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Vadim #1
Rise of Hope
A secret ancient race of humans with fantastical abilities, the Vadïm are on the brink of extinction. Many of their women are imprisoned by an organization known as The Assembly, their history all but lost . . .
Devon Monroe has been a prisoner her entire life. She’s determined to make sense of the strange markings on her body, to learn why no one may touch her, to find where she belongs. That means escaping into the unknown, where she has no choice but to trust her self-appointed protector.
Soldier for hire Seth Eastman has a job to deliver Devon to safety. When Seth discovers the markings on Devon’s body, he’s stunned at what it means. And at how she awakens his long-suppressed needs. As they struggle to escape detection and search for the truth of the Vadïm, can he ever hope to claim her for his own?
Devon Monroe has been a prisoner her entire life. She’s determined to make sense of the strange markings on her body, to learn why no one may touch her, to find where she belongs. That means escaping into the unknown, where she has no choice but to trust her self-appointed protector.
Soldier for hire Seth Eastman has a job to deliver Devon to safety. When Seth discovers the markings on Devon’s body, he’s stunned at what it means. And at how she awakens his long-suppressed needs. As they struggle to escape detection and search for the truth of the Vadïm, can he ever hope to claim her for his own?
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First published August 27, 2012
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About the author
Kaily Hart
11 books147 followersKaily Hart, a seemingly straight-laced mother of four left corporate America and a high-powered, lucrative career to be a stay at home mom. Ha! That lasted about four weeks, during which time she realized she had a deeply repressed dream - to write. Romance! By day, Kaily plays conservative wife and soccer mom, but at night crafts hot and steamy tales of romance and love with gorgeous heroes who wouldn’t dream of leaving the toilet set up. Ever. She’s smart and sassy, at least in her own mind, and is trying her best to bring the alpha male solidly back to contemporary romance. Two years ago she never would have thought she’d be doing this, but now that she is? It just feels so right.
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August 28, 2012
Rating: 3.5...A gratifying beginning to a new paranormal series!
Devon Monroe has been the Assembly’s prisoner since infancy. The appearance of wealth and pampering became overshadowed as her awareness of surveillance cameras and physical boundaries grew. Devon is keenly intelligent and very observant. Something is changing in her environment signaling it’s time to enact her escape plan.
Seth Eastman has been hired for a mission. His task is to ‘reclaim’ Devon. She is the first captive Vadïm female found. Seth’s also been told Devon is his Macche, fated one, but he dismisses the information as romantic nonsense. He will do his job and get his money. Job done!
Rise of Hope, a novella, is the introduction to the Fabric of Fate series, which is set at five books. In this short story, Kaily Hart introduces readers to a secret and gifted race called the Vadïm. Their origins and situation is shrouded in mystery. Their race is nearly extinct and their women targeted for unknown reasons.
While this series includes a new race of supernaturals, it also contains the popular (or common) elements of paranormal romance. It includes the use of a secret race, fated mates, and enhanced libido. Despite some of the paranormal romance tropes, this book is well-written and enjoyable. The small group of Vadïm men have the the various personalities that appeal to romance fans.
I found Rise of Hope emotionally engaging and nicely paced. (I am hoping future books have more action.) It sets up the series very well for a novella. The heroine displays intelligence and is likable. Devon is not the gullible heroine. For the most part, Seth dragged his feet accepting his mate and I wish there would have been more to his character.
The other males within the team have me intrigued and I’m looking forward to future stories in this series. I also want to learn more about this secret race and the story behind their abandonment. This is my first Kaily Hart book and it won’t be my last.
In a sub-genre saturated with vampires and werewolves, it’s a welcome change when authors step outside the typical paranormal being box. I’m anxious to see how this series progresses. Overall, this is a book paranormal fans may enjoy!
ARC courtesy of Carina Press via Netgalley
Release Date: August 27, 2012
July 27, 2012
Rise of Hope by Kaily Hart is book #1 in the new paranormal series, Fabric of Fate. This was my first read by this author, and it won't be my last. For her first attempt at paranormal romance/suspense, I liked the storyline and the characters. The Vadim are an ancient race that finds itself on the brink of extinction. Only a handful of males have banded together under the guidance of Noah. He discovers that a group of powerful men known only as The Assembly have been capturing and experimenting on Vadim women for the last two decades, and that one in particular is trying to escape confinement from a secure compound run by a man posing as her father. For reasons Noah will not divulge, he sends Seth to intercept Devon. When they discover that they have the same markings, the significance of that discovery and their meaning will change their lives forever.
The story held my attention from the first page. The Vadim all have special, supernatural abilities – for the men they were physical, for the women they were mental. Their powers were more defensive in nature, rather than offensive. Her entire life, Devon was denied physical contact. She wasn't to touch anyone, and no one was allowed to touch her. I felt horrible for her whenever she'd apologize or feel intimidated out of habit. She may have led a pampered life, even for a captive, but she isn't a pushover. She knows that the markings she shares with Seth have a deeper meaning than pure aesthetics, but she doesn't balk at the idea that she may “belong” to him. Her innocence and purity when matched with Seth's grumpy, neanderthal ways made for some really endearing and amusing scenes. I also loved the dialogue between them. Seth just blurts out what what he thinks, and since he's a male in lust, you can imagine how that went. Also, watching him fight a futile battle with fate was just too funny.
Seth was one hot alpha male! His character flaw would be that he has abandonment issues. He doesn't want to believe that they may have been a great threat at one point that led most parents to abandon their children and never return for them, so he sees his race as a genetic abomination. Not until he hears Devon's story, about her treatment at the hands of The Assembly, does he realize that he can't stand by and do nothing. Seth is everything you want in a hero – brave, loyal, bad-ass, a little tortured, and his marking go all the way down to his …. [insert huge grin].
The drama portion of the story fell a little short for my liking, but it's the author's prerogative to introduce her story and characters as she sees fit. With this being the beginning of a series, I'm giving Ms Hart the benefit of the doubt that with book #2, she'll open up the world further and the villains will show themselves and their true intentions soon enough. I'm going to assume that any future female characters will have special powers, so I hope they will all play a bigger role rather than just be known as the mate of such-and-such. I, for one, am already hooked and can't wait to read what happens next.
Thank you Carina Press via NetGalley for the ARC
Disclaimer: A review in exchange for the ARC was not promised. The views and opinions expressed in this review are my own, and in no way represent the views or opinions of the publisher/distributor.
August 11, 2012
I didn't realize how much I missed PR until I started reading this story. I'm not sure what has kept me away for so long, but I'm suddenly craving more and more.
Kaily Hart has created a world that intrigued me from the beginning and she does a great job of incorporating plot with back story in a way that kept me from feeling completely smothered by character history. If anything, I almost wish I had been given a little bit more, but maybe that will come in subsequent stories.
The chemistry between Seth and Devon is solid, and I love their dynamic. While Seth is definitely an alpha, that doesn't mean Devon is relegated to be the mindless maiden in distress. She is smart and unknowingly powerful which compliments and balances Seth's volatility. I look forward to seeing glimpses of how they develop as they learn more about who they are as a race and as a partnership.
I do wish this had been a bit longer - there were parts where I could have used a bit more description. The warehouse scene in particular could have used a bit more fleshing out as I had to read parts of it a few times to figure out what happened. But given the fact that I'm a big fan of less is more, I'd almost prefer this over a book full of insignificant clothing descriptions and meal choices. So in that respect, well done.
This is the first thing I've read by Kaily Hart, but it will not be the last.
Kaily Hart has created a world that intrigued me from the beginning and she does a great job of incorporating plot with back story in a way that kept me from feeling completely smothered by character history. If anything, I almost wish I had been given a little bit more, but maybe that will come in subsequent stories.
The chemistry between Seth and Devon is solid, and I love their dynamic. While Seth is definitely an alpha, that doesn't mean Devon is relegated to be the mindless maiden in distress. She is smart and unknowingly powerful which compliments and balances Seth's volatility. I look forward to seeing glimpses of how they develop as they learn more about who they are as a race and as a partnership.
I do wish this had been a bit longer - there were parts where I could have used a bit more description. The warehouse scene in particular could have used a bit more fleshing out as I had to read parts of it a few times to figure out what happened. But given the fact that I'm a big fan of less is more, I'd almost prefer this over a book full of insignificant clothing descriptions and meal choices. So in that respect, well done.
This is the first thing I've read by Kaily Hart, but it will not be the last.
June 28, 2022
3.5 stars
Well, this was a pleasant surprise. I'm not new to Kaily Hart's work, and in fact, having read her other pieces had me requesting this one from netgalley. However, her other work has been contemporary, so I was interested to see where she went with paranormal.
From the beginning, I was sucked in and intrigued. The characters she created were interesting and she teased us just enough with each of the guys to make me want more, more, more, in upcoming books in this series.
As for Seth and Devon, I enjoyed both of them. I loved Devon's strength and her selflessness. And I was a sucker for Seth's attitude and possessiveness (in a good way, believe me).
The only thing that didn't really work for me was the length of this book. Don't get me wrong, I love novellas. But with this one, there was so much world building that needed to be done (and, unfortunately, wasn't) that I was confused and felt sort of left in the dust. I wished Hart has expanded on many things, had explained more, rather than just giving us a tiny taste into this new series.
Regardless, I will definitely be picking up the next one (and the one after that and the one after that). At least until we get to Christian. Because...hnnnnggggggg.
Well, this was a pleasant surprise. I'm not new to Kaily Hart's work, and in fact, having read her other pieces had me requesting this one from netgalley. However, her other work has been contemporary, so I was interested to see where she went with paranormal.
From the beginning, I was sucked in and intrigued. The characters she created were interesting and she teased us just enough with each of the guys to make me want more, more, more, in upcoming books in this series.
As for Seth and Devon, I enjoyed both of them. I loved Devon's strength and her selflessness. And I was a sucker for Seth's attitude and possessiveness (in a good way, believe me).
The only thing that didn't really work for me was the length of this book. Don't get me wrong, I love novellas. But with this one, there was so much world building that needed to be done (and, unfortunately, wasn't) that I was confused and felt sort of left in the dust. I wished Hart has expanded on many things, had explained more, rather than just giving us a tiny taste into this new series.
Regardless, I will definitely be picking up the next one (and the one after that and the one after that). At least until we get to Christian. Because...hnnnnggggggg.
September 8, 2012
I received an ARC via Netgalley after I saw this on my GR timeline. It sounded interesting and I thought I'd try and get it.
THANK YOU NetGalley, Ms. Hart and Carina Press.
This was an exciting first book in a series, and knowing that it was first, I am really looking forward to seeing each of these men find their Macche, their mate.
The Vadim have Darces, gifts. One can look like anyone he's touched. One can blend in with almost anything, one can transport himself. Fascinating, actually.
Devon has been a captive all of her life. She's not been allowed to touch anyone, or they her. Her Darce is a good one, one I'd like to have!
This was a marvelous set up for the series and I'm looking forward to seeing Ms. Hart bring the bad guys down, and to find the Macche for all the men.
By the way...this was HOT. Yes, more please!
THANK YOU NetGalley, Ms. Hart and Carina Press.
This was an exciting first book in a series, and knowing that it was first, I am really looking forward to seeing each of these men find their Macche, their mate.
The Vadim have Darces, gifts. One can look like anyone he's touched. One can blend in with almost anything, one can transport himself. Fascinating, actually.
Devon has been a captive all of her life. She's not been allowed to touch anyone, or they her. Her Darce is a good one, one I'd like to have!
This was a marvelous set up for the series and I'm looking forward to seeing Ms. Hart bring the bad guys down, and to find the Macche for all the men.
By the way...this was HOT. Yes, more please!
August 23, 2012
3.5 stars
This was a good start to what is planned to be a 5 book series. I like the idea of a hidden, nearly extinct race and everything that implies.
Devon has been held prisoner since she was a baby. She can't remember anything other than being raised at a compound where no-one could touch her and she herself was allowed no privacy or freedoms. Sure she could walk around the compound but some areas were barred to her and she was never allowed to be by herself. She doesn't know why this is and has been trying to get out from this imprisonment. She ends up getting helped by a group of men that end up being more that just her rescuers. They end up becoming a true family for her. She is strong, smart and an extremely caring person even with all that she has gone thru. She doesn't feel worthy of anything though due to being kept hostage by people who didn't care about her or even show her the least bit of human comfort.
Seth is an interesting hero in that he is strong but has this inner I'm worthless attitude that hs enabled him to keep his distance from anyone or anything. He wants to be alone (so he thinks) because of his past and you can't help but want him to finally break down and need someone/let them in. He keeps this wall around himself that once you know why it is there you can't help but feel for him. He has not had an easy life but under the mess he is an incredibly devoted, caring man. He has a wonderful heart and you love when the pair finally come together.
Devon and Seth are Vadim which means that they each have a unique gift that for the men is typically a physical ability (Seth is a sort of chameleon in that he can take on the identity/appearance of someone he has touched) and women seem to have a mental ability (Devon can compel anyone touching her to do what she wants them to do). They also have markings that appear around puberty that match the person they are truly meant to be with. In this case the pair have the same markings although her markings are more feminine and are designed to mesh with his when they are connected sexually.
I enjoyed watching the pair dance around each other but boy when they finally release the tension it was a smoking hot scene. You can tell that she gets the physical affection she desperately needed and the support to be who she is meant to be from him. He in return finds the heart he has always kept buried but also finds someone who truly accepts him.
Lovely story and I am looking forward to more in this series... Thanks to NetGalley.com and Carina Press for letting me read this in exchange for my honest review.
This was a good start to what is planned to be a 5 book series. I like the idea of a hidden, nearly extinct race and everything that implies.
Devon has been held prisoner since she was a baby. She can't remember anything other than being raised at a compound where no-one could touch her and she herself was allowed no privacy or freedoms. Sure she could walk around the compound but some areas were barred to her and she was never allowed to be by herself. She doesn't know why this is and has been trying to get out from this imprisonment. She ends up getting helped by a group of men that end up being more that just her rescuers. They end up becoming a true family for her. She is strong, smart and an extremely caring person even with all that she has gone thru. She doesn't feel worthy of anything though due to being kept hostage by people who didn't care about her or even show her the least bit of human comfort.
Seth is an interesting hero in that he is strong but has this inner I'm worthless attitude that hs enabled him to keep his distance from anyone or anything. He wants to be alone (so he thinks) because of his past and you can't help but want him to finally break down and need someone/let them in. He keeps this wall around himself that once you know why it is there you can't help but feel for him. He has not had an easy life but under the mess he is an incredibly devoted, caring man. He has a wonderful heart and you love when the pair finally come together.
Devon and Seth are Vadim which means that they each have a unique gift that for the men is typically a physical ability (Seth is a sort of chameleon in that he can take on the identity/appearance of someone he has touched) and women seem to have a mental ability (Devon can compel anyone touching her to do what she wants them to do). They also have markings that appear around puberty that match the person they are truly meant to be with. In this case the pair have the same markings although her markings are more feminine and are designed to mesh with his when they are connected sexually.
I enjoyed watching the pair dance around each other but boy when they finally release the tension it was a smoking hot scene. You can tell that she gets the physical affection she desperately needed and the support to be who she is meant to be from him. He in return finds the heart he has always kept buried but also finds someone who truly accepts him.
Lovely story and I am looking forward to more in this series... Thanks to NetGalley.com and Carina Press for letting me read this in exchange for my honest review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 12, 2020
Devon has been planning an escape from her "father"for years but on the day her plan was going into effect she is "rescued" by Seth, a man who has markings on his body just like hers. Apparently they are part of a race that was nearly wiped out but is now trying to unite.
This was a pretty good premise but i feel like there was so much stuffed into a relatively short book but not enough detail at the same time. I also hate when women who are obviously going to get kidnapped run off on their own because they're upset. I don't even have much more to say, it's so irritating and frustrating...especially when an author keeps telling me how smart she is.
This was a pretty good premise but i feel like there was so much stuffed into a relatively short book but not enough detail at the same time. I also hate when women who are obviously going to get kidnapped run off on their own because they're upset. I don't even have much more to say, it's so irritating and frustrating...especially when an author keeps telling me how smart she is.
April 22, 2017
Now I Do
I read a lot of romance books,all different types the hotter the better. But until recently I just didn't "do" paranormal or sci-fi even with some romance thrown in. The lighter ones seemed a bit silly, the more serious ones just a little too dark. But I recently read a few that I really enjoyed, and when I realized that one of my favorite romance authors had one that I hadn't read (because I didn't "do" those), I decided to take a chance. All I can say is, now I DO "do" paranormal and sci-fi romance. My only complaint-- I want more!
I read a lot of romance books,all different types the hotter the better. But until recently I just didn't "do" paranormal or sci-fi even with some romance thrown in. The lighter ones seemed a bit silly, the more serious ones just a little too dark. But I recently read a few that I really enjoyed, and when I realized that one of my favorite romance authors had one that I hadn't read (because I didn't "do" those), I decided to take a chance. All I can say is, now I DO "do" paranormal and sci-fi romance. My only complaint-- I want more!
July 31, 2012
Favorite Lines: “Never doubt who we are to each other, who you are to me. You’re mine–mine to take care of, mine to protect, mine to…love.” (p. 93, e-galley)
In Kaily Hart‘s introduction to the Vadim series Rise of Hope, the reader is introduced to people with X-men like abilities who live amongst humanity. These people are a separate race on the verge of extinction called the Vadim. All were abandoned as children and before the heroine is discovered only male members of the race have been located. The men have physical “abilities” while they assume the females have mental “abilities.”
Rise of Hope is short; it’s only 101 pages on my nook and ends on page 93. It’s a simple, yet entertaining story. The romance happens quickly and is aided by the “fated lovers” trope. Some people don’t like fated love. I do. Since the story is short there had to be a reason two complete strangers fell in love. It was fated. The Vadim have marks on their skin similar to tattoos. When a male and female Vadim are mates, their marks line up.
“We all have them. Each pattern is slightly different. Look, I don’t have to get into it but–”
“No they’re exactly the same. As–as mine, except…opposite.”–p. 14
“She was right. They were the same–exactly the same–except they were the inverse of his.”–p. 15
One of the hurdles keeping the would be lovers apart is the hero’s personal issues. Seth suffers from more abandonment issues than the heroine. Both were abandoned, but Devon was an infant while Seth remembers being a four-year-old who watched his parents walk away from him. He had a hard life and doesn’t buy into the idea of being part of another race. He doesn’t think he deserves Devon and does all he can to push her away. This makes him a jerk at times, but when it really matters Seth is there in all ways.
The heroine didn’t really do much for me. Devon lived a solitary life as a gilded princess unable to touch anyone. She was watched at all times, often drugged and was experimented on. She is lonely and scared, but soaks up all the information she is given about the Vadim. Devon discovers her ability while amongst the Vadim, but for me she was always less than the hero. She was there to complete the hero and it was easy for me to over look her as a character worth anything other than being the missing half to the hero. I didn’t really care about her.
I didn’t love Rise of Hope, but I’m glad I read it. If you’re looking for a short paranormal romance that tells a complete story in one novella, Rise of Hope is the book you need. It’s inexpensive and filled with sexual tension. It introduces secondary male characters who I wanted to know more about and kept my attention. I will be looking for book two, Renewal of Trust when it is released in March 2013.
In Kaily Hart‘s introduction to the Vadim series Rise of Hope, the reader is introduced to people with X-men like abilities who live amongst humanity. These people are a separate race on the verge of extinction called the Vadim. All were abandoned as children and before the heroine is discovered only male members of the race have been located. The men have physical “abilities” while they assume the females have mental “abilities.”
Rise of Hope is short; it’s only 101 pages on my nook and ends on page 93. It’s a simple, yet entertaining story. The romance happens quickly and is aided by the “fated lovers” trope. Some people don’t like fated love. I do. Since the story is short there had to be a reason two complete strangers fell in love. It was fated. The Vadim have marks on their skin similar to tattoos. When a male and female Vadim are mates, their marks line up.
“We all have them. Each pattern is slightly different. Look, I don’t have to get into it but–”
“No they’re exactly the same. As–as mine, except…opposite.”–p. 14
“She was right. They were the same–exactly the same–except they were the inverse of his.”–p. 15
One of the hurdles keeping the would be lovers apart is the hero’s personal issues. Seth suffers from more abandonment issues than the heroine. Both were abandoned, but Devon was an infant while Seth remembers being a four-year-old who watched his parents walk away from him. He had a hard life and doesn’t buy into the idea of being part of another race. He doesn’t think he deserves Devon and does all he can to push her away. This makes him a jerk at times, but when it really matters Seth is there in all ways.
The heroine didn’t really do much for me. Devon lived a solitary life as a gilded princess unable to touch anyone. She was watched at all times, often drugged and was experimented on. She is lonely and scared, but soaks up all the information she is given about the Vadim. Devon discovers her ability while amongst the Vadim, but for me she was always less than the hero. She was there to complete the hero and it was easy for me to over look her as a character worth anything other than being the missing half to the hero. I didn’t really care about her.
I didn’t love Rise of Hope, but I’m glad I read it. If you’re looking for a short paranormal romance that tells a complete story in one novella, Rise of Hope is the book you need. It’s inexpensive and filled with sexual tension. It introduces secondary male characters who I wanted to know more about and kept my attention. I will be looking for book two, Renewal of Trust when it is released in March 2013.
August 3, 2012
3 out of 5 Stars
ARC provided by Carina Press
Release date: August 27th, 2012.
Approximately 36,000 words.
This novella was just about 100 pages. Reading novellas, I understand that if it's a stand alone, it has to move pretty fast. This one did in one aspect but dragged in others.
Seth is all business. He has a job to do. Intercept Devon and bring her to safety. He's only a team player when he has to be, he's a womanizer, doesn't like to be touched... All around, he's pretty hardcore and independent. Until Devon enters his life...
Devon is trying to escape the confines of her gilded cage. Her whole life has been spent under surveillance with little to no freedom to move around the compound she lives in. While out on a hike with thoughts of escape, her guide shows signs of "other". He is not the man she remembers from past walks. Instantly suspicious, the journey begins.
Seth has to keep Devon moving, but as she should be, she's hesitant. Just because somebody says they are there to take you to safety, doesn't mean you should trust them.
But the time for asking questions is not now. Once they get to safety, Devon is given the explanation of her existence, her talent and her markings. You see, she is marked with intricate designs on her lower abdomen that just appeared. She is not alone. Others have these and one in particular has the matching inverse set of markings.
This story follows these two as they try to understand why Devon was imprisoned from the beginning, who the key players are in all of this, and what it will take to understand the undeniable attraction they have from their very first encounter.
Overall thoughts? Well, I didn't love it and I didn't hate it. The unromantic part of the plot moved really slow for me for so few pages. The romantic part, destined to be together, I could have used a bit more build-up for character growth. It's written well and has its steamy and descriptive moments but I felt no real connection to the couple in question. It just moved way too fast. Had this been a regular length novel, I would have enjoyed it more. It's a unique concept that has great potential if only given more page time.
Review posted at Sinfully Delicious Book Reviews
ARC provided by Carina Press
Release date: August 27th, 2012.
Approximately 36,000 words.
This novella was just about 100 pages. Reading novellas, I understand that if it's a stand alone, it has to move pretty fast. This one did in one aspect but dragged in others.
Seth is all business. He has a job to do. Intercept Devon and bring her to safety. He's only a team player when he has to be, he's a womanizer, doesn't like to be touched... All around, he's pretty hardcore and independent. Until Devon enters his life...
Devon is trying to escape the confines of her gilded cage. Her whole life has been spent under surveillance with little to no freedom to move around the compound she lives in. While out on a hike with thoughts of escape, her guide shows signs of "other". He is not the man she remembers from past walks. Instantly suspicious, the journey begins.
Seth has to keep Devon moving, but as she should be, she's hesitant. Just because somebody says they are there to take you to safety, doesn't mean you should trust them.
But the time for asking questions is not now. Once they get to safety, Devon is given the explanation of her existence, her talent and her markings. You see, she is marked with intricate designs on her lower abdomen that just appeared. She is not alone. Others have these and one in particular has the matching inverse set of markings.
This story follows these two as they try to understand why Devon was imprisoned from the beginning, who the key players are in all of this, and what it will take to understand the undeniable attraction they have from their very first encounter.
Overall thoughts? Well, I didn't love it and I didn't hate it. The unromantic part of the plot moved really slow for me for so few pages. The romantic part, destined to be together, I could have used a bit more build-up for character growth. It's written well and has its steamy and descriptive moments but I felt no real connection to the couple in question. It just moved way too fast. Had this been a regular length novel, I would have enjoyed it more. It's a unique concept that has great potential if only given more page time.
Review posted at Sinfully Delicious Book Reviews
September 15, 2012
I liked the premise of this book. It follows a group of special men. Each bears tattoo-like markings. Each has a supernatural gift. They were abandoned as children, only to discover each other as adults --and they are working to find others of their kind.
They had found no women, until they learned of Devon. She has been kept a virtual prisoner her entire life. Her accommodations were nice enough. She didn't want for anything, except a kind touch, privacy, freedom and love. It's just as she is preparing to escape her gilded cage that the men come to rescue her.
There is an immediate attraction between Devon and Seth. They have matching marks and we learn they are essentially fated mates. Unfortunately, Seth is afraid to embrace their connection. His difficult life has kept him emotionally isolated and he doesn't know any other way. But mating is a difficult thing to ignore, especially when tensions are high and danger lurks around every corner.
I like the foundation for this series. The problem was that I didn't particularly like either one of the love interests. Devon is kind of bland and naive. I didn't dislike her, but there wasn't much there for me to latch onto. We go through the motions with her, but we never really see beyond the superficial of her personality. We do get a little more insight into Seth, but whatever sympathy his hard life may have engendered was kind of stifled by the way he treats Devon. He keeps trying to dump her off and push her away. There was not much sexual tension and the sex was ok.
The book wasn't bad. It just didn't really push my buttons one way or the other. But because I like the idea, I might try the next book in the series to see if that couple manages to grab me more.
Rating: C
*ARC Provided by Carina Press via NetGalley
They had found no women, until they learned of Devon. She has been kept a virtual prisoner her entire life. Her accommodations were nice enough. She didn't want for anything, except a kind touch, privacy, freedom and love. It's just as she is preparing to escape her gilded cage that the men come to rescue her.
There is an immediate attraction between Devon and Seth. They have matching marks and we learn they are essentially fated mates. Unfortunately, Seth is afraid to embrace their connection. His difficult life has kept him emotionally isolated and he doesn't know any other way. But mating is a difficult thing to ignore, especially when tensions are high and danger lurks around every corner.
I like the foundation for this series. The problem was that I didn't particularly like either one of the love interests. Devon is kind of bland and naive. I didn't dislike her, but there wasn't much there for me to latch onto. We go through the motions with her, but we never really see beyond the superficial of her personality. We do get a little more insight into Seth, but whatever sympathy his hard life may have engendered was kind of stifled by the way he treats Devon. He keeps trying to dump her off and push her away. There was not much sexual tension and the sex was ok.
The book wasn't bad. It just didn't really push my buttons one way or the other. But because I like the idea, I might try the next book in the series to see if that couple manages to grab me more.
Rating: C
*ARC Provided by Carina Press via NetGalley
September 3, 2012
4.5 stars rounding up
This was AWESOME. If you're into paranormal romance, check this out! It's a great premise and I'm so impressed with how many characters I want stories for just from this one novella. Two caveats: Looks like the first full length book isn't out until March and I don't think I can even preorder it yet. SO FAR AWAY! The other one is in this novella and, judging from it, many future pairings will be of the destined variety. Now, I think that was done very well, but if that's not your thing, keep it in mind.
Anyway, Nalini Singh mentioned this novella and I thought it sounded interesting, so I downloaded the sample and really enjoyed it, so bought the novella. It's basically about a supernatural race that doesn't know much about themselves! And they don't really know WHY they don't know much about themselves. They were all abandoned as babies, so they're pretty much on their own here. And people are after them, but WHY? I am just fascinated by this whole world.
I thought the relationship was done pretty well. Every once in a while, I would stop and ask myself, "Is this really getting enough development?", but I would always sort of dismiss the question in my head and move on, so I think it was probably okay, especially for a novella. The hero's a bit alpha and hm. Again, there were times when I stopped and asked myself, "Is this okay?" There was some, "Don't you dare risk yourself" and, okay, but that IS her decision and I don't think it was clear enough whether he ultimately accepted that or not. However, there weren't too many of these moments and this might be another thing to chalk up to the novella length.
BUT MOSTLY. This is just an amazing world and a fantastic setup and MORE MORE MORE.
This was AWESOME. If you're into paranormal romance, check this out! It's a great premise and I'm so impressed with how many characters I want stories for just from this one novella. Two caveats: Looks like the first full length book isn't out until March and I don't think I can even preorder it yet. SO FAR AWAY! The other one is in this novella and, judging from it, many future pairings will be of the destined variety. Now, I think that was done very well, but if that's not your thing, keep it in mind.
Anyway, Nalini Singh mentioned this novella and I thought it sounded interesting, so I downloaded the sample and really enjoyed it, so bought the novella. It's basically about a supernatural race that doesn't know much about themselves! And they don't really know WHY they don't know much about themselves. They were all abandoned as babies, so they're pretty much on their own here. And people are after them, but WHY? I am just fascinated by this whole world.
I thought the relationship was done pretty well. Every once in a while, I would stop and ask myself, "Is this really getting enough development?", but I would always sort of dismiss the question in my head and move on, so I think it was probably okay, especially for a novella. The hero's a bit alpha and hm. Again, there were times when I stopped and asked myself, "Is this okay?" There was some, "Don't you dare risk yourself" and, okay, but that IS her decision and I don't think it was clear enough whether he ultimately accepted that or not. However, there weren't too many of these moments and this might be another thing to chalk up to the novella length.
BUT MOSTLY. This is just an amazing world and a fantastic setup and MORE MORE MORE.
June 29, 2022
3.5 stars
Well, this was a pleasant surprise. I'm not new to Kaily Hart's work, and in fact, having read her other pieces had me requesting this one from netgalley. However, her other work has been contemporary, so I was interested to see where she went with paranormal.
From the beginning, I was sucked in and intrigued. The characters she created were interesting and she teased us just enough with each of the guys to make me want more, more, more, in upcoming books in this series.
As for Seth and Devon, I enjoyed both of them. I loved Devon's strength and her selflessness. And I was a sucker for Seth's attitude and possessiveness (in a good way, believe me).
The only thing that didn't really work for me was the length of this book. Don't get me wrong, I love novellas. But with this one, there was so much world building that needed to be done (and, unfortunately, wasn't) that I was confused and felt sort of left in the dust. I wished Hart has expanded on many things, had explained more, rather than just giving us a tiny taste into this new series.
Regardless, I will definitely be picking up the next one (and the one after that and the one after that). At least until we get to Christian. Because...hnnnnggggggg.
Well, this was a pleasant surprise. I'm not new to Kaily Hart's work, and in fact, having read her other pieces had me requesting this one from netgalley. However, her other work has been contemporary, so I was interested to see where she went with paranormal.
From the beginning, I was sucked in and intrigued. The characters she created were interesting and she teased us just enough with each of the guys to make me want more, more, more, in upcoming books in this series.
As for Seth and Devon, I enjoyed both of them. I loved Devon's strength and her selflessness. And I was a sucker for Seth's attitude and possessiveness (in a good way, believe me).
The only thing that didn't really work for me was the length of this book. Don't get me wrong, I love novellas. But with this one, there was so much world building that needed to be done (and, unfortunately, wasn't) that I was confused and felt sort of left in the dust. I wished Hart has expanded on many things, had explained more, rather than just giving us a tiny taste into this new series.
Regardless, I will definitely be picking up the next one (and the one after that and the one after that). At least until we get to Christian. Because...hnnnnggggggg.
March 21, 2013
Okay color me wowed...what a great debut ( if its a debut, I haven't checked her site out yet, but even if its not, she's new to me okay it's not a debut, but it's still awesome and she's still an amazing new to me author!) but wow, it was so so good! The summary is pretty spot on, so I don't know what to add on with out spoiling it but give it a chance! I love when new to me authors totally blow me away, yay! And lol, And now i cant seem to stop smiling :D
Ms. Hart managed to write a cohesive, well put together story with the added bonus of characters I couldn't help but like, cheer for, and want more of, and along with all that she filled it with plenty of steam too! What more could you want?,
Well okay there was one thing, and the reason it didn't get 5 stars was only because of the the pacing, it sorta felt like a novella, like someone told the author she was only allowed a certain number of pages so she had to constrain the story -that was too big for its britches- to fit....does that make sense?. Like everything happened way too fast, and the timing of everything (and a little bit of the characterization) got the shaft...but still what an amazing read!
Ms. Hart managed to write a cohesive, well put together story with the added bonus of characters I couldn't help but like, cheer for, and want more of, and along with all that she filled it with plenty of steam too! What more could you want?,
Well okay there was one thing, and the reason it didn't get 5 stars was only because of the the pacing, it sorta felt like a novella, like someone told the author she was only allowed a certain number of pages so she had to constrain the story -that was too big for its britches- to fit....does that make sense?. Like everything happened way too fast, and the timing of everything (and a little bit of the characterization) got the shaft...but still what an amazing read!
April 8, 2013
When a favorite author of mine recommends a story I don't usually jump on it, but this plot sounded too interesting and right up my alley that I wanted to read it, but finding out that this was a short I was very reluctant to read it, as I always have trouble to really get into the story, but I finally did it anyway and unfortunately I was right.
I liked the characters, I like the world that was created, but everything felt rushed. I'm an impatient reader and I hate reading a story with a slow pace, but with this one I often got the feeling that some scenes were missing in between. I like the one we had, but it wasn't enough for me to really get into the story or to care for the characters, which is a shame, because I thought there was so much potential to give me at least 300 pages.
BUT I'm still curious enough to hope for the other characters to get there little short story, because Micah, Christian and Noah were quite interesting in their own way, especially Noah and the information and knowledge he hasn't spilled yet.
I liked the characters, I like the world that was created, but everything felt rushed. I'm an impatient reader and I hate reading a story with a slow pace, but with this one I often got the feeling that some scenes were missing in between. I like the one we had, but it wasn't enough for me to really get into the story or to care for the characters, which is a shame, because I thought there was so much potential to give me at least 300 pages.
BUT I'm still curious enough to hope for the other characters to get there little short story, because Micah, Christian and Noah were quite interesting in their own way, especially Noah and the information and knowledge he hasn't spilled yet.
September 2, 2012
This was a pretty good introduction to this series, it left me wanting to read the next one. In a way it reminded me of Shannon Butcher's Sentinel Wars Series. I enjoyed the gruff hero and the heroine was likable as well.
September 7, 2012
A pretty mess of clichés, this novella adds nothing new to the pnr genre. As a starter to a new series it failed to grab and keep me willing to read on. A unconvincing heroine made the situation worse.
September 10, 2012
Love it
December 24, 2014
Enjoyed this book, particularly the paranormal aspects. Offered something creative and different.
undecided-maybe-read
March 28, 20173/28/17 sale .99.
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