Arizona Tape

Books by the author Arizona Tape.

Choice of the Winter Wolf by Arizona Tape

Posted on by DragonSusie

Somewhat Lacklustre

Compared to the first book in the series, plus the excellent prequel, I felt that this second book was a bit of a let down in comparison.

For me, it wasn’t Akira constantly putting herself down, as others have said bothered them, as I perfectly understand those sentiments, from personal experience, and it makes her decisions regarding the interactions with others more understandable.

If anything, I felt like it wasn’t played through enough. Yes, it’s nice how she’s opening up more to Ashleigh as the trip goes on, and the rivalry with Danny definitely needs more exploring, too. But there’s a piece missing to many of these interactions, and I can’t particularly say what. Maybe that it should just be more intense? She can think more, do more, and none of it needs to be always easily resolved with Ashleigh.

In the original I had liked how they were teaching Akira to fight. Maybe it’s coming, now they’re on their way again. And I hope that Akira teaches JP about the medicinal herbs in return, which she had kicked herself for not collecting on the way.

Akira is currently a complete pushover with a lot of self doubt, which is quite understandable considering her background. But there still could have been so much more here. And we, like Akira, currently know nothing about Darren or Regan (so little that I forgot their names and had to go back to check), or even Danny frankly, except that Danny and Regan are mates, which seemed surprising considering Danny’s suspicions of Akira being akin to jealousy.

Well, there’s one more book to go. Let’s hope we finish on a high.

Final rating: ★★★☆☆ – Sort of liked/OK

*I received a free digital ARC via the author and am voluntarily leaving a review.*

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The Phoenix Nest by Arizona Tape

Posted on by DragonSusie

Simply Glorious!

This book was so full of highs and lows! From giggling glee, to terrible tears! So full of emotions!

One thing I absolutely loved was the amount of detail about the animals. This was so much on a higher level than the previous book, as you get to learn about these birds as intensely as Charlotte is. It’s so obvious the amount of effort that has gone into creating these birds in such fine detail, it was wonderful!

Whilst we have this ongoing “will they, won’t they” between Charlotte and Felicity, I was a little disappointed that there was no final flirtation between them at the end, to discuss the wonders Charlotte had just experienced, just like she’d shared her animal heartbreak.

I was also somewhat disappointed that we didn’t see the hatchling grow and be released, or will that be touched upon a little later on? I hope so, but the books seem primarily invested in one species at a time.

But, all in all, still a solid little read, packed with so much realism for a fantasy world.

Final rating: ★★★★★ – Loved it/couldn’t put it down

*I received a free digital ARC via the author and am voluntarily leaving a review.*

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Heart and Soul of the Wolf by Arizona Tape

Posted on by DragonSusie

Does Love Conquer All?

This is a cutesy short second-chance love story based as a prequel to the Guardian of the Winter Stone series. It wasn’t around when I first read the series, but I love the extra little titbits it gives, as well as the story itself.

These are two people, best friends, with a hundred-and-one excuses for why they mustn’t say anything to the other about their feelings. As soon as they leave on the quest, they fall into a steady rhythm with each other, each complimenting the other. Yet it may take the fear of losing it all to break the silence.

A few squees, a few breath-holding moments, a little bit of steam, and these two young women are ready to face the world.

Final rating: ★★★★☆ – Really liked

*I received a free digital ARC via the author and am voluntarily leaving a review.*

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The Unicorn Herd by Arizona Tape

Posted on by DragonSusie

Absolutely Delightful

This book really did have me squealing in delight! It was so much fun, so light, with a fascinating air of mythical beasts.

It starts of with a hint of “enemies to lovers”, but that appears to be a bit of an extended story that isn’t quite resolved yet. There’s lots of “will they, won’t they?” between a few of the interns, but if it was a one-and-done book, perhaps more would have paired off. Yes, there is definitely something there that’s being saved for later.

The book fell off a bit towards the middle end, but the ending itself was wonderfully unexpected, even though it made a lot of sense.

I’m going to squeal a bit as I wait for the sequel to pop up at the top of my list!

Final rating: ★★★★☆ – Really liked

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The Tea Witch’s Promise by Laura Greenwood and Arizona Tape

Posted on by DragonSusie

Somewhat Disappointing

I absolutely hated the start, and I’m unsure why. There was something missing, that I couldn’t quite put my finger on.

The romance was also a too-slow build up for me, with all the “will they, won’t they?”, which is known to annoy me somewhat. It just felt like they kept recircling around the same ideas, not asking the right questions, before finally deciding all was OK. Once they got to that point, the flow was better, until it came to the issue of Oliver…

Banjo is a fun character, and I would have liked to have seen him fleshed out a bit more. Hopefully we’ll get more of other familiars, including Howie, quite soon. They’re magically-bonded familiars, but what that actually means, apart from a tattoo (no spoilers), and whether there are actually any magical properties there outside of that, I’m not too sure right now.

And I was a little confused about how the magic works, but hopefully that will come along, too.

This doesn’t mean that I will just dump the series. But I will just see it all as an introduction, and hope that the next book finds me better. We are all different in our likes, after all!

Final rating: ★★★☆☆ – Sort of liked/OK

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Infamous by Arizona Tape

Posted on by DragonSusie

Good start

This book was still in Beta when I received it, so the author is now currently busy with amendments based on my and other reader’s suggestions. But, from the beginning, we already have a great story going on here!

We have Rie, with her sentient deck of cards (or, at least, the “character” cards), who regularly talk to her and give her advice. She’s also very good at pickpocketing, noticing targets with high-value items or money. It’s her only means of survival. Until she pickpockets the wrong target…

Oh, but her mistake only ends up working in her favour, as she is forced to repay her debt by joining a gang of hustlers, who only want to rob the richest man in the city!

There is a great list of side characters here, but unfortunately we don’t get to know them enough in depth. A few months on and I can’t remember all of their names and don’t have access anymore. Yet what I can say is this – there’s already a great storyline, but I would love to see some more background. And, of course, there’s a nice ending, where Rie manages to realise one of her dreams. And, I believe, there’s another story to be had in that, too.

Final rating: ★★★★☆ – Really liked

*I received a free digital Beta copy via the author in exchange for an honest review*

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Valkyrie’s Choice by Arizona Tape

Posted on by DragonSusie

Resolution, but no resolution

Yes, we get a resolution to everything that happened in the previous book! The true characters all come out! Bryn finally stands up to her grandmother, in several ways, managing to impress her as much as piss her off! And Bryn finds out what she truly wants to be as well. But…

Yes, there’s always a “but”. The ending left me quite disappointed. We have here a slow-burn romance, which doesn’t fully resolve. Everything is building up to something that doesn’t quite happen. Maybe in the main series, we’ll get to see how that develops, but unfortunately it doesn’t happen here. I believe that that was the biggest let down of the two books, knowing that there could have been so much more.

What I liked most, however, was the deeper digging into the mythology, as Bryn travels through the afterlife on her own, discovering other lines in the mythology belonging to some of the other beings, which she in turns relates back to these other beings in the living world.

All in all, it isn’t bad. Bryn learning “BSL” (in this instance, Banshee Sign Language instead of British Sign Language) is an interesting one, along with why they use the sign language. Along with other little quirks, it makes it an interesting story.

Final rating: ★★★★☆ – Really liked

*I received a free digital ARC via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.*

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Valkyrie’s Oath by Arizona Tape

Posted on by DragonSusie

Well…

My ambiguous title is due to my mixed impressions. I was so confused when I started the book that I hated the first couple of chapters. Well, hate might be a bit strong, but I disliked it. Even up to the point of the MC becoming attracted to a new teacher. Eurgh! It just wasn’t for me at that moment.

But then, something happened. I left it a day and, when I restarted, I just had to read further. I went from “dislike” to “intrigue”. I don’t believe that it had anything to do with the writing per se, just that I’d come from reading a book with a completely different style. Besides, I usually like this author’s works, so maybe coming back with a fresh head meant that I could actually invest myself in this story.

Although I do believe that the beginning didn’t help any. I haven’t read any of the sister series, although that shouldn’t have an effect, as the first book wasn’t published that long before this one. But it felt like being thrown into the deep end without a lifesaver ring, no explanations, surrounded by laughing, warring, teenagers.

So, as I said, maybe that was it – the complete change of pace and style from the book I’d just finished. Although I would have been happy with a few more explanations, once I did finally get into the book, everything was fine!

I should have expected that ending, really. A cliffhanger, but none of Bryn’s supposed “friends” really felt like friends, anyway, especially with their attitude. At least one felt more like a hanger on. Considering how she’s an heir, you can expect that she’d have a hoard of frenemies in place of real friends, those who pretend to look after her but are really just waiting for her to slip up.

Anyway, my complete turnaround meant that I was invested in the story by the end, quite happily so, which came as a real surprise to me. So soon on with the next it is!

Final rating: ★★★★☆ – Really liked

*I received a free digital ARC via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.*

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Grimm’s Dweller: The Complete Trilogy by Arizona Tape

Posted on by DragonSusie

Magical help for Herr Grimm

This story focuses around the stories of Wilhelm Grimm, with a twist – in this version, he receives magical help from a being known as a “Dweller”, a being that inhabits story universes.

I’m not going to review each part separately, as each passes quickly, but I will comment on them.

The first part is dedicated to how Grisella met Will and their relationship at the beginning, creating the stories together, even though she isn’t supposed to get involved in the actual creating of the universes.

The second part involves Grisella watching from a distance, after Will has fallen in love with and married someone else, and the children he has. But she still keeps an eye on his universes, trying to hold onto his memory by dwelling within them as much as she can.

The third part is dedicated to the end of Will’s life, his final stories, and the reuniting of the story companions. It’s this third part that is the best.

The first two parts barely held my attention. They lacked something that I couldn’t quite put my finger on. The second part started to improve, with more depth to the story about stories. But it was the third part that really brought it all together. The reason for this is simple – emotion. Suddenly we’re faced with strong emotion as Will comes to the end of his life. How each deal with this is a heartbreaking journey with only one outcome. Suddenly my investment in the story intensified as the emotions did; there was finally a connection for me.

All stories have to end, but Grisella guards the universes so they don’t.

If the story parts had continued on in the slower manner, then this would have received a lower rating. But, purely for that ending, I have to bring it up.

Final rating: ★★★★☆ – Really liked

*I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.*

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Fifth Soul by Laura Greenwood and Arizona Tape

Posted on by DragonSusie

Gaming Dragons…? Totally awesome!!

Fifth Soul

I’d actually read a preview of this after reading  Torn Soul, another book set in the Twin Souls Universe. So it was a bit awkward reading again through drunk Lola’s antics, although it was nice to have some context to it finally.

Lola is running away from everything to do with Fire Dragon tradition. Fated Mates, Mating Ceremonies, she wants none of it. But what she does want is to support her friend, a misfit who’s been outcast by the Fire Dragon community, and gaming. She loves gaming! Unfortunately for her, gaming appears to bring along the very things she’s been avoiding most of her life…

I loved the interaction between the characters, and all the gaming elements in it (I was an “almost” gamer at one point, but never quite got into it seriously). Lola cares about her mates once she finds them, all of them, and truly does try her best to please them all. In the end, everything works out for them. But it appears to have gained them a few frowns from the Fire Dragon community… I’m looking forward to the next book and finding out what happens!

Final rating: ★★★★☆ – Really liked

*I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.*

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