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samanthamorffi's review
3.0
3 Stars ⭐️ This book was good. I really like Raul and Bethany. It was really funny in some parts too. The reason for 3 stars is because i was really disappointed with how quickly the book ended after the intense buildup towards the main parts of the storyline. The book is marketed as a stand-alone novel, but the only standalone aspect of this book is the relationship, the plot and werelock storyline is not a standalone and was not finished in this book. I don’t think I’m going to be reading the other books in this series because I’m worried about being more bummed out not getting to continue this story from Raul and Bethany’s perspectives.
klindtvedt's review
2.0
Obnoxiously Busy & Disappointing...
After spending several days in a row seeing ads for this book on Instagram I finally clicked through and read the marketing blurb. The blurb intrigued with its, “I saw her on the dance floor and couldn’t resist her anymore” growly alpha vibe, so I downloaded it. Ever the sucker for a big growly alpha I had some substantial hopes for this book. But sadly I was disappointed instead.
"Just Like Animals" is so crowded with details it overwhelms the mind. It's an annoyingly busy book, too busy, so busy in fact it's hard to keep details straight. Thirty one chapters of dizzying detail before Hettie Ivers decides on a textual groove and finally brings you to the real story at hand. The loving, overcoming childhood trauma, acknowledging real heartbreak and feelings story the marketing blurbs outline. And for the last five chapters the book is wonderful (and is the only reason it's getting a second star). But you have to endure thirty one chapters of superficial stupidity first.
I get it, it’s a big complex world being created here. I respect the concept. I get the concept. Shifters that are part werewolf, part warlock, with magical powers in addition to their inner animals. But must there be so many different ways these powers can be given or passed on to the individual? And in the end does it really matter to the underlying plot line of the book? Additionally, how many different powers do there really need to be? Ivers details the ability to teleport from place to place. The ability to blink in and out of people's head, see and manipulate their thoughts at will, make them forget like a vampire can. All in addition to the typical werewolf scenting emotions, lies, etc. abilities...and if that weren’t enough she takes it one giant step further and throws in some magical sperm to boot. Yes, you read that correctly, magical sperm and the ability to magically stop pregnancy? It's all a bit much for one storyline, an overwhelming amount of detail that, for me, takes away from the story being told.
Especially considering my take away from the story was that the real reason Raul doesn’t want to ejaculate inside Bethany is because he’s afraid of getting her pregnant and her succumbing to the same amniotic embolism fate as his mother. So yea, considering his real issue is dealing with how he lost his mother, is the magical sperm really necessary?
The unnecessary detail overload completely obscured the real story underneath. Furthermore, it tainted larger more important plot and character developments. And worse yet, I got the sense the author's take on all that transpires is meant to be from a point of humor. As if it's funny to watch Bethany flail in the uncertainty, fear, and mistrust flooding her from all sides. It’s unpleasant and unnecessary.
Perhaps I'm missing some great and needed plot points, this is book five of the series after all, and I admittedly haven't read the ones before it. But if that's the case then it shouldn't be listed as a stand alone. And since this is a cliffhanger ending that left Raul and Bethany's fate completely unresolved, perhaps I will go back and read book 1 before reading SEER to see if that changes my view of this installment. If it does I will update this review and rating accordingly. But for now, my assessment of this series is, it’s one of the most disappointing things I’ve read so far in 2019.
After spending several days in a row seeing ads for this book on Instagram I finally clicked through and read the marketing blurb. The blurb intrigued with its, “I saw her on the dance floor and couldn’t resist her anymore” growly alpha vibe, so I downloaded it. Ever the sucker for a big growly alpha I had some substantial hopes for this book. But sadly I was disappointed instead.
"Just Like Animals" is so crowded with details it overwhelms the mind. It's an annoyingly busy book, too busy, so busy in fact it's hard to keep details straight. Thirty one chapters of dizzying detail before Hettie Ivers decides on a textual groove and finally brings you to the real story at hand. The loving, overcoming childhood trauma, acknowledging real heartbreak and feelings story the marketing blurbs outline. And for the last five chapters the book is wonderful (and is the only reason it's getting a second star). But you have to endure thirty one chapters of superficial stupidity first.
I get it, it’s a big complex world being created here. I respect the concept. I get the concept. Shifters that are part werewolf, part warlock, with magical powers in addition to their inner animals. But must there be so many different ways these powers can be given or passed on to the individual? And in the end does it really matter to the underlying plot line of the book? Additionally, how many different powers do there really need to be? Ivers details the ability to teleport from place to place. The ability to blink in and out of people's head, see and manipulate their thoughts at will, make them forget like a vampire can. All in addition to the typical werewolf scenting emotions, lies, etc. abilities...and if that weren’t enough she takes it one giant step further and throws in some magical sperm to boot. Yes, you read that correctly, magical sperm and the ability to magically stop pregnancy? It's all a bit much for one storyline, an overwhelming amount of detail that, for me, takes away from the story being told.
Especially considering my take away from the story was that the real reason Raul doesn’t want to ejaculate inside Bethany is because he’s afraid of getting her pregnant and her succumbing to the same amniotic embolism fate as his mother. So yea, considering his real issue is dealing with how he lost his mother, is the magical sperm really necessary?
The unnecessary detail overload completely obscured the real story underneath. Furthermore, it tainted larger more important plot and character developments. And worse yet, I got the sense the author's take on all that transpires is meant to be from a point of humor. As if it's funny to watch Bethany flail in the uncertainty, fear, and mistrust flooding her from all sides. It’s unpleasant and unnecessary.
Perhaps I'm missing some great and needed plot points, this is book five of the series after all, and I admittedly haven't read the ones before it. But if that's the case then it shouldn't be listed as a stand alone. And since this is a cliffhanger ending that left Raul and Bethany's fate completely unresolved, perhaps I will go back and read book 1 before reading SEER to see if that changes my view of this installment. If it does I will update this review and rating accordingly. But for now, my assessment of this series is, it’s one of the most disappointing things I’ve read so far in 2019.
bobosbookbank's review
5.0
JUST LIKE ANIMALS is a standalone within the Werelock Evolution series but it IS part of the overall arc so I think it'd be better enjoyed if you follow from the beginning! (Besides, it's an awesome series!)
So here's the gist...and I'm not gonna try to explain the ENTIRE premise of the series because everything interconnects. Though Hettie does a good job weaving it all together so a new reader won't be totally lost. That being said, we met both Raul and Bethany in the first part of the series. Raul and Milena are brothers and sisters. They're both werelocks but are each alphas of separate packs who happen to be arch enemies. Bethany is Milena's best friend, is human and is blissfully unaware of the existence of werewolves. Fate has other plans because Bethany is Raul's mate and he's tired of waiting for her!
Up to this point, Raul was portrayed as the "villain". And honestly, he always seemed like a douchebag. But there's always two sides to every story and let me tell you, I bow down to Ms. Ivers because she made me FLOVE Raul! Was he perfect? Nope. He definitely had his nincompoop moments. But after everything was said and done, he absolutely ADORED Bethany. I could feel how devoted he was to her and that's the kind of romance I enjoy.
This is a lighter read than previous books. It's a little bit out there, it's clever and fun, it's twisted entertainment. More importantly, it's Sexy. As. Hell. Seriously, have an extra pair of undies nearby! I can't really say more without giving stuff away except that Bethany and Raul fit together like Ross and Rachel («--"Friends" reference).
I'll add this one to the rest of the series on my READ AGAIN E-SHELF! Told from dual POVs with a happy for now ending. I voluntarily read and reviewed this book.
So here's the gist...and I'm not gonna try to explain the ENTIRE premise of the series because everything interconnects. Though Hettie does a good job weaving it all together so a new reader won't be totally lost. That being said, we met both Raul and Bethany in the first part of the series. Raul and Milena are brothers and sisters. They're both werelocks but are each alphas of separate packs who happen to be arch enemies. Bethany is Milena's best friend, is human and is blissfully unaware of the existence of werewolves. Fate has other plans because Bethany is Raul's mate and he's tired of waiting for her!
Up to this point, Raul was portrayed as the "villain". And honestly, he always seemed like a douchebag. But there's always two sides to every story and let me tell you, I bow down to Ms. Ivers because she made me FLOVE Raul! Was he perfect? Nope. He definitely had his nincompoop moments. But after everything was said and done, he absolutely ADORED Bethany. I could feel how devoted he was to her and that's the kind of romance I enjoy.
This is a lighter read than previous books. It's a little bit out there, it's clever and fun, it's twisted entertainment. More importantly, it's Sexy. As. Hell. Seriously, have an extra pair of undies nearby! I can't really say more without giving stuff away except that Bethany and Raul fit together like Ross and Rachel («--"Friends" reference).
I'll add this one to the rest of the series on my READ AGAIN E-SHELF! Told from dual POVs with a happy for now ending. I voluntarily read and reviewed this book.
bookishshani_k's review
5.0
If you haven't read the other books within the series (even though this is a standalone story) you might end up missing quite a few details as you take the journey. My suggestion would be at least read No Light first.
I fully admit that I wasn't a fan of Raul's in the beginning. I thought he was selfish in so many ways and just wanted power. Boy oh boy was I wrong! If anything Raul turns out to be pretty selfless and his truth is a very harsh one at times. He harbors pain, regret, anger, and sadness. But he also finds a bit of hope when he sees Bethany again. Their connection is still there and still very much a real and freaking hot!!!!
I can also admit that I had thought Bethany was rather flighty in the past. The proverbial best friend who ends up being not as important in the other books. HA! In this one, Bethany and her own struggles come into play. She's not only struggled with a secret or two about her family, but she's been hiding her attraction to Raul over the years. She's successful, strong and just as fierce as any good female lead in a book full of hotties and mystery! Loved her and the fact she felt comfortable in her own sexuality, abilities, and intelligence. She's the perfect match for Raul!
With their joining forces, to some dismay of a few, they uncover more than I bargained for. It's just one more step into the intricate layers of the Werelock world that Hettie has masterfully creative. Just as she gives more nuggets of information, she yanks you back and makes you curse her out for changing the spin on you! Kind of like the way Raul plays Bethany on a time or two! Withhold a bit, and then smash the reader in an explosion of bliss at the end, seems to be Hettie's way of grabbing your attention and begging for more!
PHENOMENAL 5 stars read! Hold on to your girdles gals, it's going to be a rough, rocky and seriously flaming read that will leave you breathless!
I fully admit that I wasn't a fan of Raul's in the beginning. I thought he was selfish in so many ways and just wanted power. Boy oh boy was I wrong! If anything Raul turns out to be pretty selfless and his truth is a very harsh one at times. He harbors pain, regret, anger, and sadness. But he also finds a bit of hope when he sees Bethany again. Their connection is still there and still very much a real and freaking hot!!!!
I can also admit that I had thought Bethany was rather flighty in the past. The proverbial best friend who ends up being not as important in the other books. HA! In this one, Bethany and her own struggles come into play. She's not only struggled with a secret or two about her family, but she's been hiding her attraction to Raul over the years. She's successful, strong and just as fierce as any good female lead in a book full of hotties and mystery! Loved her and the fact she felt comfortable in her own sexuality, abilities, and intelligence. She's the perfect match for Raul!
With their joining forces, to some dismay of a few, they uncover more than I bargained for. It's just one more step into the intricate layers of the Werelock world that Hettie has masterfully creative. Just as she gives more nuggets of information, she yanks you back and makes you curse her out for changing the spin on you! Kind of like the way Raul plays Bethany on a time or two! Withhold a bit, and then smash the reader in an explosion of bliss at the end, seems to be Hettie's way of grabbing your attention and begging for more!
PHENOMENAL 5 stars read! Hold on to your girdles gals, it's going to be a rough, rocky and seriously flaming read that will leave you breathless!
alwaysreading's review
5.0
Christ this one was steamy. And I actually didn’t mind it one bit for a change. Great writing style Hettie I normally don’t like books that focus on sex so much but with the way you write where it’s SO focused on the story at times even during the steamy part it all plays extremely well to where it doesn’t seem like the book is all about sex. Very nice!!! BEST OF BOTH WORLDS
monadh's review
4.0
Hot PNR that stretches suspension of disbelief
Despite what it says in the author’s note at the beginning of the book I don’t think this book works well as a standalone, unless you just read it for the sex, and I have to say, Hettie Ivers really vamped up the hotness factor in this one.
Just Like Animals is the 5th installment in the Werelock Evolution series and it’s the story of Raul (Milena’s brother) and Bethany (Milena’s former best friend). The reason why it doesn’t really work as a standalone for me is that the series is strongly progressing (as opposed to episodic), building on previous books, with an important overarching story that propels the action (the whole history of the curse and the resulting feud between Reinoso and Salvatella packs). Also, many characters play important secondary roles throughout the series, so that it sometimes almost reads as an ensemble piece. Raul played a very important, if not to say decisive, role in Avery and Alcaeus’ story, so you should probably start with book one, Slip of Fate, to get all the background and myriad connections between characters and events.
I know I must appear kind of contrary, because in my review of No Light (Werelock Evolution 4) I complained that it takes one third of the book for the hero and heroine to meet for the first time, and now here I am, complaining about the opposite. In this one the “relationship” starts with a bang (literally): Bethany is out on the town with some girlfriends after she has discovered that her fiancé has been cheating on her for months. Raul engineers it that he happens to be at the same club and they end up having raunchy, more or less public sex right there, after not having seen each other for what seems to be years. Later on we learn that Bethany and Raul’s sister used to be really close. So I am totally on board with having “revenge sex” with your best friend’s built brother (who you used to crush on) after you discover that the man you fancied yourself in love with and who you had planned to marry screwed around on you. But what I do have a problem with is that Bethany is then so besotted that she sort of forgets about her whole career. I get that this is PNR and that the pull of the mating bond can be strong and that she has to come to terms with the existence of paranormal creatures. But on the other hand, when you have dedicated eight or more years of your life to become a medical doctor, which takes drive and dedication and hard work and then, when you stand just before going into private practice on your own, your mate/boyfriend of two days whisks you away (read: abducts you) to some remote compound in South America and you go like “duh”, that really stretches my suspension of disbelief. To be fair, the topic of her career is briefly raised when she talks to Avery, who also has a PhD and who was forced to abandon her career, too (although her circumstances were somewhat different).
Aside from the career issue I found the story so exciting and engrossing that I could not put it down, although I wish Raul had just bloody called his sister and talked to her instead of the other thing he did. Can’t wait for Kai and Lauren’s story. 4+ stars.
Despite what it says in the author’s note at the beginning of the book I don’t think this book works well as a standalone, unless you just read it for the sex, and I have to say, Hettie Ivers really vamped up the hotness factor in this one.
Just Like Animals is the 5th installment in the Werelock Evolution series and it’s the story of Raul (Milena’s brother) and Bethany (Milena’s former best friend). The reason why it doesn’t really work as a standalone for me is that the series is strongly progressing (as opposed to episodic), building on previous books, with an important overarching story that propels the action (the whole history of the curse and the resulting feud between Reinoso and Salvatella packs). Also, many characters play important secondary roles throughout the series, so that it sometimes almost reads as an ensemble piece. Raul played a very important, if not to say decisive, role in Avery and Alcaeus’ story, so you should probably start with book one, Slip of Fate, to get all the background and myriad connections between characters and events.
I know I must appear kind of contrary, because in my review of No Light (Werelock Evolution 4) I complained that it takes one third of the book for the hero and heroine to meet for the first time, and now here I am, complaining about the opposite. In this one the “relationship” starts with a bang (literally): Bethany is out on the town with some girlfriends after she has discovered that her fiancé has been cheating on her for months. Raul engineers it that he happens to be at the same club and they end up having raunchy, more or less public sex right there, after not having seen each other for what seems to be years. Later on we learn that Bethany and Raul’s sister used to be really close. So I am totally on board with having “revenge sex” with your best friend’s built brother (who you used to crush on) after you discover that the man you fancied yourself in love with and who you had planned to marry screwed around on you. But what I do have a problem with is that Bethany is then so besotted that she sort of forgets about her whole career. I get that this is PNR and that the pull of the mating bond can be strong and that she has to come to terms with the existence of paranormal creatures. But on the other hand, when you have dedicated eight or more years of your life to become a medical doctor, which takes drive and dedication and hard work and then, when you stand just before going into private practice on your own, your mate/boyfriend of two days whisks you away (read: abducts you) to some remote compound in South America and you go like “duh”, that really stretches my suspension of disbelief. To be fair, the topic of her career is briefly raised when she talks to Avery, who also has a PhD and who was forced to abandon her career, too (although her circumstances were somewhat different).
Aside from the career issue I found the story so exciting and engrossing that I could not put it down, although I wish Raul had just bloody called his sister and talked to her instead of the other thing he did. Can’t wait for Kai and Lauren’s story. 4+ stars.
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