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thebookhaze's review against another edition
Did it get better? Nope. No, it did not. It got worse. Much worse.
It got so much worse, I couldn't even finish the book. It's a completely different story from what it started out as. Even the main character disappears for more than the first half of the book.
It is such a shame because the premise had such great potential and it just completely turned into... whatever this is.
Such a collosal disappointment.
It got so much worse, I couldn't even finish the book. It's a completely different story from what it started out as. Even the main character disappears for more than the first half of the book.
It is such a shame because the premise had such great potential and it just completely turned into... whatever this is.
Such a collosal disappointment.
lolacep124's review against another edition
5.0
Ah, yes. This, THIS is the story I have been waiting for!
4.5
4.5
whatsarahread's review against another edition
5.0
By now, you may know that I am a big fan of the Dark Caravan Cycle by Heater Demetrios. Exquisite Captive is "a story of passion, of pain and ultimately of the power that can be found in freedom." and Blood Passage is filled with "precise detailing, inspiring character growth and absolutely gorgeous writing", making it an equally fabulous sequel. It's no wonder that I went into the final book in the trilogy with exceedingly high expectations. All I wanted was for Nalia and Raif to finally find happiness after sacrificing so much for their home and for their people. Over the first two books in this series, I'd become invested in the stories of these characters, their lives and their fight for survival.
II want to start off by saying how amazing it was to finally be in Arjinna. After spending "Exquisite Captive" in dark and sexy Los Angeles and "Blood Passage" in the stunning beauty of the Moroccan desert, it was so wonderful to finally be swept away to the magical land of Arjinna that I'd been hearing so much about. Demetrios created an enchanting and mysterious land that allowed me to really immerse myself in to the myth and legend of the world. From the Forest of Sighs and the Qaf Mountains, to the cauldron at Ithkar and the Ghan Aisouri Palace. There is so much to fall in love with in Arjinna...and I fell hard.
Freedom's Slave is the continuation and conclusion of Nalia's journey to discover her destiny and in this third book, I felt like she had finally come into her own and taken control of her future. This growth came with some serious sacrifice on her part and it's evident that she has taken the responsibility laid upon her as her true purpose in life. It was amazing to see Nalia transform into the person she was always meant to be.
It's so hard to get into a ton of detail without giving so much of this final book away, and to do that would completely ruin the reading experience. Suffice it to say, I loved everything about this series finale. The characters, the setting and the story all came together in a perfect union and even though this book is a little more than 600 pages, I couldn't get enough.
FINAL THOUGHTS…
Freedom's Slave is an amazing conclusion to an epic series that was absolutely perfect! I'm so sad to say goodbye to these characters but absolutely
love how it all ended.
This review was originally posted on what sarah read...
xliterati's review against another edition
1.0
I simply do not read books about brown people written by a white lady
tiareleine's review against another edition
5.0
Great end to the series. One of those books you barely notice is almost 600 pages long. I have too many feelings to write a full-length review right now.
Longer review to come.
Longer review to come.
lpcoolgirl's review against another edition
5.0
Oh, wow, this was a really fantastic ending to the series! Loved reading it, it was just so freaking fantastic!
librarykate's review against another edition
4.0
Nalia, now free of Malek, is on her way through the Eye back to Arjinna. She's ready to take her place as Empress, but all seems to be lost when she is unable to find her way back to the others after a battle. Zenari, on the point of death, leads the rest of the Jinn but most leave Nalia behind. Raif struggles on finding unlikely allies while doing his best to lead the tavrai and put his life back together without Nalia.
I enjoyed this book, but I think it would be better classified as New Adult rather than Young Adult. These are some of the most detailed sex scenes I have read in YA literature. I would hand this to fans of Sarah Maas, but would be careful who I recommended it to. There is a lot of sex, swearing, and violent death. Certainly not for the faint of heart.
Even as I make that disclaimer, I must say that I really enjoyed. As the conclusion to the trilogy, Freedom's Slave was exactly what the series needed. Characters grew and changed. Horrific evil happens, but hope comes from the ashes of a destroyed community.
Just one issue. Nalia's adventures in the eye are typed on gray pages as opposed to white pages. Being able to see the upcoming gray pages really took away the suspense for me.
I enjoyed this book, but I think it would be better classified as New Adult rather than Young Adult. These are some of the most detailed sex scenes I have read in YA literature. I would hand this to fans of Sarah Maas, but would be careful who I recommended it to. There is a lot of sex, swearing, and violent death. Certainly not for the faint of heart.
Even as I make that disclaimer, I must say that I really enjoyed
Spoiler
Nalia's story and progression. I enjoyed watching her become empress and right the wrongs done by her peopleJust one issue. Nalia's adventures in the eye are typed on gray pages as opposed to white pages.
Spoiler
When Raif saw Nalia with the Phoenix and believed her to be dead, I knew that she wasn't because there was still one more section of gray pages. Maybe this is a small thing since I wouldn't put it past Demetrios to kill Nalia. She certainly killed many other beloved characters, and Nalia wasn't the only main character/narrator of the story.ireadlikeaboss's review against another edition
3.0
The message in this book is loud and clear: Never stop fighting for what you believe in no matter how bleak the circumstances might be. The characters' journeys and unrelenting fight will resonate with readers of today as our world faces pain, oppression, brokenness, and an innumerable amount of other issues—things that Raif, Nalia, Taz, and everyone else in FREEDOM'S SLAVE had to face.
FREEDOM'S SLAVE tops out at over 600 pages, which is admittedly a little intimidating and quite a commitment. But I'm happy to say that this book didn't feel like it was that long. Demetiros packs this book full of twists, turns, and believable action that kept me interested and engaged. Though, like in previous books, some of the novel did feel a bit long-winded in its descriptions and narrative.
We are reacquainted with characters from the previous two novels, like Nalia, Raif, and members of the newly freed Brass Army. But Demetrios also introduces us to new characters as the focus shifts from Solomon's sigil to the troubled land of Arjinna. The whole series has been leading to this moment—to when everyone is finally able to get back to the homeland.
The power of love is a constant theme throughout this novel. Strength, resilience, hope, and love are all characteristics that Nalia and Raif possess, which also makes them both brilliant leaders of the revolution and over a broken and oppressed people. Their love for each other and for their people was something Demetrios really crafted beautifully. I have to admit that I wasn't the biggest fan of Raif and Nalia as a couple but I liked who they came individually and together in this novel. Kudos!
Through her beautifully imagined fantasy world, Demetrios tackles real world issues that we face today, such as racism, sex trafficking, poverty, and power imbalances. These issues were woven delicately into the story and were recognized as things to overcome by our main characters. They weren't glossed over or minimized but handled straight on and dealt with, which was really refreshing. The book didn't feel like a giant public service announcement.
I liked this final installment, but I didn't love it. There was A LOT going on, almost too much at times—even though I liked the action. The Godsnight plot and the Calar plot were two big moments in the book. I felt like the Godsnight plot overshadowed the momentum from the Calar plot that was slowly building from the beginning. I also had some issues with some of the placement of the more romantic scenes; some of them felt misplaced in the midst of war and strife.
Overall, I thought this series was beautiful visually with strong inspirations from Middle Eastern culture, language, architecture, and history. Demetrios did a spectacular job with drawing the reader into this lush fantasy world, filled with captive jinni, a troubled people, and a boy turned man ready to save them all. I recommend this series to readers who want to experience a beautiful setting!
* Thanks to Balzter + Bray for providing me with an early copy for review (and for all the books in the series, for that matter)! Receiving this book for free did not affect my opinion.
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hazellie's review against another edition
Did it get better? Nope. No, it did not. It got worse. Much worse.
It got so much worse, I couldn't even finish the book. It's a completely different story from what it started out as. Even the main character disappears for more than the first half of the book.
It is such a shame because the premise had such great potential and it just completely turned into... whatever this is.
Such a collosal disappointment.
It got so much worse, I couldn't even finish the book. It's a completely different story from what it started out as. Even the main character disappears for more than the first half of the book.
It is such a shame because the premise had such great potential and it just completely turned into... whatever this is.
Such a collosal disappointment.