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A review by naiapard
Beasts and Baubles by Scarlett Dawn
2.0
Maybe it is just me, but this book did a terrible disservice to an installment that was, generally good. I am not saying that this was a to-die-for series. But it was a fun one. It kept your interest without being necessarily a page-turner. What I am trying to get at is that the series comprised of the first three books was pretty good, it hooked me up, and I was waiting for the fourth one to be the cherry on the top. It so was not
I am trying to keep my review as composed as possible, because I don`t want to annoy the author.I really like her writing style and I am eager for new books from her. But this one disappointed me. The voice of Trixie was just not there. She seemed so detached from all that was happening around her. I felt her relationship with the shifter king to be there just for the sake of being. Their sex life did not spark passion as the writing did not dwell on emotions.
I mean, the only thing that was happening in this book was that Trixie had to deal with her crazed libido. The signs were everywhere. Especially with the obvious symbol of the sex books: Flower of Fertility book and the Seed of Creation book that were considered key elements in the plotline. For example, consider the following conversation that played out between Trixie and her mate/partner. They both were suffering from being in heat and wanted to mate as fast as possible. The cause of that was thought to be a faulty interpretation of the two books put side by side (This is Trixie`s PoV):
And this was just in the first few pages of the book. Because of course, things got increasingly worse by the page. At some point I could not take it anymore. I am not a prude. Heck, I am all for erotica, but in here it got to a point the lovemaking parts got to be ridiculously portrayed. So, there is a part where Trixie`s father announced to her that she should immediately run because she is in heat (aka “in great need of sex”). She should run directly to the shifter king to take care of her problem. It`s weird. She was in the middle of a conference with the other heads of the kingdoms and she just sprung from there to run. And hot on her heels is the shifter king that WAS ALSO at that conference. For some reason they have to go all the way back to his kingdom to have sex—why couldn`t they have found a nearby room? Even on the grass in the yard would have seemed more sensible at that point. And why, in the name of all, is her father the one that has to “encourage” her?!
“I need to go back inside,” I snarled down at him and tried to wiggle out of his grip. “Unhand me.”
“You are in heat,” he snapped sternly. “Do you understand what I’m saying?”
I halted in place and looked down at my hands.
Red. My hands were red. “Oh, no.”
This was dreadful timing. The worst timing.
Then a ferocious roar vibrated inside the castle.”
Almost nothing happened in this book. Nothing at all. Maybe just that Trixie's father learned that she is
Spoiler
mated with King Anthon
And another thing: Why did they have to make all that exploration into the mermaids` world?
I thought it will be a think-for-one moment in the plot/one event not in the entire book. I don't have enough adjectives to describe how little f$&@ I gave on what was happening in the world of a queen that neither is she the protagonist, nor related to the main character (by blood or by circumstances), nor her partner. Especially because the lead (main character) could not care less about this mermaid queen and the sea world she ruled over
Overall? Not a great book, folks. I am not recommending it. How could I? I barely could finish it. And I really liked the first three.