Carole's Sunday Review: Cloaked in Secrecy - TF Walsh

Author: TF Walsh

Titles: Cloaked in Secrecy

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Pages: Ebook

First Published: March 2016

Where I Got It: On my shelf (given to me by an author/publisher for my honest and unbiased opinion)

Death has followed Alena Novac’s circus family for years. When the police arrest her brother for a murder he didn’t commit, she has only a week to rescue him before he transforms into his wolf form in prison and exposes their wulfkin existence to the world.

Enre Ulf, a former member of the Varlac, the fearsome ruling wulfkin clan, plans to infiltrate Alena’s circus clan and take out their alpha to save his home in Transylvania. Except he never expected his wolf claiming Alena as his mate, or feeling compelled to save her brother to help protect the secrets of the wulfkin.

With the police closing in and the blood feud threatening them, Alena and Enre must overcome their pasts to save their packs’ futures.

This is the second installment of this series. The first book was amazing and I loved the world. The world continues as they switch to Enre's and Alena's POV. I'm happy to see that Enre does get some sort of happy ending, because he did get kinda screwed in the last one when his ex picked a human over him. Certainly a blow to his furry ego. 

I was really worried at first, because I thought this was going to be a super insta-love story because they made-out within the first couple of chapters. However, it was just lust. Then Alena learned who was related to and was MAD, because she hates the Varlac due to something they did a while back. GOOD. I didn't want an insta-love with these two. Lust, fine. Love? No. Too much drama going on for that nonsense. 

I adored Nic. Gah, I felt bad for him! 

Honestly....I'm not sure if I liked Alena or not. Sure, I'm glad Enre has somebody, because I loved him...but Alena herself? Mmhmmmmm, she annoyed me a lot of the time. 

The story started off fast and there was a lot going on, then it stalled out for a bit. It took a few chapters to get the locomotive moving again and then I was hooked. I finished this in the matter of a couple sessions. I simply love this world! The location is certainly refreshing and enjoyable. 

I can't wait for more from this author and this world! This could be read as a stand alone, but I feel to understand the character, Enre, and the world, the first one should be read. Out of five stars, I stamp this with 4 stars. 

Carole's Sunday review: Cloaked in Fur by TF Walsh

Author: TF Walsh

Title: Cloaked in Fur

Genre: Paranormal Romance, Fantasy, Murder Mystery, & Drama

Pages: ebook

First Published: August 2013

Where I Got It: My shelf (Given to me by author/publisher for my honest and unbiased opinion)

As a moonwulf, Daciana never expected to fall in love with a human. Hell, she never imagined that she’d abandon her pack, endanger everyone around her, and break the worst rule possible. But she did.

A rogue werewolf is killing Daciana’s friends, and she sets on capturing the creature. She’ll do whatever it takes to stop the beast. The police and her boyfriend, Inspector Connell Lonescu, are starting to question her involvement in the murders, which is endangering the pack’s secret existence. But when the pack alpha kidnaps Connell, revealing the awful truth about the creature and its connection to the pack, Daciana must choose between saving the man she loves and saving her pack family from certain death.

I pretty much read this all in one sitting. Work had to get in the way and so I had to put it down, but the moment I could I grabbed it up and finished it. Rarely do I finish a book in one day! I like my books how I like my wine, a little at a time. However, I had to know what was going to happen next!!

Poor Daci! She has had SUCH a crappy week. She is trying to find the elixir recipe, so she can keep herself from completely turning to a wulkin (a werewolf) and be forever attached to her pack and be together forever with her human boyfriend. However, at the same time that said love of hers is really feeling like she is hiding something and is being distant from him, so he's on her case trying to pry out her secret. AT THE SAME time there is a rogue wolf killing/eating people Daci knows which is making her look suspicious. AND at the same time her alpha is being anti-helpful with this rogue wolf, so she teams up with an ex flame from the pack to hunt it down. UGH! Poor chit! I would just take Connell and run. hahaha. 

Poor Connell. I totally get why he was angry and hurt...I would be too...but MAN! I wanted to choke him and shake some sense in his head, but he didn't have the information I had on what she was trying to do so they can together for ever. UGH! I wish Daci would've let the secret slip, so his mind would be at some sort of peace (he would totally freak, so is his mind really at peace? haha)

Yes, this is a romance, but there is so much more at play (in which you can tell), so it made much better in my opinion. It felt real and I had no idea whether or not Connell and Daci will be together forever. It's a tough, tough road and there is so much at play. I loved it! It really had me on the edge of my seat since page one. Yes, I did get ansy, because I needed to know how everything was going to play out. There was one point where the action and drama seemed to drag on and on, but the author threw in a nice scene that gave me a breather before the next storm of action and drama took place. Like the calm before the last battle in a sense. It seemed impossible for a good ending!

WHICH...speaking of ending...kuddos TF Walsh! It certainly was a twist I did NOT see coming! I literally had to re-read a section to make sure my eyes told me right. I simply loved the ending. It left me wanting more, but it was not cliff-hanger-ish. I just really want to read more about the characters and that world in general. Especially the rest of the pack. What journey do they have next? Will they find love? Especially Daci's ex. He was alright and I felt bad because he really did care for Daci. They were suppose to be "mates", but then Daci wanted to be human and be with Connell. 

In the end, this was such an amazing ride! I was giving up on PNR, but this one certainly resparked my love for the genre. It was a romance, there was so much more at play here. Murder mystery, action, drama, and just felt like "reality" (BC it is a fantasy, so reality for a fantasy) and I wasn't sure IF Daci and Connell would get there HEA. There was one point where it started to drag from too much action and drama, but TF Walsh threw in a nice scene and it calmed down for a moment before more action and drama kicked in for the last time. I totally recommend this to PNR and action lovers, also I totally recommend it for those that need a good PNR to get back into the genre. Out of five stars, I stamp this with 5 stars. 

Favorite Character(s): Daci & Connell (even tho he drove me crazy, but he had no idea what was happening, so you can't blame the guy)

Not-so Favorite Character(s): The pack leader (*shakes head* Dumb, dumb)

Carole interviews TF Walsh

Today, we have a special guest on the blog! May we have a nice warm applause for TF Walsh the author of the new book 'Cloaked in Fur'! She was so sweet to have an interview with me. I simply adore interviews, I really should do more. 

Tell me a little about yourself. 

Thanks for having me on your blog today.

Well, I was born in Romania and moved to Australia with my family at the age of eight. My dad has always loved writing and is quite well known in Romania, so I guess from an early age I started to show interest in writing. Sure, they were only poems or lyrics, but it was a start☺ It was only when I finished university that I considered trying to write stories. Fast forward many years later, when I was home sick from work that I attacked my first novel, and no looking back from there. Aside from writing, I’m a huge baking fan with snickerdoodles being my all time favorite cookies. I live with hubby and two gorgeous kitties.

 Tell me about your book? 

Cloaked in Fur is book one in the Wulfkin Legacy series. Here’s a little blurb: As a moonwulf, Daciana never expected to fall in love with a human. Hell, she never imagined that she’d abandon her pack, endanger everyone around her, and break the worst rule possible. But she did. A rogue werewolf is killing Daciana’s friends, and she sets on capturing the creature. She’ll do whatever it takes to stop the beast. The police and her boyfriend, Inspector Connell Lonescu, are starting to question her involvement in the murders, which is endangering the pack’s secret existence. But when the pack alpha kidnaps Connell, revealing the awful truth about the creature and its connection to the pack, Daciana must choose between saving the man she loves and saving her pack family from certain death.

 What inspired you to write this book? 

I grew up listening to bedtime Romanian stories that could only be compared to the Brothers Grimm tales, and ever since then folklore and mythology has fascinated me. These influences have trickled into my stories, and in particular Cloaked in Fur, which is based in Transylvania—a place seeped in legends. Now, when it comes to love, I’m a sucker for stories about two people from different worlds falling madly in love and fighting against the odds to stay together. This is the story I wanted to tell in Cloaked in Fur; showing how far someone was willing to go to hold onto true love.

 Why werewolves? 

I grew up watching horror stories, in particular, monster ones. My favorites were the vampire and werewolf stories. Because I wanted to base my book in Romania, I wanted to show the country had legends beyond Dracula, so I went with my next favorite topic. Plus, what I love about werewolves is their hidden nature. Anyone could be a werewolf hiding in his or her human guise. Whether a person's lycanthropy is beyond their control, or whether they maintain their control, when they change, they are equally frightening. Traditionally stories of werewolves were used to inspire fear, but they have since been romanticized in popular culture. In Cloaked in Fur, I wanted to use both of these sides of the werewolf.

 What inspired such unique names such as Daciana or Connell? 

I did a lot of research for my character names as I wanted them to fit both their location, but also have a deeper meaning. Daciana is derived from the Roman Dacia – a name for the region that is today Moldova in Romania. Stories say the Dacians were originally known as daoi, which means wolf. Connell is from England, and his name just caught my interest… can’t really explain it, but it felt right for my character.

 What’s next for all your fans? Maybe a sequel? ;) 

The sequel, Cloaked in Secrecy, is set to come out very soon. I’m so excited to be telling Enre’s story. Here’s a teaser: What better way for a pack of wulfkin shifters to hide themselves from the world than right before their eyes performing in a circus.

 Thank you so much TF for joining us! I am excited to see what you have in store for us next!