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Hel to Pay: An alpha male shifter romance
![Hel to Pay: An alpha male shifter romance (Elswyth Chase Book 1) by [Emily Stormbrook]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41mACEYc-EL.jpg)
Hel to Pay is a paranormal erotica novel that is unlike any story that I had read before. This is a supernatural romance story that deals with werewolves and tackles the structure of packs and alpha’s. Right from the beginning the novel creates a dark and violent atmosphere the permeates the entire novel. Marrok has to witness his parents’ murder and vows from that day on to never allow someone to hurt him emotionally by never falling in love. At just fourteen years old Marrok is portrayed as mature as he attempts to free his sister from a dangerous alpha named Woodroe by becoming will bound to him and serving him. As a reader we can’t help but empathize with him. When we meet Helena, we begin to see similarities between her and Marrok and can guess what will ensue between the two. As her parents became caught up in drugs, Helena had to work several jobs as a child and it continued on to her adulthood. She took on the burden of her parent’s debt. Much like Marrok, one could easily tell that Hel was mature and strong given everything she had endured because of her parents. As our main character, I definitely grew to love and admire Hel. The relationship that grew between Marrok and Hel was powerful and sexy, despite Marrok’s overprotective nature and hesitation at first.
If you’re looking for something that is more advanced than your average romance book, I definitely recommend picking up this riveting novel. The paranormal aspect heightens the drama of this romance story. From the beginning to the end of the book the narrative is full of tragedy, intrigue, romance and action that ensure there is never a dull moment in the story. If you’re also into romances that include erotic scenes, this is perfect for that as well. The writing is straightforward and allows you to easily get wrapped up in the steaminess of the intimacy–not to mention that you also get easily wrapped up into the drama between Marrok and his troubling relationship with Woodroe. Hel to Pay is a compelling supernatural erotica that is consistently entertaining.
Pages: 145 | ASIN: B08NSNSB65
Lockheed Elite
Tyler Wandschneider’s Lockheed Elite is a thoroughly enjoyable sci-fi crime adventure akin to an episode of Firefly than anything else. We jump between the perspectives of a cast of intergalactic anti-heroes as they dance on the edge of the law, caught between the authoritarian Galactic Command and the ruthless criminal underbelly of the galaxy. The plot is spiced up with more than a few twists and thoroughly human and flawed characters that keep you engaged right up until the end. If you’re a fan of the science fiction genre, you won’t go wrong with picking up this book.
I think the word that really summarizes Lockheed Elite is: competent. The writing doesn’t sparkle off the page; it’s straightforward in its delivery. There’s a certain relief to not having to dig through layers of purple prose to find any kind of enjoyable story. It’s an easy read, especially if you’re already au fait with the science fiction genre.
The writing was absorbing precisely because it was easy to digest. I found myself chewing through ten to twenty pages at a time before I even realised it. If the goal of a writer is to engage the reader, then Tyler Wandschneider has certainly achieved it.
This is not to say the writing is flawless; it occasionally struggles with articulating emotions. Characters will pontificate on the stakes or over-explain themselves, even at points where the tension and pacing should be amping up. The effect is something of a stumbling block in some of the most exciting scenes, as we read through one character or another describing how and why they feel a certain way.
The book develops it’s characters slowly throughout the novel, letting them build into complex characters towards the end of the novel. Although characters don’t feel like they have their own voices in the beginning, it feels more real towards the end of the book.
Lockheed Elite is engaging, and it kept me reading all the way through to the end. Despite my above quibbles, I really did enjoy it. I think Wandschneider has done a great job in writing a solid, exciting book. I only wish that it perhaps had a bit of a stronger start and I think this would be a stellar example of a science fiction genre piece.
Pages: 416 | ASIN: B073VHM3QG
LITERARY TITAN 