Midnight Sun (Twilight #5) by Stephenie Meyer

Midnight Sun is a retelling of Twilight from Edward’s POV – and a retelling of only Twilight, which with roughly 700 pages makes up for a rather long book.

I found Edward’s POV highly interesting and up to halfway mark I was going to give it stars. However, around the time of their first date, Edward’s inner reflections become repetitive and between 50-70% the story is rather tedious.

Fortunately, after around 70% the pace picks up and the story brings up fresh elements from the time when Edward and Bella are separated.

And so, after about four months, I was able to finally finish it! And now I’m back to wishing what I wished in the beginning: to see Edward’s POV of the rest of the series, especially the beginning of New Moon, when he is yet again away from Bella. Although I can also guess how his agonising could once again turn boring.

On the other hand, I also want Stephenie Meyer to continue The Host. In any case, whatever she decides to write next, I will definitely give it a shot, because Midnight Sun did reaffirm my impression that her books are, while not literary masterpieces, not half as bad as certain online/book community circles believe them to be.

A Seditious Affair (Society of Gentlemen #2) by K. J. Charles

I have had A Seditious Affair on my to-read list for far too long, because I wasn’t in the mood for the level of angst and the type of characters I expected to encounter in it – and then my expectations turned out to be completely wrong.

Set against the tumultuous end of 1820s London, A Seditious Affair turned out to be an utterly absorbing with just the right pace and the level of suspense that kept me reading and reading, so I could barely put down and finished it in only a couple of days.

The main characters grew on me quickly and I was rooting for them throughout the story as they were such a fascinating pair of contrasts that complement each other. Most importantly, however, they were actually my age (why on Earth I expected them to be much younger, I don’t know, but this age worked extremely well), and I loved that!

On top of everything, the writing was not just good, but beautiful – and I may have to go (re)read some darn romantics now (even though immersing too much the concepts of romanticism are not good for my mental well-being, precisely because I find them so very relatable.)

All in all, A Seditious Affair was a captivating and wonderfully spun story with tangible sentiment and vivid setting that engaged all senses and really brought the time, place, and people to life. It was my first, but not last book by this author. And really, why was I waiting so long? But better late than never.

The Dirty Ones by J. A. Huss

NOTE: The book reviewed contains themes only appropriate for those above the age of majority.

A group of students at an elite college is pushed into an unusual – let’s call it adventure in their senior year.

Ten years later someone writes a book about it that tells the truth. Or does it? As they reconnect to uncover the book’s author, they fall into a spiral of memories, intrigues, and convoluted relationships, both past and present.

The plot that unravels completely blew me away, in particularly the twist near the end. 

I can best describe The Dirty Ones as a psychological erotic mystery thriller, the least emphasis being on erotic, although it sure contains some filthy smut. But whatever you expect from this book, I promise you are going to be wrong. A good kind of wrong, though.

Overall, this world and story of this book are opulent, sensual, emotive, and above all very human and will certainly stay with me for a long time.

The Dirty Ones was my first book from J. A. Huss, but I will surely return to her for quality writing, vivid imagery, and fantastic storytelling.

Someone Else’s Fairytale (Someone Else’s Fairytale #1) by E. M. Tippetts

The concept of Someone Else’s Fairytale – a movie star falling for the one girl whose dream isn’t a hot movie star falling for her – was intriguing, but that was also all.

However, it kept me reading through to the end, which earns it half a star more than it would have for the plot and the characters. Because this was one of the dumbest stories I have ever read. And there were so many annoying things.

Of course the male BFF is actually pining for the main character in a romantic way. Or is she pining for him? I don’t know. Because clearly men and women can’t be ‘just’ friends. Right.

The said BFF also presumes to tell the protagonist who she shouldn’t be friends with and how often she should talk to them. Red flags rising my hackles all around.

Then, Chloe, from whose POV the story is written, sounds awfully immature, despite being through quite an ordeal in childhood and apparently having to take care of herself. She is 21, but her actions and even more her reasoning are those of a 15-year-old. As someone who basically had to grow up at 14, I couldn’t at all relate to her childishness – and it shows the author clearly wrote neither from experience nor from sufficient research.

But most of all, the story is just bland, as in, there isn’t any story – only enumeration of this and that which happens, and the reader knows the main characters will get a HEA anyway. There is some drama due to Chloe’s past, but it doesn’t really serve the story, although it is rather interesting on its own, and I think the author would have had more success with it if she had written a YA thriller about that ordeal instead of this ‘romance’.

The characters are equally bland. There are hardly any descriptions (and I don’t mean hair/eye colour, height and whatnot; there aren’t even any mannerisms and such that make up a person(ality)), unless you count  unfavourable ones of the supposedly hot movie star. And while leaving physical appearances up to the reader’s imagination can work out marvellously, this isn’t the case in Someone Else’s Fairytale. Hence, everyone seemed just words on paper, dead, and I felt no connection to any of them.

Which brings me to the last and worst: the story was feeling-less. It is supposed to be a romance, but I couldn’t feel a thing reading it. Angst? Love? (Who am I kidding?) Tension? Happiness? Sadness? Anything? Nope, nothing. A phone book makes me feel more.

At least it was free on Kindle.

Buy Me, Sir by Jade West

NOTE: The book reviewed contains themes only appropriate for those above the age of majority.

Buy Me, Sir takes obsession and deception on a whole new level with the amount of creepy stalking Lissa employs in order to get Alexander in her panties. It is downright scary, but also astounding and kind of awe-inspiring, especially with the sort of devotion she takes what she gets.

Lissa's mindset, combined with Alexander's dark sexual preferences and personal and domestic issues and a couple of despicable antagonists, provide for a highly intense, suspenseful story – so much so I needed to take a good three-weeks-long break right in the middle before continuing reading.

Thus, and with the help of a handful of other colourful characters, Jade West spins a multi-layered, well-rounded plot that digs into the depths of both main protagonists and draws a painful, but incredibly beautiful story that has you rooting for the couple 100%.

And to make it all better it delivers the kind of ending they deserve and that makes all the pain they - and the reader – go through worth it.

Count on Jade West for a well-written and well-developed dark romance.

Hostage (Criminals & Captives #2) by Annika Martin & Skye Warren

NOTE: The book reviewed contains themes only appropriate for those above the age of majority.

Hostage was so good that I took a break for a week at about three quarters in so it would last longer, because I didn’t want it to end too soon.

Although we knew about Stone’s history from Prisoner, getting his point of view was equally if not still more devastating as we saw how he, being the eldest, took upon himself the responsibility of taking take care of the others, both in the past and in the present, and doing the dirty work himself so others wouldn’t have to.

And then there is Brooke, seemingly a spoilt rich girl who has everything, but who lets us see behind that façade from the get-go and gives a reader a lot of food for thought regarding how much of the ‘happiness’ and ‘wealth’ some people have could be just putting up appearances and following the invisible rules of the elite .

Brooke, somewhat naïve and innocent to an extent, with her highly-regulated life, and the hardened, disillusioned Stone, stripped of any notions of ‘propriety’ couldn’t be more different. And yet, they complement each other and fit together perfectly.

As Brooke puts it herself, she is a good influence on him and he is a bad (but in a good way) influence on her – while she shows him he doesn’t have to be a monster and can still have a life beyond vengeance, he teaches her how to stand up for herself and be her own person, and they both help each other see a way to live a life not predetermined by their past or other people and stay true to themselves even as they change each other.

Hostage takes place over several years, encompassing the time before and after Prisoner and brings the story to a wrap. Hence, although I would love to see other guys’ stories, I would also be fine with the series ending here, as the ending is very satisfactory and actually even more so than I had expected going in.  

Other qualities I praised in Prisoner – great writing, vivid side characters, real stakes, truly dark elements, and organic development of the romance among others – are also present in Hostage.

All in all, Hostage was what very few sequels are – even better than the first book, and I cannot recommend this duet enough to the lovers of dark romance.

Prisoner (Criminals & Captives #1) by Annika Martin & Skye Warren

NOTE: The book reviewed contains themes only appropriate for those above the age of majority.

This was finally a dark romance that met all my expectations and more.

For starters, the plot with its twists and turns was well-thought through and made sense as did both main and other characters’ choices – there was a good reason behind every decision and outcome.

It was actually dark, as in the criminals really were criminals, and there was kidnapping, murder, and very dubious consent involved, among other things.

And yet, the solid development of the romance angle made me root for Abby and Grayson so hard from the very beginning, because their connection was virtually tangible on all levels, from physical to intellectual and spiritual, and they (as well as other characters) felt alive, fleshed out in all their badness, goodness, and everything in between, with their backstories getting slowly revealed in exquisite pieces in just the right spots over the course of the story.

I loved Abby, who is smart and brave, but also very aware of her anxieties and limits. And my heart broke for Grayson and his ‘crew’ even when they were darn terrifying. And speaking of his crew, they are such a rich ensemble of supporting characters that aren’t just stock chess figures but come to life on the page even with their limited time and roles – and I am so looking forward to reading more about them (as I see there is at least one more book already out, and hopefully more to come.)

And, as the cherry on top of it all, the book is not just well, but beautifully written.

The ending is not your traditional hearts-and-flowers HEA, but is still very much a happily-ever-after in a way that fits these two characters (even if not one we would want to imagine for ourselves.)

So, both gutting and heart-warming, this is an exceptional, clever story which I would highly recommend for those not of faint heart who want a look at the dark side of romance.

Pet (Captive Prince short stories #4) by C. S. Pacat

Note: This review contains SPOILERS.

SUMMARY (from Goodreads): Pet follows the rise of Ancel at the poisonous court of Vere. Set during the events of Captive Prince.

MY THOUGHTS: 

Pet turned out to be one of those why-haven't-I-read-it-sooner books for me, because I wasn't particularly interested in Ancel, but I should have known better.

Not only did C. S. Pacat ruin me with Laurent/Damen feels despite them appearing in the story only in that single horrible scene (you know which one) yet again but also managed to make me feel for Ancel.

On first impression, Ancel appears to be driven by ruthless ambition alone, but beyond that it is survival itself that drives Ancel to master selling himself in order to climb the social ladder to the top; and who can blame him for that? The path is, however, paradoxical, because the higher one gets in the Veretian society and the more means for a (luxurious) living one obtains, the more one's very life is in danger.

In addition to the familiar atmosphere of intrigue, we see through Ancel's eyes how ingrained the oppressive concept of 'pets' is in pets themselves, most notably at his utter disdain for Erasmus and his predicament/distress, which with only his own experience to judge the matters by makes perfect sense (despite, obviously, being wrong.)

I really liked Berenger's character and the somewhat surprising tones of the relationship between Ancel and Berenger.

And finally, I loved the ending for the rather unexpected positive turn that looks into a hopeful (hopefully!) future, knowing the path of the main series. But at the same time I am also a bit mad/sad/frustrated that this is The. End. Darn.

The Cold King by Amber Jaeger

Note: This review contains SPOILERS.

At first, this was so bad that it was sort of entertaining.

We have a Cinderella-meets-the-Beauty-and the-Beast-with-a-hint-of-the-Phantom-of-the-Opera-like story that reads like terrible BDSM, just without sex (which actually makes it worse), but with a generous dash of brainwashing.

The male protagonist (aka the villain, I am certainly not calling him a hero) is a sadistic and manipulative asshole, who throws the female protagonist in a dungeon to make the transition from her old life to the new one ‘easier’ – for him, of course. After all, it is much easier to brainwash someone to accept common human decency and having one’s basic needs met as luxury if one has only ever been shown cruelty – though, as they say, the absence of cruelty is not the same as kindness – than win them over by treating them right from the beginning.  

The cold king is a typical abuser, targeting the weak and isolated and tearing them down before building them back up to his own desires by making them completely dependent on him, all of which he justifies as improving their lives and showering them in luxury they could never experience otherwise.

Even Calia recognises that as shitty but falls for it hook, line, and sinker, as does everyone else – who, by the way, does nothing to help her at least with good advice. But, after all, that is neither Calia’s nor the others’ fault, since they are all victims and Calia with her reasoning the most typical of them all.

The cold king is supposed to be a tortured hero, but even if his pain is understandable, it doesn’t excuse his behaviour. I couldn’t feel even remotely sorry for him or his predicament for being cursed (with the curse of his own doing.) He also has a giant ego, and naturally, as people of his kind do, knows better what is best for Calia and others then they do themselves.

Calia herself is an ‘extreme Cinderella’, ignored and disliked by everyone, including her horrible, abusive, and neglectful mother. Her poor fortune and suffering (in comparison to everything else, all her crying was the least of a bother) is exaggerated to the maximum in order to garner sympathy. Needless to say, it didn’t work for me.

She is also quite a bit of a Mary Sue, suddenly becoming pretty (no, hair growth does not work like that!), graceful, and smart (she learns to read very fast, knows things she had nowhere to learn (such as doing cuff-links), passes sound judgements, etc.), except, of course, for her own situation.

All of the above perpetuates the terrible message that if a woman suffers quietly through abuse, accepts her lot in life, and moulds herself completely to the abuser’s wishers, she will get her fairy-tale ending.

Because, of course, in the end the male protagonist falls in love with her (which also undoes the curse, duh!) and learns the error of his ways and changes for the better and treats her like a queen (literally) – which doesn’t happen in real life.

Calia only develops a bit of a spine towards the end, but only because she is hurting by her love not being requited, and not, you know, because of all other terrible things the cold king has done to her.

The book only gets worse after the half-way mark when we suddenly get multiple, jumping POVs, including the omniscient POV (either that or Calia becomes telephathic), and every ridiculous romance (but not romantic) cliché in existence is used and abused for the contrived quasi-love story.

With putting Calia in the role of a personal servant – who basically does what a valet would – and other characters’ occupations, Jaeger tried to subvert gender roles, which would be commendable, but fell flat due to the characterization which was unflattering in Calia’s case and virtually non-existent in other characters who were mostly bland and one-dimensional.

Add to this an attempt of ‘progressiveness’ by having the cold king be accepting of a same-sex couple, except that it was poorly executed, since kindly ‘overlooking’ their ‘friendship’ is not exactly the same as not being homophobic.

I won’t even go into all the inconsistencies within the story. For example, the setting is undecided on whether to be steampunk-ish with some ‘high’ tech, such as a likeness of modern plumbing and the use of diamonds for industry and craft, or one of a pre-industrial impoverished agricultural society.

Perhaps indecisiveness is at the core of this book’s problems. The blurb says that “… Not every Beast is a prince charming at heart and not every Beauty is a maiden just waiting for love…” and perhaps the author wanted to be edgy and actually re-tell The Beauty and the Beast as a story about abuse, but failed at it, because the end result is something that goes back and forth between trying to be just that (mostly) and a classic HEA fairy-tale but ending up as a horrible mess instead.

Overall, by the end of the book, I wasn’t entertained by the bad-ness of it anymore, only disgusted. 

Finding Anna series by Sherri Hayes

Note: The series reviewed contains themes only appropriate for those over the age of 18. Some of the content may be triggering. Also, take heed that there may be some mild SPOILERS ahead.

Finding Anna isn’t what I expected it to be, but in a good way.

Although it is categorised as erotic romance, this 4-book series is really a story about a victim of human trafficking and sexual slavery taking back her life with both the help of other people and her own iron will.

Like the story, Stephan is not a typical protagonist of the genre, either. I liked that he isn’t the tortured hero with a dark past type, but is a genuinely good person and does not just his best to help Anna, but what actually is best for Anna. Which doesn’t mean that he doesn’t mess up, because he does.  

However, for a change from a lot of male protagonists in the genre, Stephan doesn’t hesitate to acknowledge his faults, apologise for his mistakes and try to fix them. For the most part, though, he is a level-headed man, with the patience and self-restraint of a saint, and would be almost too good to be true, if not for having a few actual flaws.

Even though Anna is very dependent on Stephan (as she would be on any other given person, considering that she literally cannot function on her own after her captivity), Stephan doesn’t take advantage of that. On the contrary, he encourages her to spread her wings and return into the world – but at the pace that is comfortable and safe for her. And even when, out of concern for her, he disagrees with her decisions, he still supports her and helps her carry them out in any way he can, even if it means having to step aside.

Additionally, I loved that Stephan isn’t Anna’s only source of support and doesn’t limit her to his social circle; Anna also reunites with a childhood friend, who also brings other people into her life, and I loved how both men put their mutual dislike and distrust of each other aside for her sake.

For erotic romance, Anna and Stephan’s relationship is pretty tame and doesn’t go further than light kink and develops slowly, progressing to intimacy only towards the end of the second book. Which is good and necessary, as it is contrasted against Anna’s horrendous past experiences.

Hence, Finding Anna is an emotionally demanding series, both for the references and flashbacks to the abuse Anna has been through (and which can be hard to stomach, so be warned) and the ways it affects her in the present.

That said, it is also very satisfying to see Anna recovering from her trauma, regaining her sense of self, and reclaiming her sexuality. And although that is bound to be a life-long process, Anna’s abusers don’t win. She does. And gets to live (mostly, I assume) happily ever after. 

The Adventures of Charls, the Veretian Cloth Merchant (Captive Prince short stories #3) by C. S. Pacat

SUMMARY (from Goodreads): The Adventures of Charls follows the dealings of a humble cloth merchant in the days before the royal Ascension. Set after the events of Kings Rising and The Summer Palace.

MY THOUGHTS:

I am only taking away a star because of that abrupt ending. I need Charls's reaction when he figures it out, damn it! And, well, Damen’s or Laurent’s POV would be immensely more welcome. Although, I can well imagine our beloved kings had fun trolling Charls behind his back the entire time.

I pretty much loved everything, from all the undercover shenanigans to Laurent totally being ‘chaotic good’ and the mention of the cuff (I assume Laurent is still wearing his, too) to all the glimpses into Damen and Laurent from Charls’s POV.

Seeing the events and characters through Charls’s eyes was definitely entertaining as he is very perceptive in some ways (and I loved his loyalty and concern for both Laurent and Damen, I mean, Lamen), but his wit fails him in certain aspects and leaves him terribly (but adorably) oblivious.

All in all, The Adventures of Charls, the Veretian Cloth Merchant made me laugh and smile and still does even days after reading it, and was a great addition to the Captive Prince universe.

DNF Review: Lords of the City by Alice Ward

Note: The book reviewed contains themes only appropriate for those over the age of 18. Also, take heed that there are some SPOILERS below.

There is a first time for everything, including writing a DNF review, right?

Lords of the City is a bundle of standalone romance novels featuring Chicago billionaires finding their HEA with the women (and the readers, I guess) they bring to their knees with their alpha-maleness and bad boy attitude.

Alas, the stories themselves fall extremely short of this highly misleading description, apart from the first novella. 

This is what I noted down when I finished Lured:

It is a shame this wasn’t a full novel, because Niall and Emma and their relationship totally intrigued me. Unfortunately, as it is only a novella, the story, characterization, and relationship development (or not-development) are rushed and one has to imagine and/or speculate about the depths of their characters and relationship, although there are so many things that should/could be explored more in depth in regard to both characters, but especially Niall, which are only hinted at.                                                                                  
Nevertheless, it is an interesting introduction to the series and I expect the epilogue novella will function as a second part and hopefully deliver a satisfactory (and happy) conclusion to this tragedy. And it is a tragedy, because while Niall behaves like a jerk and he is an idiot, there are certainly reasons for him being as he is and I really need to see him getting to the bottom of his idiocy and his painful (I assume) past and become a better man.                                                                
And while I can give Niall a bit of a benefit of the doubt, I also understand Emma’s hurt and her own conclusions about Niall’s supposed (at least currently) irredeemability.                                                                                                                                  
Overall, it was a bit of a hit-and-miss, because it felt like I could like the story and the characters but I missed that added depth that would make me actually like them. The price of the shortness, I guess.

And that was all that was good about the series.

I read a few chapters of Torn, but I should've guessed that the protagonist describing herself as quirky couldn't mean anything good. I couldn't get into the book, because I didn't feel any connection to the characters.

I found Noah particularly annoying with his wish to remake the female protagonist (I can't even remember her name) into what he wants 'his' woman to be. Fine, if you want to have a dress code for your company and compensate your employees for having to readjust their wardrobe to fit the code. But forcing a woman to limit her style exclusively to 'curve-hugging' dresses with disregard of her own comfort and style is sexist and disrespectful, not romantic and certainly not 'professional' and the book lost me there (especially with the 'quirky' lady happily going along with it.)

I tried the beginning of the second book, but I, again, wasn't drawn neither to the story nor to the characters. So, I decided to quit and not even bother with the third book.

The epilogue novella was a also a disappointment, because instead of continuing Niall and Emma's story, Emma simply disappears and instead of her another woman appears in Niall's life out of the blue and I guess he gets his HEA with Candace (but of course it must be Candace), probably without having to overcome his inner turmoil or, god forbid, change.

Also, despite the description that says that these lords of the city would bring us to our knees during a 'raw, emotional journey', these 'bad, bad boys' and their supposedly 'sexy and delicious' stories were pretty tame and far from 'thrilling' – quite the contrary, to me the series was actually too boring to finish.

There are two parts of another Ward's series included in the bundle but I didn't even bother with those.

I can see why this was on sale: give people a deal price for the bundle and 'lure' them in with the first, otherwise unavailable, novella, just in case at least some people might find any appeal in the rest of the materials included.

Overall, the best part of this was the prologue novella, Lured, even with its tragic ending, which I guess was also worth the price of a bit over an euro, while the rest was a free 'bonus'. 

3 stars for Lured, 0 stars for the rest. 

Dark Skye (Immortals after Dark #15) by Kresley Cole

Note: The book reviewed contains themes only appropriate for those over the age of 18. Also, take heed that there are some SPOILERS below.

Before they were mortal enemies, they were childhood best friends. Despite belonging to enemy factions. Three (well, four, eventually) dead parents later, their friendship – let alone anything more – is over, seemingly irreparable, replaced by pain, fear, and resentment. Or is it?

I have to appreciate time and again in IAD series, how Kresley Cole’s concept of ‘fated’ mates means anything but a guaranteed happy ending (within the story; on a meta level, of course we all know it will happen) for the pairing of the moment, for there are so many things that could go wrong and keep them apart, destiny or no. I love that it takes much more than ‘fate’ for love to win.

That is also the case for Melanthe and Thronos: it only takes them five centuries of running and pursuit, before they even start resolving the hurt and misunderstandings from their past and working towards a future (trying to survive while having only each other to rely on helps a lot, though, even when they ‘hate’ each other.)

Granted, the said resolving starts off a bit slow and that made me feel a little underwhelmed and frustrated (If only they talked to each other!), but once they get past a critical point, the story picks up and, damn, it is worth every moment of the earlier frustration.

Hence, I ended up absolutely loving Melanthe and Thronos’s story: one of the most painful, tragic, but also heartfelt and beautiful ones in this series; they ended up being one of my favourite IAD couples, just as I had expected and hoped for.

Furthermore, in Dark Skye, Cole pulls together quite a few threads from other stories and the larger Ascension plotline, bringing us up to speed with some of my favourite couples from the previous books. Which made me want to reread some; I think I might have to check back to at least Cadeon and Holly’s and Rydstrom and Sabine’s stories, and maybe Lothaire. (But when will I have the time to both reread and continue the series, that is the question.)

I loved seeing Nix’s perspective and the revelation why she is playing the matchmaker for so many pairings: because, ultimately, all the mixed-factions couples will come in handy for joining Vertas and Pravus in the fight against a common enemy, the Bringers of Doom. Because this will be an Ascension on a whole new level, apparently, and I am so looking forward to it. (And Nix coming out of it as the goddess of Ascensions prediction is perfect for her.)

I could flail about so many more details, but I don’t want to spoil everything for those who haven’t read the book, yet.

In conclusion, therefore, let me just say that Dark Skye is a fascinating, intense, and clever story. It was one of the instalments I had been looking forward the most, and, even if it didn’t look like it in the beginning, it truly lived up to it.

Now, I must hurry and read Sweet Ruin, so I can next get to Shadow’s Seduction (which was released today) ASAP.

Beyond series by Kit Rocha

Note: The book series reviewed contains themes only appropriate for those over the age of 18.

Those of you who follow me on Goodreads may have noticed that I burned through the 13 books (well 3 of those are short stories and 3 novellas, but still) of this series in January, which is more reading (not counting fanfiction) that I had done in 2016 altogether.

Apart from the mini-reviews posted directly on GR as I finished each book, I didn’t review them, because, truthfully, I would have just repeated myself a lot. Also, I preferred to spend the time I would have put into struggling with how to write reviews into actual reading.

However, I loved this series so much that I still feel the need to flail about it. Beyond series is set in a post-apocalyptic, dystopian world, and the first book starts off as erotica with plot (about 50/50), but sets up the world-building just enough to tempt you to continue the series.

And then you are trapped.

Because with each book, the world gets more and more expanded and complex and keeps you hooked. The development of the over-arching conflict between the opposing sides is extremely compelling and the series tackles a number of real-life issues with an incredibly sensitive and insightful approach that surpasses that seen in many of so-called ‘high’ mainstream literature.  

And, of course, the authors are sneaky and keep introducing characters you fall in love with a few instalments before their actual stories. Hence, binge reading. Because you have to read on to see what happens to them. But you can always count on a happy ending in this series, which is just another major plus.

Have I mentioned I fell in love with all (well, except the evil ones, but those I loved to hate) these stupid asshole characters? Men and women. Yeah.

Anyway, there are many other things I could flail about, but since I don’t want to spoil anything for you (which was another reason for not reviewing each book on its own), let me just finish by saying that if you are a fan of dystopian lit combined with erotica, I highly recommend you check this series out.

MacRieve (Immortals after Dark #14) by Kresley Cole

Note: The book reviewed contains themes only appropriate for those over the age of 18.

Uilleam MacRieve appeared on the fringes of previous stories quite a lot and I felt like it was high time to pick up his story.

I had a rather long break from reading this series, but you can always count on Kresley Cole to sum things up enough to make you remember the important parts from the past instalments without making the story tedious.

So, we meet Uilleam – okay, I will go with Will, because that spelling is finger-breaking – a few weeks after the escape from the prison in book #11 as a broken man, plagued both by the ordeal he went through on the island as by the past wounds the experience re-opened, dinking himself to a stupor every day and planning a trip to the immortals’ suicide cove.

Enter Chloe Todd, a professional football (sorry, an European here, seeing the word ‘soccer’ hurts my brain) player about to see her life dreams come true by competing at the Olympics, who is suddenly faced not only about the existence of the supernatural and becoming one of them, but also with the fact that her father is not who she thought he was, but none other than Preston Webb, the sinister leader of the Order that hunts supernatural beings.

While everyone in the Lore is hell-bent on seeking out their revenge against Webb through his daughter, Will hides his fated mate to keep her safe, unaware that she is about to come into her immortality as one of the species he detests from the bottom of his heart for all he has suffered because of one of them as just a boy.

And that is when the real problems start. Fortunately, between these two idiots who could have avoided much trouble had they only communicated – although I have to give props to Kresley Cole: Will’s inability to communicate about his past trauma is very realistic – Chloe is rational enough to put some things together on her own and thus finds in herself enough patience for Will to catch up and do his part of psychological and emotional heavy lifting as well, eventually.

My heart broke for Will in regard to certain aspects of his backstory, but I loved that she picked a male protagonist to deal with that, because it is all too often that males are dismissed as potential victims and I loved how Kresley Cole dealt with that particular topic.

And finally, Kresley Cole managed to surprise me with the Ubus people, of whom we have been told again and again in the series that they are evil, but of course there is more to that than that and I absolutely loved the twist regarding that species and I would love to see more of them now, with everything we learned in MacRieve.

The Summer Palace (Captive Prince short stories #2) by C. S. Pacat

The Summer Palace is a short story that serves as an epilogue to Kings Rising, with Damen and Laurent meeting at the summer palace for a well-deserved respite from trying to consolidate their positions and secure the future of their people.

The story of their reunion is a triple wonder as it offers glimpses into the aftermath of the final events of Kings Rising while allowing Damen and Laurent to finally enjoy their time together and at the same time process – with each other’s help – some of the hardest parts of their past.

(Except for one; but I think it was the right choice of the author not to cramp everything into such a short story and leave that out, either for some future story or for the readers’ own imagination, not to mention that dealing with everything in the span of one evening would have been too much for the characters, as well.)

As such, The Summer Palace is utterly touching; it made me both laugh and shed a tear. I didn’t think that I could love these two fictional characters more than I already had, but after this story, I do. I so do.

And against such beauty, I cannot possibly hold a few missed typos against the author, so all five stars it is, because all in all, The Summer Palace was brilliant, better than I could have ever imagined.

Labyrinth of Stone by TA Moore

SUMMARY (from Goodreads): Ten years ago the Black Rapture transported thousands of people, seemingly at random, from Earth to the strange, inimical world they call the Labyrinth. Will Teller was one of them. Surviving that meant joining an army and becoming better at killing than he's comfortable with. It's enough upheaval for anyone's life. The only problem is, apparently no one told his commanding officer that.

Pride, and heart, stung by abandonment, the icily controlled General Nathan Kearney has decided that Teller can either find the wayward lover, or he can take his place in Nathan's bed. That's pretty good motivation for a straight guy, only thing is - Teller's sexuality seems to have gone a bit Magic-8 Ball on that issue. Suddenly Nathan's starting to look pretty good, and the only question is whether or not Teller wants to be the consolation prize?

MY THOUGHTS:

I should probably reread Labyrinth of Stone to do it proper justice – and I’ll definitely give it another go – but since I don’t see the time for a reread in the near future, this will have to do for now.

In Labyrinth of Stone, TA Moore blew me away with her masterful world-building, once again, with the gritty, raw imagery of the alien, dystopian setting and its unique characteristics. The same goes for her characters: rough, complicated, hardened by circumstances, yet softened by distinct quirks and dry humour.

What I missed in the Labyrinth of Stone was at least a hint of a resolution to two of its major mysteries, but I can live with it.

All in all, Labyrinth of Stone is a fascinating story for its plot, setting, characterization, and relationships between various characters. With the way TA Moore crafts her words, sharp and eloquent, it was a delight to read.

RECOMMENDATION: If you are into no nonsense m/m Sci-Fi romance, I absolutely recommend you check out Labyrinth of Stone.

Green but for a Season (Captive Prince short stories #1) by C. S. Pacat

Green but for a Season is a Captive Prince short story about the relationship between Jord and Aimeric, set during the events of Prince’s Gambit. Or so the summary says, but it is actually mostly about Jord and less about Aimeric or their relationship, although that worked just as well for me.

Anyway, I had taken a glance at a few spoilers, so I thought I knew what to expect, but I wasn’t ready for this. So many Laurent feels!

Because, while Green but for a Season takes on Jord’s way into Prince’s Guard and his perception of the goings-on around him, we get to see the beginnings of Laurent’s struggle against the Regent. Through Jord’s eyes we witness the (re)formation of the Prince’s Guard and its struggles: Laurent gaining his men’s loyalty by first and foremost showing them his loyalty, the Regent’s attempts to sabotage him and nick his succession in the bud (and now we know why!), and Laurent’s perpetually astonishing foresight and character.

The red-line of the story, Jord’s and Aimeric’s relationship, falls from the forefront into the background while Jord reflects on the differences between aristocrats and commoners that make him wary of Aimeric interest. Thus, their relationship’s advancement is subtle, but fittingly so, and ends on a note where the reader can garner the rest from Prince’s Gambit, so Pacat does not need to repeat parts of the story, which is just another plus.

I feel like I shouldn’t write too long a review for such a short story, so I will stop here by saying that Green but for a Season is a delightful addition to the series and another gem in the already beloved world of the Captive Prince.

Kings Rising (The Captive Prince #3) by C. S. Pacat

Note: The book reviewed contains themes only appropriate for those over the age of 18.

With Damen’s identity revealed, he and Laurent must now face their usurpers while their fragile alliance is put to test by themselves, their allies, and their enemies.

I was very happy to discover that I had been right about one thing. And very unhappy that I also called the second thing, which… makes the Regent an (even more than you thought) utterly despicable character. Poor Laurent.

There really is nothing more to say that I haven’t said in my reviews of the first two books. In Kings Rising, Pacat continues to beautifully develop the characters and their relationships amidst the turmoil of political plots.

I loved seeing how far Damen and Laurent have come from the beginning, becoming their better selves with each other’s help: Laurent opening up and learning to trust, and Damen learning to play dirty (so to speak) and cunningly; and still they both remain themselves, only stronger. But mostly, I loved how much they were willing to do for each other, including sacrificing their lives for the other.

Again, I loved how the other characters were incorporated in the story that took some unpredictable turns. The ending was perhaps a little rushed, but fitting and satisfying: as the fight against their usurpers got more and more personal, it felt right that the epic battles of the second book were replaced with (much) smaller-scaled ones, but with much bigger stakes for both protagonists.

Here, at the end of the series, I want to say a word about the writing, which does suffer from a few mishaps and one or two inconsistencies.

However, considering how fast I read the series (Kings Rising only took me a day and a half!), unable to put the books down once I started them, I can say those didn’t take anything away from the overall enjoyment of the story and its overwhelming emotional impact (I admit, I’ve slammed the five stars button on an emotional high), especially in lieu of the otherwise often exquisite style that only enhances the beauty of this story. And all that more than warrants not retracting a star from my rating.

Finally, I hear there will be short stories. Actually, one already exists and I bribed myself to write this review by promising myself Green But for a Season as a reward. Which I will get to, shortly. :)

Prince’s Gambit (The Captive Prince #2) by C. S. Pacat

Note: The book reviewed contains themes only appropriate for those over the age of 18.

I only needed three days to read a book! Well, that says everything.

In Prince’s Gambit, Damen and Laurent travel to the border with Akielos to deal with the ever-lasting border disputes, facing adversaries and obstacles every step of the way.

The plot is full of surprises and suspense, brought on by ongoing political intrigues, and there is never a dull moment. Together with the setting, it makes up an incredibly rich story.

At the heart of the book are the characters, Damen and Laurent, getting to know and respect each other (and getting hot for each other.) All that while trying to stay alive, prevent a war, and unmask a conspiracy.

The characterisation is absolutely astonishing, the character development so well done for both characters, both starting from the opposite ends and revealing layers under layers… and it made me love both of them so, so much.

It is hard to say anything specific without spoilers, so I won’t. Except perhaps that I can’t with the brilliance of Laurent, who is clever and cunning and always not ten but twenty steps ahead of everyone else. Also, my heart breaks for him, because I think his Uncle/Regent might have at least tried something with him. Ouch.

Through the course of the book we can see how Laurent and Damen are not so different after all – above all, they are both honourable – and where they are, those differences are complementary.

They both come so far from the beginning, learning things about one another’s people and cultures, and changing in the process.

I liked that Damen is an imperfect hero, that he isn’t flawless, that he realises his own faulty preconceptions and youthful mistakes and learns better.

I see people asking where do other people (like me) see all of the above. I think it is because, simply reading doesn’t suffice: the series is not the kind of read you switch the brain off with and have a bit of a rest; on the contrary, you have to shift your brain into a higher gear and put in some effort.

However, C. S. Pacat’s writing reveals so much more than what is on the surface to someone who looks: the top layer is of course Damen’s limited, subjective POV, but underneath – between the lines, if you want – Pacat hides a veritable treasure of information.

One thing that shows that is, for example, the titles alone. Captive Prince and Prince’s Gambit superficially imply Damen as the prince in question, but I think the titles actually allude to both characters. For Laurent, too, is a captive to the Regent, and in the second book, there is not only Damen’s gambit for freedom, but also Laurent’s for his life and throne.

Like, I said, brilliant.

The last three chapters slayed me. I have nothing more to say. On to Kings Rising it is.