Reviews tagging 'Violence'

Initiation by Alethea Faust

8 reviews

dododenise's review

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3.5

My excuse for reading this: tiktok made me curious.

Yeah idk, not the most amazing book, but definitely some of the better smut I read in a novel. The magic system an interesting concept, but I’m not sure I want to explore it beyond this book. It also has some plot, amazingly. Nothing extraordinary, but also not bad. I did grow a little bored at times though. Idk how that happened considering the content but here we are. 
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cas_sun_dean_rising's review

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adventurous emotional funny hopeful informative medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

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katsofanotherkind's review

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adventurous dark fast-paced

3.0

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hisashiburi's review

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adventurous emotional hopeful medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

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tab_reads's review

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adventurous emotional funny lighthearted mysterious tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

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elisquared's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging funny informative tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

This was a very well-crafted fantasy.

If you take away the kink (obviously you’d have to re-work the Magic system), the book could stand on its own. Of course, I loved the kink in this. The way it’s used in relation to magic was actually really interesting. Consent was a big, big thing, which is so important in any kink lifestyle (one of the reasons I have such a problem with how people idolize 50 Shades of Grey - that is not well done kink). I felt there was a good balance between the sex and the plot and the kinks aren’t used in a sensational way. It is important to the story and characters.

I will for sure be continuing this series, and if you love a great mix of fantasy and sex, well this is totally the book for you!

Each chapter does contain trigger warnings and kink warnings; they’re also crafted in a way that feels organic with the story, so it was great. 
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zellapaige's review

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adventurous funny hopeful lighthearted fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

Delightful. Absolutely and utterly delightful. I was fully anticipating the idea of a "kink-based magic system" to feel very gimmicky and I was ready to read a book with good smut and not much else, I have never been more delighted to be wrong. Without a doubt, this book is erotica, very heavy on sex, both intensity and volume, but the plot of the book is far better than I expected. The characters in this are phenomenal. There isn't very much character development, again given the sheer volume of sex, but the character development that is there makes sense with the characters, plot, and all the sex. 

"Spoken like a true pain slut," Margeurite says, and that does get a blush out of me. (60)

At its core, this book is about a freshly discovered magic user attending a magic school, learning how to be a wizard, and becoming a part of the magical community. I saw someone on TikTok say that the main hobby of the magicians is jewelry making, and I totally understand that now, it is cheekily accurate, hilarious, and delightful. This book is so much more community-focused than I was expecting. Of course, that community is all intensely queer, kinky, and sleeping together making everything that much more fun.

He looks up at me with the single best set of bedroom eyes I've ever seen. For a moment, I can almost forget that we're doing this in the middle of a field. (146)

I think this sentence from the acknowledgments sums up what you are in for very well (it is also a very cute dedication to the author's partner);
This book would never have made it to print if it weren't for my partner Geo Sauer, who read the first draft of Initiation with crossed legs and a blush.
My legs were absolutely crossed, and my blush prominent, from cover to cover of this.

In this world/magic system there are 8 branches of magic, each of which is powered by different specific kinks. The way the kinks relate to the type of magic they create is astonishingly creative while making complete sense. I've never wanted to meet an author more than I want to meet Alethea, just so I can understand how it was possible for something this unique and creative to have been thought up.

Olbric is beautiful like this. I mean—he's always beautiful, but especially like this. (147)

The book covers the vast majority of the kinky world and absolutely covers all of the most common kinks, they aren't all explored in this book, but the possibility for future books is there. Because of the sheer diversity of kinks, there will be kinky scenes that don't relate to your personal taste, but the book will still make you appreciate those kinks in new ways. Sex in general and kink specifically can often be touchy subjects and I loved how this book did nothing but celebrate them. The allure, benefits, and fun of each kink the book explores are well laid out and the writing really makes you understand why people are drawn to the kinks being explored. All of the kinks are incredibly consent-based and I never felt any of the characters were at risk of having boundaries violated. The book does touch on the subject of non-consenting sex and what happens when the kinky wizards 'go bad'. Every time the book touches on one of those issues there is a shockingly unobtrusive trigger warning before you reach any of that content.

As soon as I'm bound or restricted, the responsibility is taken off me. I'm no longer in charge, and instead of being scary it's a relief. (157)

I'm beyond impressed that Alethea managed to write a book that makes me feel the way reading YA books did as a kid but in such an adult smut-filled way. In the best possible way, this book made me feel like I was 10 reading the Septimus Heap series by Angie Sage, with the addition of top-tier smut.
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shannnne_reads_words's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.0

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