Reviews

Claimed by Seraphym by Denna Holm

kellymiller_author's review

5.0

Claimed by Seraphym is book 3 of a series, and I have not read the first 2 books, but this story is a fine standalone read. Samantha, raised on earth, but taken by her sister to an alien planet in her teens, reaches the age of 18 and finds herself in demand by several species who wish to "claim" her as a mate. A process in which the male has the choice, and the female must accept. The claiming process alters the female's DNA, making her inclined to favor their mate, no matter their previous opinion on the matter. Samantha, though, wishes to choose her own mate in her own time. Seraphym, next in line of command to a race of serpent shifters, saves Samantha from being claimed against her will. But can he keep her safe? This is a fabulous sci/fi tale with a number of twists and turns to keep the reader engaged until the end!

srunyon4's review

5.0

As soon as I got a copy of this book, I dove right into reading the entire story. Unlike other series that I have read in the past, Holm's ability to keep the story alive and captivating is proven in Claimed By Seraphym. From the time he was introduced in Claimed By Nicolai, I had hoped to learn more about Seraphym's character. I found his devotion to valuing females and their choice in who they chose to mate with caused inner conflict when he rescued Samantha from an attempted forced mating. Samantha showed him she was more than willing to reciprocate his feelings and I could empathize with her confusion when Seraphym pushed her away. Loyalty to his clan and the forbidden mixing of a Vasi with any other species caused the me to keep reading. I wanted to tell Seraphym to follow his heart and was in utter shock when he let another male form a blood bond with Samantha.

I am rating this book a perfect 5 stars and wonder what is in store for the Raiden Warriors series. The way each book has been left with an open ending keeps my imagination running. There is no predictability in how the stories can turn out because of the quick twists that change the direction of the book. Suspense is on of my favorite elements in books and it was Denna Holm's writing that opened my eyes to science fiction.

emterf's review

3.0

I actually quite enjoyed the romance in the story, but the relentless sexism of the larger Raiden society, and the powerlessness of the main characters to fight it were depressing. I want to see the sexists get their comeuppance, and it didn't happen. Plus the racism of the serpent society against the wild serpents just added to the problem.

I suspect the author has long-term plans in place, but I read for escapism and not having even a short-term victory and instead having a "you're lucky to escape and will live in exile" lowered the rating for me.