Skin Deep (Bandit Creek) [Kindle Edition]

Shanna Gekko (Author), Carla Roma (Editor)

Book Description

Kai knows trouble has found him when a fiery pint-sized female shows up at his door, bringing news of gruesome animal sacrifices in the woods around Bandit Creek. She also brings a teasing scent that draws his attention and sends every protective instinct screaming for him to protect his mate.
Hazel is determined to stop the monster she's been following for miles and she won't let anything distract her from her mission. She teams up with Kai, but vows to keep a firm “no-touch” policy where the handsome Native is concerned. Her resolve doesn’t last long as the two are drawn together like lodestones, their every touch igniting a passion neither has faced before. Only, the trail of ritual sacrifices points to a greater threat than either first realized. They are about to face Kai's enemy ancestor, a yee naaldlooshii—skinwalker—who will stop at nothing to destroy everything around him.

Product Details

• File Size: 159 KB
• Print Length: 63 pages
• Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B006QWEHAU
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• X-Ray: Not Enabled
• Lending: Enabled
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #594,985 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Best paranormal erotica I've read December 31, 2011

By Roxy

Format:Kindle Edition

I was lucky enough to receive an advance copy of Shanna Gekko's new paranormal erotic romance. And loved it!

Hero Kai, the local veterinarian shape-shifter, pairs up with tree nymph Hazel, to investigate a rash of animal killings. And when these two get together, the sexual sparks ignite.

This story has it all--humor, passion, and intrigue. While drawing you into her paranormal world, Gekko skilfully weaves in the existing Bandit Creek community, and the strong family ties surrounding the two main characters. The end product is smart, sassy, and heart-warming.

Speaking of heat, there's plenty of it here. "Skin Deep" is simply the best paranormal erotica I've read in a long time.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Paranormal with a hot twist January 1, 2012

By BMC

Format:Kindle Edition

I've been reading romance for decades and moved into the paranormal section only a year ago. Vampires have been so done, but the skin walker - also known as a yee naaldlooshii - in Shanna Gekko's novella, 'Skin Deep' is new to me. Kai Hunter is a strong, Native American shapeshifter, who teams up with a feisty tree nymph named Hazel, to take on a skinwalker who is using the local wildlife around Bandit Creek Montana for ritual sacrifices. The author's use of wolves, eagles, bears and tree nymphs as her characters' alternate forms works beautifully within the northern Montana wilderness setting she describes. She brings added depth to her characters through their interactions with Kai's family and the townspeople of Bandit Creek (as introduced in earlier stories from this series). I stumbled over some of the language and dialogue style Gekko uses to establish the Native American flavor of her story, but then I haven't read anything like this before so what do I know? This is a perfect novella length for a lazy (or hung-over?) New Year's Day read and I am thoroughly enjoying it!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Defeating Evil January 9, 2012

By Sabrina Redl

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

In this riveting read, Shanna Gekko has created a hero and heroine who ignite at first meeting and keep it hot until the last sentence. She's a dryad and he's a shapeshifter and they're soul mates who connect right from the beginning. But strong love is strongly tested and the tension grips the reader from the beginning.

A well balanced story. Well developed characters and a strong plot make for a very good read - I couldn't put it down.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Unique paranormal erotic romance January 3, 2012

By Julie M. Rowe

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

A hero who shifts forms into a wolf and a half-dryad who team up to battle an ancient evil only to discover they're mates...loved it from the opening page!

4.0 out of 5 stars Amid danger and death, Kai and Hazel find a passion and bond not easily broken. July 12, 2012

By BiblioThoughts

Format:Kindle Edition

Kai Hunter, a veterinarian in Bandit Creek, Montana, goes about his regular routine--a morning run through the woods around his house and stopping for breakfast and a chat with Grandfather on the way to his office. But Grandfather leaves Kai with an ominous omen and minutes later Kai's brother, Dan, a forest ranger, comes to the vet office with news of skinned animal corpses being found in the woods. Only predators--ermine, coyote, and wolves--no prey animals have been found, always moving up in size, south of the mines, stinking of evil.

But the forest animals aren't the only ones in danger--Kai is a natural-born skinwalker who takes the form of a wolf--and Dan warns him to be careful on his morning runs and to check his rescue animals to make sure they are safe. Kai takes his brother's warning to heart and returns home to check on his animals, but what he finds there he never expected. Sitting outside his animal pens is a young woman with an alluring scent of nuts and sunlight who sets Kai's wolf howling--and she's more than a little angry.

Hazel Silva has been following the tortured screams of forest animals all the way up to the forests of Bandit Creek. During her search for the one responsible, Hazel come upon some animals penned behind a house in the woods. Infuriated, she waits for the owner to return home. She had not expected the gorgeous man who walks out the back door of the house. Their argument heats up and Hazel, being a tree nymph, uses her earth powers to influence the man. As the man shakes her off and proceeds to check on his RESCUED animals, Hazel, having nowhere else to go, waits for him to finish. When the man offers her his guest room, they accidentally touch and all conscious thought leaves them both as passion consumes them.... Once they get a hold on themselves, Hazel knows that she needs to institute a "no-touch" policy, but things don't always go as planned.

Amid danger and death, Kai and Hazel find a passion and bond not easily broken. And when the yee naaldlooshii sets his eyes on Hazel, that very mate bond is what could ultimately save her life.

In Skin Deep, Shanna Gekko uses the Native American skinwalker legend that has risen in popularity recently. There are the natural-born skinwalkers, or shapeshifters, like Kai who prefers the wolf and his brother, Dan, who prefers the hawk. But then there is the yee naaldlooshii who does ritual sacrifice to gain the power and skin of the animal sacrificed. This unnatural-born skinwalker basically tortures the animal for it's skin. Shanna also uses tree spirits--dryads and nymphs. They ARE the forest and they bear witness to the pain and torture this evil skinwalker is causing.

Not only did I enjoy reading about these supernatural creatures, I also like the romance between Kai and Hazel. I have always liked reading about the bonds created by a mating. It is a bond so strong that it can save or destroy those bound by it. It's the ultimate connection one could have with the person they love.

Bandit Creek is a very interesting town, with enigmatic people and mysterious events. I definitely can't wait to read more about this town, its people, and the mysteries that abound there. Read more ›

4.0 out of 5 stars Spicy Writing With A Great Plot May 24, 2012

By Shayna Gier

Format:Kindle Edition

What I Loved:

I loved the mix of errotic moments and plot. Also, to add a darker edge to it, the small passages written in the yee naaldlooshii's point of view was just enough to entice me into the story further, without making me put the book down and run the oposite way.

Also, I loved Shanna's writing style, with phrases like "he was like catnip to her".

What I Didn't Like:

As with so many erotic romances, you have two people who have never met who run into each other and it's as though someone has been drinking pure testosterone. I get that it's erotic literature, I do, but slow sensual teasing can be just as much, if not more evocatively erotic too. That being said, while the two main leads are quick to jump each other, there is also a good plot that unfolds throughout the story.

My Overall Review:

Those of you who never can get enough of your inner beast satisfied will absolutely love this book! With good skin-walkers, and bad skin-walkers, there's more than enough furry goodness to go around. And if you are more gentle, there's also some sweet dryads too. As much as I love fantasy romances however, skin-walking/were-things aren't my thing, I'm more into the whole demon/vampire/succubus dynamic. Still, even if were-things aren't my thing, this story was enjoyable, and best of all a super-quick read. Ladies, if you are short on time and just was a hot, furry, good time- this is your book!

Disclaimer:

This book was provided for me at no charge, nor was I given compensation
of any kind for this review. This review only reflects my personal opinion.