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Blades of Arris #1
Sithe
It’s a routine mission. Hunt down the ones who dared – dared – steal our sacred procreation metal from us, the rulers of the empire.
The Arrisans conquered Earth in a day. They smashed into our helpless planet like a wrecking ball, and overnight, everything changed.
That’s what our history books say.
The truth is, I’ve never seen an Arrisan face-to-face. But when my lone medical ship is attacked by ruthless pirates, the nightmare that hunts them down is no hero. Cloaked in assassin’s gray, metal scythes fused to his wrist-bones, he is the grim reaper of the conquerors. The Arrisan elite special forces. A blade.
Luckily for me, he’s in a good mood now that he’s the last man standing in the blood-soaked ruins of my bridge, so he lets me live. After all, I’m just a lesser. Clearly I’m no threat.
Until his body starts reacting to mine…
*** From the author of the Lords of Atlantis and Onyx Dragons comes a dazzling new series full of unique alien shifters, fierce passion, and loyal warriors who find their fated mates in the stars. Each full-length book is a complete romance with an epic happily-ever-after. Claim your conqueror today!
The Arrisans conquered Earth in a day. They smashed into our helpless planet like a wrecking ball, and overnight, everything changed.
That’s what our history books say.
The truth is, I’ve never seen an Arrisan face-to-face. But when my lone medical ship is attacked by ruthless pirates, the nightmare that hunts them down is no hero. Cloaked in assassin’s gray, metal scythes fused to his wrist-bones, he is the grim reaper of the conquerors. The Arrisan elite special forces. A blade.
Luckily for me, he’s in a good mood now that he’s the last man standing in the blood-soaked ruins of my bridge, so he lets me live. After all, I’m just a lesser. Clearly I’m no threat.
Until his body starts reacting to mine…
*** From the author of the Lords of Atlantis and Onyx Dragons comes a dazzling new series full of unique alien shifters, fierce passion, and loyal warriors who find their fated mates in the stars. Each full-length book is a complete romance with an epic happily-ever-after. Claim your conqueror today!
328 pages, Paperback
Published September 21, 2021
135 people are currently reading
1655 people want to read
About the author
Starla Night
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Starla Night was born on a hot July at midnight. She hikes, scuba dives, and swims naked in the ocean. She writes about smoking-hot dragon-shifter billionaires and steamy alpha merman-shifters at StarlaNight.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 102 reviews
March 17, 2023
Strange world!
The following ratings are out of 5:
Romance: 💙💚💜
Heat/Steam: 🔥🔥🔥
Story/Plot: 📕📗📘
World building: 🌎🌍🌏🌎
Character development: 😠🙃😍
Narration: 🎙🎙🎙🎙🎙
Narration Type: Dual Narration
The heroine: Caterine - she is sent away from her home because she feels she caused her parents so much pain and anxiety. She has a disease that causes her to want sex all the time, she goes out and meets new men, sleeps with them and leaves them. She has a craving to be whole and thinks that a piece of her missing. She feels the disease has destroyed her life, she used to have dreams, though they are gone now, her existence is slipping away. The same disease drives her away from all her male relatives. Her father lives in another country and can’t be near her. When she is gone, her parents can be together again. She is leaving on a space cruiser with other women like her.
The Hero: Sithe - The Arrisans conquered Earth very quickly years ago and are a fierce alien race. Though most young people on Earth have never seen an Arrisan. Sithe is an Arrisan “Blade”, an assassin in the Elite special forces. He sees an old cruiser from one of the lesser planets that his people have conquered being overrun by pirates. He is able to kill the Arubisan’s (parasitic pirates) that he has been chasing for a while.
The Story: The space cruiser Caterine is on, is filled with women with the same disease, though some are affected a bit differently than others. They have all agreed to face any danger for the hope of a cure. While out in space, the cruiser is attacked by pirates, and the women are told to get into the escape pods. Caterine, gets in a pod which is broken and she is stuck when the cruiser is overrun by the pirates, then everyone is killed by Sithe when he comes upon a group mating between the Arubisan males and Caterine. I wasn’t fond of this scene at all.
This book was different than any alien romance I have read or listened to before. Though Sithe is a strong assassin, the way his society is designed makes him have little power of his own. He is just like a cog in a big machine, so when he decides to save Caterine and wants to keep her with him, they have to find a way to do it because the Arrisan empire directs everything he does. He basically only follows orders like a robot. It was just a strange world, when most alien romances have the idea of mates, this world doesn’t have anything like that. Thought it was interesting.
This book was told in dual points of view via dual narration and was narrated by Lance Greenfield, Cindy Kay and with a special appearance by Connor Crais. Lance has a good voice and displays a lot of emotion with his voice. Cindy has a sort of deep, yet feminine voice which I enjoyed, and Connor Crais is a fantastic narrator as well.
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The following ratings are out of 5:
Romance: 💙💚💜
Heat/Steam: 🔥🔥🔥
Story/Plot: 📕📗📘
World building: 🌎🌍🌏🌎
Character development: 😠🙃😍
Narration: 🎙🎙🎙🎙🎙
Narration Type: Dual Narration
The heroine: Caterine - she is sent away from her home because she feels she caused her parents so much pain and anxiety. She has a disease that causes her to want sex all the time, she goes out and meets new men, sleeps with them and leaves them. She has a craving to be whole and thinks that a piece of her missing. She feels the disease has destroyed her life, she used to have dreams, though they are gone now, her existence is slipping away. The same disease drives her away from all her male relatives. Her father lives in another country and can’t be near her. When she is gone, her parents can be together again. She is leaving on a space cruiser with other women like her.
The Hero: Sithe - The Arrisans conquered Earth very quickly years ago and are a fierce alien race. Though most young people on Earth have never seen an Arrisan. Sithe is an Arrisan “Blade”, an assassin in the Elite special forces. He sees an old cruiser from one of the lesser planets that his people have conquered being overrun by pirates. He is able to kill the Arubisan’s (parasitic pirates) that he has been chasing for a while.
The Story: The space cruiser Caterine is on, is filled with women with the same disease, though some are affected a bit differently than others. They have all agreed to face any danger for the hope of a cure. While out in space, the cruiser is attacked by pirates, and the women are told to get into the escape pods. Caterine, gets in a pod which is broken and she is stuck when the cruiser is overrun by the pirates, then everyone is killed by Sithe when he comes upon a group mating between the Arubisan males and Caterine. I wasn’t fond of this scene at all.
This book was different than any alien romance I have read or listened to before. Though Sithe is a strong assassin, the way his society is designed makes him have little power of his own. He is just like a cog in a big machine, so when he decides to save Caterine and wants to keep her with him, they have to find a way to do it because the Arrisan empire directs everything he does. He basically only follows orders like a robot. It was just a strange world, when most alien romances have the idea of mates, this world doesn’t have anything like that. Thought it was interesting.
This book was told in dual points of view via dual narration and was narrated by Lance Greenfield, Cindy Kay and with a special appearance by Connor Crais. Lance has a good voice and displays a lot of emotion with his voice. Cindy has a sort of deep, yet feminine voice which I enjoyed, and Connor Crais is a fantastic narrator as well.
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September 17, 2022
Audio - 2 Stars
Story - 2 Stars
Story - 2 Stars
September 22, 2021
No no no no no
5% Dnf
The h has a desease that makes her go out and have sex with strangers.
When the hero finds her, she’s being gang raped by aliens (it’s rape cause she doesn’t want this and has the disease)
“Oh yes! Yes! more! Male grunting noise
Uhm
This should be in the description or at least a trigger warning so that the reader can decide to buy this book or not based on this
Big ick for me
5% Dnf
The h has a desease that makes her go out and have sex with strangers.
When the hero finds her, she’s being gang raped by aliens (it’s rape cause she doesn’t want this and has the disease)
“Oh yes! Yes! more! Male grunting noise
Uhm
This should be in the description or at least a trigger warning so that the reader can decide to buy this book or not based on this
Big ick for me
February 24, 2022
Heroine has a “disease” that causes her to lose all moral agency and spread her legs for any random male to rut into her like a whore. Apparently sliming from male to male is something she just can’t control. Utterly disgusting and grotesque and I’m out.
May 17, 2022
The hero is a combo of Spock & Wolverine, and he calls himself the blade
⚠️Before you begin⚠️
It starts out in the deep-end of the smut-pool with the heroine having a form of nymphomania. I'm no connoisseur, but even the raunchiest of hentais will establish a few things before they bust out the nympho trope. I think some might need to brace themselves for this intro lol
🛑But wait!!🛑
I figured from the rough start the whole book would be dumb, but then it becomes kinda cute?? There's actually interesting details about how the world works and humanity's status in the galaxy? and then there's actually a decent romance based around consent and discovering yourself and your partner? what is this????
I know this isn't for everyone. If you can stomach the beginning, then you'll probably be alright with the book.
Other notes:
-whats with the weird obsession over the Twitch-Streamer cat ears
⚠️Before you begin⚠️
It starts out in the deep-end of the smut-pool with the heroine having a form of nymphomania. I'm no connoisseur, but even the raunchiest of hentais will establish a few things before they bust out the nympho trope. I think some might need to brace themselves for this intro lol
🛑But wait!!🛑
I figured from the rough start the whole book would be dumb, but then it becomes kinda cute?? There's actually interesting details about how the world works and humanity's status in the galaxy? and then there's actually a decent romance based around consent and discovering yourself and your partner? what is this????
I know this isn't for everyone. If you can stomach the beginning, then you'll probably be alright with the book.
Other notes:
-whats with the weird obsession over the Twitch-Streamer cat ears
September 15, 2022
4.5
Well, well, well- this was surprisingly romantic read towards the end of the book considering I thought I was just going to be some sci-fi smut in the beginning. (but don't worry there was still some pretty good smut 😉 )
Kai was the strong silent type that really respected his partner, and dang I would too because Catarine was one smart cookie! Looking forward to the next book!
I’ll be her blade. She’ll be my tongue. And together we’ll create a future where we can belong. Because our love will endure like our drive to defend it, we will fight. To the very last star.
Well, well, well- this was surprisingly romantic read towards the end of the book considering I thought I was just going to be some sci-fi smut in the beginning. (but don't worry there was still some pretty good smut 😉 )
Kai was the strong silent type that really respected his partner, and dang I would too because Catarine was one smart cookie! Looking forward to the next book!
September 19, 2021
(audiobook) Alien species: check. Unknown technologies: check. Interplanetary politics: check. Yep, this is a science fiction romance, no doubt. With a side of extra sexy due to a disease that forces the heroine to copulate with any male she meets–regardless of the species. Luckily for her, Sithe, the alien warrior she encounters by chance, seems to be made for her, and he’ll be able to quench her uncontrollable desires.
Though I’m usually not a fan of dubious consent, I rather enjoyed that aspect of the story, because it comes with a unique and interesting change in the male character. Sithe starts out as a cold, unfeeling assassin. A dangerous Spock, if you will. He analyzes everything logically, and never learned to use his heart instead of his brain. Hence, when he loses control of his body, and begins to feel things and have unexplainable urges and impulses, I liked it a lot.
On the other hand, Catarine is the victim of her illness that keeps her from using her mind. It makes her horny and stupid. She’s kind of like Sithe, in a way. And her encounter with the alien helps her control her own impulses. The changes she undergoes will shake the universe. Truly.
This SF romance is quite characters driven–none of the events of the story would have happened if Catarine and Sithe hadn’t been who they are. And if their relationship hadn’t been so intense and sort of symbiotic. While Sithe shows Catherine the advanced technologies that his species has created, and explains the politics of the Empire, she’s pushing him to be in touch with his emotions, and teaches him how relationships work. The fact that they’re one of a kind is the engine of the story.
A story full of action, adventure and violence, with a quick pace and rarely a dull moment. Since it’s the beginning of a new series, a lot of side characters are introduced, some of them allies, some of them enemies, and a few of them somewhere in the middle. They’ll undoubtedly be the main characters in future stories, promising an entertaining series.
The narrators cast for the audiobook were perfect for their roles, the male narrator expressing Sithe’s cold logical mind, and the female narrator offering all the nuances of Catarine. The appearances of a third narrator–justified by a couple of chapters from Zai’s, Sithe’s boss, point of view–prepare the reader for the next book in the series.
Quickie
- Series: Blades of Arris #1 (can be read as a standalone)
- Hashtags: #SF romance #fated mates
- Triggers: dubious consent, violence, deaths
- Main couple: Catarine & Sithe
- Hotness: 4/5
- Romance: 3/5
- + a fabulous world building
- – I always feel the fated mates trope is used to skip the seduction between the characters
Though I’m usually not a fan of dubious consent, I rather enjoyed that aspect of the story, because it comes with a unique and interesting change in the male character. Sithe starts out as a cold, unfeeling assassin. A dangerous Spock, if you will. He analyzes everything logically, and never learned to use his heart instead of his brain. Hence, when he loses control of his body, and begins to feel things and have unexplainable urges and impulses, I liked it a lot.
On the other hand, Catarine is the victim of her illness that keeps her from using her mind. It makes her horny and stupid. She’s kind of like Sithe, in a way. And her encounter with the alien helps her control her own impulses. The changes she undergoes will shake the universe. Truly.
This SF romance is quite characters driven–none of the events of the story would have happened if Catarine and Sithe hadn’t been who they are. And if their relationship hadn’t been so intense and sort of symbiotic. While Sithe shows Catherine the advanced technologies that his species has created, and explains the politics of the Empire, she’s pushing him to be in touch with his emotions, and teaches him how relationships work. The fact that they’re one of a kind is the engine of the story.
A story full of action, adventure and violence, with a quick pace and rarely a dull moment. Since it’s the beginning of a new series, a lot of side characters are introduced, some of them allies, some of them enemies, and a few of them somewhere in the middle. They’ll undoubtedly be the main characters in future stories, promising an entertaining series.
The narrators cast for the audiobook were perfect for their roles, the male narrator expressing Sithe’s cold logical mind, and the female narrator offering all the nuances of Catarine. The appearances of a third narrator–justified by a couple of chapters from Zai’s, Sithe’s boss, point of view–prepare the reader for the next book in the series.
Quickie
- Series: Blades of Arris #1 (can be read as a standalone)
- Hashtags: #SF romance #fated mates
- Triggers: dubious consent, violence, deaths
- Main couple: Catarine & Sithe
- Hotness: 4/5
- Romance: 3/5
- + a fabulous world building
- – I always feel the fated mates trope is used to skip the seduction between the characters
September 15, 2021
Once in a while books come along that just blows your mind and Sithe is definitely one of those books! I’m going to say up front, the first couple of pages (for me) were pretty difficult to read. I had no idea where the author was going or why stuff was going down the way it was. I’m not going to spoil it, but if you feel the same, hold your nose for about 3 minutes and push past it, it’ll definitely be worth it. The characters will grow on you until you love them. Super strong and smart heroine and a hero that has been eugenically created to follow orders and have no sense of self. Starla Knight was able to weave those two characters into a fabulous love story that has you literally rooting for them is amazing and unlike anything I’ve read. The chemistry between them was off the chain and the pull toward each other almost physical in nature. The world building is just freakin’ fantastic. I really cannot wait to see where the series goes next! Super excited!!
Story: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Trope: Opposites attract/kinda fated mates, but not really, lol
Angst: 😰😰
Smexy: 🔥🔥🔥
Triggers: none
Story: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Trope: Opposites attract/kinda fated mates, but not really, lol
Angst: 😰😰
Smexy: 🔥🔥🔥
Triggers: none
February 18, 2022
I really liked this! Far more than I thought I was going to. It evolved into this really clever, beautiful love story. I loved how smart Catarine was and how she used her wits to navigate her surroundings.
I love being surprised.
I love being surprised.
February 26, 2022
The synopsis for Sithe gives literally no warning for what you're getting in to. I may not have been so excited to start it if I had known. The heroine is on a ship because she is trying to get treatment for her disease. This disease involves trying to have sex with any man she sees and attacking any male relatives she encounters (electronically or in person). She cannot consent to any of this, hence, why it is a disease. Sithe cures her of it and shenanigans ensue. I like Catrine because she is intelligent and uses her brains for any problems they face. Sithe is interesting because he only knows obedience to his empire and has to figure out what having a choice means. It was very fast paced. I felt that this book was way too short to contain what it should have been. It had a lot of room for growth in the characters and for more love to grow between them, but it didn't happen. I'm disappointed, but it was an okay read.
December 27, 2022
Good book. Easy read, but it sets the groundwork for a much larger world and ongoing plot that builds a lot in book 2.
Some people are going to have issues with the illness that effects her and the other women that are with her when they aliens attack. Basically she’s constantly horny and seeks any man to quench her needs. But it’s at a level that goes beyond simply aroused. She’s not clear headed unless she gets laid and even then it only lasts 15 min. It’s not that she wants to have sex with strangers, but her body kinda needs it to function. We do witness her having sex with strangers in the beginning and even with aliens before she meets the hero of the story. So if that’s not okay with you, don’t read this book. The woman is ashamed of her actions, but she doesn’t claim rape, since she knows it was her that instigated the sex, even if she wouldn’t have if she’d been clear headed.
It’s a touchy subject. I think the woman in book 1 has it the worst since she loses her mental awareness and loses control of her actions, while other women have different symptoms (in book 2 the woman passes out anytime her heart rate elevates due to anything other than sex, so she wears a helmet everywhere to protect her from hitting her head on the floor or furniture whenever she passes out). Thankfully sex with the heroes seems to abate these symptoms and the sexual lust too, so the women really only have to deal with their symptoms/issues at the start of the books.
The hero starts off kinda cold and unfeeling, but it’s mainly because of his role as a blade, a warrior, and their training that teaches them such self control. Sexuality has been all but eliminated from their species though, so it’s kinda fun to watch him learn kissing and touching and holding. They do have sex, but it’s been distilled down to an act just to get the deed done for those who are chosen to participate in the ceremony.
If you give this book a shot and are on the fence about continuing, I recommend giving book 2 a try next. The world the author created gets much larger in book 2 and I really like how things are unfolding. Lots of political intrigue and character growth.
Some people are going to have issues with the illness that effects her and the other women that are with her when they aliens attack. Basically she’s constantly horny and seeks any man to quench her needs. But it’s at a level that goes beyond simply aroused. She’s not clear headed unless she gets laid and even then it only lasts 15 min. It’s not that she wants to have sex with strangers, but her body kinda needs it to function. We do witness her having sex with strangers in the beginning and even with aliens before she meets the hero of the story. So if that’s not okay with you, don’t read this book. The woman is ashamed of her actions, but she doesn’t claim rape, since she knows it was her that instigated the sex, even if she wouldn’t have if she’d been clear headed.
It’s a touchy subject. I think the woman in book 1 has it the worst since she loses her mental awareness and loses control of her actions, while other women have different symptoms (in book 2 the woman passes out anytime her heart rate elevates due to anything other than sex, so she wears a helmet everywhere to protect her from hitting her head on the floor or furniture whenever she passes out). Thankfully sex with the heroes seems to abate these symptoms and the sexual lust too, so the women really only have to deal with their symptoms/issues at the start of the books.
The hero starts off kinda cold and unfeeling, but it’s mainly because of his role as a blade, a warrior, and their training that teaches them such self control. Sexuality has been all but eliminated from their species though, so it’s kinda fun to watch him learn kissing and touching and holding. They do have sex, but it’s been distilled down to an act just to get the deed done for those who are chosen to participate in the ceremony.
If you give this book a shot and are on the fence about continuing, I recommend giving book 2 a try next. The world the author created gets much larger in book 2 and I really like how things are unfolding. Lots of political intrigue and character growth.
October 4, 2021
Nope. Not even.
October 8, 2021
I've been a fan of Starla Night ever since I decided to read Secrets of the Sea Lord on a whim, what had to have been two or three years ago now. I instantly became hooked onto the series, and in all honesty, I have not been able to bring myself to read the final book. As sci-fi romance is my absolute favorite romance sub-genre, I was really excited to read this and I'm really glad I did! This first novel features a HEA with no cliffhangers within a somewhat futuristic galaxy/Earth. Multiple depictions of blood, death and gore are present, however , so please read with caution if you plan on reading this book.
The H is a young woman named Catarine, a citizen of Humana . Catarine has a disease that no doctor on Humana can diagnose or cure, and it has absolutely devastating and dehumanizing symptoms - seeing a male family member, whether through photographs, videos, or in person, causes her to explode into a white-hot rage and either destroy the image of said family member, or attack them if they are in sight. Described by Catarine as a "fog" that descends upon her mind, it invades her thoughts and blots out everything else except for an itching need for release, or assaulting the family member in question. The disease has negatively impacted the once close relationship she had with her father, a renowned architect, as well as with her mother, a medical expert working for a well-known humanitarian organization. It has resulted not only in her father moving out to live elsewhere and away from her sight, but in Catarine sneaking out of the house every night to "get her fix", as she refers to it.
Despite this, Catarine is not alone. Approximately twenty other women from Humana are victims of the same disease, although they each have varying degrees of symptoms. A group of seemingly altruistic aliens called the Vanadisans offer to transport Catarine and the rest of the women to their home planet with the promise of a cure for the disease that has afflicted them. Boarded on a cruiser heading to their planet of Vanadis, they are soon set upon by a group of alien pirates called the Eruvisans. The Eruvisans have stolen a shipment of a precious substance called lusteal owned by the Arrisans, the leaders of an Empire that oversees all the other alien races (including humans), and are in the process of abducting the women on board - Catarine included. But unbeknownst to all of them, a shadow of death is hovering above, and he has other plans...
The H is Sithe (pronounced scythe), an Arrisan soldier under the employ of the Empire. Known as a "Blade", he is effectively an executioner, dispatching enemies at the discretion of his superiors through pre-assigned missions and assignments. His ranking as a Blade comes from the steel dagger-like protrusions attached to both of his wrists, extendable on command (and very reminiscent of the steel claws possessed by Wolverine from the X-Men series, only Sithe has three blades attached to the top of his wrists, instead of in the joints between his knuckles). Sithe was chosen at a young age and put through a rigorous and brutal training regiment, until he graduated and was promoted to his position by his current superior, Zai. Sithe is extremely rigid and emotionless in his thought processes, behaviors and reactions in most situations (and as the cover of the book suggests, he bears an uncanny resemblance to the Engineers from the movie Prometheus). His world is one of order, structure and routine. But that all changes when he meets Catarine. What was supposed to be a simple mission - recovering the stolen lusteal and either transporting the thieves in question back to his superior to face justice, or executing them - turns into a life-altering chain of events that turns his rigid and orderly world on its head.
I will admit, the chapter where Catarine and Sithe first meet was almost uncomfortable, but not enough to make me stop reading. After that, the story really picked up, and I realized this chapter was intentional and not used for shock value. It served as not just a plot device, but also character development for the both of them.
Catarine's reactions in the next chapter are genuine, and they really show how powerful her fog is - she's absolutely disgusted, ashamed, embarrassed and grossed out. She even notes that she never once felt this way in the past after her fog cleared; this sense of "raw clarity" as she calls it. A hyper-awareness of what she just did, and the ramifications that could come of it. She remains in shell-shocked disbelief even after Sithe hails the ship he was stationed on, the Spiderwasp, to come collect him and Catarine . And Sithe, for his part, doesn't feel violated or grossed out either. He's naturally distrustful, but genuinely curious about what just happened between them. And the curiosity is directed at his body's reactions to her. He made no attempt to stop her after it started, and was moreso entranced by her than anything else, considering he has an emotionless psyche .
I think this book's description doesn't do enough justice to the story itself. It presents itself as a straight-forward sci-fi alien romance, but the plot is incredibly complex, and Night really outdid herself with this start in a new series. The plot seems obvious at first - Catarine and Sithe having to navigate a ship full of potential enemies before reaching their HEA. But more elements and character nuances are added as the story goes on, which says a lot about the pacing of this novel. The plot and subsequent pacing kept me on the edge of my seat until the very end, and I found it hard to pace myself with this book - I needed to know what happened in the next chapter. And because the primary suspects from the first half of the book have all turned out to be not-so-bad people after all, it's easy to see who among them will eventually get their own book .
There are a lot of nuances and detail that went into the social hierarchy making up the Blades . Night really pulled out all the stops to create a fleshed out and incredibly complex species, down to their social rankings and to the inner workings of their government and military. This is super reminiscent of Anna Carven's Dark Planet Warriors series, where the Arrisans are extremely rigid in their line of thinking, but not totally emotionless or lacking of empathy. I shouldn't be that surprised in all honesty, considering the lore behind the Lords of Atlantis series was just as fleshed out and complex. But with this being the first entry in a brand new sci-fi alien romance series, I was thoroughly impressed. It's unique enough that the story doesn't appear similar to another series, and it doesn't follow the common tropes present in most other sci-fi alien romances either . And the diversity among the female characters makes this series one I will definitely follow and continue to read!
This is a definite 4.5/5 stars from me. I will say that the scenes where Sithe and others moved through space weren't as vividly described as other scenes in the book , but that wasn't a big concern for me because there were only a few scenes where that occurred. Everything else was picturesque enough that I virtually saw what was happening as if I was there. I will try my best to patiently wait for Zai!
The H is a young woman named Catarine, a citizen of Humana . Catarine has a disease that no doctor on Humana can diagnose or cure, and it has absolutely devastating and dehumanizing symptoms - seeing a male family member, whether through photographs, videos, or in person, causes her to explode into a white-hot rage and either destroy the image of said family member, or attack them if they are in sight. Described by Catarine as a "fog" that descends upon her mind, it invades her thoughts and blots out everything else except for an itching need for release, or assaulting the family member in question. The disease has negatively impacted the once close relationship she had with her father, a renowned architect, as well as with her mother, a medical expert working for a well-known humanitarian organization. It has resulted not only in her father moving out to live elsewhere and away from her sight, but in Catarine sneaking out of the house every night to "get her fix", as she refers to it.
Despite this, Catarine is not alone. Approximately twenty other women from Humana are victims of the same disease, although they each have varying degrees of symptoms. A group of seemingly altruistic aliens called the Vanadisans offer to transport Catarine and the rest of the women to their home planet with the promise of a cure for the disease that has afflicted them. Boarded on a cruiser heading to their planet of Vanadis, they are soon set upon by a group of alien pirates called the Eruvisans. The Eruvisans have stolen a shipment of a precious substance called lusteal owned by the Arrisans, the leaders of an Empire that oversees all the other alien races (including humans), and are in the process of abducting the women on board - Catarine included. But unbeknownst to all of them, a shadow of death is hovering above, and he has other plans...
The H is Sithe (pronounced scythe), an Arrisan soldier under the employ of the Empire. Known as a "Blade", he is effectively an executioner, dispatching enemies at the discretion of his superiors through pre-assigned missions and assignments. His ranking as a Blade comes from the steel dagger-like protrusions attached to both of his wrists, extendable on command (and very reminiscent of the steel claws possessed by Wolverine from the X-Men series, only Sithe has three blades attached to the top of his wrists, instead of in the joints between his knuckles). Sithe was chosen at a young age and put through a rigorous and brutal training regiment, until he graduated and was promoted to his position by his current superior, Zai. Sithe is extremely rigid and emotionless in his thought processes, behaviors and reactions in most situations (and as the cover of the book suggests, he bears an uncanny resemblance to the Engineers from the movie Prometheus). His world is one of order, structure and routine. But that all changes when he meets Catarine. What was supposed to be a simple mission - recovering the stolen lusteal and either transporting the thieves in question back to his superior to face justice, or executing them - turns into a life-altering chain of events that turns his rigid and orderly world on its head.
I will admit, the chapter where Catarine and Sithe first meet was almost uncomfortable, but not enough to make me stop reading. After that, the story really picked up, and I realized this chapter was intentional and not used for shock value. It served as not just a plot device, but also character development for the both of them.
Catarine's reactions in the next chapter are genuine, and they really show how powerful her fog is - she's absolutely disgusted, ashamed, embarrassed and grossed out. She even notes that she never once felt this way in the past after her fog cleared; this sense of "raw clarity" as she calls it. A hyper-awareness of what she just did, and the ramifications that could come of it. She remains in shell-shocked disbelief even after Sithe hails the ship he was stationed on, the Spiderwasp, to come collect him and Catarine . And Sithe, for his part, doesn't feel violated or grossed out either. He's naturally distrustful, but genuinely curious about what just happened between them. And the curiosity is directed at his body's reactions to her. He made no attempt to stop her after it started, and was moreso entranced by her than anything else, considering he has an emotionless psyche .
I think this book's description doesn't do enough justice to the story itself. It presents itself as a straight-forward sci-fi alien romance, but the plot is incredibly complex, and Night really outdid herself with this start in a new series. The plot seems obvious at first - Catarine and Sithe having to navigate a ship full of potential enemies before reaching their HEA. But more elements and character nuances are added as the story goes on, which says a lot about the pacing of this novel. The plot and subsequent pacing kept me on the edge of my seat until the very end, and I found it hard to pace myself with this book - I needed to know what happened in the next chapter. And because the primary suspects from the first half of the book have all turned out to be not-so-bad people after all, it's easy to see who among them will eventually get their own book .
There are a lot of nuances and detail that went into the social hierarchy making up the Blades . Night really pulled out all the stops to create a fleshed out and incredibly complex species, down to their social rankings and to the inner workings of their government and military. This is super reminiscent of Anna Carven's Dark Planet Warriors series, where the Arrisans are extremely rigid in their line of thinking, but not totally emotionless or lacking of empathy. I shouldn't be that surprised in all honesty, considering the lore behind the Lords of Atlantis series was just as fleshed out and complex. But with this being the first entry in a brand new sci-fi alien romance series, I was thoroughly impressed. It's unique enough that the story doesn't appear similar to another series, and it doesn't follow the common tropes present in most other sci-fi alien romances either . And the diversity among the female characters makes this series one I will definitely follow and continue to read!
This is a definite 4.5/5 stars from me. I will say that the scenes where Sithe and others moved through space weren't as vividly described as other scenes in the book , but that wasn't a big concern for me because there were only a few scenes where that occurred. Everything else was picturesque enough that I virtually saw what was happening as if I was there. I will try my best to patiently wait for Zai!
September 25, 2021
This blurb and cover really caught my attention. Catarine's condition I was really hesitant on how I was going to perceive with the rest of the story. Following through though was still pretty interesting. This is my first read by Starla and look forward to others.
The narration by: Lance Greenfield and Cindy Kay were great.
I received this audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this unbiased review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
The narration by: Lance Greenfield and Cindy Kay were great.
I received this audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this unbiased review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
December 8, 2021
Out of this world amazing!
I was drawn to this book firstly by the cover and then the blurb, but I was not prepared for how well written it was. The world building is fantastic. I'm not left wondering how the Empire took over Humana, the way the blades work, and even what lusteal is. Everything is explained in a way that's not boring and leaves you wanting more. Another thing I loved, was the interaction between Sithe and Cat. Its not rushed, even though their first meeting is definitely intimate. Over time Sithe also begins to understand Cat's strengths and respect them. It was an amazing story and I can't wait to read Zai's.
I was drawn to this book firstly by the cover and then the blurb, but I was not prepared for how well written it was. The world building is fantastic. I'm not left wondering how the Empire took over Humana, the way the blades work, and even what lusteal is. Everything is explained in a way that's not boring and leaves you wanting more. Another thing I loved, was the interaction between Sithe and Cat. Its not rushed, even though their first meeting is definitely intimate. Over time Sithe also begins to understand Cat's strengths and respect them. It was an amazing story and I can't wait to read Zai's.
September 13, 2021
The writing and editing of the ARC version of the manuscript was clean, with no typos that I found and somewhat unusual authorial voice. The world building was vivid, with the Arrisian’s grim culture coming to life. The characterization was good, with the hero being deliciously alpha and the heroine going through a significant growth arc, ending the novel as a strong person who had fully seized her agency and power. That was really satisfying to read. The development of the romantic relationship was great, though the initial scenes of intimacy happened well before the development of the relationship. This novel had a heat level of three chili peppers. The plot was intricate, action packed, and exciting. As a consequence, the pacing was quite quick. There was a medium amount of well justified angst and high stakes throughout this novel, which tends to be one of my preferred narrative structures for a romance novel. This novel used the Super Soldier trope and the Hero from the Evil Galactic Empire trope. The world building, plot, and pacing were all four stars. The characterization and development of the romantic relationship were also four stars. I therefore gave this novel a combined rating of four stars. This novel ended on a Happy Ever After ending instead of a cliffhanger ending, so that was a big plus. I recommend this novel to readers who enjoy sci-fi romances with dark themes and tons of plot and action. I look forward to reading the next book in this series when it releases. I will not buy myself a keeper copy of this novel at this time, but I may go back and buy the whole series in future if it maintains this high quality or improves. This is quite a good novel for a debut.
I received a free copy of this book, and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book, and am voluntarily leaving a review.
April 26, 2022
2.5⭐️
So the plot is super interesting and once you get into it the world building is pretty cool but it’s also confusing and not fully developed. My biggest gripe is that this book is almost completely devoid of emotion. Very clinical and empty.
The “illness” that Catarine and the other women suffer from is so uncomfortable to read for me. I wish it was treated with a little more care and emotion.
The relationship between the two main characters has no romance or emotion to it yet they somehow have this deep meaningful connection. Again, I find that it just isn’t developed at all. They never talk or really get to know one another. I understand the lack of emotion from the alien dude’s perspective but not from Catarine’s. It feels more like the metal stuff in her has forced Sithe to be attached to her not that he is choosing to be with her, which ironically is the major part of his development as a character, having choice vs blindly following orders.
Catarine seems like she’s settling or just being with him for now not that it’s real love or anything. There’s a complete lack of heart in the relationship that really drags the story down.
The bones of this are so good but the execution is lacking. With a bit more explanation of the world, communication, and emotion this could have been great. I’ll give the next book a chance hoping it gets better with these things.
So the plot is super interesting and once you get into it the world building is pretty cool but it’s also confusing and not fully developed. My biggest gripe is that this book is almost completely devoid of emotion. Very clinical and empty.
The “illness” that Catarine and the other women suffer from is so uncomfortable to read for me. I wish it was treated with a little more care and emotion.
The relationship between the two main characters has no romance or emotion to it yet they somehow have this deep meaningful connection. Again, I find that it just isn’t developed at all. They never talk or really get to know one another. I understand the lack of emotion from the alien dude’s perspective but not from Catarine’s. It feels more like the metal stuff in her has forced Sithe to be attached to her not that he is choosing to be with her, which ironically is the major part of his development as a character, having choice vs blindly following orders.
Catarine seems like she’s settling or just being with him for now not that it’s real love or anything. There’s a complete lack of heart in the relationship that really drags the story down.
The bones of this are so good but the execution is lacking. With a bit more explanation of the world, communication, and emotion this could have been great. I’ll give the next book a chance hoping it gets better with these things.
October 27, 2021
Summary
The book starts off with Catarine, the female main character, who has a disease that makes her crave sex. The first two chapters focus on this being the main issue within the book, but it's not. Sithe, the male main character, "cures" her, and the rest of the book focuses on them trying to stay together.
Unlike most mate stories, this book does not say that they are mates. I think the first book in the story is the start of the series that leads to everyone, readers included, figuring out that there is such as thing as fated mates or something within this tale.
What makes me rate this book a 5/5 is the characters. Catarine is very smart and is a fantastic communicator. She can think on her feet pretty quickly and uses logic as her main weapon. She stays calm when she needs to be and does nothing stupid. Sithe, who is detached and robotic, even to others of his kind, is immediately drawn to her, but he doesn't understand why. Catarine doesn't understand it either. But they both work together subtly to figure things out.
Watching Sithe lose control and become emotional when it comes to Catarine is a thing that I always love in romance stories.
I can't wait until the next book comes out.
The book starts off with Catarine, the female main character, who has a disease that makes her crave sex. The first two chapters focus on this being the main issue within the book, but it's not. Sithe, the male main character, "cures" her, and the rest of the book focuses on them trying to stay together.
Unlike most mate stories, this book does not say that they are mates. I think the first book in the story is the start of the series that leads to everyone, readers included, figuring out that there is such as thing as fated mates or something within this tale.
What makes me rate this book a 5/5 is the characters. Catarine is very smart and is a fantastic communicator. She can think on her feet pretty quickly and uses logic as her main weapon. She stays calm when she needs to be and does nothing stupid. Sithe, who is detached and robotic, even to others of his kind, is immediately drawn to her, but he doesn't understand why. Catarine doesn't understand it either. But they both work together subtly to figure things out.
Watching Sithe lose control and become emotional when it comes to Catarine is a thing that I always love in romance stories.
I can't wait until the next book comes out.
September 8, 2021
Do not get me the Sea Lord series was great but I believe this series will push it to second place.
The characters were well thought out and developed. You can picture Sithe with his take no prison approach. Notice I didn't say attitude as Sithe always does as ordered and uses the most direct route to achieve his objective.
Catarine at first I was not sure of what type of character or baggage she carried. She will develop into a strong person before the end of the book.
Now I am ready for the next book in the series.
June 12, 2025
This book is one that I will reread over and over and I can’t wait. I am on to the next one loving how they work these book together. If you read this on audible they have different narrator’s for each book and no cross over with the same narrator. They planed this out perfectly. You have to read this book there on print and listen to it. If you like aliens and hot sex this is for you, but remember that some really good alien books don’t work the same way as just human books. This one show a whole in culture sometimes less alien books you get the culture shock.
November 24, 2021
Sexy Spock!!
Story was original and unique!! I really enjoyed the read. Sithe reminded me of a sexy Spock. Will read Zai’s story next.
Story was original and unique!! I really enjoyed the read. Sithe reminded me of a sexy Spock. Will read Zai’s story next.
September 21, 2021
This was my first read by Starla, the blurb had me very intrigued and boy am I glad I read this one, gripping from the start, I loved it!!
The first few pages will drop you right in at the deep end, and it's like what am I reading here?! But plough on and you get the story behind it.
Catarine has an illness that compels her to mate with any male, a fog within her brain that doesn't lift until she gets her relief. She's on her way in a space ship with some other females who have the same type of problem to see if there is a cure. But their ship is attacked enroute.....
Sithe is a Blade for the Arrisans, rulers of the empire. He is tracking down pirates who have stolen their precious metal that allows them to procreate. He decimates the pirates on Catarine's ship, leaving just her....... a lowly human, a lesser.
So this is where the role reversal happens, a bit of dubious consent but this actually works well with the story line. Catarine can't help herself due to her illness and makes a beeline for Sithe. He is an emotionless assassin, only there to follow orders, but he can't help but react to Catarine and what her body is doing to him. Catarine can't believe the effect Sithe has on her, the fogs clears and she can think for herself again, and is not compelled to mount any male walking by!
The more time they spend together the more his body reacts to hers and he starts having weird feelings about her. He shows her all the advanced technologies of his race and she sets about teaching him about emotions and how relationships work.
There's a lot of action and fighting in this with many different side characters along the way with it being the start of a new series. I loved the connection between Sithe and Catarine and how their bond develops and how they both change over time. Gripping and intense throughout, I was rooting for them the whole way! Definitely worth the read for any Sci-Fi fans, I can't wait to read more of this series!!
The first few pages will drop you right in at the deep end, and it's like what am I reading here?! But plough on and you get the story behind it.
Catarine has an illness that compels her to mate with any male, a fog within her brain that doesn't lift until she gets her relief. She's on her way in a space ship with some other females who have the same type of problem to see if there is a cure. But their ship is attacked enroute.....
Sithe is a Blade for the Arrisans, rulers of the empire. He is tracking down pirates who have stolen their precious metal that allows them to procreate. He decimates the pirates on Catarine's ship, leaving just her....... a lowly human, a lesser.
So this is where the role reversal happens, a bit of dubious consent but this actually works well with the story line. Catarine can't help herself due to her illness and makes a beeline for Sithe. He is an emotionless assassin, only there to follow orders, but he can't help but react to Catarine and what her body is doing to him. Catarine can't believe the effect Sithe has on her, the fogs clears and she can think for herself again, and is not compelled to mount any male walking by!
The more time they spend together the more his body reacts to hers and he starts having weird feelings about her. He shows her all the advanced technologies of his race and she sets about teaching him about emotions and how relationships work.
There's a lot of action and fighting in this with many different side characters along the way with it being the start of a new series. I loved the connection between Sithe and Catarine and how their bond develops and how they both change over time. Gripping and intense throughout, I was rooting for them the whole way! Definitely worth the read for any Sci-Fi fans, I can't wait to read more of this series!!
September 10, 2021
I've got to say that this book was quite a surprise. Not a bad surprise but a BIG surprise. If you are at all familiar with any of the author's books (which I am. I've read them all), the differences here are like night and day. While previous works were light, heartfelt, charming and humorous; this book sets a much darker, sharper, edgier and much more serious tone. Again, this is not a bad thing, it's just very, very different and it probably won't be for every reader. Initially, I struggled a bit when I started this book but soon enough I was caught up in the storyline, invested in the characters and staying up late to finish it. The writing is well done and the story and characters skillfully crafted. The world building is excellent as is the cast of secondary characters that should inspire many future entries in this new series. As for the characters I liked them. I thought Sithe was a very intriguing character. In my head he seemed like enticing combination of Spock and The Terminator and that really worked for me. Cold, logical and deadly was actually very hot! Catarine on the other hand, I had to warm to. If you are anything like me, you are going to find her shocking and frankly off-putting at the start of this book. As the story unfolds sympathy firmly takes hold and your feelings about her will evolve. In the end I loved these two together. They brought a sweetness out of each other, while also making each other more. They were most definitely a powerhouse couple. I found the blend of drama, emotion, danger, action, excitement, twists and steam enticing and I am eagerly looking forward to the next entry in this series. Change can be a challenge but sometimes the effort is so worth it and in this case it truly is. I am independently posting an impartial review.
September 19, 2021
This review is for the audiobook. Starla Night is a new Author to me. Sithe kicks off a new series that is very intriguing! If you love Sci-Fi alien romance you don’t want to miss it. Catarine is a human woman on board a medical ship that is attacked and boarded by pirates who are being hunted for their stolen cargo. Sithe is a weapon of the Arrison empire, a blade, and exists only to carry out orders. His orders are to recover the cargo. To Sithe, Catarine is a lesser and not worth considering unless ordered to do so. She is no threat... From the moment they meet on the blood-soaked bridge of the medical ship nothing can be taken for granted. He is a weapon. She is a thinker. Together, they are a powerful force capable of reshaping the future. The mutual respect they learn and show for each other allows them to work and grow together was one of my favorite things about the story.
I was able to to emotionally connect with Catarine pretty quickly, but I really embraced her character’s fierceness as it evolved, and the way she sees the world and interacts with others. She is a bad-ass, but not in a physical way or as a fighter. She is cunning. Sithe evolves from something similar to a drone, focused only on following orders, to a thinking-feeling individual with desires of his own. This series has great potential, and I can’t wait to see where it goes!
Lance Greenfield is a favorite narrator, but I had not listened to Cindy Kay before. She has a breathy quality to her voice and bring a lot of emotion to the role. I enjoyed both of their performances. Connor Crais is fantastic and I hope he will narrate more in the series.
I received an #AdvancedListenerCopy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
I was able to to emotionally connect with Catarine pretty quickly, but I really embraced her character’s fierceness as it evolved, and the way she sees the world and interacts with others. She is a bad-ass, but not in a physical way or as a fighter. She is cunning. Sithe evolves from something similar to a drone, focused only on following orders, to a thinking-feeling individual with desires of his own. This series has great potential, and I can’t wait to see where it goes!
Lance Greenfield is a favorite narrator, but I had not listened to Cindy Kay before. She has a breathy quality to her voice and bring a lot of emotion to the role. I enjoyed both of their performances. Connor Crais is fantastic and I hope he will narrate more in the series.
I received an #AdvancedListenerCopy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
September 22, 2021
Catarine and a few other human woman have been suffering from a mysterious condition. They suffer from an overpowing arousal that only stops after intimacy with a man. Their families are desperate and send them on a lone medical ship to the Vanadisans for their advanced medical help. On the trip to the Vanadisan, they are attacked by pirates. Most of the humans escaped but Catarine struggles and stays behind because the demands of her condition. Luckily she is saved from the pirates by an Arrison Blade called Sithe. He helps her with her overwhelming passion and being with him allowed her to be herself again. Now Catarine has to protect herself from all the aliens who want to experiment on her and protect all the other human woman who are suffering like she did. Her only ally is Sithe who is confused and torn between his need for Catarine and his cultural customs.
Sithe is a Blade, an elite Arrison warrior. Blades are famous for their cold precicion and dedication to duty. Problems in their race's history has totally change the way they reproduce. the hormones and things need to allow them to reproduce has been extracted from their bodies and made into a metal dust. Without the dust a Blade feels no desire and cannot function. When Sithe sees and smells Catarine for the first time, he is strangly drawn to her. When she approaches him with desperate passion, he is shocked to find his body responding to her. Being with Catarine has turned his whole world upside down. Now he is torn between his old life of lttle feelings and desires and obedience to his mission and his new-found passion for Catarine.
This is a great book but it has a rough beginning. I received a copy of this story in return for an honest review.
Sithe is a Blade, an elite Arrison warrior. Blades are famous for their cold precicion and dedication to duty. Problems in their race's history has totally change the way they reproduce. the hormones and things need to allow them to reproduce has been extracted from their bodies and made into a metal dust. Without the dust a Blade feels no desire and cannot function. When Sithe sees and smells Catarine for the first time, he is strangly drawn to her. When she approaches him with desperate passion, he is shocked to find his body responding to her. Being with Catarine has turned his whole world upside down. Now he is torn between his old life of lttle feelings and desires and obedience to his mission and his new-found passion for Catarine.
This is a great book but it has a rough beginning. I received a copy of this story in return for an honest review.
September 30, 2021
As a fan of sci-fi stories I found myself drawn to this series starter and it’s steamy storyline of opposites attracting. With its vivid depiction of other worlds, sci-fi readers will find a colorful and erotically-charged storyline between the pages, a storyline fueled by these two characters and the changes they undergo.
Sithe is a rather closed-off character at the start. As part of a culture that values technologies, Sithe’s a closed-off assassin at the start, logical to a fault. He eschews emotions but is very physical when it comes to his encounters with Catarine, which leads to some scorching encounters as his body undergoes changes courtesy of his new-found proximity to her. Watching his cold exterior start to melt was entertaining to witness and added a decadently delightful layer to this story. Catarine’s a unique heroine herself as she has a disease that drives her to the nearest male…that male being Sithe. She has a disease that forces her to rely on her emotions rather than her mind which makes her an interesting counterpoint in this pairing, one that brings out a delightful other side to Sithe.
Theirs is a sizzling connection, one that plays out in the background of this storyline of action, suspense, and politics, a storyline that was never boring. It kept me glued to the pages, intrigued by the ramifications of the disease Catarine carries, along with the introduction of a slew of secondary characters who have me excited for future installments. These secondary characters ran the gamut of good, bad, and in-between, with each keeping me guessing and counting down the days until the next installment in this series hits bookshelves!
Sithe is a rather closed-off character at the start. As part of a culture that values technologies, Sithe’s a closed-off assassin at the start, logical to a fault. He eschews emotions but is very physical when it comes to his encounters with Catarine, which leads to some scorching encounters as his body undergoes changes courtesy of his new-found proximity to her. Watching his cold exterior start to melt was entertaining to witness and added a decadently delightful layer to this story. Catarine’s a unique heroine herself as she has a disease that drives her to the nearest male…that male being Sithe. She has a disease that forces her to rely on her emotions rather than her mind which makes her an interesting counterpoint in this pairing, one that brings out a delightful other side to Sithe.
Theirs is a sizzling connection, one that plays out in the background of this storyline of action, suspense, and politics, a storyline that was never boring. It kept me glued to the pages, intrigued by the ramifications of the disease Catarine carries, along with the introduction of a slew of secondary characters who have me excited for future installments. These secondary characters ran the gamut of good, bad, and in-between, with each keeping me guessing and counting down the days until the next installment in this series hits bookshelves!
March 18, 2022
3.5 stars.
Safety info- heroine has been raped multiple times in the past and didn’t remember the assaults because of the drug that took her over whenever she seen a male.
The first time the FMC and MMC meet she is the the midst of being raped.
She was encouraging them to fuck her, but as I said before she had a condition that she didn’t consent to but rather just happened so I still consider it rape.
She raped the MMC, he never consented to having sex with her while she was under the influence.
She apologizes once the haze goes away.
MMC has kids that he’s never met, only time he’s had sex is in the Arena. He originally relates to the only reason why he got hard in the first place with the FMC is because of the drug that she’s infected with. (It’s the drug in the arena to become aroused in the first place).
The arena is an event that takes place where multiple female and male Arrisans come together with the pure intention of having sex to have children. MMC said that it was uncomfortable process.
Later on in the book she says that she would have had sex with one of the bad guys to get out of being kidnapped but she knows it wouldn’t work so she doesn’t.
She gets infected with more of the drug towards the end of the book, and because the FMC and MMC exchanged bites she felt no attraction to the other aliens around her. Her body only wanted the MMC.
These are all of the safety details I could think of off the top of my head.
There was absolutely no trigger warning.
Safety info- heroine has been raped multiple times in the past and didn’t remember the assaults because of the drug that took her over whenever she seen a male.
The first time the FMC and MMC meet she is the the midst of being raped.
She was encouraging them to fuck her, but as I said before she had a condition that she didn’t consent to but rather just happened so I still consider it rape.
She raped the MMC, he never consented to having sex with her while she was under the influence.
She apologizes once the haze goes away.
MMC has kids that he’s never met, only time he’s had sex is in the Arena. He originally relates to the only reason why he got hard in the first place with the FMC is because of the drug that she’s infected with. (It’s the drug in the arena to become aroused in the first place).
The arena is an event that takes place where multiple female and male Arrisans come together with the pure intention of having sex to have children. MMC said that it was uncomfortable process.
Later on in the book she says that she would have had sex with one of the bad guys to get out of being kidnapped but she knows it wouldn’t work so she doesn’t.
She gets infected with more of the drug towards the end of the book, and because the FMC and MMC exchanged bites she felt no attraction to the other aliens around her. Her body only wanted the MMC.
These are all of the safety details I could think of off the top of my head.
There was absolutely no trigger warning.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 9, 2021
Catarine is on a medical ship due to Lusteal she was given by the Arrisans and is trying to find a cure. When the captain sees that the ship is about to be attacked by the pirates they take the rescue pods to get away but she doesn't get the opportunity and while she is busy doing what she cannot help, she comes on deck all the pirates are dead at his feet a Blade who is an assassin who goes by the name Sithe he works for the Artisans he is given orders and he enforces them and he does not deviate until the job is complete in this case everyone is dead on the ship except the two of them. Her captain is in a pod somewhere out there in deep space as are the other women who were on the ship. While Sithe takes Catarine to his ship and flies her to the main ship and lets her go but then she is grabbed by the evil scientist trying to make a name for himself. Sithe steps in and stops the scientist Sithe and Catarine become close and he protects her and helps her find the truth about the next jump for her planet by Arrisans as well as the cure. Things really begin to happen when she starts finding out things that she shouldn't know about and actually meets several Arrisans. This is an excellent storyline and the characters are all very interesting. Drama, suspense, mystery, action-adventure, danger, violence, adult content, and love. I read an ARC via BookFunnel without obligation. I volunteered an honest review.
September 19, 2021
Wow! I took a chance reading this book as an ARC from Booksprout because the blurb description intrigued me. I will admit the first few chapters and me a little confused slash worried I’d maybe made a poor choice. And then woah, the storyline really came together in a big way and I fell in love with this book and the larger storyline.
This book was amazing and I’m eagerly and anxiously awaiting this next book in the series about Zai, Sithe’s superior officer. I don’t want to accidentally spoil the storyline for others, but I can’t emphasize enough if you are looking for an intelligent story and romance don’t hesitate to grab this book.
The storyline slowly introduces you to Catarine and Sithe, and their interactions and how they relate. The action picks up as they face danger on the large ship Sithe takes her. The action morphs into a somewhat nuanced suspense that keeps expanding until the bigger storyline becomes apparent. I can compare it to enjoying the appetizers at dinner and thinking that’s all your getting and being satisfied with it, and then the waiters surprise you by bringing out a large and delicious meal for you to enjoy.
This was my first book by the author but I guarantee it will not be my last!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This book was amazing and I’m eagerly and anxiously awaiting this next book in the series about Zai, Sithe’s superior officer. I don’t want to accidentally spoil the storyline for others, but I can’t emphasize enough if you are looking for an intelligent story and romance don’t hesitate to grab this book.
The storyline slowly introduces you to Catarine and Sithe, and their interactions and how they relate. The action picks up as they face danger on the large ship Sithe takes her. The action morphs into a somewhat nuanced suspense that keeps expanding until the bigger storyline becomes apparent. I can compare it to enjoying the appetizers at dinner and thinking that’s all your getting and being satisfied with it, and then the waiters surprise you by bringing out a large and delicious meal for you to enjoy.
This was my first book by the author but I guarantee it will not be my last!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
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July 6, 2021
The Blades of Arris series had me excited right from the get go but also leery since it was different than the dragon and sea lords series I have read before. Starla Night honestly surprised me with her first book in this new series in a VERY great way.
Sithe was better and sexier and way more interesting and sizzling than I would of expected. The world was out of this galaxy magical and completely unique and different from anything else sci-fi I have read in years. Sithe drew me in with his cold like feelings at the beginning and watching him unravel and become warmer and quite a hero was really extraordinary. Catarine had a illness that, I won't lie, had me leery and stunned me a bit at first. But as I continued things became more clear and I actually enjoyed the hell out of the book and am actually glad it wasn't different. Sithe and Catarine had a connection that I adored. This story is incredible and Starla Night created a new world and characters that are irresistible, unique and totally awesome and I am already eager to get my hands on book two! This is a story I can't wait to dig into again and again!
Blades of Arris: Sithe gets a GALACTICALLY AMAZING FIVE OUT OF THIS WORLD STARS! This new series shouldn't be missed in any way.
Sithe was better and sexier and way more interesting and sizzling than I would of expected. The world was out of this galaxy magical and completely unique and different from anything else sci-fi I have read in years. Sithe drew me in with his cold like feelings at the beginning and watching him unravel and become warmer and quite a hero was really extraordinary. Catarine had a illness that, I won't lie, had me leery and stunned me a bit at first. But as I continued things became more clear and I actually enjoyed the hell out of the book and am actually glad it wasn't different. Sithe and Catarine had a connection that I adored. This story is incredible and Starla Night created a new world and characters that are irresistible, unique and totally awesome and I am already eager to get my hands on book two! This is a story I can't wait to dig into again and again!
Blades of Arris: Sithe gets a GALACTICALLY AMAZING FIVE OUT OF THIS WORLD STARS! This new series shouldn't be missed in any way.
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