Some of the initial reviews I will share below came from Goodreads and Amazon. However, there are also a few comments at the bottom that I received on the wall of my author facebook page or via email. (To go to my facebook page you can CLICK HERE)
Gigi Gia rated it 5.0 out of 5 stars
Loved all of the characters and the easy flow of the story couldn't put it down can't wait for book two please wrte faster
5.0 out of 5 stars By Megan B -
This review is from: The Mercenary: Book One of Therian Secrets (Kindle Edition)
This book was amazing! It was a page turner and hard to put down. The character development is very in depth. I fell in love with the characters and they made me laugh at their antics. I loved the description on the Therian race and the differences between them and Lycan races. Very fast paced and kept me on the edge of my seat. I loved this book and can't wait for the next one.
5.0 out of 5 stars By MamaS449
Format:Kindle Edition
Awesome Read!
This book is a fast-paced, excellent read! A page-turner! If you are a fan of Lora Leigh's Breeds Series, you'll love this book! The characters are easy to become attached to. I would recommend this book to all of my friends!
5.0 out of 5 stars By Erin
This review is from: The Mercenary (Therian Secrets) (Paperback)
I could barely put it down!
I fell in love with the characters, and had a hard time putting the book down. It was a suck you in read, and it sure managed that. Very few lulls at all, and a lot of nail biting. I can't wait for the next in the series! By far the best shifter book I have ever read.
Yvette rated it 5.0 out of 5 stars
I seriously could not put this book down. I loved every part of it. I'm not really one for books about shifters but as soon as I started this book, I knew it was going to be different. The struggles between Danny and Jodie were proof that even non humans have to fight to keep a relationship going. The interaction with all the characters was great too. And in places I actually laughed and I also cried a little. If a book can make you laugh, cry and have a fantastic storyline then you know it's a winner. Some authors can't achieve that but the author of this book certainly does. The ending was a real cliffhanger and I am certainly looking forward to the next book!! This book is a defo must read.
Asher rated it 5.0 out of 5 stars
What an A-MAZING adventure!!! Holy flying bat monkeys!!! First off let me say I am an Avid reader, I love to read and I read fast! I finished the 7th Harry Potter book (700+ pages) in 24hrs. But this book I took 3days. Yes, three days!! This book made me want to savor it, and WOAH baby it did not disappoint! Nope, not at all. I loved this book from cover to end, I could not stop reading it!The whole storyline and history behind the Therian race was something I hadn't seen done which was a nice refreshing change! I love the authors that I follow, but I am always looking for someone to astound me, to surprise me and show me something that hasn't been done before! This was it, and I simply cannot wait for the next book in this series!
Sandy Kam rated it 4.0 out of 5 stars
Read it in less than twenty-four hours! Did not want to put it down!
I picked up this book and didn't want to put it down. Seriously. Even when I finally had to go to sleep I woke up three hours later and with still a little over half the book left, immediately jumped back into it and didn't stop until it was finished. I'll start with the cons, because there really aren't that many. Editing-wise there are several places that if you're an OCD editor will make your eye twitch. However after the first few chapters I hardly noticed them and when I did I was too engrossed in the story to pay them much mind. I could also excuse any overlooked edits seeing as how this is the author's debut novel and she self-published it. There were also a few times where certain things were alluded to as if it had already been explained, yet hadn't. Again, the author was very forthcoming in admitting that the passages where such things had been referenced had been cut in the editing process. But the evidences of this happening were very few and did not hamper the reading the experience at all. The only other very small thing I noticed was the terminology the author, who is a native New Zealander, used for various places or objects. ie. car park is a parking lot. Again, while it caught my eye it did not hamper the story at all.
The pros:
This book was a breath of fresh air in the seemingly overwhelming mountain of were/shifter stories being pumped out. The characters sprang to life, jumping off the page and pulling me into their world with such ease that I was soon smiling, laughing, gasping, and even crying as they whisked me through their story in a way that only a handful of books has ever done before. It truly made me enjoy having picked up a book again after way too long. Even the `secondary' characters managed to wrap me around their fingers, some from their very first introduction (i.e. Rufus *Grins and nods like a dork*). At first I did feel like the female lead (Jodie) took to finding out about were's/shifters way to easily and calmly (especially given the circumstances of how she finds out). However once I stopped and thought about it, in this day and age with so many books on such creatures, along with vampires, zombies, etc. I had to reassess my initial thought, realizing that if I found out someone close to me whom I had known for a long time was really a were-, would I really freak out and go crazy? Or would I accept it. Obviously since this is in the `pro' section, it would be the latter.
The history of the `Therian's' was very plausible and very easy to understand. It was so believable and well explained that I had to go look up `Therian' online to see how much of it the author came up with herself. Imagine how pleasantly surprised I was to find out that she had woven together such an amazing world based on the definition of Therianthropy (an actual clinical term) and a basic knowledge of lycanthropy. Yet she didn't just stop at lycanthropy. One of the refreshing aspects of The Mercenary was that it's not just your typical were's, i.e. wolves, leopards, brown bears (although each are represented). The author has expanded the were- genre to include boars, lizards, polar bears, falcons, Tasmanian devils and even house cats. (Yes it even made me stop and look at my own house cats with an arched brow for a moment.) One can only imagine how many more were-species this amazingly talented author will include in future installments of this series. I for one will be waiting (rather impatiently) to find out.
In conclusion The Mercenary is, in my very humble opinion, a must read and a must buy. And Johanna Rae is definitely an author to keep your eye on.
Kimberly rated it 5.0 out of 5 stars
The Mercenary by Johanna Rae first and foremost is a great book, worth the money and certainly worth falling in love with her characters even if some of them break your heart at times. We all can’t help to love a bit of a bad boy, even when we know our hearts may not survive the fall.
Side Note: Before going into this book, you must remember that it takes place in New Zealand, not America nor England.
As the book starts off, Jodie comes home after work to laundry on the line and a sink full of dishes not done. What woman hasn’t come home to that? So instantaneously any woman could connect with the book. I did find it slightly unrealistic when Jodie first met Danny. *Waves a hand.* You’ll either agree with me or you won’t. After the initial chaos that ensues within the first couple of chapters, you’re sucked into this completely surreal yet very original world where there’s always a fight between good and evil. Rae did a ‘standing O’ job of creating Redcliffe and the characters that reside there. I’m not sure I’ll look at another picture of an animal without possibly seeing one of Jo’s characters. (^_^)
‘The Fortress’ soon becomes a place you would love to be as you read the book, get to know the guys and ‘listen’ to their quick banter with one another. In all the chaos the men keep you smiling, even laughing as you wipe away the tears from your eyes. It’s the heartfelt moments, the quickening heartbeat scenes and the ensuing giggles that keep a great momentum going through the book, effectively keeping you ensnared into the story.
I came to love each of the characters quirks, wanting to hold them when they were hurt and join in on the laughter they helped create. There are many authors out there with secondary characters that play a lot in a book, but Rae is one in the small group of authors I’ve found that pull their secondary characters forward and fill them with such life, causing an urge in the reader to know more about their lives and back stories, to want to see their happiness unfold and their happily ever after’s come about.
Thank you Jo, for giving the shifter world a new scent to follow and track down.
Soxie Weston rated it 5.0 out of 5 stars
Read from September 30 to October 02, 2012
Welcome to the wonderful world of shape shifting, Johanna Rae has has captured the Shape shifters in a way no other has that I have read, The story was captivating, and sucks you in from the start, it was a massive struggle to put the book down to sleep, the romance between Danny and Jodie was funny, Loveable, heartbreaking and just hot.The friendship the guys all have with each other and Jodie was a just a breath of fresh air, she has truly upped my expectations for other shape shifter authors. for her first full novel it was amazing and I can't wait to read more of this series I highly recommend this book to all
5.0 out of 5 stars - Just Amazing
Ashley Brown
This review is from: The Mercenary: Book One of Therian Secrets (Kindle Edition)
Absolutely AMAZING....I could not put this book down. I was forced to have to stop reading. The whole time while I read this book I kept thinking, "The Author who wrote this is a friend, I CAN'T BELIEVE IT." I have not enjoyed a shifter book this much ever. It's been well over a year when I spent an entire day just reading, I couldn't put it down and when I looked and saw 97% left on my kindle I was like damn it to hell I won't have answers!!! Seriously not enough words I can say for how much I enjoyed the story. The characters make me laugh. I told my husband I don't remember laughing this much in a book in forever I would latterly laugh out loud. I cannot wait for the 2nd book to come out. This was worth giving my Sunday up for because it took me away to a place in New Zealand where I just got lost in the wonderment of shifters. LOVED IT!!!!! I wish all PNR books captivated me like this.
Janice rated it 5.0 out of 5 stars
I loved this book. I love the interaction between Danny and Jodie. It wasn't an easy start to their relationship and for Jodie, finding out she was like the man she was falling for was a surprise. The other males of the group are all like big brothers to Jodie. The only thing I didn't like was the cliff hanger at the end. Now I want the next book to find out what happens with Luke.
Helene Robin gave 4.0 out of 5 stars to:
The Mercenary
Kisa Mythos rated it 5.0 out of 5 stars
Carolyn gave 5.0 out of 5 stars to:
The Mercenary
Maryahvenged Warriors rated it 5.0 out of 5 stars
Comments:
Amy Beth- Just finished The Mercenary....LOOOOVED it!!! Can't wait for more from these boys! I might have a bit of a crush on Mark :)
Cilla - I picked up your book 'the mercenary' last night and 11 HOURS LATER I READ THE WHOLE THING lol i need more!!! i LOVED IT :D its one of the very few books (and i have read quite a few) where i have done this, i couldnt put it down! thank goodness for coffee because otherwise i would be a zombie right now
Shai Mayhem-Cambion
I just finished reading a fantabulous book. The Mercenary by Johanna Rae. I HIGHLY recommend it. I was sad when I reached the end. JOOOOOOOOO!! When's the second one come out?????
Melissa A- your book was awesome!!!! I loved it and i can't wait for the next one
Rhiannon C- *Waves her Kindle* I finished!! Geez woman! I will admit that i cried a little at the necklace part and i loved the ending! Well, i loved the whole book but the ending was brilliant!
Quinn D- I LOVED IT!!! I'm ready for Book Two now ...
Sandra - It's not the sort of thing that I would usually read, but I've read it quickly because I really want to know what happens next. Somehow you have bridged the gap between paranormal and about two or three other genres, and its a great fresh perspective.
Kimberly A- Finished the book last night. Great story and cannot wait for the next one. Hurry please :)
Nicola C - Grrrrrr you finished writing book 2 yet? Hurry up! Do it! Do it now!
Soxie W - I have always loved shifter books but never have i read a shifter book like what you have written. i can honestly say that this is the best by far in a lot of ways, you do the shifting, you have a wide variety of shifters, the way Jodie drew to the leopard BEFORE she even knew what he was, just captivates you from the start.. the emotions, the funny ways, the fights they have all captured my attention .. I am in awe that this is your first novel it is up with the best of them in my book and i seriously am itching for more and i have not even finished the book ... I adore this book enough to make me want to read it again as soon as i finish and i don't do that to a lot of books .. it is amazing .... thank you
IF YOU WOULD LIKE YOUR FEEDBACK INCLUDED HERE OR WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A PRIVATE OR ANONYMOUS COMMENT, PLEASE EMAIL JOHANNA AT johannamrae@gmail.com
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