Review: Recovered

I have previously read and enjoyed the first two books in Amber Polo’s Shapeshifters’ Library series. As I noted in both reviews, Retrieved and Released here and here, I wasn’t sure that I’d like this fantasy series that revolved around librarians who could turn into dogs and had to battle evil book hating werewolves. It sounds crazy but it totally works. I happily agreed to read the latest novel, Recovered, and while I did enjoy it, I didn’t like it quite as much as the others.

Here’s the synopsis:

Bliss D. Light was just an ordinary children's librarian until one day she discovered she could grow a tail. Now her life is filled with more magic than any of the fairy tales she tells the children who gather at her feet at the Shipsfeather library. Like many of the other residents of Shipsfeather, Ohio, Bliss is a dogshifter, and her newly discovered ability to change from human form into that of a sleek white greyhound has left her yearning to know more about her true heritage. The answer to all her questions, she is certain, lies with the dogshifters' long lost Library of the Ancients and, undeterred by the fact that thousands before her have searched, she sets out to find it.
Accompanied by her best friend Harry, a disgraced werewolf/dogshifter mongrel, and hotly pursued by the evil werewolf team of Sybilla and Blaze, Bliss's quest takes her across the sacred sites and ancient mounds of the American Southwest. Though kidnapped by dogcatchers, sold into racetrack slavery and forced to fight wolf dogs to survive, Harry and Bliss never lose sight of their goal-or each other. Because the only thing more important than finding the ancient lost treasure might just be preserving what they already have found: an unlikely love that could be the first step toward bringing two ancient enemy races together.

I think my main issue with this book was that I really didn’t like Harry in the first two stories so I found it hard to root for him in this story. I’m as guilty as some of the dogshifters because I could see, as Bliss and some of the other dogs/librarians did, that he really was trying to reform and become more in touch with his canine ancestry. But I just couldn’t get over how much of an evil twit he was before. I also didn’t connect as much with Bliss, for some reason or another. I’m a huge character person so when I don’t fall in love with the main characters it can sometimes be hard for me to fall in love with the rest of the book.

Getting some more background on the shifters and werewolves was very interesting though. We get to learn more about what the bad werewolves are doing and what kinds of jobs they have as well as finding out that there are actually good werewolves out there. Polo has created a whole, incredibly unique, 

I really liked the part where Bliss ends up being adopted by a bookstore owner and she helps turn the store around while also dealing with the bookstore cat. I wish that she had gone straight there instead of being shuffled around (I don’t want to say much and totally spoil the story!) after being captured because I really enjoyed reading about her life at the store.

Overall, Recovered was a good addition to the Shapeshifters’ Library series by Amber Polo. I’m not totally sure if it’s the final book, as some ends didn’t seem to be totally tied up, but I think it could be a fitting conclusion. I really enjoyed getting to know these shapeshifting librarians and think other book and fantasy lovers would too!

Happy reading :)

*A copy of this novel was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.*

Blog Tour: Retrieved + a Giveaway!

Last fall I took part in the ABG Reads blog tour for the novel Released by Amber Polo. I was a little unsure about what I would think of it but, as you can see from my review, I ended up really enjoying it! When Colette asked me if I wanted to take part in the tour for the second book in The Shapeshifters' Library series, I immediately said yes. I was happy that I enjoyed Retrieved just as much as the first book!

Here's the synopsis:

Dog-shifters once again face the book-burning werewolves of Shipsfeather in this charming second installment of The Shapeshifters’ Library series.
Godiva Anglesey, Chocolate Labrador, and the ruggedly handsome English Mastiff Cynerik are forced to team up against power-hungry werewolves when Cynerik discovers an ancient Ohio mound that may hold answers to their shifter history. Knowing the mound’s secrets could benefit the dog-shifters in the ongoing contest for power, ambitious werewolf pack Alpha Sybilla challenges timid Godiva to a battle for the territory. Already faced with a malicious book-worm infestation and a censorship threat to ban all anthropomorphic books in her library, Godiva, who has no interest in battling anyone, must turn from running her small town library to train for a challenge she believes she has no chance of winning. Just when things couldn’t get any worse, Godiva’s mother announces that family tradition dictates that Godiva must be married by Summer Solstice… to a Druid. Godiva doesn’t even know any Druids.
Godiva wants to run her library, retrieve books for library patrons, and keep people happy. She’s no hero. She doesn’t have what it takes to face down werewolves or save the world. Cynerik, however, believes differently. Together they must defeat the werewolves, save the town and its library, protect the most important archeological discovery in dog-shifter history… and, just maybe, find love along the way.

I really didn't like Godiva very much in Released so I was worried that I may not enjoy Retrieved simply because of that fact. Luckily, I grew to like Godiva and wanted things to work out for her. I couldn't wait for her to wake up and realize that Griswald, the man she had an enormous crush on, was completely useless and she could do so much better.

Learning the history of these particular shapeshifters and werewolves was, once again, quite interesting (even if the St. Lawrence River was spelled incorrectly...). Once Cynerik found the mound, I was just as anxious as he to find out what was inside and what it meant. I especially liked the storytelling part of the Challenge and thought it further showed how different the shapeshifters and werewolves can be.

Once again, Amber Polo delivered an entertaining read. Retrieved was enjoyable and I think anyone who likes a bit of fantasy should give this one a shot. I'm interested to see what else can happen in the third instalment (no title or date yet).

One final thing: don't forget to enter the giveaway! Click here for the link: a Rafflecopter giveaway. You can win a Shapeshifter Public Library canvas book bag, a print copy of "Retrieved," dog biscuits, and a tuft of genuine wolf fur. This giveaway is tour wide and is open only to US/Canada residents. 

Where to find Amber:

Wordshaping Blog | Facebook | Goodreads | Twitter | Pinterest | Google+

Blog Tour: Released PLUS a Giveaway!

Welcome to a stop on the blog tour for Amber Polo's novel Released: The Shapeshifters' Library! The tour is hosted by Collette over at ABG Reads. Make sure you stop by the tour page to see what others have to say about this interesting, unique, and thoroughly enjoyable fantasy novel. After you read my review, of course ;)

Here's the synopsis:

Love dogs? Love books? Love libraries? Hate Book-burning werewolves?

Once long ago the Shipsfeather Academy was a training ground for an ancient race of dog-shifters whose mission was to protect the world’s knowledge. A powerful curse sealed these librarians in the basement of their building and gave the control of the town to a pack of book-burning werewolves.

Librarian Liberty Cutter watches in horror as the town’s public library goes up in flames and plans to re-establish the library in the abandoned Shipsfeather Academy building. Chronus, the Old English Sheepdog headmaster of the academy and leader of the dog-shifters, knows he must make some changes to continue to keep his pack safe. But even if he could persuade Liberty to believe in a talking sheepdog, how far can she be trusted? And will she ever be able to care for him as a man. He has to try, because Liberty Cutter and her staff of zany librarians may hold the key to the dog-shifters’ freedom…and the future of the town

When I first read the synopsis for Released I was a little hesitant. It seemed a little...out there. Shapeshifters? Book-burning werewolves? Right. Author Amber Polo had actually originally requested I review her novel and when she emailed me she noted that I don't usually read fantasty/paranormal but would I enjoy one set in a library? I thought, what the heck. I sometimes read these kinds of books and since I adore libraries, I thought it couldn't hurt to give it a try. Guys. I am SO glad that I did. Released ended up being well written and entertaining.

I definitely really liked the fact that this book was so library focused. It was interesting to think that there was some sort of power in the books that helped the dogs become stronger. I love small town libraries (used to work in one myself) and the new library in Shipsfeather was lovely. Except for the whole having to fight off book hating werewolves thing... :)

There was a lot of action in this book, which was great. It kept the plot moving and kept me interested. There was always something going on. I also loved that I didn't exactly know what was going to happen. I had ideas of why things had happened (Liberty's parents disappearing when she was young, for example) but I still ended up being surprised (in a good way!) once everything was revealed.

Overall, I really enjoyed Released. It kept me interested with the town history, library, magic, action, and characters. I'm looking forward to the second novel in the series - Retrieved. I need to see if the town can get rid of those werewolves once and for all! I do think that you need to enjoy fantasy stories to really like this one so if that's your thing I definitely recommend Amber Polo's Released.

Oh, and did I mention the best news? There's a giveaway with this tour! Amber is giving away a lot of really neat goodies: large canvas Shipsfeather Library book bag, 4 signed books by Amber Polo including The Shapeshifters’ Library Book 1: Released, Amber's Relaxation CD, 2 collectible dogs, a tuft of Arctic wolf fur! Trust me, it's worth it just for winning this novel. Though I'm jealous the winner gets a bag! I'd LOVE a Shipsfeather library bag :) All you have to do is follow the steps found here - a Rafflecopter giveaway - and hope Rafflecopter randomly picks you at the end of the tour! Bonus: the giveaway is for US AND Canada, yay!

Good luck and happy reading! :)