Pretty Little Lion

August 16, 2021
Snyder’s sharp and steamy paranormal romance expands the politically driven alternate reality introduced in Big Bad Wolf, perhaps biting off more than it can chew. This time the game is spy versus spy. With a potentially disastrous weapon on the black market, Elijah Richter, a lion shifter and cofounder of the supernatural vigilante organization Third Shift, goes undercover to infiltrate the criminal enterprise of Mirko Aston—and the mogul’s Indian celebutante girlfriend, Meghna Saxena-Saunders, is his way in. But Meghna is a far more practiced seducer than the earnest British-Jamaican Elijah. As an apsara, a Hindi supernatural gifted in the art of charm, Meghna’s used to exploiting relationships to get close to her targets. The attraction between them is credible, but rather than focus on that tension, the story diffuses its attention across myriad subplots, including an equally steamy and possibly even more poignant one about a triad between fellow Third Shift loyalists. Jumping between perspectives and story lines, the narrative takes on a chaotic, stream of consciousness feel that can be hard to follow. Still, Snyder delivers a frothy mixture of sex, lies, and espionage, punctuated by well-executed, fevered couplings. With so much going on, some readers will struggle to keep up, but others will revel in the sexy mayhem. Agent: Courtney Miller-Callihan, Handspun Literary.

September 1, 2021
A dangerously alluring influencer's life philosophy is torn to shreds when a lion shifter claws his way into her heart. Elijah co-founded Third Shift after the events of the Darkest Day, when the covert existence of supernaturals became public knowledge and their peaceful co-existence with humans was irreparably harmed. As part of his latest mission for the secret organization, Elijah hopes to topple global terrorist and arms dealer Mirko Aston by way of his gorgeous girlfriend, Meghna Saxena-Saunders. But Meghna is an extremely skilled apsara assassin with a mission of her own. Although her beauty is supernatural, she does not need any special powers to charm Elijah. He in turn tempts Meghna to abandon her policy of avoiding attachments with men. But when their mutual entanglement jeopardizes both their missions, Elijah and Meghna must join forces to salvage the situation. The second installment in Snyder's Third Shift series, following Big Bad Wolf (2021), is darker and bloodier than the first. Elijah and Meghna's instant sexual chemistry catalyzes some engaging moments, but as Third Shift's fight against a corrupt and unjust world gathers steam, romance gets inadvertently pushed to the back burner. Instead, the predicaments of a diverse set of engaging secondary characters occupy center stage, serving to underline the stakes of the protagonists' battles. Snyder tugs at several threads from Hindu mythology, with a keen awareness of gender and caste politics, and draws intelligent parallels between mythical creatures and the mythos associated with women in current times. A relentless focus on the battle of good versus evil mostly eclipses complexities and nuances, but Snyder manages to occasionally tease out and address some gray areas. Love comes in many shapes and forms in this supernatural romance.

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October 1, 2021

In the second book in Snyder's "Third Shift" series (after Big Bad Wolf), undercover lion shifter Elijah unexpectedly falls for his mark Meghna, an assassin who is hiding secrets of her own. After their covers are blown, the two team up to work toward their similar end goals. Snyder offers a disjointed narrative chronicling many characters, often losing momentum to check in with other storylines. The emotional connection between all the characters and their different couple pairings seem forced and do not resonate. Readers of the first book in the series may enjoy revisiting the world Snyder has created, but new readers aren't given enough of the backstory, or shown enough of the characters, to connect or care about their respective journeys. VERDICT An optional purchase where the first book is popular.--Claire Brown, Red Deer P.L., Alb.

Copyright 2021 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

November 24, 2021
In an attempt to penetrate the organization of a wealthy and powerful arms dealer, Elija Richter infiltrates a VIP party and is surprised by his own success in seducing the glamorous and accomplished dealer's girlfriend. Meghna Saxena-Saunders has her own motives for having sex in a closet with Elija. Mind-blowing sex turns out not to be all they share. Both have well-concealed paranormal abilities, secret agendas, and a kick-ass need to fight for good. Elija, a founder of Third Shift, the supersecret spy organization, is a shifter who is able to transform himself partially or fully into a lion. Meghna is an assassin who belongs to a centuries-old secret society made up of apsaras, nymphs with seductive powers and great skills. As they try to stop the sale of a formula that turns soldiers into superstrong shifters, the Third Shift members rally around them. The second book in Snyder's Third Shift series, following Big Bad Wolf (2021), offers a solid cast including shifters, vampires, apsaras, and humans of all shades and colors, with high-octane action and suspense. A must-read for lovers of erotic romance and action adventure.

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