Samantha (bookgramsaga reviews)
>
Books:
favorite-authors
(139)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
my rating |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| B0DCK6PQPQ
| 4.24
| 237
| unknown
| Feb 05, 2025
|
it was amazing
|
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 ''I hadn't planned for you'' Safety warnings: - H 34 / h 22 - Arranged marriage - Dual V - Slight OW drama (meaningless) - Chronic Illness represe ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 ''I hadn't planned for you'' Safety warnings: - H 34 / h 22 - Arranged marriage - Dual V - Slight OW drama (meaningless) - Chronic Illness representation (Lupus & Fibromyalgia) - Violence/torture - D*ath - Mention of s*xual assault of a minor - Mention of cheating (not by MC's) - Surprise pregnancy - HEA SPOILERS BELOW ⬇️ SPOILERS BELOW ⬇️ SPOILERS BELOW ⬇️ SPOILERS BELOW ⬇️ Rafaele was such a mystery in the beginning. You could feel like there was so much more to him than what the entire world thought and what you were told. Nora is being forced to choose between Rafaele and his younger brother Leo. She's told by literally everyone that it is in her best interest to marry the younger brother and not Rafaele, the unfeeling psychopath. When she chooses Rafa and I loved the line when he finds out her decision ''Congratulations to me, and thoughts and prayers for her'' Things are progressing very slowly between them. He makes very little effort to be around her as he is already affected by her presence while she is desperate to make things work since this is her life now. He keeps trying to make himself believe that she means very little and will never be a priority but his tiny actions for her make you think otherwise. This is somewhat of a slow burn since he is pushing away a lot but when things start to progress with them, it's steamy and full of chemistry. When you find out that not only the OW drama his younger brother tried to bring up during their wedding is meaningless, you feel a sense of happiness, but it turns into bright joy when he reveals he is a virgin and never ever has had any experience with anyone. All his firsts are now with Nora. Nora is hiding a secret though and she keeps it for a LONG period of time within the book, up to the point where he finds out after she has pregnancy complications. There are some underlying subplots you saw coming from the beginning but there were in RG Angel's fashion a newer set of twists within what you already knew, making it all even more fun to read about. We get a nice look into their future with them having their daughter and living their best lives. ...more |
Notes are private!
|
1
|
Feb 05, 2025
|
Feb 06, 2025
|
Feb 05, 2025
|
Kindle Edition
| ||||||||||||||||
| B0DVC1XRDM
| 4.00
| 2,336
| unknown
| Apr 20, 2022
|
really liked it
|
None
|
Notes are private!
|
1
|
Apr 10, 2022
|
Apr 10, 2022
|
Apr 11, 2024
|
ebook
| ||||||||||||||||
| 1957568763
| 9781957568768
| B0CFM9PSV7
| 4.08
| 48,365
| Aug 13, 2024
| Aug 13, 2024
|
it was amazing
|
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ''And I knew there would always be us. Together. Always'' Safety warnings: - No cheating - No OW/OM drama - PTSD/Trauma - Mention of assault - Me ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ''And I knew there would always be us. Together. Always'' Safety warnings: - No cheating - No OW/OM drama - PTSD/Trauma - Mention of assault - Mention of abuse - Mention of loss of loved ones - Mention of parental neglect - HEA (but cliffhanger for the main plot points - FBAA endgame) SPOILERS BELOW ⬇️ SPOILERS BELOW ⬇️ SPOILERS BELOW ⬇️ SPOILERS BELOW ⬇️ Tbh I thought about why it took me so long to write my review and I am not over the fact that their series is over. This was my favorite series by Jla and Ash/Sera have become my ultimate book couple. Saying goodbye is bittersweet and not necessary in a way since they will be in the last FBAA book, and I bet you they also show up in Millie's book and who knows maybe Jla will give us a few short stories about them. We get a lot, and I mean A LOT of answers in this book. Mostly everything is explained but there are obviously some things that will need to wait for the last Poppy/Cas book before we find out. Ash and Sera thankfully spend the entire time in this book together and not separated. Seeing Ash be so open about his love for her and not only with her but with everyone else was such a massive contrast to what we were used to from him and how he was in the first book. He has grown and is allowing himself the happiness and pleasures he truly deserves. Sera, however, my heart broke for her. She was in denial and in a state of constant trauma induced moments from her time with Kolis. We find out more about what truly happened to him, and we now know he assaulted her with his hand. Jla did an amazing job showing us how Sera was dealing and how long it lasted before she was able to accept what happened and find peace. I am glad it was not swept under the rug and pushed aside, I wanted to see her truly overcome and understand that it happened and even if it was not as bad as it was for many others, it still happened and it still harmed her. We meet a few new characters in this book: Aydun the ancient who is answering the summons since we now know Ancients are Arae and Holland can no longer show favoritism towards Sera so he cannot answer her summons. We also get confirmation that Holland and Penellaphe are together, in love and she is pregnant.....WILLA???? It was not confirmed but I am hoping it is her. Veses and Kyn die, and it was great to see those two fuckers get what they deserve. Attes being the one to kill his twin brother was sad for HIM, but it needed to be done, and he knew it too and accepted his brothers fate. While Sera kills Veses even though we see how Veses truly never thought Sera would do it...which was crazy cause sweetie you know Sera does not give a fuck. Sera is obviously pregnant but it takes her forever to realize that and I knew because it took that long (almost towards the end of the book) that we won’t be seeing the twins being born and seeing them with their parents which was one of the only things I truly truly wanted but I hope she writes a few short stories about all that (as she mentioned she might in a Zoom live chat). I loved Ash's reaction to her pregnancy; he truly was amazed and happy. Something neither of them thought would ever occur for them so it really sucks to know their sons are the reasons for so many things in the FBAA timeline. ''Sera, I don't think I've ever wanted something more'' ''I know we will love them just as fiercely as we love each other'' ''We're going to be parents'' Honestly this whole entire conversation and chapter made me cry with them. You could feel how joyful this moment was and how damn happy they were. There is an explanation as to why the twins were born in the mortal realm and it was not at all what I expected but it makes sense. We get to see how the primals change and how Ash and Sera's group of friends become the new primals of those courts. Attes has decided to go into stasis after the death of his brother and Kolis's entombment. He is passing off his court to Lailah which he reveals to Sera he is in love with but he also lets her know he loved Sotoria too but he never pursued that ever because it was never the right thing to do.....so my money is on the fact Laylah and him finally get together later when he wakes up and live happy ever after because Jla said that Attes is the descendant of Cas and how could he had kids when he was in stasis and when he woke up who was it??? LAILAH it must be. We also have clear confirmation that Poppy is Sotoria reborn - Jla revealed that she is Sotoria reborn but she is also just Poppy so it is not like she is just Sotoria which would have made things super awkward with Attes and Cas lol I should mention that if you have gotten this fat into the review that there is a lot that happens in this book and writing it all down would have me spend days on here, so I am just writing whatever comes to my mind. Sera and Ash's planning to not bow to Kolis and eventually entomb Kolis came at a massive price, and we saw firsthand what it was.... Kolis gave the order to kill Sera's entire family and her town. Everyone is dead. Her stepsister and wife, mother, her people are all gone which causes Sera to lose control and destroy more of it herself and kill without thought. It's heartbreaking and I was crying during the chapters. I hate how Ezra had to die, and they had just reunited after Sera came back to see her, we also got a small, tiny bit of redemption for her mother who wanted to have a relationship with Sera, and it never happened. Ash, however, lets her know that he made sure her mother's soul was with her father once again. A small reprieve for the pain, I guess. The final battle before Kolis is locked away for good was intense and I am glad we did not lose anything more of the people we have come to love. Though the star which had Sotoria's soul was stolen, and you know damn well who it was. That last chapter where we are seeing what happens in the upcoming centuries after Kolis is entombed is ominous. Calum is the one who stole the star and went off and hid away, abiding his time before he could set things in motion. He is the reason for many of the things that also happen in the future, it was not just Malec's stupidity, but Calum was the one who told EVERYTHING to Isbitch. (Jla once again confirms this). The one thing that shocked me because it means what we truly believed in FBAA was even a lie to us was that the Primals and gods went to sleep BEFORE Malec was in the mortal realms but it is not true�.so you see when Sera goes apeshit and kills everyone, losing control she makes Ash promise her that he would stop her next time something like this happens so she will be stopped and cannot cause any harm. She makes him promise he will force her into stasis which he does only because she demands it out of sheer fear. So, we find out that Sera went to sleep BECAUSE of what happens to Malec and/or Ires and if left awake would cause absolute destruction to the world that harmed her children which means Ash forced her into stasis and as she is the true primal of life, her stasis caused the other gods and primals to follow suit. Which is why Nektas tells Poppy that the only way to wake her up is by bringing back Ires because then she would be controlled in her emotions and be able to not destroy. Ash was forced to place her so she would not seek vengeance. Absolute HEARTBREAK. A few other things that happened or were revealed: - We find out that the first ever human created is Sotoria's ancestor and that Sera is related to Sotoria through a long line of ancestors. - Aios and Belle's relationship is explored further, and we find out more about how they got together and how in love they are - Jadis and Reaver being adorable - Kolis's arm band does not have a horse like Ash's but a fucking DRAGON (which makes me think so does Sera’s, but we did not get to see that) - Sera transforms into her cave cat notam - An Ancient is deliberately doing things to allow for the Ancients to wake up and return but we do not know who AND ANOTHER THING THAT MADE ME GASP SO DAMN LOUDLY Sera makes Viktor promise to protect Sotoria when she is reborn, for him specifically the first and original Viktor to be her guard. And since Sotoria was reborn in Poppy that means that Viktor was the ORIGINAL and his last words to her before he died about failing were even deeper than we ever knew. Holy shit. Oh, and we also get a lot more backstory to him and how he came to be and wow the connection! Overall, I loved this, I loved this series. It was a hell of a ride, and we are not even in the endgame. —ĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔ�- The cover!!!! So beautiful ...more |
Notes are private!
|
1
|
Aug 12, 2024
|
Aug 16, 2024
|
Aug 16, 2023
|
Kindle Edition
| ||||||||||||||
| B0DVF5B3KF
| 4.11
| 4,649
| unknown
| Sep 18, 2023
|
it was amazing
|
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (ARC review) ''What makes me so unlovable?'' Safety warnings: - H 32 / h 25 - No cheating - No OW/OM drama - Loss of loved ones - Abandonment - PT ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (ARC review) ''What makes me so unlovable?'' Safety warnings: - H 32 / h 25 - No cheating - No OW/OM drama - Loss of loved ones - Abandonment - PTSD/Trauma - Emotional and mental abuse - HEA I didn't know what to expect from this book. I can honestly say I cried three times while reading it, there were moments that truly resonated with me on such a deep level. I truly could see myself within Lillian. Her main pain comes from the fact that her entire life she has been forgotten by the people who should never forget her, by people who she loves and deserves that love back from. My connection to her was not about her family but about her friends, I saw glimpses of my own life within those moments. She feels utterly forgettable, this was not a pity party or a sudden development but you get to see how it is all true and nobody seems to even care. I loved the way her pain and loneliness were captured, it felt genuine for me. Callan was a bit of a surprise; I didn't expect his own past to be so deeply embedded within him. I expected a few things to happen concerning him, but I was sort of shocked when it never happened (not that I am complaining). These two really balanced each other out. He was extroverted and out there in his everyday life while Lillian was stuck in the shadows the people around her had placed her into. He brought her a lot of comfort by just being near her and I enjoyed how wholesome so much of their time was. Despite the misunderstandings and moments of hurt, the two of them were such a great match. I do wish it was fleshed out a bit more but that is just my need for drama :D Bear in mind you will be absolutely frustrated with certain secondary characters and their behavior, I literally wanted to throttle so many people while reading this. This was definitely very different to what I am used to from Michelle, but it shows how incredible of an author she is to deliver something from the opposite spectrum and deliver. Also, a wonderful debut from Tayla! ...more |
Notes are private!
|
1
|
Sep 15, 2023
|
Sep 15, 2023
|
Aug 15, 2023
|
Unknown Binding
| ||||||||||||||||
| B098TQSCPK
| 3.73
| 35,356
| Nov 04, 2021
| Mar 2023
|
really liked it
|
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ RTC |
Notes are private!
|
3
|
Mar 02, 2025
Nov 05, 2021
not set
|
Mar 05, 2025
Nov 06, 2021
not set
|
Jul 09, 2023
|
Kindle Edition
| ||||||||||||||||
| 4.27
| 10,334
| Jun 12, 2023
| Jun 15, 2023
|
it was amazing
|
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (ARC review) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (Reread) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (3rd reread) ''You're the heaven in the middle of hell'' Safety warnings: - No cheating - No OW/OM ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (ARC review) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (Reread) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (3rd reread) ''You're the heaven in the middle of hell'' Safety warnings: - No cheating - No OW/OM drama - Descriptive torture/violence - Kidnapping - Loss of loved ones - Trauma/PTSD - HEA This was my favorite from this series! I’m sad it’s the end of this amazing world ...more |
Notes are private!
|
3
|
Jul 25, 2024
Aug 14, 2023
Jun 12, 2023
|
Jul 27, 2024
Aug 15, 2023
Jun 12, 2023
|
Mar 07, 2023
| ||||||||||||||||||
| 1957568496
| B0BQ77BJFR
| 4.11
| 96,715
| Oct 31, 2023
| Oct 31, 2023
|
it was amazing
|
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ''I will give you so much more'' Safety warnings: - No cheating - No OW/OM drama - S*xual assault - Physical assault - Mention of r*pe - Parental ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ''I will give you so much more'' Safety warnings: - No cheating - No OW/OM drama - S*xual assault - Physical assault - Mention of r*pe - Parental death - Captivity - Violence/d*ath - Mention of su*cide - Cliffhanger(ish) SPOILERS BELOW ⬇️ SPOILERS BELOW ⬇️ SPOILERS BELOW ⬇️ SPOILERS BELOW ⬇️ I'm late writing my review, but I was travelling and despite the fact I read this (I mean devoured) this book in less than 24 hours. This will obviously be a long review so prepare! I will start by saying I love Ash and Sera. I seriously believe they are the ultimate fantasy couple but of course everyone has their opinion but ever since book 1 I have loved them together and most importantly individually. They hit all the boxes I have concerning book couples and honestly in this one they went above and beyond my expectations. Sera was taken in the last book by Attes to be given to Kolis and I have to say I had my reservations about him and his actions, but this book explains it in a way that will not be totally satisfying for his reasons, but you will understand them. We also find out that he lost his children because of Kolis but nothing much more than that. Kolis believes that Sera is Sotoria, his long-lost love that was for all account one sided. We see an entirely new side of Kolis we KNEW existed because despite his madness, you feel bad for him in certain moments. He truly loved her, but he was also madly obsessed with her, and this blurred the lines. I truly think he just lost his damn mind a long time ago and maybe once upon a time he was good? I also see a lot of similarities with Malec in regard to how he has been described. I think there is a obvious balance between twins.... there has to be good and bad to balance it all: The twins: Eythos and Kolis: Obvious reasons Attes and Kyn: Kyn was just the worst, we finally got to know him through his actions - he has r*ped Veses before and was instructed to do it again which he obliged without a heartbeat, and he is just gross). We also find out that when he ascended Attest retained his memories, but Kyn lost them all and from what we have gathered Attes has mentioned that his brother was once good but is now lost. Ires and Malec: As far as we know Malec is the one that would be deemed ''bad'' we do not have enough information but it's safe to say even they were not safe from the balance. We already had an idea that Sera would be spending too much time with Kolis and his fanatics, so I was prepared for their separation but what I was not prepared for was the desperation of her. Her main concern throughout her captivity was how Ash was doing, if he was safe, if he was being harmed, how she could save him. Making bargains with Kolis for his safety and we know damn well if Ash knew about it then he would never allow it. The scene where Sera finds the stuff in the chests and one of them contains glass sex toys and she smashes one to use as a weapon and stabs Callum and gets out of the cage and kills a few more people before she is caught was epic. Honestly, Kolis had enough creeper moments to make you want to just throw him out the window, but I also saw the soft side of him. How much he wanted her to love him and accept him but then a minute later he would lose his shit and threaten or even harm her physically. He was completely unhinged, and you could not understand how he could think that Sotoria would ever love him. Sera is able to slightly feel her within herself as Sotoria� s soul is within Sera, and it was obvious from certain reactions from Sotoria that she was NOT in any shape or form loving or cared for Kolis. Sera is also assaulted by him; he drinks from her and gets off on it and also physically assaults her in a few occasions because he cannot control his anger. Now back to Attes - one of the most asked questions during the entirety of the FBAA world is WHO THE HELL IS THE SILVER HAWKE? Theories about it being Eythos grew but surprise and honestly should have been obvious to all of us after Attes was revealed to being Cas's ancestor that Attes was the silker HAWKE. Yeah - let that obviousness sink in because I felt stupid. He also pledged his loyalty to Sera and will support/help her. Also, another double agent is the guard who was placed to keep her within the caged room. He was placed there by Attest to keep her safe. Another thing we find out is that Attes and Eythos were great friends, and he knew of the plans Eythos had along with Keela. A lot happens in this book and yet for the first 60% of the book not much feels like it happens. It's hard to describe that part of the book and its progress. We find out a few new bits of information and get answers, but Sera is stuck and imprisoned and so is Ash as he is forced into stasis placed in a prison. Rhain is taken as a prisoner after Kyn finds him and we find out that he can speak to you through his mind (a power only known to a few) and Sera is able to bargain for his life by allowing Kolis a chance to get her to fall in love with him and a chance at a happy ending for them (barf). Thankfully he is let go safely. Despite Ash and Sera's separation for a good portion of this book (62% to be exact) we see them dreamwalk and interact as if they believe this is their own dream manifesting each other but WE the readers know right away this is dreamwalking and this proves another obvious theory that they are heartmates. She admits in her what she believes is her ''dreams'' that she loves him and is in love with him and even HE confesses his love for her but again she believes it’s her own dream and she is manifesting what she hopes he would say one day. Another big reveal? The meaning of Sotoria’s name. In the book we find out that SO means MY and SOLIS means my soul. And Sotoria means MY POPPY. Yeah - Sotoria's name is basically Poppy, and we now know that Poppy is most definitely Sotoria reincarnated or rebirthed. There were other reasons why this theory pans out and it has to do with the star that they have been looking for and we know Isbeth has in possession. We find out that the actual Star is the one in the caged room where Sera is in and Kolis allows her to touch it (after she asks for a big diamond he gives it to her to hold) and this is how it's revealed, but the most shocking part? The star holds Eythos's soul within it and when Sera touches it she sees the exact moment he dies and how Kolis did not truly mean to kill his brother and cries because of it. We also know that throughout his interactions and mentions of Eythos he is jealous and believed he was hated but in reality even until his death Eythos LOVED his brother. We also get the answer about Mycella and how she once felt something for Kolis, but her true love was Eythos, and that love was eternal, but she never wanted Kolis. Again, his mind created that idea because he is unhinged. After Sera accidentally reveals she saw that memory he loses absolute control and attempts to rape her and this causes her to lose control over her own powers (which he spends the entire time stopping her and threatening her to never use) - she gets the better of him and he is forced back and then she proceeds to stab him A LOT lol her power surge allows her to also open up the prison gates for Ash and he is also able to show up to get her just in time but not before destroying and killing a shit load of people in the sexiest manner. Thankfully Kolis seems to have been placed under stasis for the time being but it will not last, so they leave with the help of Attes and the guard Elias. They get Kolis out to stall for as long as they can before he awakens, so with the star Ash and Sera leave to deal with the next steps of their journey. NOW WE KNEW HER ASCENSION WOULD HAPPEN - My theory about her ascension panned out exactly as I imagined but first other stuff needed to happen. With the help of Keera and Attes they are able to free Eythos soul from the star and place Sotoria's soul within it so one day it will be reborn/rebirthed and Kolis can finally be killed and ended. Which also relates to the confirmation that Poppy is Sotoria (in a way). We also get to see Ash say goodbye to his father before his soul departs and it's.... yeah, I was crying. OH, YOU KNOW WHAT? I forgot another huge reveal about Sotoria and most importantly Callum. I haven't spoken about him at all. He is revealed to being her BROTHER and the first revenant but the reason he is so different is because when Kolis created him he had actual emotions and guilt, and he has tried to replicate the revenants after that but never could. SO yeah Callum is Sotoria's older brother, and he felt guilty concerning her death as he was supposed to be with her that day she ran off the cliff. Now back to Ash and Sera and the inevitable. He must be in love with her to ascend her, but he had his kardia removed and time is ticking since she is in the last remaining time before she will die. Remember her request of him when the time came? Go to her lake and that's where they do. This entire sequence of events tore my heart out and put it back together so masterfully. It was everything I envisioned for them and honestly Ash will never cease to amaze me how much he is superior to others. He never wanted her to die, he tried to prevent it for years and honestly that last word he said before he fed from her ''No'' was all I needed to know that he would never take her life, that it was beyond true when he said he would destroy the realms and everyone in it if she does not exist, that he would be WORSE than Kolis and everything we could ever imagine. However, Sera has no idea that he truly meant NO when he feeds from her, and she is already accepting her death and preparing for it but at the last minute we see Ash stop and beg her to feed from HIM and that he will ascend her and it doesn't matter how she comes back to him (demi or revenant etc) he will always want her. How he is only good because of her and this prompts her to accept and drink.... NOW we get the love confession from him...and what a confession it is: ''I can't lose you. I can't....I love you. I do. Fates, I do. I fucking love you. How can I not? How can this not be love?. I love you, even if I cannot. I'm in love with you'' From what we saw with Poppy, Sera must go to sleep and will awaken in due time, but we also get to see Ash talk to her during her ''sleep'' and tell her things. This is what Nektas was referring to when he told Cas to talk to Poppy as it helps, and it did. Sera did wake up a bit confused and PRIMAL but she remembered him. Of course, we get smut in this book and it's so good. Honestly, Ash in his primal form and her was everything we needed. I love their love and their chemistry. Ash finally reveals that his kardia has grown back because they are heartmates, and their dreams are not dreams but their dreamwalking and that they are also mates of the soul which was my theory that not only it was heart mates but soulmates! We get one final reveal concerning Ash and this is the big one: When was his kardia removed and why?? So, we know that he never wanted until her which means he never wanted anyone or anything before she entered his life, but we never got an explanation when he removed his kardia. A lot of people might have assumed it was decades ago and that is why he never wanted because he could not feel etc but he confesses to her it was days before he took her to the Shadowlands after she killed Tavius and it was ultimately because and only because of her and what feelings she brought out of him. That would be the reason that he would be wrecked. You see Ash saw a premonition/vision when Sera was born, of her in her lake as an adult smiling at him as she died in her lake. One day he sees her as a child at the lake and realizes this is a message that she will die and he needed to protect them from that fate as what he felt in that vision was so intense it scared him, he also saw that after her death the realms were destroyed, and he was the one who had done it. All that accumulated and when he finally got to see her and talk to her he realized he needed to not feel and removed it. So yeah, he was already in love with her before he had it removed and the kardia being gone did nothing to stop it as it was stitched back together as quickly as it could because of Sera and their connection. Sera is officially now the True Primal of Life and the Queen of the Gods...making Ash her consort lol but quickly made into King. There will be a lot of healing in the next book from Sera as she deals with her time with Kolis and the assault. If you made it this far then thanks for reading and I missed a bunch of stuff concerning this book. There is just a lot of information that is best read through the book itself. The end of the book is not a cliffhanger as they are just happy for the time being, but we know Kolis is back to being awake and that issue is still not dealt with. Next book will be about them putting him to sleep or something, but we also had a bit of a moment where it's hinted that Sera is either pregnant or will be as she sees a Cave cat with two cubs and the cave cat is her. We also have that teaser from Jen showing the two cubs and Sera waking up to realize its twins and she might be pregnant. Will we see the birth? I'm not sure it's all in the air but maybe not? I hope we do see Malec and Ires in some context in the final book of this prequel series. A few honorable mentions in this book: - We found out what was in the box and it was all her hair ties. - Jadis and Reaver did not make an appearance, but they were missed by everyone, especially Sera. - Orphine has died (her twin brother is still alive, but his sadness is heartbreaking). - Kyn will hopefully die. - Hanan's death by Ash was beautiful. - Attes and Sotoria might have had something once upon a time because of the way he spoke of her. - The scene where Ash's group of friend’s honor Sera before she goes to her lake to die was amazing. - Nektas being a badass and everyone being scared of him. - Nektas AGAIN interrupting Ash and Sera during sex to make sure they are okay lol and THE honorable mention? - Shadow daddy taking primal form and Sera being DP'd by his eather. I cannot wait for the final book and thankfully it's out in May 2024 so we only need to wait 7 months this time and in the meantime we get Willa's book that will hopefully give us more answers and insights. ...more |
Notes are private!
|
1
|
Oct 30, 2023
|
Oct 31, 2023
|
Nov 16, 2022
|
Kindle Edition
| |||||||||||||||
| B0BM7NW5MH
| 4.17
| 58,997
| Jan 26, 2023
| Jan 26, 2023
|
it was amazing
|
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (reread) Holy cliffhanger Batman |
Notes are private!
|
2
|
Dec 10, 2023
Jan 25, 2023
|
Dec 12, 2023
Jan 26, 2023
|
Nov 13, 2022
|
Kindle Edition
| ||||||||||||||||
| B0BSR4JC89
| 4.18
| 52,637
| Mar 02, 2023
| Mar 02, 2023
|
it was amazing
|
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (reread) ''She's the other half of my unbound lust and possessiveness'' Safety warnings: - H 30 / h 22 - No cheating - No OM drama - OW drama - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (reread) ''She's the other half of my unbound lust and possessiveness'' Safety warnings: - H 30 / h 22 - No cheating - No OM drama - OW drama - Attempted s*xual assault - Violence - Edging - Knife play - Cliffhanger SPOILERS BELOW ⬇️ SPOILERS BELOW ⬇️ SPOILERS BELOW ⬇️ SPOILERS BELOW ⬇️ Be aware I will keep adding to my review until everything I can possibly think of is written down. I need a good month to get over this book. Did I enjoy it more than book 1? Yes Did it hurt more than book 1? Fuck yes! Will I send Rina my therapy bill? You best believe it. Let's dive in because we already know this is going to be a long review and I have more feelings than I can possibly explain. The book starts with a look at 13-year-old Kirill, and we see that he has known Adrian since he was young, and it also shows the start of the torture he went through from his father. His little brother and sister both love him, and he is super protective over them. Right after this chapter we are back to the ending of book 1 and we see Kirill follow Sasha to Russia. He goes for two reasons: 1) He has a bad feeling about her trip and wants to make sure she is safe 2) He wants to see the ''lover'' she has and kill him. We all know Sasha has NO lover despite what Kirill has created in his head, he is so jealous and possessive that he cannot let go of this narrative. My theory going in was that Viktor was with him during the shooting at the end of book 1 and dies but I was proven wrong which actually made me happy as I don't wish the guy any harm! He is actually in Russia but not allowed to follow Kirill when he goes in search of Sasha. Sasha witnesses Kirill get shot and chooses to save him over letting her uncle and grandmother kill Kirill. She takes him to the hospital and gets a hold of Viktor who joins her, asking questions she cannot answer. Kirill is in unstable conditions and almost dies but he is thankfully saved and taken back to NY after waking up and being stable enough to travel. ''Is this how I will die? Staring at these cruel eyes that I once dreamed would soften?'' BUT OF COURSE, Kirill no longer trusts Sasha, he views her as his enemy and he is absolutely pissed off with her to the point he ignores her, pushes her out of her position and his inner circle. They never speak and it's just an all-around sad time. This goes on for months until she eventually forces him to take her back and he does out of spite, but their sexual relationship is dead in the water. They have no intimacy, and he is still keeping her at arm’s length even after she is back to being his guard. ''Erasing her is nowhere near possible'' There is one scene where he attempts to use sexual methods to get her to admit to anything that happened in Russia and who shot him. He edges her the entire night, but she never gives in and that’s as far as it goes for them both. Once she is back at his side as his guard he is off one night with his team to get a delivery at the port like usual but has a bad feeling and forces most of his men to stay back including Sasha, they get ambushed at the port but Sasha herself who had a bad feeling as well shows up while Kirill is about to be shot by a mystery man but once Sasha shows up (and shoots him in the chest, he has a bullet proof vest) they all leave and are left alone. Remembering this moment I have to say it was Yuri who was the masked guy and I bet you I am right! It just seemed so odd about how he got separated from Kirill and then this guy showed up but didn’t attack Sasha? However, during all this separation they are both celibate as they both admit in their POVs they only want each other and nobody else matters. I love this in books - I love that despite his anger he still sees her as the only one he wants and nobody else will ever be enough nor even tried to find someone else. Sasha is adamant on proving Kirill that she can be trusted and she truly never set him up back in Russia, months afterwards we enter a scene (if you have read the Throne duet) readers will be very aware of, it's the scene where Sasha and Rai get kidnapped by the Albanians after a shootout. Pause to discuss the timeline, I was WAY OFF. We are told that Kirill and Sasha have known each for over a year at this point and Rai is now married to Kyle placing this timeline back to Throne Duet events and book 1 and 3 of Deception trilogy. I think my confusion came from Lia nor Jeremy ever being mentioned in book 1 and Rai having the drunk moment happen (which I thought was right after Kyle left). Okay so up are at the point where Kirill, Damien and Rai are being attacked by the Albanians, Kirill has not relented in truly trusting Sasha even after she pledged she would protect him with her life until the end and guess what? That ''I'm sorry'' she said to him before the Albanians took her was about her being sorry she could not protect him. When she wakes up all she cares about is whether or not HE made it out alive, her entire world revolves around Kirill and whether or not he is safe. You know damn well that Kirill feels the same. All he cares about, and we see this play out in the Throne Duet scene where he tortures the Albanian for info and also how everyone refers to his actions after she was taken. The scene with the Albanians is also the moment Rai finds out that Sasha is a woman after she is stripped, Rai never utters a word to anyone about this BUT again from the Deception Trilogy and Throne Duet we know that Adrian and Kyle both know that Sasha is a woman, and they don't care lol so honestly I wish it would just come out so we could of avoided so much pain later. After Sasha is rescued, Kirill makes sure she is out of harm's way and ends the Albanian's nest the entire evening. They finally go back to being intimate and I swear it took almost half of the book for them to get to this point. It was torture watching these two want each other but Kirill denying it mostly because she has become a weakness but fuck it right? But once it’s back? It’s so worth. The spice is perfect. You can see their obsession with each other in this book. It's to the point where it's unhealthy and also toxic BUT it's mutual. Nobody means more to Kirill than Sasha does. His whole world is about her, he cannot function without her around. He cannot get enough of her; he adores her push and stubbornness. You know he loves her, but love is such a foreign concept to him that it never crosses his mind, but there are moments where he is almost realizing it but confuses it with being obsessed. An endearing moment I will never get over is when Kirill demands Sasha give him a nickname the way he has given her one. Why? Well Sasha has a nightmare where she calls out her grandmother, uncle and little cousin with endearing Russian names BUT Anton (her long lost brother presumed dead) is only Anton and Kirill thinks that he is her lover but he is happy she didn't use a term of endearment for him like the other, so he demands she give him one to have the UPPER HAND over a GHOST haha She does, it's Luchik. ''It's sunray. As in, the only beam of light in the darkness'' ''Am I your beam of light in the darkness? Really? ''I don't know. Am I your sun? And at this point Kirill says ''You are'' in his mind responding to her question. She helps his sister plan his birthday and they have a surprise party for him. Sasha's gift? She tattooed his nickname above her lady bits, and he is just as animalistic/caveman about it as you can imagine. I swear does this not confirm she has NO LOVER? haha We find out that her actual birthday is a day after his and she tells him this which a second later he gives her a bracelet that he has kept around for her, and it has engraved with her name on it. Deny you love her all you want but it’s so damn obvious. Also, something else to note: Kirill has counted every single time they have had sex. Every. single. time. ''I fuck her as if I'll die without her'' But not everything can be perfect right? Nope. We are at the stage where the book needs the inevitable drama, and we are about to get it. Right before that though, the two of them are having sex and he makes her promise that she is his and to never leave him which she promptly says ''I love you'' to him and he is even more adamant that she never leaves him, no matter what. So, at this point you know he did something she will not like but what? Welllllll A party is being thrown where everyone must attend. The party? It's an engagement party. For who? Kirill and Kristina aka Adrian's former fiancée who he was with for business and ended things with disdain from the Pakhan and Igor after he married Lia. Kristina who is Igor's daughter and Igor who is basically best friends with the Pakhan, he has massive influence for who is chosen next. And we all know Kirill wants the top position and will do anything to get it. Sasha finding out about it the way she did in front of the world, crying her eyes out was such a dick move. I hated it, it made me super angry with Kirill. I wanted him to snap out of his ego and realize what he did was so harmful to the woman who hours ago confessed her love for him. Thankfully, Rai sees Sasha about to break down and removes her from the room, but Sasha is beyond gone at this point she runs off. Desperate to understand why he would do this and why she means nothing. I should mention that this scene had an intriguing moment between Konstantin and Kristina. Konstantin bolted from the area when the engagement was announced and Kristina and him shared a look. I agree with many others that these two have a secret thing going on and are most likely in love. It would be great for them both to get their own HEA, Kristina needs to stop being a pawn her father uses whenever it pleases him. Adrian and Rai both corner Kirill (at different times) and Adrian tells him to back out of it, I think he knows Kirill and Sasha are together and knows the damage it will cause because of his own marriage being a mess for years because of shit decisions and Rai let Kirill have it about Sasha being distraught. Kirill finds a drunk Sasha hours later demanding to be let go and wanting to know if she was allowed to be herself would he leave and choose her? ''End it with her. Choose me.'' At this point Kirill is just being an asshole and a true monster. She is shattered beyond belief, and he doesn't do anything to fix it but even suggests she must stay and basically be his mistress because Kristina is nothing but a business transaction but of course who would be okay with that? He says she means nothing, and she is actually the other woman but it’s not enough. He tricks her into entering the basement safe room to make sure she never leaves and doesn't run off after the threats she gives him and after days of being confined goes back to see her, she basically admits that she wishes she was his wife and could be with him for everyone to see. ''Is that what you want to be? My wife? ''If I say yes, will you make it happen? This moment causes Kirill to do something he has never done before, SMILE BIG like a weirdo and leaves right after. Another two days pass until he shows up again with a man and a suitcase. While wearing a tuxedo.....he reveals that the suitcase contains a wedding dress, lingerie and make up and shows her the two wedding rings he had made for them with the engravings of ''Kirill's'' and ''Sasha's''. They are officially married, and she reveals her real last name and what happened to her family. Viktor now also knows that Sasha is a woman as he was a witness to their wedding. He seemed truly shocked at first, but it made more sense to him after he calmed down. During his POV Kirill is absolutely over the moon at marrying her and cannot help but be astonished that she is his wife so yeah the end of this book hurts because of this moment. He even suggests to takes selfies with her and have pictures of their moment. ''She is my fucking home now. The only home I've ever known'' He tells her the only way it can work for them to be married to the outside world is if she goes away for 6 months and stays at a cabin he owns until he can bring her back as her guy counterpart's twin sister. She agrees and he states he will visit almost every week and eventually it will be safe to come back and have a life together out in the open and she won't need to ever pretend to be a man again. She goes off after her goodbyes and spends the week at the cabin, Kirill messages her that he will be there tonight and she starts to get ready and a knock comes at the door during the late afternoon, she thinks it's him but it's Yuri. The quiet, calm guard who she has known since the Army and has been a massive asset and help to Kirill the entire time. Yuri is showing her an image of Kirill at a church getting married to Kristina, and how now that Kirill knows her last name and information about her family he has found out about the truth, and he is going to kill her because he was a part of the massacre that killed her family and wait the worst part of the reveal? Yuri is Anton. Her long-lost brother. He needs her to get ready to leave now as Kirill is on his way to kill her. Sasha is in absolute disbelief and Anton tells her their marriage is a fake one and he never cared for her. He played her to get information and it was all a lie! Now listen, I am pissed that Kirill went through with the wedding to Kristina. I am pissed that he did it behind her back and sent her away so she would not be a problem to his plans, but do I believe he doesn't care? No. His POV has been consistent about her and how he feels and after they got married, he was elated to be her husband and her his wife. He was calling her his HOME! Do I think he has a shitty plan? Yes. Do I think their marriage is fake? No, his marriage to Kristina is the one that isn't legal. Did he marry Kristina to make sure he doesn’t get in trouble or ruined because he backed out? Yes since he did sign a blood contract. He is possibly going through with it to not cause any harm to his plans, but he is going about it the wrong fucking way. He is also being named Pakhan because of the marriage, which is giving him the ultimate power, in turn enough power to leave the ''marriage'' and bring Sasha back as his WIFE. Is he involved in Sasha's family's massacre? No. He was genuinely puzzled by her story and her last name meant nothing to him. He was also investigating stuff that is probably related to her family in the beginning of the book BUT he made no connection to it the way he should if he was involved. Is Yuri aka Anton playing Sasha? Yes. I think he has been played by his family as well, but he is so far out of it that Kirill's actions are not sitting well with him either and he has found proof of his involvement in their family’s deaths. Here is some of my theory about the ending: Kirill has found out about Yuri being Anton somehow, so he either thinks that Anton is in fact Sasha's lover and is attacking the cabin at the end of the book to get rid of him for even daring to go near her OR the attack is NOT Kirill but a plot to make Sasha obedient again and leave to turn on her husband. There is also a theory going around that Sasha might be pregnant, we get a scene in the book where she noticed how she looks more “radiant�. Am I hoping she is? Yes. I actually like the pregnancy trope. Will there be a time jump between the books? Maybe? If she is pregnant then it must mean that their kid is the white mask from the LOGs series! They would be in the same age range as Nikolai. Also timeline discussion: I was like I mentioned before OFF about the timeline. The first book takes place almost 2 years or less before the events at the end of Deception Trilogy. Rai gets married in the beginning of this book. We witness the Albanian kidnapping which not long before Rai is pregnant and helps Lia escape Adrian but as we saw during the engagement party for Kirill and Kristina that Adrian and Lia were very much showing off their affection for one another and playfully acting in front of them too. Which obviously means that the third book will have to be after the end of that series. I might be wrong but I am so damn confused about it all haha Another theory/observation: The third books name is ''Heart of My Monster'' so this has to mean that he does have one and he will do anything to get her back? Obviously they will end up together but how far will he go to get her on his side again and what will he sacrifice for her in the long run? I need the final book right now because I don't know how I will wait an entire month before we get all the answers and conclusions. I just want their HEA so badly and I also want him to get his head out of his ass and finally confess to her and to himself how much she means to him and how much he loves her. This is the part where I announce I will be rereading the Deception Trilogy AGAIN this month because I need a happy ending and Adrian/Lia can provide that for me. ...more |
Notes are private!
|
2
|
Dec 12, 2023
Mar 2023
|
Dec 13, 2023
Mar 02, 2023
|
Nov 13, 2022
|
Kindle Edition
| ||||||||||||||||
| B0BSXRW3P4
| 4.23
| 50,247
| Apr 06, 2023
| Apr 06, 2023
|
it was amazing
|
� � � � � (reread) ''We were separate entities, but now, we're one'' Safety warnings: - H 30 / h 22 - No cheating - No OW/OM drama - Violence/d*ath - Mentio � � � � � (reread) ''We were separate entities, but now, we're one'' Safety warnings: - H 30 / h 22 - No cheating - No OW/OM drama - Violence/d*ath - Mention of r*pe/assault - Mention of child neglect/abuse - Loss of loved ones - HEA SPOILERS BELOW ⬇️ SPOILERS BELOW ⬇️ SPOILERS BELOW ⬇️ SPOILERS BELOW ⬇️ Are Rina's books exactly like drugs to me? Yes. There are very few authors whose entire work I absolutely love and she is one of them. I cannot believe this trilogy is over. So many of my theories panned out but there were a few of the right theories with some tweaks that I did not see coming. We start this book right off with a massive look back on the day that changed Sasha's life forever. The massacre ended almost her entire family. It was graphic and very detailed so please be careful when reading, her cousins, her mom/dad, everyone died in gruesome ways. Right after that prologue we are thrusted into the moment Kirill is standing at the altar with Kristina, and what we get is an epic plan coming together. He masterminded something that I don't think anybody else could ever achieve. He knew, HE KNEW, he would not be marrying Kristina. Not because he would back out or feel bad about Sasha but because it was never his plan to marry her. He only went this far to provoke his brother (Kristina's love) who step forward and finally be by her side BUT to also manipulate everyone in the brotherhood to see he was never in the wrong and was the one that was jilted lol All that planning and instead of marrying her, Konsta married her that day instead and Kirill was named Pakhan. Everything was working out the way he wanted it, and instead of having Sasha be away for the original 6 months planned, he said 3 months would be enough now and he could have HIS WIFE finally at his side. ''At this rate, I'll get back to my actual wife sooner than I previously calculated.'' Imagine his absolute shock when Viktor informs him that there was a bombing, they go and they find a charred body with her wedding ring and the bracelet he gave her on the corpse and the DNA results come back to Sasha. Kirill goes through the absolutely worst spiral I think we see in Rina's books. He truly believes her dead and more than that, he believes he is the main reason she is gone. He gets drunk every night at her grave, he sees no light and literally wishes to die to join her. Kirill is not interested in anyone or anything during those two months, he is truly haunted and the thought of someone else never crosses his mind since he is adamant on finding her killer and later joining her in death. ''If I die, will I be able to join you?'' He is haunted by her ghost. It's really heartbreaking to watch his entire world explode and turn into ashes. He knows he messed up, but he never thought the ending would be her death. You can see his absolute love for her during the chapters where her death lingers. He believes she is dead for two months and those two months we get the unfiltered deranged Kirill. He goes on rampage after rampage to find her killer to no avail. Not only is she missing but so are Maksim and Yuri aka Anton (Sasha's older brother). ''If the only light in my life was taken away, how dare they keep theirs?'' We finally get Sasha's present POV, and we find her in Russia with her uncle, grandma, cousin, and Anton. She is suspicious of Anton and where he goes where she follows one day to a cabin and there, she finds Maksim hanging. She convinces her brother to let him down and stop this madness. They keep him there for a while and things are revealed. 1) Anton reveals that Maksim had a crush on Sasha (as a guy) which confirms the theory that Maksim is gay 2) The original Yuri was killed YEARS ago when the ''accident'' happened to him and Anton went through surgery to change his looks a bit to match, colored his hair, voice changing etc. Sasha is absolutely heartbroken over Kirill's betrayal, she wants him dead, and vengeance is all she sees. She refuses to even believe he cared or loved her. She planted the dead body after the explosion to make it look like she died to hurt him or fuck with his head BUT believed that once the DNA was done, he would know she was not dead. Well, someone fucked with the results, right? You can take a few guesses on who it was but more on that later. Sasha is opposed to her families plan to kill everyone in Kirill family and refuses to approve the plan, instead she releases Maksim secretly and sends a message. She will speak with Kirill alone to finish this once and for all. When Maksim shows up and informs Kirill that his wife is not dead that was the moment he was brought back to life. He is angry and absolutely enraged that she faked her death, but he is also happy to know his light is alive. Honestly their reunion was the only thing I wish was different. I wanted her to make a big entrance as a woman and have everyone be completely shocked BUT we find out that Kirill had Viktor basically inform the world that Sasha was a woman and his wife - which I wish we could have had a better look into this, but we don't get everything we want. Right Kirill? haha They are back in each other’s orbits, and it feels like no time has gone by. They are just crazy and protective about each other than ever before. You can see Sasha struggle with her feelings and her need to keep his safe throughout their initially reunion but let’s also acknowledge SHE SHOT HIS ARM haha During this entire exchange Kirill tries to make her believe him about not marrying Kristina, not wanting her family dead, and never attempting to hurt her or causing the bombing. She has a hard time believing him but slowly doubts herself when she goes back to his home and sees Kristina, pregnant and happy but all her doubts come crashing down when Konsta is revealed to be the husband and father revealing Kirill never married her and actually brought them together. He only sent Maksim to Russia to find her family to open a line of communication. These two have got to get their communication skills to a better level and what better way to do that than to take her to a secluded cabin for weeks and reignite their fire for each other? ''I'll have no other wife but you'' They spend those weeks, talking and fucking. So much more is revealed during this time: 1) Anton is in love with Maksim, and they are sleeping together - while still fighting 2) Sasha believes that Kirill has nothing to do with the massacre or anything related to the events over the last few months 3) Sasha is showing signs of pregnancy (that she is oblivious to, but the readers must see) 4) Kirill hates Christmas, while Sasha hates it for it reminds her of the day her family died but for her, he will do everything to make Christmas happen and be a happy memory once again, even wearing matching Christmas sweaters. ''I prefer being in a fucked-up coexistence with him than being happy without him'' Once they are back home things are progressing in the sense, we are getting closer to finding out wo the traitors are, who caused the massacre etc. My original guess from the previous books is that it's Albert and possibly the grandma working together but what we get first is Konstantin’s possible betrayal when Kirill is shown proof that he was the one that requested Sasha be killed in the bombing. Did I believe this? No Did Kirill? I think he initially did but then the puzzle pieces came together, and he played the world with how he handled the betrayal, all to get the real ones out of the dark corners they linger. First off before we move forward - Sasha is confirmed 15 weeks pregnant and it happened before she fled from the cabin, they are having a boy and before we ask why she didn't notice her bump, it's because she did not have one and she has a smaller bump throughout her pregnancy. And also, I need to mention the funniest interaction between Damien/Adrian and Kirill, they were playing with Damien about his upcoming marriage and how the wife is the winner, and the husband needs to lose to keep her. ''This is fucking confusing. I'm gonna win. End of Story.' ''Too new'' I tell Adrian. ''Too inexperienced'', he replies Now back to the traitors and how it plays out. Kirill has proof he finds from his father about what occurred that day. He gathers everyone that needs to realize the truth and the ones he needs to expose in one location (in the pretense that they think they successfully kidnapped Sasha/Viktor). He shows up by himself and presents all the proof to show the grandmother and Sasha that he had nothing to do with anything, it was all Yulia and Albert. How? Well - Yulia previously revealed she had a lover outside of her marriage because her husband was brutal and raped her every time, they had sex which resulted in Kirill and Karina being born (which is why she hates them and wishes them dead) but Konsta was born from her love, and who was that? Anatoly aka Sasha's Uncle was also killed that day. He and Yulia had an affair for year every summer she went to Russia for holiday. Eventually Anatoly broke up with her when his wife got pregnant and she was set out for vengeance, told her husband that she had a lover to provoke him to kill them all but who helped her give Roman all the plans and infiltration information? Albert. Imagine the grandmothers shock when Albert turns around and laughs his crazy ass about how he struggled for years to keep himself looking innocent. Going on a rant about how he wasn't loved enough, and mommy didn't choose him a good wife, so he killed his whole family and only kept her because of her influence etc. Was I shocked? No. The only thing that was shocking was WHO she had the affair with because I thought it would have been Albert, but Yulia has loose screws, so she just had to fuck with everyone’s life. She killed the father of her favorite child and also poisoned Roman for years before he died. She was also the one who forged the DNA results. Albert dies right after he kills his mother. Yulia is shot and ends up in a coma but dies 2 weeks later, Maksim gets shot because he jumped in front of Anton right before Albert shot his gun. It's just a shit show. So, what is the conclusion to all of this? 1) Konsta and Sasha are cousins 2) Kirill never had ANYTHING to do with any of it, not even by accident. 3) Maksim and Anton are madly in love and would die for each other 4) Albert was a madman and wished nothing but harm for his family all because he wasn't the favorite 5) Konsta chooses Kirill over his mother and is glad he lived, and she died 6) Mike will be living in Russia with Maksim and Anton who will raise him as one happy family. They both quit from Kirill's team (he gladly accepts) and Anton fixes the mess his uncle created. 7) Karina wants Viktor. She demanded Kirill hand him over to her and Kirill despite it all says he wouldn’t want anyone else for his sister though Viktor is hesitating and doesn’t show any interest (but we can assume it’s end game). The epilogue gives us a look into 2 timelines, one is 5 months later where Sasha's water breaks and the second one is 18 months later where we meet Vaughn (their son) who I have to say HAS TO BE WHITE MASK. Kirill is still Pakhan and that means Vaughn is the heir, which is why I think his identity is hidden to keep him safe? He is also younger and just about the same age as Nikolai and his twin sister Mia/Maya. To me Mike cannot be white mask, he is 9 years old by the time this story ends, and he also never felt comfortable with English or living in the states. He obviously grew up in Russia..to me he probably doesn't have a close relationship with any of the Legacy of Gods kids. I wonder who Vaughn will end up with, as we know he does not get a book (yet) but I wonder if it's Maya? or someone else? I'm in need of answers. I hope we get something concerning his future in some form! Overall, I loved this series. Is it my favorite from Rina? No, but it's my second favorite. Deception Trilogy is still superior but that's only because Adrian owns me, but honestly Kirill is right there with him. ...more |
Notes are private!
|
2
|
Dec 14, 2023
Apr 05, 2023
|
Dec 15, 2023
Apr 06, 2023
|
Nov 13, 2022
|
Kindle Edition
| ||||||||||||||||
| RuNyx
*
| B0DV1VLXFN
| 4.15
| 44,770
| Jul 01, 2022
| Jul 01, 2022
|
really liked it
|
� � � � .5 ''Your voice makes my atoms sing'' Safety gang: (Please check all the TW's for this book) - No cheating - Slight OW drama - Mention/description � � � � .5 ''Your voice makes my atoms sing'' Safety gang: (Please check all the TW's for this book) - No cheating - Slight OW drama - Mention/description of child tr*fficking/abuse - R*pe - Kidnapping - Violence/D*ath - HFN SPOILERS BELOW ⬇️ SPOILERS BELOW ⬇️ SPOILERS BELOW ⬇️ SPOILERS BELOW ⬇️ I knew this book would be the darkest considering the themes it would explore and the storyline. I was right - if you are going to read this book please check the TWs listed by RuNyx in the beginning of the book. It's heavy - it's heartbreaking and made me need to stop reading a few times. Lyla aka Luna Caine aka the long-lost little sister of Tristan Caine. God the things she went through, the things that were done to her but the resilience she had throughout the pain and torture of her childhood/teenage years and adulthood. I felt such a devotion to this character, wishing for her to come out on top of this twisted world she had no part in being in. She deserves the world and I hope in the next book we get to see her be loved by everyone and not just the Shadow man. XANDER IS HER SON. That’s it. That’s the only thing I think the shadow man has done consistently to show his true devotion to her. Yes him killing everyone she has ever been sold to for the last 6 years is another indication, but he left her alone for 6 months to be r*ped and abused so yeah he has something to redeem for still. I could not believe we were SOCLOSE to having a reunion between her and Tristan at the club. Nobody but Morana looked at her. I wonder if Tristan had truly looked at her if he would see some resemblance? I do not accept the idea that he was not aware of her presence even as a waitress - the guy notices everything and everyone but the fact he didn't register anything when he might have glimpsed at her for a second will come back to bite him once they are reunited in the final book. The Shadow man: I seriously thought he would be someone we had met in the previous books so to find he is just stranger was a bit sad? I was not his biggest fan. How could you be when we have Tristan/Dante and Alpha to compare him to? Especially Dante. He left her multiple times to deal with the monsters all in the name of protecting her and keeping her safe and that pissed me off a lot, hence why this book isn't at 5 stars like the previous books. EDIT: Someone kindly informed me that we get a extra scene via the authors website about the Nikki scene! We get closure and find out what was going on from his POV so thank fuck! Previous review: The thing that annoyed me the most was the scene with Nikki and the scene where she is naked and alone with Dainn. We never got any explanation about what happened, and she never showed up in the book after that again? I needed closure and I wish Lyla had wanted it too. I did feel like she loved him because he was all she knew, and it was massively impacted by having Stockholm syndrome? Who is the guy that called her at the end?? He better not be someone we have known and trusted throughout the series since that would be so hurtful. I hope the Shadow man redeems himself in the final book and we get the epic reunion we have all been waiting for since book 1. ...more |
Notes are private!
|
1
|
Oct 08, 2022
|
Oct 08, 2022
|
Oct 08, 2022
|
ebook
| |||||||||||||||
| RuNyx
*
| B09KCBSTFW
| 4.06
| 48,800
| Dec 14, 2021
| Dec 14, 2021
|
it was amazing
|
� � � � � ''I'm not going anywhere, handsome. I've loved you as a boy, and I love you as a beast. All of you has always been loved by me'' Safety gang: � � � � � ''I'm not going anywhere, handsome. I've loved you as a boy, and I love you as a beast. All of you has always been loved by me'' Safety gang: - No cheating - No OW/OM drama - Mention of child tr*fficking, abuse - Kidnapping - Violence/D*ath - HFN SPOILERS BELOW ⬇️ SPOILERS BELOW ⬇️ SPOILERS BELOW ⬇️ SPOILERS BELOW ⬇️ I'll be honest and say I didn't know how I felt about reading about a new character we were barely introduced to in the last book but I'm glad I dived into it right after finishing The Emperor. Alpha was....the ultimate protector. He was a beast to the world but the softest for her. I hated knowing he couldn't remember a thing about their past and she could remember every single memory and being heartbroken that his mind couldn't remember what they had shared 10 years ago. I loved their connection though and how it came to be. It was even worse when we got to see how the past unravelled and what led to him disappearing from her life and he basically had no choice as he was attacked, drugged, and tortured. He forgot moments around that time and she included. Hector did not under any circumstances seem evil to me or potentially the bad guy. I was SHOCKED and I mean SHOCKED when he was revealed to have been behind everything. The brutal murders, the plot to pin the murders on Alpha and working closely with The Syndicate. How disturbing must it be to his brother and Alpha knowing this man they trusted and were so close to could of been behind so much? Zen...god her death was so not necessary. I get the reason in a way, but I also know that she deserved so much better. She is the original Morana and she knew it all along. Her character was such a breath of fresh air in the darkness of that world. I'll miss her. We got to see a lot of Dante/Amara & Tristan/Morana. The end game is near, and I can sense the next book will include a lot of darker themes explored even more. We will finally know who is the Shadow man? Who is his toy that Hector broke? and what the fuck happened to Tristan's sister? How will they take down The Syndicate? Who are other players involved in this? SO many questions and I can't wait to find out. ...more |
Notes are private!
|
1
|
Oct 06, 2022
|
Oct 07, 2022
|
Oct 06, 2022
|
Kindle Edition
| |||||||||||||||
| RuNyx
*
| B08R65WVQ3
| 4.20
| 64,236
| Jan 06, 2021
| Jan 06, 2021
|
it was amazing
|
� � � � � The loyalty. The angst. The devotion. The love. |
Notes are private!
|
1
|
Oct 05, 2022
|
Oct 05, 2022
|
Oct 05, 2022
|
Kindle Edition
| |||||||||||||||
| RuNyx
*
| 0463895789
| 9780463895788
| 0463895789
| 4.30
| 87,848
| Jun 30, 2020
| Jun 30, 2020
|
it was amazing
|
� � � � � Safety gang: - No OM drama - OW drama (barely - former hookup is around for a bit) - No cheating - Violence - Mention of child tr*fficking/chil � � � � � Safety gang: - No OM drama - OW drama (barely - former hookup is around for a bit) - No cheating - Violence - Mention of child tr*fficking/child abd*ction - HFN SPOILERS BELOW ⬇️ SPOILERS BELOW ⬇️ SPOILERS BELOW ⬇️ SPOILERS BELOW ⬇️ Tristan is one the most complex and intriguing characters I have read in a long time. The past he possesses and the things he was subjected to do, endure, see etc is absolutely heartbreaking. You can see how deeply rooted the sadness and issues go. You can't even find one reason to blame him for it can't blame him for how quiet and closed off he is. Morana understands him better than anyone, she is only one he allows to even go near him enough to potentially hurt him in ways he truly fears. Their love for each other is so unique and beautiful - he needs constant reassurance from her about how she feels and how she won't leave him, it shows how deep his abonnement issues go. The scene where they are at the nightclub and he allows a woman near him just to see Morana's reactions and he admits he wanted to see - quote ''If you burned as I burn with the need to claim you. That I wasn't alone in the fire''. There is a thing that bothered me and that's only because I hate these things and it makes me feel odd inside - Chiara's claim that they were constantly together for 2 years and all we get is just a small form of answer that that isn't true (they did have sex though but it wasn't what Chiara claimed it was) so I do wish we had gotten more clarification on that. There is a moment in the book that stays with you because you didn't really see it coming and that is the scene where he breaks down in the hotel room, crying and confessing his fears and sorrow over his mother’s rejection...so damn heartbreaking. We find out more and more about what is going on in regard to 20 years ago with the missing little girls. I suspected that Morana might not have been Gabriel's biological daughter and I was right. It was confirmed that the man who was helping her was her real father and the third member of the Alliance who went underground to protect and seek vengeance for his wife/unborn child being murdered and his daughter being kidnapped and forced to live a life with a man who despised her. Gabriel's actions make so much more sense since he literally felt nothing for Morana but it does still seem so extreme that he had her since she was a baby, and he couldn't find it in his heart to be kind and know her true innocence in all of this but we also find out he has gone mad and just hid it well. Dante faked his death to get access to what we now know as the true evil which is the Syndicate - the original reason why the kidnappings and slave trade occurred. Dante is an absolute cinnamon roll of a man, but he is also fiercely loyal to Tristan and to justice. Amara though - she is pissed if she went into hiding after finding out that he is ''dead'' but you know she knows he faked it and I guess she is pissed she was kept out of loop? Their relationship is a mystery - are they together? are they aware of each other’s feelings? I can't wait to read ''The Emperor''. Tristan finally gets a POV chapter, and we get to see his true feelings and how his mind functions. He is absolutely in love with Morana (despite him never uttering those words to her) but it didn't bother me as his trauma goes deep. He got her name tattooed on his ring finger. I was sad to know he wouldn't marry her until he found Luna (his sister) but I also understood. I really truly am enjoying this series, characters, and plot. I’m glad we will get to see so much more of this world and what else is lurking in the shadows and finally get answers to all of the questions. ...more |
Notes are private!
|
1
|
Sep 05, 2022
|
Sep 07, 2022
|
Sep 04, 2022
|
ebook
| |||||||||||||
| B0DV2LVNGN
| 4.18
| 1,815
| unknown
| Sep 30, 2021
|
really liked it
|
**spoiler alert** ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ This was such a wild ride. I honestly didn’t expect to see Jericho show up and also have such a huge role in this book. I re **spoiler alert** ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ This was such a wild ride. I honestly didn’t expect to see Jericho show up and also have such a huge role in this book. I read Devils Pawn duet months ago and it seems like I read the books out of order (oops ...more |
Notes are private!
|
1
|
Jul 04, 2022
|
Jul 04, 2022
|
Jul 04, 2022
|
Paperback
| ||||||||||||||||
| B089S7WNBZ
| 4.03
| 2,131
| unknown
| Sep 15, 2020
|
really liked it
|
**spoiler alert** ⭐️⭐️⭐️.75 I enjoyed this one more than the first book. The plot was more interesting and I just knew the fake kindness Lucas showed wa **spoiler alert** ⭐️⭐️⭐️.75 I enjoyed this one more than the first book. The plot was more interesting and I just knew the fake kindness Lucas showed was just that: Fake. There was a lot more action and answers this time around which I appreciated. The only thing that bothers me still is the revenge plot. In book 1 the revenge was mostly focused on her and in book 2 the brother had his own plans for revenge. I don’t understand why he didn’t blame their father for it all? They obviously knew who made them into monsters so why devote his life to ruining his brother who like him was forced to become the person he is? The family blames her dad for the accident and the lives lost BUT Lucas truly blames his brother who was driving the car that got hit saying he was at fault too? Which one is it? I also like to think Elise died in the fire ...more |
Notes are private!
|
1
|
Jun 29, 2022
|
Jun 29, 2022
|
Jun 29, 2022
|
Kindle Edition
| ||||||||||||||||
| B08FBM46R8
| 4.03
| 848
| unknown
| Aug 04, 2020
|
it was amazing
|
Great intro to the backstory and what’s to come�
|
Notes are private!
|
1
|
Jun 28, 2022
|
Jun 28, 2022
|
Jun 28, 2022
|
Kindle Edition
| ||||||||||||||||
| B09WNDV4PT
| 4.10
| 2,725
| Jun 21, 2022
| Jun 21, 2022
|
it was amazing
|
**spoiler alert** Great ending to a wonderful trilogy. Can we get a Theron and Solana’s book? I actually thought Theron would keep playing the villain **spoiler alert** Great ending to a wonderful trilogy. Can we get a Theron and Solana’s book? I actually thought Theron would keep playing the villain in this book. It was quite the surprise to watch him genuinely be sorry and wish for forgiveness. This book was more about healing and finding peace in the darkness they have all endured. Jude and Mercedes’s relationship and the absolute angst was such a rollercoaster and I didn’t want it to end. I love how Santiago wanted the best for his sister and gave her the freedom she has always wanted and trusted her enough to make decisions outside of what they were use to. ...more |
Notes are private!
|
1
|
Jun 20, 2022
|
Jun 21, 2022
|
Jun 19, 2022
|
Kindle Edition
| ||||||||||||||||
| B09WNG5667
| 4.11
| 2,849
| May 24, 2022
| May 24, 2022
|
it was amazing
|
**spoiler alert** Sometimes words can’t be spoken but my god the actions are much louder. The fact he used the vicarius clause for her speaks so much **spoiler alert** Sometimes words can’t be spoken but my god the actions are much louder. The fact he used the vicarius clause for her speaks so much volume. I was holding my breath throughout that scene and for many moments - and of course she thought the worst of it and ran away. I don't blame her since she doesn't know what is going on and what that clause even means and Santiago never explained. Also since she is pregnant she needed to not only think of herself but her unborn child. I honestly love the Society books and just the vibes they give off. It's one of intrigue and suspence. Can’t wait for the final book! ...more |
Notes are private!
|
1
|
Jun 19, 2022
|
Jun 19, 2022
|
Jun 18, 2022
|
Kindle Edition
| ||||||||||||||||
| 1685452183
| 9781685452186
| 1685452183
| 4.50
| 101,242
| Dec 06, 2023
| Dec 04, 2023
|
really liked it
|
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ''I could swallow you alive and leave no crumbs'' Safety warnings: - No cheating (between MC's) - Meaningless OW drama - Meaningless OM drama - Su* ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ''I could swallow you alive and leave no crumbs'' Safety warnings: - No cheating (between MC's) - Meaningless OW drama - Meaningless OM drama - Su*cidal thoughts/Self harm - Manic episodes - Minor s*xual abuse/grooming - Depression - Attempted su*cide - Violence/d*ath - HEA SPOILERS BELOW ⬇️ SPOILERS BELOW ⬇️ SPOILERS BELOW ⬇️ SPOILERS BELOW ⬇️ Here it is, my first MM book. I will say this before I start my review that MM books or FF, MFM etc are not my cup of tea. I have no problem with them and everyone should feel free to read or not read what they love and enjoy but sadly it just never appealed to me as a reader (and I know I am missing out on a lot of books because of that), but this is Rina Kent, and I knew when she announced this book and the couple that I would pop that cherry. Now, I will also say that after reading it, that MM books are still not something I will actively seek but it will be reserved to a selected few author I adore. THIS STORY WAS OVERWHELMINGLY PRECIOUS. I loved Niko, I get that not a lot of people do since his POV chapters were not everyone’s cup of tea but honestly I am not sure what people expected from him? We have been getting glimpses of him throughout this series and this is what I expected from him tbh. He was just a little insane with a dash of psycho but underneath that exterior we also saw him being adorable and caring. Bran oh Bran, the struggles he had were shocking to me. I knew there was something dark lurking but the fact it was this dark was the part I was not expecting. He struggled with so much and control was the only thing he had to maintain the facade he needed for the world. Niko perusing Bran was funny, he had no boundaries, and this is a total red flag in real life but come on, compared to the other MC's we know he was TAME. He just showed up early in the morning during Bran’s runs and then he would just follow him around. We learned a lot about what they were up to from the other books and how early their relationship started. Bran wanted it all to stay a secret and Niko only allowed it because he just wanted Bran and accepted that he needed more time to open up to the world about his sexuality. The fact Niko bought an apartment just so they could have a place to stay and be together in private was so sweet and on the other side we had Bran cooking him meals/cleaning up after him. These two felt like they were an old cute married couple already and I loved it.. I appreciated the obsession they developed with one another and Bran's OTT attitude. You watched them fall increasingly in love with each other. Niko's pain from Bran's indecision to take them public hurt, he just wanted to be able to hold his hand and let the world know who he loved but sadly Brad had too many demons. I have loved every parent’s POV in this series but we all knew Levi's would be the funniest as he gets Killian and Mia as in-laws so add Niko to the mix and it was too funny. His entire chapter was too good. Also, Niko meeting the parents was super cute. He was on his bed behavior and seriously tried his very best to be loved by them. We get to find out what plagued him for 8 years and it is a hard pill to swallow. He was groomed by his mom’s art agent as a minor and then sexually assaulted by her. She also filmed it and sent him the video so he could learn from the experience for next time. He threatened to tell the world and show the video, so she backed off and actually had the audacity to think he wanted it when we knew he was saying stop and telling her to get off him, but she placed her hand over his mouth to silence it all. Sadly, she was still a part of his life throughout the years and would come over to dinners. The moment Niko sees the video (after the bitch sent it to him) was just heartbreaking. Bran walks in while Niko is watching it and picks up the broken glass and jams it into his neck (parallel to Niko's attempt when he was kidnapped). He did it out of shame and thinking/believing Niko would never love him anymore and see him differently. He did not want to lose him, so he lost himself instead. NOW I am going to focus on Lan and Bran's relationship first before we get to the next section. Lan LOVED Bran and it is the same for Bran too. They had a lot of misunderstandings throughout the years, but they are able to amend it all. I loved their moments together and wished we had gotten more! So, after Bran's attempted suicide Lan/Niko and Kyle all show up at the abuser’s home and KILL HER. Family bonding moment and it was so good. Speaking of Kyle. Kyle + Niko relationship was perfect. He was always in Niko's corner, and I think it was just how it should have been between them. The epilogue shows us Bran proposing to Niko and them being happy. Bits of info here and there: OW drama: Clara is Bran's on and off girlfriend who cheats on him all the time. He gets back with when Niko starts pursuing him and uses her to stop him from thinking he is gay. It does not work out that way when Bran breaks up with her when he admits he cheated on her and then Niko (at this point wanting Bran to end it with her before he tells the world) seduces her and has Bran walk in on them (nothing happened between them, and it was all a game). OM drama: Ex-hookup of Niko shows up and attempts to get his attention and sits on his lap, Bran sees and gets angry, but Niko has no fucks to give about the ex and pushes him off. Self harm: Bran would cut a little bit on the inside of his wrist (where his watch was and never took it off). There are scenes where he does it please be cautious when reading. Ava and Eli crumbs: We get very little about them, but we do get Bran telling us that their love story is the most tragic one sooooo yeah this will be painful. A few issues I had: - We did not get as many scenes with Niko and his sisters as I would have liked. I felt like it was a chance to show more of it, but it didn't happen as much as I would have liked it. - The book could have been shorter, there was a bit of filler here and there and stalled the story sometimes - Would have liked to see Bran go to NY and meet Rai/Kyle for the first time or even the parents meeting - Jeremy and Niko needed more scenes together White mask reveal: I KNEW IT. I knew it was Vaughn the minute he was introduced in Kirill's books and that series was announced. Why would Rina stop LOG BOOKS midway only to give us a new trilogy? Vaughn being the white mask is epic (even if it was predictable for me). He just shows up for initiation, causes havoc and leaves lol I wish we had a scene with him, just one interaction with Niko/Jeremy via phone or at initiation? Idk, it felt like a missed opportunity here. I hope Rina gives us a book about him even though she said we would not get anything! Despite my few issues and the fact, I do not read MM books, I enjoyed this. I really liked the two of them together and I adored their relationship. ...more |
Notes are private!
|
1
|
Dec 05, 2023
|
Dec 06, 2023
|
Jun 03, 2022
|
Paperback
|
Loading...
