Sam Hall (1)

MY FAVORITE READ IN SO LONG

As a fat woman my whole life, having a mother who was very similar to Sages mom, I understood this storyline so well. It doesn’t matter that my mother is long gone and I’m 65 or that I’ve been married to a wonderful man for forever those scars creep in. To be told by someone who is supposed to love you over and over in so many ways that you are nothing, that no one will ever love or accept you because of the way you look is painful and it takes root in your show more soul.

I generally try to read plus size romance. I’m curious how authors traverse the subject. I’ve heard reviewers say they won’t read books if the plus size FMC doesn’t have a positive body image. I am confused by this. We all have issues and yes we need to strive for a positive body image but that doesn’t always happen.

The 4 brothers were fabulous. I loved Max the most but they all had something special going for them that made Sage find more pieces of herself.

Hats off to Sam Hall. I hope you write more plus size books. This was my first of hers to read but I will be checking out more. show less

I'll want you until the sun dies in the sky, until the world goes cold and beyond. Gods help me, I'll never stop wanting....I'll never stop loving you.
-Koda

Bears With Me
Ursa Shifters
Book 2
By Sam Hall

315 pages
Currently on PREORDER - https://a.co/d/fyOXhw7
Publication date April 1, 2023

I received an advanced reader copy of this book, and this is my honest review. Please, watch out for possible spoilers, including but not limited to, TW/CN/Etc.

Possible TW, Tropes, and Genres
Mature, Spicy, show more Romance, Bear Shifters, Emotional Abuse from the Husband/Antagonist, Cheating from the Husband/Antagonist (off page), Physical Abuse from the Husband/Antagonist, Financial Abuse from the Husband/Antagonist, Elder Abuse (off page), Husband/Antagonist wants a polyam/open marriage but does not understand what one is or how they work, Husband/Antagonist tries to maintain control over the FMC, Marriage Separation, Divorce, Why Choose, FMC NEVER cheats, HEA, Pregnancy (not from FMC), Infertility Issues Hinted at for FMC (But may not actually be an issue), Arson, Bareback, Oral, Anal, DVP, Hooked Cock (But Not actually hooked), Fated Mates, Bonded Mates, Drinking Blood, Biting, Scars From Bites,

Sam you fucking did it again.
The cliffhanger that you left us with, in book 1, was well worth the amazing conclusion to Nat’s story. Her finding her strength, her power, after being in an abusive marriage was grand… But, her finding it, while also finding her sexual power, chef’s kiss.

I cried so many times, laughed so many others, and the spice!! ::Insert perfection gif::

Koda, Thorne, Lars, and Ric, and the way that they not only love Nat, but allow her the space to find herself, was precious. That is not always allowed in love stories where the FMC is coming out of an abusive relationship. Often, the MMC(s), just kinda tell her how it is, and she is magically better. Nat has to work on that, and being in the here and now with herself, and her mates. This story would not of been as impactful or magical without that.

I do not know how you write such fully fleshed out characters, that feel like I could actually be around, cause, coming from an abusive marriage… I don’t do people really anymore. I haven’t fully hit that magical healthy healing yet, to be as vulnerable as Nat is with these guys.. Which, before anyone says anything, yes its a story, but its a story that will hit home with some of us.. Who have lived with someone like FF and his family… And even if, the story is only a happy for now, it reminds us, that we can hope for that happy for now moments as well.

We may not get a why choose with hunky bear shifters (did I ever tell you my FAV animals are bears), but we can still live via Nat. lol

5 / 5
-Destynnee show less

Sam Hall
Bears in Mind
A Bear Shifter Romance
Ursa Shifters
Book 1
290 pages
Ebook on pre-order
Publication date, January 14th, 2023

Cn/Tw/Genres/Tropes
Why Choose, Bear shifter, fated mates, blood, slut shaming, divorce talk, marriage separation, abusive male partner (mostly off-page, or spoken about from the past), male partner cheats (off page), gunshot wound, learning consent, her orgasms comes first, touch her and die, light daddy kink, light praise kink, spoil her, romance, Paranormal, show more fantasy, Cliffhanger, infertility issues (spoken about from the past), open marriage, slow burn, domestic violence,

This is an arc review, so please be careful of possible spoilers.

Holy fucking hell Sam. 😳 Your first bear shifter book is not only a 5-star, but touched on parts of my life.

The cliffhanger though, fuck me running.

But y'all.. Fuck me running sideways…

Sam Halls's newest book coming out, Bears in Mind, is a why-choose, fated mates BEAR shifter, where the fmc does not know shifters are real, and the new men want to spoil her.

Fuck, not only was the spice good, the plot and strength the fmc gets as the story progresses is.. fuck, chef's kiss. If you have ever left an abusive relationship, there are moments that will hit home SOOO HARD, but it is worth it.

You are worth it. Find your power, and leave.

It ends on a cliffhanger, but the fmc is right on the edge of getting her hea, and putting her abusive ex in his place.

This is more of a slow burn, as the bear shifter gives the fmc space to find herself, love herself, and learn what a healthy consent-filled relationship can look like. There are spicy moments, where the fmc is put first and foremost. Where the guys, put their needs last, and help her heal and find not only her sexual power, but her overall power and worth.

This really is a 5/5 stars read yall!

This is Sam's first bear shifter story, but it reads like this is what she writes all day. When it comes out, I highly suggest reading it.

There is so much power, finding one's self, learning about consent, and loving ones self, and these four men who love the fmc no matter what happens.. It's wonderful. So, wonderful.

It's so good y'all, so good.

- Destynnee show less

ARC REVIEW COMING SOON
MANY CONTAIN SPOILERS

BEHIND ON WRITING REVIEW DUE TO 3rd BOUGHT OF COVID

ADDED review below.

With Fangs And Claws
The Wolf Queen
Book 1
by Sam Hall
493 pages
Currently on Kindle Unlimited, in the US.
5/5 stars

Possible Genre / Tropes:
Romance, Fantasy, Paranormal, Fated Mates, Shifter, New Adult, Reverse Harem, Medieval, Enemies to Lovers, Omegaverseish,

Possible Trigger/Content Warnings:
Death, murder, blood, no condom sex, mate marking, choking, size difference, breeding, show more Dom/Sub, wolf shifting, praise kink, graphic violence, graphic sex, talk of knotting, knotting, oral, voyeurism, abuse of a child from a parent, semi graphic beating, nudity, reverse harem, hunting and death of a animal, a touch of Omegaverse, harem composed of brothers, religion, enemies to lovers, war, mild talk of death, rape, and mutilation of others, privilege, misogyny, bigotry, sexism, the patriarchy,

THIS IS A ARC REVIEW, and may have spoilers.

Oh fantasy stories, one of my first true loves. This is a review that I can not quite put into words, and have been trying to figure out for almost a week now how to write. (BECAUSE IT IS THAT GOOD)

Do you like Vikings? Do you like Highlanders? Fated Mates? Reverse Harem? If you answer yes, to any of that... READ THIS BOOK.

I do not want to spoil it y’all. I would tell you to go into this completely blind. Just pick up this book, and spend the weekend reading it.

But, if you are still reading, you have been warned.

It is a romance book (SLOW BURN), but first and foremost, to me, it is a fantasy book with a love interest. So do not let this being marked as romance shy you away. This is the kind of fantasy world that I love. Sometimes in fantasy, to quickly you know THAT is the bad person, and that one over there... Well, that is the man that will save the day! You do not know right away who all the players are, or just how far they will go. We may not full see the picture, till the end, and I love that.

Thankfully, Sam does a wonderful wonderful job with this world that is being built, and with each character. This looks to be a duet, and this is book 1. So, heads up on that one. Even with that, I would HIGHLY recommend reading this book as soon as possible, in whatever format you can (please do not steal).

This story is about Darcy(FMC), and seems to be, being told by Darcy. Even though she is high born, a daughter of a Duke. Darcy, has dealt with things no adult, let alone a child, should. Sam does a good job at handling when those hard moments are talked about, or shown in the book. Entertainment, does not always handle abuse well, especially that of a child from a parent. We all the know the saying, “Spare the rod, spoil the child.” I believe that what is talked about, and shown so far in the first book, is done so in a way that will hopefully, allow others, like myself, the space to see that it was not our faults. That, we can be the big bad Darcy as well. Or at least, that was how I felt about it, in the end.

The story is also about fated mates(FM), people who no matter what, they are just soul bond to each other. If this is your first FM story, do not worry, it was Darcy’s first as well. Throughout the book, Darcy is helped along the way by her mates. Who are Dane, Axe, Weyland and Gael. These four are brothers, from the same father, but two different mothers. This very much matters to the story, but you also learn in fairly quickly. She is also helped along the way by her fathers horse master, Nordred, and a Pepin, a ferocious warrior all in her own right. I wanna know more about, Nordred AND Pepin, GIMME please, and thank you.

Anyway, each mate in the harem, is very distinct in who and what they are. In what they will and will not do, or allow to happen around them, or to their brothers, and mate. You meet these men, in the first chapter, as they come along Darcy being.. Well, being a little bad ass and hunting deer all alone on the moors. They are introduced to us, as enemies to Darcy. They are wargen, or two souled, wolf shifters, from Grania. People she has been told, are the big bad wolf who will steal you in the night, and rut you in the streets without your consent.

One of the best parts, for me, was seeing how there are somethings like this in real life. Like when the America’s were colonized by the British, and such. Their foes, were heathen devils, and the British were the saviors. But, like so often, nothing is as simple as it seems. Those who win, make the history books. This story also touches on privilege, misogyny, bigotry, sexism, the patriarchy... And, yes I can see people freaking out about that right now. The thing is, these topics have OFTEN been apart of entertainment. ESP in our reading materials. ESP in fantasy.

Is the material heavy at times? Yes.

Is the material, loving and caring, and makes you wish you had some of that in your life? Yes.

Is it worth it? FUCKING YES.

Y’all, this tale is definitely one of discovery of ones self, of life, of love, and of some loss. I have this feeling, that it could become a cult classic.

I have already reread parts of it.

- Destynnee show less