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savage_book_review 's review for:
The Tales of the Scorned: A Femme Rage Charity Anthology - Volume 4 Paranormal Romance
by Akita Sparks, Rose Chase, LO Gold, Ali K. Mulford, Billie Nicks, T.C. Kraven, Tilly Ridge, K. Elle Morrison, Kenna Bellrae, Nova B. Quinn, Ruby Nimz, R.E. Johnson, Luna K. Wicked
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
N/A
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
*Please note, I was supplied with an ARC version of this book by the publisher and am voluntarily leaving an honest review*
If you're ready to rage against the patriarchy, wave your feminist flag with pride and basically stick it to the man (or men), then this is the book for you! I was lucky enough to receive volume four, which contains tales of paranormal romance by some fabulous authors, including Billie Nicks, Nova B Quinn, Luna K Wicked, Ali K Mulford and more. So not only are our FMCs strong women, taking revenge on those who've wronged them; they've got a little bit of the supernatural about them to make them bigger, bolder and badder. And they're all absolutely delicious!
There isn't a dud story in the bunch; every author has put their own spin on the prompt of feminine rage and you can feel the visceral anger, frustration, wrath and scorn coming through in their writing. Each short is beautifully structured, with the narrative of each giving you everything you need to enjoy the story while keeping things moving at a swift enough pace to tie everything up by the end. In a couple of cases, these shorts are leads into bigger stories, and I will certainly be keeping my eyes out for those!
I do of course have my favourites:-
1. 'Fear No Hell' by Billie Nicks. This short basically brings together everything I love to read about and crafts it into a little nugget of perfection. I've no idea what fairydust Billie sprinkled in while she was writing, but I literally read it three times back to back. Lila is the epitome of resilience and her moments of payback are terrifying... yet I would love her self-control. I ADORE Sam, our MMC, and I am seriously concerned that he may even end up stealing Cassian's crown as my ultimate book boyfriend when I get to read more about him. Just. Yes!
2. 'Scorned Shadow' by Rose Chase. This is a great illustration of the collective blindness society suffers with when it comes to unsavoury action is from those in positions of power. Nobody sees ot happen, even when they do. And even if they acknowledge that it's happened, it's very easy to dismiss as 'normal'. So when something abnormal comes along to shift the balance, the fallout is extra sweet. Again, this is full of tropes and micro-tropes that I love!
3. 'Devil in the Snare' by T C Kraven. I'll admit, when I read the first couple of pages I wasn't entirely sure I'd get on with this one, as I really struggle when thick accents are written out. However, once I got past that I completely fell in love with Willow and Benoit. The contrast between Benny and James is so well illustrated, and as you read you feel the rage building with in you matching Benny's energy. This one has such a satisfying story arc, and the ending is so indescribably beautiful! I would happily read a full length version of this!
4. 'The Witches are In' by Tilly Ridge. Now, this one is truly terrifying. Mainly because it's not completely unimaginable that the premise could reflect reality in the near future if we're not careful. This one felt a little different to the others as the focus is on the FMCs helping others who have suffered, rather than necessarily suffering themselves. And while the witchy vibes add a great extra layer to the story, the simple fact of their taking action that flies in the face of authority is really inspiring.
The loss of a half star from perfection is more of a 'me' problem, I think. Like I said, taken individually, each story is incredibly well written and fulfills the brief beyond what you can hope for. However, there was something about the ordering of the stories within the anthology that meant I found myself losing steam on a couple of occasions and having to put the book to one side. While the stories are all very different, placed side by side there is an element of blurring lines, particularly where there are scenes of the girls 'bathing' (or committing other acts 😉) in the blood of their victims. I think when I read it again, I will probably mix it up to see if that makes a difference.
This book makes you feel empowered and just a little bit vengeful, and I love it! Plus, the proceeds are supporting a really important cause, so please do go buy it when it's released!
If you're ready to rage against the patriarchy, wave your feminist flag with pride and basically stick it to the man (or men), then this is the book for you! I was lucky enough to receive volume four, which contains tales of paranormal romance by some fabulous authors, including Billie Nicks, Nova B Quinn, Luna K Wicked, Ali K Mulford and more. So not only are our FMCs strong women, taking revenge on those who've wronged them; they've got a little bit of the supernatural about them to make them bigger, bolder and badder. And they're all absolutely delicious!
There isn't a dud story in the bunch; every author has put their own spin on the prompt of feminine rage and you can feel the visceral anger, frustration, wrath and scorn coming through in their writing. Each short is beautifully structured, with the narrative of each giving you everything you need to enjoy the story while keeping things moving at a swift enough pace to tie everything up by the end. In a couple of cases, these shorts are leads into bigger stories, and I will certainly be keeping my eyes out for those!
I do of course have my favourites:-
1. 'Fear No Hell' by Billie Nicks. This short basically brings together everything I love to read about and crafts it into a little nugget of perfection. I've no idea what fairydust Billie sprinkled in while she was writing, but I literally read it three times back to back. Lila is the epitome of resilience and her moments of payback are terrifying... yet I would love her self-control. I ADORE Sam, our MMC, and I am seriously concerned that he may even end up stealing Cassian's crown as my ultimate book boyfriend when I get to read more about him. Just. Yes!
2. 'Scorned Shadow' by Rose Chase. This is a great illustration of the collective blindness society suffers with when it comes to unsavoury action is from those in positions of power. Nobody sees ot happen, even when they do. And even if they acknowledge that it's happened, it's very easy to dismiss as 'normal'. So when something abnormal comes along to shift the balance, the fallout is extra sweet. Again, this is full of tropes and micro-tropes that I love!
3. 'Devil in the Snare' by T C Kraven. I'll admit, when I read the first couple of pages I wasn't entirely sure I'd get on with this one, as I really struggle when thick accents are written out. However, once I got past that I completely fell in love with Willow and Benoit. The contrast between Benny and James is so well illustrated, and as you read you feel the rage building with in you matching Benny's energy. This one has such a satisfying story arc, and the ending is so indescribably beautiful! I would happily read a full length version of this!
4. 'The Witches are In' by Tilly Ridge. Now, this one is truly terrifying. Mainly because it's not completely unimaginable that the premise could reflect reality in the near future if we're not careful. This one felt a little different to the others as the focus is on the FMCs helping others who have suffered, rather than necessarily suffering themselves. And while the witchy vibes add a great extra layer to the story, the simple fact of their taking action that flies in the face of authority is really inspiring.
The loss of a half star from perfection is more of a 'me' problem, I think. Like I said, taken individually, each story is incredibly well written and fulfills the brief beyond what you can hope for. However, there was something about the ordering of the stories within the anthology that meant I found myself losing steam on a couple of occasions and having to put the book to one side. While the stories are all very different, placed side by side there is an element of blurring lines, particularly where there are scenes of the girls 'bathing' (or committing other acts 😉) in the blood of their victims. I think when I read it again, I will probably mix it up to see if that makes a difference.
This book makes you feel empowered and just a little bit vengeful, and I love it! Plus, the proceeds are supporting a really important cause, so please do go buy it when it's released!