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The Rising #1
The Beginning of Everything
From the unparalleled imagination of New York Times best-selling author Kristen Ashley comes an enchanting new fantasy romance series that will sweep you away!
Once upon a time, in a parallel universe, there existed the continent of Triton. The land was filled with beauty, but it was also splintered by war. Out of the chaos grew a conspiracy to reawaken the Beast, a fearsome creature who wrought only tragedy and devastation. The only way to stop him was to fulfill an ancient prophecy: Triton’s four strongest warriors must wed its four most powerful witches, binding all nations together and finally bringing peace to the land.
This is the story of their unions: the quiet maiden Silence and the savage king Mars. The cold warrior Cassius and the fiery witch Elena. The steadfast soldier True and the banished beauty Farah. And the pirate king Aramus and the mysterious queen Ha-Lah. Their unions will not be easy, but each couple must succeed, for the fate of their world is at stake....
Once upon a time, in a parallel universe, there existed the continent of Triton. The land was filled with beauty, but it was also splintered by war. Out of the chaos grew a conspiracy to reawaken the Beast, a fearsome creature who wrought only tragedy and devastation. The only way to stop him was to fulfill an ancient prophecy: Triton’s four strongest warriors must wed its four most powerful witches, binding all nations together and finally bringing peace to the land.
This is the story of their unions: the quiet maiden Silence and the savage king Mars. The cold warrior Cassius and the fiery witch Elena. The steadfast soldier True and the banished beauty Farah. And the pirate king Aramus and the mysterious queen Ha-Lah. Their unions will not be easy, but each couple must succeed, for the fate of their world is at stake....
436 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 26, 2019
About the author
Kristen Ashley
125 books38.8k followersKristen Ashley was born in Gary, Indiana, USA. She nearly killed her mother and herself making it into the world, seeing as she had the umbilical cord wrapped around her neck (already attempting to accessorise and she hadn't taken her first breath!).
Kristen grew up in Brownsburg, Indiana but has lived in Denver, Colorado and the West Country of England. Thus she has been blessed to have friends and family around the globe. Her posse is loopy (to say the least) but loopy is good when you want to write.
Kristen was raised in a house with a large and multi-generational family. They lived on a very small farm in a small town in the heartland and existed amongst the strains of Glenn Miller, The Everly Brothers, REO Speedwagon and Whitesnake (and the wardrobes that matched).
Needless to say, growing up in a house full of music, clothes and love was a good way to grow up.
And as she keeps growing up, it keeps getting better.
Kristen grew up in Brownsburg, Indiana but has lived in Denver, Colorado and the West Country of England. Thus she has been blessed to have friends and family around the globe. Her posse is loopy (to say the least) but loopy is good when you want to write.
Kristen was raised in a house with a large and multi-generational family. They lived on a very small farm in a small town in the heartland and existed amongst the strains of Glenn Miller, The Everly Brothers, REO Speedwagon and Whitesnake (and the wardrobes that matched).
Needless to say, growing up in a house full of music, clothes and love was a good way to grow up.
And as she keeps growing up, it keeps getting better.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 554 reviews
November 29, 2019
I am not a fan of audible but as this book is not in print until summer 2020 I used my Amazon free trial to try this out.
This series is linked to the Fantasyland series but takes place 25 years later across the sea.
Some characters from the Fantasyland series appear.
One of my issues with KA is her long descriptions, deco, clothes etc and it's difficult to skip in audible definitely not as easy as a book.
The start is pretty gruesome with virgin sacrifice and m/m sex. Gave me thoughts of 'Free' please no.
The scene really is gross, post gang rape and stabbing.
If you struggled with Dax Lahn you may want to be prepared for this one.
The scene is set with the foreboding of 'the beast' rising.
Four princes need to marry four witches to save the world.
It's a whole new world building with new customs and cultures and conflict within the different areas.
Plus family discord.
There is also some descriptive violence.
The issue I had with audible is the names are unfamiliar so I forgot who was who.
In the audible version each character has a different accent to differentiate them.
In this book the race the Hero and the race the heroine is from have lots of preconceived ideas about each other.
Also it seems that although the four marriages are needed for the good of all the four couples are less than happy.
I am also not keen on a reluctant Hero. This book has a such a Hero, he is hung on his deceased wife, who died in childbirth.
Another couple the heroine thinks she's in love with someone else.
At the first scene with our 'Hero' he is having sex with a maid at the palace.
A second Hero, Aramus has been married for 6 months but he and his wife are not getting along.
It seems fidelity is not uncommon in these lands.
Although the main four Hero's have no scenes with any other women after meeting their intended.
The cold warrior Cassius and the fiery witch Elena.
The steadfast soldier True and the banished beauty Farah.
The pirate king Aramus and the mysterious queen Ha-Lah.
The quiet maiden Silence and the savage king Mars.
They seem quite interesting characters except for True, who although seems noble at the moment he is a bit blah...
It seems the book will deal with more than one couple per book.
It is multiple POV. Each chapter changes POV.
Some are m/m. Detailed scenes.
It feels to me that KA is determined to introduce us to aspects of the Honey series she wrote whether we like it or not.
Almost every enemy chapter contains this type of sex.
It didn't need it. One chapter was just basically a whole m/m scene.
I ended up skipping the enemy chapters as other than sex I couldn't see much relevance to the plot.
It's not until chapter 10 that any of the couples meet since the announcements of the arranged marriages.
There is a lot of world building and history explained.
Events leading to book 2. Some events are set up ready to happen and relationships although in progress have much work to do to get to their HEA.
It has touches of KA beauty though the Honey series and Free touches linger and to me seem unnecessary.
Despite the couples initial differences each couple have met and had a conversation where you can see they could work things out.
The change of POV every chapter works, we are given the setting and person at the introduction of the chapter.
I M hoping that KA is not going to introduce the same sex scenes in every book she writes, not everyone was interested in the Honey series but it seems she has to put it in every book now.
I may alter my star rating depending on how the themes of the series are developed.
This series is linked to the Fantasyland series but takes place 25 years later across the sea.
Some characters from the Fantasyland series appear.
One of my issues with KA is her long descriptions, deco, clothes etc and it's difficult to skip in audible definitely not as easy as a book.
The start is pretty gruesome with virgin sacrifice and m/m sex. Gave me thoughts of 'Free' please no.
The scene really is gross, post gang rape and stabbing.
If you struggled with Dax Lahn you may want to be prepared for this one.
The scene is set with the foreboding of 'the beast' rising.
Four princes need to marry four witches to save the world.
It's a whole new world building with new customs and cultures and conflict within the different areas.
Plus family discord.
There is also some descriptive violence.
The issue I had with audible is the names are unfamiliar so I forgot who was who.
In the audible version each character has a different accent to differentiate them.
In this book the race the Hero and the race the heroine is from have lots of preconceived ideas about each other.
Also it seems that although the four marriages are needed for the good of all the four couples are less than happy.
I am also not keen on a reluctant Hero. This book has a such a Hero, he is hung on his deceased wife, who died in childbirth.
Another couple the heroine thinks she's in love with someone else.
At the first scene with our 'Hero' he is having sex with a maid at the palace.
A second Hero, Aramus has been married for 6 months but he and his wife are not getting along.
It seems fidelity is not uncommon in these lands.
Although the main four Hero's have no scenes with any other women after meeting their intended.
The cold warrior Cassius and the fiery witch Elena.
The steadfast soldier True and the banished beauty Farah.
The pirate king Aramus and the mysterious queen Ha-Lah.
The quiet maiden Silence and the savage king Mars.
They seem quite interesting characters except for True, who although seems noble at the moment he is a bit blah...
It seems the book will deal with more than one couple per book.
It is multiple POV. Each chapter changes POV.
Some are m/m. Detailed scenes.
It feels to me that KA is determined to introduce us to aspects of the Honey series she wrote whether we like it or not.
Almost every enemy chapter contains this type of sex.
It didn't need it. One chapter was just basically a whole m/m scene.
I ended up skipping the enemy chapters as other than sex I couldn't see much relevance to the plot.
It's not until chapter 10 that any of the couples meet since the announcements of the arranged marriages.
There is a lot of world building and history explained.
Events leading to book 2. Some events are set up ready to happen and relationships although in progress have much work to do to get to their HEA.
It has touches of KA beauty though the Honey series and Free touches linger and to me seem unnecessary.
Despite the couples initial differences each couple have met and had a conversation where you can see they could work things out.
The change of POV every chapter works, we are given the setting and person at the introduction of the chapter.
I M hoping that KA is not going to introduce the same sex scenes in every book she writes, not everyone was interested in the Honey series but it seems she has to put it in every book now.
I may alter my star rating depending on how the themes of the series are developed.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 1, 2019
This is...The Beginning of Everything
It's truly hard to judge and rate this story because it's...The Beginning of Everything. Unlike other stories by Kristen Ashley, she has decided to run simultaneous love stories. With so many couples meeting and connecting, it means that we don't get even close to a *Happy Ever After*. It is The Beginning of Everything...
While I hated certain parts, was at times confused, and struggled following who was who and what was what, I was completely SUCKED IN!! My emotions were high from the very start and I welcomed the loathing that overwhelmed me at the very beginning. After all, I had been here before. I recognised my feeling of outrage and disgust. I was giddy because it reminded me of my journies through Fantasyland.
I will not be judging The Rising from my introduction to The Beginning of Everything but I will give it 5 stars because of the journey the emotions I felt. This story made me extremely angry at times, had me smiling like a loon at others, and I was constantly wearing a frown in concentration. I had to remind myself that this is not my love story and it IS unreal. These stories are about other people and their lives, so I can hardly judge them on their decisions and sexual proclivities.
Even when I was overwhelmed and upset towards the end, it duplicated the emotional devastation I felt when I read The Golden Dynasty for the first time. I reminded myself that we are nowhere near the end, and if my Dax Lahn can come good, there's hope for The Rising. I admit that the ending left me a little wild-eyed. So much is going on and I'm a little discombobulated. I NEED to know what's going to happen next and I can't wait for more.
For fans of the Fantasyland series, this will seem a little like returning to visit with old friends (and enemies). There are a few scenes that will push some readers too far and while some left me uncomfortable, I was able to get past them. The narrators do an AMAZING job and by the end, I found it easier to follow along because of the different narrators.
I can't wait to see how...The Plan Commences plays out.
It's truly hard to judge and rate this story because it's...The Beginning of Everything. Unlike other stories by Kristen Ashley, she has decided to run simultaneous love stories. With so many couples meeting and connecting, it means that we don't get even close to a *Happy Ever After*. It is The Beginning of Everything...
While I hated certain parts, was at times confused, and struggled following who was who and what was what, I was completely SUCKED IN!! My emotions were high from the very start and I welcomed the loathing that overwhelmed me at the very beginning. After all, I had been here before. I recognised my feeling of outrage and disgust. I was giddy because it reminded me of my journies through Fantasyland.
I will not be judging The Rising from my introduction to The Beginning of Everything but I will give it 5 stars because of the journey the emotions I felt. This story made me extremely angry at times, had me smiling like a loon at others, and I was constantly wearing a frown in concentration. I had to remind myself that this is not my love story and it IS unreal. These stories are about other people and their lives, so I can hardly judge them on their decisions and sexual proclivities.
Even when I was overwhelmed and upset towards the end, it duplicated the emotional devastation I felt when I read The Golden Dynasty for the first time. I reminded myself that we are nowhere near the end, and if my Dax Lahn can come good, there's hope for The Rising. I admit that the ending left me a little wild-eyed. So much is going on and I'm a little discombobulated. I NEED to know what's going to happen next and I can't wait for more.
For fans of the Fantasyland series, this will seem a little like returning to visit with old friends (and enemies). There are a few scenes that will push some readers too far and while some left me uncomfortable, I was able to get past them. The narrators do an AMAZING job and by the end, I found it easier to follow along because of the different narrators.
I can't wait to see how...The Plan Commences plays out.
November 30, 2019
First I was excited and hopeful. The Golden Dynasty is one of my #TopFav books ever. It had some dark moments but the hero turned it around for me.
But this book is like a land of evil and hedonism. Pure unfaithfulness and just gross. I have the right to my opinion and I read romance and this wasn't romantic because even the sweet moments couldn't be trusted because one of the main couple was ruined at 97% if the hero gets his way. The poor heroine is devastated.
I don't know how I can ever trust again..
So sad.
But this book is like a land of evil and hedonism. Pure unfaithfulness and just gross. I have the right to my opinion and I read romance and this wasn't romantic because even the sweet moments couldn't be trusted because one of the main couple was ruined at 97% if the hero gets his way. The poor heroine is devastated.
I don't know how I can ever trust again..
So sad.
November 30, 2019
I am a huge KA fan that said I have not been a fan of her recent works. I had hoped that this series would bring back the magic that her writing can create. This was not the case. The 4 heros fall into immediate love with the 4 heroines within 1.6 seconds after being enraged with who were their chosen mates. Until the end when 1 of hero decides that they will have more of an open marriage. Ummm. Okay. The “dirty” talk was crass. The sex was gratuitous... like trying to boil the ocean. The recipe that is the book is combining a bunch of ingredients that do not compliment each other in amounts that will not produce an edible dish.
December 5, 2019
Oh, this book........
* too many couples and way way too many narrators...
* need to relisten first chapters to get who is who
* mm couple is used only for the sex scenes between other couples
I did a mistake by doing this book as audio because I was waiting for this so long as a fan of the Fantasyland series.
I might read this series when this becomes available as an e-book.
Maybe!!!
* too many couples and way way too many narrators...
* need to relisten first chapters to get who is who
* mm couple is used only for the sex scenes between other couples
I did a mistake by doing this book as audio because I was waiting for this so long as a fan of the Fantasyland series.
I might read this series when this becomes available as an e-book.
Maybe!!!
December 6, 2019
<3 4,5-5 STARS <3
Wow I didn't expect to finished it so soon , I'm usually slow with long audios, but this one was fantastic!I just couldn't stop listening , I was intrigued and I wanted to know more!At the beginning I was a little bit confused because there are many POVS but I really loved it!
Amazing characters ,brilliant story and unique world!I mostly loved Cassius and Elena , Mars and Silence but also the rest characters intrigued me and I cannot wait for more in the next book!
Kristen Ashley did it again, she delivers an original,captivating and magical story!I cannot wait for the ebook too!I'm definitely going to read it again !
Wow I didn't expect to finished it so soon , I'm usually slow with long audios, but this one was fantastic!I just couldn't stop listening , I was intrigued and I wanted to know more!At the beginning I was a little bit confused because there are many POVS but I really loved it!
Amazing characters ,brilliant story and unique world!I mostly loved Cassius and Elena , Mars and Silence but also the rest characters intrigued me and I cannot wait for more in the next book!
Kristen Ashley did it again, she delivers an original,captivating and magical story!I cannot wait for the ebook too!I'm definitely going to read it again !
December 2, 2019
3 Too Many POV Stars!!
Sooooo....first off let me start by saying it seems like KA is bound and determined to force us to read aspects of the Honey series (which I intentionally avoided....just not my cuppa) whether we like it or not. Almost every chapter contains m/m or f/m/m sex.....which is fine if that’s what she wants to write, but just like with Free we get no warning in the book blurb just as we get no warning to the brutal gang rape and murder of a virgin sacrifice in the opening of this book. So, that said anyone who took issue with Dax Lahn in Golden Dynasty may want to steer clear.
The Characters, our main H&h’s:
The cold warrior Cassius and the fiery witch Elena.
The steadfast soldier True and the banished beauty Farah.
The pirate king Aramus and the mysterious queen Ha-Lah.
The quiet maiden Silence and the savage king Mars.
Now to be honest, I liked all the couples but I’d be lying if I said it was easy (for me) to follow the first half of this book. By the second half I had a better handle on the couples and the various family dynamics. But I had fuzzy parts so I re-listened (with skipping MANY parts LOL).
I liked the main characters enough that I’ll most likely finish the series because I’m intrigued how they’ll fair with “The Beast” awakening. Not to mention Frey Drakkar and his now twenty-five year old son Viktor have a cameo and it seems we’ll be seeing more of them....hopefully!!
Bottom line four Kings/Princes must marry four princesses/witches to fulfill a prophecy (sound kinda familiar?). They must wed or the beast has the ability of destroying their world. Unfortunately there is a group that has been feeding the Beast (as in gang raped sacrificial virgins blood) in hopes of rising it, controlling it, and thereby ruling their world. Unbeknownst to them, there is no controlling the Beast!!! I have to say the ending was pretty earth shattering so I’ll have to get the next audio.
Lastly, the narration is sheer perfection, 5 stars on narration! Incredible talent each and every one of them!!
Sooooo....first off let me start by saying it seems like KA is bound and determined to force us to read aspects of the Honey series (which I intentionally avoided....just not my cuppa) whether we like it or not. Almost every chapter contains m/m or f/m/m sex.....which is fine if that’s what she wants to write, but just like with Free we get no warning in the book blurb just as we get no warning to the brutal gang rape and murder of a virgin sacrifice in the opening of this book. So, that said anyone who took issue with Dax Lahn in Golden Dynasty may want to steer clear.
The Characters, our main H&h’s:
The cold warrior Cassius and the fiery witch Elena.
The steadfast soldier True and the banished beauty Farah.
The pirate king Aramus and the mysterious queen Ha-Lah.
The quiet maiden Silence and the savage king Mars.
Now to be honest, I liked all the couples but I’d be lying if I said it was easy (for me) to follow the first half of this book. By the second half I had a better handle on the couples and the various family dynamics. But I had fuzzy parts so I re-listened (with skipping MANY parts LOL).
I liked the main characters enough that I’ll most likely finish the series because I’m intrigued how they’ll fair with “The Beast” awakening. Not to mention Frey Drakkar and his now twenty-five year old son Viktor have a cameo and it seems we’ll be seeing more of them....hopefully!!
Bottom line four Kings/Princes must marry four princesses/witches to fulfill a prophecy (sound kinda familiar?). They must wed or the beast has the ability of destroying their world. Unfortunately there is a group that has been feeding the Beast (as in gang raped sacrificial virgins blood) in hopes of rising it, controlling it, and thereby ruling their world. Unbeknownst to them, there is no controlling the Beast!!! I have to say the ending was pretty earth shattering so I’ll have to get the next audio.
Lastly, the narration is sheer perfection, 5 stars on narration! Incredible talent each and every one of them!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 25, 2020
Okay, there’s a lot going on here. A LOT! So my thoughts are a bit jumbled at the moment.
I liked a lot of things about this book. I truly did. And the narration is sheer perfection! Like legit, one of the best productions I have listened too. I just couldn’t keep up with all the characters. I had to pay super close attention and rewind quite a bit until I learned everyone and their partner. 🙈🙈
The opening scene was eye opening! I’m still sitting here going over a few of the scenes, like WHAT IS HAPPENING AND DO I LIKE IT?
Ultimately, the story was what I look for in a new series. It caught my attention and held it. I was completely engrossed by the end and cursed everything when it was over. So there’s that.
Here’s what I loved:
It’s true! This is in the same universe as the Fantasyland series. So yayyyyyy!
The couples are the bomb! Exactly what we’ve come to know and love from this author. Alpha men, strong women. I love so many of the characters and the partnerships. The men are sexy and strong. The women are surely going to give them a run for their money. And I am here for it.
I’m reserving judgment on the overall storyline since this a true series. Bits and pieces of it were a bit too much for me. But I’m certain it’s personal preference.
Ultimately this lands somewhere between 3 – 4 stars for me. The biggest reasons for star deductions are the number of characters and my general confusion at this point in the storyline. I’m certain that will change as I continue with the series.
I liked a lot of things about this book. I truly did. And the narration is sheer perfection! Like legit, one of the best productions I have listened too. I just couldn’t keep up with all the characters. I had to pay super close attention and rewind quite a bit until I learned everyone and their partner. 🙈🙈
The opening scene was eye opening! I’m still sitting here going over a few of the scenes, like WHAT IS HAPPENING AND DO I LIKE IT?
Ultimately, the story was what I look for in a new series. It caught my attention and held it. I was completely engrossed by the end and cursed everything when it was over. So there’s that.
Here’s what I loved:
It’s true! This is in the same universe as the Fantasyland series. So yayyyyyy!
The couples are the bomb! Exactly what we’ve come to know and love from this author. Alpha men, strong women. I love so many of the characters and the partnerships. The men are sexy and strong. The women are surely going to give them a run for their money. And I am here for it.
I’m reserving judgment on the overall storyline since this a true series. Bits and pieces of it were a bit too much for me. But I’m certain it’s personal preference.
Ultimately this lands somewhere between 3 – 4 stars for me. The biggest reasons for star deductions are the number of characters and my general confusion at this point in the storyline. I’m certain that will change as I continue with the series.
Shelved as 'books-i-gave-up-on'
December 13, 2019DNF @ 20%
I have listened to 3 hours of this book and the only thing I can say is that I am confused. There is just too much going on for me to keep track of really anything. There are a lot of narrators which can be a good thing but I think that it just adds to the confusion with this book. Maybe it would improve if I kept going but I just don't care to find out at this point.
Review copy provided by the publisher.
I have listened to 3 hours of this book and the only thing I can say is that I am confused. There is just too much going on for me to keep track of really anything. There are a lot of narrators which can be a good thing but I think that it just adds to the confusion with this book. Maybe it would improve if I kept going but I just don't care to find out at this point.
Review copy provided by the publisher.
May 2, 2022
Holy info dump- I’ve wanted to read this since it came out because I loved her Fantasyland series. The Rising series was originally released as an audiobook, and I’ve got to say 👏👏👏 to those readers that actually listened to this book because there’s no way I could’ve ever got through. I’m a fan of fantasy/PNR, and love world building, but this was just too much. (basically 438 pages of details to keep track of) The biggest reason is the format, rather than spreading out the characters/lands over the four books (dedicating one couple/land per book like Fantasyland) she throws all 8 mc’s from the start dumping all their individual family, nation, customs, back story, and friends which is A LOT… not to mention constantly switching the pov. There’s so much going on that I started taking notes trying to keep everything straight and took up FIVE pages of information. Hence, the ginormous notes section at the end of this review.
If you can overlook all that, this book is just weird. We’re teased with this “Beast” that will destroy the world, but not really given a ton of information about him. In between jumping from character to character, we also get chapters from witches, and these “priests” that are trying to wake the beast by raping/murdering virgins and having loads of anal sex. So, FYI if that’s not your jam.
Bottom Line- The majority of the book is world building, not much else happens. Each of the couples meet, journey to Firenze, and make plans to get married. (one couple is already married) There’s no couple sexy time, their relationships move much slower than her Fantasyland couples. We are introduced to several characters that will have their own side-plots. IMO, there was just too much info thrown at us at one time. I almost DNF’ed several times, and am apprehensive to continue on, but I’m going to give the next book a shot. *If you read the reviews there’s some upset of one H suggesting an open marriage. This is very cultural and a miscommunication. All will be resolved with a conversation and it goes nowhere. **Fantasyland crossover- One chapter from Frey’s POV with the elves coming to notify him of the Beast’s potential rising. Viktor is around, but we’re not given much, only that he is nearly ready to take over as king from Finnie’s mother. Mars has Sjofn diamonds on his sword. The Maroo formed from Mar-el descendants. Aramus mentions the poison attempt of Finnie.
Jac’s The Rising cliff notes
The Continent of Triton is made up of four nations.
Firenze
- Led by King Mars.
- Located in south, sundrenched dunes & mountains.
- Wealthiest nation, spices, jewels, silk
- Ceremonial piercings, tall people savage-ish, similar to Lahn but not as primitive.
- Wanton, open marriages common, free sexually
Wodell
- Led by King Wilmer (True’s dad/Silence’s uncle.
- Located in NW
- Wet, fertile, wooded forests
- Crops & orchards feed continent. Special sheep make best wool.
- People are prudes, conservative, called Dellish
Airen
- Led by King Gallienus (Cassius’s dad)
- Located in northern shores.
- Rolling hills, olives, wine, best leather & weapons.
- Ceremonial ink, tall people, women oppressed.
- Girls education is stopped at 12, very few choices.
Mar-el
- Led by King Aramus
- Island with barren shores, rocky
- Fishermen, sailors, pirates
- Ceremonial scars
Within these 4 nations there are 2 sub-nations
Nadirii
- Led by Queen Ophelia (Elena’s mom)
- Located in a protected enchanted forest near/in Wodell
- Female witch/warrior society left Airen for freedom
- Pro female almost to point of anti-male
Dome City
- Vatican-ish city for priests of Go’Doan religion
- City made up of domes that house ancient relics/texts
- 3 sacred missions- education, healing, extending beliefs/missionary
Couples
Silence + Mars
Silence Mattson (little Monkey) is from Wodell, she’s a quiet virgin (23) with cold/unloving parents. She’s short, curvy with silver eyes, and has the ability to pull a “screen” to make her invisible and excellent hearing. Her only friend is her maid Tril. Her horse is Epona. Mars Laches is the King of Firenze. His beloved father Ares was murdered by Farrah’s father. (mom Queen Elpis) He has a ton of piercings, super tall and attractive with a beard. He’s a great warrior, and his eyes turn red when he feels deep emotion. His horse is called Hephaestus. Lieutenants = Lorenze- captain, Chu (Mystic) Guard, Basil and Kyril. He emits flashes of red when fighting.
Elena + Cassius
Elena (Lamb) is the Nadirri princess. She’s in love with True at the beginning, but that doesn’t last long. (love at first sight w/ Cassius) She’s from the sisterhood focused around women, and they are pretty much the enemy of the Airens. (who oppress women) She’s fiery, a very powerful witch, and the only girl that is a warrior. She has violet eyes, is also a virgin, and adopted her dead friend’s kid- Theodora. She has a total jelly bitch of a sis, Serena, that sort of killed Cassius older bro. Her horse is named Diana. Her mentor is Melisse and her bestie is Jasmine. She emits flashes of coral when she fights. Cassius Laird is next in line of the Airen throne. He’s a widow (Liviana died in childbirth), and a very loving father to 6-yr old daughter Aelia, but puts off a cold persona. He HATES his father, isn’t really upset about his bro, and wants to change Airen to give females rights. He has olive skin, is VERY handsome, blue eyes, black hair, beard, and has ink on his face that everyone seems down with. He's a great strategist, his horse is named Caelus. His men are Macrimus, Nero, Tone, Otho, Severus, & Hadrian (Ian), and he’s very close to Mars and Aramus. He emits flashes of midnight/black with stars when fighting/angry.
Farah + True
Farah Magos (Sweets) is Firenze, her father was the #2 to Mars dad (Ares) and assassinated him. Her mother & her have been in exile since. She’s Mars’s cousin & they are very close. She’s beautiful, and controls wind. (not very well) Her horse is Regina. True Axelsson (31) is second to Wodell throne. He’s a smidge beta, known as a good guy, and starts in love with Elena. His horse is Majesty, and lieutenants are Alfie, Wallace, Bram, Luther & Florian. He emits flashes of green when fighting/angry.
Ha-lah + Aramus
Ha-lah is the most beautiful gal in Mar-el which is how her marriage was arranged. (prettiest gal marries king) They’ve been married for 6-months, but have a strained relationship because she doesn’t agree with her nations whaling, and wants Aramus to stop it. She’s withholding love and sex to achieve this. She has a tendency to keep secrets, and is a mermaid. (he has no clue) Aramus Nereus is the king of Mar-el. He’s large, bulky, shaved head w/ beard, handsome with midnight skin and ceremonial scars. His guys are Bondi, Tintagel, Catedrais He emits flashes of green when fighting/angry.
Side-characters
-Serena (32) is Elena’s very jealous, very mean older sister. I’m told she will have an ongoing side-plot with Mars’s warrior Chu.
-Mercy is the Queen of Wodell and True’s father. Pretty much runs the kingdom, the dad is an idiot.
-G’Drew (Tedrey Swensson of the Dellish) is the “false priest” in a “relationship” with Lorenz, Faunus and Saturn. I’m told his story will continue on also, and that him and Serena with have huge development.
-Carrington is King Wilmers advisor that constantly gives bad advice.
The Great Coven
Lena of Mar-el
Rebecca of Wodell
Fern of Airen
Nandra of Firenze
If you can overlook all that, this book is just weird. We’re teased with this “Beast” that will destroy the world, but not really given a ton of information about him. In between jumping from character to character, we also get chapters from witches, and these “priests” that are trying to wake the beast by raping/murdering virgins and having loads of anal sex. So, FYI if that’s not your jam.
Bottom Line- The majority of the book is world building, not much else happens. Each of the couples meet, journey to Firenze, and make plans to get married. (one couple is already married) There’s no couple sexy time, their relationships move much slower than her Fantasyland couples. We are introduced to several characters that will have their own side-plots. IMO, there was just too much info thrown at us at one time. I almost DNF’ed several times, and am apprehensive to continue on, but I’m going to give the next book a shot. *If you read the reviews there’s some upset of one H suggesting an open marriage. This is very cultural and a miscommunication. All will be resolved with a conversation and it goes nowhere. **Fantasyland crossover- One chapter from Frey’s POV with the elves coming to notify him of the Beast’s potential rising. Viktor is around, but we’re not given much, only that he is nearly ready to take over as king from Finnie’s mother. Mars has Sjofn diamonds on his sword. The Maroo formed from Mar-el descendants. Aramus mentions the poison attempt of Finnie.
Jac’s The Rising cliff notes
The Continent of Triton is made up of four nations.
Firenze
- Led by King Mars.
- Located in south, sundrenched dunes & mountains.
- Wealthiest nation, spices, jewels, silk
- Ceremonial piercings, tall people savage-ish, similar to Lahn but not as primitive.
- Wanton, open marriages common, free sexually
Wodell
- Led by King Wilmer (True’s dad/Silence’s uncle.
- Located in NW
- Wet, fertile, wooded forests
- Crops & orchards feed continent. Special sheep make best wool.
- People are prudes, conservative, called Dellish
Airen
- Led by King Gallienus (Cassius’s dad)
- Located in northern shores.
- Rolling hills, olives, wine, best leather & weapons.
- Ceremonial ink, tall people, women oppressed.
- Girls education is stopped at 12, very few choices.
Mar-el
- Led by King Aramus
- Island with barren shores, rocky
- Fishermen, sailors, pirates
- Ceremonial scars
Within these 4 nations there are 2 sub-nations
Nadirii
- Led by Queen Ophelia (Elena’s mom)
- Located in a protected enchanted forest near/in Wodell
- Female witch/warrior society left Airen for freedom
- Pro female almost to point of anti-male
Dome City
- Vatican-ish city for priests of Go’Doan religion
- City made up of domes that house ancient relics/texts
- 3 sacred missions- education, healing, extending beliefs/missionary
Couples
Silence + Mars
Silence Mattson (little Monkey) is from Wodell, she’s a quiet virgin (23) with cold/unloving parents. She’s short, curvy with silver eyes, and has the ability to pull a “screen” to make her invisible and excellent hearing. Her only friend is her maid Tril. Her horse is Epona. Mars Laches is the King of Firenze. His beloved father Ares was murdered by Farrah’s father. (mom Queen Elpis) He has a ton of piercings, super tall and attractive with a beard. He’s a great warrior, and his eyes turn red when he feels deep emotion. His horse is called Hephaestus. Lieutenants = Lorenze- captain, Chu (Mystic) Guard, Basil and Kyril. He emits flashes of red when fighting.
Elena + Cassius
Elena (Lamb) is the Nadirri princess. She’s in love with True at the beginning, but that doesn’t last long. (love at first sight w/ Cassius) She’s from the sisterhood focused around women, and they are pretty much the enemy of the Airens. (who oppress women) She’s fiery, a very powerful witch, and the only girl that is a warrior. She has violet eyes, is also a virgin, and adopted her dead friend’s kid- Theodora. She has a total jelly bitch of a sis, Serena, that sort of killed Cassius older bro. Her horse is named Diana. Her mentor is Melisse and her bestie is Jasmine. She emits flashes of coral when she fights. Cassius Laird is next in line of the Airen throne. He’s a widow (Liviana died in childbirth), and a very loving father to 6-yr old daughter Aelia, but puts off a cold persona. He HATES his father, isn’t really upset about his bro, and wants to change Airen to give females rights. He has olive skin, is VERY handsome, blue eyes, black hair, beard, and has ink on his face that everyone seems down with. He's a great strategist, his horse is named Caelus. His men are Macrimus, Nero, Tone, Otho, Severus, & Hadrian (Ian), and he’s very close to Mars and Aramus. He emits flashes of midnight/black with stars when fighting/angry.
Farah + True
Farah Magos (Sweets) is Firenze, her father was the #2 to Mars dad (Ares) and assassinated him. Her mother & her have been in exile since. She’s Mars’s cousin & they are very close. She’s beautiful, and controls wind. (not very well) Her horse is Regina. True Axelsson (31) is second to Wodell throne. He’s a smidge beta, known as a good guy, and starts in love with Elena. His horse is Majesty, and lieutenants are Alfie, Wallace, Bram, Luther & Florian. He emits flashes of green when fighting/angry.
Ha-lah + Aramus
Ha-lah is the most beautiful gal in Mar-el which is how her marriage was arranged. (prettiest gal marries king) They’ve been married for 6-months, but have a strained relationship because she doesn’t agree with her nations whaling, and wants Aramus to stop it. She’s withholding love and sex to achieve this. She has a tendency to keep secrets, and is a mermaid. (he has no clue) Aramus Nereus is the king of Mar-el. He’s large, bulky, shaved head w/ beard, handsome with midnight skin and ceremonial scars. His guys are Bondi, Tintagel, Catedrais He emits flashes of green when fighting/angry.
Side-characters
-Serena (32) is Elena’s very jealous, very mean older sister. I’m told she will have an ongoing side-plot with Mars’s warrior Chu.
-Mercy is the Queen of Wodell and True’s father. Pretty much runs the kingdom, the dad is an idiot.
-G’Drew (Tedrey Swensson of the Dellish) is the “false priest” in a “relationship” with Lorenz, Faunus and Saturn. I’m told his story will continue on also, and that him and Serena with have huge development.
-Carrington is King Wilmers advisor that constantly gives bad advice.
The Great Coven
Lena of Mar-el
Rebecca of Wodell
Fern of Airen
Nandra of Firenze
December 27, 2019
I feel like I need to defend having not finished this book. I loved this author's early work, in fact did a re-read of most of her books through out 2019, but her later books have been iffy for me. I really hoped this series was going to be like her FantasyLand series, which I liked. But this one...it's an over 15 hour audio book. Not unusual for her books, but man, it was so hard to get through, the cast of characters so big. In fact after 1 hour I wanted to quit, instead I started the book over again to see if that would help, not really. I'm 4 hours in and honestly I don't care what is going on, all the girls being forced into marriages they don't want, the beast coming alive, the "bad" priests, so much going on...yet I'm bored. I just can't bring myself to keep going, this one just isn't for me.
January 17, 2021
The Golden Dynasty is my all-time favourite book. I re-read it when I need a book to get over a slump or just to distract from a bad day. So, when I heard that this series was set in the same world as the Fantastical series, I have been dying to read it. I knew I couldn't listen to that long an audio book, so I waited for the e-book. But Kristen Ashley is so wordy I needed to find the time to binge all four books.
Right now, is not that time but I couldn't hold off any longer. I could feel it calling me from my kindle while I was trying to figure out what to read next. And I caved and from the first page I couldn't put it down.
I saw a few reviews that said there were a lot of different points of view and it got a little complex. I was nervous because I am terrible with names and the list of characters here is huge. But all of their personalities are so strong and individual I actually didn't struggle too much keeping them all straight.
And the story is just too intriguing to have me be anything but madly invested in each couple’s relationship. And the part they are all going to play to stop the beast. And how each of them is going to handle their new relationship with someone vastly different.
Naturally, I have already got my favourites. And they each have things that make me love them that tiny bit more. But then there is a slight drama to make me nervous or another couple does something to make me love them more and I'm off with a new favourite. I really wish I could dive straight into the next book, but sadly commitments call, however as soon as I find the time it's already loaded and ready to go.
Right now, is not that time but I couldn't hold off any longer. I could feel it calling me from my kindle while I was trying to figure out what to read next. And I caved and from the first page I couldn't put it down.
I saw a few reviews that said there were a lot of different points of view and it got a little complex. I was nervous because I am terrible with names and the list of characters here is huge. But all of their personalities are so strong and individual I actually didn't struggle too much keeping them all straight.
And the story is just too intriguing to have me be anything but madly invested in each couple’s relationship. And the part they are all going to play to stop the beast. And how each of them is going to handle their new relationship with someone vastly different.
Naturally, I have already got my favourites. And they each have things that make me love them that tiny bit more. But then there is a slight drama to make me nervous or another couple does something to make me love them more and I'm off with a new favourite. I really wish I could dive straight into the next book, but sadly commitments call, however as soon as I find the time it's already loaded and ready to go.
October 9, 2022
Reread October 8, 2022
I loved it even more this time around because I knew what was going on from the start..and could pick up on a lot of mittle nuisances. I still didn't like most of the sex scenes for the same reason I mentioned before.
The audiobooks is fantastic! There is a full cast and that really helps to bring the story to life. Gotta get to book 2 very soon! Happy reading!
Original Review November 29, 2019
4+ "Fantasy world building" Stars!
So really, I could do a happy dance! I really enjoyed this beginning to what I think is going to be a fantastic story. In this first installment, there is a lot of world building and getting to know the chosen characters as individuals and as couples. So I would say it may be considered slow and certainly wordy. It is Kristen Ashley. I like all eight main characters a lot individually and together. They are going to have some big obstacles to overcome in order to fall in love and save the world!! Oh! This is all going on, on the other side of The Green Sea from the Fantasyland series!! The only person to make an appearance from the Fantasyland series is Frey so far. Frey... 😍
The start of the story is a little confusing. I didn't know what was happening and thought I was going to be lost only listening to the audiobook. But it took just a few chapters, maybe 3 or so, to get the hang of what was happening and who was who. I was interested from the start. The story is written from multiple POV and there are multiple narrators. They are all very good. Makes a great production. I liked that a lot.
When I started I imagined this book would be about one couple and the next three books would follow the next three couples with a series arch carried throughout. But what we have here is the introduction to the series- very much like the name of the book- The Beginning of Everything. It is about all four couples, who have all been arranged by fate to stop the rising of the Beast- an ancient evil. Ther is some political intrigue and history of Triton. Lots of information. Learning who the bad guys are. I enjoyed it a lot.
Ok, as for what I didn't like. There isn't a whole lot of actual romance. There are definitely sparks and I cannot wait to see everything come together but there's not that much here. Enough though. But on that same note I really did not like the sex scenes that were here. All except one at the very end were some type of manipulation or revenge attempt. They were not about love or intimacy, or even just physical attraction. They were BDSM type scenes about manipulation, degradation, dominance mostly involving characters I didn't like, none with the couples we are rooting for. So for me, I didn't like them at all. Lastly, there is a cliffhanger. It's ok though because I saw it coming about halfway into the book- once I really got a good feel for the story. Plus the next book will be out within a month, and the series will be completed by February. One story per month. I can handle that!
So in conclusion to this long ramble. I liked this story! I'm excited to see where it all goes. That makes me happy! Happy reading!!
I loved it even more this time around because I knew what was going on from the start..and could pick up on a lot of mittle nuisances. I still didn't like most of the sex scenes for the same reason I mentioned before.
The audiobooks is fantastic! There is a full cast and that really helps to bring the story to life. Gotta get to book 2 very soon! Happy reading!
Original Review November 29, 2019
4+ "Fantasy world building" Stars!
So really, I could do a happy dance! I really enjoyed this beginning to what I think is going to be a fantastic story. In this first installment, there is a lot of world building and getting to know the chosen characters as individuals and as couples. So I would say it may be considered slow and certainly wordy. It is Kristen Ashley. I like all eight main characters a lot individually and together. They are going to have some big obstacles to overcome in order to fall in love and save the world!! Oh! This is all going on, on the other side of The Green Sea from the Fantasyland series!! The only person to make an appearance from the Fantasyland series is Frey so far. Frey... 😍
The start of the story is a little confusing. I didn't know what was happening and thought I was going to be lost only listening to the audiobook. But it took just a few chapters, maybe 3 or so, to get the hang of what was happening and who was who. I was interested from the start. The story is written from multiple POV and there are multiple narrators. They are all very good. Makes a great production. I liked that a lot.
When I started I imagined this book would be about one couple and the next three books would follow the next three couples with a series arch carried throughout. But what we have here is the introduction to the series- very much like the name of the book- The Beginning of Everything. It is about all four couples, who have all been arranged by fate to stop the rising of the Beast- an ancient evil. Ther is some political intrigue and history of Triton. Lots of information. Learning who the bad guys are. I enjoyed it a lot.
Ok, as for what I didn't like. There isn't a whole lot of actual romance. There are definitely sparks and I cannot wait to see everything come together but there's not that much here. Enough though. But on that same note I really did not like the sex scenes that were here. All except one at the very end were some type of manipulation or revenge attempt. They were not about love or intimacy, or even just physical attraction. They were BDSM type scenes about manipulation, degradation, dominance mostly involving characters I didn't like, none with the couples we are rooting for. So for me, I didn't like them at all. Lastly, there is a cliffhanger. It's ok though because I saw it coming about halfway into the book- once I really got a good feel for the story. Plus the next book will be out within a month, and the series will be completed by February. One story per month. I can handle that!
So in conclusion to this long ramble. I liked this story! I'm excited to see where it all goes. That makes me happy! Happy reading!!
Read
August 2, 2020Dnf. I give up. I have no idea what's going on and it's making this a chore to read. I don't usually read pnr but in spite of that, the fantasyland series and the three series are my absolute fave reads. In those books, you get a main characters who is like us and so who can explain wtf is going on. In this, there's a gazillion characters talking about EVERYTHING at once and there's no way of knowing what's what. I just cannot be arsed.
I'm sad because I bought this without sampling it on the strength of it being a KA but once again it's a dnf. Won't be making that mistake again.
For some reason, her last few books have been unreadable for me, taking way too much effort to get into them, or starting well then running out of oomph. It's a bummer feeling disappointed but I'm also getting a bit pissed off buying books that are unreadable and it's starting to be become a habi with ka. Hmmm.
I'm sad because I bought this without sampling it on the strength of it being a KA but once again it's a dnf. Won't be making that mistake again.
For some reason, her last few books have been unreadable for me, taking way too much effort to get into them, or starting well then running out of oomph. It's a bummer feeling disappointed but I'm also getting a bit pissed off buying books that are unreadable and it's starting to be become a habi with ka. Hmmm.
December 19, 2019
This was my first book ever by Kristen Ashley… and as much as I have some mixed feelings about it, I will give the rest of this series, as well as some of her other books, a try :) but before I get into what I thought about it, I feel like I need to explain something… ;) I don’t know about you, but I am a visual person… as in I remember and retain informations better if I see them with my eyeballs… it’s especially important when I am reading a new fantasy or paranormal series, where we have a whole new world with the rules and magic and such… so I was hesitant going into this series… it’s available as audiobook first, with a whole cast of characters, and not only do we have a continent with different lands, we also have a cast of eight… that’s right, you read that correctly… EIGHT main characters… and a whole bunch of secondary ones as well… so to say that I was a bit lost at the beginning would be an understatement… I had to relisten to the first few chapters a few times and actually take notes :) and I decided to share the most important parts of those notes with you, so maybe it will be easier for you to get into the story, or you will have just the basics in one place :) and by the way, since I listened to the audiobook, the actual spelling of places is all me ;) don’t mind any mistakes ;)
Let’s start with the places before we get to people :)
Triton - this is the whole continent… apparently this series is set in the same world as Kristen Ashley’s other series (Fantasyland) but in a different place… within that continent we have several lands / kingdoms, however you want to call them ;)
Firenze - a land full of sand, dunes and mountains, it’s hot and the richest of them all, thanks to spices and jewels and silk
Wodell - a land full of forests, orchards and fields, most crops comes from them… also, famous for their sheep ;)
Eren - a land of fields, famous for their leathers and weapons as well as wine and olives
Marell - an island famous for their sailors, fishermen and pirates
Nadiri - a magical enchantment created by women who fled Eren a few hundred years ago after being opressed… they murdered a lot of them, escaped and made themselves a new home… think Amazons-ish with magic ;)
And now let’s get to our couples… because we follow four of them at the same time :)
Couple #1
Mars - the king of Firenze
Silence - cousin of the Wodell prince
They are like night and day but so far they are my favourite one :)
Couple #2
Aramus - pirate king of Marell
Ha-Lah - queen of Marell
Married for about six months at the beginning of the book, but still haven’t slept together
Couple #3
True - prince and heir of Wodell
Farah - citizen of Firenze, close to the king
He is the least alpha type of them all and I love him for it, and she is just the sweetest, probably my second favourite couple
Couple #4
Cassius - prince and heir of Eren
Elena - princess of Nadiri
They are basically like enemies, he comes from the land that still treats women like slaves and she is the princess of Nadiri women who escaped all that
Ok, now that we have all of this somewhat cleared out, let’s finally get to my thoughts and feelings about this story… I already mentioned that I have some mixed opinions about it… on the one hand, there are a few problematic things that rubbed me the wrong way… but on the other hand, I did listen to the whole 15+ hours audiobook in two days, because I was hooked and curious to see what’s gonna happen next, sooo… yeah :) I ultimately decided on 3 stars when it comes to my rating... when I read what this series is gonna be about, I was very excited about the premise… four strongest men in the lands would have to marry four most powerful witches to fight The Beast… sounds interesting, right? :) unfortunately as much as we do get four strong warriors… you know, the arrogant alpha types, that I am usually not the biggest fan of, but am willing to give them a chance… but when it came to the ladies of the story I have to say I am disappointed… I was expecting to get equals from the start and it’s definitely not the case here… and as much as I can sort of understand it when it comes to Silence (who is used to hiding and is just in general shy and timid), Farah (who was banished with her mother a few years ago for something her father did) or even Ha-Lah (who until she became the pirate queen lived in some remote village) then Elena is the biggest disappointment of them all… I wanted to see a fierce warrior witch and… it didn’t happen… I’m just hoping that it’s just the case of this being only the beginning of the story and things will progress in the future installments… I’m actually starting the sequel tonight so… fingers crossed :)
I have a few things to say but they will be spoilers… not very big ones, but one of the things happens around 95% or so with one of our couples and a lot of people hate it… I have a bit different opinion about it, so I wanted to share it… keep on reading on your own risk, you’ve been warned about spoilers ;)
As much as I am curious about the rest of the story, if it wasn’t for the fact that it’s available through my Audible subscription, I’m not sure if I would actually continue with it… and definitely not until the last of the installments is out… I’m gonna listen to the sequel, which is even longer… 23+ hours, come on… if it gets better, I will keep reading this series, but for now it’s a maybe from me… there’s just a lot of insta-feelings from the start with our couples… and it’s especially surprising with Cassius and Elena who couldn’t come from more different backgrounds… I am definitely hoping for more character and relationship developments in the sequel to keep me interested… also, I don’t know about you but I am still not sure how many bad guys there actually are… cause they all blur together for me… they have similar names and I just for the life of me cannot tell them apart… here’s hoping the second book will leave a better impression :)
XOXO
A
Let’s start with the places before we get to people :)
Triton - this is the whole continent… apparently this series is set in the same world as Kristen Ashley’s other series (Fantasyland) but in a different place… within that continent we have several lands / kingdoms, however you want to call them ;)
Firenze - a land full of sand, dunes and mountains, it’s hot and the richest of them all, thanks to spices and jewels and silk
Wodell - a land full of forests, orchards and fields, most crops comes from them… also, famous for their sheep ;)
Eren - a land of fields, famous for their leathers and weapons as well as wine and olives
Marell - an island famous for their sailors, fishermen and pirates
Nadiri - a magical enchantment created by women who fled Eren a few hundred years ago after being opressed… they murdered a lot of them, escaped and made themselves a new home… think Amazons-ish with magic ;)
And now let’s get to our couples… because we follow four of them at the same time :)
Couple #1
Mars - the king of Firenze
Silence - cousin of the Wodell prince
They are like night and day but so far they are my favourite one :)
Couple #2
Aramus - pirate king of Marell
Ha-Lah - queen of Marell
Married for about six months at the beginning of the book, but still haven’t slept together
Couple #3
True - prince and heir of Wodell
Farah - citizen of Firenze, close to the king
He is the least alpha type of them all and I love him for it, and she is just the sweetest, probably my second favourite couple
Couple #4
Cassius - prince and heir of Eren
Elena - princess of Nadiri
They are basically like enemies, he comes from the land that still treats women like slaves and she is the princess of Nadiri women who escaped all that
Ok, now that we have all of this somewhat cleared out, let’s finally get to my thoughts and feelings about this story… I already mentioned that I have some mixed opinions about it… on the one hand, there are a few problematic things that rubbed me the wrong way… but on the other hand, I did listen to the whole 15+ hours audiobook in two days, because I was hooked and curious to see what’s gonna happen next, sooo… yeah :) I ultimately decided on 3 stars when it comes to my rating... when I read what this series is gonna be about, I was very excited about the premise… four strongest men in the lands would have to marry four most powerful witches to fight The Beast… sounds interesting, right? :) unfortunately as much as we do get four strong warriors… you know, the arrogant alpha types, that I am usually not the biggest fan of, but am willing to give them a chance… but when it came to the ladies of the story I have to say I am disappointed… I was expecting to get equals from the start and it’s definitely not the case here… and as much as I can sort of understand it when it comes to Silence (who is used to hiding and is just in general shy and timid), Farah (who was banished with her mother a few years ago for something her father did) or even Ha-Lah (who until she became the pirate queen lived in some remote village) then Elena is the biggest disappointment of them all… I wanted to see a fierce warrior witch and… it didn’t happen… I’m just hoping that it’s just the case of this being only the beginning of the story and things will progress in the future installments… I’m actually starting the sequel tonight so… fingers crossed :)
I have a few things to say but they will be spoilers… not very big ones, but one of the things happens around 95% or so with one of our couples and a lot of people hate it… I have a bit different opinion about it, so I wanted to share it… keep on reading on your own risk, you’ve been warned about spoilers ;)
As much as I am curious about the rest of the story, if it wasn’t for the fact that it’s available through my Audible subscription, I’m not sure if I would actually continue with it… and definitely not until the last of the installments is out… I’m gonna listen to the sequel, which is even longer… 23+ hours, come on… if it gets better, I will keep reading this series, but for now it’s a maybe from me… there’s just a lot of insta-feelings from the start with our couples… and it’s especially surprising with Cassius and Elena who couldn’t come from more different backgrounds… I am definitely hoping for more character and relationship developments in the sequel to keep me interested… also, I don’t know about you but I am still not sure how many bad guys there actually are… cause they all blur together for me… they have similar names and I just for the life of me cannot tell them apart… here’s hoping the second book will leave a better impression :)
XOXO
A
August 12, 2020
Everyone knows I'm a Kristen Ashley fan. I read a lot of books written by her. What I like most about her series is that I meet characters from other series, or allude to characters from previous series and most importantly I adore the soulful, fearless female, and alpha male characters who move the mountains for their women and children.
In this series we meet characters from the Fantasyland series.
In this series we meet characters from the Fantasyland series.
April 21, 2022
Buddy Read with Jessica!
I'm not new to Kristen Ashley books, I've read probably fifty of them now. So I usually know what I'm going to get but this format is not her best and I can see why so many of her fans struggled with it and possibly didn't finish.
First let me say I was so excited to be in the same world as the Fantasyland series. I really loved Ashley's foray into romantasy in that entire series. Still if you have read KA books you know that we have one love story at a time and she can get a bit melodramatic and long winded with it. The pacing in this story felt off and it seemed to take forever to get anywhere since there are 4 simultaneous love stories sort of happening.
To thwart the uprising of the beast four couples of witches and strong men need to marry and copulate (seems like someone might have translated that a bit wrong but we will move on from that). The counsel of witches has thrown the dice and the couples have been selected. They will all be thrown together now in some unlikely couplings to do their duty according to prophecy.
Much of this book is just the couples meeting in the homeland of one of the kings to be married as they attend his wedding before moving onto another county for a different couple's wedding and so on. There were couples I was interested in more than others. There are storylines I was interested in more than others and there was a lot of ass play. Look no judgement (okay a little judgement) but seriously KA had more assplay in this book than any other I've read by her. So you have been warned.
Not of ton of action happens in this story either because we spend so much time travelling and meeting prospective couples and then there is a plot by some priests happening etc etc. So there is only one or two bigger scenes in the entire book it seems like and they didn't happen until towards the end.
So...this is not my favorite KA series so far, but it has potential it is just going to take awhile to get there. If you enjoy just going along for a KA ride with beautiful dresses, Alpha males and some communication infused drama along with a heafty helping of sexy times then you will probably be fine. But if you aren't accustomed to more complicated fantasy with competing story lines and aren't willing to just treat this as Part One (albeit and long Part I) to a story it probably isn't going to work for you.
I'm not new to Kristen Ashley books, I've read probably fifty of them now. So I usually know what I'm going to get but this format is not her best and I can see why so many of her fans struggled with it and possibly didn't finish.
First let me say I was so excited to be in the same world as the Fantasyland series. I really loved Ashley's foray into romantasy in that entire series. Still if you have read KA books you know that we have one love story at a time and she can get a bit melodramatic and long winded with it. The pacing in this story felt off and it seemed to take forever to get anywhere since there are 4 simultaneous love stories sort of happening.
To thwart the uprising of the beast four couples of witches and strong men need to marry and copulate (seems like someone might have translated that a bit wrong but we will move on from that). The counsel of witches has thrown the dice and the couples have been selected. They will all be thrown together now in some unlikely couplings to do their duty according to prophecy.
Much of this book is just the couples meeting in the homeland of one of the kings to be married as they attend his wedding before moving onto another county for a different couple's wedding and so on. There were couples I was interested in more than others. There are storylines I was interested in more than others and there was a lot of ass play. Look no judgement (okay a little judgement) but seriously KA had more assplay in this book than any other I've read by her. So you have been warned.
Not of ton of action happens in this story either because we spend so much time travelling and meeting prospective couples and then there is a plot by some priests happening etc etc. So there is only one or two bigger scenes in the entire book it seems like and they didn't happen until towards the end.
So...this is not my favorite KA series so far, but it has potential it is just going to take awhile to get there. If you enjoy just going along for a KA ride with beautiful dresses, Alpha males and some communication infused drama along with a heafty helping of sexy times then you will probably be fine. But if you aren't accustomed to more complicated fantasy with competing story lines and aren't willing to just treat this as Part One (albeit and long Part I) to a story it probably isn't going to work for you.
March 2, 2020
I have been a big fan of Kristen Ashley but her latest books? Not so much. I wish she’d go back to her old way of writing and stop trying to shove in so much erotica and bdsm. It should be clear to her given the smaller number of ratings and the low ratings of her honey series compared to her older straightforward romance that her readers do not like all this kink. Please KA JUST STOP.
Because of this The Beginning of Everything was very ‘meh’ for me. I did manage to get through it but just because I desperately wanted to get it done so I could move on to something else.
This very much felt to me like Kristen Ashley does George R R Martin and I though the whole format unnecessary. The fantasyland formula worked better following one couple each book. This is character overload.
I’m not sure I’ll read anymore of this series and possibly not any more KA sadly as they just aren’t the same as they used to be.
Because of this The Beginning of Everything was very ‘meh’ for me. I did manage to get through it but just because I desperately wanted to get it done so I could move on to something else.
This very much felt to me like Kristen Ashley does George R R Martin and I though the whole format unnecessary. The fantasyland formula worked better following one couple each book. This is character overload.
I’m not sure I’ll read anymore of this series and possibly not any more KA sadly as they just aren’t the same as they used to be.
December 30, 2021
this is going to be my ‘review’ (whatever that meant) for the WHOLE series, and im going to copy whatever i wrote and paste in on the review section of each book because i dont care and i want to be done with this shit.
1) biggest issue for me was how these books were written.
instead of focusing on one couple per book, KA decided to have all four of them in one book. on top of that, there were side characters to keep track of as well. it was overwhelming, and it just wasnt what i expected. to tell you the truth, it pissed me off. so much so that it TOTALLY ruined the series for me. idk why i didnt quit reading, i just didnt want to. but i also didnt make an effort to be interested and pay attention to what was going on with the story. basically, i listened to the whole thing with a half ear and doing it half-heartedly. it wasnt like i couldnt multi-task while doing it. so, no precious time wasted.
2) from what i could gauge, the plot wasnt bad. in fact, it was quite brilliant.
idk why KA decided to do what i said in point 1, but im sad that i never got over how disappointed i was with it because i ended up skipping so much that if there was such a thing as the audiobook police, i’d have been arrested by now. the plot grew more complex and more convoluted as it progressed in each book. it was a big pile of hot mess that i didnt care enough to sift through. at the same time, i marveled at how KA managed to write such intricate storyline (even if it was a clusterfuck) and did it with many main AND supporting characters. her brilliance never ceased to amaze me.
3) world-building went under appreciated by moi.
ive read Fantasyland series. since this is the spin off, i know what a marvelous (at least for me) world KA had created under there. theres all kinds of beings, from elves, gnomes, unicorns, DRAGONS, and freakin MERMAIDS. in fact, im pretty sure the King of Mer looks like Aquaman. thats how i pictured him even though i never paid attention if he was ever given physical description. theres magic and superpowers, different lands and different races, different religions and different cultures. my point is, all of it was lost on me and im sad that i couldnt fully appreciate it.
4) FOUR REPETITIVE ROMANCES WHATS THE FUCKING POINT.
i mean, even if they hadnt been simultaneously written in one book, who can say that there wouldnt be any similarities? who am i kidding. ive read 50+ KA books and i know how she builds her romance. regardless, having them shoved in my face at once instead of four (interconnected) standalones was NOT IT. all of them had the same dynamics, and the repetitiveness showed everytime there was an argument or news they had to react to. so like, you’d see each couple arguing or reacting about the same thing in four different scenes. i do have a favorite couple though! i really liked Mars & Silence and Aramus & Ha-Lah (my #1).
5) too many POVs.
KA literally added everyones POV; main characters, supporting characters, their mothers fathers, the witches, the bad guys, the cameos (characters from Fantasyland series). holy heck, basically everyone involved in the plot. though only the female (i think) MCs were written in first person, while the rest in third. this was a problem because while i generally didnt care about all of them, there were characters i favored more than others, and it was frustrating and irritating having to share the whole book with those i didnt give a single eff about. so i often skipped those and kept to ones i liked, which were mostly the MCs POVs.
6) audio production was DA BOMB.
the suck-iest (?!) part was that the audiobook was full casted and everyone was doing such a fabulous job with the narration. different voices, different accents, it was a fucking GREAT production and y’all know how much of a audiobook fanatic i am. too bad that i wasnt so drawn to the story. so again, it went under appreciated. i would also like to note that IMO the writing was immaculate. i mean, you could still tell that it had KAs flair, but you could also see the difference between her contemporary series and this fantasy one. im so sad that she chose to go about the series this way (meaning not writing them as standalones).
im just going to give each book three stars. it probably shouldve been lower, but i feel like im also to blame for this not going the way i wanted. also, i just dont have the heart to rate KA books below three stars if i could help it.
(read as an audiobook)
1) biggest issue for me was how these books were written.
instead of focusing on one couple per book, KA decided to have all four of them in one book. on top of that, there were side characters to keep track of as well. it was overwhelming, and it just wasnt what i expected. to tell you the truth, it pissed me off. so much so that it TOTALLY ruined the series for me. idk why i didnt quit reading, i just didnt want to. but i also didnt make an effort to be interested and pay attention to what was going on with the story. basically, i listened to the whole thing with a half ear and doing it half-heartedly. it wasnt like i couldnt multi-task while doing it. so, no precious time wasted.
2) from what i could gauge, the plot wasnt bad. in fact, it was quite brilliant.
idk why KA decided to do what i said in point 1, but im sad that i never got over how disappointed i was with it because i ended up skipping so much that if there was such a thing as the audiobook police, i’d have been arrested by now. the plot grew more complex and more convoluted as it progressed in each book. it was a big pile of hot mess that i didnt care enough to sift through. at the same time, i marveled at how KA managed to write such intricate storyline (even if it was a clusterfuck) and did it with many main AND supporting characters. her brilliance never ceased to amaze me.
3) world-building went under appreciated by moi.
ive read Fantasyland series. since this is the spin off, i know what a marvelous (at least for me) world KA had created under there. theres all kinds of beings, from elves, gnomes, unicorns, DRAGONS, and freakin MERMAIDS. in fact, im pretty sure the King of Mer looks like Aquaman. thats how i pictured him even though i never paid attention if he was ever given physical description. theres magic and superpowers, different lands and different races, different religions and different cultures. my point is, all of it was lost on me and im sad that i couldnt fully appreciate it.
4) FOUR REPETITIVE ROMANCES WHATS THE FUCKING POINT.
i mean, even if they hadnt been simultaneously written in one book, who can say that there wouldnt be any similarities? who am i kidding. ive read 50+ KA books and i know how she builds her romance. regardless, having them shoved in my face at once instead of four (interconnected) standalones was NOT IT. all of them had the same dynamics, and the repetitiveness showed everytime there was an argument or news they had to react to. so like, you’d see each couple arguing or reacting about the same thing in four different scenes. i do have a favorite couple though! i really liked Mars & Silence and Aramus & Ha-Lah (my #1).
5) too many POVs.
KA literally added everyones POV; main characters, supporting characters, their mothers fathers, the witches, the bad guys, the cameos (characters from Fantasyland series). holy heck, basically everyone involved in the plot. though only the female (i think) MCs were written in first person, while the rest in third. this was a problem because while i generally didnt care about all of them, there were characters i favored more than others, and it was frustrating and irritating having to share the whole book with those i didnt give a single eff about. so i often skipped those and kept to ones i liked, which were mostly the MCs POVs.
6) audio production was DA BOMB.
the suck-iest (?!) part was that the audiobook was full casted and everyone was doing such a fabulous job with the narration. different voices, different accents, it was a fucking GREAT production and y’all know how much of a audiobook fanatic i am. too bad that i wasnt so drawn to the story. so again, it went under appreciated. i would also like to note that IMO the writing was immaculate. i mean, you could still tell that it had KAs flair, but you could also see the difference between her contemporary series and this fantasy one. im so sad that she chose to go about the series this way (meaning not writing them as standalones).
im just going to give each book three stars. it probably shouldve been lower, but i feel like im also to blame for this not going the way i wanted. also, i just dont have the heart to rate KA books below three stars if i could help it.
(read as an audiobook)
July 23, 2020
I am seriously into this.
I had a feeling I would be as I was really into KA’s Fantasyland series and this is a spin-off from that.
But, like so many others, holy WOW this took a bit to get into and that is not due to the story.
THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE. So many lands, so many unfamiliar words. Just so much. I couldn’t keep track and I couldn’t keep up. I ended up actually printing out, on paper, the Glossary and carried it around with me while reading. It helped.
I can’t even imagine having read this first as audio.
Anyway.
I am seriously into this. I figured I’d read the first one, I get a taste, I’d let it settle, I’d study the Glossary a bit and then I’d read some other books and pick up book 2 in a bit.
Yeah, NO.
I started book 2 within seconds of finishing the first.
I’m into it.
I’ve got a feel. I’m getting who is who and what is what and a bit of why is why and well, I gotta keep going.
This is definitely going to be a re-read. It will an even better book the second time around, I just know it. Without any of the learning stumbling me up, it will be quite an adventure.
Good stuff, but then again, it is KA and I would expect nothing less.
And the cameos, the mentions? OH MY GOD! I can’t wait for more!
I had a feeling I would be as I was really into KA’s Fantasyland series and this is a spin-off from that.
But, like so many others, holy WOW this took a bit to get into and that is not due to the story.
THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE. So many lands, so many unfamiliar words. Just so much. I couldn’t keep track and I couldn’t keep up. I ended up actually printing out, on paper, the Glossary and carried it around with me while reading. It helped.
I can’t even imagine having read this first as audio.
Anyway.
I am seriously into this. I figured I’d read the first one, I get a taste, I’d let it settle, I’d study the Glossary a bit and then I’d read some other books and pick up book 2 in a bit.
Yeah, NO.
I started book 2 within seconds of finishing the first.
I’m into it.
I’ve got a feel. I’m getting who is who and what is what and a bit of why is why and well, I gotta keep going.
This is definitely going to be a re-read. It will an even better book the second time around, I just know it. Without any of the learning stumbling me up, it will be quite an adventure.
Good stuff, but then again, it is KA and I would expect nothing less.
And the cameos, the mentions? OH MY GOD! I can’t wait for more!
July 31, 2020
What a fabulous start for a new series!
A full review after I read all the books in the series.
Just in case you wonder, this is a series about savage kingdoms across the ocean from Fantasyland series. More brutal, savage and I’m loving it! 😘
❤️
A full review after I read all the books in the series.
Just in case you wonder, this is a series about savage kingdoms across the ocean from Fantasyland series. More brutal, savage and I’m loving it! 😘
❤️
December 31, 2019
The Beginning of Everything should be titled the beginning of the end. Aside from the dirty sex scenes, there is simply far too much crammed into one novel.
March 9, 2021
Oh wow !
When I started this book I knew this was a 5 star read simply because it was Kristen Ashley. The queen of Fantasy romance, she does it so well, has my heart thundering everytime I read one.
This was no diffrent.
However I was heartbroken when I began reading this for it had multiple point of views and when I say multiple, I mean more than 12 point of views.
4 couples story, coming together, working through thier differences, in the midest of political intruge said in the backdrop of a beast rising and the villains working to make it happen.
A lot is going on.
I did find it hard to keep track of who was who and what was happening at first.
Then story eased me in and I was hooked. There were parts of the story that is straight up brutal and some relationship patterns I was not so comfortable hearing about. For I did use the Audiobook for which it was originally written for, the cast of characters and their accents depending on the region the person is from was really good.
I would however suggest you'll read and listen as that helps in keeping track of who is who and whose point of view your listening to.
Format Read : Audiobook and Ebook.
When I started this book I knew this was a 5 star read simply because it was Kristen Ashley. The queen of Fantasy romance, she does it so well, has my heart thundering everytime I read one.
This was no diffrent.
However I was heartbroken when I began reading this for it had multiple point of views and when I say multiple, I mean more than 12 point of views.
4 couples story, coming together, working through thier differences, in the midest of political intruge said in the backdrop of a beast rising and the villains working to make it happen.
A lot is going on.
I did find it hard to keep track of who was who and what was happening at first.
Then story eased me in and I was hooked. There were parts of the story that is straight up brutal and some relationship patterns I was not so comfortable hearing about. For I did use the Audiobook for which it was originally written for, the cast of characters and their accents depending on the region the person is from was really good.
I would however suggest you'll read and listen as that helps in keeping track of who is who and whose point of view your listening to.
Format Read : Audiobook and Ebook.
July 12, 2020
holy Game of Thrones feels, batman!
This isn't easy at the start, because there's a LOT happening but I hung in there and it didn't take long to get HOOKED as you see stories unfolding for not only our four arranged marriages, but all sorts of secondary characters.
WHAT A CLIFFHANGER!
I preordered all 4 books and am thrilled that these are releasing a week apart.
I have 2 sleeps to wait for book 2 and I think I might reread some of this, especially the beginning as I expect it'll make more sense the second time.
This is a spin-off of the Fantasy Land series but is told in a different way, MUCH like GoT where you've got many stories happening and braiding together for the overall plot.
VERY much looking forward to book 2!
As for our 4 heroes so far:
Mars --- um YUM 10/10
Cassius --- 10/10
(I don't know which of these two I love more. Mars has a bit of a Dax Lahn feel. Though more civilized. Cassius is all sorts of yummy.)
Aramus --- 9/10 (don't know enough yet, things are moving a bit slower with him and Ha-Lah and I'm looking forward to their marriage consummation.)
True --- 8/10 (I like him, just don't know how Alpha he is quite yet).
All four heroines so far, I LOVE LOVE LOVE. Though we don't know as much of Ha-Lah and Farah yet, I do like what I read so far.
This isn't easy at the start, because there's a LOT happening but I hung in there and it didn't take long to get HOOKED as you see stories unfolding for not only our four arranged marriages, but all sorts of secondary characters.
WHAT A CLIFFHANGER!
I preordered all 4 books and am thrilled that these are releasing a week apart.
I have 2 sleeps to wait for book 2 and I think I might reread some of this, especially the beginning as I expect it'll make more sense the second time.
This is a spin-off of the Fantasy Land series but is told in a different way, MUCH like GoT where you've got many stories happening and braiding together for the overall plot.
VERY much looking forward to book 2!
As for our 4 heroes so far:
Mars --- um YUM 10/10
Cassius --- 10/10
(I don't know which of these two I love more. Mars has a bit of a Dax Lahn feel. Though more civilized. Cassius is all sorts of yummy.)
Aramus --- 9/10 (don't know enough yet, things are moving a bit slower with him and Ha-Lah and I'm looking forward to their marriage consummation.)
True --- 8/10 (I like him, just don't know how Alpha he is quite yet).
All four heroines so far, I LOVE LOVE LOVE. Though we don't know as much of Ha-Lah and Farah yet, I do like what I read so far.
July 10, 2020
DNF @ 30%
I’m not an audiobook “reader” so I really waited till the Kindle version of the book came out. BUT... Ummm. How do I say this politely? Maybe there’s no way to say it gently. Sigh. But wow, what a letdown. 😣
I’m so bummed.
Because I was really looking forward to this new fantasy series by KA. I really loved her Fantasyland series and to this day, Golden Dynasty is one of my favorite all time re-reads. But this? It just didn’t work for me.
There are too many POV’s (a new one every chapter it seems!) for my liking. I thought that we’d get one couple with each book, as is the norm. But you don’t even get a “resolution” for each couple at the end of this book because it’s like a LONG serial. You’ll have to stick to the end of the series —- meaning buy all the books. And all the other books will be like this one, with the multiple POV’s??
Uh. Uh. No, thank you.
It’s too chaotic. It’s all over the place and messy. It’s like an unpolished script for a television series.
It’s just not my thing. Which sucks!!!
Maybe it works better as an audiobook? I wouldn’t know because I don’t like audiobooks.
Sorry, but I’m not picking up the rest of the series.
I’m not an audiobook “reader” so I really waited till the Kindle version of the book came out. BUT... Ummm. How do I say this politely? Maybe there’s no way to say it gently. Sigh. But wow, what a letdown. 😣
I’m so bummed.
Because I was really looking forward to this new fantasy series by KA. I really loved her Fantasyland series and to this day, Golden Dynasty is one of my favorite all time re-reads. But this? It just didn’t work for me.
There are too many POV’s (a new one every chapter it seems!) for my liking. I thought that we’d get one couple with each book, as is the norm. But you don’t even get a “resolution” for each couple at the end of this book because it’s like a LONG serial. You’ll have to stick to the end of the series —- meaning buy all the books. And all the other books will be like this one, with the multiple POV’s??
Uh. Uh. No, thank you.
It’s too chaotic. It’s all over the place and messy. It’s like an unpolished script for a television series.
It’s just not my thing. Which sucks!!!
Maybe it works better as an audiobook? I wouldn’t know because I don’t like audiobooks.
Sorry, but I’m not picking up the rest of the series.
Want to read
November 22, 2019If this is anything like the Fantasyland series, I'm excited!
September 3, 2023
DNF. To clarify, I'm not one to easily abandon a book once I've started, but this particular book pushed me to my limits.
While it's possible that my experience might have been different had I read the book instead of listening to it, the narration was the primary culprit behind my decision to stop. The accents, which were delivered in a horribly overdone manner, became an insurmountable obstacle. They felt more like caricatures than authentic representations of the characters, ultimately detracting from the story rather than enhancing it.
Regarding the story itself, I found myself grappling with a multitude of information that never seemed to cohesively tie together. It left me feeling lost and disconnected from the narrative, as if I was trying to piece together a jigsaw puzzle with missing pieces.
In hindsight, it's always disappointing to label a book as a DNF, but "The Beginning of Everything" just didn't resonate with me. While I understand that individual reading experiences can vary widely, this particular book and its narration didn't align with my preferences, leading me to set it aside without reaching the conclusion.
While it's possible that my experience might have been different had I read the book instead of listening to it, the narration was the primary culprit behind my decision to stop. The accents, which were delivered in a horribly overdone manner, became an insurmountable obstacle. They felt more like caricatures than authentic representations of the characters, ultimately detracting from the story rather than enhancing it.
Regarding the story itself, I found myself grappling with a multitude of information that never seemed to cohesively tie together. It left me feeling lost and disconnected from the narrative, as if I was trying to piece together a jigsaw puzzle with missing pieces.
In hindsight, it's always disappointing to label a book as a DNF, but "The Beginning of Everything" just didn't resonate with me. While I understand that individual reading experiences can vary widely, this particular book and its narration didn't align with my preferences, leading me to set it aside without reaching the conclusion.
December 2, 2020
2.5 stars
I waited for the entire series to become available on kindle and, honestly, was hesitant to start reading this spin-off seeing some of the early reviews. Overall, I have mixed feelings after reading the first installment but will continue with it regardless as I’m curious to see how this tale unravels. One thing that I did not care for was the MM element in the storyline. Not a fan of MM reads to begin with, the rare exception when the relationships are portrayed and written well. Here, it did not work for me at all.
Also, I found there were way too many characters. There was a lot of world(s) building going on, and it seemed as if the main story and the four couples’ romances got lost in all the details.
I waited for the entire series to become available on kindle and, honestly, was hesitant to start reading this spin-off seeing some of the early reviews. Overall, I have mixed feelings after reading the first installment but will continue with it regardless as I’m curious to see how this tale unravels. One thing that I did not care for was the MM element in the storyline. Not a fan of MM reads to begin with, the rare exception when the relationships are portrayed and written well. Here, it did not work for me at all.
Also, I found there were way too many characters. There was a lot of world(s) building going on, and it seemed as if the main story and the four couples’ romances got lost in all the details.
May 6, 2021
Ok, so this was not at all what I was expecting. We are not following one couple per book, instead, we alternate between points of view every chapter, both reoccurring main characters, and the occasional one off of a side character. Trigger warnings for violence and rape. This is literally the first part of the story, not a stand-alone. Even though there were things I didn’t like, I was really sucked into it.
August 25, 2020
2.5 🌟🌟🌟 - Too many characters, over-long, shoehorned sex scenes, toxic masculinity and lacking in character focus, but not particularly badly written, ends on cliffhanger with no resolutions at all!
To be honest I’m not sure why I bother with Kristen Ashley books anymore, it’s clear to me her style of writing male protaognists leaves me cold and her ‘spirited’ female protagonists have only a very thin feminist veneer. Even those females characters with any agency have it stripped by men and/or are written as bitchy and in need of a take down, which of course must be done with sex. And when it comes to sex, there’s just so much sex in this book that doesn’t do anything to really make us understand the characters, other than that the men are toxic and quite frankly barbaric, regardless of whether the sex is straight, homosexual or polyamorous. The sex seems more like titillating filler of the uncomfortable ‘dubious’ or ‘no’ consent variety and rarely reveals anything about a character, or moves the plot forward.
The central plot, given a bit more focussed world building has potential and if the book had centred in on just one couple of the four sets of arranged marriages it would have been easier to follow, given more time for world building and allowed the reader/listener to engage with and come to love/like the central protagonists. As it is the first 3 hours of the audiobook were a confusing mishmash of changing POVs and getting lost in who is who, until the four couples all convene together.
In the end I’ve just finished and I can barely remember much about what happened over the 15 hour duration of the audiobook, the writing is okay, but it is never particularly interesting and at no point do you really get a sense of the protagonists being in real peril or any real impetus to change their kingdoms. Not to mention male protagonists who seem unable to accept or adapt to their bride’s culture in any way 🤯🤬.
All in all that’s just over 15 hours of my life I won’t get back and I don’t feel invested enough in the boring story that was eeked out in excrutiatingly slow fashion to be inclined to read the next book, especially as I believe it’s likely the story won’t have a resolution until the end of the series.
If you’re looking for epic fantasy there are much better books out there, better written, with more cohesive characters and world building.
To be honest I’m not sure why I bother with Kristen Ashley books anymore, it’s clear to me her style of writing male protaognists leaves me cold and her ‘spirited’ female protagonists have only a very thin feminist veneer. Even those females characters with any agency have it stripped by men and/or are written as bitchy and in need of a take down, which of course must be done with sex. And when it comes to sex, there’s just so much sex in this book that doesn’t do anything to really make us understand the characters, other than that the men are toxic and quite frankly barbaric, regardless of whether the sex is straight, homosexual or polyamorous. The sex seems more like titillating filler of the uncomfortable ‘dubious’ or ‘no’ consent variety and rarely reveals anything about a character, or moves the plot forward.
The central plot, given a bit more focussed world building has potential and if the book had centred in on just one couple of the four sets of arranged marriages it would have been easier to follow, given more time for world building and allowed the reader/listener to engage with and come to love/like the central protagonists. As it is the first 3 hours of the audiobook were a confusing mishmash of changing POVs and getting lost in who is who, until the four couples all convene together.
In the end I’ve just finished and I can barely remember much about what happened over the 15 hour duration of the audiobook, the writing is okay, but it is never particularly interesting and at no point do you really get a sense of the protagonists being in real peril or any real impetus to change their kingdoms. Not to mention male protagonists who seem unable to accept or adapt to their bride’s culture in any way 🤯🤬.
All in all that’s just over 15 hours of my life I won’t get back and I don’t feel invested enough in the boring story that was eeked out in excrutiatingly slow fashion to be inclined to read the next book, especially as I believe it’s likely the story won’t have a resolution until the end of the series.
If you’re looking for epic fantasy there are much better books out there, better written, with more cohesive characters and world building.
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