but I enjoyed the multiple POV and the fact that the dynamic between Jax and Dakota have carried over from book one but I liked hearing how the children are now young adults. This was a fun and enjoyable read I will continue onto the next one. I have given it 4* but only just, for the storyline.
August 14, 2019
Mark of Cain is the second book in the In Their Own Skin series. It takes place almost 3 decades after the first book. While it deals with the two set of twins born at the end of the first book (the ranch twins and Cain's twins), it still focuses a lot on Jax and Dakota. Though I loved Jax and Dakota, I would have love for more of the story to have turned out about the twins. It was interesting to see the way that each set turned out especially the differences between Cain's sons. I loved this book. It was really good.
October 5, 2019
What a great way to continue the story. We get to see the growth of the ranch and how Jax and Dakota are doing as well as Aidan and Ghost. Plus both sets of twins are 18 now and are making their own decisions. What I really loved was the suspense and the added that the danger was more than just shifters. I was given an arc to read. This is definitely an author I will be following. With the mixture of romance and danger, this author has caught my interest in their work and I know I will want more.
October 16, 2010
Sequel to In Their Own Skins Shifting Sands set eighteen years after the first book. The next generation of shifters have problems of their own.
Enjoyable tale, with new and old characters.
Enjoyable tale, with new and old characters.
August 8, 2019
This is the second book in the series and takes places almost a decade after the first book. We see the continuation of Jax and Dakota and the rest of the family.
This book is better than the first, but I feel its lacking and I would have loved more of Aiden and Ghost. I am hoping the next book will go into that more.
This book is better than the first, but I feel its lacking and I would have loved more of Aiden and Ghost. I am hoping the next book will go into that more.
November 16, 2014
I enjoyed the Tortuga story, but the other two were disappointing. The concept allowed for depth and color that were not developed. The Tortuga piece gave glimpses of a world that was left unexplored.
August 11, 2019
A good continuation of the first story in the series. Some of focus is Robertem from the main couple - Jax and Dakota to other characters and the author did a good job balancing that.
The plot was interesting and it was a very pleasant read.
The plot was interesting and it was a very pleasant read.
August 11, 2019
I really enjoyed reading this intriguing, interesting, engaging, and awesome tale about what happened almost 18 years after Shifting Sands. It had me hooked from beginning to end, and I can't wait to see what happens next.
August 12, 2019
Again in this one we skip to 18 years later. Still same characters some new. Still trying to figure things out with some plot excitement. Not really sure how I feel about this series. It’s pretty good.
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