Scan barcode
meat_muffin's review against another edition
fast-paced
3.5
I want to be obsessed with this one, I really do, but once the MMC fucking sold her - even if he had a fucking plan!! To get her back!! - my good opinion plummeted and there was just no redemption in my eyes 🤷‍♀️
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pregnancy, Sexual content, Kidnapping, Xenophobia, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Misogyny, Confinement, Murder, and Death
Moderate: Colonisation, Blood, Violence, Infidelity, Toxic relationship, War, Infertility, Sexism, and Abortion
Minor: Death of parent, Rape, and Self harm
mburnsides's review
This is genuinely so bad. A lot of times poor quality is expected from self published books but BY GOD this is shit. The smut isn’t good, and it’s definitely not even passable enough to make up for the infuriating characters and horrible plot.
Grimarr and Jule are so toxic; they’re both terrible people who manipulate and lie, and they’re both constantly flip-flopping on what they want. One moment Grimarr is telling Jule he wants to protect her and will whatever she wants, the next he’s threatening to kill her and coercing her into sex. Jule can’t decide if she wants to bone the guy or if she wants to get away from him.
Theres some serious overuse of the words naught, prick (dick), and seed. A distracting and unsexy amount of the use of prick and seed. It’s gross and annoying to read. The way Fenn writes smut makes it sound painful and aggressive, and Grimarr is “culturally” kinky, but doesn’t ask Jule for permission ever.
The plot is so nonexistent. The only reason this book is 400 pages is because there’s a bad smut scene every few chapters. Grimarr and Jule spend so much time arguing back and forth over the SAME DAMN THINGS. They never get anywhere. And there’s so much focus on Jule being unable to have children with her husband, but Grimarr believing she can, she just needs the right guy. I hate that trope so much.
I was looking forward to this series because I like orc/human stories, but this is just toxicity with fantasy racism. Grimarr is so unattractive it’s hurts. Hes not charming or kind or protective. He’s all toxic masculinity. And Jule is just a huge idiot.
Don’t waste your time or money on this garbage.
DNF ~30%
Grimarr and Jule are so toxic; they’re both terrible people who manipulate and lie, and they’re both constantly flip-flopping on what they want. One moment Grimarr is telling Jule he wants to protect her and will whatever she wants, the next he’s threatening to kill her and coercing her into sex. Jule can’t decide if she wants to bone the guy or if she wants to get away from him.
Theres some serious overuse of the words naught, prick (dick), and seed. A distracting and unsexy amount of the use of prick and seed. It’s gross and annoying to read. The way Fenn writes smut makes it sound painful and aggressive, and Grimarr is “culturally” kinky, but doesn’t ask Jule for permission ever.
The plot is so nonexistent. The only reason this book is 400 pages is because there’s a bad smut scene every few chapters. Grimarr and Jule spend so much time arguing back and forth over the SAME DAMN THINGS. They never get anywhere. And there’s so much focus on Jule being unable to have children with her husband, but Grimarr believing she can, she just needs the right guy. I hate that trope so much.
I was looking forward to this series because I like orc/human stories, but this is just toxicity with fantasy racism. Grimarr is so unattractive it’s hurts. Hes not charming or kind or protective. He’s all toxic masculinity. And Jule is just a huge idiot.
Don’t waste your time or money on this garbage.
DNF ~30%
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping, Infertility, Pregnancy, Toxic relationship, War, Confinement, Gaslighting, Rape, Sexual content, and Emotional abuse
doahdancer's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Sexual assault, Blood, Death of parent, Infertility, Kidnapping, Murder, Pregnancy, Racism, Rape, Confinement, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, Death, and Physical abuse
dwarrowdams's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
medium-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? Yes
4.5
Really compelling emotional romance. Not a light read, but worth it, and super hot too.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Xenophobia, Violence, and Murder
Moderate: Infidelity, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Physical abuse, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Sexism
goldensisyphus's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
This book is repeated miscommunication tropes and repeated bid-d*ck breeding smut. It was too repetitive for my taste and I was so bored. The MMC is a gaslighting, lying self-admitted rapist (and we are somehow supposed to excuse these previous rapes just because he admits they "weren't successful" and he's going to do better?!). The most interesting part was the mysteriously scrawny, unblemished, shy orcs within the mountain. That's pretty much the only part I'd want to know more about.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infertility, Infidelity, Misogyny, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, Pregnancy, Rape, Kidnapping, Murder, Physical abuse, and Sexual assault
cluckieduck's review
adventurous
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
I’ve read & loved a lot of monster romance, so was happy to finally delve into the orc world with this one but it just wasn’t for me, unfortunately.
Both MCs were beyond irritating with their miscommunication, trust issues, and whiplash-level “I hate you’s, I love you’s”, yet it all miraculously disappeared when the magical orc peen was whipped out. To me, this fell on the wrong end of a dub-con relationship because it just felt like a way to cram in sooo many sexual encounters without any actual desire or connection between the two. Not enough time was spent on any level of development in their budding romance, yet they didn’t come across as fated mates either so it just left me feeling…why??
Both MCs were beyond irritating with their miscommunication, trust issues, and whiplash-level “I hate you’s, I love you’s”, yet it all miraculously disappeared when the magical orc peen was whipped out. To me, this fell on the wrong end of a dub-con relationship because it just felt like a way to cram in sooo many sexual encounters without any actual desire or connection between the two. Not enough time was spent on any level of development in their budding romance, yet they didn’t come across as fated mates either so it just left me feeling…why??
Content Warnings
Graphic: War, Kidnapping, Blood, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Emotional abuse, and Murder
Moderate: Cursing, Domestic abuse, Abortion, Infertility, Confinement, Death, Bullying, and Pregnancy
Minor: Animal death
cardaisy's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
I feel like 2.5 is pretty fair for how I feel about this book, but there was also a pretty big gap between reading the first and second half of, so take that as you will
Incredibly readable and weirdly addicting, but boy do I also have some gripes with this book. But, I mean, I finished it? And despite mixed feelings I'm maybe considering reading another one in the series?
I felt pretty sure that I knew what I was getting into when I started, but, well, this was a lot. I will say that Finley Fenn knows how to write some pretty good grovel, the scene at the midway point was đź‘Ś, and the one at the end was still good but I could've used more, Jule deserved it
I can't with the humiliation stuff though... aaand the blatant abuse and neglect. And I can't let go of the twist/betrayal at the end because I literally would've been mostly fine with it storywise if he had just told her??? It's a shit situation and was the right move politically and for the greater good and all that, but he couldn't at least loop her in?? Especially after she told him that she loved him and was clearly on board with everything by the end of it? He did at least acknowledge that at the end but still.
Also, I think, as a whole, that this book could've really benefitted by having the MMC's POV as well
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping, Domestic abuse, Murder, Toxic relationship, Violence, Confinement, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Infertility and Abortion
unusablebooklore's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
This was my first Orc book. I was heavily influenced via social media. I cannot be mad. This book lived up to all the hype.
Kidnapping of a headstrong Lady MC, sexy mate magic, an unusual take on forced proximity; not to mention the spice. This book excelled in a lot of ways. I appreciated the level of emotion used to help the reader really commit to the cause of the Orc's, not too heavy but just enough to make me want to read the remainder of the series.
My biggest issue was that the MC seemed utterly irrational the first half of the book. It made it difficult to really dig in and like her until the second half. However, her Orc Grimarr was truly excellent.
Kidnapping of a headstrong Lady MC, sexy mate magic, an unusual take on forced proximity; not to mention the spice. This book excelled in a lot of ways. I appreciated the level of emotion used to help the reader really commit to the cause of the Orc's, not too heavy but just enough to make me want to read the remainder of the series.
My biggest issue was that the MC seemed utterly irrational the first half of the book. It made it difficult to really dig in and like her until the second half. However, her Orc Grimarr was truly excellent.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Murder, Pregnancy, Infertility, Kidnapping, and Violence
onlyonebookshelf's review
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping
Moderate: War, Violence, Infertility, and Infidelity
essie__reads's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-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
4.5
This review contains spoilers!!!
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
The bad: the amount of fluids and descriptions was both unnecessary and uncalled for.
The amount of times Jule describes the orc as ugly and hideous while begging him to fuck her was a bit ridiculous and comical to me as a reader. The amount of time it took for them to actually fall in love was a bit too drawn out in my opinion. The way orcs are exhibitionist and that was not a well-known fact to the humans- I felt like that should have been more well-known.
The good:
I surprisingly loved this book. The author writes beautifully and it had so many themes about discrimination and judgement of those who are different than us, that can be applied to real life. The plo twist near the end was one I genuinely did not expect. The steam was great, and it was consensual sex. Great character development and growth!
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
The bad: the amount of fluids and descriptions was both unnecessary and uncalled for.
The amount of times Jule describes the orc as ugly and hideous while begging him to fuck her was a bit ridiculous and comical to me as a reader. The amount of time it took for them to actually fall in love was a bit too drawn out in my opinion. The way orcs are exhibitionist and that was not a well-known fact to the humans- I felt like that should have been more well-known.
The good:
I surprisingly loved this book. The author writes beautifully and it had so many themes about discrimination and judgement of those who are different than us, that can be applied to real life. The plo twist near the end was one I genuinely did not expect. The steam was great, and it was consensual sex. Great character development and growth!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Toxic relationship, Infertility, Kidnapping, and Pregnancy