Enjoyable read

I was initially unsure of whether I should download but I’m glad I did. I really enjoyed the story line and the narrator is great as always

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the story made you want yo keep listening

love the adventure it make you feel like you are part of the story.keeps you wanting to hear more.

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Um... it was enjoyable enough

Honestly, I didn't love or hate this book. It kept me interested enough to keep listening but was a little uneventful for me. I think I'm invested enough to listen to book 2 in the hopes the story/pace picks up alot more, but I'm also not rushing out to do so either.

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1 person found this helpful

Slow & steady build & burn, in all the good ways

I’m writing this at the end of book 3 as book 4, eagerly paid for, is downloading. The story is great. The characters and the complexity of the dynamics between their life histories, coping & survival strategies and the emergence of attraction is really well written. In the first book I had a few moments of wondering if it might be too slow burn for me but as more layers of the story and characters continues to be revealed - I was all in and have been on the edge of my seat ever since.

The setting is a novel one (for me atleast). I listen to a lot in the paranormal genre and where many of the stories I’ve listened to take place in between worlds/planes this one is set and unfolds in the human world. There’s a natural disaster setting which feeds into my experience of this story as comparatively novel/different. The city in focus is fleshed out with depictions of conditions in which Red Cross refuge centres have to be set up because homes have been destroyed, supplies of food, water and electricity disabled and the usual governance structures assumed by those with individual power - organised gangs held together by ‘power over’ and fear based dynamics.

There was a moment or two when I felt too much might be being given to this stage in the story but 3 books into this well developed, layered and capturing story and I can say that the time given to this setting goes a long way to the solidity of the world building, the understanding of the characters and the sometimes torturously delicious attraction, tensions and heat being built between the F & M MCs. It also creates a great contrast between the conditions created when the setting shifts to the other part of the world where they escape and retreat to.

I’ve also not yet come across a book in which the awareness level of humans of the fae manifests in a ‘humans trapping, testing and experimenting on the fae’ type scenario. In some ways the fae aren’t shown to be as powerful because much of the focus and action takes place on the human world/plane. It’s been a refreshing change.

Tension is built between ‘good and bad stuff’ happening. Personally, sometimes I can struggle emotionally if there’s more bad, angst, anguishy content - depending on how much I want/need to feel good/better through my escapism - but for me, there’s been a really engaging and captivating balance that has kept the story alive, growing and building in its intrigue. I’m totally hoping for a happy ending.

I don’t tend to get into it enjoy books in which the FMC is weak, vulnerable and not treated as an equal by the males and this FMC does not disappoint. She’s strong - physically in ways that the backstory and setting makes believable, intellectually she’s reasonable, pragmatic and street savvy; emotionally she’s relatable and understandable (as always, imho). Both her and the MMC find similarities amongst them in this way and this feeds perfectly into the believability of the dynamics between them. He’s also an attractive AF male character with an equally balanced mix of realistic strength & tenderness; openness & mistrust; pragmatic realism & idealism and a solid tension between an attitude of ‘keep bad from others and the world’ VS ‘do what ya gotta do to survive so long as does no massive harm’ attitude.

The female narrator is great and pretty much around the time I found myself wanting the story to be told from the perspective of the male - it happened, adding perfectly to my delight. (Book 1 is all the female narrator and I didn’t actually look to notice that there were two narrators for book 2). The male narrator was so much better than many of the male narrators I’ve listened to that I actually looked to see what other books he had narrated. I tend to find male narrators that get my respect and don’t irritate me far and feel between so my standards are lower for them than females, but/so when I find a decent-good one I take notice.

Clearly I’m loving the books. Just have to find it in me to wait for tonight to start the last book

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Don’t lose hope!

This series is so amazing! This first book might be slow but it is so worth sticking it out because when it takes off it is freaking 🤌🏻🤌🏻! Trust the process. Stacey wouldn’t do us wrong!

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Im not sure

It isn't the worst, however it can be quite slow.
I think the storyline is there but doesn't quite hit. Narrator was good

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1 person found this helpful