megg_west's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.25
somewherelostinbooks's review against another edition
5.0
Just finished Born of Defiance. I need Born of Betrayal. Now. Right now. Can't wait for Fain's book and to see how it interacts with Talyn's story line. Loved it!!!
pixi_reads's review against another edition
5.0
Loved it! I'd be starting this book over if my TBR wasn't so daunting. This book is another great example of what family truly means, and what it means to love someone.
castranosis's review against another edition
3.0
Went into this book fairly blind, outside of the synopsis on the back. It seemed interesting. Even though it mentioned a companion in the synopsis, I couldn't help but groan a little bit internally over the insta-love between Felicia and Talyn. And for him to have not one but TWO recessive genes that were rare? On top of having the record he did fighting. Almost came across as a little stereotypical. But for the most part it was a fairly good read. Fairly good amounts of action and fighting.
Also didn't know that it was far into the series as it is. Almost want to get the previous books that lead up to these events. However, it seemed to work pretty well as a stand alone book.
Also didn't know that it was far into the series as it is. Almost want to get the previous books that lead up to these events. However, it seemed to work pretty well as a stand alone book.
danni_faith's review against another edition
fast-paced
3.0
I don't hate this but I do hate Talyn. This is the last of the series that I read so I love Fain Hauk + WILL NOT TOLERATE SLANDER OF THIS MAN.
Weird that this novel takes place during the events of BORN OF NIGHT + BORN OF FIRE.
Weird that this novel takes place during the events of BORN OF NIGHT + BORN OF FIRE.
amyiw's review
4.0
Solid very good 4
I really liked this but also realize why I didn't come back to catch up again. Kenyon is very hard on her characters and the injustice is so blatant and out of control, it is hard to except. So when our protagonist overcome and then fight back and are again kicked into the dust, it is hard to take. It is not full of a lot of humor and right now I would go for a light, silly, humorous read easily. This is emotional, heavy, and harsh, yet it is very good, with characters that you feel you know and get to love and want to win. When they do win, it is a relief like a friend has overcome the injustices and final got what he/she deserved.
So here we have Talyn and Felicia, and it follows the pattern of most of these stories with slightly differing situations. Bad people and circumstances hold down our couple and keep them from being together. They usually are tortured in some way and then with stops and starts, overcome the circumstances and horrid people.
This is set in a timeline that book 1, [b:Born of Night|2992061|Born of Night (The League Nemesis Rising #1)|Sherrilyn Kenyon|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1549166388l/2992061._SY75_.jpg|1329454], Nykyrian's story is so we go back a step. Talyn is Fain Hawk's son but we aren't really sure, don't think that, Fain has any idea of Talyn.
So my main issues with the book is the same for most of these books, too many captures, tortures, healings, etc..., it starts to get to be "again?" in my mind or "not again, eye roll" as you see it coming. And the coming back from the brink of death? How many times in this one? Yep, it is going to happen just like in all the rest of the books. So going in we know these are very possible as they are go to plot points in this unfair universe. I still like the story and read them all the same.
This particular book has a HFN (happy for now) feel rather than a HEA due to the way it ends. I think I would find somewhere else to live because the Andarians suck. And hence my 4 stars. I'm not happy like I should be for them. This is a romance at the heart, yet it is an epic scifi too. Luckily no cliffhangers though we really want to know what happens to all the characters still.
I will definitely read on and catch up again in the series as I'm already putting the next to the top of my TBR.
I really liked this but also realize why I didn't come back to catch up again. Kenyon is very hard on her characters and the injustice is so blatant and out of control, it is hard to except. So when our protagonist overcome and then fight back and are again kicked into the dust, it is hard to take. It is not full of a lot of humor and right now I would go for a light, silly, humorous read easily. This is emotional, heavy, and harsh, yet it is very good, with characters that you feel you know and get to love and want to win. When they do win, it is a relief like a friend has overcome the injustices and final got what he/she deserved.
So here we have Talyn and Felicia, and it follows the pattern of most of these stories with slightly differing situations. Bad people and circumstances hold down our couple and keep them from being together. They usually are tortured in some way and then with stops and starts, overcome the circumstances and horrid people.
This is set in a timeline that book 1, [b:Born of Night|2992061|Born of Night (The League Nemesis Rising #1)|Sherrilyn Kenyon|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1549166388l/2992061._SY75_.jpg|1329454], Nykyrian's story is so we go back a step. Talyn is Fain Hawk's son but we aren't really sure, don't think that, Fain has any idea of Talyn.
So my main issues with the book is the same for most of these books, too many captures, tortures, healings, etc..., it starts to get to be "again?" in my mind or "not again, eye roll" as you see it coming. And the coming back from the brink of death? How many times in this one? Yep, it is going to happen just like in all the rest of the books. So going in we know these are very possible as they are go to plot points in this unfair universe. I still like the story and read them all the same.
This particular book has a HFN (happy for now) feel rather than a HEA due to the way it ends.
Spoiler
They are not even allowed to live together more or less marry. And to have children, is against the law and he would be thrown into prison.I will definitely read on and catch up again in the series as I'm already putting the next to the top of my TBR.
xakyr's review against another edition
4.0
I started this before bed, and I couldn't put it down for the rest of the next day! I thought that it's really good overall, but a bit confusing, as I couldn't figure out who Talyn was supposed to be in relation to the larger canvas of characters for this series. We're eventually told who he is, but it kept nagging at me that we'd never heard of this character in previous books, as we had with others in the series. It also does a little reset of the universe as it goes back in time to prior to the events of [b:Born of Night|2992061|Born of Night (The League, #1)|Sherrilyn Kenyon|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1440196941s/2992061.jpg|1329454]. Even then, those events are only mentioned in passing.
Talyn was a wonderful hero! Everyone expected him to be affected by the cruelties that had been heaped upon him, and were shocked when he was still a kind and decent being! I loved that side of him, and it really made him stand out among the heroes of this series.
We learn a lot about Andarion culture in this story, and not all of it good. It really hampered the relationship between Talyn and Felicia, and felt a bit like it was contrived conflict. I respected Felicia for wanting to stand with Talyn though, despite the laws against them!
This was a very interesting and engaging story to me! It really is not a stand alone story, so I definitely recommend reading the proceeding books. If it wasn't for all the confusion regarding Talyn himself, I'd give it 5 stars easily!
Talyn was a wonderful hero! Everyone expected him to be affected by the cruelties that had been heaped upon him, and were shocked when he was still a kind and decent being! I loved that side of him, and it really made him stand out among the heroes of this series.
We learn a lot about Andarion culture in this story, and not all of it good. It really hampered the relationship between Talyn and Felicia, and felt a bit like it was contrived conflict. I respected Felicia for wanting to stand with Talyn though, despite the laws against them!
This was a very interesting and engaging story to me! It really is not a stand alone story, so I definitely recommend reading the proceeding books. If it wasn't for all the confusion regarding Talyn himself, I'd give it 5 stars easily!
bananatricky's review
2.0
I was so disappointed with this book. Absolutely, categorically cannot be read without having read the others in the series AND having a total recall of events.
This book seemed to be in two distinct sections. The first, and longest, was very depressing. Talyn is a fantastic person, a great Andarion who epitomises everything the race holds dear. Yet because he is illegitimate and his father has been disowned he is the lowest of the low. The men of the ruling family also have it in for him so his life is one long punishment with petty annoyances and restrictions not faced by others. He is so low that he is willing to pay his entire salary for a companion, something that normally only old men pay for, to at least show him some compassion - even if it is fake and she hates him. Instead he gets Felicia. Herself illegitimate but acknowledged, she is impressed by his gentle nature and good manners. However, nothing ever goes smoothly and Talyn suffers one humiliation after another. Demoted, punished and much much more it just goes on and on and on. Honestly I felt there was no point in reading on because I couldn't believe Talyn could survive any more.
Then, the second part (probably the last 30% of the book) was like seeing the other side of a story you already know - the only problem is although I have read the previous seven books I don't have a total recall of events and I was totally at sea. So much happens off-stage it is totally confusing.
Overall, I felt that it was a chore to finish the book, most of the action took place elsewhere and Talyn arrived after the event. Also I couldn't reconcile the actions and attitudes of the Andarion soldiers. They despised Talyn and refused to allow him such simple amenities as using the communal bathrooms. Yet, towards the end
Anyway, I have loved the previous books but this one went too far. Each of the Sentella has had a story more dark and depressing than the last but this one went too far for me.
This book seemed to be in two distinct sections. The first, and longest, was very depressing. Talyn is a fantastic person, a great Andarion who epitomises everything the race holds dear. Yet because he is illegitimate and his father has been disowned he is the lowest of the low. The men of the ruling family also have it in for him so his life is one long punishment with petty annoyances and restrictions not faced by others. He is so low that he is willing to pay his entire salary for a companion, something that normally only old men pay for, to at least show him some compassion - even if it is fake and she hates him. Instead he gets Felicia. Herself illegitimate but acknowledged, she is impressed by his gentle nature and good manners. However, nothing ever goes smoothly and Talyn suffers one humiliation after another. Demoted, punished and much much more it just goes on and on and on. Honestly I felt there was no point in reading on because I couldn't believe Talyn could survive any more.
Then, the second part (probably the last 30% of the book) was like seeing the other side of a story you already know - the only problem is although I have read the previous seven books I don't have a total recall of events and I was totally at sea. So much happens off-stage it is totally confusing.
Spoiler
The coup against the Andarion royal family, the kidnapping of Felicia etc.Overall, I felt that it was a chore to finish the book, most of the action took place elsewhere and Talyn arrived after the event. Also I couldn't reconcile the actions and attitudes of the Andarion soldiers. They despised Talyn and refused to allow him such simple amenities as using the communal bathrooms. Yet, towards the end
Spoiler
when he saves the royal children before arresting their father the soldiers he leads suddenly will follow him anywhere. Either the soldiers should loath him always because of his birth or they should grudgingly learn to respect him for his behaviour but it seemed as though until the start of the book, none of the soldiers he worked with day-in and day-out had any respect for him at all.Anyway, I have loved the previous books but this one went too far. Each of the Sentella has had a story more dark and depressing than the last but this one went too far for me.