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samagader35's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Freeing Luka but at what cost? I hate them. It took the whole bloody book (and it literally gets rough again) to get out of their own way and admit they love each other even though he called her love most of the book and you know and they know they’re mates for most of it. But also if he said it again I was going to smack him with my kindle (I’d figure it out okay?!)
Heres my mental breakdown of this book bc I have some thoughts:
1. They're aliens (feels obvious but Alice had to be constantly reminded)
2. She’s human (Luka had to be reminded)
3. Idk if MY translator was off but idk why alien women move on to the next marriage after having a child with the current male
4. It was like 42% of the book before they do little more than kiss
5. We reached 80%…..is there a therapist on this planet?
6. Why is there so much sexual tension bw Alice and Verakko if her and Luka are mates. Poly maybe?
7. Ohhh he's the next book. Too afraid to look now. Afraid of the disappointment.
8. They opened the doors to free the women at the other bad facilities and just told the rest of their worlds population to look out for some terrified earthlings bc that’s the best they can do with all their fancy technology.
9. Alice and Luka finally said I love you and I hate them
Heres my mental breakdown of this book bc I have some thoughts:
1. They're aliens (feels obvious but Alice had to be constantly reminded)
2. She’s human (Luka had to be reminded)
3. Idk if MY translator was off but idk why alien women move on to the next marriage after having a child with the current male
4. It was like 42% of the book before they do little more than kiss
5. We reached 80%…..is there a therapist on this planet?
6. Why is there so much sexual tension bw Alice and Verakko if her and Luka are mates. Poly maybe?
7. Ohhh he's the next book. Too afraid to look now. Afraid of the disappointment.
8. They opened the doors to free the women at the other bad facilities and just told the rest of their worlds population to look out for some terrified earthlings bc that’s the best they can do with all their fancy technology.
9. Alice and Luka finally said I love you and I hate them
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Torture, Confinement, Sexual harassment, Medical trauma, Blood, Classism, Violence, Trafficking, and Physical abuse
gracescross's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture, Kidnapping, Sexual content, Trafficking, and Violence
Moderate: Alcohol, Stalking, and Pregnancy
Minor: Injury/Injury detail
teddie_valetine98's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Trafficking, Alcohol, Torture, Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail, and Drug use
waterwolves's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Content Warnings
Minor: Injury/Injury detail, Confinement, Kidnapping, Violence, Torture, Stalking, and Trafficking
calicohearts's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Trafficking, Sexual content, Kidnapping, Physical abuse, Confinement, and Torture
andra_mihaela_s's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
3.5 stars!
Today I'm bringing you my thoughts on book 2 in the #clecanianseries by Victoria Aveline : Freeing Luka 😙
This is a science fiction romance with the love interest being an alien 🤷♀️...sooo, if you know you like this genre or are curious enough to try it: read on!😌
format in which i read it : #audiobook
CW: death, imprisonment , mentions of human / alien experimentation, drugging
#romancetrope : forced proximity is the most prevalent
Thoughts 💙
I really enjoyed this book, despite receiving half a star less than the first one.(Mainly due to not enough details on Clecania as I would have liked / as it was with the 1st book 😅🤷♀️...but I really enjoy that in books and your opinion may vary, especially if you read the first book and you felt that it was enough)
I strongly recommend you begin this series in order, as we jump straight to a kidnapping of women because of a very important issue with clecanias as a species...reproduction 🤭
The atmosphere was good( not as good as the 1st one) and the action were well thought of. We get to see Alice as a prisoner ( and experience with her the panic, the anxiety, and the desperate reach for a possible way out) and also as an alien trying to get a sense of what is around her. I especially loved that part, getting used to life in a new place, to technology and a different culture, not to mention the animal life on another planet...precious!🥰
The author knows how to intrigue you with the world building ( done very well in my opinion!☺️) and make you stay for the relationship.
As per the 1st book, this love story is based on getting to know each other, mutual respect, consent and communication! 😍 the society is matriarchal for important reasons and although there are flaws our characters point out, I wouldn't mind living there😁🤭
Characters: our FMC is a little bit weaker than the one before, but that's just me not really liking her personality that much ( which my not be the same for you), so, my favorite is Luka- our researcher with a heart of gold!
As I said, the author is really good with relationships : siblings interaction, friendships born out of necessity or naturally ( Jade and Alice, Alice and Vanessa, Alice and Auzed, etc).
Overall, we have great setting, mature characters that discuss their goals and desires AND an overarching plot designed to have you hooked 👀
What more can you want?🤷♀️
If any of this sounds good to you, I highly recommend you start with Choosing Theo 😉
Today I'm bringing you my thoughts on book 2 in the #clecanianseries by Victoria Aveline : Freeing Luka 😙
This is a science fiction romance with the love interest being an alien 🤷♀️...sooo, if you know you like this genre or are curious enough to try it: read on!😌
format in which i read it : #audiobook
CW: death, imprisonment , mentions of human / alien experimentation, drugging
#romancetrope : forced proximity is the most prevalent
Thoughts 💙
I really enjoyed this book, despite receiving half a star less than the first one.(Mainly due to not enough details on Clecania as I would have liked / as it was with the 1st book 😅🤷♀️...but I really enjoy that in books and your opinion may vary, especially if you read the first book and you felt that it was enough)
I strongly recommend you begin this series in order, as we jump straight to a kidnapping of women because of a very important issue with clecanias as a species...reproduction 🤭
The atmosphere was good( not as good as the 1st one) and the action were well thought of. We get to see Alice as a prisoner ( and experience with her the panic, the anxiety, and the desperate reach for a possible way out) and also as an alien trying to get a sense of what is around her. I especially loved that part, getting used to life in a new place, to technology and a different culture, not to mention the animal life on another planet...precious!🥰
The author knows how to intrigue you with the world building ( done very well in my opinion!☺️) and make you stay for the relationship.
As per the 1st book, this love story is based on getting to know each other, mutual respect, consent and communication! 😍 the society is matriarchal for important reasons and although there are flaws our characters point out, I wouldn't mind living there😁🤭
Characters: our FMC is a little bit weaker than the one before, but that's just me not really liking her personality that much ( which my not be the same for you), so, my favorite is Luka- our researcher with a heart of gold!
As I said, the author is really good with relationships : siblings interaction, friendships born out of necessity or naturally ( Jade and Alice, Alice and Vanessa, Alice and Auzed, etc).
Overall, we have great setting, mature characters that discuss their goals and desires AND an overarching plot designed to have you hooked 👀
What more can you want?🤷♀️
If any of this sounds good to you, I highly recommend you start with Choosing Theo 😉
Content Warnings
Moderate: Torture, Death, Trafficking, Sexual harassment, Kidnapping, and Drug abuse
kb33's review against another edition
fast-paced
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Sexual content, Torture, Trafficking, and Violence
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, and Stalking
Minor: Pregnancy, Death of parent, and Blood
marsh_mall0w's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Trafficking, and Confinement
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Medical content, and Sexual assault
Minor: Death of parent and Pregnancy
katiekeske's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.0
I did not enjoy this book. Well, I did enjoy the first part while they were in captivity, but the scene where they finally see each other again at the meeting with the Queen infuriated me and ruined it for me. I hate when love interests don't communicate with each other. When the drama is all due to them not explaining what they are thinking or feeling, I just can't stand it.
I have read plenty of alien romances where cultural misunderstandings happen, and they can be humorous or overcome after the couple explains things to each other. I feel like these two never actually talk to each other about the misunderstandings between each other. The reader gets to see each character's thoughts and the reasoning behind different actions, but I wanted them to actually sit and explain it to each other.
I was looking forward to reading Luka's book because I love a smart, sweet hero. I like that he's a scientist, and the scenes with Alice at the nature reserve were nice. However, I don't like how these males become @ssholes once they have a mate. Just because he can smell his mate's arousal, doesn't mean he can just ignore whatever words are coming out of her mouth. I found it hypocritical when at one point this is explained about one of the classes the males take at husbandry school -"The males had also learned the importance of consent and how to harness your sexual energy and control that when no willing females were available." AND YET, there are scenes where she's telling him not to touch her and he says it physically hurts him not to. The vibes in this book just irk me. I don't like it. I like a strong, protective hero, but I want them to listen to the heroine, too. Words are important, not just the reactions a person's body has.
I liked Alice in the beginning, but then, especially after that meeting scene I mentioned, it all went down hill. The whole first part of the book it seemed like she was really into Luka and I was looking forward to them getting to know each other and getting to be together. Then it gets ruined and she waffles in her feelings.
I get what the author was trying to go for, but I just did not like it. I have read other books where the love interests meet in a prison or in captivity and then they fall in love while they're trying to escape, and I wished this book was more like those. I think I would have liked this book more if they had been in captivity for longer rather than having to deal with all the weird getting to know you stuff that takes place for the rest of the book.
I have also decided I just do not like the Clecanian culture. I was not super impressed with it when I read the first book, but after reading this one, I don't think I can read anymore of these books. It is supposed to be a matriarchal society, which I would normally be a fan of, but somehow the ways of this one are so toxic to me.
There is one side character that I really like named Rhaego because he seems so sweet and really wants a mate. Though, I worry that if a book is written about him it'll ruin his cinnamon roll essence to me.
I have read plenty of alien romances where cultural misunderstandings happen, and they can be humorous or overcome after the couple explains things to each other. I feel like these two never actually talk to each other about the misunderstandings between each other. The reader gets to see each character's thoughts and the reasoning behind different actions, but I wanted them to actually sit and explain it to each other.
I was looking forward to reading Luka's book because I love a smart, sweet hero. I like that he's a scientist, and the scenes with Alice at the nature reserve were nice. However, I don't like how these males become @ssholes once they have a mate. Just because he can smell his mate's arousal, doesn't mean he can just ignore whatever words are coming out of her mouth. I found it hypocritical when at one point this is explained about one of the classes the males take at husbandry school -"The males had also learned the importance of consent and how to harness your sexual energy and control that when no willing females were available." AND YET, there are scenes where she's telling him not to touch her and he says it physically hurts him not to. The vibes in this book just irk me. I don't like it. I like a strong, protective hero, but I want them to listen to the heroine, too. Words are important, not just the reactions a person's body has.
I liked Alice in the beginning, but then, especially after that meeting scene I mentioned, it all went down hill. The whole first part of the book it seemed like she was really into Luka and I was looking forward to them getting to know each other and getting to be together. Then it gets ruined and she waffles in her feelings.
I get what the author was trying to go for, but I just did not like it. I have read other books where the love interests meet in a prison or in captivity and then they fall in love while they're trying to escape, and I wished this book was more like those. I think I would have liked this book more if they had been in captivity for longer rather than having to deal with all the weird getting to know you stuff that takes place for the rest of the book.
I have also decided I just do not like the Clecanian culture. I was not super impressed with it when I read the first book, but after reading this one, I don't think I can read anymore of these books. It is supposed to be a matriarchal society, which I would normally be a fan of, but somehow the ways of this one are so toxic to me.
There is one side character that I really like named Rhaego because he seems so sweet and really wants a mate. Though, I worry that if a book is written about him it'll ruin his cinnamon roll essence to me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement and Sexual content
Moderate: Pregnancy, Sexism, Kidnapping, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Stalking, Torture, and Trafficking
Minor: Sexual harassment
ashleycmms's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture, Blood, Death, Trafficking, Medical trauma, Kidnapping, Physical abuse, and Violence
Moderate: Emotional abuse and Stalking
Minor: Death of parent