Betrayed and broken by an unlikely enemy, I made a bargain to try and save the lives of everyone here. Keep ahead of the Wild Hunt and stay alive until the full moon. Simple, right? Stay ahead of the hunt made from nightmares and monsters which has never failed to capture their prey. Yeah, we’re doomed. But the men at my side refuse to abandon me, even if I want them to stay safe. Together, we will face not just the hunt, but the mystery behind how we will survive. Being caught wasn’t an option. Failure seemed almost inevitable. Yet, I was tired of running and constantly feeling like I was on the losing side. It was time to turn the tables. Let them come. They threatened the people I love, and now I’d make them pay.
Reader warning: The main characters in this book are all adults although the story does take place in a school setting. None of the main characters are students. This book contains explicit scenes and briefly deals with themes that some readers may find triggering.
This is a paranormal romance novel where the main character ends up with more than one love interest. It is a duet format that comes in two parts.
I’m a British author who writes paranormal reverse harem romance books.
I couldn’t survive with tea and potentially swear far too much for any kind of polite society. So I spend most of my days shut inside the writing cave and talking to all the voices in my head. Being a writer has given me the ideal excuse to fully embrace the crazy side of my personality, and I can’t wait to share it with you.
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First and foremost! This is part two of a duet! If you haven't read, "The Arcane: Part 1" go read it first otherwise there will be spoilers ahead. This book completes the duet! As the author has mentioned on sites to review or purchase the book, this story revolves around a high school with high school students. But all of the main characters are adults. * * * * * * * * * *
"Three nights until the full moon. Three chances to die. Or, three chances to live." - Remi
Remi narrowly escaped the Fae Queen's wrath and warped plan for Ellis and herself. But now her and her guys will have to face something much worse, The Wild Hunt! To gain full freedom from the Fae, they must take on the task of out running The Wild Hunt or suffer the Queen's future plans for the group. To top it all off, the school has a border around it locking everyone inside. . .just perfect.
Will Remi and her mates make it out alive? Will they be able to hold off The Wild Hunt from harming the kids? And will Remi ever realize she's no longer "alone" with her struggle of taking on the world?
"I hear you've been getting yourself into trouble again." - Hunter
I mean it is Remi we are talking about, so this should be a statement not requiring explanation or an answer. Remi's still taking on everything as though she's the only one able to do so. But the guys are slowly working on her and showing Remi that she's no longer alone. I loved getting to see more of their personalities and bonds with her.
I love Remi and I understand the need and drive to be independent. Sometimes being so focused on that and not knowing or understanding there are other ways of doing things. She's learning and growing all throughout this arc!
Remi's not the only one who's growing. I enjoyed seeing the coming to age story of Jared, not a full arc on it but a start! He's a character I have grown to utterly love and would not mind seeing a book focused on him. One where he's an adult and through the teenage years. I loved seeing his growth and how his arc proceeded in this story!
Being locked down with a whole group of people isn't the best-case scenario. Tensions rise and secrets are out! Ellis is already dreading the paperwork he's going to be buried under if they make it out. Ellis is still my favorite! Hunter would have to be my second favorite, but I cannot just choose one. I mean that's why I am here. . . This is a why choose duology with all the gushy romance and very spicy scenes.
I really loved that we got to have some scenes from Ellis' POV while he was shifted! Dragon! I loved how the author wrote in the details of Ellis' dragon and how he moved through the sky and battles. I also loved that Ellis' dragon wasn't just super overpowered. He had limitations and setbacks which I respected because it made his character more believable. Plus, if he was overpowered this book would have been over very quickly.
I liked how the bonds the group was forming had some twists to it. I thought it was an interesting twist and one that made so much sense. There were several twists that were just amazing! I will say there were some scenes I was literally holding my breath with until things were okay. This part of the duology is focusing on survival so there is violence and some gore.
This part was about healing from the past, surviving the present so as to have a beautiful future, and realizing that relying on others is not a weakness. We get so caught up in our search for independence and proving we are just that. We soon forget having someone else to lean on isn't a sign of weakness or regression back to being a dependent. Sometimes having a pack can make you stronger and they can help amplify your strength.
This may be a little bit of a spoiler and you are more than welcome to skip this paragraph. Just a heads up. There are some deaths in the book of high schoolers. Because of course, when we were teenagers, we were hotheads who believed we knew everything. Some believed just this and let the hormones take over, but they also had good reasons. The author does an amazing job with writing and does NOT detail anything out. You understand what happens and feel the emotions along with the main character POV, but that's it.
I loved the spicy scenes in this book. Though there were teases to MM action, but we didn't get any full-blown MM scenes. Majority were centered around MF, MFM, or MFM with little helping hands of MM. They were toe curling in several places, and I loved all the tension! There's blood play because of a vampire mate, but nothing crazy and over the top. Along with biting for the mate marks, multiple POVs, and language.
This was a very good ending to the duet, and I have to admit I was a little nervous with the end. But the author did a phenomenal job bringing it all to a close with all the HAE and the pacing was perfect. I will say if the author wanted to, she could write more books within this world setting. Or even books with side characters being the main. There's a certain hound I would not mind reading about and seeing what comes next for them. . .
Enjoy this wild adventure until the very end! I could gush so much about this read and all the intricacies that took place within the pages. But you will just have to read the book and find out for yourself. Don't forget to give the author some stars!
Honestly. I read a lot.. and it would be nice if some RH novels weren't the guys all messing around with each other by the end. Idk I feel mislead because I was expecting more of a situation where Remi would be the center focus. But that wasn't the case. Two of her mates just end up more focused on each other and barely notice she's there anymore. And it gets annoying when it wasn't suggested that's how it would go.
Urgh why does the second book always seem to annoy me and ruin the first book. In the first book our heroine was a kick butt kind of woman and now seeing as she's mated she's becoming whiny and just weak. Why must authors think love and mating cause personality shifts to the extreme?!?! I've just barely started on book 2 so I'm hoping this shït changes soon.... she's also alot less confident in herself or her abilities. Maybe there's a point to the author making her seem weaker at the moment but I gotta say I'm at pg 114 and it's getting superrrrr annoying. I want a strong heroine who grows through out the story but this character is just started strong and is getting more weak and annoying so it's got me skipping and skimming a pretty good amount of her chapters though i like the guys. Even shes agreeing at 73% in that shes weaker lol so im guessing the author (unfortunately) wrote her this way purposefully. I've noticed the author forgot how fast they said the fmc healed in the first book compared to this second one. I just finished and I gotta say the ending was kinda disappointing and underwhelming. This book duet wasn't the best I ever read but neither was it the worst but man it's kinda on the lower side. Also Birthcontrol wasn't mentioned.... I get that this is a fictional book but I personally like when authors try to show in some way that the characters are adults who go about intimacy maturely because even though this book is 18+ doesn't mean that younger ones won't read it. So they need to see the mature way of thinking of intimacy and the possible concequences of not going about it in a safe way especially during the times we are living in. Anywho this doesn't detract from the story but it does in the rating I'll give it (I usually just deduct a point). Ehh I say read It if you want to it ok just not my favorite...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Feelings on this one are a little fresh. I'll give it credit - the story wrapped up nicely but still left enough of a teaser to want to revisit this world as the author hinted for the future.
Characters felt like individuals but would have liked them to be a little more fleshed out. The relationship between them sexually was a bit meh but story-wise with the shared bond and abilities was a nice touch. Wish they would have expanded on that a bit more. We only saw a limited piece of that but I assume the author will elaborate with the next installments. Story was pretty good. I liked the conflict. The "big baddie" was a bit obvious to me even with the red herrings though. This isn't a mystery so figuring it out early on didn't really spoil it all but it did feel kind of lackluster at the reveal. Pacing with the relationship was very sped up. They are mates and I'm taking that into account but especially Remi and Hunter - it felt off. They went from playful/hostile banter to absolutely devoted in less than a paragraph. All of them were completely consumed and willing to throw down their lives for her in little to no time at all. Glad it was reciprocated but, dang man! World build was pretty good. It was an urban fantasy but the school grounds and forest had them ostracized from the outside world and the fae involvement was done well.
Overall: 3.5/5 - It was enjoyable but the 1st book (especially the 1st half) really set the bar high and I felt it went a little more downhill from there for the characters whereas the story improved from there on. Go figure. Based on this book, I would absolutely give the author another read.
The Arcane part 2 is the ending to the Arcane duet, starting off with Remi and her men in a load of trouble. The deal Remi made with the fae, results in "The Wild Hunt" coming their way. Will they be able to defeat the monsters that hunt them at night? Or is there no way they can all make it out unscathed?
This book is filled with tons of action, both of the "slicing and stabbing" kind as the more carnal kind of action. I really enjoyed the flow of this story; it's action-packed but with the right kind of breathing room in between. I enjoyed seeing these people come closer, trusting in each other and starting to rely on their pack. Remi is one badass fmc, but she's so much stronger when she decides to put some trust in others.
It's starting to become a theme when I finish one of CJ Cooke's series, but I'm not ready to say goodbye to these characters yet. And when I say that, I'm not just speaking about the main characters in this series. No; there are so many side characters who I'm dying to see more of in the future! With the number of characters I already hope to see again from previous series, it looks like she'll have to write for at least another thirty years... I'm already looking forward to see what she'll write next!
This duet is definitely worth the read! Action-packed and filled with tons of interesting characters.
When the Wild Hunt comes knocking on your door, all you can do is to brace yourself for an unforgettable ride as the stakes are high and it could either lead to the victory of a lifetime or to a sorrowful downfall.
The second book of the Arcane finds Remi and her men in a precarious situation as they face a challenging battle, where the rules are nonexistent and the only laws that are in place are either be the hunter or submit to the inevitable and become the prey.
The second installment of the book is a thrilling and intensely driven rollercoaster, one that keeps you hooked from the very first page up until the very end.
The writing is superb and it is evident that the author has dedicated time and effort to let the characters develop throughout the two books.
Loved the suspense just as much as the bonding between the main protagonist and her love interests. Each of the male characters has his own quirks alongside some heavy past burdens that slowly start to fade away as they discover what the future may hold. The FMC is quite lovely and frankly I kind of resonate with her in terms of her struggle to open her heart to others and allow love to enter her life.
It was a pleasure reading this duet and for certain I will be checking some of the other books by this author.
While I love this series, What about bullets? As the struggle with the Fay increased I can't help but think what about bullets! What about the weakness to metals? Specifically iron. It just seemed or heroin was short sided and not considering the modern world against the ancient phase in magic Magic fighting magic was not the only option. So without those answers my gut feeling is a war with the mortal world would have been very different than what the book portrayed.
I don’t even know where to start. The feelings and the emotions that had me on edge so many times was truly a whirl wind of a ride through out this book
If you want a series with a kickass heroine with loving mates that all have their own lovable personality traits, this is the book for you. The ending was perfect but left you not wanting to giving up these lovable characters and just keep wanting more.
I swear this author an do no wrong when it comes to her characters and her stories. I love them so much. She writes such strong FMCs that have backbones made of steel and then we have these men that are flawed and makes them feel more relatable but also are these alpha males who will make you swoon so hard and want to protect their girl at all costs. this was such an amazing conclusion and I loved every minute of it. You are in for one wild ride with this group!!
1st this Duet is absolutely amazing. As in I read both books in one sitting addictive. The word building had me completely hooked. I feel like the story could continue. I love the characters so much I want to know how things work out later on. I still have questions that I want answers because I’m a greedy girl😂 I will definitely be looking for more books by this author. She has found a new fan for life.
4.5 for the duet. Maybe it’s because I’m sick lol but I actually enjoyed this. It made me laugh out loud more than once so that’s always a plus for me. There are definitely some editorial issues but I liked the characters and the story. Some aspects could have been MORE if that makes sense..? But I had no problem enjoying myself while reading this. 😏don’t make it gross🤨 anyways, I’ve struggled lately, to find story’s I thoroughly enjoy and this rang that bell so, well done you 👍🏽
I loved the first book, the closed character of Remi, the fact that she's a total badass shifter with a mythical beast. The second book was different as Remi bounded with her guys so she wasn't the same prickly girl... Then, some passages were slow and a bit boring. The end felt like an HFN because some things weren't resolved...but I don't think that there will be other books😕...?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
The Arcane: Part 2 picks up where the previous left off. Remi has made a deal with the Fae for the survival of them and the students. This book was action packed and filled with supernatural characters. I loved this conclusion to Remi and her guy’s story and would definitely recommend reading it!
A great end to the story. I couldn’t help but have rather strong feelings about what was going on. There were certain people I just really wanted to get unalived. But Remi and her guys I definitely loved. There was a lot of character growth, from more than just Remi BC and her guys. The battles and mystery were fast paced and interesting. The different creatures were a lot of fun too. Being trapped in the school grounds, fighting a horde of monsters every night, was exciting. But also trying to save a bunch of people, some of whom weren’t exactly helpful, kept things pretty chaotic. A great read.
Not as spicy as most of the books I usually read, but the storyline more than made up for it. This was a really good book with several twists and turns.
I felt like this could have been expanded into a trilogy. For starters, the ending felt pretty superficial. What's Fae like? How do things with Jared and his pack really turn out? I don't know, maybe I'm in the minority but I felt like the series just ended with too much packed into one book.
While I typically love cj's books, this series seems to drag. There are just too many unnecessary parts to it that just seem to drag it on and on. I love the characters though.
Loved book two as much as book one! Fantastic continuation. It was a wonderful and intriguing story with awesome characters. I would definitely recommend this series.
I think my biggest pet peeve is when the author only introduces one person who could possibly be the villain and then makes the characters surprised when it’s them
Another great series by CJ Cooke. Always strong female leads and likable cast of other characters. Glad it wrapped itself up in two books but left itself open if she added more.
I enjoyed the series very much..I knew before the second book was halfway done thar Rebecca was not a good person. The book was very good anyway, lots of surprises.