Honestly I couldn’t even get through 25% of this book. Caly is way too immature and her dialogue reads as if she is a Pre-teen. The constant song inclusions was unnecessary and I couldn’t follow along with the story.

I really enjoyed this book. I liked both the main characters and wanted them to have a happily ever after ending.
Blake wasn't so alpha that he is overbearing as happens in many romance novels. Right from the first date I wanted these two together. Great character development from the author with an interesting plot. I would absolutely read this author again.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this book in exchange for an honest review!

This is a great read! So complex and detailed it was hard to put down. It's a world of immortals that makes your mind fly.

Note: I received this book from NetGalley and I voluntarily give this review, it is my honest opinion.

While there were aspects about the writing and plot that I didn't enjoy, I liked how the author created a specian world with really unique abilities that extended beyond the traditional paranormal shifter/vampire tropes. The males in Orion's Order have varying abilities and it set the stage to explore their stories in the future books. This book revolves around Caly, a woman with vivid dreams and unknown abilities. Because of the danger posed to her, she ends up under the protection of Blake and Orion's Order, the equivalent to an elite Seal Team of sorts.

As with many mate books, this book has a heavy dose of insta-love. That said, I liked how Blake wasn't like a typical Alpha shifter (domineering, ultra-possessive, steamrolling the wants of their mate). He sought out consent for everything and was very doting and tender with Caly. It was refreshing to find that in a shifter romance! I had more qualms with Caly, as I felt she was a bit immature and just hard to resonate with as a character. I'm also just more of a slow-burn fan, so the romance in this didn't captivate me as much, though the sex scenes were steamy.

Overall, I think the book is much too long (300 pages probably would've been better than ~700). Because this is the first book in the series, there was a lot of info-dumping and telling about each of the characters. The plot took kind of a backseat to the day-to-day life and banter between all of the characters, so the pacing dragged quite a bit. It felt more like reading stream of consciousness than a planned plot. Near the end, the multi-POV shifted frequently from the two main protagonists (Blake & Caly) to the side characters, and I think this ultimately detracted from the cohesiveness of the story.

Admittedly, series like the Blackdagger Brotherhood and Psy-Changeling aren't my go-to's, so if you like those kind of books, then you might like this one too!

OMG - I don't even know where to start because I loved it so much, and it was so good that I just read it within the last couple of days.

The authors style of writing is amazing. I loved the way she phrased everything and it felt like as if I was literally with Caly, Blake and the rest of the crew :) Like, I was there and witnessed it all.
From the moment Caly went on her first date with Nick, duh, and Felix hissed at him until she met GQ (still love all the names) in her dreams and then obviously sexy Mr. Mysterious and his pack.
The story was full of love, friendship, but also torture and loss - it is not a standard fantasy novel, no, it did cover so much more and I just loved the fact that we got to experience it not only from Calys pov but also Blake and sometimes got glimpses from the others to.

And before you ask: yes, Blake is sexy, he is alpha, he is great. And those scenes between him and Caly are everything. But I also enjoyed the pack dynamic, the family that grew out of it and what it did to Caly. She became this strong alpha female, got brothers and new best friends. Also really loved the fact that neither Caly and Blake were always like "no, I won't make the first move, or I won't say this now" but they actually did it. Was so refreshing rather then the famous back-and-forth all the time. She is the phoenix, isn't she?

The epilogue was as amazing as the rest: especially for my romantic heart. And in general loved the fact that the last chapters were kind of getting us into the mood for Rhykers story.. Although I am still waiting on Rhy or Nico or GQ - don't know yet ;)

If you love romance, steamy scenes, adventure, shifters and other amazing species but also not afraid of some dark things, then - what are you waiting for - check out Calypso's Heart!

****

Oh mein Gott, ich weiß gar nicht, wo ich beginnen soll. Das Buch war so gut, und ich war so überrascht, wie sich die Geschichte entwickelt hat, dass ich des innerhalb weniger Tage ausgelesen hatte.

Der Schreibstil der Autorin ist echt gut, und das Englisch sehr leicht verständlich. Man fühlt sich einfach mittendrin anstatt nur dabei. Vom ersten Moment an, war ich gefangen in den Gedanken von Caly, Blake und dem Rest der Crew.

Die Geschichte selbst handelt aber nicht nur von Liebe und Freundschaft, sondern auch Gefangenschaft, Verlust und das ist es, was es für mich besonders macht. Es war nicht zu viel, aber auch nicht so mega oberflächig. Das beste für mich war auch, dass wir nicht nur Calys Gedankenwelt begleiten durften, nein, auch Blake und manchmal auch ein paar andere vom Pack waren mit dabei - und geben so mehr Einblick in die Geschichte.

Ja, Blake ist heiß, heißer, Alpha. Alle Szenen mit ihm und Caly waren besonders, aber auch die mit dem Rest vom Pack. Caly hat sich für mich zu einer tollen Frau entwickelt - stark, steht für ihre Familie ein, und eine tolle Frau an Blakes Seite. Und was mir persönlich sehr gefallen hat, war, dass es nicht das dauernde hin und her gab. Nein, sowohl Blake als auch Caly haben eigentlich immer ziemlich schnell klar gemacht, was sie eigentlich wollen, sich getraut, dem anderen zu vertrauen und die Gefühle zuzulassen. Das war erfrischend anders.

Das Ende war für mich perfekt und ein toller Abschluss von Caly und Blake, aber auch schon ein erster Einblick in die Geschichte von Rhyker. Wobei ich ja noch darauf warte, mehr von Nico, nein Rhy, nein vielleicht doch GQ zu lesen? Wer weiß :)

Eine heiße, aufregende Shifter-Romanze, mit viel Action, viel Liebe, und einem tollen und außergewöhnlicher Crew - das ganze mit einer guten Portion Humor geschrieben! Perfekt.

I have received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

- Synopsis -
Herione Characters + Fantasy meets Modern + Humor + Hot males
This book had a firm grasp on my attention in the beginning. I loved the characters, Caly was so relatable and funny I felt her. Blake was basically your dream guy. The pack was just one big family and I adored it. The plot was very intriguing and was what gave me a grip to continue because at times during the book my attention was that captured. Keep in mind if you are not a fan of insta love this book may nor be for you. This was quite a long book for me I had to power through sometimes but I am glad I did I cannot wait for the next book.

- Setting -
The world of species was definitely enchanting. The world was built pretty well it was pleasant to compare the differences from where Caly used to live. It was very authentic and very vibrant in my mind.

- Writing -
Like I previously stated this book totally grabbed my attention during the beginning but as the chapters carried on the writing became repetitive. Caly’s perspective was quite the same with her routine. There was so much sex with can be both a good thing and bad thing , however Caly and Blake’s relationship was mainly just sex and Blake watching her. Interpretations became the same with almost always similar words to describe scenes. Characters point of views weren’t separated by gaps or chapters etc , so at times I was confused on who’s perspective we were in. There were some parts in the book that made me cringe. Other than that I loved the funny remarks made.

- Characters -
The Characters in Calypso’s heart are one of the main reasons I loved this book.
Caly was a relatable character for me with her love of books and music. I adored her humor. Although at sometimes she could be an “ice queen” I still felt for her. Blake was basically your dream guy. I was so captured in his love for Caly and his willingness to do anything for her. Rhyland and Rhyker were such well written side characters. I always laughed at their side comments and love for food. Nico and D were great characters too but I wish for more Nico perspectives because I just have a tenderness for him. Caly , Aleia , Keena were such good friends their “mini book club” just filled me up with warmth.

- plot -
I loved the plot. I thought it was a interesting one. It was well paced and great the interactions with species and other species were intresting unlike most books I have read they get along fine. I especially loved the mates.

- Conclusion -
Although I had struggle with picking this book up to continue reading I still throughly enjoyed it and I am grateful I kept going. I would recommend it if you are looking for a book with mates, wolves, insta love, bromance, family, and more.

Calypso's Heart, Orion's Order Book 1, M.C. Solaris

Review from Jeannie Zelos book reviews

Genre: Sci-fi and fantasy, Romance.

I love this genre combo and expected to love this book. Sadly I couldn't get past 20% and that was a struggle.
I found Caly obsessed with her morning drinks, and just plain weird. I mean, you have a recurring dream, you wake up one night and they guy – searingly hot and massive of course – is in your bedroom. What do you do – scream? Leap out of bed to grab something to defend yourself with? Rush for your phone? All of those? Caly? She just tells herself she must be dreaming and happily has sex with the guy. I was rolling my eyeballs there. I mean Blake is supposed to be a hero/gentleman, yet he's happy to have sex with this unknown woman, who might be a threat to all he and his friends do, who has one of said friends waiting for him in the next room.....
Then there's the confusion over who was who. Caly meets and dates a couple of times someone called Nick, so when we met a Nico among Blake's guys I thought maybe they were the same – but no, The guys making up the order behaved like overgrown college kids. There's a difference between banter and tussles or juvenile talk and fights. It was as if everything was either something to joke about or something that involved some of them fighting it out. I didn't feel the long bonds of friendship I expected, hadn't a clue what they were actually doing, hadn't the patience to listen to more of Caly's inner musings or watch her unbelievable actions.
Maybe if I could have made myself read more it gets better, but for me if its not working by this far in its not going to suit me. I can see others love it, as usual its the horses for courses stuff, what one person doesn't like another loves, so make your own judgment.
I did restart this twice thinking maybe id missed something, that restarting might make it read differently but sadly, no. Just not one for me. I hate writing low star reviews, I'm aware of all the hard work that goes into a novel, but sometimes it has to be done, or it makes higher star reviews meaningless.

Stars: Two, a book others love but which was a fail for me.

Arc via Netgalley and publishers

Calypso's Heart is a paranormal romance basically centered around Caly and her wolf lover. It's very witty and the inner monologues are quite relatable.
The author also made some references to music that just resonate the age of the major character. She helps us get a better understanding of the character and it is easy to see things through the eyes of Caly.

She also gave basic definitions of terms used in paranormal romance. This is especially considerate of readers who are new to this genre of romance. Powers and abilities are explained in simple words.

The books is also quite humorous and I like how the twins keep messing around. It gave a soft light to the usually serious mood. I especially loved Nick as he is a most intriguing evil character. Barker is not far behind either.

I feel that the monologues should have been reduced and some explanations of the characters reasons for acting should have been cut out. Too much explanation watered doing the suspense, intrigue and romance of the novel. I feel the plot was prolonged but the ending is wonderful.

I'd love to read more from M.C. Solaris in future.

Let me start with the good. The barebones of this book, the storyline, the characters, they were good. The main characters, and the side characters were pretty likeable. Caly was funny, blake was one of those men who could make it onto the “book boyfriend list”. Rhlyand and Rhyker were hilarious. Overall, every character had a personality, and they were all interesting. The story read like a supernatural/ paranormal mystery, and a romance wrapped up into one. I couldnt wait to see where the characters ended up.

However, I really feel like alot of the pages in this book had nothing to do with this story. I skimmed alot of it. I skimmed, and skipped over alot of the parts of the descriptions. It was overly descriptive to me. I don’t need to know what each character is wearinng every time they enter a room. Unless it has to do with the story, i feel like it is just too much. I would have liked to see Caly and Blake’s relationship evolve more. It seemed like 90% of their relationship was sex. And alot of the sex scenes almost seemed like a copy and paste, using the same descriptive words over and over.

I would have also liked the see the writer include some scenarios. Such as how the lingerie surprise went down. Or how the gift she gave her friend went over, instead of just being told it was appreciated, and that she liked it. I wanted to see the interaction.

Overall, a good book, but alot of skipped pages or paragraphs for me.

I’m going to do this review differently than I usually do. There were some really great moments in this book, but there were some things I really struggled to get through.

I loved the world that was built in this book. The idea of species behind a barrier that humans know nothing about is great. The different species and their powers were also really cool. Beyond the usual shifters and vampires there were elementals, travelers and more.

The story of a killer that a group of species are trying to catch was good. There was enough suspense and the kidnapping had me on the edge of my seat. I also enjoyed the characters. Seeing Caly grow into her powers and into love with Blake was sweet. The secondary characters were funny and I’m interested in their future stories.

I’ll admit I struggled to get through the first 10 (of 52) chapters. The descriptions were awkward and over done. I never got into the story because descriptions of people and things were just too much. There was a lot of repetition in this book that made it move slow. I know some of that was world building, but it didn’t add to the story. In fact, it often drew me out of the story. There were times the author reexplained something in multiple chapters and it wasn’t needed.

After those first few chapters I got more invested in the story. The descriptions were less and the story moved along more.

I’d read the next book from this author because I did like the characters a lot.

Thank you to the author for allowing me me to read this book in exchange for an honest review!

My review will also be posted on my goodreads account which is linked, as well as Barnes and Noble and Amazon.

”I mean, I can’t walk through life and just keep waiting for the other shoe to drop because that’s no way to live life.”

This book sucked me in for the first few pages and I was loving it! I felt the plot was interesting and Caly was a very funny and relatable MC, although she seemed to be quite immature and a brat at times. Blake was hot and every girls dream Wolf, although I wanted him to be more “Alpha, who takes no shit”, instead he kind of bowed down to Caly. There were a couple of things that were considered “cons” for me.

-After the first couple of chapters, there were a few things that became repetitive. Although the sex was always steamy in this book, the descriptions were the same. Some descriptions and scenes also seemed to drag on the chapters.

-There were a lot of characters to remember and their POVs weren’t separated. Instead of having each POV a different chapter or separated by a “spacer”, they jumped from one persons thought to another’s as you were reading. I’d have a pencil and paper to keep track of all the characters. On the plus side, they were mostly all likeable and that that bromance/founding family situation going on.

If you’re a NOT a fan of insta love, I don’t think you’ll enjoy this story. The insta love is heavy and although it’s a Mating situation, the couple are smitten with each other quite fast.

The Pros? A interesting plot, likeable the characters are Wolves, vampires, seers, etc and you’ll be anxious to learn about each species. Nico? Oh mysterious, brooding Nico. I need more of him!

There were some cheesy moments between the two main love interest, but nothing that would make you throw your book and cringe.

I think the author set this book up to become apart of what could be a good series!

3.5/5 stars!

DNF @ 24%

Unfortunately this book wasn't for me.
The POVs were a little confusing between each chapters.

I spent the most part thinking the antagonist was another character. I don't know whether that was the author's intention or it was just poorly executed.
I don't mind cliches - but this story is riddled in them and unfortunately it couldn't keep my attention.

Caly is a a typical female lead and for an adult her inner monologue is too childish for me to take her seriously.

Blake, Nico and the gang are interesting but again, their neanderthalish (that's a word now) behaviour mixed in with incredibly juvenile interactions put a dampner on this story for me.

It looks like this is a series, I'm going to keep an eye on it because I can see the potential.

I love paranormal/fantasy type books and can we just say WOW! This book blends Twilight and 50 shades in a unique way in which the characters are really given the details and descriptions that made this book so fun to read. I could not put it down, and makes me wish I could cross over into the magical Species world myself!

The Speciean world the author creates is so mesmerizing and beautiful that I wish it were real. The pack the author introduces is descriptive and detailed to where I can vividly imagine what each one looks like and what their personalities are, I even feel that I could see some of the guys/girls I know as the characters. Can I just say hello Deacon 🤓. Caly the main character is so relatable (umm can we just say that inner dialogue is all of us) and the music playlist that is delivered in the scenes is on point. The steamy scenes are so good I felt myself get flushed and wishful that would happen to me.

Overall this book was well executed and I am so thankful to have read something with so much detail and thought and care into each and every page. I have a very vivid active imagination and this book really allowed me to explore and see the world the author had created. I appreciate the real life aspects of the book the author uses, such as dealing with inter office issues, gender roles, dating, and are given ways to cope and deal with these issues in a holistically healing manner. The pace of the book was laid out in a way you could really digest and understand without lagging on or going so fast that you miss what happened. Again this book was amazing and I highly recommend it, can’t wait to read more from this author and this series!

This was a DNF after eight chapters of confusing jumble of pointless, repetitive scenes that failed to convince me that the author can carry a book for over seven hundred pages. I wasn't willing to find out if I'm wrong.

I should've stopped after the first chapter that managed to include all the do not do clichés of an opening, including a dream sequence, a detailed description of morning routines, and the main character staring at herself in the mirror in order to describe herself. She also managed to release the breath she didn't know she was holding twice in two consequent paragraphs. The 'heros' are introduced in an infodump that was so confusing that I had no idea who was who. Only later I realised that I was supposed to pay special attention to one of them, because apparently the bad guy is using his name. This resulted in the worst kind of blind an author has managed to pull on me in a long time, which made me question everything I'd read that far. If it was supposed to be a plot twist, it failed miserably and only caused me to stop reading.

The characters were the worst. Caly has no personality, only a favourite latte and a strange fixation to her playlists. The men were disgusting frat-boys who enjoy bullying one another and then gathering around as a group to laugh at the victim, followed by fistfights, the so called alpha included. I cannot respect them at all, and I most definitely won't care for asholes like them. Their scenes are made infinitely worse by pointless head-hopping, which makes it absolutely impossible to know who is observing it. Most of the time it's the author, resulting in very loving descriptions of male flesh that a straight man wouldn't do, at least not characters who think insinuating that one of them is gay for laughs is good sport.

Based on eight chapters, I'd say this book is in desperate need of a brutal, experienced editor who trims it to its basic plot and then makes sure the author doesn't fill it back in with repetitive scenes, chapters that don't lead to anything and endless clichés. If that ever happens, let me know and I'll give the book a re-read.

This is just about the most condemning review I've ever written and I'm sorry for the inevitable upset. The premise of the book is good and I'm sure the book would be good too with careful attention and a lot of work.

A fun romance novel! Took a little bit of getting use to all the character intros but after a bit the story really flowed. I liked the characters and the romance was great! Honestly a fun read and a sexy time!

First and foremost, I edited and formatted this book. And woah, woah... before you write me off for having a biased opinion, please understand that I pride myself on relaying honest, unbiased reviews regardless of affiliation or non-affiliation. It’s a much better way to be in the world. (So here's to being honest in general but especially with our friends. They may not like it at first, but they'll likely respect and (grow to) appreciate it, if not immediately, at some later date... like when FB shows us an "on this day" picture from 10 years prior when we thought crimped/fried blonde hair, nude lipstick, and an orange tan were the look to beat! We wouldn't have listened but still could've used the honesty.) Back to the honest book review.

So I don’t want to give away too much but what I love about this book is the mix, the balance, between fiction and nonfiction. There are fictional characters, supernaturals, and settings, of course, but (most of) the relationships and problems are very much real world. And best of all? The advice to these issues is akin to what you might experience in a holistic therapy session. So while you’re transported into this new world, you also are learning about real ways to address interpersonal relationship issues and group dynamics. Stereotypes and stigmas. Gender roles and the “masculine” and “feminine.” Hell, you’ll even probably learn some new coping mechanisms. I think I actually stretch, meditate, and seek council from friends more as a subconscious side effect of reading this book.

The main character’s experiences are very relatable for me. From where she lives in the beginning of the story and the office politics she has to deal with, to the La La Land (LA) dating scene antics, the set up is very believable. Caly (the main character) however, I don’t share a lot of similarities with personally, being that I am someone who is regarded as rather “masculine” by societal standards. But she certainly reminds me of many of my friends: excited about things like coffee and tea, a good book, “girl time,” cute/comfy outfits, movies, and music. (P.S. for anyone who is a little more “masculine” like me, don’t worry. We get our female character represented in books 2 and 3!)

The Pace: I appreciate the pace of the book and for the most part, being shown, rather than told. The scene and settings unfold appropriately and you really delve deeper into the characters themselves as the story progresses (much of the first chapters are establishing who, what, where, when, and why). So if you are looking for a book that punches you in your face, right out the gate, with unrealistic action, tasteless sex scenes, and emotional turmoil, this won’t be it. Go watch Shameless instead. But if you are looking for something that unfolds at a pace that gives you time to decipher the characters, setting, and complexities of the story that is to come, then this is for you.

The Characters: Here’s the thing, at one point in the book, a group of characters are all introduced in a short amount of time. While this might not be standard protocol for fictional stories, it’s realistic. Trust that it was done with purposeful intent. Without giving away too much about the story, you get to learn about a pack of males in their environment, doing what males do. It actually reminds me of a group of my guy friends from college. Here’s how I like to think of it: it’s like when you walk into a small party (or as my friends affectionately call them, “kickbacks,”) and you meet the entire group at once. First you’re like, okay how am I going to remember these names? Then, as time goes on, you’re like, “Oh okay, W and X are the funny ones, Y is the Bawss Dogg, and Z is mysterious AF and maybe I’ll try to set him up with my friend Kaylee. She’s a weirdo like he is.” ...or whatever. You get the idea. That’s how I felt as I read this book. Characters develop and you learn more about them as time goes on. Again, this definitely isn’t a “quick-hit” book, where you get your fleeting pleasure placeholder of a temporary fix and then move on. It’s a balanced and realistic storyline that develops and progresses page by page.

The only thing I would have preferred without are the sex scenes themselves... But also, that’s a big contributing factor as to why you wanted to read this book in the first place. The actual genre of this book demands for it. That being said, even if you are like me and no matter how well-written they are, you would rather walk over the wood chips in your backyard barefooted than read sex scenes, you’ll still enjoy this book. The storyline is captivating. At one part, I actually did not realize I was holding my breath in suspense until the character released her breath… at which point, I released mine. Then a watery substance filled my eyes (I’m told these are tears). And I was like “wow... I rarely cry.”

Sheesh is she done with her review yet?!

Yes.

Thank you,
I relinquish the rest of my time to the speaker of the house… er, the fellow NetGalley-ers!

Marchesa

Thank you NetGalley for providing me an e-arc in exchange for an honest review. My review is my own and not influenced by others.

I started reading this book because it would combine Twilight and 50 shades of grey. Two series of books most people have read, saw the movies or of it not heard about it, so I was curious about this book.
This book however didn’t work for me. I was confused by the many characters, the setting and the way the story was going. After a while I got more frustrating and decided it was best to stop reading en DNF it.

I’m an avid readers of fantasy/paranormal books that involve characters like vampires, shape shifters, fairies etc. and I LOVED this! The author had such a new take on what the characters are capable of and what their non-human lives are like. It definitely wasn’t your average vampire or shifter book because I really felt transported while reading it especially during some of the steamier scenes (like real steamy!). I have very vivid dreams and I liked how the characters that seem like they would only exist in dreams are around us. I also like there are multiple characters to get to know, I think it keeps it more interesting.
I felt like the main character was relatable but still had that extra special quality that a character in a paranormal fantasy book needs. I didn’t find the book too predicable at all and I kept turning the page for more. I can’t wait to learn more about the characters and dive into their world in future books!

Here is a book that blends Twilight and 50 shades for one hot, steamy, enticing, can’t put down read! I am an avid reader of fantasy/thriller novels and this one caught my eye. The Specians world draws you in and makes you wish you could cross the invisible barrier yourself!

This book is a breath a fresh air for fantasy fanatics. I remember reading Twilight getting blue balls every other second, sorry if that’s too much don’t read the next sentence. This books allows you to get those rocks off and completes the ultimate shifter fantasy!! My goodness, you WILL get HOT and BOTHERED!

This is a whole new world to get to know and dive into. You can tell this author is laying the groundwork for an epic series in the making. The author invites you to meet the main pack of intense alpha men. I can tell as this series goes on these characters are going to grab your heart strings. Secretly obsessed with Nico, shhhhh.

The main character is relatable, especially with her inner dialogue about the events that take place. Don’t want to give anything away, but her you can tell her back story has a lot to offer and can see this building in multiple books!!

Do not miss out on an eventual Netflix/Hulu/HBO series book in making!! If only I was born in the shifter world, ugh!

I really loved this book, it was a great cross between paranormal romance and new adult. I loved the world building.

I couldn’t put it down and despite the length and my dyslexia I read it in 3 days. With no sleep.

The closest other author I could think of comparing this writing style to is Nalini Singh.

I read the first draft of the second book also in record time and I can’t wait for book 3.