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The Beta #1
The Beta: Part One
Talia isn't who she is supposed to be.
The youngest daughter of a prominent and powerful Alpha/Omega family, every one was shocked when she was designated a beta. She was passed from pack to pack for years, and as result she has one last chance with Alpha Devon Johnson's pack.
The only problem... they don't want her. They don't want a beta. Especially a female beta.
Lonely and desperate for a place to call home, she vows to make this work. But the pack gets the final say, and they all want her gone.
How far can they push Talia before she finally leaves? And how broken will it leave her... and them?
The youngest daughter of a prominent and powerful Alpha/Omega family, every one was shocked when she was designated a beta. She was passed from pack to pack for years, and as result she has one last chance with Alpha Devon Johnson's pack.
The only problem... they don't want her. They don't want a beta. Especially a female beta.
Lonely and desperate for a place to call home, she vows to make this work. But the pack gets the final say, and they all want her gone.
How far can they push Talia before she finally leaves? And how broken will it leave her... and them?
358 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 28, 2022
255 people are currently reading
1326 people want to read
About the author
Avanne Michaels
12 books139 followersI never know what to tell people about myself. I live at home with my handsome bearded half, my brats, and my zoo.
The characters in my stories are very vocal and demanding. They have no problem keeping me up at night until their lives are properly displayed on paper.
I write about everything from alphas to vampires to hockey players, and everything in between. Welcome to chaos!
The characters in my stories are very vocal and demanding. They have no problem keeping me up at night until their lives are properly displayed on paper.
I write about everything from alphas to vampires to hockey players, and everything in between. Welcome to chaos!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 313 reviews
August 4, 2022
1
EDITED 7/16/22
The author posted a smart ass post on her insta stating "apparently this is necessary and listed a more detailed list of TW
IE: ON PAGE RAPE/SA, bullying, gore, depression.
Yes miss ma’am it should! Rape and SA can be a HUGE TW and a vague "dark sexual activities" does NOT cover it. MM should be tagged,
NO ONE LIKES A RUDE AUTHOR, if I could give this 0 ⭐️ I would
One of the many problems with this book is that it has a huge problem with telling instead of showing. Worse, it 'tells' you one thing, but then the characters do the opposite.
The FMC "Talia" is a text book fanfic Mary Sue. She is too perfect to be relatable and none of her actions fit her description.
In an omegaverse setting, this story misses the chance to make social commentary on gender roles/norms. Instead it leans very into misogynistic undertones.
Despite being a multi POV, all the characters sound the same.
I know there are 4 alphas but I could only name two of them Devon (pack leader) and Kaleb. The other 3 run together. I can’t even tell you their names. I can tell you one likes knives which I’ll get to in a bit.
As far as their omega Jasper I found him bratty and annoying.
The ending had me raging! The way that dick (I mean) Devon handled what happened to Talia was disgusting. I’ll just throw this girl away that saved my omega because "she’s too damaged now" and you don’t want that around him. I don’t even see how he can be redeemed after this. His behavior the whole book was vile.
On to my other issue. This read so much like the book Pack Darling it was distracting.
4 mercenary alphas who don’t want another addition to their pack ✅
Male omega who is also a trained mercenary ✅
Girl living in a small room in the basement with small bathroom ✅
Alpha who loves knives and wants the girl to have them too ✅
Girl is drawn to the male omega but doesn’t know why ✅
Male omega has never been with a woman but said woman turns him on ✅
Girl who saves male omega couple of times ✅
There is even a formal dinner where it is interrupted and my mind went right to Pack Darling. Everything circled back there!
I could on and on.
This is more of a male harem than anything with a female added. But definitely not feeling the RH vibe
This was a huge miss for me and I love omegaverse.
EDITED 7/16/22
The author posted a smart ass post on her insta stating "apparently this is necessary and listed a more detailed list of TW
IE: ON PAGE RAPE/SA, bullying, gore, depression.
Yes miss ma’am it should! Rape and SA can be a HUGE TW and a vague "dark sexual activities" does NOT cover it. MM should be tagged,
NO ONE LIKES A RUDE AUTHOR, if I could give this 0 ⭐️ I would
One of the many problems with this book is that it has a huge problem with telling instead of showing. Worse, it 'tells' you one thing, but then the characters do the opposite.
The FMC "Talia" is a text book fanfic Mary Sue. She is too perfect to be relatable and none of her actions fit her description.
In an omegaverse setting, this story misses the chance to make social commentary on gender roles/norms. Instead it leans very into misogynistic undertones.
Despite being a multi POV, all the characters sound the same.
I know there are 4 alphas but I could only name two of them Devon (pack leader) and Kaleb. The other 3 run together. I can’t even tell you their names. I can tell you one likes knives which I’ll get to in a bit.
As far as their omega Jasper I found him bratty and annoying.
The ending had me raging! The way that dick (I mean) Devon handled what happened to Talia was disgusting. I’ll just throw this girl away that saved my omega because "she’s too damaged now" and you don’t want that around him. I don’t even see how he can be redeemed after this. His behavior the whole book was vile.
On to my other issue. This read so much like the book Pack Darling it was distracting.
4 mercenary alphas who don’t want another addition to their pack ✅
Male omega who is also a trained mercenary ✅
Girl living in a small room in the basement with small bathroom ✅
Alpha who loves knives and wants the girl to have them too ✅
Girl is drawn to the male omega but doesn’t know why ✅
Male omega has never been with a woman but said woman turns him on ✅
Girl who saves male omega couple of times ✅
There is even a formal dinner where it is interrupted and my mind went right to Pack Darling. Everything circled back there!
I could on and on.
This is more of a male harem than anything with a female added. But definitely not feeling the RH vibe
This was a huge miss for me and I love omegaverse.
July 18, 2022
⭐️ 1.75/5
🌶 1/5
Genre: Omegaverse
This is the first book in a planned trilogy. It's also the authors debut novel as far as I know, and I'm sad to say that it shows in this case.
This book does a lot of telling, but not showing. For example, we are told several times that Talia, our fmc, is a fierce, take-no-bullshit kind of Beta girl who is such an asshole that no one likes her. Because of this she has been kicked out of all packs she has been places with thus far. I don't feel like we get to see this. She's trying to be as neutral as possible in this pack, which leads to her coming off as a bit of a doormat.
The pack Talia has been placed with consists of 4 alphas and a male omega. The pack leader Devon is an ass, but not even in that fun "alphahole"-way, he's simply an asshole and his actions and decisions don't make a lot of sense quite often. The omega Jasper is supposed to be a trained mercenary, but we definitely don't get to see any of this. The other alphas of the pack blend together, and could have used a bit more character development. In all honesty I couldn't remember their names or who is who by the end of the book.
The pacing of the story was a bit off. Very slow through most of the book and then it seems like a lot of action towards the last few chapters. If the slow start had been used to build the characters it would make sense, but I'm afraid it doesn't in this case.
The biggest issue I had with this book, is that it reminds me a lot of Pack Darling by Lola Rocks. There were just so many similarities it's hard to overlook, especially as I feel like Pack Darling is a more well-rounded story with more distinctive characters.
I struggled at the end with the on page r@p3, and how Devon handled it was absolutely appalling. I wish there had been a clearer TW at the beginning as I then might have skipped this one.
That said, it was not all bad. There were some fun details and I enjoyed the relationship between Jasper and Talia. The story is not (yet?) a RH, but I'm guessing it's heading that way. There was some smut but in my opinion it was quite average. Happy to see some swordcrossing though!
Sadly this was a miss for me.
Merged review:
⭐️ 1/5
🌶 1/5
Genre: Omegaverse
This is the first book in a planned trilogy. It's also the authors debut novel as far as I know, and I'm sad to say that it shows in this case.
This book does a lot of telling, but not showing. For example, we are told several times that Talia, our fmc, is a fierce, take-no-bullshit kind of Beta girl who is such an asshole that no one likes her. Because of this she has been kicked out of all packs she has been places with thus far. I don't feel like we get to see this. She's trying to be as neutral as possible in this pack, which leads to her coming off as a bit of a doormat, and she takes all the shit.
The pack Talia has been placed with consists of 4 alphas and a male omega. The pack leader Devon is an ass, but not even in that fun "alphahole"-way, he's simply an asshole and his actions and decisions don't make a lot of sense quite often. The omega Jasper is supposed to be a trained mercenary, but we definitely don't get to see any of this. The other alphas of the pack blend together, and could have used a bit more character development. In all honesty I couldn't remember their names or who is who by the end of the book.
The pacing of the story was a bit off. Very slow through most of the book and then it seems like a lot of action towards the last few chapters. If the slow start had been used to build the characters it would make sense, but I'm afraid it doesn't in this case.
The biggest issue I had with this book, is that it reminds me a lot of Pack Darling by Lola Rock. There were just so many similarities it's hard to overlook, especially as I feel like Pack Darling is a more well-rounded story with more distinctive characters.
I struggled at the end with the on page r@p3, and how Devon handled it was absolutely appalling. I wish there had been a clearer TW at the beginning as I then might have skipped this one. EDIT 18.7.22:
The author apparently felt like being snarky about trigger warnings and their importance on her insta. Trigger warnings are necessary so we know what to expect when it comes to triggering content, like rape, sexual assault, violence and mental health issues. This is not something to downplay or be rude about!! Initially I gave this book 2 stars, am now taking it down to 1.
That said, it was not all bad. There were some fun details and I enjoyed the relationship between Jasper and Talia. The story is not (yet?) a RH, but I'm guessing it's heading that way. There was some smut but in my opinion it was quite average. Happy to see some swordcrossing though!
Sadly this was a miss for me.
I received an ARC, some changes might have been made since.
🌶 1/5
Genre: Omegaverse
This is the first book in a planned trilogy. It's also the authors debut novel as far as I know, and I'm sad to say that it shows in this case.
This book does a lot of telling, but not showing. For example, we are told several times that Talia, our fmc, is a fierce, take-no-bullshit kind of Beta girl who is such an asshole that no one likes her. Because of this she has been kicked out of all packs she has been places with thus far. I don't feel like we get to see this. She's trying to be as neutral as possible in this pack, which leads to her coming off as a bit of a doormat.
The pack Talia has been placed with consists of 4 alphas and a male omega. The pack leader Devon is an ass, but not even in that fun "alphahole"-way, he's simply an asshole and his actions and decisions don't make a lot of sense quite often. The omega Jasper is supposed to be a trained mercenary, but we definitely don't get to see any of this. The other alphas of the pack blend together, and could have used a bit more character development. In all honesty I couldn't remember their names or who is who by the end of the book.
The pacing of the story was a bit off. Very slow through most of the book and then it seems like a lot of action towards the last few chapters. If the slow start had been used to build the characters it would make sense, but I'm afraid it doesn't in this case.
The biggest issue I had with this book, is that it reminds me a lot of Pack Darling by Lola Rocks. There were just so many similarities it's hard to overlook, especially as I feel like Pack Darling is a more well-rounded story with more distinctive characters.
I struggled at the end with the on page r@p3, and how Devon handled it was absolutely appalling. I wish there had been a clearer TW at the beginning as I then might have skipped this one.
That said, it was not all bad. There were some fun details and I enjoyed the relationship between Jasper and Talia. The story is not (yet?) a RH, but I'm guessing it's heading that way. There was some smut but in my opinion it was quite average. Happy to see some swordcrossing though!
Sadly this was a miss for me.
Merged review:
⭐️ 1/5
🌶 1/5
Genre: Omegaverse
This is the first book in a planned trilogy. It's also the authors debut novel as far as I know, and I'm sad to say that it shows in this case.
This book does a lot of telling, but not showing. For example, we are told several times that Talia, our fmc, is a fierce, take-no-bullshit kind of Beta girl who is such an asshole that no one likes her. Because of this she has been kicked out of all packs she has been places with thus far. I don't feel like we get to see this. She's trying to be as neutral as possible in this pack, which leads to her coming off as a bit of a doormat, and she takes all the shit.
The pack Talia has been placed with consists of 4 alphas and a male omega. The pack leader Devon is an ass, but not even in that fun "alphahole"-way, he's simply an asshole and his actions and decisions don't make a lot of sense quite often. The omega Jasper is supposed to be a trained mercenary, but we definitely don't get to see any of this. The other alphas of the pack blend together, and could have used a bit more character development. In all honesty I couldn't remember their names or who is who by the end of the book.
The pacing of the story was a bit off. Very slow through most of the book and then it seems like a lot of action towards the last few chapters. If the slow start had been used to build the characters it would make sense, but I'm afraid it doesn't in this case.
The biggest issue I had with this book, is that it reminds me a lot of Pack Darling by Lola Rock. There were just so many similarities it's hard to overlook, especially as I feel like Pack Darling is a more well-rounded story with more distinctive characters.
I struggled at the end with the on page r@p3, and how Devon handled it was absolutely appalling. I wish there had been a clearer TW at the beginning as I then might have skipped this one. EDIT 18.7.22:
The author apparently felt like being snarky about trigger warnings and their importance on her insta. Trigger warnings are necessary so we know what to expect when it comes to triggering content, like rape, sexual assault, violence and mental health issues. This is not something to downplay or be rude about!! Initially I gave this book 2 stars, am now taking it down to 1.
That said, it was not all bad. There were some fun details and I enjoyed the relationship between Jasper and Talia. The story is not (yet?) a RH, but I'm guessing it's heading that way. There was some smut but in my opinion it was quite average. Happy to see some swordcrossing though!
Sadly this was a miss for me.
I received an ARC, some changes might have been made since.
October 17, 2022
I don’t feel like I can rate this until I’ve read further, but at the moment this is sitting at 1 star. [Edit: after completing the series I have given it 1 star]
First of all, this isn’t ‘Pack Darling vibes’, this is a blatant Pack Darling rip off. I’m sure there are a lot of in depth comparisons in other reviews, but quickly there are big character similarities, military pack, beat for beat same events and plot points, fmc likes weapons and is good at fighting, male omega who has never been with a woman but is drawn to the female lead, female character placed in a pack that hates women in hopes of getting grand babies… it’s a whole lot. Despite that, this has a lot more graphic violence (sexual included) and not a fraction of the emotional impact that Pack Darling has.
Talia, our ‘main character’ comes across as completely apathetic. I never felt any connection to her. She is also perfect, she doesn’t need to grow at all. She is self sacrificing and knows how to balance the pack members without a hitch. But, Talia is not the real main character in this story, the Omega Jasper is. All of Talia’s actions, and trauma, are all framed in how they affect Jasper. With the subject matter of sexual assault, having it viewed on how it negatively effects future partners is very off putting and just… gross, especially with how the book ends.
I also agree with a lot of the reviewers on here that the TW at the beginning of the book is far too vague. This book is described as a dark romance but the only part I would class as dark would be the ending, completely blindsiding you. ‘Dark sexual activities’ could literally mean anything. If you would like a proper TW so you know what you’re getting yourself into, here it is: this book has graphic descriptions of past rape and on page graphic gang rape.
On top of all that, the Alphas are all completely indistinguishable. I didn’t realise there were 4 of them for a while. I kept having to flip back to see whose POV it was but that didn’t matter because I couldn’t tell you a single thing about any of the alphas other than the Pack Leader, Devon, who I can tell you is a dick. Talia has no chemistry with any of them, there’s lust there but that’s it. They’ve all pretty much said they’re not interested in each other and I’m really hoping she doesn’t end up with any of them.
MAJOR SPOILERS FOR THE END OF THE BOOK FROM HERE
Talia dresses in Jasper’s clothes and wipes his slick on her to lure rogues attacking the house away, knowing full well that they will capture her, rape her, then kill her. This is… stupid and a massive plot hole.
The first time that the pack house was attacked, Talia was able to kill 6 intruders with ease. She is said to have an arsenal of weapons with her at all times, and yet when she goes to her room before she runs out she doesn’t pick up her guns, she instead takes heat suppressants.
There are also 4 alphas in this pack, 2 of which kill 2 of the rogues straight away, described as literally ripping them apart, without breaking a sweat. There were 6 rogues, with what we have seen before this this should have been an easy fight. Her sacrifice is so fucking unnecessary. Why this was her first plan I have no idea. The alphas then just don’t look for her and continue on with Jasper’s heat, only pausing when Talia is dumped on their doorstep days later, beaten within an inch of her life, and they drop her off at the hospital and leave her there alone and go back to the heat. The reasoning of ‘she would want us to be there for Jasper’ was so ridiculous and just solidifies what I’d felt throughout.
What’s worse is that again, after this, she insists that what the rogues did to her, again which was brutally gang rape her, wasn’t traumatising. That realising she was an Omega was worse. I have no words.
The only way I can see this turning out in a way that is not gratuitous and a disgusting look at sexual assault and trauma is if she is in shock and has to deal with this afterwards… which is one of the main reasons I feel like I can’t give a rating at this point. But, there has been no indication that this will be the case, so I’m not all that hopeful. Even with that, this would be 2 stars.
First of all, this isn’t ‘Pack Darling vibes’, this is a blatant Pack Darling rip off. I’m sure there are a lot of in depth comparisons in other reviews, but quickly there are big character similarities, military pack, beat for beat same events and plot points, fmc likes weapons and is good at fighting, male omega who has never been with a woman but is drawn to the female lead, female character placed in a pack that hates women in hopes of getting grand babies… it’s a whole lot. Despite that, this has a lot more graphic violence (sexual included) and not a fraction of the emotional impact that Pack Darling has.
Talia, our ‘main character’ comes across as completely apathetic. I never felt any connection to her. She is also perfect, she doesn’t need to grow at all. She is self sacrificing and knows how to balance the pack members without a hitch. But, Talia is not the real main character in this story, the Omega Jasper is. All of Talia’s actions, and trauma, are all framed in how they affect Jasper. With the subject matter of sexual assault, having it viewed on how it negatively effects future partners is very off putting and just… gross, especially with how the book ends.
I also agree with a lot of the reviewers on here that the TW at the beginning of the book is far too vague. This book is described as a dark romance but the only part I would class as dark would be the ending, completely blindsiding you. ‘Dark sexual activities’ could literally mean anything. If you would like a proper TW so you know what you’re getting yourself into, here it is: this book has graphic descriptions of past rape and on page graphic gang rape.
On top of all that, the Alphas are all completely indistinguishable. I didn’t realise there were 4 of them for a while. I kept having to flip back to see whose POV it was but that didn’t matter because I couldn’t tell you a single thing about any of the alphas other than the Pack Leader, Devon, who I can tell you is a dick. Talia has no chemistry with any of them, there’s lust there but that’s it. They’ve all pretty much said they’re not interested in each other and I’m really hoping she doesn’t end up with any of them.
MAJOR SPOILERS FOR THE END OF THE BOOK FROM HERE
Talia dresses in Jasper’s clothes and wipes his slick on her to lure rogues attacking the house away, knowing full well that they will capture her, rape her, then kill her. This is… stupid and a massive plot hole.
The first time that the pack house was attacked, Talia was able to kill 6 intruders with ease. She is said to have an arsenal of weapons with her at all times, and yet when she goes to her room before she runs out she doesn’t pick up her guns, she instead takes heat suppressants.
There are also 4 alphas in this pack, 2 of which kill 2 of the rogues straight away, described as literally ripping them apart, without breaking a sweat. There were 6 rogues, with what we have seen before this this should have been an easy fight. Her sacrifice is so fucking unnecessary. Why this was her first plan I have no idea. The alphas then just don’t look for her and continue on with Jasper’s heat, only pausing when Talia is dumped on their doorstep days later, beaten within an inch of her life, and they drop her off at the hospital and leave her there alone and go back to the heat. The reasoning of ‘she would want us to be there for Jasper’ was so ridiculous and just solidifies what I’d felt throughout.
What’s worse is that again, after this, she insists that what the rogues did to her, again which was brutally gang rape her, wasn’t traumatising. That realising she was an Omega was worse. I have no words.
The only way I can see this turning out in a way that is not gratuitous and a disgusting look at sexual assault and trauma is if she is in shock and has to deal with this afterwards… which is one of the main reasons I feel like I can’t give a rating at this point. But, there has been no indication that this will be the case, so I’m not all that hopeful. Even with that, this would be 2 stars.
July 19, 2022
Edited 7/19/22 - TW should be included as a courtesy and out of respect to your readers.
This is the first book in a trilogy(I believe). It definitely feels like more of an introduction to this world, and most of the plot drama happens in the last two chapters.
Talia is a strong character (at least we’re told she is because we definitely don’t see that in action) and a new take on a Female Beta. She’s looking to fit into a pack, and hasn’t had any success so far mostly due to clashing with Alphas and an inability to submit to pack hierarchy. Talia is classified as Beta, but she also exhibits traditionally Alpha and Omega traits. I enjoyed the mystery of her classification (even though there isn’t a definite resolution by the end of the novel), and I appreciate the developing relationship between her and the pack Male Omega, Jasper.
However, outside of the main Alpha, Devon, there wasn’t as much character development so it was difficult to distinguish the other pack characters. Furthermore, I would enjoy more dialogue and action between the characters and supporting characters instead of internalized summaries. There was also some repetitiveness when the chapters switched narrators. Each character would repeat similar observations. For example, I believe three different characters spoke on Talia’s pixie looks.
PROS:
1. Dynamic between Talia and Jasper.
2. Interactions at the dinner
CONS:
1. Minimal character development to point I struggle to distinguish the alphas outside of Devon.
2. Telling instead of showing. Minimal action and mostly internal dialogue. (We’re told Jasper is this badass mercenary, but mainly he seems whiny, shallow and spoiled.)
3 Handling of sexual assault.
I wouldn’t really classify this as RH. It’s more MM harem with a FM relationship. This may change in the rest of series, but I wouldn’t classify this book as RH.
🌶/5
⭐️✨/5
This is the first book in a trilogy(I believe). It definitely feels like more of an introduction to this world, and most of the plot drama happens in the last two chapters.
Talia is a strong character (at least we’re told she is because we definitely don’t see that in action) and a new take on a Female Beta. She’s looking to fit into a pack, and hasn’t had any success so far mostly due to clashing with Alphas and an inability to submit to pack hierarchy. Talia is classified as Beta, but she also exhibits traditionally Alpha and Omega traits. I enjoyed the mystery of her classification (even though there isn’t a definite resolution by the end of the novel), and I appreciate the developing relationship between her and the pack Male Omega, Jasper.
However, outside of the main Alpha, Devon, there wasn’t as much character development so it was difficult to distinguish the other pack characters. Furthermore, I would enjoy more dialogue and action between the characters and supporting characters instead of internalized summaries. There was also some repetitiveness when the chapters switched narrators. Each character would repeat similar observations. For example, I believe three different characters spoke on Talia’s pixie looks.
PROS:
1. Dynamic between Talia and Jasper.
2. Interactions at the dinner
CONS:
1. Minimal character development to point I struggle to distinguish the alphas outside of Devon.
2. Telling instead of showing. Minimal action and mostly internal dialogue. (We’re told Jasper is this badass mercenary, but mainly he seems whiny, shallow and spoiled.)
3 Handling of sexual assault.
I wouldn’t really classify this as RH. It’s more MM harem with a FM relationship. This may change in the rest of series, but I wouldn’t classify this book as RH.
🌶/5
⭐️✨/5
August 22, 2022
Basically written by a gay man who hates women
July 11, 2022
Needed a much clearer trigger warning.
Always err on the side of caution!
I failed to do this & near the middle we had brief mention of past assault & threats. I thought okay I made it through that. Then I careened into that ending. Please do not ever surprise your readers with on page rape.
Clear warnings please!!! - even if you included it on a website, I would have gone and read through it. Thankfully I have healed enough from my past that I wasn't triggered too badly but I worry for others!
Always err on the side of caution!
I failed to do this & near the middle we had brief mention of past assault & threats. I thought okay I made it through that. Then I careened into that ending. Please do not ever surprise your readers with on page rape.
Clear warnings please!!! - even if you included it on a website, I would have gone and read through it. Thankfully I have healed enough from my past that I wasn't triggered too badly but I worry for others!
July 6, 2022
I'm unsure how to explain how much I despised Devon by the end. Talia and Jasper weren't bad hence the 2 stars.
Other than that I don't want to bash a book an author put time into creating... I'll say this. I understand some of the joy of reading is that it's a subjective experience. But there are some things that you can't come back from. I'm horrified.
Other than that I don't want to bash a book an author put time into creating... I'll say this. I understand some of the joy of reading is that it's a subjective experience. But there are some things that you can't come back from. I'm horrified.
August 11, 2022
Similar feel to Pack Darling, but with lots of triggers. Read carefully the warnings before starting the book.
August 18, 2022
1 “FUCK YOU DEVON!!* Stars
Fuck this book AND FUCK DEVON!!!! 🤬🖕🏻
I am currently raging but my rating might change after my rage shimmers down.
—
3 Stars
My rage has gone down some so I’m changing my rating to 3 stars instead of 1. All in all I did enjoy this story. It wasn’t perfect but I was hooked from start to finish. There was a lot of tell and not show so it made it harder to connect with some of the characters. Talia and Jasper were my favorite which makes sense cause Talia spent more time with him than the other guys. I also knew what I was getting into in regards to the ending. I knew something bad was going to happen with Talia but what really had me screaming was what the guys did in regards to what happened to Talia. I’ve never hated a character more than I hated Devon. My god I hope Jasper leaves his stupid ass and gets disowned. Gahh, I’m getting mad all over again. And Talia needs to put her foot down and put herself first for once. I get that she wants to prioritize Jasper but she needs to come first too dammit! I’ll probably will be reading the second book at some point, just not right now. I’m still mad 🤬🖕🏻
Fuck this book AND FUCK DEVON!!!! 🤬🖕🏻
I am currently raging but my rating might change after my rage shimmers down.
—
3 Stars
My rage has gone down some so I’m changing my rating to 3 stars instead of 1. All in all I did enjoy this story. It wasn’t perfect but I was hooked from start to finish. There was a lot of tell and not show so it made it harder to connect with some of the characters. Talia and Jasper were my favorite which makes sense cause Talia spent more time with him than the other guys. I also knew what I was getting into in regards to the ending. I knew something bad was going to happen with Talia but what really had me screaming was what the guys did in regards to what happened to Talia. I’ve never hated a character more than I hated Devon. My god I hope Jasper leaves his stupid ass and gets disowned. Gahh, I’m getting mad all over again. And Talia needs to put her foot down and put herself first for once. I get that she wants to prioritize Jasper but she needs to come first too dammit! I’ll probably will be reading the second book at some point, just not right now. I’m still mad 🤬🖕🏻
August 5, 2022
Edited after reading book two.
I'm shocked by the positive reviews.
Highly recommend skipping this series.
The lack of care regarding mental health & trauma is appalling.
Apparently readers are just supposed to ignore that & be okay with it because the author wants to gloss over it?
Gross.
-Previous Review-
1.5 Stars
Very similar to another book from last year. The writing wasn't terrible but it was wordy and over explained in parts. It fell into the trap of telling instead of showing. Someone else pointed out that it told one thing while showing another & I'll second that! While I was reading something felt off. I couldn't put my finger on what until I read that review & it clicked. The author tried to oversell how she wanted the characters to be seen but their actions didn't line up.
I'd consider reading book two to see how the author handles that cliffhanger/wraps that up. Could have been a much different review if it didn't feel like it was paraphrasing another book a little too closely to hold my interest.
November 14, 2025
Too much telling not enough showing
July 5, 2022
I picked this book because it had virtually no description and I found the cover interesting. Then I dived in and I could not stop myself from swimming along.
So, this is an omegaverse type of book, in which you have designations like alpha, beta and omega. The divide is made based on the sexual chemistry that one has toward the others.
Usually, these types of books (at least what I have read, and mostly from Addison Cain) are purely sexual (porn basically). But it was not the case for this one. I mean, yeah there were sex scenes but they weren`t the focus of the book, more like they were elements to tight back together the larger plot.
I was amazed at what was I reading, sincerely. I have never read about a male omega who is not capable of being pregnant and being in the center of the book. I was also impressed at how the female protagonist refused to bend (metaphorically and literally) before any of the Alphas and she did not allow them to be too aggressive or domineering with her.
This book is definitely getting on my “what have I just read” shelf.
August 4, 2022
pretty disappointed with this book. i read it because people said it had similar vibes to Pack Darling. but it fell flat for me.
it didn’t really invoke any feelings for me. it was just a bunch of words. very dry.
plus, the lack of trigger warnings. yikes.
and the author’s reaction to people complaining about the lack of trigger warnings. double yikes!
super disappointing because it could’ve been a good story but it felt like it was just thrown together and there wasn’t any feeling put into it. the way sensitive topics were handled were just so careless.
and don’t even get me started on part two…
it didn’t really invoke any feelings for me. it was just a bunch of words. very dry.
plus, the lack of trigger warnings. yikes.
and the author’s reaction to people complaining about the lack of trigger warnings. double yikes!
super disappointing because it could’ve been a good story but it felt like it was just thrown together and there wasn’t any feeling put into it. the way sensitive topics were handled were just so careless.
and don’t even get me started on part two…
August 31, 2022
I had to go look up when Pack Darkling was published and it came out before this book. The Beta is basically the exact same story except in this one, for the most part, I can't tell the alphas apart and don't even like the one I do know, Devon.
I have mixed feelings about this one because I finished it and semi enjoyed it up until the end but there was always something off. I couldn't stop comparing it to Pack Darling.
Spoilers
The pack had time to call security and set house alarms but they couldn't be bothered to call Talia's stong alpha family when she was kidnapped and instead went inside and fucked for three days while she was raped?? Nah...
I have mixed feelings about this one because I finished it and semi enjoyed it up until the end but there was always something off. I couldn't stop comparing it to Pack Darling.
Spoilers
The pack had time to call security and set house alarms but they couldn't be bothered to call Talia's stong alpha family when she was kidnapped and instead went inside and fucked for three days while she was raped?? Nah...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 6, 2022
Not for me.
Devon is disgusting. No redemption possible.
Like a weak pack darling knock off.
Tells one thing and shows another.
Devon is disgusting. No redemption possible.
Like a weak pack darling knock off.
Tells one thing and shows another.
August 3, 2022
The Authors Do Not Care About Talia
Mild Spoilers - I don’t think I’ve ever been more disappointed in the progression of a good series. Like ever. Talia went through so much and for no one to visit her and care for her after she was hospitalized is unforgivable. But that isn’t even the worse injustice to this character. Jasper is so selfish and all everyone seems to care about. Talia finally gets a supposed pack of men who she literally has shared history and they find a way to make it work. But this could have been done successfully just giving Devon pack bonds and Devon even says he doesn’t want more alphas. Yet a few chapters later these alphas that should be so focused on Talia are thinking of how they want to bite Devon to. Like I literally only like Corso at this point. I think the speed in which Alex and Reid turned their eye from the woman they have been pining over to Devon so quick is just gross. Talia deserves so much better. These authors really don’t care about her. Like WTH. There are so many other things in this book that I also found extremely cringeworthy but we don’t have time for all of them. I just hate how such a potential beautiful redemption arc turned into oooh let’s make this story all about Devon again.
Mild Spoilers - I don’t think I’ve ever been more disappointed in the progression of a good series. Like ever. Talia went through so much and for no one to visit her and care for her after she was hospitalized is unforgivable. But that isn’t even the worse injustice to this character. Jasper is so selfish and all everyone seems to care about. Talia finally gets a supposed pack of men who she literally has shared history and they find a way to make it work. But this could have been done successfully just giving Devon pack bonds and Devon even says he doesn’t want more alphas. Yet a few chapters later these alphas that should be so focused on Talia are thinking of how they want to bite Devon to. Like I literally only like Corso at this point. I think the speed in which Alex and Reid turned their eye from the woman they have been pining over to Devon so quick is just gross. Talia deserves so much better. These authors really don’t care about her. Like WTH. There are so many other things in this book that I also found extremely cringeworthy but we don’t have time for all of them. I just hate how such a potential beautiful redemption arc turned into oooh let’s make this story all about Devon again.
December 11, 2023
5⭐️ Was captured by the cover presented by KU (not this one showed here) and I dived in blind, and then I was captured by the story. Loved the strong and caring character of the fmc. A little battle pixie.
Hope the next one is equally good. Be aware of the triggers!!! If you can’t stomach violence, rape (not from „her“ pack) bullying … then it’s the wrong book for you! Please read TW (they are mentioned for a reason ladies) instead of going in blind and then complaining about rape etc. 🙄
Some things were a bit illogical but not enough to stop reading (for example the whole hospital situation, but if I say more I am going to spoiler you).
Hope the next one is equally good. Be aware of the triggers!!! If you can’t stomach violence, rape (not from „her“ pack) bullying … then it’s the wrong book for you! Please read TW (they are mentioned for a reason ladies) instead of going in blind and then complaining about rape etc. 🙄
Some things were a bit illogical but not enough to stop reading (for example the whole hospital situation, but if I say more I am going to spoiler you).
July 18, 2022
3.5 stars
I liked it but then again I didn't.
Don't want to sound like I'm mimicking some of the other reviews so I suggest reading those.
Some parts felt gratuitous & unnecessary (think the entire end of the book). As a reader I always wonder if that was necessary on page or just done for shock value? If it's a one time thing I'll ignore it and keep reading an author. If it becomes a repeat thing? They go on the do not read list.
Either way, I didn't hate it. It did give me PD flashbacks in places.
Hope the story veers far off PD if not then I'm done at book 2. Really hope the author cuts Devon out completely. Some sh!t you can't get forgiven for and I dare anyone to say Devon can come back from that. If that was your daughter or sister would you ever want that man around them again?
Did wish Talia was as bad @$$ as we were told in the beginning bc by the end? I didn't feel it.
I always wonder how beta readers and editors don't catch that. It's a huge problem since half the book she's one way then by the end I felt lied to. Think it's a first time author so I'm being more generous than I normally would by rounding up instead of down.
I liked it but then again I didn't.
Don't want to sound like I'm mimicking some of the other reviews so I suggest reading those.
Some parts felt gratuitous & unnecessary (think the entire end of the book). As a reader I always wonder if that was necessary on page or just done for shock value? If it's a one time thing I'll ignore it and keep reading an author. If it becomes a repeat thing? They go on the do not read list.
Either way, I didn't hate it. It did give me PD flashbacks in places.
Hope the story veers far off PD if not then I'm done at book 2. Really hope the author cuts Devon out completely. Some sh!t you can't get forgiven for and I dare anyone to say Devon can come back from that. If that was your daughter or sister would you ever want that man around them again?
Did wish Talia was as bad @$$ as we were told in the beginning bc by the end? I didn't feel it.
I always wonder how beta readers and editors don't catch that. It's a huge problem since half the book she's one way then by the end I felt lied to. Think it's a first time author so I'm being more generous than I normally would by rounding up instead of down.
June 12, 2023
While I originally had this book in my "not-interested" shelf due to 1-star reviews from Goodreads friends, I decided to use some of my Amazon rewards to pick up this book (since it's not in Kindle Unlimited) out of curiosity because so many people in RH/OV groups had recommended it for those that liked Pack Darling: Part One and that it was worth buying outside of KU.
Although I agree that ultimately, this book was worth skipping, it didn't quite reach 1-star DNF to me. I do agree that it's not worth paying to buy the rest of the books in the series either and am abandoning the series after finishing this book. The book needed much better editing - the amount of missing capitalization in dialogue was quite bad.
Overall characterization was very surface level - everything was told and not shown. I couldn't tell the difference between 3 out of 4 alphas, and all the main characters were supposed to be hardcore badass but we were barely given any narrative evidence about it. Most of the story was about harassing the FMC or how she got along with the omega and his harem and would or wouldn't be accepted into the pack somehow. The men maybe had one job that was a disaster for their pack, and the male omega was described to be some super soldier, but there was no sign of that skill anywhere.
I don't know if this was really advertised as an RH omegaverse, but this book was just MF by the end, although they were open to making it into an RH instead. I could see the parallels to Pack Darling overall, but I think the action and underlying plot were distinct enough that I didn't have an issue judging this story on its own.
While the action kept me reading even with the lack of character depth, the ultimate reason I couldn't handle the series anymore was the ending that most reviews have covered. It was a very graphic , done in sacrifice for her male omega, and the reaction from the main alpha was complete total trash. I didn't consider this a romance worth saving and will happily live in oblivion how their story ends.
Romance:
Although I agree that ultimately, this book was worth skipping, it didn't quite reach 1-star DNF to me. I do agree that it's not worth paying to buy the rest of the books in the series either and am abandoning the series after finishing this book. The book needed much better editing - the amount of missing capitalization in dialogue was quite bad.
Overall characterization was very surface level - everything was told and not shown. I couldn't tell the difference between 3 out of 4 alphas, and all the main characters were supposed to be hardcore badass but we were barely given any narrative evidence about it. Most of the story was about harassing the FMC or how she got along with the omega and his harem and would or wouldn't be accepted into the pack somehow. The men maybe had one job that was a disaster for their pack, and the male omega was described to be some super soldier, but there was no sign of that skill anywhere.
I don't know if this was really advertised as an RH omegaverse, but this book was just MF by the end, although they were open to making it into an RH instead. I could see the parallels to Pack Darling overall, but I think the action and underlying plot were distinct enough that I didn't have an issue judging this story on its own.
While the action kept me reading even with the lack of character depth, the ultimate reason I couldn't handle the series anymore was the ending that most reviews have covered. It was a very graphic , done in sacrifice for her male omega, and the reaction from the main alpha was complete total trash. I didn't consider this a romance worth saving and will happily live in oblivion how their story ends.
Romance:
July 9, 2022
Wooooow! This has so much hype going on right now and it was SPOT ON! From the moment I picked this up, I did not want to put it down - and I didn't! Read in a matter of hours with my heart breaking g the entire time.
This book deserves all the awards, just give em right out right now. I can't wait for Part 2!
This book deserves all the awards, just give em right out right now. I can't wait for Part 2!
July 11, 2022
Heart wrenching and amazing
I read this book all night. I can hardly breath. I need to Part 2 now! I highly recommend this novel and get your tissues ready.
I read this book all night. I can hardly breath. I need to Part 2 now! I highly recommend this novel and get your tissues ready.
February 16, 2025
FINALLY something else at the pack darling/lola/sweetheart level. But def check the TWs
July 14, 2022
I love omegaverses and this one was no different. Talia and her family are shocked when she presents as a beta, but Talia just takes it in stride and does what she needs to do to find a home with a pack. She does get tossed around from pack to pack and has built up a bit of a reputation for herself. When she winds up at her most recent pack’s house she’s determined to make this one stick. Since she has an omega mother she is pretty knowledgeable when it comes to omegas. There were times when I read this that I got Pack Darling vibes. In the sense that she pretty much wants nothing to do with these alphas and her main focus is Jasper, their omega, and keeping him happy and her main priority. Talia also doesn’t act like the typical beta nor does she look like a typical beta either. She doesn’t submit to alphas and often times will challenge them and she doesn’t want to sleep with them either. I really liked and enjoyed Talia’s character and feel like she stayed very true to herself throughout this story and she’s definitely a strong FMC. And how she is with Jasper…we get to see her in a different light. She’s had a lot happen to her in her past, which we learn a lot about throughout the story and yet she doesn’t carry this huge chip on her shoulder.
I really enjoyed how this story moved along, there were times though that I felt like the story was a bit stagnant to me? There is a lot of inner monologue type moments and summaries of things so there are often multiple pages without dialogue. This is also a multiple POV and I feel like mostly Talia and Jasper’s POV’s read the most different? But all the alphas read pretty similar to me. I also feel like there were times where Talia would make a mention of something in her inner monologue and then the POV would change and we would get kind of the exact same thing summarized for us again so there were repetitive moments as well. Most of the character growth or relationship growth happens between Talia and Jasper. I also feel like we get to know them the most and I wish we would’ve gotten to know the alphas more. We do learn a little about them and how they came to become a pack, but there were times I wanted to learn more about them. I also wanted there to be a bit more discrepancies between the alphas. Nathan seems like the sweetest. Devon comes off as the pack leader. And then there’s Trent and Kaleb, which I don’t get too much of a distinction between. There are a few moments where one of the alphas will call the other out and there’s no fighting, it’s a pretty quick of a “yeah I should fix that or you are right” type moments and I was just wanting more. More of a definite distinction between all these alphas. More of them acting like the top pack alphas they claim to be. They came off a bit weak for alphas in my opinion.
There is action throughout this story, but for the most part the bigger plot bombs come pretty late in the story and I will say I was not surprised at all. I don’t mean this in a bad way, it just seemed like things would be mentioned that would lead you to believe something. Also there is a chart in the beginning which makes things pretty obvious as well. Although there is a TW part at the beginning, I didn’t find this book to be overly dark until you reach the last part of the book. There are mentions of rape off the page, but around 80-90% through there is an on the page rape scene, so if that is something you cannot handle, you should probably skip those pages. That was a bit much for me to read and my heart was just breaking for Talia and all that she’s been through in her life and then what she does after that…
I don’t feel like this book ends on a cliffhanger. It definitely did leave me wanting to see where this story is going to go though. Which is the feeling I got throughout the book, I just kept wanting to see what was going to happen next.
Overall, I think a lot of this book could’ve been trimmed down and some of the repetitive moments cut out. I also think that the guys shouldn’t have picked up on the same things as Talia did and if they did, since we are getting it from their POV, we would get a different take on things. I also feel like there were some plot holes that I noticed as well and was questioning a few things. But other than that I did really enjoy this story and definitely want to see what happens in book 2. And the spice in this book, it’s like a combination of so sweet and not at the same time and there is plenty of spice!! Loved every minute of it!! I don’t think this is RH yet, I’m thinking it might be more that way in book 2? But I did really enjoy this book, it kept me engaged and I’m definitely looking forward to what happens next.
I really enjoyed how this story moved along, there were times though that I felt like the story was a bit stagnant to me? There is a lot of inner monologue type moments and summaries of things so there are often multiple pages without dialogue. This is also a multiple POV and I feel like mostly Talia and Jasper’s POV’s read the most different? But all the alphas read pretty similar to me. I also feel like there were times where Talia would make a mention of something in her inner monologue and then the POV would change and we would get kind of the exact same thing summarized for us again so there were repetitive moments as well. Most of the character growth or relationship growth happens between Talia and Jasper. I also feel like we get to know them the most and I wish we would’ve gotten to know the alphas more. We do learn a little about them and how they came to become a pack, but there were times I wanted to learn more about them. I also wanted there to be a bit more discrepancies between the alphas. Nathan seems like the sweetest. Devon comes off as the pack leader. And then there’s Trent and Kaleb, which I don’t get too much of a distinction between. There are a few moments where one of the alphas will call the other out and there’s no fighting, it’s a pretty quick of a “yeah I should fix that or you are right” type moments and I was just wanting more. More of a definite distinction between all these alphas. More of them acting like the top pack alphas they claim to be. They came off a bit weak for alphas in my opinion.
There is action throughout this story, but for the most part the bigger plot bombs come pretty late in the story and I will say I was not surprised at all. I don’t mean this in a bad way, it just seemed like things would be mentioned that would lead you to believe something. Also there is a chart in the beginning which makes things pretty obvious as well. Although there is a TW part at the beginning, I didn’t find this book to be overly dark until you reach the last part of the book. There are mentions of rape off the page, but around 80-90% through there is an on the page rape scene, so if that is something you cannot handle, you should probably skip those pages. That was a bit much for me to read and my heart was just breaking for Talia and all that she’s been through in her life and then what she does after that…
I don’t feel like this book ends on a cliffhanger. It definitely did leave me wanting to see where this story is going to go though. Which is the feeling I got throughout the book, I just kept wanting to see what was going to happen next.
Overall, I think a lot of this book could’ve been trimmed down and some of the repetitive moments cut out. I also think that the guys shouldn’t have picked up on the same things as Talia did and if they did, since we are getting it from their POV, we would get a different take on things. I also feel like there were some plot holes that I noticed as well and was questioning a few things. But other than that I did really enjoy this story and definitely want to see what happens in book 2. And the spice in this book, it’s like a combination of so sweet and not at the same time and there is plenty of spice!! Loved every minute of it!! I don’t think this is RH yet, I’m thinking it might be more that way in book 2? But I did really enjoy this book, it kept me engaged and I’m definitely looking forward to what happens next.
July 5, 2022
Are you freaking kidding me?
I want to curse and rage at that ending! This book was phenomenal until then. I need the next book immediately. This is my first book by this author and it was fantastic. Apparently, Avvanne Michaels is evil. Drawing us in with a delicious story and then ripping us apart with that ending! Suffer with me. Read the book!
I want to curse and rage at that ending! This book was phenomenal until then. I need the next book immediately. This is my first book by this author and it was fantastic. Apparently, Avvanne Michaels is evil. Drawing us in with a delicious story and then ripping us apart with that ending! Suffer with me. Read the book!
August 11, 2022
Editing this: I am happy to see the author is fixing their trigger warnings so I hope that will help people in the future I probably still would have tried this book despite the ones being listed but would have had more knowledge going in.
Book 2 is much more triggering at least for myself than book one but I have see what ones are being considered for that.
I do love omegaverse I do read darker books I do read trigger warnings before books this just didn’t prepare the reader in advance.
Book 2 is much more triggering at least for myself than book one but I have see what ones are being considered for that.
I do love omegaverse I do read darker books I do read trigger warnings before books this just didn’t prepare the reader in advance.
October 17, 2025
Changed my 4 star to a 2 star as per below.
This felt like a lot of inspiration from Lola Rock's book Pack Darling. I've never read a book, and instantly, I thought, hmmmm why is this so familiar?"
It's a shame because I really did enjoy the book.
This felt like a lot of inspiration from Lola Rock's book Pack Darling. I've never read a book, and instantly, I thought, hmmmm why is this so familiar?"
It's a shame because I really did enjoy the book.
December 2, 2023
While it's not necessarily commonplace or expected to note trigger warnings in books, it's best to either go all the way or not at all. "Dark Sexual Activities" leads readers to believe that the book may contain more niche kinks (knifeplay, CNC, body betrayal, noncon fantasies, etc.) but it CERTAINLY does not do a good enough job of warning readers that this book contains multiple descriptions and allusions to rape, gangrape, and sustained instances of sexual assault- Coming from a background reading omegaverse mainly through fanfiction, I was appalled to find that the author would include such content without giving readers a thorough warning, setting me up to believe that the "dark sexual activities" were the usual tropes and cliches common to this specific setting.
I don't want to give this book one star, I really don't. Usually one star ratings are given to books that people dnf'd in the first quarter or by people who aren't actually interested in the content, especially when the content caters to a very niche setting such as omegaverse. It's easy to just sit down and say 'I hated this book', and that's a completely fair thing to say.
However, I read all of this book. I very much do love omegaverse- though I will admit most of my reading of this setting has been through fanfiction and unpublished fiction as this is a very niche category of romance. And I can't say I hate this book. It has problems, of which there are some that are easier to ignore than others, but I wouldn't have sat through seven hours- and THREE HUNDRED pages- if I hated every moment of it. I'm not a masochist, or stubborn enough to torture myself by reading something I hate just to say I finished it.
And I didn't feel hate for this book when I finished it.
I felt disgusted and resented myself for hoping that the book would get better. Disgusted that I was so stupid as to slog through chapter after chapter in the hopes that THIS would be where the characters could get that moment of becoming players in the story rather than being at the whims of whatever situation the author wanted to throw together- that THIS would be the chapter where FINALLY one of the male characters would get his head out of his ass or where Talia would finally stop being all words and no action. I resented wasting seven hours on this book when I had, in the first quarter, realized that this book might not be worth the continual effort of giving the story good will and optimism in the hopes that it would eventually pan out.
I should have DNF'd- my review and perception of this story would have stayed the same as it is now. Seven hours later. Three hundred plus pages down.
My serious review is filled with spoilers so if you want an in depth delve into the failing of this book please look beneath the spoiler:
The only thing worth a star for this book is that the grammar, punctuation, and spelling are clean and well done.
Honestly, I'm just burnt out and never want to look at this book again. If you're interested, give the first three or four chapters a go and if you don't like it don't keep trying to. Don't hope that the few moments where it shines will make up for the mountain of passive voiced filler text.
If you don't like the first few pages you won't like the rest of the book. It doesn't get better.
I don't want to give this book one star, I really don't. Usually one star ratings are given to books that people dnf'd in the first quarter or by people who aren't actually interested in the content, especially when the content caters to a very niche setting such as omegaverse. It's easy to just sit down and say 'I hated this book', and that's a completely fair thing to say.
However, I read all of this book. I very much do love omegaverse- though I will admit most of my reading of this setting has been through fanfiction and unpublished fiction as this is a very niche category of romance. And I can't say I hate this book. It has problems, of which there are some that are easier to ignore than others, but I wouldn't have sat through seven hours- and THREE HUNDRED pages- if I hated every moment of it. I'm not a masochist, or stubborn enough to torture myself by reading something I hate just to say I finished it.
And I didn't feel hate for this book when I finished it.
I felt disgusted and resented myself for hoping that the book would get better. Disgusted that I was so stupid as to slog through chapter after chapter in the hopes that THIS would be where the characters could get that moment of becoming players in the story rather than being at the whims of whatever situation the author wanted to throw together- that THIS would be the chapter where FINALLY one of the male characters would get his head out of his ass or where Talia would finally stop being all words and no action. I resented wasting seven hours on this book when I had, in the first quarter, realized that this book might not be worth the continual effort of giving the story good will and optimism in the hopes that it would eventually pan out.
I should have DNF'd- my review and perception of this story would have stayed the same as it is now. Seven hours later. Three hundred plus pages down.
My serious review is filled with spoilers so if you want an in depth delve into the failing of this book please look beneath the spoiler:
The only thing worth a star for this book is that the grammar, punctuation, and spelling are clean and well done.
Honestly, I'm just burnt out and never want to look at this book again. If you're interested, give the first three or four chapters a go and if you don't like it don't keep trying to. Don't hope that the few moments where it shines will make up for the mountain of passive voiced filler text.
If you don't like the first few pages you won't like the rest of the book. It doesn't get better.
August 9, 2022
trigger warnings for this book - rape, abuse - I would have preferred a clearer TW on the kindle page because honestly, I didn't expect something as graphic as what I got.
Okay. So.
This isn't the greatest thing I've ever read, but it's also not the worst and it scratches the itch for a little wish fulfilment. I enjoyed reading it, I'm going to read the second one as well, but it doesn't mean I don't see the flaws here.
Some critiques: Like others mention, this has a lot of similarities to Pack Darling - and Pack Darling definitely nailed the angst for me. This one missed the mark completely in that regard.
This isn't a reverse harem yet, but I don't mind a slow burn in that regard - I like that it wasn't instant relationships with everyone, because relationships progress with different people at different rates.
Talia is pretty classically a Mary Sue. She's pretty, she's perfect, she's strong, she's got waifu, and all the boys want her. I don't hate a Mary Sue - like I said, wish fulfillment has its place - and I still liked Talia as a protagonist. I like that she's a beta who doesn't easily submit but I'm waiting to see how things play out - I'll be disappointed if .
The plot seems a bit ridiculous and silly - the motivations don't make a ton of sense to me - but, again, I've read worse and I'm willing to suspend my disbelief and get through it.
The writing is so-so. I can't tell any of the alpha characters apart - I found myself flipping back to the chapter starts more often than not to recall who's POV I was reading, because only Talia and Jasper have distinct perspectives / voices. I was hoping for decent emotional angst and a good bullies-to-lovers kind of arc, but
Ultimately, I think people should be cautious going into this one. The writing has potential, but I don't think Michaels is quite there yet and there's too many misses for me to recommend this to most people .
Okay. So.
This isn't the greatest thing I've ever read, but it's also not the worst and it scratches the itch for a little wish fulfilment. I enjoyed reading it, I'm going to read the second one as well, but it doesn't mean I don't see the flaws here.
Some critiques: Like others mention, this has a lot of similarities to Pack Darling - and Pack Darling definitely nailed the angst for me. This one missed the mark completely in that regard.
This isn't a reverse harem yet, but I don't mind a slow burn in that regard - I like that it wasn't instant relationships with everyone, because relationships progress with different people at different rates.
Talia is pretty classically a Mary Sue. She's pretty, she's perfect, she's strong, she's got waifu, and all the boys want her. I don't hate a Mary Sue - like I said, wish fulfillment has its place - and I still liked Talia as a protagonist. I like that she's a beta who doesn't easily submit but I'm waiting to see how things play out - I'll be disappointed if .
The plot seems a bit ridiculous and silly - the motivations don't make a ton of sense to me - but, again, I've read worse and I'm willing to suspend my disbelief and get through it.
The writing is so-so. I can't tell any of the alpha characters apart - I found myself flipping back to the chapter starts more often than not to recall who's POV I was reading, because only Talia and Jasper have distinct perspectives / voices. I was hoping for decent emotional angst and a good bullies-to-lovers kind of arc, but
Ultimately, I think people should be cautious going into this one. The writing has potential, but I don't think Michaels is quite there yet and there's too many misses for me to recommend this to most people .
August 26, 2023
OH MY FUCKING GOD.
Second only to Lola and the Millionnaires and Pack Darling, this is hands down one of the best omegaverse books I’ve read to date.
I’m not even exaggerating I quite literally could not put it down, I had to stay up all night to read it.
I am in such a state of awe and obsession with this book I can’t even comprehend the emotions swirling through me after this read.
A Beta who doesn’t fit into any pack.
A trial run with a pack of all males who already have an Omega.
A group of alphas (and Omega) who don’t want anything to do with her.
An Omega who falls madly in love with a Beta over time as she wins his heart over.
A Beta and an Omega who would burn the world down for each other.
Alphas who want nothing but to please their Omega and have to start accepting her place in their Omegas life.
It’s all just *chefs kiss*
Every inch of this book had me on the edge of my seat salivating for more.
Heartbreak. Despair. Major trigger warning for this one.
Conflicting emotions. Angst. Tension. Amazing sexual chemistry. Voyeurism. Violence.
It’s all so DELICIOUS.
It is truly perfection in a novel.
It’s 3:30am but am I going to start the second book?
Yes.
Yes I fucking am because I need to know what’s going to happen to Talia after the ending of this book.
And Devon better pull his head out of his asshole.
I hope they realize the sacrifice she just made for their Omega and grovel their asses off.
Jasper is becoming a major daddy and I can’t wait to see more assertiveness from him, especially for his girl who may or may not have a change in designations????
Ugh I just need to violently throw myself into book 2, sleep can wait.
~5 stars~
Second only to Lola and the Millionnaires and Pack Darling, this is hands down one of the best omegaverse books I’ve read to date.
I’m not even exaggerating I quite literally could not put it down, I had to stay up all night to read it.
I am in such a state of awe and obsession with this book I can’t even comprehend the emotions swirling through me after this read.
A Beta who doesn’t fit into any pack.
A trial run with a pack of all males who already have an Omega.
A group of alphas (and Omega) who don’t want anything to do with her.
An Omega who falls madly in love with a Beta over time as she wins his heart over.
A Beta and an Omega who would burn the world down for each other.
Alphas who want nothing but to please their Omega and have to start accepting her place in their Omegas life.
It’s all just *chefs kiss*
Every inch of this book had me on the edge of my seat salivating for more.
Heartbreak. Despair. Major trigger warning for this one.
Conflicting emotions. Angst. Tension. Amazing sexual chemistry. Voyeurism. Violence.
It’s all so DELICIOUS.
It is truly perfection in a novel.
It’s 3:30am but am I going to start the second book?
Yes.
Yes I fucking am because I need to know what’s going to happen to Talia after the ending of this book.
And Devon better pull his head out of his asshole.
I hope they realize the sacrifice she just made for their Omega and grovel their asses off.
Jasper is becoming a major daddy and I can’t wait to see more assertiveness from him, especially for his girl who may or may not have a change in designations????
Ugh I just need to violently throw myself into book 2, sleep can wait.
~5 stars~
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 13, 2022
WOW! This debut novel by Avanne Michaels is INCREDIBLE! I NEED THE NEXT BOOK RIGHT NOW!
The Beta Part One is a #contemporaryomegaverse . What this means is that although the book follows the "omegaverse system" it is NOT a PNR. However, there are darker themes, these can be intense, but they are ALL necessary to the overall plot and storyline. Also, the mixture of beta, alphas, and omega is intoxicating.
As far as the main characters...I LOVED THEM, well except Devon but I think he will have a redemption arc. My favorite character, other than the bada** herself Talia, is Trent. Trent is fantastic, he tries to be a harda** but he really is just a goofy and loveable alpha. He is always making smart remarks and bickering with Talia. I just want to package Trent up in my truck and take him home.
Overall, if you love s3ggsy scenes, dominant alphas, intense action, etc. (I could go on for hours), The Beta Part One is for you. Seriously go check Avanne Michaels out!
The Beta Part One is a #contemporaryomegaverse . What this means is that although the book follows the "omegaverse system" it is NOT a PNR. However, there are darker themes, these can be intense, but they are ALL necessary to the overall plot and storyline. Also, the mixture of beta, alphas, and omega is intoxicating.
As far as the main characters...I LOVED THEM, well except Devon but I think he will have a redemption arc. My favorite character, other than the bada** herself Talia, is Trent. Trent is fantastic, he tries to be a harda** but he really is just a goofy and loveable alpha. He is always making smart remarks and bickering with Talia. I just want to package Trent up in my truck and take him home.
Overall, if you love s3ggsy scenes, dominant alphas, intense action, etc. (I could go on for hours), The Beta Part One is for you. Seriously go check Avanne Michaels out!
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