Scan barcode
littlewishling's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Mental illness
litwitchbitch's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Gun violence and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Death of parent and Pregnancy
c0urtn3yy's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Graphic: Sexual content
katiekeske's review
3.5
My main complaint with the relationship building was that Kaida was constantly told that she needed to change her human ways and do whatever Cedros wanted. I did not like that. In previous books there seemed to be more compromise and understanding between the human women and their alien husbands, unlike in this one.
There was also a scene where Cedros was asked by a family to help them travel (which it's apparently super easy for him to conjure a portal), and he immediately thought of them as freeloaders who were using him. It was jarring to me, and I couldn't help but think of him as the rude one. Maybe if we had seen this family in previous scenes as doing selfish things, it would have been more understandable to me as the reader.
Overall this was still a low-angst easy alien romance, but I just didn't like either of the main characters or their reason for being together.
Graphic: Sexual content
ruthiedr89's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Sexual content, Violence, and Classism
Moderate: Medical content, Trafficking, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Fire/Fire injury
iamsammie27's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Sexual content and Classism
Moderate: Violence and Pregnancy
mx_virg's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
So why 2 stars, when I've given 4 star ratings to previous books ? First of, the world described here was way too intricate for a book that is a romance as well as sci-fi. The portals, the shadow realms, phasing... I ended up skipping over those parts, I didn't understand everything and didn't care to. It's not that I don't enjoy sci-fi, but then I'd prefer to read a full on sci-fi book.
Second, it is becoming repetitive. The author tries to shake things up with a new world, new circumstances around a mating. But if you break things down, it's all the same.
But what really tanks the rating for me is some problematic stuff in the romance. Here's the passage that made me almost DNF the book :
My cheeks all but burst into flames. "What are you saying?" I asked, the defensiveness seeping back into my voice. "Should I just let him have his way with whatever he asks or wants?"
"Yes," she said, as if it was self-evident. "You should only refuse him if you believe it is bad for him or if it strongly makes you uncomfortable. Your purpose as an Ejaya is to keep him healthy and make him happy by whatever means necessary."
Humans being weird for having clothes and being embarrassed to do certain things in front of others (like getting naked, washing yourself, using a toilet,...) is nothing new in the series (again, very stereotypical view of what is a primitive civilization). And I'm no prude, I do think our society cares too much about what and how much people wear. But it goes the other way around too: I don't think it's ok to judge people if they wear "too much". Again, the "prime" population wearing (almost) no clothes and finding the human heroine weird for doing so is nothing new in this series.
But this book takes it to the next level. There's the trope "forced proximity", and then FORCED proximity. Since it is made clear in the book that the heroine shouldn't have sex with the hero if she doesn't want to, some may think it's all innocent. It's not. She's basically being told that she's a bad person (or at least a bad Ejaya) if she doesn't cuddle with him naked, and if she voices being uncomfortable at some of his actions and questions. Her boundaries and comfort levels just don't matter. Big yikes from me.
Graphic: Sexual content, Violence, and Classism
Moderate: Sexual harassment and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Pregnancy and Fire/Fire injury
solacelight's review
4.75
Graphic: Sexual content, Violence, and Classism
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Trafficking, Pregnancy, and Abandonment