3.5 stars ( )

Initially I liked this story very much. I sympathized with Ori at his abuse at the hands of higher ranked avian shifters at The Nest and was so glad when Raynard flew to the rescue. I enjoyed watching them learn about each other and themselves. I felt great sorrow at their separation and Ori and Raynard's reactions to their loss because by that point in the book I felt they really loved each other. I was very happy that they found a way to be together again. I do wish their characters had been written with a bit more depth and that the avian world had been more thoroughly depicted but I was still enjoying the book.

Then came the last quarter of the book. Ori and Raynard love each other enough to find a way back to each other and suddenly my experience of their emotional reunion is brought to a screeching halt by the author's copious use of the terms "the dominant" and "the submissive" making a scene that should be about love and re-connecting, generic and cold. I know who is dominant and who is submissive - the prior 3/4 of the book has illustrated that clearly; I don't need it to be reiterated over and over and over again. Threw me right out of the emotional ending and left me frustrated & irritated. ( )

I love shapeshifter romances, so when I stumbled across this while browsing for books for my new Kindle, I couldn't resist. Shifters other than wolves are still uncommon, and Avian shifters even more rare. Once I started reading, I could not put it down!

Dare has done a creative twist on the ugly duckling fairy tale. Ori was raised by humans, not knowing he was a shifter. After a partial shift, the Avian Elders determine he is probably a duck, one of the lowest ranked avian species (predators being high). He is given a job in "the nest" until he fledges. There, he is bullied by a bunch of crows until one day he is swept away by a Hawk. Raynard senses that Ori is a submissive, and they quickly establish a relationship. Raynard does not care that Ori is only a duck; he believes each species has its own strength and beauty. But, when Ori fledges and they learn he is not a duck, Raynard suddenly must face his own prejudice concerning rank. How can Ori truly be a submissive?

This romance is true D/s. Ori is a submissive to Raynard's dominant, and there is some minor punishment. However, the BDSM element is very, very light (for those readers that care). However, the sex is scorching. It's frequent enough to enjoy without consuming the entire story. Though the secondary characters are pretty one dimensional, the two main characters are fully developed. I was interested in them; I cared about them. The world-building is also top notch. The author doesn't get buried in details, but there is still plenty of description to bring her fantasy to life. Overall, this was a fantastic book. ( )

This is one of the most amazing stories I have read in a long time, and it was wonderful to read it again, now that it has been rereleased. The novel takes the well-known tale of the Ugly Duckling and not only conveys its original meaning in a modern-day setting, but also adds another layer of interpretation in a domination/submission context.

Where do I even start? The world-building is excellent, with an avian shifter culture that is fresh, believable, and utterly fascinating. The plot, even though the same as in the well known fairy tale, is put into a new perspective with a fascinating twist at the end that takes its message beyond the original. The language and descriptions are vivid and enjoyable; words and expressions an avian culture might use are integral to the way the characters think and speak. The domination/submission aspects are handled with care and sensitivity.

As for the characters? They held me spellbound. Ori, the duckling shifter, is so lost and lovable in his search for what species exactly he might be when he grows up, you just have to love him. He has all the traits I think of when I hear "duck", except he is a human struggling with his role in life. Raynard, the hawk shifter, is the quintessential strong and responsible Dom, who sees the world in terms of hunter and prey, but has a lot of potential for caring inside him that he isn't even aware of. Both of them have to learn a lot as they teach each other what it is they each need in a relationship, and ultimately, what their roles are in life and in the avian shifter community.

I think this is a stunning read, even more so now that I have read it again. If you like imaginative worlds that seem very far removed form reality, yet are much the same where it counts, if you’re looking for a different shifter experience, and if you want a read that is as unusual as it is touching and hot, then you will probably like this novel. I adore it!


NOTE: This book was provided by the author for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
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You know stories that you can feel in your gut? Like when the emotions are running high, you're right there? And you really can't find a single thing wrong with said story? You're just still reliving some great scenes between the main characters even after finishing.

Well that's me and [b:Duck!|8178400|Duck! (Avian Shifters, #1)|Kim Dare|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1273661196s/8178400.jpg|13024937].

Ori? Loved!

Reynard? Loved!

The subtle nuances and the emotions said without saying a frigging thing? Loved!

The BDSM mixing into this modern fairy tale? Loved!

I need to add more work from this author in my life ASAP. ( )