Two Minutes by Dannika Dark
Seven Series #6
Narrated by: Nicole Poole
Release Date: April 25, 2015
Genre: Adult, Paranormal Romance, Urban Fantasy
Source: Audible
Rating: 4.5 Bookworms
Goodreads
Synopsis
After years of living abroad, Maizy returns home to the only family she's ever know--a pack of wolves. When she confronts her childhood watchdog to see where they stand, his resentment leaves her uncertain about where she really belongs.
Behind Denver's charming smile is a tragic past--one that's made his wolf savage and unpredictable. Only Maizy has been able to tame that darkness, and when they're reunited after many years apart, he no longer sees a child he once protected. She's captivating and intelligent--a woman with the world at her fingertips and two suitors offering more than he ever could.
Torn between two worlds, Maizy must choose how her fairy tale ends. Tragedy, murder, passion, and imprisonment all collide with a heart-stopping twist.
Destiny will find you.
Two Minutes was the story I'd had my fingers crossed for since Seven Years. When Denny became Maizy's watchdog, it forged a bond between them that seemed to intensify as Maizy aged. The way they were together, I'd always felt they were soulmates.
Two Minutes sees Maizy returning home to the Westin pack after being away to school and travel. The synopsis says Maizy was unsure of where she belonged but I thought it was more a case of knowing what she wanted but being unsure if she could have it. Things between she and Denver are strained since he stopped visiting her when the pack did and made sure to stay away when she visited. Denny had his reasons and it broke my heart for him. But he doesn't know Maizy's secret - one she only learned about recently. And it's a secret that completely changes the game.
Another barrier for Maizy and Denny to overcome is one very handsome, very powerful Alpha, Prince. Prince came into the Westin pack's life during the trouble they faced with Lexie and Maizy's dad in Seven Years. Prince took a shine to Maizy then and he's stayed involved. However, Prince is aware of Maizy's secret and is determined to woo her away from Denver. It is all almost for naught when Denver is arrested and could possibly be sentenced to death for his crime.
Dark once again dazzled me with her incredible cast of characters. I feel I know them all so well at this point, they're like friends. And I could probably identify them all by their mannerisms and catch phrases since she makes them so distinct. There was also plenty of tension and suspense in Two Minutes with dealing with the Council and the Higher Authority, the mess with another pack, and the push and pull between Maizy and Denny. I was enthralled by the story and listened as often as I could.
Nicole Poole is an excellent narrator and I continue to be impressed with her ability to keep the characters' voices separate and distinct, as Dark created them.
I'm thrilled to have binged on this series in audio. My only regret is that the series is almost done!
Charming by Dannika Dark
Seven Series # 6.5
Narrated by: Nicole Poole
Release Date: December 8, 2015
Genre: Adult, Paranormal Romance
Source: Audible credit
Rating: 4.5 Bookworms
Challenges: #ShelfLove
Goodreads
Synopsis
After seven hundred years, Prince has acquired everything a Packmaster could desire. But when he meets the enchanting Nadia Kozlov, he realized that there's one thing he doesn't have: answers. Princes owes his life to a man he hasn't seen in centuries, and Nadia holds the key to his whereabouts, because that man is her father. Destinies collide when Nadia's sister shows up unexpectedly. Katarina is a skilled bounty hunter, hot on the trail of a nefarious outlaw who turns out to be Prince's old nemesis. Prince teams up with Nadia's sister to track down the Mage, but the real game of cat and mouse is already underway as sparks fly between Prince and the cunning bounty hunter. The only trouble is, Nadia wants him too.
Charming - a word I'd never considered in conjunction with Prince, the serious, rigid, disciplined Packmaster. I was curious about the title and I was absolutely pleased with how Ms. Dark worked that word into the story.
Charming is a story I was happy to get. While Prince isn't necessarily my favorite character in the Seven series, he does have my respect. He's disciplined in his leadership, but a fair, if arrogant, man. Getting his backstory, learning his history, answered so many questions about him. I appreciated those answers. Of course, getting those answers was precipitated by Prince meeting Nadia and Katarina Kozlov - the daughters of a man with an important role in Prince's past. Kat's appearance is brought about due to her job and her search for her father - and a Mage, who also played a pivotal rile in Prince's life.
Despite there being some tension and suspense, coupled with some action, Charming might be the lightest story in this series. This is mostly due to Kat and her feisty personality. She has no filter and the things that come out of her mouth had me, and Prince, laughing! I like how Charming played out but what I enjoyed the most - the thing that had me snickering often , is the fact that Prince falls for a woman so unlike him - so opposite of what he thought he'd been looking for. And watching that made for a lot of fun.
Nicole Poole, as usual, impressed me with her narration. Her delivery kept the packing perfect and her voices and accents for both men and women were spot on.
I'm eager to see how this series winds up but at the same time, I hate to see it end.
Four Days by Dannika Dark
Seven Series #4
Narrated by: Nicole Poole
Release Date: December 14, 2014
Genre: Adult, Paranormal Romance
Source: Audible
Rating: 4.5 Bookworms
Goodreads
Synopsis
Ivy believes every life must have balance, and during the past year, she's found harmony living with the Weston pack. When an evil spirit from her past threatens her wolf, it sets off a chain reaction of events that alters the course of her destiny.
Lorenzo Church is a powerful, wealthy Packmaster who rules his pack through intimidation and order. He has vowed to never love a woman because love can destroy an empire. But chaos is fast approaching in the form of a Shifter named Ivy--a Native American, like him, who has invaded his dreams since the moment they met. She is spirited, wise, and unattainable.
In an unexpected turn of events, Ivy must choose whether or not to let go of the one person she has always loved. Lorenzo discovers the root of her courage but will never win her as his mate unless he learns to listen to his heart.
Destiny will find you.
I've adored Ivy since her introduction to the Weston pack. Her quiet spirit and kind heart endeared her to me and I was happy to be getting her story. Lorenzo may not have been a favorite of mine but I really liked the man he was with Ivy.
I couldn't believe Ms. Dark would give Ivy even more to have to contend with. Even though Ivy took everything in stride, her wolf and her human had much to overcome in order to hold a place in a pack. As a mom, some of the things Ivy felt and experienced resonated with me. She had to make difficult decisions and although I thought she made the right ones, I could empathize with the difficulty in making them. I love Ivy's resiliency - her life philosophy. She wielded her words as the mightiest of swords and brought a tough alpha to his knees.
Lorenzo rules his pack with an iron fist. He equates love and compassion to weakness. And weak is not in his vocabulary. He's always been taken with Ivy though. When an accident brings her to his doorstep, it enables him to learn about her and what makes her tick. But what he learns from Ivy is that love - trusting someone with your heart - takes the greatest amount of strength. And it's a lesson he takes to heart.
Having to deal with the rogues brought to Austin because of Ivy, showcased the Shifter dynamics in Ms. Dark's Breed world. I continue to be impressed by this complex world she has created. She's given each character a signature catch phrase or mannerism - I'm convinced that I could name the character just by their speech and mannerisms. I also marvel at the pack dynamics - in Lorenzo's pack, but more specifically the Weston pack. I'm curious to see where the overarching plot is going and I'm also eager to know what role a new character, Lakota, will end up playing in it all. I also liked the Native American lore that Ms. Dark incorporated into Four Days.
I can't say enough about how much Nicole Poole's narration brings these stories and brings these characters to life. I'm binge-listening to the series. It's addicting!
Five Weeks by Dannika Dark
Seven Series #3
Narrated by: Nicole Poole
Release Date: July 27, 2014
Genre: Adult, Paranormal Romance
Source: Audible
Rating: 4.5 Bookworms
Goodreads
Synopsis
Destiny will find you.
Izzy has always loved the freedom and adventure of life on the road, but she's recently decided to settle down--as much as a rogue wolf can. When her boyfriend gets her a job working at a hot Shifter bar, she runs into the last person on earth she expected to see again.
Jericho isn't the famous rock star he once was, though he still plays in a local band and loves to party. Beautiful women come and go, but music is his only passion--until a sassy redhead named Isabelle Monroe shows up unexpectedly.
Fate reunites two former friends living with one foot in the present and the other in the past. But will they have a future when one of them is forced to choose between life and death? Old habits die hard, and sometimes the toughest addictions to shake are the ones that control our hearts.
Oh-hoho! Jericho and Isabelle's story was fraught with danger and crackling with sexual tension. It was a thrill ride and I loved every minute of Five Weeks.
I knew there was more to Jericho than partying and girls. Getting a little glimpse of the man he was and of the man he could be was startling. Izzy is a force to be reckoned with. Of course, it would be a fiery redhead to bring Jericho to his knees. I adored the interactions between these two as they worked through their past and found their way back to one another. The added suspense and tension via Izzy's ex/current boyfriend had me biting my nails and breaking out with chill bumps with all the danger he posed to Izzy, Jericho, and his brothers.
Another thing I adore in this series is seeing the dynamics between all the Cole brothers. They may not be close in age but they're tight. They all have each others' backs even if they don't always agree with the other's decisions.
Nicole Poole continues to wow me with her narration. She somehow creates distinct voices for all the characters and manages to keep them straight. That all the characters are present in varying degrees in each book makes it that much ore satisfying to spend time in this world, because we get to know everyone a little bit more.
I loved what Jericho and Izzy brought out in the other - despite their past, they actually bring out the good in each other. And I really liked that Jericho was willing to fight to keep Izzy in his life this time around - he wasn't going to give up. That's my kind of guy!
Six Months by Dannika Dark
Seven Series #2
Narrated by: Nicole Poole
Release Date: March 25, 2014
Genre: Adult, Paranormal Romance
Source: Audible
Rating: 4 Bookworms
Goodreads
Synopsis
April Frost is a compassionate young woman with a steady job and ambitious goals. But the harder she runs away from her past, the more it threatens to destroy her. When three strangers enter her life, April is forced to face her demons and it's a battle she may not win.
Private investigators in the Breed world are men who take risks, and Reno Cole is no exception. As a Shifter, he's expected to control his inner animal. But lately his wolf has been venturing dangerously close to the city, and he's about to discover why. When Reno is reintroduced to a family friend, the attraction is immediate. April captivates him with her secretive eyes and resilient spirit. She's also in trouble, and despite the fact she's human, Reno can't turn his back on her.
April is caught between two worlds: One that threatens to bury her dreams and another that could fulfill them. Can she trust the wolf at her door and find the courage to overcome her demons?
Six Months was exciting and frightening to read. But it was also a bit frustrating. I was eager for Reno's story, and I enjoyed getting April's, but there were times I found myself wanting to shake April. The decisions she continually made were troubling.
Reno is the oldest of the Cole brothers yet he wasn't born the Alpha. That's not to say he isn't a alpha-male. Reno is rough and gruff. He doesn't share much with his brothers - or anyone. But he always has their back. Reno has seen and done things that have hardened him so it was interesting seeing him soften over a human.
April - this poor girl has survived so much heartache. She prides herself on always picking up the pieces and carrying on. Yet the choices she made, hard ones I admit, when it came to taking care of the debt her dead grandma had incurred, made me wonder how she'd survived. She's soft-hearted and compassionate. But, the fact that she didn't ask for help - from people who could really help - made me want to scream.
There were some clues dropped and plot threads women in this installment that have me eager to continue. There were also some lovely and some scary characters introduced to further these plot lines. Ms. Dark had me terrified several times as April faced some big bads. I'm completely invested in this Breed world though. Ms. Dark has created such an interesting dynamic between the Breed world and the human one. Sooo good! And Nicole Poole does a fabulous job with all the character voices as well as narrating in a way that keeps the pace of the story perfect. Oh, and she does well with ratcheting up the tension too.
