Curse of the Alpha: Episode 2 by Tasha Black

Curse of the Alpha: Episode 2 Reviews

• 
  Debra Johnson

  Purch Amazon July 23, 2018
  
  Curse of the Alpha: Episodes 1 & 2 by
  Tasha Black
  Genres: Adult, Paranormal, Romance
  3 Stars
  
  I started reading this in May of 2017. I was having trouble with it so I put it away until now.
  
  My problem is with the main character Ainsley. Her inability to come to terms with herself after all the years from her 'incident' and being raised by her parents, who were the Alpha's of her pack, etc. makes her seem weak mentally and emotionally. Her refusal to deal with ANY of her realities makes me want to reach out and smack her.
  
  Since I started reading it again in 2018, from where I left off, I have enjoyed it more. I still have a problem with the main character, but I am getting into the story more. It definitely moves quickly.
• 
  Amelia

  I feel like I've already spent enough time on this serial so this review is going to be short and not ever so sweet. Read some of my thoughts on finishing the first episode
  here.
  
  Curse of the Alpha really has nothing to recommend it, other than that the first two episodes are free and it's PNR with werewolves, which appeals to a lot of people. I have this bad habit of downloading everything that is free and has a passable cover/first couple of sentences in the synopsis. Sometimes this gets me into trouble. I wish I had noticed the "BBW" thing or the "Surrounded by seductive shifters, all desperate to claim her..." because seriously... VOM.
  
  Let's just be clear here: I have no problem with stories that place larger people in romances. I am hardly slim myself. I just hate everything else that comes along with it. "The nicest guys usually were under the thumb of a mean skinny blonde." Ummm, NO. Just because a woman is slim and/or blonde does not automatically make her a bitch. The double standard is horrid - don't judge me but I'll judge you. Just like when people rave about "real women" to the exclusion of women who aren't curvy. Again, umm, NO. ALL women are REAL WOMEN.
  
  The whole concept of BBW seems inextricably linked to this mess. It's not about average people being in relationships with average people; it's about larger women going on about how hot they are and how men like all those soft curves and how skinny women are horrible/worthless. And then these women always date slim/muscular men, because it's ok for her to be overweight, but God forbid the hero is. Come to think of it, you don't really hear the term "real men" bandied about, or at least not in the same context. If anything a "real man" is like a stereotype of male perfection
  
  UGH.
  
  Every single damn character in Curse of the Alpha thinks Ainsley is hot and writes sonnets to her boobs, which, apart from being totally unrealistic, totally explains why she'd be insecure enough to be bitchy about Cressida (the aforementioned skinny blonde)... not. Apart from some weird hormonal shit I have no idea why everyone fawns at Ainsley's feet. Apparently for this whole alpha drawing thing to work, Ainsley and said other werewolf have to be in love, to which I can only say: how can you love someone with no personality?
  
  For Ainsley has no personality whatsoever. You'd think she'd be super interesting given her dad was this Russian literature superstar and she spent a childhood sitting with him while he lectured on Dostoevsky, but for all her supposed supreme knowledge, none of it has rubbed off on her. Ainsley's inner monologue consists entirely of fantasising about every man she comes across. And I mean that literally. Every single man. Plus Cressida. (But she's never been into women before apparently. Riiiight.) Apart from that, she details her daily routine in minute detail, which is particularly dull given she changes clothes half a dozen times a day; oh, and she goes shopping for - you guessed it - more clothes (and tells us about every purchase).
  
  I'd just like to throw this out there for any author. Clothes are not enough to define a character, particularly when they're the homogenous sort. No one wants to read about your character getting dressed, brushing their teeth or putting on yet another pair of shoes. If they were naked at a time when that would be inappropriate, presumably you would have mentioned it. If it's a special occasion and they have a new frock, by all means tell us. Otherwise - no one cares.
  
  Ainsley willed her heart to beat slowly. She knew the girl didn’t like her. Now she was surely going to laugh at her and tell Erik that Ainsley was a giant slut, trying to draw every wolf she met, male or female.
  
  In case you haven't guessed, Ainsley is yet again bitching about Cressida, evidently for the crime of being slim. I don't really object to her jumping out of bed with one man and fantasising about three other people on her way home if that's what she wants. If she wants to make innuendos and flirt with everything with a penis - fine. But the whole thing reads like a bloody bedroom farce, it's that ridiculous.
  
  I lived in halls in my first year of university and one of my flatmates was a fundamentalist Christian. No sex before marriage. Put condoms through the shredder. Baking for Jesus. Sending hate mail to women rumoured to have had abortions. That kind of thing. Anyway, every time one of the guys came out of their room, or one was visiting or whatever, she was all "OMG is that A MAN?!?!" *swoons* *flutters eyelashes* *emits slightly horsey high pitched giggles* *hangs on every word*. I assume it was pent up sex drive and zero experience. Anyway,what I'm trying to say is: Ainsley is more hung up on men than she was and that is saying something. I know I've said I wished for a change from the staid love triangle, but Curse of the Alpha could be a love octagon at this rate. Crazy.
  
  Well that review became a lot (str)(l)onger than I was expecting. I guess I got on my soapbox. To sum up: [a heroine with zero personality] + [a stronger sex drive than a 14 year old boy] + [many characters that fawn over her] + [body shaming, of any kind] + [very little plot given all the word were taken up by Ainsley fantasising] = [no, thank you very much]
  
• 
  Coco.V

  🎁 FREE on Amazon today (5/1/2019)! 🎁
  
• 
  Hollie

  Ugh, this was a pretty lame and cliché shifter read. I read parts 1 and 2 and I can say I have no desire to continue with this series. Throughout the entire book the heroine was admiring all the men in town - talking about how handsome they all were etc. It was every few pages and she was going on about how good looking this person was etc. All the while, they all lusted after her as well. The story had no depth and the characters were lacking. Not one I would recommend.
• 
  Airwreckah

  It was ok. A bit thin, and i had trouble with ainsleys character: not that she was internally inconsistent but i just didnt like her that much.
• 
  iliana G

  i was given an arc by the author for an honest review.
  
  OHHHH MYYYY GOD!!!
  
  fast paced,hot,full of mystery and wolves!
  I couldn't put it down and i really enjoyed the book!
  Only downer is the cliffhanger!!!!
  can't wait to read the next one!
  an amazing sotry that will make you lose some serious sleep only cause you just have to finish the book!
  an awesome job that you must must must read! !!!!
• 
  Charlotte

  *WARNING* story is for readers 18+
  You know how most stories have that one character that you love to hate, but the rest of the characters are awesome? Well this story just has characters that I dislike immensely, not even ones I "like" to dislike, I just dislike them. Ainsely, the main character is cold, and selfish. Julian is pompous and conniving. The one MAYBE decent character, Erik, we hear so little about, that I don't know whether to like it dislike. So, because I have such an aversion to the characters of the story, I couldn't immerse myself into the story of even enjoy it. 😥
• 
  Pamela Talley

  Curse of the Alpha: Episodes 1 & 2
  
  Thank you Tasha Black for a great, fast paced read. I read Episodes 1 & 2 straight thru in one sitting. Ainsley Conner returns to Harker's Hollow to sort thru her parents possessions and put her childhood home up for sale. She is not prepared to face the Wolf shifter heritage she ran away from 10 years ago after a tragic incident. She sees Erik Jensen, the Alpha wolf her father groomed as her mate. At the local coffee shop she meets Julian Magie, a man she is drawn to in a way she is unable to explain. Strange break-ins happen at her house and her father's college office. How is she to pick a mate from the very attractive wolves when she finds herself drawn to Julian. Hot, steamy sex scenes with Julian so soon after meeting him cause frightening nightmares. What does Ainsley find in her father's home office? The glowing blue light from her dream! Ainsley's wolf is ready to attack as Episode two ends. Tasha Black weaves a story thru flashbacks and nightmares that bring the reader to the present day and the edge of their seat.
• 
  Heather andrews

  I was totally with Erik and did I mention how hot he is jealous, "you have on responsibility - to mate with a male from the pack. That's IT. The whole town is full of good men, men who care about you. And you choose to eff around with a goddamned human?" In this installment Ainsley really started to pi** me off, like seriously just give in to Erik it's obvious he wants you and what do you do lie about a question he asks and then you can't stop thinking about him while screwing around with an idiot human! "Erik. All roads let to him. Ainsley was going to be face to face with him in just an hour. Though she knew it did no good to befriend him if she wasn't going to stick around and be his mate...." I'm praying the next installments secure Erik and Ainsley in some sweaty hot sheets.
  
• 
  Sydney Hopke

  I'm putting the same review under Episodes 1 & 2 since I read the bundled story. The story starts with Ainsley home after her parents die and her reliving an old nightmare. Ainsley isn't your regular girl coming home to bury her parents but one who turned her back on who she really is. She also finds out she's supposed to mate and pick the next alpha of the pack, like that fits in with her plans. Both episodes had me wondering what would happen next, laughing and licking my lips at the oh so sexy men that are found in this story. It ends in a wonderful cliff hanger but no worries the next episodes are available. Can't wait to find out who she chooses as her mate, if anyone we've already met.
• 
  Deb

  OMG! What an awesome new author and debut series!! This book 2 is as good or even better than the first! You need to grab this must read for fiction lovers!! Romance & suspense, plus werewolves and shifters!! I can't wait for the next books :o
• 
  Helen Martins

  Received books 1 & 2 for review. This is the first time I've read anything by Tasha Black and I guarantee you it won't be the last. Interesting storyline that is easy follow. If you want to know more you'll have to buy the book. No spoilers.
• 
  Pam

  Ainsley has a troubled past in her home town so she left to go to college and then stayed away as long as possible. Ainsley returns to town after her parents deaths for their funerals and to settle their estate. Before she left for college her parents tried to speak with her about her heritage but she didn't want any part of it. Now that she is back in town and strange things are happening the people she needs to get answers from are no longer around. Her home has been broken in to, all the males in the town are acting weird, her father's office on campus has been trashed and she meets a strange at a coffee shop she can relate to and wants to spend time with him. I loved this book with episodes 1 and 2. The story is original, the characters are amazing and they work well together. This is a must read.
• 
  Teshai

  How can she go without shifting? Shifters HAVE to shift.
  
  I liked the animalistic urges Eric went through when he saw her behind the fence, a typical dog in heat scenerio..lol. Wasn't too keen on her thoughts regarding werewolves though, you are a were too my girl, so you are just as stinky. Can't run from what you are.
  
  The sex scenes were the most descriptive part of the book
  
  So, I am to assume this professor is a warlock by how the book ended. How is it she could not smell that, how is Erik only smelling human? Shifters would have picked that out.
  
  From some of the comments I see the sensitive are upset at her description of the skinny blond and her own assets. NEWS FLASH: people REALLY think like this. lol
  
• 
  Reader_for_LifeTLG

  It's hairy out there.
  
  I am coming back to Tarkers Hollow after reading Black's Mate series (Teacher / Lawyer, etc.). It's a great little town with a secret wolf pack. Ainsley ran from her home after a night of misspent teen antics ended in death. She didn't know her family's heritage. Now she's back in town to settle her parents' affairs. She never thought every red-blooded single male would make a play for her. The attention a girl gets when she is in charge of choosing the next alpha. Who will it be?
• 
  Jocelyne

  The Episodes 1 and 2 of The Curse of the Alpha Series are a great start to this paranormal shifter Series. The characters are great and the storyline is well written and intriguing. The Episode 2 ends with a cliffhanger, and now I can't wait for the next books in the Series. The narration was well done, and easy to listen. I enjoyed my listening. I received this free review copy audiobook at my request and I have voluntarily written this review.
• 
  Laura McFarlane

  A daughter who left home and didn't talk to her parents again over a incident she caused?????.
  I can understand someone being a bit ignorant of their genetics but to be completely oblivious surely after the incident and being told she is a werewolf she'd research her genetics and learn as much as she can to prevent it happening again.
  You also have to read all of this authors books to uncover the full story book is a standalone story which is not a big thing just a bit of a pet peeve for me.
• 
  Diana

  Ainsley's parents home has been broken into a couple of times. She discovers what the pack is going through and everyone seems to want her to help resolve. Her relationship with Julian progresses and becomes more intimate. I love the way she struggles with who she is but she never gives up. Truly a surprise we discover about Julian. Love these cant wait for the next episode.
• 
  Anita Hargreaves

  Didn't read as 2 of 6
  
  I hate free kindle books knowing these two free short books though intriguing are a cash drain as author kindly does warn each of her books end on cliff hangers, and frankly like all of us, I like a complete book and the follow on book can continue on. The premise looks good, so best to buy all 6
• 
  Andretta Schellinger

  Ugh the cliff hanger
  
  Honestly it was a bit slow to start and I didn’t know where it was going and then it got moving and bam end of episode 1. By then I was so enthralled I had to keep reading, and I did until bam end of episode 2. Now I feel like a wolf trying to navigate the pages with paws instead of thumbs to get the next installments.
• 
  Jennifer Libby

  Deception
  
  Wow. Deception is always the hardest to accept. Ainsley has lived a double life. Now, she finds herself back home dealing with her past after she thought she escaped to find her own place in the world.