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A review by offmyredcarpet
A Cage of Crimson by K.F. Breene
3.75
First thing: this book needs a content warning for drug addiction, among other things, but that’s a big one. The FMC is an herbalist creating remedies for things like anxiety and pregnancy prevention but also makes mild recreational drugs. The MMC is on a mission to capture the maker of a drug outfit that is creating highly addictive drugs killing people. They also happen to be true mates.
I’ve never been so conflicted about a rating. The parts I loved about this book I absolutely loved, the parts I didn’t I hated.
Liked:
1.) Underestimated morality and character of the FMC by the MMC and, by extension, his pack.
2.) The FMC. She’s strong, steadfast, stubborn, willful, analytical, has integrity and empathy, and is dogged in her pursuit of understanding and knowledge.
3.) That the FMC had to reckon with being blind to the lives of the villagers and how their lives were affected by her job/product.
4.) The MMC having such integrity he’s willing to lose his fated mate to execution by the dragons for the product she created.
5.) The tension between her belief in herself and her product and the mystery of what is happening with it once it leaves her hands.
6.) Hate banging
7.) Author does a believable job of showing the mindset of a traumatized person with years of abusive psychological conditioning trying to survive.
Disliked:
1.) Granny is mentioned 333x. For comparison, Weston, the MMC is mentioned 220 times and, Aurelia, the FMC 228.
2.) The mate bond sexual tension is really heavy handed at times
3.) The MMCs dirty talk is a copy paste collection of trite phrases: “mine” “take it” “take your alphas knot” “good girl”
4.) Sometimes it feels like the author spoon feeds details instead of allowing the reader to infer them; particularly in the first half of the book
5.) Some aspects felt really forced
6.) The continuity of the MMC’s behavior. I’m guessing the author was attempting to show his struggle between wanting his fated mate while also wanting to see her punished but instead it comes off extremely flip floppy. Especially at the end when we all have the same info. It just doesn’t land for me.
I’ll definitely read the conclusion and hope for a tighter read than this first half to their story.
I’ve never been so conflicted about a rating. The parts I loved about this book I absolutely loved, the parts I didn’t I hated.
Liked:
1.) Underestimated morality and character of the FMC by the MMC and, by extension, his pack.
2.) The FMC. She’s strong, steadfast, stubborn, willful, analytical, has integrity and empathy, and is dogged in her pursuit of understanding and knowledge.
3.) That the FMC had to reckon with being blind to the lives of the villagers and how their lives were affected by her job/product.
4.) The MMC having such integrity he’s willing to lose his fated mate to execution by the dragons for the product she created.
5.) The tension between her belief in herself and her product and the mystery of what is happening with it once it leaves her hands.
6.) Hate banging
7.) Author does a believable job of showing the mindset of a traumatized person with years of abusive psychological conditioning trying to survive.
Disliked:
1.) Granny is mentioned 333x. For comparison, Weston, the MMC is mentioned 220 times and, Aurelia, the FMC 228.
2.) The mate bond sexual tension is really heavy handed at times
3.) The MMCs dirty talk is a copy paste collection of trite phrases: “mine” “take it” “take your alphas knot” “good girl”
4.) Sometimes it feels like the author spoon feeds details instead of allowing the reader to infer them; particularly in the first half of the book
5.) Some aspects felt really forced
6.) The continuity of the MMC’s behavior. I’m guessing the author was attempting to show his struggle between wanting his fated mate while also wanting to see her punished but instead it comes off extremely flip floppy. Especially at the end when we all have the same info. It just doesn’t land for me.
I’ll definitely read the conclusion and hope for a tighter read than this first half to their story.