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3.69 AVERAGE
3.69 AVERAGE
Really 2.5 stars. This just didn't work for me, although I haven't been able to really get into a paranormal romance in years. Magic system didn't feel fully thought out, the romance felt cursory, and the plot was bonkers but not in a fun way.
⭐️3 stars⭐️
"I have never had an enemy," Cleo mused. "I wonder who will win, the one who sees the future, or the one who clings to the past?"
"I have never had an enemy," Cleo mused. "I wonder who will win, the one who sees the future, or the one who clings to the past?"
I'm a die-hard Bec McMaster fan and cannot get enough of her books! I wouldn't rank this as my absolute top (I don't think anything can knock Nobody's Hero out of that spot - hot damn, that book was gold), but I enjoyed it for all the things that are McMaster - traumatic pasts, both characters dealing with feelings of loneliness and abandonment, awesome fiery sex scenes, badass heroines, and feeling the trust/support that comes from being there for your partner in their worst times.
Lucien and Ianthe are sorcerers with their own private demons (literally and figuratively! Bada-ching!) Lucien can "read" emotions on people's face as colors, but he is also psychically scarred from a demon and cannot use his sorcery without pain. Ianthe carries her childhood traumas around like a battleshield. There is prophecy, sorcerers, spells, divination, scrying, foretelling, grimoires... all building towards a big upcoming battle.
I love romances for the romance aspect, especially when the characters help each other to heal in some way. I loved Lucien so so much because at times, he reminded me so much of my partner - not the revenge side of him, but when he started being tender, supportive, non-judgmental, caring, protective... some of the things he would say to Ianthe or how he would reason instead of being angry, some of his feelings of loneliness or abandonment.. it was so striking. So maybe my love of this book is a little biased:-)
Ianthe really was my favorite kind of badass heroine. She was in charge, commanding, loving, protective, stubborn, and powerful. I loved the power dynamics here made the heroine more magically powerful than the hero because it made it less "damsel in distress" and more "damsel is stressed tf out".
Sexy times.... always very hot and steamy:-) in this book, however, even as someone who loves it hot and steamy, I was kinda surprised at how quick it started and how random the set up for sex was. A woman who arrested you pulls you out of prison for Reason, and in negotiations, your main thing is to say she had to sleep with you at night? A) Why is the prisoner able to make negotiations? You want out of prison or not? And B) I hate hate hate the "barter for sex" trope; winning someone in a poker game, agreeing to help someone only if you can fuck them, taking on someone's debts but with a price tag. It's too much of forced prostitution and sick patriarchal power displays. And from Lucien's character, it was completely wacky.
BUT - I did like that McMaster brought up the very real dilemma that women don't always orgasm and of using condoms or sheaths. Whatever the time period, there have been women faking orgasms and women doing some things to avoid pregnancy. Not always fool proof and not always "the thing" but worldly women would likely have known about sheaths, so I liked that McMaster had that in the book.
This book was also a little different than her last two series because, while McMaster usually does some scenes as sequel bait, there was a LOT more of that here than previously. It made me wonder if there was not enough Lucien/Ianthe story to build on...
Either way, solid A! There are some popular authors whose stories I initially love but that don't hold up during rereads. It's one of the reasons McMaster is definitely a favorite because I'm often going back to certain scenes in her books!!
Lucien and Ianthe are sorcerers with their own private demons (literally and figuratively! Bada-ching!) Lucien can "read" emotions on people's face as colors, but he is also psychically scarred from a demon and cannot use his sorcery without pain. Ianthe carries her childhood traumas around like a battleshield. There is prophecy, sorcerers, spells, divination, scrying, foretelling, grimoires... all building towards a big upcoming battle.
I love romances for the romance aspect, especially when the characters help each other to heal in some way. I loved Lucien so so much because at times, he reminded me so much of my partner - not the revenge side of him, but when he started being tender, supportive, non-judgmental, caring, protective... some of the things he would say to Ianthe or how he would reason instead of being angry, some of his feelings of loneliness or abandonment.. it was so striking. So maybe my love of this book is a little biased:-)
Ianthe really was my favorite kind of badass heroine. She was in charge, commanding, loving, protective, stubborn, and powerful. I loved the power dynamics here made the heroine more magically powerful than the hero because it made it less "damsel in distress" and more "damsel is stressed tf out".
Sexy times.... always very hot and steamy:-) in this book, however, even as someone who loves it hot and steamy, I was kinda surprised at how quick it started and how random the set up for sex was. A woman who arrested you pulls you out of prison for Reason, and in negotiations, your main thing is to say she had to sleep with you at night? A) Why is the prisoner able to make negotiations? You want out of prison or not? And B) I hate hate hate the "barter for sex" trope; winning someone in a poker game, agreeing to help someone only if you can fuck them, taking on someone's debts but with a price tag. It's too much of forced prostitution and sick patriarchal power displays. And from Lucien's character, it was completely wacky.
BUT - I did like that McMaster brought up the very real dilemma that women don't always orgasm and of using condoms or sheaths. Whatever the time period, there have been women faking orgasms and women doing some things to avoid pregnancy. Not always fool proof and not always "the thing" but worldly women would likely have known about sheaths, so I liked that McMaster had that in the book.
This book was also a little different than her last two series because, while McMaster usually does some scenes as sequel bait, there was a LOT more of that here than previously. It made me wonder if there was not enough Lucien/Ianthe story to build on...
Either way, solid A! There are some popular authors whose stories I initially love but that don't hold up during rereads. It's one of the reasons McMaster is definitely a favorite because I'm often going back to certain scenes in her books!!
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I had so much fun with this book. A paranormal historical! Second chances! Agreements that are bad decisions in the best way! It does have a strong thread of lack of communication, but as with so many things, it's a question of how it's done - in this case, neither Ianthe nor Rathbourne has any damn reason to trust the other (and quite a few reasons not to), so both withhold certain pieces of information relevant to the plot. However, it doesn't get into antics of stretching out a necessary revelation because either one of them is being stupid.
I love the magic threaded through this, the distinction between controlled evocation and the violence of emotion-driven Expression. I didn't feel that the worldbuilding bogged down into lengthy explanations that detracted from the flow of the story, but there was always enough information to make the current situation understandable. I liked the characters, and I want to spend more time with them. I loved the agreement between Ianthe and Rathbourne - that he must serve her during the day, but she's his at night - which is a particularly fun bit of catnip for me. And I liked that a lot of the plot was driven not by immense magical power, per se, but by the follies and failures of humans which are then magnified by the existence of magical power - it made it feel more real.
I did roll my eyes a little at some repetitive writing ("golden topaz eyes", sigh) but not enough to detract from my overall enjoyment of the book. I'm definitely looking forward to more books in the series once I conquer some more of my to-read pile.
I love the magic threaded through this, the distinction between controlled evocation and the violence of emotion-driven Expression. I didn't feel that the worldbuilding bogged down into lengthy explanations that detracted from the flow of the story, but there was always enough information to make the current situation understandable. I liked the characters, and I want to spend more time with them. I loved the agreement between Ianthe and Rathbourne - that he must serve her during the day, but she's his at night - which is a particularly fun bit of catnip for me. And I liked that a lot of the plot was driven not by immense magical power, per se, but by the follies and failures of humans which are then magnified by the existence of magical power - it made it feel more real.
I did roll my eyes a little at some repetitive writing ("golden topaz eyes", sigh) but not enough to detract from my overall enjoyment of the book. I'm definitely looking forward to more books in the series once I conquer some more of my to-read pile.
Okay I guess this book isn't exactly bad, it's just not for me. I was so bored that I skimmed the last 20%.
adventurous
dark
fast-paced
I initially rated this book higher, but to be honest, it left me with a bitter taste and I don't want it mixed with the other I-liked-it-well-enough-just-didn't-blow-up-my-mind, 3-star books in my shelves.
Why?
In the very beginning, the heroine gets the hero out of jail in exchange for his help to do some supernatural stuff. Hero accepts, because he wants to leave that hellhole ASAP. And when she frees him from his cell and they get to the itty-gritty of the deal, he says,
"I will give you my days," he said. "I will obey your every command whilst bonded and serve as your Shield. I will help you to the best of my ability, protect you, and do my best to see the relic swiftly found. But... my dear sorceress..." his voice lowered, "your nights are mine."
For a moment, she looked as if she didn't quite comprehend. Then her eyes widened, her full mouth parting in surprise. Color bloomed in her cheeks, pinks and reds, blending in to each another. "I beg your pardon?"
"You want my cooperation? Then that is my price."
That sounds pretty much like non consensual sex, aka rape, and I didn't like it one bit. I don't care if eventually they like each other; I don't care if eventually it turns out they had met before; I couldn't care less if she falls in luuuuv with him later, and he with her.
At the point this story begins, he doesn't know there's more to the situation than what he sees. The cold, ugly fact is that he blackmails her to have sex in exchange for his help. That is a shitty thing to do and I couldn't get over it the entire book.
Why?
In the very beginning, the heroine gets the hero out of jail in exchange for his help to do some supernatural stuff. Hero accepts, because he wants to leave that hellhole ASAP. And when she frees him from his cell and they get to the itty-gritty of the deal, he says,
"I will give you my days," he said. "I will obey your every command whilst bonded and serve as your Shield. I will help you to the best of my ability, protect you, and do my best to see the relic swiftly found. But... my dear sorceress..." his voice lowered, "your nights are mine."
For a moment, she looked as if she didn't quite comprehend. Then her eyes widened, her full mouth parting in surprise. Color bloomed in her cheeks, pinks and reds, blending in to each another. "I beg your pardon?"
"You want my cooperation? Then that is my price."
That sounds pretty much like non consensual sex, aka rape, and I didn't like it one bit. I don't care if eventually they like each other; I don't care if eventually it turns out they had met before; I couldn't care less if she falls in luuuuv with him later, and he with her.
At the point this story begins, he doesn't know there's more to the situation than what he sees. The cold, ugly fact is that he blackmails her to have sex in exchange for his help. That is a shitty thing to do and I couldn't get over it the entire book.