@Archaeolibrary, @ChereeAlsop, #Paranormal, #YoungAdult, 5 out of 5 (exceptional)

Are you ready for this? Chosen is the last book in the Werewolf Academy series and I can guarantee you will have your heart ripped to shreds.

One thing Ms. Alsop is not afraid of is killing off favourite characters. This has happened before and it hurts every time, you know?! Things are coming to a head and Drogan now has his Demons who seem to be more than a match for Alex.

Do people get hurt in this finale? Yes, they do. Do people die? Oh my god, yes. Will it rip your heart out? Absolutely. Will you enjoy every moment? But, of course!!! I'm going to try to be as vague as possible here but when *** happened, I wondered when *** would, and when it did, I wasn't that surprised. Heartbroken but not surprised.

This book has everything you could ask for. Emotions of every type, heartbreak, sorrow, death, hope, joy, birth, and most of all, a HEA. This is an amazing series that will take you from the first word of book one to the last word of book seven without any problem; each book leaving you wanting more.

I can't believe I've reached the end of both this series and Silver. I love Cheree Alsop's werewolves and I hope to read more about them in the future. Absolutely recommended by me.

* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *

Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!

With an abusive relationship behind her, wolf shifter Leslie is quietly raising her young son in the Kendrick pack. If she’s occasionally lonely, it’s a small price to pay for son’s safety. And if she’s secretly longing for pack alpha Malcolm Kendrick, well…she’s keeping that fantasy to herself. Experience has made her a realist, and they’re far too different to work. She has no idea Malcolm wants her just as fiercely. That he’s been subtly courting her for a year. But subtlety has gotten him nowhere—even if he thought it was the best choice after what she’d been through. He wanted to make sure Leslie didn’t feel obligated to him, that she was truly ready to move on. Now that he knows she is, he’s determined to make sure it’s with him. And when a threat from her past surfaces, he’ll eliminate anyone who would dare to hurt his mate.

This was a great story by a great author. I’ve read a number of her books and they don’t disappoint. I really liked both main characters as well as the plot. It was a great, quick read. I recommend. 

**I voluntarily read and reviewed this book

Leslie is quietly raising her son in the Kendrick pack after escaping an abusive relationship and if she’s occasionally lonely, it’s a small price to pay for her son’s safety, although she’s secretly longing for Malcolm, the pack alpha. Malcolm has been subtly courting her for a year and it’s gotten him nowhere but now that he knows she is ready to move on, he’s determined to make sure it’s with him.

This ‘Crescent Moon’ story is a sweet romance that brings smiles to the readers’ face. Leslie has worked to overcome her past and she’s ready for Malcolm to step up but vulnerabilities and doubt make her bit hesitant in believing that they are right for each other. Malcolm has been moving forward slowly giving her time to adjust to being safe and to heal from her past. This keeps emotions flowing from the pages and these strong, compelling characters easily capture readers’ hearts with their story.

The plot is fast paced and while it is on the short side, it has its share of romance, passion, suspense and excitement as a feral rogue comes sniffing around and instigating trouble and with a twist, the pack soon discovers that not everything is as it seems. Readers can’t help but keep their eyes glued to the pages of this delightful romance.

It has been a long while since I read a BDB book, and I remember why, J.R. Ward likes to jump around in her plots; so many things going on that it makes for an exhausting read. It was enjoyable, but don’t expect to be able sit back and relax and enjoy an easy read. This one was intense, SO much was going on, the passion was good, the action was strong, and it was nice seeing all the characters again. V is on a bad path in this one and shame on him for not being happy with Jane and their relationship. From reviews of the next one, The Thief, that I have read, I have heard it is a lot about them and V’s possible choices he decides to make. Not sure I’m ready for it. Layla and Quinn and Blay have a lot to deal with in this one and I did really enjoy their scenes. There are also a few shocking, but good, surprises in this installment. Overall, not my favorite in the franchise, but not the worst either. It is a good read. If you have been following along with the BDB series, this is a good one and you shouldn't be disappointed--just go into it expecting all of the different plots. If you haven’t, I do recommend giving it a try if you like high intensity vampire romances, just prepare yourself for Wards writing style-too many plots going on at the same time. Blay and Quinn's book is still my absolute favorite in the series.

This review can also be found at Carole's Random Life in Books.

This was another great installment in the Alex Verus Series. This is a series that really does need to be read in order since each book builds on the previous installments. I think that I am liking each book in the series a little more as I work my way through the series and I get to know Alex and the gang better. I worked my way through this book rather quickly because I was eager to see how everything would work out. It really was a very enjoyable listen.

At the start of this story, Alex is learning to adjust to life with his two new roommates. He is spending a lot of time with the apprentices and running his shop. Alex's past comes into play and has a big impact on his present in this installment. Alex was an apprentice under a dark mage when he was younger. This is a group of adepts that wish to get revenge for Alex's actions while working with the dark mage.

I really liked getting the chance to learn some of Alex's history. I had an idea that life with Richard was less than pleasant but it was very eye-opening to learn how things really were. We actually learn some rather interesting things about several characters that currently play a role in Alex's life. I thought that seeing Alex's past and how he dealt with those seeking revenge really showed what kind of man he has become. Alex wants to do what is right and does not seek to harm anyone but he will do what needs to be done when pushed into it. I really like that Alex is flawed and will cross lines when necessary but tries to be a good guy as much as he can.

Gildart Jackson does a fabulous job with this book. He has become the voice of Alex for me and I am so glad that I decided to work my way through this series in audio. This narrator does a great job with all of the character voices and brings a lot of emotion into the story. He has a very pleasant voice that is easy to listen to for hours at a time.

I would recommend this series to others. This book tells a very exciting story and is filled with an entire cast of fantastic characters. I can't wait to start working on the next book in this wonderful series!

Initial Thoughts
This was another great installment in the series. This book gets into Alex's past quite a bit and I enjoyed getting the chance to see what his life was like when he was younger. Someone is out to take their revenge against Alex for something that happened years ago. Gildart Jackson did a fantastic job with the narration once again.

Book Source: Audible purchase