To Tame a Shifter

Includes: Taming, Claiming, Maiming, Sustaining, and Reigning

To Tame a Shifter will always hold a special place in my heart because this is the series that turned me from someone who hated reading into a full-blown BookDragon. Before discovering A.K. Koonce, I couldn’t understand why anyone would voluntarily sit down with a book when television existed. Then I met Arlow, three dragon shifters, and a demon named Sinister, and apparently my entire opinion about reading changed.

This series didn’t just introduce me to fantasy romance. It started the reading obsession that eventually led to Sassy Reviews, my never-ending TBR, and my questionable attachment to morally gray fictional men. So yes, I might be a little biased when it comes to this one, but I’ve read enough books since then to know I genuinely loved the story too.

The complete five-book series follows Arlow, a mage whose life becomes increasingly complicated after encountering three dragon shifters: Chaos, Rime, and Kain. What begins as a supernatural romance gradually develops into a much larger fantasy adventure involving magic, demons, kingdoms, secrets, betrayals, political conflict, captivity, and battles. I loved how the stakes continued growing throughout the series while keeping the characters and their relationships at the center of the story.

Arlow was one of my favorite parts. She’s sarcastic, stubborn, impulsive, fiercely loyal, and occasionally makes decisions that had me questioning her common sense. I loved her personality, even when I wanted to reach into the book and shake some sense into her. She’s far from perfect, but that’s part of what made her entertaining. She makes mistakes, struggles with her emotions, and gradually learns more about herself and the supernatural world around her.

I also loved Chaos, Rime, and Kain. One of the things I appreciate in a why-choose romance is when each love interest has a distinct personality, and these three definitely do. They have their own strengths, vulnerabilities, histories, and relationships with Arlow. Their interactions with one another were just as entertaining as their individual relationships with her, especially when they were arguing, teasing, or protecting each other.

And then there’s Sinister. Because apparently three dragon shifters weren’t enough, A.K. Koonce decided to give us a demon too. He’s dangerous, unpredictable, inappropriate, and absolutely hilarious at times. I loved his personality and the unexpected vulnerability beneath all that chaos. He brought something different to the group and quickly became another character I was invested in.

The humor was one of the biggest reasons this series worked so well for me. There’s plenty of danger, violence, betrayal, and darker fantasy elements, but the banter and sarcastic commentary keep the story entertaining. Even when the stakes become serious, the characters never lose the personalities that made me love them in the first place.

I also appreciated that the why-choose relationship developed beyond physical attraction. Arlow’s connection with each man is different, and their relationships involve jealousy, trust, vulnerability, forgiveness, and plenty of protectiveness. As the series progresses, those individual connections become something much bigger. I especially loved the found-family dynamic and how these characters gradually learned to trust, care for, and fight for one another.

The romance is explicit, earning four peppers from me, but I never felt like the spice was the only reason to keep reading. The emotional connections, character development, humor, and ongoing fantasy storyline were just as important. I genuinely cared about what happened to these characters outside their romantic relationships.

The worldbuilding was another aspect I enjoyed. As Arlow discovers more about her abilities, the magic, different kingdoms, and the secrets surrounding her, the supernatural world continues expanding. I liked that the information was introduced naturally throughout the story rather than overwhelming me with complicated histories and magical systems all at once.

That said, readers who prefer extremely detailed high-fantasy worldbuilding might want more depth in certain areas. This is a character-driven series that prioritizes relationships, humor, action, and a fast-moving plot. Personally, I would have happily spent more time exploring some of the characters, magical abilities, and history of the world, but I never felt those details took away from my enjoyment.

The pacing was another reason I became so attached to this series. There was always another mystery, conflict, revelation, or relationship development keeping me interested. I constantly wanted to know what happened next, and finishing one book usually meant immediately starting another. For someone who previously struggled to stay interested in reading, that was a pretty big accomplishment.

Could I reread this series today and find little things I might want expanded or developed differently? Absolutely. But I don’t believe a five-star book has to be flawless. For me, five stars means a story gave me an exceptional reading experience, and To Tame a Shifter certainly did. I loved the characters, laughed at their ridiculous behavior, worried about them, and became completely invested in their journey.

What makes this series especially meaningful to me is everything that happened afterward. Once I finished Arlow’s story, I wanted more. I discovered other fantasy and paranormal romances, developed a serious weakness for dragons, demons, and morally questionable fictional men, and eventually started reviewing books. That passion ultimately grew into Sassy Reviews and Sassy’s Nook.

So when I say this series changed my life, I’m not exaggerating. It’s the reason I discovered how much I could love reading and why I’m sharing my opinions about books today.

Would I recommend To Tame a Shifter? Absolutely! If you enjoy fantasy romance, dragon shifters, demons, magic, why-choose relationships, strong and stubborn heroines, protective love interests, found family, humor, and plenty of supernatural chaos, I highly recommend this complete series. Just be aware that it contains explicit romance and some darker themes, so I recommend checking the content warnings before reading.

My Final Verdict: An easy five-star series and one that will always be special to me. I loved Arlow, Chaos, Rime, Kain, and Sinister, along with their humor, complicated relationships, and supernatural adventures. The accessible worldbuilding, fast pacing, emotional connections, and entertaining characters made this an incredibly enjoyable reading experience. I would have welcomed more detail in certain areas, but nothing kept me from loving these books.

Some books become an obsession. To Tame a Shifter started mine. It turned someone who hated reading into the BookDragon I am today, and I’m still deciding whether I owe A.K. Koonce a thank-you card or she owes me for all the sleep I’ve lost since. Probably both.

Final Rating: ⭐ 5/5 Stars | 🌶️ 4/5 Peppers

— Sassy