Pure Rapture

Pure/Dark Ones #5

by Aja James

Their love is outlawed by both their Kinds…

Tal-Telal, the legendary General who led the Pure Ones to freedom, paid the ultimate price for his people: breaking the heart of his one True Love.

Her shattered heart continues to yearn…

Ishtar Anshar, once royalty reigning over a vast, ancient empire, lost everything she held dear. Deceived by those she trusted the most, she blamed the one male who sacrificed all to protect her.

No matter the distance and time, love is a renegade that cannot be ruled…

Now Fate has reunited them in this modern time to combat a burgeoning threat. Can they put the darkness behind them and forge a brighter future together?

Genres: Paranormal, Paranormal Romance, Romance, Fantasy, Vampires, Urban Fantasy, Second Chance

275 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 15, 2018

About the author

https://aja-james.blog/

Best-selling author, Aja James, just completed the Pure/ Dark Ones paranormal-fantasy romance series in 2020. If you want your heart battered, bruised, shattered and skewered, then put back together in the most glorious ways, check out the series below. Every couple gets an HEA, but they fight like hell for it on the way.

Aja is now working on her new series, Dragon Tails, because dragons are her favorite shifters of all!

Check out Aja's expanded distribution of the Pure/ Dark Ones series on Google, Apple, Kobo and Barnes & Noble Books.

Visit Aja's blog or join her reader-started Addicts group to learn more:

https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...

She loves to hear from readers. Email her at:
megami771@yahoo.com

Reviews

[ren ♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

He’d endured millennia of anguish and torment, ever hovering on the edge of death. If this was to be his end, at least he chose it. Just as he’d chosen her so very long ago.

Pure Rapture has rendered me speechless. I wanted to put off reading this book for as long as I could because I knew Aja James would crush my heart and boy, was I correct. Tal and Ishtar’s story tore my heart out. I had to pause and collect myself a few times because my soul wept for these two! There were so many bittersweet moments in this book. So many moments, where I wanted to comfort these characters. Nonetheless, I was greatly rewarded with a fantastic story.

Ishtar is definitely one of my favorite heroines of this series. I wasn’t expecting her to be a leopard shifter, so that was super exciting – the way she used her tail to tickle Tal was so adorable! I loved the flashbacks so much. Seeing a time where a younger Tal and Ishtar could be so carefree made me so happy (and simultaneously depressed knowing the future that awaited them). The main reason I love Ishtar, was that she always fought for Tal and she always knew what to say and do to reassure his doubts.

TAL TELAL – I’m at a loss for words. Even throughout his suffering and torment, all he thought about was Ishtar. If that’s not true love, then I don’t know what is! I don’t even know how to begin describing him, so I’m not even going to try. He brings ‘tortured heroes’ to a whole new level, let’s just put it that way. The world truly doesn’t deserve him… Except for Ishtar for course, she was perfect for him. I loved every moment of their reconciliation; their second chance romance is truly like no other.

I feel like Pure Rapture gave us a beautiful look into the 'family' of Pure/Dark Ones. It’s always a pleasant experience see your past favorites return. Rain and Ava made many appearances which I was super happy about! Scientists unite! I really appreciated the little snippet of Rain and Valerius and to see that Valerius was still healing and coming to terms with himself. At the top of my head, I think Ryu only showed up once in this book. He was definitely mentioned a few more times after that. But you know what? It’s better than no Ryu at all. (Okay, I’m going to try my best not to bring up Ryu in all my reviews... I think Tal is close second for me; Ryu is still my number one.)

Also, I don’t think villains get enough credit... Don’t get me wrong, I STILL THINK THE VILLAIN IS A BITCH who deserves a hundred deaths for all the suffering she put the main characters through!! But as much as I hated her (as the author intended), I found her super compelling and incredibly well-written. Her bloodthirstiness and patience made her a force to be reckoned with. All hail Aja James for writing convincing villains who actually have depth!

Overall, I well and truly loved this book… Tal and Ishtar deserve all the best in the world! I can’t imagine the amount of healing they’ll have to go through but they were basically made for each other, so I guess that’s that! I’m not sure my heart is going to survive the rest of the series. My heart is bruised and battered I tell ya. Onto book six, Dark Redemption...

Rating: 5/5

[Monique · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 ’Come and take me’ stars

“How do we know the brilliance of Light if there is no Darkness to remind us? How do we thrive in the night without the sunrise to warm us?”

First read: 31 May 2019 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Re-read: 21 Apr 2020 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

O-M-G! This book! I’m pretty sure there is nobody out there who wouldn’t know by now how much I love Tal. I got intrigued by Inanna’s parents when I was reading Dark Longing and then I hopelessly fell in love with Tal in Dark Desires when he was still ’my prisoner in the tower’ for me because I didn’t even know who he was and then my heart completely broke for him in Dark Pleasures. This quote is actually from book 4 but I need to share it here, so you will understand how truly heartbroken I was.

Once, he’d been so golden and bright he rivaled the very sun in the height of summer. And now he was winter incarnate.

What a devastating journey to finally getting to his book. It was torture, it was sadness, it was agony, and I loved every single word of it because it was also so painfully beautiful. Don’t argue with me, it was so beautiful it hurt. Tal and Ishtar are one of the most tragic couples ever.

She no longer knew whether it was the skies that cried or whether it was her. Everything blended together, and nothing mattered anymore.

They met as innocent children and fell in love despite the union between Pure One and Dark One was forbidden. I loved their meetings when they were just two people wanting to be in each other's company and nothing else mattered. How cute Ishtar was as a baby snow leopard who liked to sleep in Tal’s lap and lick his face.

"Just as she wished, one of his hands started stroking her thick, spotted fur, from the top of her head to the end of her tail. Oh, she was in kitten heaven."

Those flashbacks were great. I liked them in every book so far, I just wished that this Ancient Akkadian Empire would be a little more authentic. It didn't exactly feel like it would take place three thousand years BC, something felt off. But no hard feelings, when historical stuff is concerned I'm very hard to please. However, I need to point out that books didn't come to use until the Middle Ages and that people used clay tablets or scrolls before. Just saying. But hey, maybe Akkadian vampire society was so ahead of time they already had books, so what do I know?

Anyway, back to the story. I already said I loved Tal from the start, so I was a little worried about how I'm gonna feel about Ishtar. She is, after all, the woman who hurt Tal and one of the reasons he was suffering so much. Despite that, I couldn't be angry at her because she was hurting too. She was broken inside as much as Tal was. Back then she was prepared to defy the whole empire for his sake. And when she finally let the past and pain go away, she did fight for him with everything she had.

“I know a little of it. I can guess at a bit more. I wish you would share with me. I want to feel your pain, your sorrow…everything you feel, along with your joy. Because it’s what Mates are for. Because I love all of you.”

She is simply amazing. Also, her leopard form is a total badass. And I like how she still likes to cuddle as a kitten. As for Tal... I have no words. I've been singing praises to him from the very beginning but honestly, nothing does him justice. The legendary General Tal-Telal, how can anyone be more perfect than him. He is ashamed of his scars but I love his looks. You know, I've always liked older men and it's refreshing that he doesn't look as young as all the others. In my eyes, he's perfection.

But aside from some extra lines and grooves on Tal’s face, Sophia, on behalf of all females aged twenty-five and below, no matter their race or Kind, thought Tal was smokin’, sizzlin’ HOT, vintage notwithstanding. And actually, those lines and grooves only seemed to add to his appeal, though he purposely avoided drawing attention to himself.

After that many millennials apart, it was even more beautiful and sweet when they finally got together. This 'honeymoon' moment was the best part of the book. So full of emotions and everything. And sexy times as well.

Her face raised trustingly and lovingly to his. The tears that spilled down her cheeks. Tears of pain for his pain. Tears of joy and love.
"Ishtar," he breathed against her lips, her name a prayer and a vow.
Patiently she waited. Not moving against him. Simply breathing him in, gazing with wide open eyes into his face.

“I’m going to make you come so hard and so long you’ll see stars for days,” she boasted happily. His laugh shook through his chest at her gloating ferocity, and his hands cupped her bottom and squeezed, the same as she’d done to him. “Only days?” he teased, egging her on. “Years,” she retorted darkly, grinding down on him with a breath-stealing twist.

I need to take a little break now and happily enjoy the post-reading bliss of this book. I'm very curious about Enlil but you know what, I'm going on a honeymoon with Tal for some time.

Re-read thoughts: At my first read, I was content at how the things stood in the end but reading it again, I realized I'm not anymore. Tal and Ishtar are actually the only couple in the series (so far) without the actual HEA in their book. Yes, they were content and happy but knowing now what awaits them in the following books, how much they are still hurting inside especially Tal. They deserve so much more. Also, because of all the flashbacks (which were needed and I like them) their time together in the present was limited. I still think they should and hope they will get a novella just for the two of them because they have the most complicated relationship that can't be explained just in one book. And because they are still my favorite couple and I want to have more of them.

[MG *Bury Me with My Kindle.. & a REALLY Long Charger* · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars!

In a word: RAPTURE

Pure Rapture is definitely the right title for book 5 of the Pure/Dark Ones series by Aja James! I am ever impressed with Ms. James' ability to suck me right into the story and keep me hanging on every word --- that is a rare occurrence these days with the volume of books that I read (or devour when it comes to this series!).

This installment focuses on Tal-Telal and Ishtar... If you have read the books in order (and I strongly recommend that you do; if you haven't, you'll want to skip this summary commentary section), you know that Tal is the formerly imprisoned father of Inanna (whose story is told in book 2). Tal (once a mighty General of the Pure Ones) had been held captive and endlessly tortured by a mysterious and powerful Dark One for approximately 4,ooo years. He has endured unspeakable agonies that have left considerable damage as he is gaunt, blind, and physically & emotionally scarred. Up until his rescue at the end of book 3, no one knew for certain that he was alive, least of all the woman he left behind who has suffered under the belief that he betrayed her all those years ago.

Ishtar has been known to the reader since book 2, but she had been living undercover as a character known as "Mama Bear" -- a 60-something, pleasantly plump grandmotherly type figure. She assumed this ruse in order to insinuate herself in the life of the daughter she was forced to give up thousands of years ago, and she has been successful in reconnecting with her in the capacity of a bakery/shop owner (though she never actually sells anything) whose presence and desserts seem to call out to those in need of her pampering. Unaware that he is being led to the only woman he has ever loved, Tal walks into "Mama Bear's" (aka Ishtar's) homey establishment, and they both immediately become aware of each other's presence. At the end of the previous story, the sh!t hit the fan when Tal offers himself as a sacrifice to Ishtar; when his daughter finds him quite literally drained and shredded, he is seemingly beyond saving.

What I liked:
--- The story was incredible -- I love the level of detail (not too much to be dull but plenty to give the reader a mental picture of the scenes/time period/happenings)
--- The main characters were fascinating to learn about, mostly via flashbacks --- I've found that flashbacks interrupt the flow of a story sometimes, but that is absolutely not the case here: they're perfectly timed and well executed
--- As always, having characters from the previous books participate enhanced the story and made me as a reader feel a sense of familiarity and connection
--- Oh the steamy goodness :)

What I didn't like as much:
--- Honestly nothing... and I really did try to find something to pick at, but I genuinely could not!

Overall, another stellar addition to the series. I am eagerly anticipating diving into the next installment!

Plot --- 5/5
Main Characters --- 5/5
Supporting Cast --- 5/5
Steam Level --- 4/5
Violence --- not overly graphic
Language --- not egregious
POV --- 3rd throughout but slanted at times to the main characters' perspectives

(As a note, I was gifted with an advanced copy of this book by the author; that has in no way influenced my review.)

[Deborah Obida · Rating 4 out of 5]

“How do we know the brilliance of Light if there is no Darkness to remind us? How do we thrive in the night without the sunrise to warm us?”

Pure Rapture is my favourite book in this series so far, I love everything about it, the way it started, the way it ended and the writing style. Unlike the rest books that the flashback is inbetween from beginning to end, this one is slightly different. The flashback was just from the beginning to middle to let us know how Tal and Ishtar met and fell in love some millenniums ago.

Their love story is the best, they are the first Pure and Dark ones to be publicly together and it started a lot of things. They also fell in love during the Pure ones rebellion and the two of them played significant roles on both sides.

“What are words but an expression of thought and emotion? Which is truer, the words, the thought or the emotion?”

Ishtar is the Dark princess and future queen while Tal is the rebellion leader/her blood slave. They met as kids and fell in love, but life got in a way. Now they have a second chance.

The both protagonist are good well developed characters, the others from the previous books are also here and have a POV, this book is written in third person multiple POV, it's fast paced and easy to understand.


There was lots of revelations in this book, now that we know who the villian is, I wonder what will happen next.

[Azet · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am lost for words.My head refuse to think and still my heart feels like it have shattered so many times that i am numb by it.What a marvellous Story "Pure Rapture" is which is the 5:th instalment in Aja James addictive Paranormal "Pure/Dark Ones"-series that left me yearning for more.Her writing is lush,fresh and so passionate that it shows her love of writing and i in turn love the masterful tale she performs in this book that tells the story of how the respected Pure One general Tal-Telal had to break the love of his beloved to save her..and his people.How both suffer agony without each other in the thousands years apart and how they finally reunite in this masterful and phenomenal saga.

Ishtar Anshar is the former Dark Princess of the Dark Ones who have desperately hated Tal-Telal for breaking her heart while still yearning for him.That she even lost her two children soon after adds to the pain and i find her so strong for choosing to live throughout it all when her family have been out there all the time.She loved Tal-Telal on first sight in her innocence and later on with a extraordinary passion as a woman.I love this fierce,wild and brave heroine.Love her for striving to be good even when there always was this deep poison inside her.She is strong enough to love Tal-Telal despite all the hardships and are whole-heartedly willing to help him overcome his demons and love him with all her being selflessly.This woman undid me with the way she loves Tal-Telal.

***

“I don’t think I can live without you, ana Ishtar. And even if this is all just a dream, the dream of you makes me want to live. Even though half of me, the darkest despair in me, still wishes for death.”- Tal Telal

***

Tal-Telal is not the type of hero you usually meet in romance novels.He is so beautiful and golden both inside and outside and always wanted to protect everyone around him.There was no evil bone in his body and every choice he made always was with his selfless heart and soul,ahhh how his torment and unhappiness made me weep.He is a Pure One and called a legendary General with the way he liberated the pure ones from vampire rule.But in saving his kind he sacrificed his soul and have been captive for over thousands of years by the hands of the Villain i so wanted to destroy!She have tortured and raped him for her own pleasure and used him as a Blood Slave and in that time of darkness he almost lost his soul.Only the memory of his Ishtar kept him alive and his daughter Inanna.He is this fiercely disciplined strong man with a heart and mind of steel.He is capable of coldness but have also so much raging emotions inside of him that i always got awed while reading his POV.When he got saved in "Dark Desires" his whole body was savaged by bruises and scars and he was totally blind.And even in his blindness he still feels Ishtar presence and that scene really shook me to the core.Watching them finally get reunited was like watching two lost and hungry souls come together.Their connection that always have been there since they first laid eyes on each other,their unwavering passion and devotion and selfless painful love-it made me cry with the way these two souls had longed for each other in all those agonizing long years.I also love that no one had to tell or prove of Tal-Telal`s love for Ishtar.She figured it out herself and never stopped trusting him after that.Tal-Telal and Ishtar are like two mirrors facing each other,both irrevocably and frantically in love with each other.

Thank you so much Aja James!Thank you so much for getting Tal-Telal and Ishtar back together this way.They have suffered enough and i am so happy for them.But i get the feeling that there will still be darkness left in Tal-Telal,and that it will take much time for him to over come the demons left threatening to drown him.But i have high hope in the power of love and with the help of Ishtar and his family`s love and support..and maybe finding their lost son will help him find the clear peace of mind he needs.

I also need to mention how happy we got that scene with Rain and Valerius because they are one of my favourite couples!I am also 100% sure that the man who is Dr Weisman is Ryus father,the so called Master that suffers amnesia right now and he is going after Clara Scott-i mean damn if they have electric chemistry!!!How cute little Benji is and so smart for his age and i feel he got his own gifts too.One thing more i am sure about is who the lost twin-brother of Inanna`s is and i can`t wait for more of the notorious and compelling "the Creature".He is starting to make my heart sing which i never thought would happen,LOL.

[Natalie ~ The Biblioholic · Rating 5 out of 5]

The General already owned my heart before I started Pure Rapture and now he has devastated it. In the best of ways!

I don't tend to get weak when I'm reading romance, but you see... I have an achilles heel when it comes to certain stories. Give me a beautiful, broken, but hopeful warrior of a hero and I become a gelatinous mess. And Tal had everything I love in spades!

This was probably the most heartbreaking story of the series. Each flashback to Tal's past left me reeling. I approached each scene with fear and trepidation. The author did such an incredible job of weaving the history, struggle, romance, and odds of what became of Tal and Ishtar.

I'm declaring here and now... Tal is MINE and I will claw the face (and eyeballs) of anyone who dares to think to take him from me! 😂🤣😂🤣

Find my full review HERE

[Becca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow!

Tal’s story was breath taking and had me on the edge of my seat. I loved Ishtar and couldn’t have been more happy the way this ended. They are both amazing characters and the story behind them was more than I could have seen coming! There are not enough words to describe how amazing this series is!

*************************************************************

Again to short for me! 😂

Man this story is heartbreaking! You feel like you are on a roller coaster the whole time. This is my second reading of this book and yet I still feel the same way as the first time! Edge of my seat, not able to put it down, and holding back sobs at what they both went through!

Tal-Telal is such a amazing character! Brave, strong, fights for what he believes in, and protects the ones he loves. Even if that means sacrificing himself and his freedom. Born in a time where Pure ones were the lowest of the low, and still had a open heart. That speaks volumes! He did everything he could to help the Pure ones win the war! Like the list of amazing things Tal has done goes on and on! Breaks my heart all the suffering he had to go through, but it all worked out in the end.

Ishtar Anshar has such a beautiful soul in my opinion! A princess who only every wanted to help the ones around her. Regardless if they were dark, pure, or human. She wanted the best for everyone. A mother who never got to be with her children, and was betrayed by a family member who I want to hit.... with a bus.... repeatedly! But that’s a whole different story! She tried to make up for lost time with one of her babies by pretending to be sweet little old woman. I can’t even begin to imagine what that feeling of being so close but so far away feels like. Geez my heart broke for her and Tal both!

This story is heartbreakingly beautiful, and I love every minute of it! This series take people to a whole different place without even leaving the room. You fall in love with so many characters. I’ve laugh and cried with every one of these books! This series is just amazing! On to the next amazing re-read!

Happy reading!! 🖤🖤

[AlwaysV · Rating 5 out of 5]

Total satisfaction and beyond! I knew before having started the book that I would definitely be blown away. Yet I was still stunned speechless when that happened. A heart wrenching love story that ended in triumph! The true identity of the evil traitor? Just. . . figuratively speaking. . . knocked me unconscious! No wonder, Tal was held captive and suffered heinous torture for four thousand years! No wonder, Ishtar accepted as truth that Tal had never loved her.

The beauty of the story was the way Tal & Ishtar rekindled. . . reawakened their love. I was thinking there was no possible way for Aja James to make it believable! After the heartache and mistrust through four thousand years? Then to end happily in 340+ pages? How could I've even had any doubts? The final defeat of the traitor was so exquisite! I will begin rereading Pure Rapture over and over again because it makes me happy.

My favorite quote:

💕"I am your very own star, remember? My light will always shine bright. It is written in my very name, . . . The demons within you cannot win. I will squash them beneath my great furry paws, chew them into dust and spit out their bones." Her ferocious growl shook the air around them, and true to her words, the cloak of sadness and despair lifted from his spirit.💕"

[Sweet and Salty Reviews by DD · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tal and Ishtar....I found their story to be heartbreaking then joyous. This was a very emotional read for me. Usually I do not like heartbreaking tales even when they end well. For these two characters the storyline was necessary. Any other approach would not have made sense.

Tal easily one of the most tortured MCs I've read. He was forced to make some incredibly difficult decisions which cost him and Ishtar many lifetimes of pain and confusion. The fact that James was able to depict this characters rise from the torment so perfectly shows her talent.

Ishtar's life was the product of hidden truths. Two important people had lied and in a sense betrayed her leaving her with a lonely and bitter existence. I believe there is still some stories to be told for this character. It feels as though James left this character unfinished which I am certain means some more interesting details in future reads.

Looking forward to the next book!

Happy reading! DD

[Mar, Queen of Darkness · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book tore my heart out, stomped on it, and then put it carefully back together and handed it back to me. It HURT but it hurt so good!

I don't even have words for Tal. To be able to love the way he does after that kind of suffering is truly incredible. What he went through... Some part of me thinks that after that much suffering, the only real happy ending is death. I mean, 4000 YEARS being imprisoned and tortured? Give the poor man a break! He'd better get at least another 4000 of absolute peace and happiness to make up it, because DAMN.

Because of that, I really didn't like Ishtar for most of this book. I just found her so selfish!

*Okay SPOILERS AHEAD. I'm not hiding my review, so this is your warning!*

I hated Ishtar when she made Tal her blood slave. If she truly loved him, why not sneak him out of the castle and set him free? I almost found it sickening how she could have sex with him and not realize how demeaning it would be for him.

And then, when they finally reunited, she attacked and damn near killed him! GAH, I'm angry just thinking about it! I wanted to cut a b*tch! Especially because his so-called crimes against her were NEVER anywhere near close to as bad as what he went through on her behalf.

BUT. Hear me out. Amazingly, I think (I'm still reeling a bit so I can't be completely sure) she was adequately absolved at the end. When we learn that Anunit brainwashed her, manipulated her, etc, her uncalled-for rage made sense. And she worked so hard at the end to make up for all the shit she did wrong, telling Tal over and over how much she loved him, I started to forgive her.

BUT.... and *BIG SPOILER WARNING here! If you didn't heed the last, heed this one!*

I had almost forgiven Ishtar... BUT then she let Anunit live!!! WTF!! I am not a violent person, but I'm pretty sure if someone did the shit she did to Tal to my husband, DEATH WOULD FOLLOW. I get she's your sister, but COME ON. She tortured him for 4000 years! Sometimes you need to kill for the good of all mankind. Sometimes people just need to die!

While that was frustrating, my only real complaint about this book is that poor Tal spent so much time suffering and being tortured and just enduring the worst crap ever, I felt like I didn't get to know HIM - his actual personality - as much as I wanted. He was such an amazing character and I just wanted to connect a little more viscerally with him. Beyond him being just the by-product of suffering.

All in all this book was one hell of a heart-breaking ride! I had to force myself to slow down and read properly it was so tense at times. And yep, as predicted by others, I'm now officially hooked on this series!

[Starr (AKA Starrfish) Rivers · Rating 5 out of 5]

This BOOK!!! I just couldn't wait... not when I'm (rererereere)reading right now in about how Tal is OWNING Ishtar...Sigh........

Check out the songs... PERFECT!!

https://aja-james.blog/2020/02/07/ish...
https://aja-james.blog/2020/02/06/son...

I have decided during this reread that Tal is my ultimate favorite Hero across all book genres that I would like to Mate, Marry, have babies with and tie to my bed for all eternity!!!!!



Heart-wrenching
Soul-stealing
Breath-freezing
Ovary-exploding!

I mean....GAH!!!

I just finished reading a YA fantasy duology by one of the best in that genre according to the author's die-hard fans, and because of that, I appreciate THIS adult, paranormal fantasy romance even more! Some parts of it actually reminded me of the YA fantasy. Boy meets girl, many things happen in between, star-crossed love, so many obstacles to over come, ancient world interposed with modern world...and my absolute favorite type of hero - the tortured, strong, self-sacrificing Heroic hero! I really love TAL. He might be my favorite hero of all time!

This is my second read, and I loved it even more than the first time! There are a few go-to-authors that I have with go-to-books that I like to reread over and over again depending on the mood I'm in and this is DEFINITELY ONE OF THEM!

I stand by my original review below, but I'll add the following (and likely to add more when I re-read it again at some point in the near future!) for potential readers who aren't sure they want to pick up this book or this series--

Tortured Hero. There is no hero that I've ever read in any romance across any romance sub genre that is more tortured than Tal-Telal. And yet, it's believable given the context and history of the series and characters. I love him to pieces!!! I almost feel like no one, including the Heroine (whom I do like quite a lot), is worthy of this male. He is a Hero to love for the ages. And I like the realism that even tho it's HEA, life is not without imperfections. Tal will always carry a darkness and pain inside of him given everything he's been through. He's not totally "cured" by love. But love gives him hope and light to keep living and that's what matters.

And BTW, he's smokin' HOTT



Young Tal



Older Tal

Strong, kick-ass, powerful Heroine. I always like a Heroine who takes charge and saves the day. I like that in many ways, AJ overturns the stereotypes in this series - female rulers, female dominance (in many ways, including at times, physical), yet still have alpha males too who are every bit their match. Ishtar has so many powerful Gifts, not the least of which is her strength. She's wild, passionate, instinctive, loyal. Everything I like in a Heroine. This is who I imagine: the beautiful Gal Gadot.



Star-crossed love that defies all odds for a HEA The depth that Ms. James put into the character development and storyline truly amazes me with every book in the Pure-Dark Ones series. But this book is my favorite of all because there's so much that goes into the love story. It's got everything - suspense, drama, cliff hangers, a fully-developed villain, intense emotional rollercoaster...I say below to have a box of tissues ready and I still need it even on the second read. I'll probably always blubber when I read this book because it's just sooooo heart-wrenching! And I happen to LOVE heart-wrenching books, any books that really pull out my emotions...



Dare I say it--This might be my favorite book of all time across all romance genres and authors!

Original review:

I don't know where to begin. It was really, really, really good. I wished it was twice as long! I didn't want it to end! And I didn't sleep much because I couldn't let go of it!!

Warning: have a box of Kleenex close by. Ms. James sure knows how to drive a screwdriver into your heart! talk about heart wrenching, gut tearing, all consuming love!! If you like romantic comedies, this is definitely NOT your book. In general, this series is pretty heavy and intense, and this might be the most intense of them all. Books 3 and 4 were somewhat lighter, even funny. Not a whole lot of humor in this one though.

But if you want to really submerge yourself in another place, another time, get lose in the ULTIMATE LOVE STORY OF ALL TIME, then this is the book for you.

All I ask is: Ms. James, can you please write more about Tal? His journey has obviously not ended. He still has so much healing to do. I want to be there with him every step of the way please! He's my favorite Hero of all time!

Merged review:

What????!!! So weird... I guess my review is in the other edition.

2 words:

MY TAL!!!!!

[Princess under cover · Rating 5 out of 5]

A love that ends all loves...

There's only so long I can drag out the re-reading of this. Once I get immersed in this world, in this couple, I just can't stop and pull myself back out...



So, I crawled along with this re-read not because the book couldn't keep my attention but because 1) I was waiting on my buddies to keep up https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/... and 2) I wanted to savor every word, and BOY WAS IT WORTH IT!!

If you just started getting into this series (do start with Book One, now that I think about it, your enjoyment of the subsequent novels will increase exponentially), even if you started in the middle, this installment will make you want to start at the beginning and read VERY CAREFULLY. Because you don't want to miss a thing!!



Because there are soooooo many intricate little clues and interwoven threads and the world building is phenomenal, but the character building is even more impressive and the PLOT, the mystery, the suspense!!!!!! &%*$$##@@^^!!



Some series build and dull and become same-ole-same-ole over time, but this one just keeps building and building, and yes you'll get some series "climax" but then they peter out.

NOT WITH THIS SERIES!! I can tell you right now, having read ARCs for Books 6 and 6.5, that after the climax you just enter into an even deeper vortex of intrigue, revelations and heart-wrenching, uplifting drama. After all, I'm in it for the love story first and foremost, and I'm definitely getting that with every single book!

That's all my way of leading into--THIS BOOK IS DA BOMB!!



THERE'S LOVE LOVE LOVE, INTENSE, PASSIONATE, ETERNAL, DESTINED LOVE. And within that there's betrayal, sacrifice, revenge, anguish, and forgiveness.

THERE'S A RIDICULOUSLY WELL-DEVELOPED AND ENGAGING CAST OF CHARACTERS. We get to hear from the ultimate baddie herself, in her own voice. We see more of the Creature. Ava, Rain, Ryu, Val (I've missed you Val!!), Inanna, Gabriel, Sophia, Benji, and of course, Tal and Ishtar.

THERE'S NEW MYSTERIES TO SOLVE WHILE SOME CLUES REVEAL TRUTH. I was so happy to have my theories proven (and I spend an obscene amount of time theorizing over this series), while new theories are constructed, related to the theories that have been proven, like layers of onions peeled back or going up or down the steps of an Escher drawing... you get turned upside down, inside out and you don't even notice! In the best way possible.



(you see how deep and involved I'm getting with this series...I'm positively inspired even when I'm writing reviews!)

Anyway, READ THIS SERIES RIGHT NOW! Join me in my fanatical theorization! But most of all, lose yourself in a richly woven, unbelievably believable fantastical world with true love and HEA EVERY DAMN TIME!

First-read review



I finished the book in one sitting. Stayed up until 3am. It was WORTH IT! So worth it, I then spent an inordinate amount of time trying to figure out how to embed gifs in Goodreads because writing my thoughts in words wasn't "enough" to convey how I'm feeling.

What I love about this installment:
1. Tal. Tal. Tal! I love the tortured hero, and there is no other hero (thus far in Ms. James' writing) more tortured than Tal. Literally. I defy her to come up with someone who's been through even more nastiness. But you know, when you're talking about ancient races and world wars and such, it makes sense that everything is more intense, darker, but also more uplifting at the same time because of the extremes.



2. The kitty cat. I like to read paranormal romances with weres. Not as much as I like vampires, but Sherrilyn Kenyon's weres in the Dark Hunter series are pretty cool. Not to give too much away, but how awesome is it to combine both! a vampire whose Gift is to shift into a feline.



3. The linkages with other characters I've come to love - Ryu and Ava, Rain and Valerius, Sophia and Benji, the Creature even (is it just me who has a soft spot for bad guys?). I feel like Books 4 and now 5 really start to bring things together, very climactic, even though Ms. James has opened the door for a whole lot more to come!



4. As always, the build for likely the next book, which I anticipate to be about a bad boy turned good. So we shall see. I've always thought the guy in question whose name begins with E. was super cool, even though he seemed heartless and evil since I met him first in Book 3. I picked up on the glimmer of hope in him. Can't wait for his story!



Merged review:

Annnnnnnd, GR does it again! switching up my editions!

[Firstpella · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exhausted and satisfied - it’s only fitting that the bestest story (so far) in this marvelous creation features an ‘older’ couple since wisdom makes the love, loss, and redemption sweeter. And harder earned. And emotionally draining. And yet...completely fulfilling.
Look, there’s a general similarity with PNR found here due to the lions, and tigers, and bears oh-my-ness found in most Vamp-tales across the Kindle Spectrum, but James has caught some unique mint in her Mojito that makes her cocktail lip smacking.
The General and His Star killed it. ‘Then come and take me.’ Riveting - thousands of years, separated, tortured, lied to, poisoned...yet in the end, winners.
Kudos to James for starting and ending this tale from the Evil Mistress’ perspective...it’s three-dimensional bad gals that make them and the tales woven out of the battles against them, fascinating.

[Lover of Romance · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review was originally posted on Addicted To Romance

First Impressions
Pure Rapture is the next installment in the series that I have been so eager to read but also highly apprehensive because this is a couple where I knew there would be so much angst between them and I am so excited to see that this book wasn’t quite as angsty as I quite expected but it definitely has plenty if you enjoy good angst between a pair. I have to say out of ALL the books that I have read from this author so far, this is one that was the most heartbreaking to read. And this is probably why it took so LONG to actually get to. I just knew that this one would tear me apart emotionally and I also was so sure that it would have flashbacks and yeah I really wanted to be mentally prepared for that. There are certain aspects in romance, that I just can’t automatically pick up right away. I did love seeing how this author wrote this story though and what a captivating romance it turned out to be. This was simply such a precious love story and seeing it all come together was such an experience of the heart and of the soul. This author truly is talented in writing these captivating pairings.

It was in that moment that Ishtar Fell. Into the most brilliant, beautiful turquoise eyes she’d ever seen.

Summary
Tal-Telal and Ishtar have known each other for centuries. They first met when they were kids and they build an unbreakable bond, but they weren’t fated to be together as they were on the opposite sides of a war, and even though they loved each other, there were outside forces that forced them to be apart from each other. Now in the present day, Tal-Telal has been recovering after being tortured for centuries and is now blind. He has been reunited with their long-lost daughter, but Ishtar believes that Tal-Telal betrayed her in the worst of ways and has a hate-filled heart for him even when she deeply loves him. What starts out as an attack of rage and pain turns into a sexual entanglement but one that puts Tal-Telal in a system overload and is slowly dying and the only cure will be Ishtar. But Ishtar doesn’t know of the sacrifices that her mate has made for her or that his heart has always belonged to her. And it will take the innocent frankness of a child to show her the true path back to him and Ishtar will need to learn to trust again in their love as it will be their only saving grace against their one true enemy…

Love is a fearsome thing. It lays us naked and vulnerable at another’s feet. Hate is an addictive drug. It protects us with weapons and armor difficult to beat. To love, it takes incredible courage; to hate, only its mirage.

What I Loved
I don’t even know what to say about this book because WHEW, completely blew my mind away. I was able to breeze through it pretty quickly and I was completely overwhelmed by the level of emotion that rises within this story. And seeing the way that these flashbacks show their history and their struggles and what they had to face just breaks the heart. They have such a sweet innocent love in the beginning, and it hurts to see what tears them apart and the secrets that keep them from truly being together. I was utterly charmed by “Ben” who is so honest and innocent (and yes he is a child) but he has the clarity to see elements in relationships most adults just don’t view and he offers the clarity that this heroine really needs to hear. I absolutely adored the family reunion in this book and by far the best aspect was seeing our main pairing really come together in such a beautiful way. Seeing them let go of those barriers that are keeping them apart, and opening their hearts to love again was so magical and the smexy times were so touching at times. I just loved seeing them reconnect and find their way towards their HEA that they had both waited on centuries to find.

What I Struggled With
Anyone that knows my reading tastes can probably guess what I will say and one of the main detractors of this book was the flashbacks. I only like flashbacks in certain ways and it wasn’t done that way that I can enjoy in this book. The first half of the book it was back and forth so often I felt like a ping pong ball and it was a struggle because while I understood why we needed them, I felt like they could have been handled better.

Because she was the only female his heart wanted to Nourish. Since the first time he looked into those light purple eyes he’d been hers. Brand or not, she owned him. All of him.

Overall View
Pure Rapture was a romance that won my heart so quickly, it captivated me in its most tender of emotional moments that will connect your heart to this beautiful love story. Its not an easy road this couple goes on, but it’s a well worth it vibe that crashes into your soul with such vibrancy you will be looking for more.

[~~~Heather S.~~~ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful, tragic, forbidden love. I adore these characters and this world, shocking this series isn’t more well known. Must read for paranormal romance fans!

[~*~Princess Nya Vasiliev~*~ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Solid 3.5 *** for me.

I'm having lots of mixed feelings about this one as far as the love story goes. I had issue with how things were revealed as the layers of Tal & Ishtar's story were being pulled back. Theirs is a very gripping story.. Filled with pain, despair, & hopelessness. But it just didn't gut me in the manner I was hoping or even expecting it to. Their reunion, though bittersweet, didn't lift me very high or cause me to breathe completely at ease within their happiness either. Even though I was glad for their HEA here. There are things here that obviously can't be told all at once, given how their love story is so intricately woven into the lives and outcomes of others in this series, whose stories or whole stories haven't been told yet. I get that. I just didn't like some of things that were given here or left out, in regard to their tale.

There are other things here that help push the other plots along that are interesting and have me wondering what will come of these. How will they play out over the course of the series? Will I even care to witness them? Especially after what the Creature did at the end for that w&^# Anunit. UGH! If there were ever a time to end anything that was it...

But I'm all in my feelings right now about this story. These are things /thoughts I'm just working through right now... I guess I just expected more with this one. Especially after coming out of book 4.. I guess thus far, The epic stories overall for me,(Plots and Loves) are Books 1-3. Those blew me away. For very different reasons but they were still powerful to me on every level.

I was over the moon that I got a mini visit with my baby Valerius though. How brief it was. *sighs* I was still VERY happy ;) My baby Benji had me in tears when he told who Ishtar was when she first came to the Shield. LMBO! Can't get anything past that boy..

[Debra Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Purch Amazon December 6, 2018
Pure Rapture by Aja James
Genres; Adult, Fantasy, Mystery, Romance, Suspense
4.5 Stars

It took me a while to decide on stars for this one. In the end I decided on 4.5 stars, and since I am one for rounding down that brings this one to 4 stars for me.

My reason for the drop in stars is the 1st half of the story. The first flash back with Ishtar in class with her sister was a bit to much dialogue and dragged for me. Once Ishtar skipped class it picked up again. There were a few of these instances for me throughout the first half that were about Ishtar and Tal's youth. The flash back would start off a bit slow for me, then pick up and become a lot more interesting.

Once I hit the 50% mark, everything took off at supersonic speed!

Tal will break your heart with all he has gone through. And you will absolutely adore and love Ishtar. She is strong & funny. Together they set the pages on fire. And a few beds!

Oh, you will HATE Anunit/Medusa!
She makes a great archenemy! She is truly wicked and cold hearted.

There are a lot of questions from the previous books that are answered, but there are new mysteries to solve. So the intrigue and suspense continues. The world of the Pure/Dark ones gets more interesting with every book. The depth that these stories and the characters are given will make you feel like they are very real and their world is the same world we live in.
At least while you're reading it!

[Alaina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Guys. I honestly have no idea what to think or say right now. Even though this started off a bit slow for me, I was really intrigued in finding out more about Tal. I mean, throughout the series I've had endless questions about who HER, Mistress, and Medusa exactly were. Well, have no fear - I found out. Not going to lie, I was a little shocked but then things started to make a lot more sense to me.

I feel like I have at least one character that I hate in each book. Luckily for me, they are all mostly villains or ex-lovers. So it works out but for this one - ugh - I'm just so sad that the villain in question didn't die. I did get some fun action scenes and I really adore Ishtar shifting into a giant leopard or any kind of cat form throughout the book too.

Other than dealing with my emotions, I really liked seeing Tal and Ishtar getting closer once again. I wouldn't necessarily say that they had a lot of tension filled moments but they obviously still cared for one another but had some demons to get out in the air before things could be right again. Then the drama unfolded and I was hooked for it all.

In the end, I can't wait to dive into the next book. I just need work to calm down so I can sit down and enjoy this series.

[Luana ☆ · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG. My heart is breaking for the hero. I don't know if I am in an emotional time of the month, but this book was heartbreaking and made me cry several times. (Let's put the blame on hormones, shall we?)

Ok, two things about this book.
First, I hate second chance romance but oh boy, this was THE BEST second chance romance I have ever read. The royal princess falling in love with her slave, how bad can that be?

And second, the villain is not who I thought it was, thank goodness, but it is somewhat as disturbing. In this book we finally get to know in depth who the villain is, the life story, why the person did what was done and so on and so forth. Sigh. All the reasons behind the Great War.

I can't wait for everybody to finally catch up on who the villain is.

PS: the only weird part was the language used between the couple. Very modern for beings so old. I would have expected a more somewhat conservative/older use of the language. But anyway...

5+ stars. Sigh. The hero deserves 1 million stars.

[Coco.V · Rating 5 out of 5]

💝 FREE on Amazon today (12/6/2018)!💝

Blurb:
Their love is outlawed by both their Kinds…

Tal-Telal, the legendary General who led the Pure Ones to freedom, paid the ultimate price for his people: breaking the heart of his one True Love.

Her shattered heart continues to yearn…

Ishtar Anshar, once royalty reigning over a vast, ancient empire, lost everything she held dear. Deceived by those she trusted the most, she blamed the one male who sacrificed all to protect her.

No matter the distance and time, love is a renegade that cannot be ruled…

Now Fate has reunited them in this modern time to combat a burgeoning threat. Can they put the darkness behind them and forge a brighter future together?

[Samantha · Rating 5 out of 5]

OH MY GOSH!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Totally didn't sleep since I binged the hell out of this and finished in 1 sitting. I just couldn't put the book down && totally cried like a baby.

Ishtar and Tal are just WOW!!!! I've never been this immersed in a book like this before. I don't even have the words to explain how I feel about it.

The story, the history, the passion, the loyalty, the chemistry, the EVERYTHING about this book is just freaking amazing.


LOVED ISHTAR

and there are just no words to explain how I feel about Tal. He is just amazing!

People!!!! this book is a must must read and you have to start from the 1st book to get all of the story/ stories and the full effect of this book.

oh and THAT BITCH MEDUSA..... HATE her and cannot wait to find out how she dies...

Aja you have seriously done an amazing job with this book.

[Rise · Rating 5 out of 5]

Splendid

Oh wow I loved this book. I was totally rooting for Tal and Ishtar happy ending. I wasn't prepared for the capture of both Tal & Ishtar by her sister. My heart really went out to Tal in this book because of all the pain, suffering & sacrifices he made. AJ had me waiting for the information to surface on who the other DNA belong to. When the information was provided I thought Ishtar would go on the hunt and kill for her mate, but the situation turned out differently. And then to come face to face with the Dark One who was defeated once before. I look forward to reading the next book.

[☾Sabrina♡༄ · Rating 5 out of 5]

4000 Little Stars but they only let me rate 5

I was so overwhelmed with emotions, I would just stare blindly at the wall for long minutes with my tears leaking, soaking into my pillow. This book took me the longest to read because it hurt so much that I’d hit my heartache threshold and need a break to recover.

I NEED a physical copy of this book on my shelf. It can even have its own shelf if that’s what it takes.

Pure Rapture hit all my weaknesses. Childhood sweetheart, they’ve loved each other for 4000 years, they endure everything selflessly, hero with disability, tortured hero, God-tier self-control, intense, all-consuming love, the heroine gives her affections freely and generously while the reserved hero holds back despite feeling the same, even Greek mythology references. It’s the best parts to all my favourite reread-each-year books.

I honestly can’t imagine books 6 and beyond being better than this. I can’t.

Even at 14, Tal was kind, contemplative, and mature beyond his years, secretly carrying the burden of his Gift on his own. From the beginning, he refused to own her, deciding instead to offer her ownership of him.

All at once she butted her head against his legs with such affectionate strength, he almost lost his footing. A gorgeous chuckle rumbled from his boy-man chest, the sound stroking along Ishtar’s spine like a gentle hand. True to his promise, he scratched her behind both ears and along her back and under her chin.

“Do you want me, little cat?” he asked in that low, husky rumble. As if hypnotized, she could only nod, words having deserted her. “Then come and take me, ana Ishtar.”

Ishtar was so strong that she could conquer the world, but all she ever wanted was Tal. Her love for him was so pure and undiluted.

“I love you, Tal,” she murmured beside his ear, the words tumbling from her vocal chords without her having consciously formed the confession in her head. “I’ll only ever love you. When I grow into a full blooded female, do you think you could love me too?” she asked innocently but fervently, her heart and soul in her glowing dark eyes. “Just enough to stay by my side,” she added, lest he thought her greedy, “I will always love you more.”

“I wished so hard and for so long that I could have you. I prayed to the Dark Goddess and all the stars in the heavens. I went to our cliff and our beach every day for two summers and waited for you.”

“I thought perhaps…perhaps you found a female of your own Kind and liked her better. And then I wished that I wasn’t in this body, in this place, in this position, but instead be the one close to you, wherever you may be.”

“I want you. You’re all I’ll ever want and need. You’re everything my heart will ever desire.”

She only wanted a simple life with him. And I loved Ishtar so much for recognising even as a child that the strong should protect the weak and the aggressor should find calm with the pacifist. She would only harness her power to protect Tal, and she would give up her life trying.

He was the General, a noble leader and protector. He would sacrifice anything for his loved ones. His people. His Ishtar-even if he never returned her words.

“Words sometimes lie; you cannot always trust them.”

The only part he couldn’t distract was his heart. It yearned so badly for her that he was surprised it remained beating in his chest whenever he awoke from a brisk doze, and not bleeding somewhere on the mountainside where he’d torn it out just as surely as he’d done to hers.

They only had each other for months before enduring thousands of years of torture and separation. She cried for him every night, and he called out for her in his dreams. Yet four millennia later, blind, battered and bruised… their love triumphed.

“But the wooden leopard with its blue ribbon is mine alone. I would have kept the comb too, but…” “You gave it to someone who needed it more,” he finished for her. “Will you make me another?” she asked shyly. “As many as you like,” he kissed her mouth. “One for every birthday that I missed.” She laughed in delight. “Where will I store over four thousand combs!”

Nobody hurt them anymore, PLEASE. I don’t think I could survive it.

I can see them in Inanna: “ I’ve fought for both Pure and Dark over the millennia past. I’ve come to realize that there’s no right or wrong by virtue of birth; what we do is the only thing that matters.”

Despite everything, I really felt empathy for the villain in the story. I wanted to give the villain a tight hug. I don’t care what the prophecy says. There’s too much darkness and pain in the world, it makes me so sad.

I have more to say, endless compliments on the plot and how everything ties together and how there are always more mysteries to unravel and plot theories to sit on, but I can’t right now. Too emotionally drained.

[Serenechaosnyc · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ok I admit it, once I read about the prisoner in book 3, I was raring for his story. Then, when it became more clear as to what part he had to play, I literally couldn't stop reading after book 4 because I needed Tal's story. And it was heartbreaking. He's lived through 4 thousand years of abuse (note that there are subtle triggers in this story- nothing overt per say but you know what happened and his abuse is discussed). He's had a difficult life but I, as a reader, could not have respected him more. He was the famed General who gave up so much so his people had a chance to live and this book was a race against time to save him.

His love was Ishtar, who was so angry at him for leaving her. I adored how they started. As a shape shifter, she was able to change into a leopard and their playful moments brought a smile to my face. The flashbacks were interspersed within the story and while I tend to find this type of writing a bit disruptive in other books, I have to admit that I'm enjoying it in Aja James' books. In this case, many of the earlier memories also brought a lightness to the story, even though the topic (And what Tal suffered) was so dark. As a character, Ishtar was wonderful. Through the hurt and the perceived betrayal, she became a great person, looking after orphans and other people in need. These two characters will stay with me because they represent strength, courage and honor, even in the face of heartbreaking adversity.

Reading in order, I really understand the breadth of the world that Aja James has created, one that has definite good and evil but also, a recognition that what is bad today may not be tomorrow. The supporting characters, many of who make appearances throughout the series, continue to build my investment in the story and in their world. It's a sign of a great author that I really do feel like I have a stake in watching all the good Dark/Pure ones get their HEAs. I look forward to continuing on in this journey in the world this author has created!

[Cécile Smits · Rating 5 out of 5]

In search of answers i might’ve missed before,i decided to re-read the most painful,most tragic lovestory of this series....even though i knew i’d need at least another box of tissues just to get through the pain,agony and heartache Tal and Ishtar had to endure to find eachother again.

Aja is só good at leaving crumbs throughout this series,and if you blink at the wrong time,you miss them! I missed some the first time because i was so immersed into Tal and Ishtars story.

My advice is to keep your eyes wide open,your tissues near,your nails really short (so not to bite them to bits) and make sure to buckle up for the ride. This one’s going to hurt só good!




Can this series get any better? YES! With Tal and Ishtar’s story!
While more and more questions are answered and betrayal comes to light,their story is told.
And what a tragic story it is.....Ishtar has loved Tal from the first time they met,and that love grew with her age. Tal fell for her,but knew they wouldn’t be allowed a happy life together. And with war breaking out,they were seperated. For a very,very long time,Tal suffered such intense torment,it broke my heart. Until,mysteriously,he was allowed to be rescued by his daughter Innana. And i started to hope....for Tal to find his heart. And i hoped for Ishtar to find her heart....

This couple shines só bright after all the deepest darkness,it blinds me!

[Laura..devouring books like crumpets · Rating 5 out of 5]

You know when your on a roller coaster, your going fast and its amazing, but that first loop the loop before the excruciating climb to the plunge, it's the first time your heart literally goes into your mouth, after being thrown about you can finally get a glimpse at the ending..... Well for me this book is the loop the loop! The ride has been amazing so far but this is the first real taste of how things may unravel... and who might actually be who, i have had my theories but a lot more light is shed!



Ishtar and Tal for me is an epic love story, it clenches your heart painfully reading how much these two have suffered and lost, but still manage to cling to the hope of each other if only by a thread!

We get a POV from the mythical Medusa, whilst unraveling more than a few characters backstories interwoven together.... the whole book has me like....



Thankfully i got and ARC from the Author.... Waiting for book 5 would have been excruciating....

And yes! Definately....



This installment had EVERYTHING!!!! I didn't want it to end

Thanks Aja for a phenomenal read!

[Paola · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm so happy and grateful because I could get an ARC of this book, it was so good.
This a story about eternal love between a dark one and a pure one, it's a forbidden yet undeniable love.
She (Ishtar) is a princess of the dark ones and he (Tal) is a pure one, and because of that, he isn't good enough for her, so their union is forbidden by the laws of their peers, in this scenario their relationship is doomed since the beginning, especially because the hero must choose between his princess and his people, and the heroin finds herself in the middle of a war where her family wants to destroy the rebellion and the pure ones.
So Tal in order to succeed and defend the pure ones, must betray Ishtar and suffer the consequences of his decisions...
So the question is.....could they forgive each other after all and find a way back to love????

[Jane GAD · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best book so far!!!!
Tal-Telal the Pure ones famous general & (Princess) Ishtar Anshar's story..
What a journey these two went through to finally find their peace!
The story takes you to the origins four thousand years back and starts with "puppy love" that
Develops into a heart wrenching story of misunderstanding and wrath, excruciating pain and sorrow (I should have invested in Kleenex!) In the name of love!
It tells the story of two characters, one dark and one pure that after a very very very long time of darkness find the light!
One must read the books in order to understand the construction of the story.
Many things are revealed and we finally understand what really happened and why the
Characters became what they are today.
this series is a MASTERPIECE !!!

[The Drowsy Bookworm · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s been a few months since I finished the fourth book in this series, but I was drawn right back in within the first pages of Pure Rapture, especially with how this one starts! Right away we meet the mysterious A. Medusa who we’ve only been given glimpses of in the past. I love Aja James’s villains almost as much as I love her protagonists and A. Medusa is no exception, especially since we find out here who she really is!

If I’m being totally honest I didn’t really expect to be sucked into Ishtar and Tal’s story, I dunno why. Maybe because they have both mainly been side characters and I have gotten attached to the previous MCs! Well, that was my mistake. This may be my 2nd favorite book of this series (#2-Innana & Gabriel’s story- is my absolute fave so far!) I loved reading about ana Ishtar’s history, her broken family ties and scandalous past, and how her destiny is interwoven with Tal’s. Thanks to the lyrical writing everything sounds lush and beautiful, even when the subject is a Dark One’s bloody bonding ritual. You want to keep turning page after page, switching from past to present and back again as we’re able to start putting pieces together to create a complete image.

I don’t know if Aja James sat down before starting this series and made a huge outline; I mean I seriously imagine her with one of those wall murals like a detective would have, with characters’ pictures connected to each other with red strings and sticky-notes everywhere. How else does she keep this all straight? Everyone and everything seem to be connected and it feels like we’re only seeing half of the picture at any given time. But the “a-ha!” moments that occur are a big part of why this series is such a draw.

And that cliffhanger! Arghhh!!! That is just wrong, lol!

If you haven’t started this series already I would definitely recommend!

[Mamacita aka MawMaw · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG! That was so Good. Many thanks to wonderfully talented Aja James for my ARC. I loved it. If ya'll haven't read this series yet. GET ON IT!



Real Review to come...
But I gotta read the next book 1st!