Memoirs of a Shape-Shifter

Memoirs of a Shape-Shifter
Thomas Kaplan-Maxfield
Kepler Press
ISBN: 0-97137770-3-0
Fiction, Historical Fiction, Romance
Reviewed by Dr. Tami Brady

Nikki Helmik is a woman who is used to getting whatever she wants from men. At a very young age, Nikki experienced abuse at the hands of her father and watched her mother turn from a vibrant woman into her father’s slave. From then on, she vowed never to allow a man into her heart. So with the help of her mentor Rose, Nikki learned how to use men for her personal satisfaction and to increase her social standing. A series of strange events, however, would change the way Nikki viewed her mother as well as her own love and power issues.
Memoirs of a Shape-Shifter is actually three stories in one, each with a correspondingly different feel and attitude. The first story is about Nikki and takes place in the present day. This story has a slow unhurried almost Victorian feel with the every present attitude that men are just sources of wealth and status. The second story is about Nikki’s mother. This account is more energetic but containing the energy of frustration, sacrifice, and trying to do the right thing despite the personal costs. The third story is about Anne Cleves, a powerful druidic ancestor of Nikki and her mother. This story is wild, dramatic, and full of action. As each story progresses, the main character of Nikki evolves and changes from a user to a woman willing to embrace her powerful legacy.