Fantastic job writing this series.  The plot kept me hopping to keep up. Twists and turns all around.  I definitely have to have this book on my bookshelf.  This writer is fantastic.

Kate Douglas captivated the world of erotic romance with her groundbreaking Wolf Tales series, and she continues to push boundaries in her new Spirit Wild series!



“Douglas introduces her Spirit Wild series with a new generation of sexy Chanku wolves. . . . Supported by a cast from the Wolf Tales books and fresh faces as well, this novel thrives on action and strong sexual encounters.”—RT Book Reviews on Dark Wolf

 

Stolen from her mother when she was still a tiny cub, the snow leopard Asha has spent her entire life in captivity, being traded from one owner to another through an illegal trafficking ring. But Asha also feels trapped in a much more profound way: as a Chanku with no access to the Tibetan grasses that would allow her to shift, she’s confined to her animal form, yearning for a part of herself she’s forever unable to reach. Until a merciful savior sets her free . . . and Leo Cheval comes into her life.

 

When word of Asha’s rescue from the animal trafficking ring reaches the Chanku, Leo is sent in to help her recover and bring her into the pack. As a leopard shifter himself, he’s uniquely qualified to connect with her and assess her trauma. What he never anticipated was the overwhelming chemistry their meeting would spark and the deep sensual need she would stir in him.

 

But even as Leo’s touch guides her body to feelings she never imagined, his deeply ingrained controlling streak threatens to crush the very desire he has awakened. And as their passion grows and a deep bond forms between them, Leo and Asha realize that only by submitting to her can he save them both.

my thoughts
5 stars
love this series , and i'm so glade that she wrote more to go with her other series that i love to read , can't wait to see more of this series , with that said i want to thank Netgalley for letting me read it and review in change for my honest opinion

I really wanted to like this one but I am very, very picky with romance shifter novels as I have read literally hundreds of them. Unfortunately, they are all running together and nothing seems to ever change in their plot lines. 
The male lead in this one, Leo (Like really? Leo the Lion is so damn cliche!), is a very typical Alpha type male aka Tool who wants to "protect" and then make all the decisions for her so that she is safe. What a damn close minded Tool!!!! Who wants to be controlled by their man and told to sit still and be quiet? I am sorry but I refuse to be controlled in life, therefore, I can not/will not enjoy this romance trope! Because it is plain disgusting! That and the heroine is so naive and always stays in her leopard form until now. Gag me with that spoon now, please! 
Then there is the fact that the series supports Polyamorous relationships. This is like a giant love triangle trope, which I also cannot stand! The constant relationship changes were confusing and tedious at best, which took away from what should have been the main dynamic of the story. 
I would not, and do not, recommend this series.

My Thoughts - 5 out of 5 unicorns - I loved it!!
***I choose what I read and review based on what intrigues me!!  Yes, I received a review copy of this book, but no one tells me what to think, feel, or write about any book!  I haven’t bought it yet, but I will.  I own the rest of the series already.

The cover is stunning because the snow leopard is a beauty especially those eyes!

This is the 6th book in this series, and it is for adults only due to the steamy content.  While not required, I think reading the series in order makes the world so much more.  You should also be aware that this book does cover sensitive subjects like animal trafficking and abuse.  It is contains multiple partner relations for those who lean towards the traditional.

This book had all sorts of action and discoveries along the way.  Leo is the star in this book for both bad and good things.  He does learn a lot about himself in this book, and he is working to correct his perceptions and attitude.  Asha is an amazingly strong berserker because she has been in captivity and stuck in her leopard form all her life.  She is smart and compassionate and thinks of others first.  Lots of new friends are found in this book as well and new discoveries about an old friend.

Kate Douglas wrote a fantastic story and that is an action-packed page turner that I could not put down.  I really love this world she created with the Chanku.  I learn new things in each book about this world which always keeps it exciting.

I highly recommend to any shifter fan who want action and are open to non-traditional relations!  I can’t wait to see what Kate comes up with next!

Love the books about the Chanku.  It brings hot sex, romance, adventure, etc.  This book was partly about Asha who was stolen from her mother at a few months old and couldn't shift.  They cannot shift unless they have the correct nutrients.  Once she got them and shifted, she new of others that were in the same boat.  The book flowed smoothly and you didn't want to put it down.  Another Kate Douglas winner

So this is about a species of shifters called the Chanku. It focuses mainly on the aspect of unshifting Chanku (predator type animals) being sold and caged and kept as pets illegally. 

Just a warning. There is a fair amount of sex and talk about it. 

The main characters are Leo and Asha but there are quite a few characters involved in the storyline. And they have their own little storylines that all interest into the main plot.

I absolutely love paranormal romance books so this was right up my street. It was a decent length book that took a few days to read but I didn't want to put it down at all. It has plenty of action. 

I loved being able to see the characters develop. And the storyline of the predecessors... Although I've early missed bits with being new to the author... I will have to rectify this at some point and read the rest of the series :)

I am a true fan of Kate Douglas and all her books. I think she is an amazing author and the books just seem so real to me. I feel like I become apart of the book. This book made me smile on so many occasions. The relationship between Asha and Leo was just so sweet. I just adore them. Asha is a beautiful snow leopard that just makes the story so awesome. The relationship with Shannon and Remington was so sexy and awesome. I mean those two were made for one another, not only as lovers but as partners. They work and that is what matters. Once I start reading a Kate Douglas book it is hard for me to put it down and once again she proved it right. I am in love. Its always a treat when Anton and Keisha is in the story line. Fantastic job Kate once again.... I cant wait until the next book. I feel like part of the Chanku Family..... Kesha

Loved this book, I’m so glad we finally were able to get another book in this series and hope we get more in the future, I will say if you’ve read the previous books in this series or in the original series then you know there are a ton of adult scenes in them. I found with this there weren’t the standard like 20 ( exaggerating) but you get my point. I found it a nice change of pace and there were still some sexy scenes to enjoy.

I've grown to love anything written by Kate Douglas. Very few authors can create characters and a world that is fully immersive. That should be enough but then she goes and crafts some of the hottest and erotic scenes you will ever read.  I've rated this lower only because sometimes her stories are overwhelming with too many moving parts and this book can be overwhelming at times.

Sexy, steamy and wildly captivating. Starts off a bit slow but takes off on a wild ride of love, passion, and adventure.

I have read another one of Kate Douglas's series and loved it, so when I saw Dark Captive, I took a chance.  I was hooked by the end of the first chapter.  At the end of the second chapter, I was on Kate's webpage looking for other books in this series.

What I liked is the book revolves around Asha and Leo, but characters from previous books are the supporting cast.  It takes a good author to pull off this type of plotting and Kate Douglas does an amazing job.  

Asha is a shifter that was born as a snow leopard.  She was taken from her mother when she was a tiny cub and traded in an illegal trafficking ring.  Once the Chanku Alpha receives word of her existence, Leo is sent to help her shift and assess her trauma.  Once Leo meets Asha, their chemistry is off the charts.  

While this is part of a large series, it reads well as a stand-alone.  Now that I have read this book, I am going back and reading the others in the series!

I receive an ARC from NetGalley and the publishers in exchange for an honest review.  Thank you!

Usually shifter books are either hit or miss for me; some are great and others fall so short that they're almost laughable.  This one was really close to being great, but didn't quite get there.

Caution: this review likely contains some spoilers.   

Things I liked: the connection between Asha and Leo.  I loved that Leo was battling his own misunderstandings of how things worked when he was asked to work with Asha.  I think it made him more aware of his own reactions going into the situation and allowed him to proceed with caution.  Asha's story is heartbreaking for anyone; to be stolen from her family at such a young age and then sold to owner after owner all who failed to take care of her beyond the first one.  The bedroom scenes were HOT.  It was very interesting reading how carefree the shifters were in this part of their life and relationships.  

Ironically, that's also part of the book that I didn't like.

During the intimacy scenes between two people the author was spot on in her descriptions, emotions and observations.  You felt like you were there with the characters and could see feel how connected they were.  However, when it came to more than two people the author seemed to gloss over these situations.  Almost like it barely happened even though both Asha and Leo felt incredibly connected to the others that were in the bed at that time.  

Along the same lines, there was no discussion of condoms or birth control.  Given the openness when it comes to sexuality in the pack, I found myself questioning how reproducing was handled.  Were their bodies designed to reproduce with their mate or did they not really care who fathered the child?  I think this could have been an opportunity for the author to explain this area using Asha's newness to the tribe as the avenue.

This was the first book I've read in this series and I'm very interested in going back and reading some of the others.

Sexy paranormal with great characters and addicting storyline. Even though this a series, it can be read as a standalone.

Asha was taken as a cub by an illegal trafficking ring unable to shift and alone until she is set free.  Leo is sent to help her recover.  This is a fast-paced read with plenty of drama and suspense the chemistry is steamy and the story really draws you in.  I was hooked from beginning to end.

received an ARC copy of this book for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions in this review are my own and in no way influenced by the publisher or author. 

	This is the first book that I have read from this author, and I have to say I was more than surprised by what this story had to offer. For the most part, when I picked this book up I thought I knew what I would be in for with a shifter romance book, however I couldn’t have been more wrong. 

	What a beautiful emotional connection these characters have to each other, as well as themselves. The things that really grabbed me the most in a very unique way was how the human side and the animal side had no real line between the two. When the characters were in human form they did and thought things that were very much animal, and when they were in animal form they had a lot of human characteristics. I am so use to the shifters I read about being completely one of the other, but the way these two sides mixed wan’t just beautifully done, it really made me feel more connected to both the characters as well as the way they interacted and treated each other. 

	The way the relationships in this story develop is also gripping. Leo, the hero, is a shifter that was raised with parents that live a very different life than the rest of their kind. Because of this, Leo feels the male in the relationship should not only protect the woman, but also make all her decisions for her. This leads him to struggle with his relationships and ultimately be shunned, however he has a talk with his alpha, Anton, and is set straight. Wow, all I can say for Leo’s situation is wow. I really feel his embarrassment and confusion from this, as well as see why his struggle is so difficult. I love the way Asha‘s sad past helps to push Leo into seeing how truly strong and graceful a woman can be. Beyond that, thanks to his newfound appreciation for women, he really sees her personality and not only accepts how wild she can be but also admires it.

	Asha is a stunning shifter that has lived her whole life in a Snow Leopard form in captivity. She is starved and close to death when she is saved and taken to the reserve in Colorado. While she lived her whole life as a Leopard, she still knows that she should be able shift and live as a human. With what she has learned by watching people and her short upbringing with her mother, she learned enough to be able to reach out for help through writing a message with her claws. I love this heroine. Asha is a very interesting and deep character to me. On the one hand she is a kick butt woman who takes no guff from anyone, she even tries to tell death to stick it before she starts to give into her shutting down body. However, she also desperately needs help to both get out of the bad situation she has been living in, but also adapting to being human. 

	With their back stories being described prior to them meeting, it is obvious that she and Leo are meant to be together. I loved the way they were drawn to each other and how Leo’s weakness when it comes to how he treats women actually helps Asha acclimate to her new life.

	That being said, what has caused the lower rating is the lack of details throughout the story. While the emotions, inner thoughts, and what each character looks like is described lightly, they are the only things given any good amount of detail. The main thing that threw me out of the story was the lack of landscape description around the characters. While a few scenes are described, for the most part I am told they are in a bedroom, on a rock, or in a bar but that’s the extent of it. This carries on to a lot of physical interactions between characters and during the sexual scenes in the book as well. This left me feeling a little left out of what was happening in the characters lives. For me the saying show me don’t tell me really does hold a lot of weight. 

	The only other thing that interrupted my reading process was not a fault of this book, or the author but rather a realization that this book should not be read without first reading the other novels in the series. For the first three chapters I felt confused about what was happening or being discussed between the characters that obviously knew each other very well. 

	Another thing I wanted to mention was the masterful way Kate Douglas has integrated so many different characters stories into the same book. I tend to not mind more than one characters story being told in the same book, but I always seem to grab onto the main hero and heroine’s story more, however in this book I found myself fascinated and invested in every character’s story. The emotional conversion for Remington and full acceptance into the pack as a newly shifted member was really magical to me. 

	Honestly, despite my confusion on what was going on during several points in the book, as well as the distraction of the lack of details, I am interested in the story and invested in the characters enough that I will be reading the rest of the books in this series.

         To see my reviews on Amazon or Goodreads please follow the links below. My blog posting on this book is also listed in the links.

Hot , hot and sexy!!!! But with a very well written and interesting storyline and very likable characters.

Havent read anything by this author but I was intrigued by the idea, the story, of this book. A shifter series whee the females are the dominant (not necessarily in the bedroom). However i found this fell a bit short of my expectations. The story line was good. Asha has been in captivity all he life until she is rescued, whilst Leo is the typical dominant shifter whom now has to learn to curb his ways to work on a bit of submission before he gets shunned by his pack.most shifter books I've read go the same way and show the pack as open with their sexuality, i found that this was just a button much with almost every few pages being something steamy. I felt it detracted from the story just a bit.
Otherwise a good read, just with a bit too much steamy scenes for me.

"Dark Captive" by Kate Douglas (Sprit Wild Book 6)

SYNOPSIS

Stolen from her mother when she was still a tiny cub, the snow leopard Asha has spent her entire life in captivity, being traded from one owner to another through an illegal trafficking ring. But Asha also feels trapped in a much more profound way: as a Chanku with no access to the Tibetan grasses that would allow her to shift, she’s confined to her animal form, yearning for a part of herself she’s forever unable to reach. Until a merciful savior sets her free . . . and Leo Cheval comes into her life. 

When word of Asha’s rescue from the animal trafficking ring reaches the Chanku, Leo is sent in to help her recover and bring her into the pack. As a leopard shifter himself, he’s uniquely qualified to connect with her and assess her trauma. What he never anticipated was the overwhelming chemistry their meeting would spark and the deep sensual need she would stir in him. 

But even as Leo’s touch guides her body to feelings she never imagined, his deeply ingrained controlling streak threatens to crush the very desire he has awakened. And as their passion grows and a deep bond forms between them, Leo and Asha realize that only by submitting to her can he save them both. 

★★★☆☆
Erotica | Fantasy | Paranormal Romance

I think I might have shot myself in the foot by not having read previous books by this author. I was so not prepared by the open sexuality that these characters posed with everyone in their "Pack" - while it is written as a standalone from the series, I think it should be read in order of all the other ones. This is with the assumption that the first book would pose as an "introductory" to the amount of open sexuality or pack relationships. I really enjoyed this book despite being very confused and thrown off about the story. It was a bit rushed, and switched between two sets of couples when I was originally on the understanding that it would only follow the two (Leo and Asha) so that was a bit off putting to be honest. The sex scenes were amazing (oh boy cool me down ice water) but other than jumping right into the relationship it felt a little awkward for me at first - even though I'm quite open to reading either gender coupling (m/m, f/f, mfm, etc) once again, I felt like I should have read the previous books before diving into this one.

CHARACTERS

There was a wide cast of characters, and the story switched point of view so often I was introduced to so many people I had no clue about. I enjoyed everyone, and thought they were well equipped to each of their "mates" even though I could tell the were built emotionally well before this book started. I think I'll need to read the others to get a clearer view. So, Ill talk about the three most important characters (for me personally)
Leo - one of the main male leads, Leo is introduced as a reforming "jerk" who had previously found himself lost emotionally due to the discovery of the relationship with his previous girlfriend being entirely different because of who she really was as a person. I loved that he still had feelings for her, despite their initial break up (i think they broke up) and sought out her advice for what he needed in order to change into a much observant lover, boyfriend (etc) for any future mates. It was a bit rushed, this character development that is - and as they say "Rome wasn't built in a day" but it felt like an automatic switch had been placed for this character. I hope to see him in other books for further development on this "issue" cause I think this hunk is going to be just fine keeping the lady.
Asha - a leading lady, I really enjoyed the beauty of Asha, while there wasn't a lot of connection emotionally to her previous abused state. I enjoyed her confortability with her sexuality. It was interesting to see her grow into her human half, she was endearing in her vulnerabilities and I enjoyed every moment she entered the page.
Rem - another character I know was previously introduced in another book. I actually really, really, really, liked this character. It was interesting to see him develop more closely that the original couple I had thought would be the main stars of the show. Rem and his openness with all genders was very interesting, and I enjoyed his acceptance of flaws and vulnerabilities of most of the characters. It was interesting to see him grow into the acceptance of the pack.

THE STORY

overall I believe this book should be read after all previous titles in the series have been completed - I was a bit confused about a lot of the developments and social structures simply because they weren't addressed as an "so this is why" scenario. I think if I had read the others, I would have a better understanding of what was going on as far as relationship development. Other than that, it was a beautiful short and sweet storyline that I really enjoyed for a quick read!

I just had a very exciting visit with the Chanku! The visit was full of exhilarating suspense, scorching hot passion and sweet romance – a great combination for ever reader.

In Dark Captive, I got to visit and enjoy some wonderful intimate moments with all my favorite Chanku and I also got to meet some new members and enjoy some sexy times with them as well. All the Chanku are strong, charismatic characters that easily draw readers in and they always ensure that readers indulge in some blazing hot passion while they easily connect with their readers and of course invite them to visit that intriguing, thrilling and passionate world. I have to warn you though that there was a few times in this visit that I had a hard time suppressing my tears for our new members situation and I also had to suppress my anger at the bad guys because this story certainly caused both emotions as well as causing desire to blossom so hot that I felt the need to fan myself quite often. The story is fast paced with has excitement and suspense building throughout as Leo introduces Asha to her new world as well rescuing others. 

The Chanku world just continues to grow and become more exciting with every installment and Kate Douglas brings every page of it to exciting and vivid like with well written words that make it easy for readers to become caught up in the lives of the fascinating Chanku. In my case, I have to tell you that not only do I love each and every one of the sexy, charismatic characters but I totally enjoy every visit and I was completely enthralled with Dark Captive and I can’t wait for my next visit to the Spirit Wild world.

Chanku Next Gen.
First book of the next generation for me.
Been awhile since I read about Anton and his merry gang.
This is mostly a FM book with some MM thrown in.
Book #6 deals with Asha a snow leopard who has never shifted to 
Human form and was a captive. This is a real journey for her.

Then Asha and Leo and more Chanku go off to rescue more shifters in need. You get some Anton and Stefan and mates too.
Plus some hot views of Remington plus other Chanku thrown in.
Overall I enjoyed this refresher from previous books.
A good read with sex and romance and a touch of mystery.
(Given a copy for an honest review) (#NetGalley) (Thanks)