Bought - A Ripples in the Status Quo Novella - by R Pheonix - Review

The first time I came across a book of R Pheonix was when I stumbled over an excerpt from the second book in her Status Quo series - ‘Ravel’. It definitely piqued my interest with it's dark and horrifying, alternative paranormal world.  Being the kind of person I am – a ‘must start at the beginning of a series’ kind that is – because, hell if you don’t you might just miss something – I started with her book ‘Bought’.

This book comes with warnings - ‘dark erotica’, and it certainly is.

Jace, a werewolf, having purposely given himself up to the authorities - supes - in order to protect a lover, expects nothing less than death for his supposed part in the rebellion against the status quo of the world in which he lives.  What he gets is Elias Ivers.  Sold to the most manipulative, calculating, sadistic and cruel of witches, Jace’s life becomes a living, breathing hell.

Magically induced to accept the lusts of his new master, Jace finds he cannot do anything but give in to Elias’ salacious cruelty.

R Pheonix has mastered the craft of creating a monster.  Elias is a man to hate, to let your deepest rage take hold and your demand for justice to consume you.  Retribution is not a word strong or powerful enough to appease.  I am so intrigued by where this story is or is not going.

I have read authors who have created monsters and then tried to rehabilitate them, a ‘from hate to love’ scenario for their readers, but if that is the future for Elias Ivers I will be sorely disappointed.  Such a reprehensible character as this cannot be forgiven no matter the epiphany that might occur to change him.  Sometimes it just needs to be recognised that some characters are irredeemable and without them the story could not live.  I look forward to the righteousness of ‘dark justice’ being meted out.  R Pheonix, please take me there.

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Sydney Whyte

Rating Chart

«……………….A no goer

««……………Alright, but not a re-read

«««………..Liked it

««««…….Loved it

«««««…Amaze-balls – ticks all the boxes!!!

Something of Beauty

Admiring something; just because I can...

His Fallen Angel by Grein Murray - Review

Humanity is at the mercy of Fallen Angels in Grein Murray’s new book ‘His Fallen Angel’. Alexander, a relatively young angel (as angels go), is sent by the elder angels of heaven on a mission to find out what the Fallen are up to in Philadelphia.  Dastardly plots and secret meetings have Alexander falling into the terrifying clutches of the enemy – the followers of Apollyon, better known to us as Lucifer.  Without the help of Roman, a fallen angel with a conscience, the inexperienced angel is doomed.

This story is a blend of innocence and naivety, deception and danger, and the learning of trust.  A love story promoting justice, devotion, sacrifice and redemption within the bounds of the struggle for humanity between Grein Murray’s new and fallen angels; it is a consummate romance with a HEA.

Skimming over the unpleasantness of Alexander’s time in captivity, the story dwells more fully on the quickly developing relationship between Roman and Alexander and their journey of love and self-discovery.  As a couple they were sweet and more than a little flirty.  The author treated the subject matter with understated humour, eliciting from me a few soft chuckles.

I could wish for greater knowledge of the internal struggle within Roman, the pull of his original nature, the fight between good and evil, and the redemption gifted because despite everything he overcame it.  And I could wish the fallen were depicted as eminently more gruesome, wanting to hate them, to really feel the terror of them.  But this speaks more to my disposition than that of the overall tone of this story – a Bacardi Breezer as opposed to my G & T.

A short story the narrative was well-paced, if a little cursory, and suffered from a double entry of chapter four in my kindle version, but was a charming and simple story of love, trust and acceptance.

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Sydney Whyte

Rating Chart

«……………….A no goer

««……………Alright, but not a re-read

«««………..Liked it

««««…….Loved it

«««««…Amaze-balls – ticks all the boxes!!!

Caressed by Shadows by Amanda J Greene - Review

After having read my way through the first box-set of this series and loving all the dark and dangerous, sexy vamps and their heroic heroines; and, I feel, being very forgiving of the lack of editing, missing words and the formatting issues, I just can’t do it anymore.

I was looking forward to Sir Falcon's and Queen Sonya’s story.  I’ve loved him from the beginning; his honour, his patience and his dedication.  And Sonya, a warrior Queen, dangerous, seductive and sexy (and in this instance, the heroine was not a virgin – yay, go 21^st century!), I’ve always wanted them to get together.  But for me the story was ruined.  I’m a slow, methodical reader.  I read every word.  And when, in the heat of the moment, I have to interpret the authors meaning because words used are incorrect or missing, the narration becomes rather clunky and it gets very annoying.

Don’t get me wrong, Amanda has created a rollicking yarn and I’m truly on board with all the characters and the world she’s put them in, but the story suffers and I don’t like that it’s let down by an oversight such as this.

Will I be forgiving enough to read a further story?  I’m not sure.  I really want to know what’s going on with Gabriel.  Will he rescue the lovely Jordan from the clutches of the diabolical Boras before he makes her a bleeder; and with Silvie, the Shaw Priestess, and the hunky vampire, Gannon, who is forbidden to her because all Shaw women in such position must remain chaste (yeah, right – how archaic).  Of course I want to know how she manages to get around this stipulation.  So yeah, I probably will. And I know very few manuscripts are perfect, the odd word error or misuse in the context they’re (there, their) written.  I’m not a grammar fiend, I’m not expecting perfection.  I would, however, in this instance appreciate a little more respect as a reader and someone who is paying money (although, of course if I’m honest, these books are not expensive – but does that really matter) for these books to receive a little more editorial attention before they grace the seller’s bookshelves.

««1/2

Sydney Whyte

Rating Chart

«……………….A no goer

««……………Alright, but not a re-read

«««………..Liked it

««««…….Loved it

«««««…Amaze-balls – ticks all the boxes!!!