Tag: dropped series

Review: Borrowing Blue (Made Marian #1) by Lucy Lennox

The plot was fine. A little basic, but not bad. It was everything else that I didn’t like.

2 out of 5 stars

 E-book. Kindle Unlimited. 307 pages. Published November 23rd 2016

Blurb:

Blue: When my ex walks into the resort bar with his new husband on his arm, I want nothing more than to prove to him that I’ve moved on. Thankfully, the sexy stranger sitting next to me is more than willing to share a few kisses in the name of revenge. It gets even better when those scorching kisses turn into a night of fiery passion.

The only problem? Turns out the stranger’s brother is marrying my sister later this week.

Tristan: I have one rule: no messing with the guests at my vineyard resort. Of course the one exception I make turns out to be the brother of the woman my brother’s about to marry. Now we’re stuck together for a week of wedding activities, and there’s no avoiding the heat burning between us.

So fine, we make a deal: one week. One week to enjoy each other’s bodies and get it out of our system. Once the bride and groom say I do and we become family, it’ll all be over between us. Right?

Fair warning: Blue and Tristan’s story contains smoking hot scenes of man parts touching, pee-in-pants descriptions of grannies cursing, and the sweet improbability of two strangers finding their happily ever after when they least expect it.

Likes:

  • The Marian family at large.
  • Piper.
  • Tristan and Blue were likeable.
  • The plot wasn’t bad.

Dislikes:

  • The story’s tone is off.
  • Biphobia.
  • Gay stereotypes.
  • Homophobia.
  • The grannie’s constant sexual remarks.
  • The lack of reaction to serious incidents.
  • Too much sex.
  • The drama felt fake, unnecessary, and didn’t affect the main characters at all.
  • Prolonged first scene too focused on romance.
  • The pre-wedding week didn’t make sense.

Yuck.

This book has a good rating, so I’m obviously in the minority with my dislike. And to be fair, the book isn’t awful. Blue and Tristan are generally likeable, Piper the dog is adorable, the Marian family is cool, and the vineyard is lovely. The plot itself is a little basic, but not bad. I didn’t even mind the insta-love (seriously, they’re in love within 24 hours of meeting). But there are simply too many unlikable things about this book to ignore or forgive.

There are a couple of things that went wrong for me right from the start. First, Tristan and Blue meet right away at the beginning of the book. There’s no chance for the reader to get to know them before they’re focused on each other.  Sure, we learn facts about them, but they’re abstract facts. We barely get to see either man doing something by themselves away from the vineyard, and only at the end of the book. They spend most of the story in one location, surrounded by their families. If this was a novella, it would have been fine. In fact, I think the story would have been ten times better if the unnecessary drama and gratuitous sex scenes were cut, and the whole thing turned into a novella. As it is, I never got attached to the characters.

My second issue was the book’s tone. The author was clearly trying to make this a fun, happy, quirky book. None of it worked for me. Time after time, the characters waved off serious moments like they were no big deal, ignoring moments that would have had serious consequences, emotional or otherwise, in a different book. Tristan casually came out to his family despite knowing his brother was a raging homophobe, and didn’t spare a thought to any future consequences. An employee grabbed Tristan’s neck and slammed him against the wall, and there were no consequences for that employee.

Issue three was all of the biphobia, homophobia, negative gay stereotypes, and “funny” sexual remarks that were, at best, cringe worthy and at worst, sexual harassment. Tristan literally self-identifies as straight because he’s in his early thirties and hasn’t fooled around with a guy since college, so obviously his queer card has been revoked. Ridiculous.

Tristan does go through a not particularly stressful realization that he’s been repressing his attraction to men. But instead of realizing that he’s bisexual (he was married to a woman) he decides that he’s full-on gay now. Hello biphobia. Just about everyone in the book has it. And sadly, being gay doesn’t stop Tristan from negative gay stereotyping. When Blue offers to take Tristan to a gay bar, Tristan says, “Do I need to wear guyliner and go-go boots? Sprinkle myself with glitter?” To which Blue jokes, “You want to swing by my place and I can dress you up in some hot pants and a sequined tank top?” Then Blue laughs. “Oh my god, I’m joking. The look on your face. Jesus, Tris. Do I look like someone who wears that shit?”

John, Tristan’s brother, is the raging homophobe, with their mother less outspoken but no less obvious in her feelings. Why Blue’s sister wants to marry John when she’s got a whopping 5 openly gay brothers is never touched on.

The blurb describes “pee-in-pants descriptions of grannies cursing”, and if it was just swearing, I would have been fine with it. There’s a lot of it in the book already, and most went unnoticed. But the grannie’s other gimmick was their loud sexual comments about the main characters. Aunt Tilly was the worst. Speaking of one of the Marian brothers, she said, “Maybe he just needs to get laid. A good fuck ought to fix him right up. Works for me anyway,” she said with a shrug.” Ignoring the fact that Jude was under a lot of actual stress, I can’t help but be aware that if an old man was suggesting that his twentysomething female relative get laid, he’d be seen as a creep, while it’s supposed to be funny because Tilly’s an old woman.

And speaking of the Marian family, most of them live in California, where the vineyard is. Which made the week long pre-wedding get-together seem unnecessary. I could understand an exotic locale, but literally most of the characters lived within easy driving distance of the vineyard. Especially considering that the Marian family has 9 kids, three of whom are still in college. The cost of this event wasn’t touched on, and there was only a single vineyard specific activity planned all week. I know that the story had to happen that way to give Tristan and Blue time to insta fall in love, but the whole thing felt off.

As for Blue and Tristan, they seemed to fit well together. There was no major drama between them, and the rest of the drama barely touched them. Because of that, the drama felt manufactured, and I rolled my eyes a lot. Honestly, it felt like Blue and Tristan mostly had sex. I did take issue with the fact that, since Blue and Tristan met at the vineyard’s restaurant, they’d consumed beer, wine, and multiple shots by the time they got naked together for the first time. Blue did stop things between them because of all the alcohol. Then he immediately changed his mind because Tristan said he wouldn’t regret it in the morning. By my count, they had sex 15 times throughout the book, all but two on page and detailed. I’m no prude, but that was too much. I enjoy sex that deepens the relationship or furthers the plot. Most of the sex in this book was just filler.

While the actual writing wasn’t bad, I have zero interest in any of the other books in the series, and honestly wish I had DNFed the book instead of pushing through to the end. It wasn’t worth it.

Review: It Takes Two to Tango (Fur, Fangs, and Felines #3) by M.A. Church

The romance was basically settled by 60% and I lost interest. A DNF and the end of my interest in the series.

3.25 out of 5 stars

DNF 58%

E-book. Kindle Unlimited. 2nd edition. 278 pages. Published August 26th 2019 (first published September 26th 2016)

Blurb:

Can two very different men find the love they need to survive?

Remi Ginn’s an easygoing werecat with a love of snarky T-shirts. He would be perfectly happy with a human mate. Is that what the goddess Bast gives him? Of course not. Instead she gifts him with Marshell, a Vetala, a snakelike nonshifter who drinks blood to survive. A man who’s just as toppy as Remi—and even more powerful than the West Falls Clowder’s Alpha and heir apparent.

While Remi is deciding whether he can handle the fates’ choice, hunters attack Marshell. Afterward, in an explosion of passion, Remi and Marshell mate and Remi declares Marshell his. Now they have to figure out how to make their relationship work as they dance around each other.

The clowder is in turmoil, and Remi’s acceptance of Marshell rocks the very foundation of the insular group. The consequences will be far-reaching. And if that isn’t problem enough, the situation with the hunters is far from resolved… as proved by the appearance of an Alpha werewolf.

Likes:

  • Marshell and Remi, separately and together.
  • Action and drama right from the start.
  • Strong non-romantic plot at the beginning.
  • Hot smut.
  • The reason Marshell wasn’t immediately welcome in the clowder was different.
  • Shakeup in the clowder.

Dislikes:

  • It feels like the same book as the last two, but with different characters.
  • Non-romantic plot quickly forgotten.
  • Total recap of what happened to Heller’s sister.
  • Big chunks of dialogue with not much else going on.
  • No strong sense of voice.
  • Fight over who tops makes penetrative sex sound like the gold standard.

DNF 58%

Honestly, I liked this book better than the first two. What made me decide to stop reading was that I realized my desire to finish the book had nothing to do with the book itself. I was looking forward to reading something else. Fantasizing about it, really. The way a person on a diet can’t stop thinking about cake. And since there’s no reason for me to push myself to finish a book that’s lost my attention, I stopped.

By the time I quit, Remi and Marshell had mated and were a stable couple, and Marshell had joined the clowder. Which basically meant that the romance was a sealed deal. That left about 40% of the book for non-romantic plot things, and this series has not been good with that. There is a reason why most romance books don’t have the characters engage in a hot and heavy makeout session before the first page even starts.

Ultimately, I think the way this series is written doesn’t work for me. Which bums me out, because the books have so many of the elements I’m usually drawn to. It’s the way the stories are presented, not necessarily the stories themselves, that leaves me wanting more.

I had a realization when reading this book that there’s not a strong sense of voice to any of the characters. Marshell and Remi are wildly different men, and both of them get first person point of view sections. But that first person point of view doesn’t add depth to the characters. It’s a very surface level kind of first person, not revealing any of their quirks or personality. It’s been true with the entire series, and explains why I never got deeply invested.

Despite that, I did like Remi and Marshell. I’ve liked them both for a while, and was looking forward to their romance. They’re both tops, and that dynamic was fun to watch as they figured out their relationship. The smut was as hot as the other books, but I wish that penetrative sex wasn’t held up as the gold standard. They didn’t even talk about other ways of having sex.

This book did have some tension and drama in the beginning with the appearance of hunters targeting Marshell. It was a good start to the non-romantic plot. Unfortunately, it was all but forgotten about as Marshell and Remi started their romance. After Marshell healed, he and Remi basically acted like the attack didn’t happen. They even went out dancing like it was no big thing, when the hunters were still out there.

I did like that the reason the clowder hesitated to accept Marshell was different from the previous books. They had no problem accepting his twin sister, but Marshell gave them pause. Remi didn’t hesitate to stand up for his mate, which was no surprise.

I feel like, in the end, these past three books have been the same base story with different characters. Like the same style shoes but in a different color. There have been an overwhelming number of similarities, and that’s lead to a lot of rehashing of the same information in every book. Kirk, Lawson, and Marshell all went through the clowder joining ceremony, and it was exactly the same thing all three times. It became repetitive and tedious. And the complete retelling of what happened with Heller’s sister was totally unnecessary, both for the reader who already knows the story, and for the plot, which slows down because of it.

Review: Behind the Eight Ball (Fur, Fangs, and Felines #2) by M.A. Church

I didn’t get invested in the characters. Honestly, just ok.

3 out of 5 stars

E-book. Kindle Unlimited. 269 pages. Published August 19th 2019 (first published October 30th 2015)

Blurb:

A cool morning, a yard full of birds, and a kitty on a mission. What more could a werecat want? Beta Heller Wirth has it all, except a mate—a shifter mate, that is. The last thing he wants is one of those dangerous humans who kill without remorse. Heller knows about that firsthand. So what does the goddess Bast do? She gives Heller exactly what he does not want—a human: business owner Lawson Dupre.

Lawson hasn’t a clue what just happened in his car detail shop. One minute a cute client is about to pass out, and then he perks up and starts flirting. Next thing, he runs out the door like the hounds of hell are after him. Learning that Heller is a werecat doesn’t freak out Lawson. He happens to be one of those rare humans who knows paranormals exists. He even lives with one. Watch the fur fly as Heller and Lawson battle hurt feelings, misguided beliefs, and a power shift in Heller’s clowder.

Likes:

  • Heller and Lawson, separately and together.
  • Found out why Heller hates humans.
  • Hot smut.
  • New paranormals.
  • Open, honest discussions on why bottoming doesn’t make someone weak.
  • Lawson already knows about paranormals.
  • Heller quickly came to accept Lawson as his mate.

Dislikes:

  • Got bored halfway through.
  • Same lack of world building and deep characterization as last book.
  • Whole chunks of time glossed over.
  • The next couple found each other at the end.
  • The non-romantic plot was incredibly flimsy and wasn’t resolved.
  • Didn’t get invested.
  • A lot of the same info as the first book.
  • There was a point where it felt like the author got confused about the time frame.
  • The reason why no one knows about Heller’s hate for humans is dumb.

I was looking forward to this book because Heller didn’t leave a good impression in the first book, and I always like when a jerk is redeemed. Specifically, I was curious why he hated humans so much. And why the men he’d grown up with didn’t know about it.

It took a while for Heller to confess what happened to Lawson. During that time, Heller underwent a transformation. At first, he was very against the idea of a human mate, but it didn’t take too long for him to change his tune. I was glad that change happened quickly and wasn’t drawn out.

The actual event that made Heller hate humans made me feel sympathetic to him. It also made me roll my eyes. The reason Heller gave for not telling the rest of the pack was flimsy and felt like it was there more for plot reasons than because it made sense.

I liked Heller and Lawson, individually and as a couple. But I never really got invested. Part of it is that the characters, and the book as a whole, lacked depth. There’s little world building, and the characterization is surface level. It’s enough to make the characters understandable, not wasn’t enough to make me connect with them.

I actually got bored halfway through. This book suffers from several of the same issues as the first – there’s not much of a non-romantic plot until later in the book, chunks of time are glossed over with sentences like, “We spent the rest of the rest of the week hanging out and getting to know each other” coming at the end of a chapter and offering no explanation. There was even a time when it felt like the author got confused about how much time had passed.

Part of my boredom is due to the fact that I’m reading the books in quick succession. Since both Kirk and Lawson are new to cat shifters, they’re both presented with the same basic information about the clowder and their rituals. Both Kirk and Lawson go through the official joining ceremony, repeating the same oath. It felt like a rerun and I when I realized there was nothing new, I glossed over it.

One of the good things to carry over from the first book was the smut. The mating process requires both men to top and bottom, making it one long, drawn out scene. I really enjoyed that Lawson and Heller sat down and had an open, honest conversation about sex and about how bottoming doesn’t make someone weak. It was sweet and showed that Lawson cared about Heller, and that Heller was willing to be vulnerable in front of Lawson.

I thoroughly enjoyed the introduction of a new type of paranormal, especially since I think they’re one of the author’s own creation. Lawson also knew about paranormals because of these two, which streamlined his acceptance of being Heller’s mate.

I was definitely disappointed that the next couple found each other at the end of this book. It took away some of the impact, since the moment was seen from Lawson’s eyes. I also didn’t like that a big part of the non-romantic plot wasn’t settled in this book, and was instead kicked down the road to be dealt with in the next one.

Because I like both Marshall and Remy, who are the next couple, I am excited about the next book. But honestly, that’s the only reason. I expect more than I’ve gotten in the first two books of this series, and if it doesn’t happen, I don’t know if I’ll continue on to the end.

Be sure to check out the review for the first book, Trouble Comes in Threes.

Review: Trouble Comes in Threes (Fur, Fangs, and Felines #1) by M.A. Church

Basic and a little rough around the edges, but a nice nough read.

3.25 out of 5 stars

E-book. Kindle Unlimited. 2nd edition, 261 pages. Published August 12th 2019 by Self-Published (first published December 26th 2014)

Blurb:

A snowstorm in the South—on New Year’s Eve—is a perfect recipe for a catastrophe. After two soul-crushing bad breaks, Kirk’s waiting for disaster number three to strike when, naturally, two stray cats arrive on his doorstep during the storm and decide to make themselves at home. Tenderhearted Kirk lets them stay even though there’s something decidedly odd about his overly friendly felines.

Out of the punishing weather and full of tuna, Dolf and Tal are happy to be snug in Kirk’s house. But then their human goes outside for firewood and suffers a nasty fall that leaves him unconscious. Now the two cats have no choice but to reveal themselves.

Kirk wakes up to find the two kitties are actually Dolf and Tal. They’re cat shifters—and his destined mates. Being part of a feline threesome is enough for Kirk to grapple with, but soon he learns they come from a clowder that doesn’t believe humans and shifters should mix. Kirk knew those two cats would be trouble. Little does he know the real trouble lies ahead.

Likes:

  • The triad was well balanced.
  • Hot smut.
  • Cat shifters.
  • Inclusion and prejudices were one of the book’s central themes.
  • Lots of single men for future books.
  • Kink and fetishes.
  • Some intensity in the plot near the end.

Dislikes:

  • Non-romantic subplot didn’t start until halfway through the book.
  • Foot fetish mentioned once and then never brought up again.
  • Lots of time covered in only a few paragraphs.
  • Info dumping about cat shifter society.
  • Not enough small moments of falling in love.
  • No reason given for Dolf and Tal’s names.
  • Tal starting the mating process without asking permission.
  • Not much backstory on any of the characters.
  • Change in tense between the men’s point of view chapters.

This book feels like a first novel. It has that ‘still figuring things out, rough around the edges’ feel of an author who isn’t hasn’t fully mastered seamless plots yet. It’s not M.A. Church’s first novel, but it is relatively early in her career. That’s not a pass. Honestly, I think the book could be structured better. I’ve felt that was about many of Dreamspinner Press’s books over the years, and even though this book has been republished on Kindle Unlimited, there’s a disclaimer under the blurb that says it’s the same exact text as back in 2014.

That being said, the romance is fun. This was a reread for me, and I picked up again because more books in the series have come out in the years since I first read it. I didn’t remember much about the book, other than that the romance is between three men. I thought that the interplay between the threesome was well done. They are each likeable and unique, add to the relationship in important ways, and fit together well.

The smut definitely stands out as one of the book’s best features. There are a number of sex scenes that are both hot as hell and add to the story and relationship. Kirk is the perfect addition to Tal and Dolf, who are an established couple. Kirk is kinky and versatile, which fills a need for both Tal and Dolf. I did notice that Kirk’s foot fetish was brought up in the beginning and then never mentioned again.

I wasn’t happy with the fact that Tal started the mating process without Kirk’s permission. I understand Tal’s excuse, and realize that having the mating happen so early in the book drives the entire plot. But I’m a big fan of consent. It was also strange to get more than two-thirds of the way into the book, when the men are mated and living together, and have them realize they’re falling in love. While I think that doing things in the wrong order can be a unique way to spice up a romance, it didn’t quite work for me here.

I also didn’t love the amount of info dumping in the book. Because the mating is so sudden, Tal and Dolf have to fill Kirk in about all aspects of cat shifter life and society. It’s still info dumping if it’s dialogue. This is where I think things could have been structured better. The story takes off towards the romance at the detriment of things like world building and defining the characters. I know surprisingly little about any of the men beyond their jobs, Dolf’s family, and what they like in bed. I don’t even know where Dolfoon and Talise’s names come from.

The first half of the book is focused solely on the romance and introducing Kirk to the clowder. Lots of time is covered, with gaps summed up in a few paragraphs. The buildup towards the ‘I love you’ moment felt choppy. The non-romantic plot didn’t start until halfway through the book, and definitely made the book more interesting. There was some nice intensity near the end.

It was nice to see cat shifters instead of the typical werewolves. As a cat owner, I have to say that the descriptions of the cats were spot on. I also liked that Kirk got some benefits of being mated to Tal and Dolf, despite not being able to turn into a shifter himself. And I have to give props to M.A. Church for making one of the book’s central issues one of inclusion.

My final gripe about the book is that Kirk’s chapters are told from first person point of view, whereas Dolf and Tal’s chapters are from the third person. It was a weird choice. Not only was it annoying to keep flipflopping, but it made Kirk seem much more open and accessible to the reader. Which, in a book about equality between a triad of men, didn’t make sense.

Overall, while I enjoyed this book, it lacked depth and polish. If I had picked it up after reading something with amazing world building and unforgettable characters, I would have felt massively disappointed.  

Review: Forbidden Magic (Magic and Claws #1) by Liam Kingsley and Jill Haven

DNF 46%. The enemies-to-lovers idea was all enemies no lovers. Literally no romance at all.

2.5 out of 5 stars

DNF 46%

E-book. Kindle Unlimited. 230 pages. Published April 15th 2020

Blurb:

How can my enemy want me when no one else ever has?

Oil and water. Shifters and mages. There are certain things that just don’t mix. But I’m in Porter’s Peak for a reason, and I’m not about to let a pack of wolves drive me away. And I’m certainly not going to fall into bed with the alpha … not even if he says we’re fated mates.

But evil magic is swirling around town, and the only way to keep my new home safe is to team up with the alluring older shifter and try to find the cause of the problems. As we grow closer, my resolve to stay out of his arms is slipping. No one has cared about me enough to stick around before … why should I trust an old enemy to be any different?

But evil magic is not the only problem, and when secrets threaten to tear us apart, we might bring the whole town down with us. Can we put aside ancient hatred and forge a new path? Or is our bond doomed from the start? 

Likes:

  • The reason shifters and mages don’t like each other.

Dislikes:

  • Unnecessary prologue.
  • Little world building.
  • Writing doesn’t flow well.
  • Leo has the emotional maturity of a teenager.
  • Leo’s inconsistency.
  • No romance or building to romance.
  • Blind belief that an entire group of people are evil.

DNF 46%

This book’s basic premise had potential. I liked the idea that shifters and mages had been at war. I also liked the reason why, as well as how the world turned out after the war ended. It was different and unique. I was excited to read how a shifter and a mage would fall in love. It definitely had hints of Romeo and Juliet.

Except there was no romance. No romantic feelings. Just Leo and Zac hating each other for what they were. Obviously the romance would have shown up if I continued reading, but I got to 46%. It’s not like I stopped early. And there was literally nothing romantic at all. No flirting, no trying to get to know each other, no tender moments.

The blame falls squarely on Leo. He’s got the emotional maturity of a teenager. He knows Zac is his fated mate, but he doesn’t want to admit it. Instead, he’s a douchebag. He acts like he can barely tolerate Zac’s presence, and does nothing but glare and threaten Zac whenever they’re together. Take this quote from Leo, who remember, is the pack alpha and a father.

“Zac didn’t say another word. And just like that, we were right back to our usual attitudes. I sat down and crossed my arms, and Zac didn’t spare me another glance. I gritted my teeth. Fine. It wasn’t like I wanted to get to along with him anyway. I was only being nice because he’d been hurt.”

I get that the romance is supposed to be enemies to lovers, but it didn’t work. Add in the fact that Leo keeps oscillating between wanting Zac to leave and knowing its his duty to protect him. It would be one thing if Leo had conflicting feelings but was a mature, responsible adult who did what he was supposed to. But no. Leo is unable to stop himself from voicing exactly what he’s thinking. He has no diplomacy and no patience. Several times, when his wolf’s instinct to mate Zac gets out of control, he calls himself a Neanderthal. I disagree. He’s just immature. The only reason he’s pack leader is because it was passed down to him by his father.

Blame where it’s due, Zac isn’t exactly a scintillating character either. He’s a mage who doesn’t use magic much, works as a mechanic, and was a foster kid. The book’s prologue, which was unnecessary, shows him at sixteen, right before he’s taken in by the mysterious Dylan. Then there’s no real talk about what he’s been up to for the past decade. He finished high school, learned magic and mechanics, and has been moving around from place to place. That’s about it.

The whole book has a very surface level feel to it. There’s no real world building. The magic isn’t explained, the fact that the human townspeople know about shifters is revealed like it should have been obvious which it totally wasn’t, and the shifted werewolves are somehow bigger than people. There aren’t even any physical descriptions given, aside from Leo and Zac.

This book would have problems even if the romance and main characters were well written. The writing doesn’t flow well. Its not terrible, but it’s not as polished as I’m used to. I also didn’t like that both Leo and Zac blindly believed what they were taught about their enemies, and had no problem thinking that an entire group of people were pure evil. I know neither of them have interacted with people from the other group. It’s the fact they believed it without question that annoys me.

I feel kind of bad for not having much good to say about this book. I usually try not to focus solely on the bad things, but all of my notes are complaints.

Review: Witchblood (Kitsune Chronicles #1) by Lissa Kasey

Some interesting concepts, and well written, but not a series I will continue.

3 out of 5 stars

E-book. Kindle Unlimited. 1st edition, 350 pages. Published March 8th 2019 by Self-Published

Blurb:

Sebastion survived as a fox among wolves by running from everything he ever loved.

Sebastian is an omega who has never even dreamed of finding his alpha. A fox raised among werewolves, Seb has spent his entire life fighting to survive, until Liam rescues him from a demon from his past.

As an alpha werewolf, Liam is everything Sebastian has spent the last year, and his entire life, avoiding. Except that when they are together everything makes sense, the stars align, and fated mates becomes Seb’s reality rather than fiction.

When Seb’s past catches up with them, he and Liam will need to accept the bond or die fighting the darkness that is determined to tear them apart.

This MM romance features fated mates, an alpha and omega, a ghost cat, a snarky kitsune, a lot of action, and some super hot romance. 

Likes:

  • Some interesting concepts.
  • Liam’s pack was different from the traditional structure.
  • Sebastian wasn’t a pushover.
  • Omegas weren’t weak or submissive.
  • Good fight scenes.
  • Liam and Sebastian were both interesting characters.
  • Full Metal Alchemist reference.

Dislikes:

  • The prologue was dark as fuck.
  • Most of the werewolves were too ‘dominant assholes’ for my tastes.
  • Sebastian made some TSTL decisions.
  • Liam was too perfect.
  • Rape.
  • The Underhill chapters had me confused.

I picked up this book because I wanted something angsty. And, yes, it was angsty. The entire book was absolutely saturated in angst. Which was what I was expecting.

What I wasn’t expecting was how dark the first chapter was. The book literally starts with Sebastian having been beaten, raped, and left for dead in a pool of his own blood. It was darker than I wanted, and I put the book down. But I was lazy, and didn’t want to go searching for another book to scratch my angst itch, so I ended up picking it up again.

Credit where it’s due, I was interested enough to finish the book. But it’s not the kind of story I usually gravitate to, and I won’t continue on with the series. The werewolves were a little too ‘macho dominant assholes’ for my tastes. Misogyny, homophobia, and bullying are huge factors in the Volkov’s pack.

On the other hand, Liam’s pack was different. He had high ranking women and was open about his relationship with Sebastian. It was a breath of fresh air in an otherwise oppressive culture, and it made the book readable for me. Liam was a genuinely nice guy. In fact, I’d say that he’s perfect. It almost felt like he couldn’t have any problems of his own because Sebastian had enough for the both of them.

Obviously, Sebastian had a whole heap of problems, and not just because of the situation he was in at the beginning of the book. His problems were almost a character in and of itself. But I liked that he was trying. Trying to live, trying to find a place where he could be happy. Most of Sebastian’s actions and decisions made sense given what he’s endured. However, there were a few TSTL – too stupid to live – moments that really pissed me off. Still, for all his faults, Sebastian wasn’t a weaking, despite the fact that he was an omega.

In fact, one of the things I liked most about the world building was that omegas weren’t actually submissive, despite what people thought. Sebastian described them as “They were other. Neither dominant nor submissive.” Omegas settled a pack and made it better.

There was more to Sebastian than just his omega status. It was obvious what it was since it’s in the series title, even though Sebastian himself didn’t know until later in the book. When it was revealed, it gave me Naruto vibes, and I can’t help but wonder if Naruto was an inspiration for the story, since the author clearly knows at least a little about anime given the Full Metal Alchemist reference. But whereas Naruto is an upbeat guy, Sebastian felt like a combination of Naruto’s situation and Sasuke’s issues.

I did get confused during the Underhill chapters. I wasn’t sure if they were real or a dream. This book definitely had a lot in it, and I got the feeling that the author was trying hard to build a world that could easily contain several books, and that the foundation was being laid. It made the story take some unnecessary detours that I wish had been cut out.

This book definitely had some interesting concepts. The fight scenes were well written, and the romance was fine. Despite that, I have no desire to continue on with the series.

Review: Seeker’s Portrait (Elements of Dragonis #2) by Hannah Walker

DNF 63%.I lost confidence that the author had thought through the story. It’s a shame because the base idea was good.

2 out of 5 stars

DNF 63%

E-book. Kindle Unlimited. 481 pages. Published December 15th 2016

Blurb:

Prince Elijan has spent his life protected by castle walls, prevented from fully experiencing the world outside. He longs to see the empire he will one day rule, but his only view is from the safety of the windows in his suite. He yearns to find out what life has to offer. When he’s given the chance to work with the dragons, and a desire to learn their language flares to life, he is finally granted some freedom.

Aldren’s life has always been about the dragons. As a Rider, he is dedicated to the protection of the kingdom. He’s always been willing to step up when he is called upon, but his latest orders come directly from the king, and for once, Aldren isn’t sure he the right man for the job.

Protecting the king’s only son is not something to be taken lightly, and when Aldren meets Elijan, the instant attraction he has for the man complicates matters even more. Still, he’s never refused a job before and he isn’t about to start now.

Working and living side by side brings Elijan and Aldren together, forcing them both to admit to the emotions stirring inside them. It only takes one kiss and no matter the risk, the two of them refuse to ignore the chemistry between them.

When danger comes calling, and Elijan experiences strange visions that manifest in his drawings, Aldren worries. How does he protect the prince from an enemy he can’t see?

With friends, both man and dragon, by their side, the two must learn who seeks them out and what the information they’ve gained from Elijan’s drawings might mean, but at the same time, they must protect the dragons. Evil lurks around them, but so does salvation. Drawn into a dangerous destiny, Aldren and Elijan find that love and friendship really can conquer all.

Likes:

  • The relationship between Andren and Elijan.
  • The dragons.
  • The seeker plot.

Dislikes:

  • Insta-love.
  • Both Aldren and Elijan feel two dimensional.
  • Didn’t hook me.
  • No forward momentum.
  • Aldren’s resolve only lasted two days.
  • Too many pronouns.
  • Elijan doesn’t act like a prince.
  • Huge chunks of dialogue.
  • No drama, tension, or suspense with the romance.
  • Both Elijan and Aldren are *perfect*
  • The ‘seeker’ part of the plot started way too late.
  • Scenes with Frode came to feel like filler.
  • Elijan’s romance issues became just as annoying as Con’s in the previous book.
  • So many open, honest emotions in every conversation.
  • The alternating POV isn’t always followed.
  • All romantic tension wrapped up early.
  • Guards don’t have magic.

DNF 63%

This book didn’t hook me. I would read half a chapter, then put it down. If I’m invested in a book, I don’t want to stop reading. But I thought that, since the characters, plot, and romance were all fine, I’d be able to finish the book eventually.

And I tried. Even as I came across more things that turned me off, I kept going. Because I wanted to know how things turned out, not just with the romance but with questions left over from the previous book, like ‘Who sent Rillian the spell book and why?’

In the end, the number of things I disliked about the book were too many. It ended up feeling like each chapter had something new that didn’t make sense. I don’t know anything about what the author was thinking when she wrote this book, but it felt like she didn’t stop to ask herself, ‘Does this make sense in a larger context?’

Despite that, there were some things I liked about this book. First, Elijan is a virgin who’s never been kissed, and Aldren takes things slow. Everything they did together was designed to make it good for Elijan.  Second, the dragons. Grith was my favorite this time around, but Frode was super cute too. Third, the non-romantic plot about who sent the spell book and the whole ‘seeker’ thing was interesting.

As for my dislikes, it started with the way the book is structured. The first 34% is all about two things – Elijan and Aldren’s romance and Elijan hanging out with the dragons. Compared to the previous book that had action and mystery right from the start, the beginning of this book had no hook.

The reason why it took so long for the seeker part of the book to begin was because Rill and Con were away on their honeymoon. Nothing with the nonromantic plot advanced until they returned. Looking back on the first third of the book, a lot of it felt like filler. Especially the stuff with Frode. It was like ‘Look! A baby dragon! Focus on how cute he is and ignore the immobile plot.’

Then there was the insta-love. It wasn’t as bad as it could have been, but Aldren’s resolve not to get romantically involved with Elijan only lasted two days. Which meant that there was almost no tension, drama, or suspense. Once the romance began, it developed incredibly quickly, so that by the 48% mark, the only thing they had left to do was tell the king and queen.

The fact that Elijan and Aldren felt two dimensional didn’t help me get invested in their romance. Aldren is a strong, brave, loyal, dedicated dragon Rider. If he has family, hobbies, or plans for the future, we don’t get to see that. Though to be fair, we didn’t see that for Rill and Con in the previous book, which just goes to show that it’s easier to ignore some things when you’re hooked on the story.

But it’s Elijan’s character that really bothered me. Elijan is sweet, innocent, good natured, friendly, open, and wears his heart on his sleeve. Oh, and he’s also the crown prince. And if it seems weird for a crown prince to be completely guileless, you’re right. It is weird. In fact, I’d go so far as to say that Elijan never once acted like a prince. Hell, his every emotion was visible on his face. It felt as though the author didn’t stop to wonder if this was the way a prince would act.

That aside, my biggest problem with Elijan was how *perfect* he was. Everyone loved him. He fit in with the stable lads without even trying. Aldren fell for him right away. The dragons loved him.

He’s Frode’s Eithreadal. The dragons claimed him. He’s Aldren’s bond mate. He’s the seeker. He’s a mage with great powers. He’s the crown prince.

Elijan literally has no flaws. And you can’t root for someone who has no flaws, because they don’t struggle with anything. The only things Elijan struggles with are A.) getting people to treat him like an adult and B.) believing Aldren’s heartfelt confessions of love.

Which brings me to the dialogue, which can accurately be summed up as the ‘Why use one sentence when you could use five’ approach. The book could use some serious editing, both for length and content. Because it wasn’t just the long chunks of dialogue, it’s what was said. Everyone spoke openly and from the heart all the time. Not only was it unnatural, it significantly lowered the impact of what was being said. Add in the overuse of pronouns – “The fact he gave up all control to him, allowed him to do what he wanted, was an exquisite form of trust and one he received reverently.” – and the writing could be a little hard to read sometimes.   

The final straw that made me lose all confidence in the author was the whole ‘guards can’t protect Elijan from magic’ argument. Which is crazy. You’re trying to tell me that in a world with magic and mages, that not a single palace guard is capable of doing magic? This smacks of not thinking thing through. Of not asking ‘Does this make sense in a larger context?’

I have to admit, I’m incredibly disappointed with this book. It has all the ingredients of a great story, it just didn’t come out well. But if there’s one thing I’m grateful for, it’s that now I don’t have to read the next book in the series, which is a whopping 676 pages long.

You can find the review for the first book in the series, Booker’s Song, which I enjoyed, here.

Review: Booker’s Song (Elements of Dragonis #1) by Hannah Walker

A good introduction to the series.

4 out of 5 stars

E-book. Kindle Unlimited. 248 pages. Published July 29th 2016 by Createspace Independent Publishing Platform

Blurb:

Rillian Mascini is one of the most knowledgeable mages in the world. Spending his days and sometimes nights with his nose in a book has taught him magic and histories that few care to remember. He has a passion for dragons that pulls him to learn all he can about them, including their language. He is one of the last people left alive who can speak to the magnificent beasts.

Conwyn D’Aver is squad leader of the Dragon Riders. He will do whatever it takes to protect the dragons and people he has given his oath to serve. Nothing is more important, and when Neela, his personal dragon, is attacked, Conwyn is out for blood. He vows to find the threat and defeat it.

When an old spell book is found that gives a person the power to control all dragons, Conwyn will do anything he can to keep it from getting into the wrong hands, even if that means teaming up with the bookish Rillian to find a way to overcome the evil enemies who seek to gain the power.

Together with the dragons, the two men must find a way to protect everything they both love, but while doing so, they risk losing their own hearts to each other. As their enemies seek to destroy them, they learn that sometimes it takes love and trust to defeat the things we fear the most. 

Likes:

  • Dragons, magic, and the high fantasy setting.
  • Plot hooked me and kept me interested.
  • The smut.
  • Rill.
  • A quick, easy read.
  • Good introduction to the series.

Dislikes:

  • There was no world building outside of the dragons.
  • The way Rill and Con were written was a little too similar.
  • Con’s lack of personal insight was ridiculous.
  • The nicknames.

This book is a good introduction to a series. The way Rill comes into the dragon’s lives and needs to learn more about them also lets the reader discover how cool the dragons are. Rill is also in a perfect position to show off the dragon’s personalities, and I think the dragons are some of the best characters.

The story hooked me right from the start and kept my attention the whole way through. New things were constantly happening, adding dashes of drama, political intrigue, battles, and mystery to the story. Overall, the book was a fun, quick read.

While I do think that the plot had a good mix of high fantasy and magic, and that all the pertinent information about the dragons was present, I wish there was more world building. I feel like the dragons were in a bubble of their own, without much outside context. I’m the kind of reader who likes to be immersed in a world, and I know almost nothing about the Calias Empire.

Rill was definitely my favorite character. With his love of books, it was easy to relate to him. Con wasn’t a bad character, but his denseness when it came to his feelings made me incredibly frustrated by the end. Especially because it was a little unbelievable. He’s not stupid, but his lack of personal insight was beyond belief.

That being said, the romance progressed nicely. The smut was good and the ending was sweet. It did feel like the way Rill and Con’s inner thoughts were written was a little too similar. Because neither of them talked to anyone else about the relationship, they had to have literal mental conversations with themselves about why getting together was a bad idea. It’s the only dull spot in what was otherwise a good romance.

My final nitpick is with the nicknames of Rill and Con. Both men have slightly longer names, and I wish they’d used them. It would have given the book an added high fantasy feel. After all, unusual names are part of the experience.

I’m excited to get to the next book in the series and hope it’s as good as this one.

You can find the second book in the series, Seeker’s Portrait, here.

Review: The Honest Knight (Knight Trilogy #1) by Annie Lindwurm

Needed good beta readers. DNF at 40%

3 out of 5 stars

DNF 40%

E-book. 85 pages. Published March 31st 2020

Blurb:

More than jousting will determine whether love and loyalty wins…

Brien is a proud knight of Fenton castle, but his brash nature and say-it-as-it-is attitude push most people away. When his princess Eleanor returns with her wife, the festival preparations are almost ready when they receive news that their foreign in-laws insisted on a gift of more knights – will Brien make new friends or enemies? With a menial job to keep him in line, Brien is brought closer to a man who is out of his reach.

Devon is the stable master, but his confidence is only with the animals in his care. With the new faces arriving at the castle his anxieties rise when he finds out firsthand their opinions on half-Fae mingling with humans, let alone other knights. While trying to deny his feelings for Brien, will Devon be able to assert his rightful place in the castle?

The two of them work together for the festival’s success but the more time they spend together, Brien and Devon can’t deny their growing attraction. With the new knights proving troublesome, will the festival be a success? Or will the fun and games take a darker turn?

This series is intended for mature readers. It is a Steamy MM Fantasy Romance featuring explicit scenes and adult themes. 

Likes:

  • Medieval/fantasy theme.
  • The base idea is good.

Dislikes:

  • Descriptions weren’t as good as they could have been.
  • Could use a line editor.
  • Could use beta readers.
  • Needs more work to convey everything to the reader.
  • Hard to keep all the Knights straight.

DNF 40%

Despite the fact that I didn’t finish the book, it wasn’t bad. I’m just used to better quality. After I found myself putting the book down for the umpteenth time, I decided to cut my losses.

The overall plot is interesting. A knight and the stable master, one fully human, the other half-Fey. The book has a lot of medieval flair along with a dash of high fantasy, which is normally right up my alley.

Unfortunately, the writing needs work. I do feel like the author knows what’s going on and has a solid idea of what the story is about. However, there can be a loss of information when the story gets translated from idea to written words, and it feels like that’s what happened here. The bones of the story are there, it just needs to be fleshed out.

A lack of description is probably the thing this book’s biggest problem. A little of that is physical description, but it’s more than that. I need a book to paint a picture in my mind. Use all five senses and ground the story firmly in a place. I got a good idea of the stables and the palace walls, but not of the bigger picture. I needed even a brief glimpse of the ecosystem existing within the castle, even if that ecosystem isn’t important to the story.

That bigger picture would have let me get closer to Brien. I feel like I don’t know him at all. He’s a knight, and kind, but I only see him when he’s around Devon, which is mostly in the stables. I can’t help being annoyed at how small a window I have into the world of the story, given that I know there’s so much more I’m not being shown.

To this end, I think a few good beta readers would help this story immensely. That could have pointed out that people might have trouble remembering which knight is which, since there are a lot of them. A good line editor would come in handy as well, to smooth out the clunky sentences and remove extra punctuation.

I’m giving the book 3 stars because it’s definitely not the worst self-published book I’ve tried to read, and I am more lenient with self-published stuff. But with so many better books out there, it simply wasn’t worth finishing.