the_cover_contessa's review against another edition
4.0
I was excited to read this book when I found out Robertson had written it. I loved the Nightshade series and really wanted to see what the sexier side of this life would bring. I was not disappointed.
Blurb from Goodreads:
The first adult novel set in the world of the New York Times bestselling Nightshade series, Captive delivers a steamy, forbidden romance between sworn enemies drawn together by an irrepressible desire.
Twenty-five-year-old Tristan Doran enjoys a life of incredible power and privilege. As a direct descendant of the Keepers—witches who have embraced dark magic—he defers to no one but his overlord, Lord Bosque Mar. For most of his life, Tristan has been kept out of the centuries-old Witches War, his bloodline too valuable to risk in battle.
But when a beautiful, young human Searcher named Sarah is captured and made a prisoner in his Irish castle, Tristan’s infatuation with her flings him headlong into the fray. Captive and captor, unable to contain their longing, embark on a passionate, forbidden romance together—only to learn that their love is at the heart of a prophecy predicting the downfall of the Keepers’ ages-old reign.
Captive explores the darker side of the richly imagined Nightshade universe, a fantasy world of powerful dark witches, shape-shifting wolf warriors, and fascinating history. The first of three erotic novels, Captive delves deeply into the fiery, illicit romance of two young lovers whose very desires invite their doom.
I have to say that this story was quite captivating. I wasn't sure if I would like it. I had recently read Snakeroot and wasn't as impressed by it as I was by the Nightshade trilogy. But this book turned out to be surprisingly good. I love how the story ties in to the Nightshade trilogy. I have to say it might be a bit hard to write this review without giving things away, so I will be brief.
I have to say that I loved how the book dove right into the story of Tristan and Sarah. You get just a bit of background in the first few chapters, but then Sarah is off on a mission where she suddenly, and unexpectedly, finds herself a prisoner. You can only imagine how things unfold from there.
Sarah is a kick butt character. That girl can hold her own. She's snarky, sexy, smart, capable, and so independent. She doesn't scare easily, an important part of being a searcher, I would think. I wish I had a bit more of a history of Sarah, which will perhaps get in future books that tie in to this part of the series. I'd love to know where she came from and how she became a searcher.
Tristan: smart, sexy, devilishly handsome, strong, powerful and in control. That is until he meets Sarah and she pretty much turns his world up-side-down. A keeper, sent to an island where he is basically alone, except for his guardians for which he has keep, a few servants, and an Incubus and Succubus. He definitely won me over to the keeper side. While most of the time I would get angry with them in the Nightshade series, I was strangely attracted to his life and his power. And I felt sad for him that he was so alone. I love his character development in this book. We see him go from captive Keeper to someone who wants more than just to rule over a bunch of wolves.
Of course Bosque Mar makes his appearance in this book. He is just as evil as he appears in the other books in this series. Just the thought of him brings me shivers.
This book is definitely mature. There is a lot of sex and innuendos that happen. I think it all leant a great deal to the book. But there is that insta-love that I don't necessarily enjoy for the most part. I think with books such as this, that often happens, though. And what's even more interesting is how enemies seem to bond in this book, making it for an interesting mix of suspense. I went into the book thinking it would be all about the sex, but the story is rather engaging and interesting (especially if you are a fan of the series).
Cremer has a great writing style. There's nothing boring about her descriptions. I do think that if you have not read the other books in this series (at least the original Nightshade series) you will not understand the world. You definitely need hat background to help you to understand the relationships between the Keepers and the Searchers.
There is a definite connection to the Scion that is introduced in the Nightshade series. Again, you need this background or you will be confused. I didn't initially connect the dots to figure it all out, but about half way through the book I realized where it was going. It didn't deter me from finishing at all. And I ended up truly enjoying Sarah and Tristan's story.
Readers who enjoyed Cremer's Nightshade series will enjoy this book, but it is definitely intended for a more mature audience and I would not recommend it for anyone under 18.
Blurb from Goodreads:
The first adult novel set in the world of the New York Times bestselling Nightshade series, Captive delivers a steamy, forbidden romance between sworn enemies drawn together by an irrepressible desire.
Twenty-five-year-old Tristan Doran enjoys a life of incredible power and privilege. As a direct descendant of the Keepers—witches who have embraced dark magic—he defers to no one but his overlord, Lord Bosque Mar. For most of his life, Tristan has been kept out of the centuries-old Witches War, his bloodline too valuable to risk in battle.
But when a beautiful, young human Searcher named Sarah is captured and made a prisoner in his Irish castle, Tristan’s infatuation with her flings him headlong into the fray. Captive and captor, unable to contain their longing, embark on a passionate, forbidden romance together—only to learn that their love is at the heart of a prophecy predicting the downfall of the Keepers’ ages-old reign.
Captive explores the darker side of the richly imagined Nightshade universe, a fantasy world of powerful dark witches, shape-shifting wolf warriors, and fascinating history. The first of three erotic novels, Captive delves deeply into the fiery, illicit romance of two young lovers whose very desires invite their doom.
I have to say that this story was quite captivating. I wasn't sure if I would like it. I had recently read Snakeroot and wasn't as impressed by it as I was by the Nightshade trilogy. But this book turned out to be surprisingly good. I love how the story ties in to the Nightshade trilogy. I have to say it might be a bit hard to write this review without giving things away, so I will be brief.
I have to say that I loved how the book dove right into the story of Tristan and Sarah. You get just a bit of background in the first few chapters, but then Sarah is off on a mission where she suddenly, and unexpectedly, finds herself a prisoner. You can only imagine how things unfold from there.
Sarah is a kick butt character. That girl can hold her own. She's snarky, sexy, smart, capable, and so independent. She doesn't scare easily, an important part of being a searcher, I would think. I wish I had a bit more of a history of Sarah, which will perhaps get in future books that tie in to this part of the series. I'd love to know where she came from and how she became a searcher.
Tristan: smart, sexy, devilishly handsome, strong, powerful and in control. That is until he meets Sarah and she pretty much turns his world up-side-down. A keeper, sent to an island where he is basically alone, except for his guardians for which he has keep, a few servants, and an Incubus and Succubus. He definitely won me over to the keeper side. While most of the time I would get angry with them in the Nightshade series, I was strangely attracted to his life and his power. And I felt sad for him that he was so alone. I love his character development in this book. We see him go from captive Keeper to someone who wants more than just to rule over a bunch of wolves.
Of course Bosque Mar makes his appearance in this book. He is just as evil as he appears in the other books in this series. Just the thought of him brings me shivers.
This book is definitely mature. There is a lot of sex and innuendos that happen. I think it all leant a great deal to the book. But there is that insta-love that I don't necessarily enjoy for the most part. I think with books such as this, that often happens, though. And what's even more interesting is how enemies seem to bond in this book, making it for an interesting mix of suspense. I went into the book thinking it would be all about the sex, but the story is rather engaging and interesting (especially if you are a fan of the series).
Cremer has a great writing style. There's nothing boring about her descriptions. I do think that if you have not read the other books in this series (at least the original Nightshade series) you will not understand the world. You definitely need hat background to help you to understand the relationships between the Keepers and the Searchers.
There is a definite connection to the Scion that is introduced in the Nightshade series. Again, you need this background or you will be confused. I didn't initially connect the dots to figure it all out, but about half way through the book I realized where it was going. It didn't deter me from finishing at all. And I ended up truly enjoying Sarah and Tristan's story.
Readers who enjoyed Cremer's Nightshade series will enjoy this book, but it is definitely intended for a more mature audience and I would not recommend it for anyone under 18.
greylandreviews's review against another edition
5.0
This book was sexy! I really hope there will be more to follow from A.D. Robertson a.k.a
Spoiler
Andrea CremerSpoiler
and I just realized after reading this book who the main characters areSpoiler
Shay's parents and where he gets his name fromSpoiler
I give this book 5 starseviebookish's review
5.0
When I first heard about Captive I just knew I had to get my hands on it. Never mind that I don't usually read erotica, or even romance novels, but guys - this is a book set in our beloved Nightshade world! A book that explores what Andrea Cremer could not explore in her YA novels - the forbidden side of Nightshade! It's hot, steamy and gorgeously written - how could I possibly say no to that?!
Not to mention that I just love Andrea Cremer and her captivating writing style. Even if I'm not always entirely happy with the plot developments and/or the choices she makes for her characters (like the convoluted love triangles or the ending of Bloodrose). That being said, I am happy to report that I was not disappointed with Captive. In fact, this book exceeded all my expectations! From start to finish, this book is exceptionally well-written and intensely mesmerizing. Even though the main focus of the story is the romance between Sarah (the Searcher who finds herself imprisoned and at the mercy of her sworn enemies) and Tristan (the privileged and powerful Keeper), the thorough worldbuilding itself is enough to leave you breathless. We also learn more about the history of Searchers and Keepers, and the conflict between them, and we get to explore a darker, more passionate side of their natures.
Sarah and Tristan's love story was intense, swoon-worthy and sexy. The passages describing their passionate relationship had me blushing and in need of a cold shower. At the same time, Robertson was very tasteful and subtle in her descriptions, which I appreciated a lot. Their encounters were steamy and loaded with amazing chemistry, but the line between tasteful and cheap was never crossed, not even blurred.
Forbidden love, an old prophecy, shapeshifters, magic, betrayal and sacrifice - Captive has all that and more. The imagery is intricate and amazing, the chemistry between the characters - deliciously spine-tingling, and the plot line itself - well thought-out, exciting and emotionally engaging. Honestly, there isn't a thing I didn't love about this book. From the great characters to their complicated and tangled up fates, Captive is a fantastic novel full of passion, surprising twists and dramatic developments. I recommend this one to fans of the Nightshade series who would like to explore the more "adult" side of this gorgeous and magical world, and to fans of paranormal romance in general. And no, you don't have to be familiar with Cremer's Nightshade series to fully enjoy this one, Robertson does a great job introducing you to the Nightshade universe, and you learn new interesting things as you go deeper into the story. No matter how you slice it, it's just an awesome book to curl up with on a cold Fall/Winter evening - it'll definitely keep you warm.
Not to mention that I just love Andrea Cremer and her captivating writing style. Even if I'm not always entirely happy with the plot developments and/or the choices she makes for her characters (like the convoluted love triangles or the ending of Bloodrose). That being said, I am happy to report that I was not disappointed with Captive. In fact, this book exceeded all my expectations! From start to finish, this book is exceptionally well-written and intensely mesmerizing. Even though the main focus of the story is the romance between Sarah (the Searcher who finds herself imprisoned and at the mercy of her sworn enemies) and Tristan (the privileged and powerful Keeper), the thorough worldbuilding itself is enough to leave you breathless. We also learn more about the history of Searchers and Keepers, and the conflict between them, and we get to explore a darker, more passionate side of their natures.
Sarah and Tristan's love story was intense, swoon-worthy and sexy. The passages describing their passionate relationship had me blushing and in need of a cold shower. At the same time, Robertson was very tasteful and subtle in her descriptions, which I appreciated a lot. Their encounters were steamy and loaded with amazing chemistry, but the line between tasteful and cheap was never crossed, not even blurred.
Forbidden love, an old prophecy, shapeshifters, magic, betrayal and sacrifice - Captive has all that and more. The imagery is intricate and amazing, the chemistry between the characters - deliciously spine-tingling, and the plot line itself - well thought-out, exciting and emotionally engaging. Honestly, there isn't a thing I didn't love about this book. From the great characters to their complicated and tangled up fates, Captive is a fantastic novel full of passion, surprising twists and dramatic developments. I recommend this one to fans of the Nightshade series who would like to explore the more "adult" side of this gorgeous and magical world, and to fans of paranormal romance in general. And no, you don't have to be familiar with Cremer's Nightshade series to fully enjoy this one, Robertson does a great job introducing you to the Nightshade universe, and you learn new interesting things as you go deeper into the story. No matter how you slice it, it's just an awesome book to curl up with on a cold Fall/Winter evening - it'll definitely keep you warm.
somanybooksineedmoretime's review
2.0
Method: hardcover
Rating: 2/5 stars
H rating: 3/5 - Tristan
h rating: 3/5 - Sarah
Drama: 4/5
Thoughts: Too hectic, I was lost 90% of the time, read more YA than adult.
the_cover_contessa's review
4.0
I was excited to read this book when I found out Robertson had written it. I loved the Nightshade series and really wanted to see what the sexier side of this life would bring. I was not disappointed.
Blurb from Goodreads:
The first adult novel set in the world of the New York Times bestselling Nightshade series, Captive delivers a steamy, forbidden romance between sworn enemies drawn together by an irrepressible desire.
Twenty-five-year-old Tristan Doran enjoys a life of incredible power and privilege. As a direct descendant of the Keepers—witches who have embraced dark magic—he defers to no one but his overlord, Lord Bosque Mar. For most of his life, Tristan has been kept out of the centuries-old Witches War, his bloodline too valuable to risk in battle.
But when a beautiful, young human Searcher named Sarah is captured and made a prisoner in his Irish castle, Tristan’s infatuation with her flings him headlong into the fray. Captive and captor, unable to contain their longing, embark on a passionate, forbidden romance together—only to learn that their love is at the heart of a prophecy predicting the downfall of the Keepers’ ages-old reign.
Captive explores the darker side of the richly imagined Nightshade universe, a fantasy world of powerful dark witches, shape-shifting wolf warriors, and fascinating history. The first of three erotic novels, Captive delves deeply into the fiery, illicit romance of two young lovers whose very desires invite their doom.
I have to say that this story was quite captivating. I wasn't sure if I would like it. I had recently read Snakeroot and wasn't as impressed by it as I was by the Nightshade trilogy. But this book turned out to be surprisingly good. I love how the story ties in to the Nightshade trilogy. I have to say it might be a bit hard to write this review without giving things away, so I will be brief.
I have to say that I loved how the book dove right into the story of Tristan and Sarah. You get just a bit of background in the first few chapters, but then Sarah is off on a mission where she suddenly, and unexpectedly, finds herself a prisoner. You can only imagine how things unfold from there.
Sarah is a kick butt character. That girl can hold her own. She's snarky, sexy, smart, capable, and so independent. She doesn't scare easily, an important part of being a searcher, I would think. I wish I had a bit more of a history of Sarah, which will perhaps get in future books that tie in to this part of the series. I'd love to know where she came from and how she became a searcher.
Tristan: smart, sexy, devilishly handsome, strong, powerful and in control. That is until he meets Sarah and she pretty much turns his world up-side-down. A keeper, sent to an island where he is basically alone, except for his guardians for which he has keep, a few servants, and an Incubus and Succubus. He definitely won me over to the keeper side. While most of the time I would get angry with them in the Nightshade series, I was strangely attracted to his life and his power. And I felt sad for him that he was so alone. I love his character development in this book. We see him go from captive Keeper to someone who wants more than just to rule over a bunch of wolves.
Of course Bosque Mar makes his appearance in this book. He is just as evil as he appears in the other books in this series. Just the thought of him brings me shivers.
This book is definitely mature. There is a lot of sex and innuendos that happen. I think it all leant a great deal to the book. But there is that insta-love that I don't necessarily enjoy for the most part. I think with books such as this, that often happens, though. And what's even more interesting is how enemies seem to bond in this book, making it for an interesting mix of suspense. I went into the book thinking it would be all about the sex, but the story is rather engaging and interesting (especially if you are a fan of the series).
Cremer has a great writing style. There's nothing boring about her descriptions. I do think that if you have not read the other books in this series (at least the original Nightshade series) you will not understand the world. You definitely need hat background to help you to understand the relationships between the Keepers and the Searchers.
There is a definite connection to the Scion that is introduced in the Nightshade series. Again, you need this background or you will be confused. I didn't initially connect the dots to figure it all out, but about half way through the book I realized where it was going. It didn't deter me from finishing at all. And I ended up truly enjoying Sarah and Tristan's story.
Readers who enjoyed Cremer's Nightshade series will enjoy this book, but it is definitely intended for a more mature audience and I would not recommend it for anyone under 18.
Blurb from Goodreads:
The first adult novel set in the world of the New York Times bestselling Nightshade series, Captive delivers a steamy, forbidden romance between sworn enemies drawn together by an irrepressible desire.
Twenty-five-year-old Tristan Doran enjoys a life of incredible power and privilege. As a direct descendant of the Keepers—witches who have embraced dark magic—he defers to no one but his overlord, Lord Bosque Mar. For most of his life, Tristan has been kept out of the centuries-old Witches War, his bloodline too valuable to risk in battle.
But when a beautiful, young human Searcher named Sarah is captured and made a prisoner in his Irish castle, Tristan’s infatuation with her flings him headlong into the fray. Captive and captor, unable to contain their longing, embark on a passionate, forbidden romance together—only to learn that their love is at the heart of a prophecy predicting the downfall of the Keepers’ ages-old reign.
Captive explores the darker side of the richly imagined Nightshade universe, a fantasy world of powerful dark witches, shape-shifting wolf warriors, and fascinating history. The first of three erotic novels, Captive delves deeply into the fiery, illicit romance of two young lovers whose very desires invite their doom.
I have to say that this story was quite captivating. I wasn't sure if I would like it. I had recently read Snakeroot and wasn't as impressed by it as I was by the Nightshade trilogy. But this book turned out to be surprisingly good. I love how the story ties in to the Nightshade trilogy. I have to say it might be a bit hard to write this review without giving things away, so I will be brief.
I have to say that I loved how the book dove right into the story of Tristan and Sarah. You get just a bit of background in the first few chapters, but then Sarah is off on a mission where she suddenly, and unexpectedly, finds herself a prisoner. You can only imagine how things unfold from there.
Sarah is a kick butt character. That girl can hold her own. She's snarky, sexy, smart, capable, and so independent. She doesn't scare easily, an important part of being a searcher, I would think. I wish I had a bit more of a history of Sarah, which will perhaps get in future books that tie in to this part of the series. I'd love to know where she came from and how she became a searcher.
Tristan: smart, sexy, devilishly handsome, strong, powerful and in control. That is until he meets Sarah and she pretty much turns his world up-side-down. A keeper, sent to an island where he is basically alone, except for his guardians for which he has keep, a few servants, and an Incubus and Succubus. He definitely won me over to the keeper side. While most of the time I would get angry with them in the Nightshade series, I was strangely attracted to his life and his power. And I felt sad for him that he was so alone. I love his character development in this book. We see him go from captive Keeper to someone who wants more than just to rule over a bunch of wolves.
Of course Bosque Mar makes his appearance in this book. He is just as evil as he appears in the other books in this series. Just the thought of him brings me shivers.
This book is definitely mature. There is a lot of sex and innuendos that happen. I think it all leant a great deal to the book. But there is that insta-love that I don't necessarily enjoy for the most part. I think with books such as this, that often happens, though. And what's even more interesting is how enemies seem to bond in this book, making it for an interesting mix of suspense. I went into the book thinking it would be all about the sex, but the story is rather engaging and interesting (especially if you are a fan of the series).
Cremer has a great writing style. There's nothing boring about her descriptions. I do think that if you have not read the other books in this series (at least the original Nightshade series) you will not understand the world. You definitely need hat background to help you to understand the relationships between the Keepers and the Searchers.
There is a definite connection to the Scion that is introduced in the Nightshade series. Again, you need this background or you will be confused. I didn't initially connect the dots to figure it all out, but about half way through the book I realized where it was going. It didn't deter me from finishing at all. And I ended up truly enjoying Sarah and Tristan's story.
Readers who enjoyed Cremer's Nightshade series will enjoy this book, but it is definitely intended for a more mature audience and I would not recommend it for anyone under 18.
seeingnight's review
4.0
3.5 stars
GENRE: Romance
THEME: Paranormal, Mature
RECEIVED: Publisher
BLOG: http://seeingnight.blogspot.com/
REVIEW:
This was my first time stepping into the world of Nightshade as I haven’t had the chance to read the young adult series by Andrea Cremer aka A.D. Robertson. Luckily for readers like me I didn’t have any problem understand this world and Robertson did a great job with the history behind the Keepers and the Searchers without being overwhelming. However after reading this series I definitely want to read the young adult books now to get more background into this world.
Captive follows Sarah a searcher and descendant of Cian, who is sent on a dangerous mission to an enemy island to get some answers to a prophecy. Sarah knew this could cost her and when Guardians of the island capture her she is taken prisoner to their Master. To her surprise she comes face to face with the Keeper, Tristan, who is nothing like what the stories have said about his kind. The two discover that they are connected and yearning for something more, a way to stop the war that’s been go on for far too long.
Sarah is a tough but innocent young woman who goes after what she wants and mostly to prove herself to the Searchers. The readers don’t get much background about Sarah, but that she has a very protective best friend Anika and a crush on her fellow team member Jeremy. The readers do discover she has a good heart towards the many servants on the island she becomes prisoner on. She also discovers that not all stories about the Keepers are true and Tristan is extremely important to their enemy’s leader Bosque.
Tristan has his life already planned out for him, as a direct descendant of Eira he must keep the lineage going. Sadly for him the Keepers leader Bosque Mar has kept him alone with only servants and people he chooses for him. But once he meets Sarah he becomes fascinated with her, her life, and the freedom she has had. He learns from her and realizes that he wants a life that he chooses and not chosen for him. Sarah and Tristan have so much chemistry and their spark is shown right in their first meeting. I enjoyed their banter, innocents and compassion that they share together.
Overall this was a great beginning, I liked the back-story and how the Searchers prophecy connected all the pieces together for both protagonists. The romance was the key focus of the whole plot, highlighting that the two of them meeting is only the beginning, which I assume connects to the young adult series. The villain Bosque is someone who is seriously dangerous, creepy and I can’t wait to see what he does next. This is most defiantly an adult novel with sexual content and steamy scenes. I did enjoy Sarah and Tristan’s chemistry, but I felt it was fairly quick and I wish there were a few more challenges before they got together. The ending was also a bit rushed as well, there is a lot of pieces still left to cover that could have been added to the end. I’m hoping for some answers in the next book. In the end I look forward to continuing this series and can’t wait to see how Sarah and Tristan handle their new paths.
RECOMMENDATION:
This is an adult novel that contains sexual content meant for mature readers. Fans of Boone Bruxs' Bringer and the Bane series and Claire Ashgroves The Curse of the Templars series will enjoy Captive by A.D. Robertson.
GENRE: Romance
THEME: Paranormal, Mature
RECEIVED: Publisher
BLOG: http://seeingnight.blogspot.com/
REVIEW:
This was my first time stepping into the world of Nightshade as I haven’t had the chance to read the young adult series by Andrea Cremer aka A.D. Robertson. Luckily for readers like me I didn’t have any problem understand this world and Robertson did a great job with the history behind the Keepers and the Searchers without being overwhelming. However after reading this series I definitely want to read the young adult books now to get more background into this world.
Captive follows Sarah a searcher and descendant of Cian, who is sent on a dangerous mission to an enemy island to get some answers to a prophecy. Sarah knew this could cost her and when Guardians of the island capture her she is taken prisoner to their Master. To her surprise she comes face to face with the Keeper, Tristan, who is nothing like what the stories have said about his kind. The two discover that they are connected and yearning for something more, a way to stop the war that’s been go on for far too long.
Sarah is a tough but innocent young woman who goes after what she wants and mostly to prove herself to the Searchers. The readers don’t get much background about Sarah, but that she has a very protective best friend Anika and a crush on her fellow team member Jeremy. The readers do discover she has a good heart towards the many servants on the island she becomes prisoner on. She also discovers that not all stories about the Keepers are true and Tristan is extremely important to their enemy’s leader Bosque.
Tristan has his life already planned out for him, as a direct descendant of Eira he must keep the lineage going. Sadly for him the Keepers leader Bosque Mar has kept him alone with only servants and people he chooses for him. But once he meets Sarah he becomes fascinated with her, her life, and the freedom she has had. He learns from her and realizes that he wants a life that he chooses and not chosen for him. Sarah and Tristan have so much chemistry and their spark is shown right in their first meeting. I enjoyed their banter, innocents and compassion that they share together.
Overall this was a great beginning, I liked the back-story and how the Searchers prophecy connected all the pieces together for both protagonists. The romance was the key focus of the whole plot, highlighting that the two of them meeting is only the beginning, which I assume connects to the young adult series. The villain Bosque is someone who is seriously dangerous, creepy and I can’t wait to see what he does next. This is most defiantly an adult novel with sexual content and steamy scenes. I did enjoy Sarah and Tristan’s chemistry, but I felt it was fairly quick and I wish there were a few more challenges before they got together. The ending was also a bit rushed as well, there is a lot of pieces still left to cover that could have been added to the end. I’m hoping for some answers in the next book. In the end I look forward to continuing this series and can’t wait to see how Sarah and Tristan handle their new paths.
RECOMMENDATION:
This is an adult novel that contains sexual content meant for mature readers. Fans of Boone Bruxs' Bringer and the Bane series and Claire Ashgroves The Curse of the Templars series will enjoy Captive by A.D. Robertson.
rosepetals1984's review
1.0
Initial reaction:
Non-existent worldbuilding.
Characters I couldn't give two cents about.
No plot. No real story.
Complete mismatch on genre labeling.
Juvenile conflicts.
Poor writing.
Why the everloving heck was this even published?
Full review:
I have 99 ways to write this review, but a ten page rant won't be one of them. However, I do bring snark (and some images), so fair warning.
I'll open the floor for discussion of this book with a openly-admitted bias: I've never read the Nightshade series by Andrea Cremer. I've been interested in the series for ages, just never came around to it. Some of my friends and fellow readers really like this series, others did not - I was always on the fence about it. The series crossed my radar again when I heard a news story saying that the author planned to write an adult spinoff of her YA paranormal series. At first I didn't have the whole story, and I thought "Interesting idea, that could go well considering the fanbase could grow with the series."
But then I realized it would be an adult erotic spinoff.
Oh. Uhh. Hmm.
"Is that really such a good idea?"
"I hear it's not!"
"Do you really know?"
"I don't know!"
"Do you know?"
"Do you know...?"***
***shameless Revolutionary Girl Utena reference
On a serious note, it made me more curious as to how the author would build upon the world she'd established in the Nightshade series, apart from the controversy surrounding the announcement. Maybe have the story cross appeal in adult urban fantasy successfully with erotic touches.
Sadly, this was not what happened and NOT a good idea. Not even under a penname. This is actually the first time that reading a sequel series has actually turned me off ever reading the initial series it was based upon. If the poor, convoluted writing in this book is any indication, count me out.
"Captive" felt like a YA story - with thin development of conflict, juvenile presentations and depictions of character, and little to no worldbuilding - alongside graphic depictions of sexy times just thrown in willy nilly. The two leading characters, who are supposed to be 20 somethings, feel little more like characters who act like teenagers in some fated prophecy plot that makes no sense. You're kind of thrown into this story from the get go without any explanations as to what the terms mean, such as Guardians or Keepers, or what have you - and I'll admit I was very confused. Not to mention put off.
But that's far from the only offense this book had. Confusion can usually lead to clarity later on, so I followed it despite being completely lost.
I almost wonder if this was the plotline to some A.U. "Beauty in the Beast" fanfic where the heroine ends up getting captured after breaking into the Beast's castle to find out clues as to what's there. The Beast (who really isn't a beast, he's actually quite handsome and sexually able, supposedly) is a prisoner in his own castle for his own protection against "the Enemy". The Beast finds the heroine tied naked to his bed, offered up from her capture by a succubus and incubus, so that the Beast might proceed to rape her.
But the Beast - being the gentleman he is - does not rape her. He unties her, is attracted to her, tries to get to know her, but she's not having it.
But then the Beast's like "So, as long as you're my prisoner and I can't let you go or negotiate your release with the demons who actually work for me, I'll have you do some challenges to pass the time. Like find my favorite book out of a whole library stack that I give you no clues as to what they might be." (She ends up finding the favorite book in a place where she isn't supposed to be and he catches her in the act.)
Or "Partake in some swordfighting with me as another challenge and make an odd Princess Bride reference that I don't understand to pass the time."
Er...what?
As if that isn't confusing and odd enough, said heroine falls in love with her captor and they engage in sexy times! But the problem? She's a virgin. She knows she's a virgin, she even tried to lose her virginity near the beginning of the novel to some dude who's in her infiltrating party because, lo and behold, her infiltration of the castle of their sworn enemies might lead her to DIE and the heroine does not want to "die a virgin" (but she doesn't engage because she'd rather die "honest" than lose her virginity to someone she wasn't ready to give it too. I can respect her decision to keep her virginity, but I did not like the way this was portrayed at all.)
But the issue rears its head again when heroine reveals her virginity in the middle of said sexy times to the Beast, who storms out of the room.
Awkward times.
But they end up making up, but the succubus isn't happy about the Beast frolicking with the heroine, so she confronts heroine while heroine is self-pleasuring while thinking about the Beast. And that leads into some really awkward homoerotic subtext between the evil female succubus and the heroine.
And by awkward, I mean really awkward. Multiple occasions of awkward, where I think it's actually supposed to be evil clashes and moments of peril for the heroine.
Anyway, heroine realizes that the reason she's been called to infiltrate the castle in the first place (because this reason wasn't given from the get go - you have no idea why this group happens upon the castle - or chateau in the actual book - except to investigate it).
She's supposed to *free* the Beast. So she enlists the help of a servant girl and they proceed to jailbreak. They escape, and the heroine finds her group again, but the group realizes that the Beast is *the enemy* and capture him and servant girl, to detain them for suspicion.
But the heroine's like "Oh no, they might be a part of our sworn enemies but the servant girl's nice, and OMG - the prince is not evil at all - I LOVE him."
The beast gets confronted and confesses his love for the heroine too, and everything is magically okay, because it seems that according to some age old prophecy, their love child is supposed to be their group's saving grace, so the Beast gets freed. For now, they live happily ever after.
What do I think of this particular turn (and collection) of events?
Please spare yourselves.
Overall score: 0.5/5 stars
Note: I received this as an ARC from NetGalley, from the publisher Dutton Adult.
Non-existent worldbuilding.
Characters I couldn't give two cents about.
No plot. No real story.
Complete mismatch on genre labeling.
Juvenile conflicts.
Poor writing.
Why the everloving heck was this even published?
Full review:
I have 99 ways to write this review, but a ten page rant won't be one of them. However, I do bring snark (and some images), so fair warning.
I'll open the floor for discussion of this book with a openly-admitted bias: I've never read the Nightshade series by Andrea Cremer. I've been interested in the series for ages, just never came around to it. Some of my friends and fellow readers really like this series, others did not - I was always on the fence about it. The series crossed my radar again when I heard a news story saying that the author planned to write an adult spinoff of her YA paranormal series. At first I didn't have the whole story, and I thought "Interesting idea, that could go well considering the fanbase could grow with the series."
But then I realized it would be an adult erotic spinoff.
Oh. Uhh. Hmm.
"Is that really such a good idea?"
"I hear it's not!"
"Do you really know?"
"I don't know!"
"Do you know?"
"Do you know...?"***
***shameless Revolutionary Girl Utena reference
On a serious note, it made me more curious as to how the author would build upon the world she'd established in the Nightshade series, apart from the controversy surrounding the announcement. Maybe have the story cross appeal in adult urban fantasy successfully with erotic touches.
Sadly, this was not what happened and NOT a good idea. Not even under a penname. This is actually the first time that reading a sequel series has actually turned me off ever reading the initial series it was based upon. If the poor, convoluted writing in this book is any indication, count me out.
"Captive" felt like a YA story - with thin development of conflict, juvenile presentations and depictions of character, and little to no worldbuilding - alongside graphic depictions of sexy times just thrown in willy nilly. The two leading characters, who are supposed to be 20 somethings, feel little more like characters who act like teenagers in some fated prophecy plot that makes no sense. You're kind of thrown into this story from the get go without any explanations as to what the terms mean, such as Guardians or Keepers, or what have you - and I'll admit I was very confused. Not to mention put off.
But that's far from the only offense this book had. Confusion can usually lead to clarity later on, so I followed it despite being completely lost.
I almost wonder if this was the plotline to some A.U. "Beauty in the Beast" fanfic where the heroine ends up getting captured after breaking into the Beast's castle to find out clues as to what's there. The Beast (who really isn't a beast, he's actually quite handsome and sexually able, supposedly) is a prisoner in his own castle for his own protection against "the Enemy". The Beast finds the heroine tied naked to his bed, offered up from her capture by a succubus and incubus, so that the Beast might proceed to rape her.
But the Beast - being the gentleman he is - does not rape her. He unties her, is attracted to her, tries to get to know her, but she's not having it.
But then the Beast's like "So, as long as you're my prisoner and I can't let you go or negotiate your release with the demons who actually work for me, I'll have you do some challenges to pass the time. Like find my favorite book out of a whole library stack that I give you no clues as to what they might be." (She ends up finding the favorite book in a place where she isn't supposed to be and he catches her in the act.)
Or "Partake in some swordfighting with me as another challenge and make an odd Princess Bride reference that I don't understand to pass the time."
Er...what?
As if that isn't confusing and odd enough, said heroine falls in love with her captor and they engage in sexy times! But the problem? She's a virgin. She knows she's a virgin, she even tried to lose her virginity near the beginning of the novel to some dude who's in her infiltrating party because, lo and behold, her infiltration of the castle of their sworn enemies might lead her to DIE and the heroine does not want to "die a virgin" (but she doesn't engage because she'd rather die "honest" than lose her virginity to someone she wasn't ready to give it too. I can respect her decision to keep her virginity, but I did not like the way this was portrayed at all.)
But the issue rears its head again when heroine reveals her virginity in the middle of said sexy times to the Beast, who storms out of the room.
Awkward times.
But they end up making up, but the succubus isn't happy about the Beast frolicking with the heroine, so she confronts heroine while heroine is self-pleasuring while thinking about the Beast. And that leads into some really awkward homoerotic subtext between the evil female succubus and the heroine.
And by awkward, I mean really awkward. Multiple occasions of awkward, where I think it's actually supposed to be evil clashes and moments of peril for the heroine.
Anyway, heroine realizes that the reason she's been called to infiltrate the castle in the first place (because this reason wasn't given from the get go - you have no idea why this group happens upon the castle - or chateau in the actual book - except to investigate it).
She's supposed to *free* the Beast. So she enlists the help of a servant girl and they proceed to jailbreak. They escape, and the heroine finds her group again, but the group realizes that the Beast is *the enemy* and capture him and servant girl, to detain them for suspicion.
But the heroine's like "Oh no, they might be a part of our sworn enemies but the servant girl's nice, and OMG - the prince is not evil at all - I LOVE him."
The beast gets confronted and confesses his love for the heroine too, and everything is magically okay, because it seems that according to some age old prophecy, their love child is supposed to be their group's saving grace, so the Beast gets freed. For now, they live happily ever after.
What do I think of this particular turn (and collection) of events?
Please spare yourselves.
Overall score: 0.5/5 stars
Note: I received this as an ARC from NetGalley, from the publisher Dutton Adult.
julieabe89's review
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
This was a fun story! I enjoyed seeing how Tristan and Sarah fell in love. I look forward to more Nightshade
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