Book Reviews

Book Blurb

Jiri’s life has been one misery after the next. A cobra shifter, he’s held captive by a collector who keeps him—and other shifters—in a private harem-style “zoo” in the Libyan desert. Considered a dangerous predator by the other shifters, and little more than a boy toy to the collector, Jiri is friendless, timid, and despondent.

 

Miksa is the collector’s latest find. But honey badgers are known for their bad attitude, fearlessness, and fighting spirit. Miksa has no doubt he’ll escape, even if it means taking the whole zoo down with him.

 

When honey badger and cobra meet, there should be instant enmity—after all, honey badgers eat cobras—yet both men find themselves oddly drawn to the other. Romance blossoms, but can it survive captivity and beyond? In order to do so, Jiri will have to find a strength he doesn’t know he possesses and Miksa will have to open a heart long closed to anyone except his immediate family.

 

 

A story from the Dreamspinner Press 2016 Daily Dose package “A Walk on the Wild Side”.

Book Review

I'm increasingly charmed by each new installment in this year's Dreamspinner Press Daily Dose package. The authors have written a variety of paranormal shifter tales with imaginative and creative world building. Some have stuck to the more stereotypical tropes, while others have branched out in areas. It's a true delight.

Jiri made me sad. He's a cobra shifter who has been held prisoner for so long, since he was a child, and suffered through so much, that he's never really anything but afraid. All of the time. As a predator shifter, Jiri should be one of the toughest creatures in Demetrius's "collection", but Jiri is far too scared and timid to ever fight back. Once I realized why, and the horrors Jiri has suffered, it made my heart hurt for him.

Miksa is, hands down, a badass. No two ways about it, a honey badger is a ferocious, aggressive, angry animal who often attacks animals much bigger than themselves. Miksa was pretty much the same in human form. He's confused as to why the cobra shifter is so meek and allows himself to be used, until Miksa learns of the extent of Jiri's torture. However, that doesn't stop Miksa from figuring out a way to escape.

It truly was beautiful watching these two men, these natural-born enemies in shifted form, bring out in each other what they lacked. Jiri derived strength, confidence, and was able to let go of some of his fear and stand up for himself. Miksa got kindness and gentleness, of course only when dealing with Jiri, but these are not natural honey badger traits, so it was wonderful to see. Miksa wanted to be Jiri's knight in shining armor, his superhero, his savior.

Better he die, so all the others could be free. Besides, he was tired of being afraid. He would never be brave like Miksa, but he had already spent too much of his life scared of his own shadow. Once Miksa was free, that would change. At least a little.

I absolutely loved this installment. I'm really hoping to see more from Meghan Maslow because if it continues to be this good, then she'll have a fan for life.

 

 

 

 

DISCLAIMER: Books reviewed on this site were usually provided at no cost by the publisher or author. This book has been provided by Dreamspinner Press for the purpose of a review.

Additional Information

Format	ebook
Length	Novella, 50 pages/17302
Heat Level
Publication Date	01-June-2016
Price	$3.99 ebook
Buy Link	https://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/books/a-cobras-charm-by-meghan-maslow-7148-b