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jennkei's review against another edition
3.0
Liked the world...could have done with less ALPHA MAN and painful relationship faffing.
yodamom's review against another edition
3.0
I struggled with this one. I was tempted to drop it in the beginning. There were just too many details. I was over whelmed with information and strange names. There was a lot in inner dialog, about class, clothes, textures, powers.....after a 100 pages I had little idea what was going on. I let the obnoxious details go and just keep reading. The characters held my interest, they were unique in their creation, aliens from another world living on earth. i think that it, I was really blanking out, mind numb reading for at least a 1/3 of the book. This is one long read too.
Why did I stay with it ?
The main couple, they fought well, and stubbornly. He was a pigheaded controlling Alpha He-Man Noble, orphan and Ex-street rat turned Noble. She was an orphan, looking for family, filled with fear, wanted only safety, only to have everything turned 180 by the noble beast. Their battles, stupid little mating games and snippy moments kept me going.I was also wondering when they would finally do it. Yes, I am that way.
They also had cats, I love books with cute little side kicks. These cats weren't really cute. They were weird, jewel encrusted talking fur balls and lacked the snark I look for in my beasties. I'm not sure if I liked them or not, they ended on a null.
Sounds like I hated it I didn't. I had fun. It is a B list book for me.
Why did I stay with it ?
The main couple, they fought well, and stubbornly. He was a pigheaded controlling Alpha He-Man Noble, orphan and Ex-street rat turned Noble. She was an orphan, looking for family, filled with fear, wanted only safety, only to have everything turned 180 by the noble beast. Their battles, stupid little mating games and snippy moments kept me going.I was also wondering when they would finally do it. Yes, I am that way.
They also had cats, I love books with cute little side kicks. These cats weren't really cute. They were weird, jewel encrusted talking fur balls and lacked the snark I look for in my beasties. I'm not sure if I liked them or not, they ended on a null.
Sounds like I hated it I didn't. I had fun. It is a B list book for me.
hebberelle's review against another edition
3.0
Whew, what am amazing world building novel... that could have been half as long. Pages and pages of useless dialog and introspection, but then the author just skips over huge periods of time. The whole book flowed in of ways that did not make this an easy read.
heyitsife's review against another edition
2.0
I didn’t technically finish the book. But I got to 95% of the way through and I’m not gonna have wasted all that time just to not make it count towards my reading goal. Anyways, the book was interesting. However, in my opinion, there was too much world building. I felt like half the plot was just focused on explaining things to me and when things weren’t explained, I was lost and confused because I didn’t know what it was. I stopped reading at 95% of the way through because I knew the ending wasn’t gonna be what I wanted so it’s kind of like I’ve already wasted so much time on this book I’m not going to waste even more time. I also didn’t like T’Ash. Like he was OK, but my goodness he kept doing the same thing over and over expecting a different reaction. By the end he came to the conclusion that Danith deserves better and HE’S RIGHT she does deserve a better. How are you expecting her to want to bond with you if you can’t even be emotionally available with her, be so non-fictional right now. Then he has the audacity to leave her without telling her because “it’s what’s best”. Throughout the entire book, he has made decisions without consulting her or considering her wishes.
Well, after writing my first review, which was only 30 minutes ago, I finished the book. I think the ending was bad. Like him leaving needed to happen much much earlier than it did if it was going to be a conflict for them but it wasn’t even really a conflict. Overall the ending just wasn’t good. I just feel like he didn’t have to work for it. I feel like Danith did most of the work in the relationship. This book could’ve been great and disappointingly wasn’t.
Well, after writing my first review, which was only 30 minutes ago, I finished the book. I think the ending was bad. Like him leaving needed to happen much much earlier than it did if it was going to be a conflict for them but it wasn’t even really a conflict. Overall the ending just wasn’t good. I just feel like he didn’t have to work for it. I feel like Danith did most of the work in the relationship. This book could’ve been great and disappointingly wasn’t.
momosaurus's review against another edition
DNF at 80%, although honestly I checked out a lot earlier than that. This book is the first of the series, so I expected to get an information overload with world and character building. What I did get is very little explanation of what is going on and why, just that it is the way it is because IT IS. Very much tell and no show. I just finished reading good sci-fi series so I guess my expectations is a bit high, but this book didn't even hit the half-way mark. The writing is sometimes confusing, unintentionally implying things, lots of redundant stuff, characters acting against their nature or common sense just to create drama.
As for the main characters, Rand T’Ash and Danith Mallow, I just couldn't get on board that train at all. They have no chemistry and no reason to be together other than they are Heartmates and that makes horny for each other. The author tried to make the characters unique with quirks and personality but they turned out more one-dimensional, stale, and annoying. Very, very annoying. Rand, the main male, is a nobleman from one of the prestigious houses of this world, but he grew up on the streets and had to earn his title back the hard way. He's not smooth with the ladies and has no idea how to court a woman. So hilarity ensues with his clumsy attempts to court her.... And Danith? She's just a mess. A hysterical, wishy-washy Mary Sue. I think 3/4 of the book is just because Danith being a selfish idiot, like how she rejects Rand even after she learned they are Heartmates because she's an orphan and wants to marry into a large family but Rand doesn't have any living family. Oh noes.
The only redeeming thing about this book is Rand's familiar, Xan, the mouthy and demanding kitty cat. And sadly he wasn't enough to save this book for me.
As for the main characters, Rand T’Ash and Danith Mallow, I just couldn't get on board that train at all. They have no chemistry and no reason to be together other than they are Heartmates and that makes horny for each other. The author tried to make the characters unique with quirks and personality but they turned out more one-dimensional, stale, and annoying. Very, very annoying. Rand, the main male, is a nobleman from one of the prestigious houses of this world, but he grew up on the streets and had to earn his title back the hard way. He's not smooth with the ladies and has no idea how to court a woman. So hilarity ensues with his clumsy attempts to court her.... And Danith? She's just a mess. A hysterical, wishy-washy Mary Sue. I think 3/4 of the book is just because Danith being a selfish idiot, like how she rejects Rand even after she learned they are Heartmates because she's an orphan and wants to marry into a large family but Rand doesn't have any living family. Oh noes.
The only redeeming thing about this book is Rand's familiar, Xan, the mouthy and demanding kitty cat. And sadly he wasn't enough to save this book for me.
jackiehorne's review against another edition
2.0
One of the earlier "fated mates" fantasy romance series (2001). Appealing writing, and some intriguing world-building, and characters with interesting backstories. But both Rand T'Ash and Danith Mallow are pretty annoying from a feminist standpoint. T'Ash, lonely and longing for companionship but having no idea how to foster relationships (having grown up on the streets since the age of 6), does nothing but dictate to and boss around his fated partner. I was hoping that over the course of the book he'd learn that there are better ways to get someone to like you, and change his behavior, but no, he pretty much stays the same. Danith continually rejects T'Ash, initially because she mistakes his intentions, and later because we need the rejecting woman to keep the plot going, not because she really seems to have many objections to being bossed around. The two finally come together only after T'Ash goes away on a trip and his absence makes Danith realize how much she wants to be with the big lug. Ugh.
birdloveranne's review
4.0
I like it, though I found the chapters to be too long for my taste. I loved the ending where they were finally happy. Looking forward to reading more of the series.
getlostmatilda's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
kaydombrowski's review
I tried to read this book but it was not working for me. Got two chapters in and had to give up.