Review: M/M Shifter Story With A Few Flaws
Rating: 3 out of 5
Date: 05 2, 2014
Contol is a joint effort by two authors:  Mary Calmes and Cardeno C.  I've read both of their works and enjoyed them.  Control is the story of a bear shifter Robert and his meeting Vy, a hawk shifter.  The focus is on them and how their relationship advances and retreats as they become friends as well as mates.I read a lot of shifter stories and one topic that comes up from time to time is 'instant mating' -- The sniff, mine, and mate 'romance' which really isn't romantic at all.  CONTROL has an interesting take on shifter mates.  Both men don't know what to expect in the mating process and come at it differently.  Robert, the bear, wants to know Vy as a person, as a friend, and go from there.  Vy is more aware of his other half and has conflicting feelings when Robert doesn't acknowledge the mate drive.  Since Robert doesn't shift into his bear, of course he won't know Vy is his mate.  So it's an interesting concept and very well done.  Kudos.There were a few things that distracted from my enjoyment.  It seemed like each chapter was written in a different point of view from the last.  Vy and Robert kept interchanging so one would be speaking, the other next, and back and forth and so on.  At times I got caught up in which arm was around who's shoulder and the use of 'he' and 'his' was used so many times I got confused as to which person was now talking.  I am a fast reader and I slightly remember it was Robert's POV right now, but I can't be completely sure, and my kindle is difficult to page back and double check. . . Because then I'd lose my place.  If I was to backtrack, I'd have to go back and figure out which chapter I'm in and then page forward, which I have done in the past, but not for this book.  So I ended up half the time not knowing who was talking and who was being talked about.  It was distracting and frustrating.I enjoyed hearing about Vy's flock and his interactions with them.  Even better was seeing their leader in a job, any job.  I can't tell you how many stories I've read where the alpha/leader doesn't have any means of support and lets his pack support him.  Not in this.  Vy is a construction worker, getting down and dirty - Think hard hat, sweat, and dust.I would have liked a bit more bear / hawk play time.  It was alluded to but never pursued.  At least not in details.  I mean finally Robert overcomes his bear and it's a big part of this story.  So it'd be nice to see the continuing result - Robert and his bear and interacting with his 'just recognized' mate in their animal forms.The angst from Robert's adoptive parents was a bit too over the top.  At this time Robert and Vy are friends and mates.  They've experienced a lot for a newly bonded pair.  You would think they'd talk over everything and not let in-laws get in the way.  Vy was a bit too bird brained about that whole thing.  It was really silly.I never did grasp if Vy's second in command, Louisa, was mated or just married to her husband.  The wording in the opening chapter made me think she's just shacked up with someone until her own mate arrives.  I also had that feeling with the way she treated her husband, not as she would treat a beloved mate.  *shrug*I never got a feeling on how large Vy's Ket is.  Sure there are tons of cars at a meeting and the house and yard are packed, but I wondered.  I seldom read about bird shifters.  I was curious.If this is the first in a series, I'd definitely check the next one.  But as this one, CONTROL stands, it needs better flow. That is surprising because so much of this story is between the two main characters, Robert and Vy.  The back and forth should flow on it's own.  - Dan's Wife