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4.16 AVERAGE
4.16 AVERAGE
adventurous
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
emotional
funny
informative
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This is the smuttiest smut I've read so far. And also one of the best. This magic system is so well done, the plot, caracterbuild and relationshipbuilding are amazing.
I VERY much appriciate the triggerwarings on each chapter.
The consent is repeated EVERY time! (And often in very sexy ways) Like it should be.
It's fantasy, magic, queer. If you want smut, read this.
I VERY much appriciate the triggerwarings on each chapter.
The consent is repeated EVERY time! (And often in very sexy ways) Like it should be.
It's fantasy, magic, queer. If you want smut, read this.
adventurous
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
dark
emotional
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book is almost all smut. Learning the different kinds of BDSM and character building. It was in fact, enjoyable smut, with a range of diverse characters. Consent being a heavy topic of this story is why it was rated higher than a three. I don't come across books that have BDSM as a main topic that is also respectful of every character's boundaries very often.
The writing is good, but there could have been a lot more development through characters to move the story (against the villain) forwards in a less janky way. There was also the problem of the MC being good at every form of magic. Potential does not translate to this. It translates to learning and understanding the basic skills very quickly and slowly but consistantly moving up in level of control. That being said, it was still incredibly enjoyable.
The writing is good, but there could have been a lot more development through characters to move the story (against the villain) forwards in a less janky way. There was also the problem of the MC being good at every form of magic. Potential does not translate to this. It translates to learning and understanding the basic skills very quickly and slowly but consistantly moving up in level of control. That being said, it was still incredibly enjoyable.
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
4.5
I didn't fully understand the concept of this book going in, and, to be honest, I wasn’t sure I would like it. While Initiation has been on my radar for over a year - maybe two - and I definitely sometimes enjoy some well-written kinky spice in my books, I thought this one would be a little outside my comfort zones - especially, too, with the concept of open relationships since I tend to gravitate solely to monogamy in books.
However, like our main character Dominai, I was willing to try, and although he rather jumps in with both feet, the other characters he's with are wonderful at easing him in to various types of play/spellcasting with lots of check-ins so that I felt just as secure as Dominai did in his many bindings.
The release of pleasure through various types of play casts spells into these special types of rings and beads that can be carried with the characters and then used at their leisure for whatever purpose they intended when casting. Somehow, the release of energy giving the power of a spell that can be held in a special type of stone makes an enormous amount of sense to me, and I LOVE the way it's done in this story. That plot mechanic alone is GENIUS. The way it's carried out is so exceptionally done through the simple, clear, candid writing that this book was SO easy to read and pulled me in immediately.
Besides how good the writing was, what I loved MOST about this story were the relationships amongst all of the characters. Through the very means of their spell-casting and their emphasis on trust and consent, everyone becomes extremely close, like a found family. Kisses are common, not only on lips but friendly ones on cheeks and foreheads. Everyone cares about one another on a personal level, not just an intimate one, and it's easy to tell right away that just about anyone at this magical haven would do anything to help one of their members.
This is done so effortlessly, so NATURALLY - the nature of their magic leading to openness - that I didn't blink at the shared affection amongst everyone. Honestly, it was a kind of acceptance that warmed me from the inside out, and I could read ten more books with these characters.
Despite the openness of relationships, that didn’t mean there wasn’t room for special affection between individuals, which you can see here and there in this place. One such special relationship begins to form between Dominai and another, which I really appreciated. Their attraction and magnetism towards each other, slowly becoming each other’s PERSON, even as their openness never falters, was so heartwarming. I loved the extra attachments a couple characters gained for one another without jealousy ever being even an after-thought.
Somehow, with all of this growing amidst a haze of delicious spice and magic-casting, there's a darker plot in the background that rises up and becomes a climax to the story. While I enjoyed the excitement of this plot and getting to see these wizards using their spells in action, I found these elements of travel and tracking to be a little underdeveloped. The tracking by Dominai was weak based on his supposed experience - only able to find a trail where there are shoe prints in the wet mud. The landscape is barely described, and I didn't get much of a feel for the travel as it was largely glossed over.
None of these factors are the point of the book, and at the end of the day, they didn't subtract much enjoyment from the story, but I found them worth mentioning.
Overall, this is a shockingly GOOD book. Of course, you have to be open to reading about all kinds of kinks, but even if you think you might not like something you may find you're as surprised as I am to discover it's quite fun to read in *this* story. Already, I know this book is a favorite of the year, and I'm so glad I finally read it.
However, like our main character Dominai, I was willing to try, and although he rather jumps in with both feet, the other characters he's with are wonderful at easing him in to various types of play/spellcasting with lots of check-ins so that I felt just as secure as Dominai did in his many bindings.
The release of pleasure through various types of play casts spells into these special types of rings and beads that can be carried with the characters and then used at their leisure for whatever purpose they intended when casting. Somehow, the release of energy giving the power of a spell that can be held in a special type of stone makes an enormous amount of sense to me, and I LOVE the way it's done in this story. That plot mechanic alone is GENIUS. The way it's carried out is so exceptionally done through the simple, clear, candid writing that this book was SO easy to read and pulled me in immediately.
Besides how good the writing was, what I loved MOST about this story were the relationships amongst all of the characters. Through the very means of their spell-casting and their emphasis on trust and consent, everyone becomes extremely close, like a found family. Kisses are common, not only on lips but friendly ones on cheeks and foreheads. Everyone cares about one another on a personal level, not just an intimate one, and it's easy to tell right away that just about anyone at this magical haven would do anything to help one of their members.
This is done so effortlessly, so NATURALLY - the nature of their magic leading to openness - that I didn't blink at the shared affection amongst everyone. Honestly, it was a kind of acceptance that warmed me from the inside out, and I could read ten more books with these characters.
Despite the openness of relationships, that didn’t mean there wasn’t room for special affection between individuals, which you can see here and there in this place. One such special relationship begins to form between Dominai and another, which I really appreciated. Their attraction and magnetism towards each other, slowly becoming each other’s PERSON, even as their openness never falters, was so heartwarming. I loved the extra attachments a couple characters gained for one another without jealousy ever being even an after-thought.
Somehow, with all of this growing amidst a haze of delicious spice and magic-casting, there's a darker plot in the background that rises up and becomes a climax to the story. While I enjoyed the excitement of this plot and getting to see these wizards using their spells in action, I found these elements of travel and tracking to be a little underdeveloped. The tracking by Dominai was weak based on his supposed experience - only able to find a trail where there are shoe prints in the wet mud. The landscape is barely described, and I didn't get much of a feel for the travel as it was largely glossed over.
None of these factors are the point of the book, and at the end of the day, they didn't subtract much enjoyment from the story, but I found them worth mentioning.
Overall, this is a shockingly GOOD book. Of course, you have to be open to reading about all kinds of kinks, but even if you think you might not like something you may find you're as surprised as I am to discover it's quite fun to read in *this* story. Already, I know this book is a favorite of the year, and I'm so glad I finally read it.
emotional
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Blood