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nat_montego's review
adventurous
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
gromero's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
manda24176's review
5.0
Faithless
Oh, I just knew this series would be great. I can't wait to see what happens next. This shared world is one you should definitely read about as well.
Oh, I just knew this series would be great. I can't wait to see what happens next. This shared world is one you should definitely read about as well.
jacobina's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.75
jmb367's review
dark
medium-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.25
emmdahl's review
5.0
4.5⭐
I am so happy to be back in the Steel Demon universe!! This book was everything you could want in a next-gen series. We got to see Mari and the men for a little bit, and the way Rori talked about her family and how amazing her parents were, made me feel like a proud mama!
I fell in love with Rori right away! She’s the epitome of a badass FMC. By the end of the book, we’ve been given a clue that there may be 4 men for Rori to team up with and save the world/get down and dirty with. The last MMC introduced will be interesting! Maybe similar to Shadows’ plotline? But more intense. The relationship with Tor was *chef's kiss* and the slow burn between these two paid off in spades. In true fashion, Crystal Ash delivered a cliffy that tore at my heart! I will be waiting impatiently for the next book in this series.
I am so happy to be back in the Steel Demon universe!! This book was everything you could want in a next-gen series. We got to see Mari and the men for a little bit, and the way Rori talked about her family and how amazing her parents were, made me feel like a proud mama!
I fell in love with Rori right away! She’s the epitome of a badass FMC. By the end of the book, we’ve been given a clue that there may be 4 men for Rori to team up with and save the world/get down and dirty with. The last MMC introduced will be interesting! Maybe similar to Shadows’ plotline? But more intense. The relationship with Tor was *chef's kiss* and the slow burn between these two paid off in spades. In true fashion, Crystal Ash delivered a cliffy that tore at my heart! I will be waiting impatiently for the next book in this series.
barngab10's review
3.0
The world building just wasn’t there for me. You were told a bare bones amount of information that was supposed to be earth shattering and unbelievable to the main character but a few sentences later it was just accepted with little struggle or explanation. That paired with a less plot that felt rote had me struggling.
tiffanibrwn's review
5.0
We are back with the same universe at Steel Demons. I was a little worried about this, I am not going to lie. Usually, I am not a fan of the next generation (kids of the previous series). It often loses the spark of the first series, but I should not have feared, Ms. Ash knows what she is doing. I loved this book! It is familiar, but also wholly its own. I love it and it was a fantastic start to a new series that I will be waiting patiently (or not so patiently) for the next one.
reading_rainy's review
3.0
It’s been about 26 years since the previous series and all has been quiet. The kids are grown-up! Time for the Gods to pick another group of eligible humans to battle evil again.
Slightly spoilery review below.
The main takeaway:
Dystopian/Mad Max feel to the world
Both mmc and fmc are sexually active with others (off page)
The sexual tension was almost painful, nothing until 90%
REALLY graphic gladiator fighting/plus killing animals
Rori (23) is a badass kinda woman. Raised by a very strong mother and fathers, she’s learned how to protect herself and take what she wants from life. Except the man she’s been lusting over for years. She picks lots of bed partners hoping to find what her mother did with her husbands. She’s in love with her best friend Torr, but can’t find the courage to tell him.
Torr (25) was taken in by Rori’s family as a twelve-year-old orphan. He’s been obsessed with Rori for years but has slated his lust with plenty of ow because he just can’t reach out to her and let her know how he feels. He thinks of her every time he’s with someone else.
Rori hates that she is called a whore for having so many bed partners, while Torr is praised for doing the same thing. She is annoyed by the double standard but they both continue to ignore their feelings and pound others.
The Gods speak. They go off on a secret mission together. It’s a high-end spa catering to women.
I liked the additional characters and it’s pretty easy to see the men who will eventually be part of Rori’s harem going forward. There was also a hint that there might be some mm action, so that was positive. I liked the set-up but wished it had moved along faster as the middle was SLOW. The undercover work in a forward thinking “women pleasure” spa was a bit silly. I kept wondering where the hidden cameras were. Honestly both Rori and Torr were TERRIBLE undercover actors, I was surprised they weren’t discovered sooner.
The gladiators/slaves were used for killing each other but were also sex slaves. Women from the spa could pick out the one they wanted for bed play. So after enjoying your facial, and all the killings, you can have the winning gladiator too. There was so much sex with other people in this story! Also, that same crazy-ass man hating cult of women that Shadow (first series) grew up in, were back and I’m SO OVER them.
My disappointment with this one made me seriously question my glowing reviews on the previous series. I wish the author had written a new world, with fresh characters, rather than bring the adult kids into it. It’s not a bad book, it’s just feels like a repeat of the previous series with somewhat new characters.
Slightly spoilery review below.
The main takeaway:
Dystopian/Mad Max feel to the world
Both mmc and fmc are sexually active with others (off page)
The sexual tension was almost painful, nothing until 90%
REALLY graphic gladiator fighting/plus killing animals
Rori (23) is a badass kinda woman. Raised by a very strong mother and fathers, she’s learned how to protect herself and take what she wants from life. Except the man she’s been lusting over for years. She picks lots of bed partners hoping to find what her mother did with her husbands. She’s in love with her best friend Torr, but can’t find the courage to tell him.
Torr (25) was taken in by Rori’s family as a twelve-year-old orphan. He’s been obsessed with Rori for years but has slated his lust with plenty of ow because he just can’t reach out to her and let her know how he feels. He thinks of her every time he’s with someone else.
Rori hates that she is called a whore for having so many bed partners, while Torr is praised for doing the same thing. She is annoyed by the double standard but they both continue to ignore their feelings and pound others.
The Gods speak. They go off on a secret mission together. It’s a high-end spa catering to women.
I liked the additional characters and it’s pretty easy to see the men who will eventually be part of Rori’s harem going forward. There was also a hint that there might be some mm action, so that was positive. I liked the set-up but wished it had moved along faster as the middle was SLOW. The undercover work in a forward thinking “women pleasure” spa was a bit silly. I kept wondering where the hidden cameras were. Honestly both Rori and Torr were TERRIBLE undercover actors, I was surprised they weren’t discovered sooner.
The gladiators/slaves were used for killing each other but were also sex slaves. Women from the spa could pick out the one they wanted for bed play. So after enjoying your facial, and all the killings, you can have the winning gladiator too. There was so much sex with other people in this story! Also, that same crazy-ass man hating cult of women that Shadow (first series) grew up in, were back and I’m SO OVER them.
My disappointment with this one made me seriously question my glowing reviews on the previous series. I wish the author had written a new world, with fresh characters, rather than bring the adult kids into it. It’s not a bad book, it’s just feels like a repeat of the previous series with somewhat new characters.