Hey readers! Ethan here on this Wednesday evening with an exciting post for you guys! Tomorrow, June 9, is RELEASE DAY for one of my most anticipate reads of the month! I was contacted a few months ago by our author, T.A. Foster about beta reading this new novel she'd written. I devoured this book in it's first draft guys. I mean DEVOURED it. I couldn't wait to get my hands on a final copy! That being said, I am SO pumped to share my thoughts with you all! Here's a bit about the novel and our author before we get to my review:
Choices should come easily to a queen.Especially the queen of panther shifters. But Dare, leader of the Nox, faces the most difficult decisions of her life as she struggles to keep her freedom and keep the Nox safe.
Destined to marry when she turns twenty-two and give up the magic that is her birthright, Dare fights back, determined to change the course of history. Only along the way she falls for a human who forces her to face the reality that there are some things she can’t resist.
Zac Morgan has crossed the globe hoping to find comfort after a tragic loss has left him empty. He hopes Sullen’s Grove will give him peace and just a little taste of home. Even though he’s worked hard to keep his heart protected, he can’t stop the attraction he feels for the mysterious green-eyed college girl Dare.
When Zac is thrust into the middle of a dangerous shifter war, Dare may be the only one who can save him. Sometimes the choices we make are the ones we least expect.
T.A. Foster
T.A. Foster is a Southern girl whose heart and spirit are connected to the beach. She grew up catching rays and chasing waves along the North Carolina Outer Banks and now resides in the state with her adventurous pilot husband, two children and two canine kiddos. T.A. has an undergraduate degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a graduate degree in Educational Psychology from Texas A&M University. When she’s not chasing her two-legged and four-legged children or trying to escape for date night, you can find her reading, writing or planning her next beach trip. Find T.A. Foster
***
My Thoughts:
I've been on a pretty crazy roller coaster of reads lately, switching from genre to genre to find my best 5-star read. I've read historic fictions, sci-fi, romance, and even nonfiction this summer, but have really struggled to find reads that spoke to me. All it took was one adventure back into the paranormal genre to remind me why it reigns supreme in my book. Mix in some suspense and just enough romance to keep it interesting and you've got one heck of a story on your hands. Dare did not disappoint!
While I've read several were-shifter stories, I'm not sure I've ever read one quite like Dare. These days it seems the trend to have mortals know about the supernatural members of their community. Sometimes that approach really works, but most of the time I like a good old fashioned surprise! Foster does an incredible crafting this entirely original storyline. When Queen Dare must choose between tradition and her heart, dramatics ensue. Dare was so much, on top of being a paranormal romance, it's also full of suspension, action, and drama. The storyline will leave you reeling and begging for the second installment.
My absolute favorite part of this story was the characters. Dare is a strong, independent college aged girl with a huge secret, she's the Queen of her own supernatural pack of panther-shifters. Despite being a Queen who one would usually imagine as being extremely mature and responsible and... quite often boring, Queen is just like an average new adult female. She's got a plethora of problems, from college to her love life, Dare is so much more than a figurehead. She also can kick some major butt on the battlefield! Regardless of how awesome Dare is, my favorite character in this story was the male MC, Zac. Zac and I have a lot in common. Zac is a history scholar whose crazy journey has led him to Sullen's Grove. Finding himself in the midst of a small town with a deep cultural history, Zac immerses himself in local nor and legend, only to discover himself falling for the fabled 'panther' that resides in the forest. Even moreso than Dare, Zac has a lot going on in his story that really helped to develop his character. Like all great NA characters, he has his secrets, ones I cannot wait to read unravel. Throw in some excellent secondary characters and Foster has created a cast that rocks!
While the story definitely has a strong romantic plot between Dare and Zac, it's definitely not something non-romance readers should overlook. It's not erotic by any means and the sex scenes are few and written with class. No shifter-smut here folks!
As a paranormal novel, Dare really delivers on its' promise. In addition to roaming packs of forest shifters (male and female packs), Sullen's Grove is also home to a coven of powerful witches. Foster is no stranger to writing magic, having penned the acclaimed Ivy Grace Spell trilogy. While the witches do not play a huge role in the story, they do play a very important one. It isn't often that readers get the opportunity to see any kind of collaboration between supernatural factions so this was a treat to read. Any paranormal lovers like myself will find themselves pleased with the paranormal aspect of Dare.
I'll admit, the ending left me with a lot of questions, but the biggest one was definitely 'when can I read book two?!' I have no idea what Foster's intentions for this series are, but I can definitely tell you without hesitation that I will be here ready to devour each and every passing installment of this incredible series!
If none of that convinced you to rush out and add this one to your TBR, I don't know what else will. All I do know is that this was one of the most fun reading experience I have experienced in quite some time. From cover to cover, TA Foster delivers with an original story, crafted to perfection! Get settled in folks, the Nox are here to stay!
All-in-all, I am granting Dare by TA Foster a near-perfect 5-star review. Since I had the great fortune to beta-read this novel I saw it in multiple different stages which really helped to develop the story. Foster has delivered a true bookish gift to her fans. Speaking of her fans, anyone who is familiar with her Ivy Grace Spell series will love Dare! Foster's unique style of writing is a great fit for the New Adult Paranormal Romance genre! Don't delay, add this one to your summer reads list, today!
***
Alright folks, that's all I have for you on the topic of Dare by T.A. Foster. You guys wont want to miss this absolutely incredible NA-paranormal series. It's the perfect summer read! Special thanks to the author for providing me with an ARC for review and for being an awesome lady all the way around!
Until next time, Happy Reading!
-Ethan
No comments:
Post a Comment