Book Reviews

Book Blurb

Paranormal resort Cereus is running like clockwork, but in these three stories a whole new crop of employees and guests, like bears, vampires and fallen angels, might require some extra training.

In Ursa Minor, by Julia Talbot and BA Tortuga, little bear Dakota is losing his sight, and is causing some serious damage trying to wait tables. Resort owner Jonny thinks he knows just what Dakota needs. His name is Cord, and the big grizzly shifter is more than willing to take Dakota on. In Heaven and Hell by Sean Michael, fallen angel Uri has no idea how to be mortal. Luckily, demon Quake is happy to show Uri all about the pleasures of being flesh and blood. Finally, in Weed and Feed, by Julia Talbot and BA Tortuga, Terry and Boone are young werewolves who need a firm hand. Alpha wolf Jackson and vampire Cian are willing, and able, to provide just that.

Cereus: Training takes up where Building and Opening began, with all the fun chaos only Cereus can provide!

NOTE: This book was previously published by Torquere Press in October 2013.

Book Review

The third book set in the paranormal resort called Cereus was as entertaining as the first two. This time around I got an in-depth look at some of the guests, and the ease with which resort employees and guests mingle was particularly wonderful. Duke, the resort manager, actively supports this "stealing away" of the people who work for him, all in the name of romance and true love.  The participants, or some of them, may call it training, but it turns out to be far more than that as things heat up.

Ursa Minor by Julia Talbot and BA Tortuga is a story about a black bear going blind and the grizzly who gives him new purpose. This is one of the cutest stories ever! Both bear shifters are so typically bearlike, even when they are human. But more than that, Dakota feels utterly useless as he loses more of his sight every day, yet he needs a job and wants to be busy. The problem is that he can no longer be a waiter since he tends to run into things and destroy glasses. Cord, a lonely grizzly, may say he needs an "attendant" at the resort, but what he really wants is some contact and companionship from someone who understands him. Both of them are perfect together, and I loved Cord's patience as he teaches Dakota how to deal with life.

Heaven and Hell by Sean Michael takes the unusual pairing of a fallen angel and a demon and develops a truly fun, very hot, and ultimately beneficial relationship between the two. Uri has been cruelly punished for saving a friend's life, just because that friend happens to be a vampire – and because Uri refused to repent. They took his wings, ripped out his hair, and banished him to Earth. Everything is new to him, not that he cared before he met Quake, the demon. Quake is a total top and determined to make Uri feel, to show him that being human (or as close as an immortal being can come to it) can be very entertaining. BDSM is Quake's choice of training tools, and Uri slowly discovers he likes what he's learning. Another perfect match, and the heat between these two is amazing!

Weed and Feed by Julia Talbot and BA Tortuga is pure, unadulterated fun. Terry and Boone are two very young werewolves, separated from their packs, and used to fending for themselves. The exuberance and playfulness both show each other soon attracts the attention of two very different Tops – one vampire writer and one werewolf alpha. As it turns out, they are each exactly what Terry and Boone need. Terry is a little quieter, has no issue submitting to Cian, the vampire, but he kind of needs the "pack" feeling he gets from Boone and now Jackson, the alpha. Boone is a sub as well, but he'd been the one in charge when they were on their own, so he has a little more trouble learning that Jackson is in charge – not that Jackson minds. Their play is a lot rougher and suits both of them really well. This ended up being a very kinky story, with a few situations where all four play together, and I have a feeling they'll take that further as the trust between them grows.

All in all, this is another great collection of fun paranormal stories. They can be read on their own, but I wouldn’t know why you'd want to miss the first two books. If you like paranormal beings of different species and backgrounds, if you want to see what can happen when some of them get together and learn to love each other, and if you're looking for a fun, slightly kinky read that will entertain you and make you smile, give this book a try. It's a worthy successor to the first two volumes, and I sure hope we'll get to see more in the series!

 

 

 

 

 

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

 

Additional Information

Format	ebook and print
Length	Anthology/ 3 Short Stories, 188 pages/51000 words
Heat Level
Publication Date	30-August-2016
Price	$4.99 ebook
Buy Link	https://www.amazon.com/Cereus-Training-Julia-Talbot-ebook/dp/B01LA5K9K4