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charliauthor's Reviews (531)
What i love most about this book and The Wolf Den as well, is the ever present sense of doom.
While this might sound like a terrible thing to get from a book lol, when it has you turning the page when its well past your bedtime and your baby is due to wake up in a hour, it is a GREAT thing! haha
THWTGD picks up exactly after the Wolf Den and our MC Amara is living life as a Freedwoman, though on very precarious ground. I loved living through the uncertainty of Amara's circumstance while simultaneously trying to work out where the doom/surprises were going to come from. The reality of women and their choices in the ancient world, or indeed lack thereof, is written so incredibly well that you're able to feel all the emotions with Amara even while starting to dislike her. Again, an odd thing to say but a MC with such layers to their character is a welcome change from a lot of characters that are pretty one sided and lack any depth. Amara is complex in such a way that on the one hand, had me wanting her to be knocked down a few pegs while still rooting for her not to be harmed on the other.
Amara's relationships are what makes the story and those with Victoria, Felix and Rufus are some of the most heartbreaking scenes i've read. Without spoilers, to know that people can use, betray, handle others in such a way is mind-blowing and so refreshing to read in terms of realism and igniting real emotions. Her complicated relationship with Felix was a highlight
The ending had me in my feels even while understanding exactly why she had to do it. I cannot wait for the final book in the trilogy and seeing how/if the eruption play a part in Amara's final chapter!
While this might sound like a terrible thing to get from a book lol, when it has you turning the page when its well past your bedtime and your baby is due to wake up in a hour, it is a GREAT thing! haha
THWTGD picks up exactly after the Wolf Den and our MC Amara is living life as a Freedwoman, though on very precarious ground. I loved living through the uncertainty of Amara's circumstance while simultaneously trying to work out where the doom/surprises were going to come from. The reality of women and their choices in the ancient world, or indeed lack thereof, is written so incredibly well that you're able to feel all the emotions with Amara even while starting to dislike her. Again, an odd thing to say but a MC with such layers to their character is a welcome change from a lot of characters that are pretty one sided and lack any depth. Amara is complex in such a way that on the one hand, had me wanting her to be knocked down a few pegs
Spoiler
because of the way she was embarrassed by Philos and looking down on Victoria however deserved when around her new friendsAmara's relationships are what makes the story and those with Victoria, Felix and Rufus are some of the most heartbreaking scenes i've read. Without spoilers, to know that people can use, betray, handle others in such a way is mind-blowing and so refreshing to read in terms of realism and igniting real emotions. Her complicated relationship with Felix was a highlight
Spoiler
especially because I honestly believe that if he had agreed to free her, marry her and allow her to handle his business with reall respect, Amara would have never left him. She says this of course but the reality of that for me, really had me hating her.The ending had me in my feels
Spoiler
because as a mother, having to read Amara having to leave her baby behind was too much to bare
Im honestly not sure how i feel about this book lol
This book has all the ingredients of an epic adventure but none of the pace, action and excitement to truly execute it.
The premise is that a hunter and an assassin are sent on a quest to find a magical book to return magic to their world and stop a dangerous forest from taking over the world.
For the majority of the book though, theres endless discussion without much action taking place.
Although i knew who was speaking and to whom, i never really got a sense of where they were half the time. There were no deadly tasks to overcome to get the book, other than much near the end. By then, i was a little out of the experience because it took too long to get there.
While dragging a little in parts and a little confusion about who had what powers and who knew what about who, there were some beautiful descriptions of deserts and oasis and yearning looks between the main characters that i was totally here for.
One of the main positives about WHTF is Nasir, the crown prince of Arawiya and Assasin for the Sultan. I really liked his character. He was layered, he was complex, I felt bad for his situation and I really wanted him to come out on top, even when it seemed he didn’t want that for himself. His emotions were really wonderful to sieve through and i didnt have that same experience with Zafira.
I had no particular issues with her, her character didn’t seem to be as fully fleshed out as Nasir was. Outside of being the hunter, she didn’t have much else going for her and I wasn’t particularly interested in the fact that she was meant to be the leader of their operation.
I wouldnt go as far to say i didnt like it because i will read the sequel but there was something a little off about it that just didnt give me the Arabian night feels the way City of Gold did.
This book has all the ingredients of an epic adventure but none of the pace, action and excitement to truly execute it.
The premise is that a hunter and an assassin are sent on a quest to find a magical book to return magic to their world and stop a dangerous forest from taking over the world.
For the majority of the book though, theres endless discussion without much action taking place.
Although i knew who was speaking and to whom, i never really got a sense of where they were half the time. There were no deadly tasks to overcome to get the book, other than much near the end. By then, i was a little out of the experience because it took too long to get there.
While dragging a little in parts and a little confusion about who had what powers and who knew what about who, there were some beautiful descriptions of deserts and oasis and yearning looks between the main characters that i was totally here for.
One of the main positives about WHTF is Nasir, the crown prince of Arawiya and Assasin for the Sultan. I really liked his character. He was layered, he was complex, I felt bad for his situation and I really wanted him to come out on top, even when it seemed he didn’t want that for himself. His emotions were really wonderful to sieve through and i didnt have that same experience with Zafira.
I had no particular issues with her, her character didn’t seem to be as fully fleshed out as Nasir was. Outside of being the hunter, she didn’t have much else going for her and I wasn’t particularly interested in the fact that she was meant to be the leader of their operation.
I wouldnt go as far to say i didnt like it because i will read the sequel but there was something a little off about it that just didnt give me the Arabian night feels the way City of Gold did.
DNF at 63%. It was just dragging and i no longer cared about anything that was happening.
Everything is questionable
This book is vile. Lets make that clear.
Its ridiculous. Its largely disgusting and while there were some genuine interesting parts that were quite tense, overall its a triggering book of questionable content and ongoing dark click bait.
Adeline aka Addie is being stalked by a weirdo who we’re supposed to not think is all that bad just because he somehow takes out pedophile rings in his spare time. No. Id rather we not have a book that features anything involving child trafficking thanks, so theres that.
Fast forward the horseshit to Addie discovering who her stalker is and actually liking his dangerous, unconsensual and obsessive machinations and now you just have a car wreck of a plot that spends the majority of its time making Addie come up with bullshit reasons to tell herself she doesnt enjoy being penetrated by a gun or being chased, or choked with a belt during follatio or slapped; all before being pierced by his unbelievable huge man tool.
Im all for kink but this is problematic on such a debased and sadistic level that i truly fear for those that think this book is okay to be out in the world.
The smut is smutty and if not for the lack of consent and brutality of his technique - strapping her between the seats of her SUV while he splits her in half from behind is a whole scene - it could actually be quite hot. However considering that no matter how much Addie might ask for what he does (in some deluded way), its assault, and shouldnt try to be shown as anything different.
The whodunnit murder plot was a decent part of it but overall, the writer used triggering content and debased acts centered around a FMC who enjoys the macabre, to justify a stalker/rape fetish and its not cool.
Put it in the bin.
This book is vile. Lets make that clear.
Its ridiculous. Its largely disgusting and while there were some genuine interesting parts that were quite tense, overall its a triggering book of questionable content and ongoing dark click bait.
Adeline aka Addie is being stalked by a weirdo who we’re supposed to not think is all that bad just because he somehow takes out pedophile rings in his spare time. No. Id rather we not have a book that features anything involving child trafficking thanks, so theres that.
Fast forward the horseshit to Addie discovering who her stalker is and actually liking his dangerous, unconsensual and obsessive machinations and now you just have a car wreck of a plot that spends the majority of its time making Addie come up with bullshit reasons to tell herself she doesnt enjoy being penetrated by a gun or being chased, or choked with a belt during follatio or slapped; all before being pierced by his unbelievable huge man tool.
Im all for kink but this is problematic on such a debased and sadistic level that i truly fear for those that think this book is okay to be out in the world.
The smut is smutty and if not for the lack of consent and brutality of his technique - strapping her between the seats of her SUV while he splits her in half from behind is a whole scene - it could actually be quite hot. However considering that no matter how much Addie might ask for what he does (in some deluded way), its assault, and shouldnt try to be shown as anything different.
The whodunnit murder plot was a decent part of it but overall, the writer used triggering content and debased acts centered around a FMC who enjoys the macabre, to justify a stalker/rape fetish and its not cool.
Put it in the bin.
Sweet!
It was different to have a main male character who was rather sweet and endearing so that was definitely a positive for it. even though I’ve given it a two it doesn’t mean that this book is bad it was just very tame compared to what I’m used to from CM Nascosta. I did find myself drifting through the bits about the farm and the main female characters job, as it didn’t feel necessary or particularly entertaining which is something that I didn’t do in some of her other books.
It was different to have a main male character who was rather sweet and endearing so that was definitely a positive for it. even though I’ve given it a two it doesn’t mean that this book is bad it was just very tame compared to what I’m used to from CM Nascosta. I did find myself drifting through the bits about the farm and the main female characters job, as it didn’t feel necessary or particularly entertaining which is something that I didn’t do in some of her other books.
Least fave of the series and DNF at 70%. It just kept dragging and i was tired of reading about Rose wanting to be Johns pet while having every orifice imaginable be opened up to him and displayed to every other Orc in Orc Mountain. While this is nothing new in the grand scheme of things, the lack of attachment to John and Rosa and the base of their relationship just made everything quite sleazy.
Lusty but Unfinished
I saw a few harsh one and two star reviews for this book and was not sure why it was being held to such high regard. Not to say that a smut book should not be held to the same standards as most other books, but I feel that going into a book of this nature, it should be judged for what it is, rather than for what it isn’t or what people want it to be.
This was significantly eerie and Gothic and mysterious which was fun and I liked the main couple, more so Vad then Corvina, but ultimately there was nothing wrong with her. This story is insta love so don’t expect any slow burn romance but the smut is very well done, a solid 8 out of 10. The only reason I don’t give it full marks is because I missed the lovemaking portion of the romance as most of it was just really vigorous and harsh.
While the initial premise of the murder mystery plot was really well done I do feel it was left slightly unfinished with the epilogue blatantly promoting that there weren’t any answers for some of the questions that were raised. Whether this was an intentional plot device or simply laziness I’m not quite sure but I wasn’t particularly happy with it
Overall, a decent enough read with a plot that kept me turning the page, a broody male main character who was sexy enough for his vigourous sexual antics to lift off the page.
I saw a few harsh one and two star reviews for this book and was not sure why it was being held to such high regard. Not to say that a smut book should not be held to the same standards as most other books, but I feel that going into a book of this nature, it should be judged for what it is, rather than for what it isn’t or what people want it to be.
This was significantly eerie and Gothic and mysterious which was fun and I liked the main couple, more so Vad then Corvina, but ultimately there was nothing wrong with her. This story is insta love so don’t expect any slow burn romance but the smut is very well done, a solid 8 out of 10. The only reason I don’t give it full marks is because I missed the lovemaking portion of the romance as most of it was just really vigorous and harsh.
While the initial premise of the murder mystery plot was really well done I do feel it was left slightly unfinished with the epilogue blatantly promoting that there weren’t any answers for some of the questions that were raised. Whether this was an intentional plot device or simply laziness I’m not quite sure but I wasn’t particularly happy with it
Overall, a decent enough read with a plot that kept me turning the page, a broody male main character who was sexy enough for his vigourous sexual antics to lift off the page.
Fluffed Ending
Officially my least favourite of the bunch. Theres fun at the start and fun at the end but the end is always underwhelming cause i skim most of it trying to get to the point. The middle was too drawn out so by the ebd you just want it to be over. Wasnt enough smut in this one for my liking either but i need to know about Darius and Tory so off i go onto book 7! Mwahahaha!
Officially my least favourite of the bunch. Theres fun at the start and fun at the end but the end is always underwhelming cause i skim most of it trying to get to the point. The middle was too drawn out so by the ebd you just want it to be over. Wasnt enough smut in this one for my liking either but i need to know about Darius and Tory so off i go onto book 7! Mwahahaha!
This one was suuuuper fun!! The most emotional, the most plot driven. It was fun. Rare to give a smut book a 5 star but this was actually so soo good!
I like when books surprise you and Raybearer was definitely a good surprise. Id had the FairyLoot edition of this for a while so was excited to finally get to it.
Raybearer is about a little girl named Tarisai who is basically starved of love while growing up in order to execute her mother’s - at the time unknown - heinous plot against the emperor of their land. The start of the story is rooted in mystery and African inspired genie type entities alongside some decent worldbuilding which really leapt of the page.
What let the book down however by the second half was that there was too much going on. More prophecies and lore and worlds etc was a bit of overkill. I found issues with the pacing and general country hoping that just felt to convenient and sometimes a little unnecessary. I was invested enough in the characters to want to see how it all turned out but the actual wrap up felt both a little convoluted as well as too easy.
The explanation wasnt nearly as complex as the roundabout way it took to get there so the realisations sort of lost their oomph.
Im interested to go onto book two and would recommend reading if you get a chance as it is turning into a netflix show!
Raybearer is about a little girl named Tarisai who is basically starved of love while growing up in order to execute her mother’s - at the time unknown - heinous plot against the emperor of their land. The start of the story is rooted in mystery and African inspired genie type entities alongside some decent worldbuilding which really leapt of the page.
What let the book down however by the second half was that there was too much going on. More prophecies and lore and worlds etc was a bit of overkill. I found issues with the pacing and general country hoping that just felt to convenient and sometimes a little unnecessary. I was invested enough in the characters to want to see how it all turned out but the actual wrap up felt both a little convoluted as well as too easy.
The explanation wasnt nearly as complex as the roundabout way it took to get there so the realisations sort of lost their oomph.
Im interested to go onto book two and would recommend reading if you get a chance as it is turning into a netflix show!