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Alien Warrior #3
Bhyr
We are the destroyers of worlds. The scourge of the weak and the masters of creation. We are as one fist, one blade, one almighty force. We are horde.
~Unknown, Ranked Warrior of the Azteka Horde
Bhyr, leader of the Azteka Horde, is committed to saving his species from extinction. Taking the human female as a breeder is his divine right. He will breed her, anoint his spawn, and then rid himself of the complications that come with a mate. But when the time comes, will he be able to strike down the one he loves most?
Indira is abducted from Earth and leashed to an alien barbarian. He wants one thing of her: an heir. Vowing to escape his clutches, Indira begins a revolt that causes ripples throughout the galaxy. But as she strives to thwart the most feared being in the universe, she must question how the warrior she defied became the darkest desire of her heart.
Warning: violence, profanity, psychological trauma, forced seduction and sexual content.
~Unknown, Ranked Warrior of the Azteka Horde
Bhyr, leader of the Azteka Horde, is committed to saving his species from extinction. Taking the human female as a breeder is his divine right. He will breed her, anoint his spawn, and then rid himself of the complications that come with a mate. But when the time comes, will he be able to strike down the one he loves most?
Indira is abducted from Earth and leashed to an alien barbarian. He wants one thing of her: an heir. Vowing to escape his clutches, Indira begins a revolt that causes ripples throughout the galaxy. But as she strives to thwart the most feared being in the universe, she must question how the warrior she defied became the darkest desire of her heart.
Warning: violence, profanity, psychological trauma, forced seduction and sexual content.
519 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 21, 2019
237 people are currently reading
325 people want to read
About the author
Penelope Fletcher
27 books1,348 followersPenelope Jade Fletcher is a British author of genre romance. She has a number of international digital bestsellers, reaching the Amazon Kindle UK Top 100 chart in early 2011 with her third book, and the Barnes & Noble Nook Top 100 chart later the same year with her fifth.
Debuting at twenty two years old in 2010 with young adult fantasy Glamour, Penelope predominantly writes romance novels with supernatural elements, but recently penned a historical western, and has a regency romance in the works.
Penelope has independently sold over 100,000 eBooks. She loves nothing more than reading. Writing comes a close second.
Debuting at twenty two years old in 2010 with young adult fantasy Glamour, Penelope predominantly writes romance novels with supernatural elements, but recently penned a historical western, and has a regency romance in the works.
Penelope has independently sold over 100,000 eBooks. She loves nothing more than reading. Writing comes a close second.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 133 reviews
September 7, 2019
The Magic Pussy Strikes Again!
Things that made no sense:
As an Aide to the PM of the UK on Earth, Indira is a wiz with political intrigue and navigating the stresses of leadership, adept at weighing pros/cons of optional paths. She’s intelligent and quick thinking. Yet, twice she withheld vital information from Bhyr in order to attend to the more pressing matters of personal relationship-building with him first? Oh, and sex. And then, sleep. But in the morning, Indie immediately laid the news on Bhyr that he had spies and a rebel camp nearby waiting to rush in for a nighttime attack at any moment (like last night…the night she slept on this news), right? And let’s not forget (like Indira did) about the dreaded feral females in that same camp, right? Oh, wait…No. None of that happened. Instead, this political pro waited until there was a nice gathering of other Horde around (any one of them possibly a spy) before she opened her mouth to spill the beans. Oh, and by “opened her mouth,” I mean it was more like someone had to pull her teeth to get the info out, one rotten chunk at a time.
And the Horde…the most feared of all warriors in the known stars and probably a few suburbs past…renowned for their unparalleled fighting agility, technological superiority, and Gifts of a magical sort bestowed upon their strongest…the warriors that destroy whole planets and people in a blink of an eye…yeah, those guys…
What do you think was the Horde solution for dealing with their feral females and their amazing ability to paralyze any Horde warrior with their greedy sex pinchers?
Was it:
Sure…I get it…this isn’t reality, but come on! Make some sense, puh-lease!
And Bhyr…ah, Bhyr, you beautiful brute, how I could’ve loved you *sigh. I’ve given the 1* for Bhyr, as a hallmark to what I now claim to be the most exemplary story in which an Alphahole morphs into an Alphapuss. At lightspeed, no less. Bhyr deserves a plaque or statue in his name, one of the greats who fell to the Magic Pussy…all I can offer is my 1 tiny star *sniffle
As y’all can tell…I wasn’t a fan of this. And that really ticks me off because I was sososooooo looking forward to the Horde and Bhyr. I one-clicked this bitch in a heartbeat! How could I not with the enticement of Bihter in book 2?! I expected more of that version of Bhyr. Maybe softened just a smidge by the end, enough that his actions made sense and there was room for a good ho in his nest while he ruled the known stars with an iron fist. I didn’t expect that he’d be made to roll over and show his belly before we’d even reached the 25% mark.
I wept for Bhyr…my Bhyr…the one who could’ve, would’ve, should’ve…
Now, the bitchy part…no, the above wasn’t me being a bitch; it was me bitching. There’s a difference. Maybe.
I LOVED Venomous (book 1). Absolutely worth all the kudos for creating an Alpha that believably morphed and softened without pussing out entirely. Actually, 3 Alphas. It was genius, IMhO. Thunderclaw (book 2) was a bit of a disappointment for me. I expected more of Beowyn – as in more on-camera time. But, again, kudos worthy for creating a tricky dynamic that worked in the end, even though I wasn’t in love with it. And for introducing Bihter/the Horde into the mix, which was my favorite bits in that book.
I mention Venomous and Thunderclaw because they were good and what I expected to find in this book—fully developed characters, actions that more-or-less made sense, plot points that were tidied up, and well-edited. I also loved Fletcher’s writing style in the previous books—a nice combo of detailed descriptions to get me into the Sci-fi scene without pulling the story down with overly forced or flowery language.
Bhyr…sadly, had none of what made Venomous and Thunderclaw good. The characters were underdeveloped, although there was an attempt to give Indira some depth in the beginning. If I’d not gotten to know Bihter in book 2, I wouldn’t have understood half of what was going on with Bhyr and the Horde. He’s a cardboard cutout. The actions and plot points I already mentioned made no sense. Plus, the actions were described in such a way that I had to reread paragraphs to get the gist of what was happening (especially the so-called Keeping punishment *eye roll). Finally, the editing is nearly non-existent. Speech isn’t given with “” around it, rather a single ‘’ so it was confusing who was saying what. Throughout, the wrong words were used—of when it should’ve been if, scared when it should’ve been scarred, etc. Or words were missing that should’ve there (see how annoying is!). And last but not least…this bitch was bludgeoned with a Thesaurus to death. I think it was an attempt to make it come across as otherworldly or more Sci-fi-esque, but I found it distracting, especially in light of the poor editing and descriptions.
As a whole, this felt rushed. I waited for this?!
All of that said, the bitchy part is that I wouldn’t be mentioning any of this in a review IF I’d gotten the Bhyr/Horde of my dreams. So…yeah…these comments are me being a bitch. I already said I was ticked off *shrug
Things that made no sense:
As an Aide to the PM of the UK on Earth, Indira is a wiz with political intrigue and navigating the stresses of leadership, adept at weighing pros/cons of optional paths. She’s intelligent and quick thinking. Yet, twice she withheld vital information from Bhyr in order to attend to the more pressing matters of personal relationship-building with him first? Oh, and sex. And then, sleep. But in the morning, Indie immediately laid the news on Bhyr that he had spies and a rebel camp nearby waiting to rush in for a nighttime attack at any moment (like last night…the night she slept on this news), right? And let’s not forget (like Indira did) about the dreaded feral females in that same camp, right? Oh, wait…No. None of that happened. Instead, this political pro waited until there was a nice gathering of other Horde around (any one of them possibly a spy) before she opened her mouth to spill the beans. Oh, and by “opened her mouth,” I mean it was more like someone had to pull her teeth to get the info out, one rotten chunk at a time.
And the Horde…the most feared of all warriors in the known stars and probably a few suburbs past…renowned for their unparalleled fighting agility, technological superiority, and Gifts of a magical sort bestowed upon their strongest…the warriors that destroy whole planets and people in a blink of an eye…yeah, those guys…
What do you think was the Horde solution for dealing with their feral females and their amazing ability to paralyze any Horde warrior with their greedy sex pinchers?
Was it:
A. Detain all the females to use their technological superiority to figure out how to safely remove/incapacitate the sex pinchers
B. Detain all the females to use their technological superiority to figure out how to safely rid themselves of the reciprocating paralysis-inducing ‘submission points’ to those nasty pinchers
C. Detain all the females to use their technological superiority to figure out how to safely come up with their version of test-tube offspring
D. All of the above
E. None of the above, except the detaining part. This allowed their species to be free of the evil female pinchers with the nasty side effect of slow attrition to their numbers.
Sure…I get it…this isn’t reality, but come on! Make some sense, puh-lease!
And Bhyr…ah, Bhyr, you beautiful brute, how I could’ve loved you *sigh. I’ve given the 1* for Bhyr, as a hallmark to what I now claim to be the most exemplary story in which an Alphahole morphs into an Alphapuss. At lightspeed, no less. Bhyr deserves a plaque or statue in his name, one of the greats who fell to the Magic Pussy…all I can offer is my 1 tiny star *sniffle
As y’all can tell…I wasn’t a fan of this. And that really ticks me off because I was sososooooo looking forward to the Horde and Bhyr. I one-clicked this bitch in a heartbeat! How could I not with the enticement of Bihter in book 2?! I expected more of that version of Bhyr. Maybe softened just a smidge by the end, enough that his actions made sense and there was room for a good ho in his nest while he ruled the known stars with an iron fist. I didn’t expect that he’d be made to roll over and show his belly before we’d even reached the 25% mark.
I wept for Bhyr…my Bhyr…the one who could’ve, would’ve, should’ve…
Now, the bitchy part…no, the above wasn’t me being a bitch; it was me bitching. There’s a difference. Maybe.
I LOVED Venomous (book 1). Absolutely worth all the kudos for creating an Alpha that believably morphed and softened without pussing out entirely. Actually, 3 Alphas. It was genius, IMhO. Thunderclaw (book 2) was a bit of a disappointment for me. I expected more of Beowyn – as in more on-camera time. But, again, kudos worthy for creating a tricky dynamic that worked in the end, even though I wasn’t in love with it. And for introducing Bihter/the Horde into the mix, which was my favorite bits in that book.
I mention Venomous and Thunderclaw because they were good and what I expected to find in this book—fully developed characters, actions that more-or-less made sense, plot points that were tidied up, and well-edited. I also loved Fletcher’s writing style in the previous books—a nice combo of detailed descriptions to get me into the Sci-fi scene without pulling the story down with overly forced or flowery language.
Bhyr…sadly, had none of what made Venomous and Thunderclaw good. The characters were underdeveloped, although there was an attempt to give Indira some depth in the beginning. If I’d not gotten to know Bihter in book 2, I wouldn’t have understood half of what was going on with Bhyr and the Horde. He’s a cardboard cutout. The actions and plot points I already mentioned made no sense. Plus, the actions were described in such a way that I had to reread paragraphs to get the gist of what was happening (especially the so-called Keeping punishment *eye roll). Finally, the editing is nearly non-existent. Speech isn’t given with “” around it, rather a single ‘’ so it was confusing who was saying what. Throughout, the wrong words were used—of when it should’ve been if, scared when it should’ve been scarred, etc. Or words were missing that should’ve there (see how annoying is!). And last but not least…this bitch was bludgeoned with a Thesaurus to death. I think it was an attempt to make it come across as otherworldly or more Sci-fi-esque, but I found it distracting, especially in light of the poor editing and descriptions.
As a whole, this felt rushed. I waited for this?!
All of that said, the bitchy part is that I wouldn’t be mentioning any of this in a review IF I’d gotten the Bhyr/Horde of my dreams. So…yeah…these comments are me being a bitch. I already said I was ticked off *shrug
August 26, 2023
I couldn't take this book seriously. Something was off.
The last chapter of ThunderClaw promised something dark and dangerous. I didn't feel that way about Bhyr. It was pretty boring, the Hero was quite reasonable and smitten with the Heroine. Not really an alpha-male. The Heroine was all over the page. I hated the BFF and the other human females and their attitudes.
I loved "Venomous" and adored "ThunderClaw". Hopefully the next one will be better.
The last chapter of ThunderClaw promised something dark and dangerous. I didn't feel that way about Bhyr. It was pretty boring, the Hero was quite reasonable and smitten with the Heroine. Not really an alpha-male. The Heroine was all over the page. I hated the BFF and the other human females and their attitudes.
I loved "Venomous" and adored "ThunderClaw". Hopefully the next one will be better.
November 19, 2019
This book was just brutal and extremely violent. I didn't even recognize the author.
Honestly it felt like I was reading a R. Lee Smith book than an P. Fletcher book.
This book made me so uncomfortable and outraged that I actually had to stop reading for a week before coming back.
Indira, a chatterbox character that I can't like in any way. The things she says and does to justify being with Bhyr is amazingly painful to read. She's the total opposite to Lumen in every way that counts. The only good things about her are her resilience and that's she's a minority.
All I'll say is that their relationship is 100% f****** up.
But I still read it all so goes to show how good the writing is.
Honestly it felt like I was reading a R. Lee Smith book than an P. Fletcher book.
This book made me so uncomfortable and outraged that I actually had to stop reading for a week before coming back.
Indira, a chatterbox character that I can't like in any way. The things she says and does to justify being with Bhyr is amazingly painful to read. She's the total opposite to Lumen in every way that counts. The only good things about her are her resilience and that's she's a minority.
All I'll say is that their relationship is 100% f****** up.
But I still read it all so goes to show how good the writing is.
August 19, 2021
I mostly skim-read this one. Something about the story and writing felt...off. Characters from previous books were present but they were caricatures of their former selves. I dunno. It just didn't grip me the way previous books did.
Then of course, there were some really troubling themes that I couldn't quite overlook.
Here's a quote taken from Chapter 27 of Bhyr or @ 54% on Kindle:
"They raped us."
"But it wasn’t rape to them," my mouth said before my brain applied filters. "Listen. Rape is a cultural construct. A human one. There isn’t even an equivalent word for it in Vøtkyrnai."
"It was hell," Ashleigh said.
"Yes, for us. It was the accomplishment of a lifetime to them. They broke decades of rigorous abstinence, and we know sex is agonising for them, so their intentions weren’t to humiliate or damage us. This isn’t a cut and dry situation." I sat back. "We shouldn’t treat it as one. This isn’t Earth, and they are not human."
"No shit, Indira." Fury distorting her features, Ashleigh leaned into my space. "No means no. Even if my pussy is wet and screaming for it. So fuck him and fuck you."
"We need to accept the rules are different here. You say they deserve to hurt the way you hurt? I say they deserve compassion and understanding. I say we woman the fuck up and deal with it. We should help them change, so this won’t happen again in this small corner of the universe. Don’t you think?"
"It’s all so simple to you, isn’t it, Indira? Logical. Do you know what you are? A rape apologiser."
"I’m a realist, and I’m a survivor. I put what happened in my rearview and will do whatever I can to make the future better for myself and others." Exhaling, I glanced around. "It won’t always feel this way. Trite as it sounds, time is a great healer."
...aaaand this is where I drew the line.
This is the first time I've ever read a book where the heroine tries to convince a fellow rape-survivor to empathise with their rapists. This entire scene put a sick feeling in my mouth. Rape-apologism isn't my cup of tea. Sorry, not sorry.
Just to clarify, I'm not against rape taking place in novels, but it needs to be handled with sensitivity and addressed appropriately. This does neither. There's already far too much gaslighting towards sexual assault victims in the world for me to want to read about it in novels. Like, honestly, can't we do better???
Sigh. Even without the troubling non-con elements, the 'romance' in this story was shallow and uninspired. The plot was boring as hell. Neither of the two leads was particularly likeable and since the story mainly revolved around them plus an additional group of annoying human girls/women, there wasn't much else to mitigate the awful. All of our favourite characters from previous instalments were shadows of themselves, especially the alien mates.
In my view, this was a disappointing third instalment to a beloved alien romance series. So, unless any future novels can recapture some of the earlier magic of Venomous and ThunderClaw, I think I'm done with this world/series.
Then of course, there were some really troubling themes that I couldn't quite overlook.
Here's a quote taken from Chapter 27 of Bhyr or @ 54% on Kindle:
"They raped us."
"But it wasn’t rape to them," my mouth said before my brain applied filters. "Listen. Rape is a cultural construct. A human one. There isn’t even an equivalent word for it in Vøtkyrnai."
"It was hell," Ashleigh said.
"Yes, for us. It was the accomplishment of a lifetime to them. They broke decades of rigorous abstinence, and we know sex is agonising for them, so their intentions weren’t to humiliate or damage us. This isn’t a cut and dry situation." I sat back. "We shouldn’t treat it as one. This isn’t Earth, and they are not human."
"No shit, Indira." Fury distorting her features, Ashleigh leaned into my space. "No means no. Even if my pussy is wet and screaming for it. So fuck him and fuck you."
"We need to accept the rules are different here. You say they deserve to hurt the way you hurt? I say they deserve compassion and understanding. I say we woman the fuck up and deal with it. We should help them change, so this won’t happen again in this small corner of the universe. Don’t you think?"
"It’s all so simple to you, isn’t it, Indira? Logical. Do you know what you are? A rape apologiser."
"I’m a realist, and I’m a survivor. I put what happened in my rearview and will do whatever I can to make the future better for myself and others." Exhaling, I glanced around. "It won’t always feel this way. Trite as it sounds, time is a great healer."
...aaaand this is where I drew the line.
This is the first time I've ever read a book where the heroine tries to convince a fellow rape-survivor to empathise with their rapists. This entire scene put a sick feeling in my mouth. Rape-apologism isn't my cup of tea. Sorry, not sorry.
Just to clarify, I'm not against rape taking place in novels, but it needs to be handled with sensitivity and addressed appropriately. This does neither. There's already far too much gaslighting towards sexual assault victims in the world for me to want to read about it in novels. Like, honestly, can't we do better???
Sigh. Even without the troubling non-con elements, the 'romance' in this story was shallow and uninspired. The plot was boring as hell. Neither of the two leads was particularly likeable and since the story mainly revolved around them plus an additional group of annoying human girls/women, there wasn't much else to mitigate the awful. All of our favourite characters from previous instalments were shadows of themselves, especially the alien mates.
In my view, this was a disappointing third instalment to a beloved alien romance series. So, unless any future novels can recapture some of the earlier magic of Venomous and ThunderClaw, I think I'm done with this world/series.
August 24, 2019
Again with this series it’s another long winded book without realistic behaviors and/or growth. One of my biggest pet peeves in a book is when a book attempts to show some dark or uncaring character morph into someone redeemable and it totally misses the mark! Is this how some people really think behavior / thoughts / characteristics form and change? Its fiction, its kink and fantasy for some, but the reactions (or lack there of I should say for the h) and in general are beyond believable. But if submersing yourself in the realm of heroine torture is your jam, then you do you reader babes.
Taking just some basic psychology courses even might help these “dark” and rape fantasy writers paint at least a semi more realistic approach in their characters.
At least this author actually tossed on a warning this time for those who would be possibly triggered. That is commendable because so many seem to want to hide those details.
It does have se xu al assault, forced intimacy, captive, kidnap style, cruel, no love, violent elements.
The price I think is just WAY TOO HIGH for an ebook! I think this should absolutely be on KU so people who are curious could try it without getting buyers remorse. And out of that hard earned money when they realize the depth of depravity isn’t for them and that the reactions aren’t believable.
Neither character comes off as likable. The H, Bhyr, is another alien male who only sees the h as a dispensable female after using her for his physical needs and to produce an heir.
The h, Indira, thinks she’s going to fight back and win/teach him a lesson. But it’s just another whiny portrayal of a heroine where she’s been treated horribly, but still ends up overlooking all of that because she’s now in love with the big jerk of an H. So all is forgiven and the H gets what he wants at the sacrifice of the h’s dignity and self respect.
Taking just some basic psychology courses even might help these “dark” and rape fantasy writers paint at least a semi more realistic approach in their characters.
At least this author actually tossed on a warning this time for those who would be possibly triggered. That is commendable because so many seem to want to hide those details.
It does have se xu al assault, forced intimacy, captive, kidnap style, cruel, no love, violent elements.
The price I think is just WAY TOO HIGH for an ebook! I think this should absolutely be on KU so people who are curious could try it without getting buyers remorse. And out of that hard earned money when they realize the depth of depravity isn’t for them and that the reactions aren’t believable.
Neither character comes off as likable. The H, Bhyr, is another alien male who only sees the h as a dispensable female after using her for his physical needs and to produce an heir.
The h, Indira, thinks she’s going to fight back and win/teach him a lesson. But it’s just another whiny portrayal of a heroine where she’s been treated horribly, but still ends up overlooking all of that because she’s now in love with the big jerk of an H. So all is forgiven and the H gets what he wants at the sacrifice of the h’s dignity and self respect.
August 24, 2019
This was a tough book to rate. It was violent, as expected, since it was about the Azteka. It had moments of compassion that made me believe that the First of the Azteka really did love his mate.
That said, I didn't actually like Indira nor understand her reasoning on some things. She went through some horrid events and came out the other side with some semblance of sanity so that was good. Bhyr, the First, was a muddled mess to me and I did not get all the reasons for his changes out of the reading.
I adored Venomous and really liked Thunderclaw. I've re-read both of those books several times. I don't foresee re-reading this one. I hope the next book gives us a more likeable hero and heroine.
I do think that this book is worth reading if you liked Venomous and Thunderclaw.
That said, I didn't actually like Indira nor understand her reasoning on some things. She went through some horrid events and came out the other side with some semblance of sanity so that was good. Bhyr, the First, was a muddled mess to me and I did not get all the reasons for his changes out of the reading.
I adored Venomous and really liked Thunderclaw. I've re-read both of those books several times. I don't foresee re-reading this one. I hope the next book gives us a more likeable hero and heroine.
I do think that this book is worth reading if you liked Venomous and Thunderclaw.
September 11, 2021
This story was both brutal and amazing.
Loved Indira and her strength. It was hard to like Bhyr at first, but once the truth was revealed about his world it became easier to understand him. I grew to love him just as much as Indira.
Loved Indira and her strength. It was hard to like Bhyr at first, but once the truth was revealed about his world it became easier to understand him. I grew to love him just as much as Indira.
September 16, 2023
I read this book because it was described as the darkest in the series and that’s what I was in the mood for, I haven’t read the rest of the series.
I noticed one reviewer saying this book “felt like a different author” well that’s because it copies a lot of character and plot points and entire conversations from R Lee Smith’s book, Olivia. And there’s a conflict that happens between the FMC and a villain that is exactly what happens in another R Lee Smith book, Tooth and Claw. Little bit of side-eye for that.
I think it caused major inconsistencies in the way the characters acted and the world’s history and the way the horde reacted to things, because it was superimposing someone else’s story into this series. It just didn’t make sense sometimes. An example: this FMC is an aid the PM of the UK and the FMC in Olivia works as a receptionist - now imagine these two characters acting the same to a crisis. The dying race in this book is the horde, a dominant alien race with vast technological power that takes over other planets and the dying race in Olivia lives in a mountain with prehistoric understanding of technology and is very isolated from anyone else. Again, imagine they react the situations similarly. Makes no sense!
One thing I hated in both books was the constant need to show mercy to the horrible villain who will absolutely cause more death and destruction.
I noticed one reviewer saying this book “felt like a different author” well that’s because it copies a lot of character and plot points and entire conversations from R Lee Smith’s book, Olivia. And there’s a conflict that happens between the FMC and a villain that is exactly what happens in another R Lee Smith book, Tooth and Claw. Little bit of side-eye for that.
I think it caused major inconsistencies in the way the characters acted and the world’s history and the way the horde reacted to things, because it was superimposing someone else’s story into this series. It just didn’t make sense sometimes. An example: this FMC is an aid the PM of the UK and the FMC in Olivia works as a receptionist - now imagine these two characters acting the same to a crisis. The dying race in this book is the horde, a dominant alien race with vast technological power that takes over other planets and the dying race in Olivia lives in a mountain with prehistoric understanding of technology and is very isolated from anyone else. Again, imagine they react the situations similarly. Makes no sense!
One thing I hated in both books was the constant need to show mercy to the horrible villain who will absolutely cause more death and destruction.
October 21, 2019
Yes! I'm obsessed with the series and it has been worth the wait! I'm trying to write a review worthy of it, yet I know I will fail as I am too wired for proper wording.
Right, wired. Piqued. Frantic. All nice ways to describe my experience reading Bhyr. For this is one of those books you simply cannot put down until finished and cannot stop thinking about when you're forced to. The kind of book that takes you on an emotional rollercoaster. The best of them.
It is obvious I loved it. I loved the Azteka world, their society, the worldbuiding. I loved Bhyr and Indira (for the most part). For Indira is a complex heroine. So gifted, yet so flawed. Deeply human. Truly real. And the perfect match for Bhyr. This is what makes a love story memorable, isn't it? A perfect couple. Two (or more, I'm open for that) people who are perfect for each other and not because the author forces the issue by stating so, but because the author renders their traits and nature in a manner that simply clicks.
The only thing that bugged me is how tame Bhyr became at the end. Yes, I know he changed for Indira (hell, he changed everything for her) and it contributed to their relationship gaining depth. Yet, it irked me in a way I cannot explain, for I loved the Bhyr in the beginning. The tyrant, the unapologetic leader who became so conflicted when Indira wouldn't obey. So, this book wasn't as dark as I expected. True. Bhyr wasn't the antihero I believed him to be. In fact, I'd go so far as to say Indira became more alpha than him.
Still, a gun to my head and I wouldn't change my rating. Because in truth, I cannot say I was disappointed by the story. And it's all about perspective. We, the fans, expected Bhyr's story and it was Indira's right from the start. Thank you, Penelope Fletcher. Thank you for another masterpiece
Right, wired. Piqued. Frantic. All nice ways to describe my experience reading Bhyr. For this is one of those books you simply cannot put down until finished and cannot stop thinking about when you're forced to. The kind of book that takes you on an emotional rollercoaster. The best of them.
It is obvious I loved it. I loved the Azteka world, their society, the worldbuiding. I loved Bhyr and Indira (for the most part). For Indira is a complex heroine. So gifted, yet so flawed. Deeply human. Truly real. And the perfect match for Bhyr. This is what makes a love story memorable, isn't it? A perfect couple. Two (or more, I'm open for that) people who are perfect for each other and not because the author forces the issue by stating so, but because the author renders their traits and nature in a manner that simply clicks.
The only thing that bugged me is how tame Bhyr became at the end. Yes, I know he changed for Indira (hell, he changed everything for her) and it contributed to their relationship gaining depth. Yet, it irked me in a way I cannot explain, for I loved the Bhyr in the beginning. The tyrant, the unapologetic leader who became so conflicted when Indira wouldn't obey. So, this book wasn't as dark as I expected. True. Bhyr wasn't the antihero I believed him to be. In fact, I'd go so far as to say Indira became more alpha than him.
Still, a gun to my head and I wouldn't change my rating. Because in truth, I cannot say I was disappointed by the story. And it's all about perspective. We, the fans, expected Bhyr's story and it was Indira's right from the start. Thank you, Penelope Fletcher. Thank you for another masterpiece
December 18, 2023
TW: rape, abuse, kidnapping etc
I abandoned Venomous by the same author because it very much excused the hero from raping the heroine ("rape doesn't exist in my culture").
But this one was different and both the kidnapping & the raping was openly discussed by the characters.
This novel reminded me a lot of Olivia, because here, the heroine is also a leader for the other human women. Unlike Olivia, though, she doesn't actually pressure the other women to fit in and accept all the abuse ... However, the other women are also a lot less critical of these aliens than Olivia's bunch was of the bat people.
Also, unlike the notorious The Golden Dynasty, which has similar elements like a "hunt" situation, Bhyr isn't racist and anti-feminist. Female characters are given agency (especially the heroine, but others as well) & a voice. The heroine doesn't talk down from a high horse to the others, despite coming from a government job before.
The fact that the FMC's cultural background was Indian was a huge plus for me.
I'd say this is a 3.5 going on 4.
I abandoned Venomous by the same author because it very much excused the hero from raping the heroine ("rape doesn't exist in my culture").
But this one was different and both the kidnapping & the raping was openly discussed by the characters.
This novel reminded me a lot of Olivia, because here, the heroine is also a leader for the other human women. Unlike Olivia, though, she doesn't actually pressure the other women to fit in and accept all the abuse ... However, the other women are also a lot less critical of these aliens than Olivia's bunch was of the bat people.
Also, unlike the notorious The Golden Dynasty, which has similar elements like a "hunt" situation, Bhyr isn't racist and anti-feminist. Female characters are given agency (especially the heroine, but others as well) & a voice. The heroine doesn't talk down from a high horse to the others, despite coming from a government job before.
The fact that the FMC's cultural background was Indian was a huge plus for me.
I'd say this is a 3.5 going on 4.
August 31, 2019
Another great unique romance!
I have really enjoyed this series very much and hope that the author will write more books! I liked that characters from the first two books were interwoven with the new ones. Stolen from Earth by marauding aliens, Indira wakes to find herself in a brutal new existence. The world of the Azteca Horde took a while to become more welcoming. The two cultures were so different that finding common ground took a lot of effort, but eventually her mate Bhyr (Who happens to be the leader of them all) begins to see the human women in a different light. Then rebellion among the Horde puts everything at risk. The ending is a very happy one and I recommend this book. I’d advise to read the first two books in order to get more out of the story.
I have really enjoyed this series very much and hope that the author will write more books! I liked that characters from the first two books were interwoven with the new ones. Stolen from Earth by marauding aliens, Indira wakes to find herself in a brutal new existence. The world of the Azteca Horde took a while to become more welcoming. The two cultures were so different that finding common ground took a lot of effort, but eventually her mate Bhyr (Who happens to be the leader of them all) begins to see the human women in a different light. Then rebellion among the Horde puts everything at risk. The ending is a very happy one and I recommend this book. I’d advise to read the first two books in order to get more out of the story.
November 24, 2019
Enjoyable Read
I actually enjoyed this series. Prior to July I have never read sci-fi romances but I’ve been on a binge lately. I first read Venomous and I quite enjoyed it so I was really excited to read the following books. Bhyr was quite good and I enjoyed the characters, I love the dynamics between them and how First developed and grew from when we first met him. Indira is such an amazing lead like all of Fletchers female characters ( which I totally love) .
The sex scenes were super hot as well. I love when I read a book and it’s so far fetched but it’s written in a way where you can still connect with the characters and believe it. Unfortunately there were parts that I did not like but overall it’s a Solid 3/5 stars.
Definitely recommend if you enjoy these types of books.
I actually enjoyed this series. Prior to July I have never read sci-fi romances but I’ve been on a binge lately. I first read Venomous and I quite enjoyed it so I was really excited to read the following books. Bhyr was quite good and I enjoyed the characters, I love the dynamics between them and how First developed and grew from when we first met him. Indira is such an amazing lead like all of Fletchers female characters ( which I totally love) .
The sex scenes were super hot as well. I love when I read a book and it’s so far fetched but it’s written in a way where you can still connect with the characters and believe it. Unfortunately there were parts that I did not like but overall it’s a Solid 3/5 stars.
Definitely recommend if you enjoy these types of books.
February 3, 2022
Would that there were six stars
OK. So I've been distracted....I'd promised a #DarkThanos fanfic and thought I had a distinctly original plot. Then I casually started reading this long long awaited novel from UK indie author, Penelope Fletcher.
Not known for prolific writing, this book genuinely blew me away by its 'otherness'
So I am sulking.
Because the ideas in here are particularly harrowing but oh so good.
Although this is the 3rd in the series it is written as a standalone.
I'll return to Thanos after I've gotten over my loss of 'original ideas'
But enjoy this whilst you're waiting if you've not already met the Aztekans!
OK. So I've been distracted....I'd promised a #DarkThanos fanfic and thought I had a distinctly original plot. Then I casually started reading this long long awaited novel from UK indie author, Penelope Fletcher.
Not known for prolific writing, this book genuinely blew me away by its 'otherness'
So I am sulking.
Because the ideas in here are particularly harrowing but oh so good.
Although this is the 3rd in the series it is written as a standalone.
I'll return to Thanos after I've gotten over my loss of 'original ideas'
But enjoy this whilst you're waiting if you've not already met the Aztekans!
October 11, 2019
Soo much better than the first!
So i never read the second. Didn't realize this was the third in the series until a mention of the Râ was made. By then though, i was hooked on the story. Indira is Indian and she is confidant, yet able to be fragile. She is smart and can still be overwhelmed by emotion. The horde were so interesting as a species, excellent building of the world and its history. The story also gave us a insight into lumen and how she and Sine are doing with their mates.
So i never read the second. Didn't realize this was the third in the series until a mention of the Râ was made. By then though, i was hooked on the story. Indira is Indian and she is confidant, yet able to be fragile. She is smart and can still be overwhelmed by emotion. The horde were so interesting as a species, excellent building of the world and its history. The story also gave us a insight into lumen and how she and Sine are doing with their mates.
October 23, 2019
So good
Omg this book was so good!! I loved the other 2 books in this series and have been waiting for a new one for some time. This was definitely worth the wait. Can't wait for more!!!
Omg this book was so good!! I loved the other 2 books in this series and have been waiting for a new one for some time. This was definitely worth the wait. Can't wait for more!!!
November 20, 2019
I skimmed a lot in this one. The Azteka Horde looked intriguing in the previous books, but it wasn't as much in their own book.
Overall this was pretty weird.
Overall this was pretty weird.
September 22, 2019
Trigger/Content Warning: Rape, suicide. and a lot of violence. A. Lot. Of violence. The Azteka are not a cuddly people in their current state.
I...actually liked this one better than the previous installment. The ThunderClaw boys will always be my favorites (Beowyn is back and shining with some fantastic lines in this book), but while their book had enough issues for me to write a lengthy review on, Bhyr is a pretty solid offering in most ways. Editing on it was much better--though there were still way too many homonym errors and typos--and closer to what I usually expect from a self-published book. The ones I did find were more spread out and not nearly as distracting as before. There was still the occasional missing/extra word problem too, but again, not as bad as the previous book.
Unlike the first two books of this series, Bhyr is weaker in the theme department and felt more like a run-of-the-mill sci-fi romance offering to me. It did not excite me or stimulate me the same way the previous two did. I guess I have come to expect that Fletcher's work in this series will give me something to chew on and consider well after I finish reading, but this book came off as very straight-forward and lacking in that department. It's still good, I just didn't have any Oh! moments with it. It still focuses on what love means in shitty circumstances. But I feel it was too meek when it should have been more bold. The ending of ThunderClaw was chilling and gave the impression Bhyr would be a very dark book; I felt it wasn't any more dark than Venomous was and for many of the same reasons. It felt like a bit of a let down; it feels like a missed opportunity.
So. Let's talk characters.
⤷Indira. Finally! A female lead in this series who is capable and not a brat. Still a touch too young in my opinion for the position she holds (would it have killed anyone to make her a 30-something instead of staying under 30? What is the objection to writing women in their 30s?), Indira is very much a politician-in-training with a bright future ahead of her. She's pragmatic, opportunistic, driven with focus, an all around Has Her Shit Together kind of a woman. Lumen and Sìne both read as girls; Indira is a full grown woman. Indira is very comfortable in her own skin. She knows who she is and doesn't question it. She comes across as very competent and no-nonsense. Any time she starts to panic or mentally spiral, she puts a pin in it to revisit at a more convenient time. So responsible of her. She still makes poor choices, but at least they felt more like genuine judgment errors than petulance and petty rebellion. She spends a lot of time saving herself from her own messes while hoping--but not expecting--to be backed up and saved by Bhyr when things get to a point she can not handle. Being as political and groomed for that life as she is, she is perfect to be paired with Bhyr...who requires a lot of mental gymnastics and compromise to be with. Indira also has the lion's share of phobias that cause her issues and stress throughout the story. Something I'm sure a lot of us can relate to.
I really can't hate on her. She's well-balanced and well developed. A very interesting change from our other ladies in the series.
⤷ Bhyr. I usually have a more positive take on male main characters since authors put more effort into them, but I'm baffled by what happened here. The First presented at the end of ThunderClaw is a terrifying creature with no remorse. The First presented at the very beginning of this book is much the same. Then 1 month of space travel with the human females all in stasis happens and... he's a total cream puff?! What happened here? I was expecting a proper villain who would find some redemption in this story. Instead he was already smitten and half-tamed by the time Indira was woken from her stasis. He barely waffled on what should have been serious issues between his "newly" found wants and long-held beliefs that he was indoctrinated into and is the LIVING REPRESENTATION of. There was no believable conflict to be found. Bhyr was a fairly common alphahole with a wide soft streak. He has some very sweet lines, but there isn't much to dig into with him.
His one sympathetic plight was having to deal with the mess generations of Firsts before him created that are now literally extincting his people (he is part of a generation of...2; the last ones who survived being born). Is it better to adapt, survive, and hope to thrive, or is it better to fade into history with pride and reputation intact?
OK. Two sympathetic plights. As First, Bhyr is responsible as the Everything for his horde. Balancing what he personally wants with what will be good for the horde as a whole does cause him issues and many confrontations. It's difficult to be solely responsible for upholding the Law while having the ability to change it in ways that appear self-serving. The Azteka in general were not warm to change. Shocking, given the state they allowed themselves to end up in.
⤷ The Azteka. SIGH Known throughout the universe as the most fierce and feared of species, they have been hiding some shameful secrets on their home world. Due to issues with their females (who are things of nightmares, omg), the Azteka males developed some horrifying ways to ensure they would never feel weak or vulnerable again. It is reasonable that they felt the need to protect themselves and went on the offensive. However. It worked too well, and now it's killing off their species...but the Azteka are divided generationally in regards to what they want to do about it. The younger want to adapt and live, the older feel dying off with their "purity" intact is the best option.
The Azteka also have these Gifts that are never actually explained. Some of them do, at least.
⤷ The secondary female human characters played an interesting role in this book: they acted as a break in the 4th Wall to debate issues and give varied view points on them. There is a section where the women are having a meeting to discuss their circumstances and what action they as a group want to take. An argument about whether or not they were all raped and what should be done about it breaks out. (Huh... sounds like the review sections on any sci-fi novel that utilizes dubious/no consent in the plot.) While the group is small, every woman has a different opinion on the matter and is handling her abduction in a different way. It was refreshing to see the main character not surrounded by a homogeneous sea of idiocy. All of her named counterparts are intelligent with differing life circumstances and personalities that give them a unique take on events. Even the one character who is arguably Indira's "enemy" is perfectly likable and makes sense within the story. They're simply both women with very strong and opposing view points who refuse to budge.
I was unclear if a 4th book is intended in this series. There seemed to be a hint at a possible one, but it was not presented in the same way as the previous books. Since humanity is compatible with 4 other species, and the incident mentioned is another warrior from the 4th, I can only assume one will eventually come. When it does, I will absolutely read it.
So. Solid effort and an enjoyable book, though not of the same caliber I came to expect after the first 2.
I...actually liked this one better than the previous installment. The ThunderClaw boys will always be my favorites (Beowyn is back and shining with some fantastic lines in this book), but while their book had enough issues for me to write a lengthy review on, Bhyr is a pretty solid offering in most ways. Editing on it was much better--though there were still way too many homonym errors and typos--and closer to what I usually expect from a self-published book. The ones I did find were more spread out and not nearly as distracting as before. There was still the occasional missing/extra word problem too, but again, not as bad as the previous book.
Unlike the first two books of this series, Bhyr is weaker in the theme department and felt more like a run-of-the-mill sci-fi romance offering to me. It did not excite me or stimulate me the same way the previous two did. I guess I have come to expect that Fletcher's work in this series will give me something to chew on and consider well after I finish reading, but this book came off as very straight-forward and lacking in that department. It's still good, I just didn't have any Oh! moments with it. It still focuses on what love means in shitty circumstances. But I feel it was too meek when it should have been more bold. The ending of ThunderClaw was chilling and gave the impression Bhyr would be a very dark book; I felt it wasn't any more dark than Venomous was and for many of the same reasons. It felt like a bit of a let down; it feels like a missed opportunity.
So. Let's talk characters.
⤷Indira. Finally! A female lead in this series who is capable and not a brat. Still a touch too young in my opinion for the position she holds (would it have killed anyone to make her a 30-something instead of staying under 30? What is the objection to writing women in their 30s?), Indira is very much a politician-in-training with a bright future ahead of her. She's pragmatic, opportunistic, driven with focus, an all around Has Her Shit Together kind of a woman. Lumen and Sìne both read as girls; Indira is a full grown woman. Indira is very comfortable in her own skin. She knows who she is and doesn't question it. She comes across as very competent and no-nonsense. Any time she starts to panic or mentally spiral, she puts a pin in it to revisit at a more convenient time. So responsible of her. She still makes poor choices, but at least they felt more like genuine judgment errors than petulance and petty rebellion. She spends a lot of time saving herself from her own messes while hoping--but not expecting--to be backed up and saved by Bhyr when things get to a point she can not handle. Being as political and groomed for that life as she is, she is perfect to be paired with Bhyr...who requires a lot of mental gymnastics and compromise to be with. Indira also has the lion's share of phobias that cause her issues and stress throughout the story. Something I'm sure a lot of us can relate to.
I really can't hate on her. She's well-balanced and well developed. A very interesting change from our other ladies in the series.
⤷ Bhyr. I usually have a more positive take on male main characters since authors put more effort into them, but I'm baffled by what happened here. The First presented at the end of ThunderClaw is a terrifying creature with no remorse. The First presented at the very beginning of this book is much the same. Then 1 month of space travel with the human females all in stasis happens and... he's a total cream puff?! What happened here? I was expecting a proper villain who would find some redemption in this story. Instead he was already smitten and half-tamed by the time Indira was woken from her stasis. He barely waffled on what should have been serious issues between his "newly" found wants and long-held beliefs that he was indoctrinated into and is the LIVING REPRESENTATION of. There was no believable conflict to be found. Bhyr was a fairly common alphahole with a wide soft streak. He has some very sweet lines, but there isn't much to dig into with him.
His one sympathetic plight was having to deal with the mess generations of Firsts before him created that are now literally extincting his people (he is part of a generation of...2; the last ones who survived being born). Is it better to adapt, survive, and hope to thrive, or is it better to fade into history with pride and reputation intact?
OK. Two sympathetic plights. As First, Bhyr is responsible as the Everything for his horde. Balancing what he personally wants with what will be good for the horde as a whole does cause him issues and many confrontations. It's difficult to be solely responsible for upholding the Law while having the ability to change it in ways that appear self-serving. The Azteka in general were not warm to change. Shocking, given the state they allowed themselves to end up in.
⤷ The Azteka. SIGH Known throughout the universe as the most fierce and feared of species, they have been hiding some shameful secrets on their home world. Due to issues with their females (who are things of nightmares, omg), the Azteka males developed some horrifying ways to ensure they would never feel weak or vulnerable again. It is reasonable that they felt the need to protect themselves and went on the offensive. However. It worked too well, and now it's killing off their species...but the Azteka are divided generationally in regards to what they want to do about it. The younger want to adapt and live, the older feel dying off with their "purity" intact is the best option.
The Azteka also have these Gifts that are never actually explained. Some of them do, at least.
⤷ The secondary female human characters played an interesting role in this book: they acted as a break in the 4th Wall to debate issues and give varied view points on them. There is a section where the women are having a meeting to discuss their circumstances and what action they as a group want to take. An argument about whether or not they were all raped and what should be done about it breaks out. (Huh... sounds like the review sections on any sci-fi novel that utilizes dubious/no consent in the plot.) While the group is small, every woman has a different opinion on the matter and is handling her abduction in a different way. It was refreshing to see the main character not surrounded by a homogeneous sea of idiocy. All of her named counterparts are intelligent with differing life circumstances and personalities that give them a unique take on events. Even the one character who is arguably Indira's "enemy" is perfectly likable and makes sense within the story. They're simply both women with very strong and opposing view points who refuse to budge.
I was unclear if a 4th book is intended in this series. There seemed to be a hint at a possible one, but it was not presented in the same way as the previous books. Since humanity is compatible with 4 other species, and the incident mentioned is another warrior from the 4th, I can only assume one will eventually come. When it does, I will absolutely read it.
So. Solid effort and an enjoyable book, though not of the same caliber I came to expect after the first 2.
December 23, 2019
I loved "Venomous ",really liked "Thunderclaw" and am utterly and completely dissapointed by "Bhyr".
I waited for this book,hoped and was so glad to finally get it in my hands and then,while reading it, my most common thought was- I can't believe what a crap it is.
If you have read previous installments, fell in love with characters and hoped this book will be as good if not better,forget it. You,who open this book,leave all hope behind.It is not what we were promised, it is not caracters we glimpsed before. This bunch here is not the Horde we had met. Instead we are given Aztec warriors with human like minds,emotions, reactions. Bhyr is not ice cold nightmare turned lover,no,instead we are fed that he is tortured soul with progressive and open mind . It is insta-love, insta-lust . Nothing of what I expected, nothing of what I was promised. He is not even a good or feared leader of most feared race.
The heroine...well,author tried. She was supposed to be strong and smart. Instead I got a woman who for an orgasm will forget rape,dismissed everything done to her without even a fight. How was I supposed to react to a rape victim climbing on top of her raper for more? Was I supposed to relate to her? Understand her? Her only achievement is being chosen by Bhyr. Was that supposed to make her special? I couldn't respect her,never mind like her.
This book was not worth waiting for and I am angry for my crushed hopes.
I waited for this book,hoped and was so glad to finally get it in my hands and then,while reading it, my most common thought was- I can't believe what a crap it is.
If you have read previous installments, fell in love with characters and hoped this book will be as good if not better,forget it. You,who open this book,leave all hope behind.It is not what we were promised, it is not caracters we glimpsed before. This bunch here is not the Horde we had met. Instead we are given Aztec warriors with human like minds,emotions, reactions. Bhyr is not ice cold nightmare turned lover,no,instead we are fed that he is tortured soul with progressive and open mind . It is insta-love, insta-lust . Nothing of what I expected, nothing of what I was promised. He is not even a good or feared leader of most feared race.
The heroine...well,author tried. She was supposed to be strong and smart. Instead I got a woman who for an orgasm will forget rape,dismissed everything done to her without even a fight. How was I supposed to react to a rape victim climbing on top of her raper for more? Was I supposed to relate to her? Understand her? Her only achievement is being chosen by Bhyr. Was that supposed to make her special? I couldn't respect her,never mind like her.
This book was not worth waiting for and I am angry for my crushed hopes.
May 13, 2022
good read but a lot of questions.
In Thunderclaw, Bhyr was not a good character. At all. So for him to do a 180 at 35% in this book, I’m not buying it. So here’s my thing, a lot of readers won’t like these books/series because a lot of rape happens throughout the books. It’s giving Stockholm’s because it honestly romanticizes being abducted and falling in love with your abductor. What I gather from this is that the author is trying to bring awareness to rape and highlight consent. The author does this by the female lead teaching the race of aliens of their wrongdoings. To me where the author falls short is that these aliens KNOW it’s wrong but they just don’t care. My other hang up Bhyr killed her grandfather.
What I will say is Indie has been the strongest female character from the series but they’re all hypocrites.
I don’t understand why Indies voice was messed up.
Some words didn’t have an explanation for what they were. I wish something’s were better explained. Bhyr’s blood was purple, why was Rahm’s red?
Were beings not considered mates until the testing?
I wish we got a story on Baxnonians.
In Thunderclaw, Bhyr was not a good character. At all. So for him to do a 180 at 35% in this book, I’m not buying it. So here’s my thing, a lot of readers won’t like these books/series because a lot of rape happens throughout the books. It’s giving Stockholm’s because it honestly romanticizes being abducted and falling in love with your abductor. What I gather from this is that the author is trying to bring awareness to rape and highlight consent. The author does this by the female lead teaching the race of aliens of their wrongdoings. To me where the author falls short is that these aliens KNOW it’s wrong but they just don’t care. My other hang up Bhyr killed her grandfather.
What I will say is Indie has been the strongest female character from the series but they’re all hypocrites.
I don’t understand why Indies voice was messed up.
Some words didn’t have an explanation for what they were. I wish something’s were better explained. Bhyr’s blood was purple, why was Rahm’s red?
Were beings not considered mates until the testing?
I wish we got a story on Baxnonians.
December 23, 2021
I picture Bhyr looking like the Night King from Game of Thrones. I realize that's not totally accurate but leave me alone okay. That being said, I feel like he didn't really live up to his full brutal potential (being First of the Azteka Horde dreaded, feared and hated Destruction's priest). Not everyone likes dark books and this one had the potential to be Dark with a capital D. So, I can appreciate Penelope Fletcher's ability to balance that with romance. Near the end when Cristina "grabbed her crotch and pretended to quail. [Saying] Don't stab me" I totally cracked me up. Hilarious ending to a great fight scene with the Queen. Overall, although the book began a little on the slow side, it still maintained the amazing world building that the rest of the series is known for. I loved it so much. For maximum enjoyment the books should be read in order Venomous first, Thunderclaw then this one.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 7, 2019
Penelope Fletcher back and oh boy she wrote a delightfully wicked adventure!!! This one pulls you in and takes you on an emotional journey with Indira and Bhyr. One of pain, hurt, self discovery and forgiveness. India and Bhyr face off after he's abducted her from earth, but through their arguments and her not backing down to his attempts at subjugation, they learn to communicate and care for one another. She finds that he is the desperate leader of a dying race, chosen to do what his people need, with traditions steeped in retributive fear. But Indira helps them both find common ground to do what is now best for the stolen women in order to adjust. But some dissension in Bhyr's Horde has caused a civil war, that they must navigate together in order to survive.
A thrilling adventure indeed and I can't wait for the next.
A thrilling adventure indeed and I can't wait for the next.
July 19, 2023
DNF @58%
1.5stars
Plot: OKAY 6/10
Characters: TERRIBLE 2/10
Female lead: weak.
Male lead(s): Alien/ Controlling.
Recommend: Nope
Read it again: No.
Continue with series: Yes ( if there is more?)
Writing style: Good
Read more from this author(s): Yes.
I get so mad at characters like this. It makes me question my own anger. Am i a hothead?
Christina as a best friend is shit. I dont like her and would have dropped her as a friend a long time ago. The final straw was her nominating Indira to be the leader of all the abducted women. She didn't tell her friend a vote was happening but nominated her and voted for her. She's a shit person. She also stopped Indira from stepping in when Ella was being raped in front of everyone. Sure she may have been punished but at least it would have shown Ella that they cared about her well-being.
1.5stars
Plot: OKAY 6/10
Characters: TERRIBLE 2/10
Female lead: weak.
Male lead(s): Alien/ Controlling.
Recommend: Nope
Read it again: No.
Continue with series: Yes ( if there is more?)
Writing style: Good
Read more from this author(s): Yes.
I get so mad at characters like this. It makes me question my own anger. Am i a hothead?
Christina as a best friend is shit. I dont like her and would have dropped her as a friend a long time ago. The final straw was her nominating Indira to be the leader of all the abducted women. She didn't tell her friend a vote was happening but nominated her and voted for her. She's a shit person. She also stopped Indira from stepping in when Ella was being raped in front of everyone. Sure she may have been punished but at least it would have shown Ella that they cared about her well-being.
November 17, 2019
I Give this Book a 5/5 Star Rating!
HEA(?): Yes
Dark: (To Me) This Book was 2.5-3ish/5 Dark, I do kinda wish it was a bit dark to make the HEA even more impactful.
But it may be Darker for Other Readers.
Heat: 5/5
Romance: 5/5
Suspense: 5/5
Drama: 5/5
No Spoilers.
This was a super important read of the series, you would miss some crucial info if you jump the book.
I was drawn in from the very beginning and very much liked this book!
I Very much enjoy this series, I wish this book was even longer cause I don’t want to leave it! Lol
I CANNOT wait to see who’s book is Next!
I Am Most Definitely Going To Be Reading More Of This Authors Books! :D
HEA(?): Yes
Dark: (To Me) This Book was 2.5-3ish/5 Dark, I do kinda wish it was a bit dark to make the HEA even more impactful.
But it may be Darker for Other Readers.
Heat: 5/5
Romance: 5/5
Suspense: 5/5
Drama: 5/5
No Spoilers.
This was a super important read of the series, you would miss some crucial info if you jump the book.
I was drawn in from the very beginning and very much liked this book!
I Very much enjoy this series, I wish this book was even longer cause I don’t want to leave it! Lol
I CANNOT wait to see who’s book is Next!
I Am Most Definitely Going To Be Reading More Of This Authors Books! :D
September 18, 2019
I took my time with this book as the author takes years to release a follow on to the series. Bhyr has many sensitive topics and I was expecting it to be darker. The female did not seem like the correct character that was reflected in the ending of thunderclaw. The development in the characters relationship was good but the book felt like something was off which is why I did not give it 5 stars. It was still an enjoyable read but be careful with the triggers
October 19, 2019
Wow! What a conclusion to one of the best series I've ever read. I absolutely loved Venomous, was kinda conflicted with Book 2 but I am again enthralled with this world. I feel we are not fine yet but we'll see. Indira was a pretty good heroine, except when she jumped out of the ship - that was just stupid. I liked that she never lost her head, never gave up and thought through her options. All in all, another book to add to my list of favourites.
August 28, 2019
The whole abused kidnapped/captive by the hero theme is so played out. The first few pages even were anxiety inducing and annoying with how the female went from fighting to all of a sudden 'playing along'. It's a no from me.
January 19, 2022
3.5 stars. This is a hard one to review. The first half was a very low 3, but the second half was 4 stars. I almost gave up once or twice.
This is a rather long book and it’s quite violent at time, with many trigger warnings. There is rape, seduced non-con, abuse, and psychological trauma. There’s some Stockholm syndrome too, IMO.
The thing you have to understand to make the first half of the book tolerable is that these aliens have withdrawn from the universe to hide their weakness from others (the dwindling population due to less women and less births), so they haven’t had much experience seeing how other species’ males and females interact. All they know is how they were raised. Because of a very long history that I won’t explain here, their females (the very few that remain) are a slave race of breeders. To their species, females are a thing that the men use. Females don’t even have names. Their females are also much much stronger than the men, so they are kept chained or penned up at all times. The only good law they follow regarding women is that if a man chooses a breeder then he is responsible for its care (feed it and ensure it lives). Oh, but kill it as soon as it bears you a son, that way the men don’t risk developing any feelings for “it” (the female).
So, with his species dying out, and with this “we are the Horde (scourge of the universe) and women are things to be used” mentality, the leader targets Earth and takes a few hundred women. They chain the human women and treat them barely as good as one would a pet. They have zero empathy for the women (at first). They use devices to stimulate/arouse the women and then rape them. Some of the rapes are flat out rape, while some are seduced non-con (meaning she starts out saying no but is so turned on that she eventually stops fighting or even says yes).
Over time, the men, at least the younger generations who aren’t old enough to remember “the good old days” of breeding and discarding females, begin to feel some empathy for the human women and start to treat them better—allowing them to speak, learning their names, not forcing them to sleep on the floor, not chaining them up; you know, real romantic shit. LOL. It’s a long journey, but eventually relationships start to form, specially as the men exhibit a willingness to change and the women learn the Horde’s history and why the men act the way they do. Some of the older generations are flat out abusive of their women and several deaths occur. After many weeks, the treatment of the women becomes a divisive issue in the Horde, with the women caught in the middle. And that leads into the second half of the book, which I found much more enjoyable once the men weren’t treating the women as objects anymore. Well, in some ways they still did, but they were willing to learn and change, and that mattered a lot.
The rapes in the first half of the book were a very touchy subject. The women even argue about it among themselves. They were genuinely raped, but the men honestly didn’t know any better. So, if the men change their ways, can you forgive their earlier actions? Can you forgive the fact that a third of the women who were taken (I think it was 800 or so originally) didn’t survive due to abuse, suicide, or death during an test/challenge the men made them participate in early on? But the men do change, and they become very loving and devoted. They even go to war to defend the women and change their whole society. It’s a tough moral dilemma. I’m still not sure where I fall on the topic. By the end, I really enjoyed the book and liked all the characters. But I’m not sure I was able to put myself in the main characters shoes. I don’t think I could have been forgiving of that shit. Or maybe I could have forgiven, but not loved him. I really don’t know.
The second half of the book contains a lot of adventure (getting lost on the alien planet, fighting traitors among the Horde, fighting a war, etc). If you can make it through the tougher first half of the book, you’ll be rewarded by the end. And, bonus, we get to see the characters from books 1 and 2 again before it’s all over.
This is a rather long book and it’s quite violent at time, with many trigger warnings. There is rape, seduced non-con, abuse, and psychological trauma. There’s some Stockholm syndrome too, IMO.
The thing you have to understand to make the first half of the book tolerable is that these aliens have withdrawn from the universe to hide their weakness from others (the dwindling population due to less women and less births), so they haven’t had much experience seeing how other species’ males and females interact. All they know is how they were raised. Because of a very long history that I won’t explain here, their females (the very few that remain) are a slave race of breeders. To their species, females are a thing that the men use. Females don’t even have names. Their females are also much much stronger than the men, so they are kept chained or penned up at all times. The only good law they follow regarding women is that if a man chooses a breeder then he is responsible for its care (feed it and ensure it lives). Oh, but kill it as soon as it bears you a son, that way the men don’t risk developing any feelings for “it” (the female).
So, with his species dying out, and with this “we are the Horde (scourge of the universe) and women are things to be used” mentality, the leader targets Earth and takes a few hundred women. They chain the human women and treat them barely as good as one would a pet. They have zero empathy for the women (at first). They use devices to stimulate/arouse the women and then rape them. Some of the rapes are flat out rape, while some are seduced non-con (meaning she starts out saying no but is so turned on that she eventually stops fighting or even says yes).
Over time, the men, at least the younger generations who aren’t old enough to remember “the good old days” of breeding and discarding females, begin to feel some empathy for the human women and start to treat them better—allowing them to speak, learning their names, not forcing them to sleep on the floor, not chaining them up; you know, real romantic shit. LOL. It’s a long journey, but eventually relationships start to form, specially as the men exhibit a willingness to change and the women learn the Horde’s history and why the men act the way they do. Some of the older generations are flat out abusive of their women and several deaths occur. After many weeks, the treatment of the women becomes a divisive issue in the Horde, with the women caught in the middle. And that leads into the second half of the book, which I found much more enjoyable once the men weren’t treating the women as objects anymore. Well, in some ways they still did, but they were willing to learn and change, and that mattered a lot.
The rapes in the first half of the book were a very touchy subject. The women even argue about it among themselves. They were genuinely raped, but the men honestly didn’t know any better. So, if the men change their ways, can you forgive their earlier actions? Can you forgive the fact that a third of the women who were taken (I think it was 800 or so originally) didn’t survive due to abuse, suicide, or death during an test/challenge the men made them participate in early on? But the men do change, and they become very loving and devoted. They even go to war to defend the women and change their whole society. It’s a tough moral dilemma. I’m still not sure where I fall on the topic. By the end, I really enjoyed the book and liked all the characters. But I’m not sure I was able to put myself in the main characters shoes. I don’t think I could have been forgiving of that shit. Or maybe I could have forgiven, but not loved him. I really don’t know.
The second half of the book contains a lot of adventure (getting lost on the alien planet, fighting traitors among the Horde, fighting a war, etc). If you can make it through the tougher first half of the book, you’ll be rewarded by the end. And, bonus, we get to see the characters from books 1 and 2 again before it’s all over.
November 20, 2024
2.5⭐️
I have so many thoughts on this book, I don’t know where to begin. Some of it was good, a lot of it was problematic to say the least. Overall, this just fell short of what I’ve come to expect in this series. The first book was fantastic, the second enjoyable, this one had good moments but doesn’t hold up under scrutiny.
It’ll take a while to organize my thoughts, but these are the basics. I really did not like the FMC, I thought she was a bit of a bitch, sometimes rather stupid, and just not a girls girl. What was promised in the epilogue of the last book was not delivered. Maybe if the epilogue hadn’t made it seem like this book would be super dark, it’d be less of a letdown, because this story ended up featuring really a species meant to be terrifying who ends up just being cuddly. Violent themes are not dealt with properly. The first book in my opinion is much darker than this, and yet treats its material appropriately, whereas this was just glossed over. Don’t even get me started on that wild conversation between the women where the FMC tries to gaslight another woman into believe SA isn’t that bad (no words, just no words.)
As for the good? The world building is still pretty strong. Each planet and species in this series stays unique, and we explore their worlds and culture quite well. The romance was actually sweet and believable. The smut was much better than the first two books, better described and a bit more varied.
I have so many thoughts on this book, I don’t know where to begin. Some of it was good, a lot of it was problematic to say the least. Overall, this just fell short of what I’ve come to expect in this series. The first book was fantastic, the second enjoyable, this one had good moments but doesn’t hold up under scrutiny.
It’ll take a while to organize my thoughts, but these are the basics. I really did not like the FMC, I thought she was a bit of a bitch, sometimes rather stupid, and just not a girls girl. What was promised in the epilogue of the last book was not delivered. Maybe if the epilogue hadn’t made it seem like this book would be super dark, it’d be less of a letdown, because this story ended up featuring really a species meant to be terrifying who ends up just being cuddly. Violent themes are not dealt with properly. The first book in my opinion is much darker than this, and yet treats its material appropriately, whereas this was just glossed over. Don’t even get me started on that wild conversation between the women where the FMC tries to gaslight another woman into believe SA isn’t that bad (no words, just no words.)
As for the good? The world building is still pretty strong. Each planet and species in this series stays unique, and we explore their worlds and culture quite well. The romance was actually sweet and believable. The smut was much better than the first two books, better described and a bit more varied.
March 19, 2023
Each entry in this series is quite different, and involves a different type of alien. The first was lizard-like, the second was leonine, and this one is insectoid. This is also the grittiest and most violent of the three. There are numerous killings on-page, as well as a few rapes. They are treated as abhorrent, and dealt with appropriately. However, if you have triggers, or don't like a lot of gruesome fight scenes, you might pass.
The trope is that Earth women get kidnapped to rescue an alien species that can't procreate anymore. This follows that plot line closely, but with some serious twists. Our heroine rises to the challenge and fights for her autonomy - literally. She takes a knife to her captor, and later kills three significant opponents who are key to the story. She also has some hot and wild sex.
Points to the author for developing a solid history, and creating conflicts with consequences. In addition, she created a way of speaking for the alien men that was awkward to read, which amplified the differences. This was occasionally annoying, but I appreciated the impact this style provided.
This is not as depressing as Gann, and if you liked that, I think you'll like this one.
There is potential for additional books, but the author has been quiet for several years.
The trope is that Earth women get kidnapped to rescue an alien species that can't procreate anymore. This follows that plot line closely, but with some serious twists. Our heroine rises to the challenge and fights for her autonomy - literally. She takes a knife to her captor, and later kills three significant opponents who are key to the story. She also has some hot and wild sex.
Points to the author for developing a solid history, and creating conflicts with consequences. In addition, she created a way of speaking for the alien men that was awkward to read, which amplified the differences. This was occasionally annoying, but I appreciated the impact this style provided.
This is not as depressing as Gann, and if you liked that, I think you'll like this one.
There is potential for additional books, but the author has been quiet for several years.
August 30, 2020
I really enjoyed this book. I thought it was very creative, with no holds barred, and I found it hard to put this book down at times. Did I agree with everything written? No, but from a biological point of view I do understand that the drive for species survival can be strong. Of the eleven organ systems that make up the human body the reproductive system is the only organ system that an individual can can live without; however, a species will not survive if the individuals of that species fail to procreate. That is what this book was all about.
I liked the imagination and creativity that went into the story. It was gory and gruesome at times but so is real life, remember this is a work of fiction, science fiction to be exact. I really like how Fletcher thinks out side the box. How she blurred the line of what should and should not be acceptable. Nature is one mean bitch and survival of the fittest is truly a struggle. FYI: the fitness of a species is not measure by how intelligent or strong or even by its ferocity BUT by how well they can reproduce.
I liked the imagination and creativity that went into the story. It was gory and gruesome at times but so is real life, remember this is a work of fiction, science fiction to be exact. I really like how Fletcher thinks out side the box. How she blurred the line of what should and should not be acceptable. Nature is one mean bitch and survival of the fittest is truly a struggle. FYI: the fitness of a species is not measure by how intelligent or strong or even by its ferocity BUT by how well they can reproduce.
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