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Beautiful Monsters #1
Captive
Matthew Callahan has spent seven years struggling against the insatiable hunger for blood consuming him. Unable to stop the vampire inside from preying on humans, he keeps himself confined to a lonely existence.
Everything changes the night he is lured into a trap and taken prisoner by High Lord General Tarrick—a seductive incubus who feeds off sexual energy. Forced into the middle of a war between vampires and incubi, Matthew is used as a weapon against his own kind. Although he's desperate for freedom, he is unable to deny the burning desire drawing him to the incubus general he now calls Master.
This book is intended for mature audiences.
Everything changes the night he is lured into a trap and taken prisoner by High Lord General Tarrick—a seductive incubus who feeds off sexual energy. Forced into the middle of a war between vampires and incubi, Matthew is used as a weapon against his own kind. Although he's desperate for freedom, he is unable to deny the burning desire drawing him to the incubus general he now calls Master.
This book is intended for mature audiences.
316 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 8, 2016
1781 people are currently reading
14362 people want to read
About the author
Jex Lane
9 books2,044 followersQuick update: I don't buzz around Goodreads anymore, but I am really active on Facebook. So if you want to connect with me, you can find me there. Thanks, BeMos!
~~~
I enjoy writing about hidden worlds full of vampire hunters, epic battles, steamy sex, and, of course, beautiful monsters. Join me on Facebook and say hi! I don't bite…I let my vampires do that for me.
Get Pearl and the Dread King for FREE (a short m/f paranormal romance) by signing up for my newsletter at: http://smarturl.it/bemonewsletter
~~~
I enjoy writing about hidden worlds full of vampire hunters, epic battles, steamy sex, and, of course, beautiful monsters. Join me on Facebook and say hi! I don't bite…I let my vampires do that for me.
Get Pearl and the Dread King for FREE (a short m/f paranormal romance) by signing up for my newsletter at: http://smarturl.it/bemonewsletter
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,256 reviews
January 8, 2018
This was SO addictive.
I don't think it is for all audiences, but I'll give all the warnings when I talk about the book in my Youtube Channel. What I loved? THE ACTION, it was on point! The "final battle" had me (literally) shaking with fear and excitement! (no but really, I was shaking).
I don't think it is for all audiences, but I'll give all the warnings when I talk about the book in my Youtube Channel. What I loved? THE ACTION, it was on point! The "final battle" had me (literally) shaking with fear and excitement! (no but really, I was shaking).
Want to read
February 28, 2019| buddy read with Lo |
March 17, 2018
4.5 Stars
Damn! I can’t believe I enjoyed it that much! It’s been a while since I read a fantasy book. Yes, I had had read a vampiry book recently (months ago) but a story with vampires, damons, witches, shapeshifters... I can’t even remember when was my last fantasy book! I loved this one! I was hooked from the first chapter and with each chapter it got better! I loved Matthew so much; he was brave, smart, curious, caring… and I hated Tarrick! At first I had a mild hatred for him but chapter by chapter my hatred increased! He doesn’t deserve Matthew. I know he had reasons for what he did to Matthew but still I can’t accept them. I hope Matthew choose someone better than Tarrick, someone who really care for him and deserve his love and someone who chose something other than torturing as a help to him! maybe if there was Tarrick’s POV I could have understood him more. I hope I like him more in book two! Told in single POV, 3rd person. It was well-written and a bit slow but I didn’t mind it. It’s the first installment in the "Beautiful Monsters" series and it’s cliffy (but not a huge one). Overall, loved it and hope you enjoy it as well. Onto the second book!
Damn! I can’t believe I enjoyed it that much! It’s been a while since I read a fantasy book. Yes, I had had read a vampiry book recently (months ago) but a story with vampires, damons, witches, shapeshifters... I can’t even remember when was my last fantasy book! I loved this one! I was hooked from the first chapter and with each chapter it got better! I loved Matthew so much; he was brave, smart, curious, caring… and I hated Tarrick! At first I had a mild hatred for him but chapter by chapter my hatred increased! He doesn’t deserve Matthew. I know he had reasons for what he did to Matthew but still I can’t accept them. I hope Matthew choose someone better than Tarrick, someone who really care for him and deserve his love and someone who chose something other than torturing as a help to him! maybe if there was Tarrick’s POV I could have understood him more. I hope I like him more in book two! Told in single POV, 3rd person. It was well-written and a bit slow but I didn’t mind it. It’s the first installment in the "Beautiful Monsters" series and it’s cliffy (but not a huge one). Overall, loved it and hope you enjoy it as well. Onto the second book!
January 16, 2018
Suddenly, I’m transported to an alternative universe where vampires, incubi, demons, gargoyles and uncountable supernatural species exist. 😱 Or may be not! 😂 We still don’t know if they don’t exist for real or not. 😁 So let me tell you one thing, this is not a romance novel. It might seem it is but it really is not. For all to start, there’s only one MC here, Matthew, the creature of both a vampire and an incubus. And this is about him and how he became what he is. 😌
Matthew, a 7 years old vampire, who died for the first time when he was 32. Abandoned by his sire, he’s been on his own for 7 lone years. One day, he was attracted by an unusual thumping sensation and he was drawn to it like a moth to a flame. Little did he knew, he fell to the grasp of Tarrick, the high lord general of Incubi, and became a slave. And thus his story began. 😉 Along his journey as a slave and a prisoner of Incubi, he learnt that he’s not only a vampire but also a born incubus. He doesn’t wanna kneel in front of anyone but Tarrick broke him slowly and deceptively. He’s in a dilemma, does he belong to vampires or incubi? Whom should he pledge his fidelity to? 😐 And while Matthew is being very careful not to fall for handsome, irresistible General Tarrick, he belatedly realized that he’s already hopelessly fallen in love with Tarrick. 😒 While he once wanted more than anything to kill and destroy Tarrick, the man who broke his body and his soul, now he’d do anything and I mean anything to please and pleasure his lover. But his endeavor and loyalty were not appreciated and the High King of Incubi decided that he shouldn’t be more than just a tool in the centuries long war of vampires and incubi. And to worsen his misery, he realized that Tarrick never cared for him and manipulated him all along to achieve what he wanted. 😤 Broken, abandoned, lonely and miserable. 💔 How is Matthew going to survive and overcome everything? 😭
I love Matthew .. obviously. 😁 His character is really fascinating and mysterious. There’s so much mystery about his past and how he became what he is to be. A true creature of enigma and puzzlement. 😉 And his mind is always in a battle of being a vampire and an incubus. Despite being a vampire, he doesn’t enjoy kill and he’s afraid of the monster that he has become. While, I’m not a big fan of how he got cheated, played and manipulated by those goddamn Incubi, I’m proud of the man Matthew has become. He was just a man who wanted someone and a society to belong to. 😭 He has a long journey ahead and I can’t wait to read more of his adventures. 😍 And surprise, surprise, surprise, that bastard Tarrick, I wanna flay him alive and kick him in the nuts! 🤬 How could he break my poor Matthew’s heart? After everything he has done for him and saved his sorry ass! Grrrrghhhhhhh! So frustrating. 😤 And so many interesting side characters. I’m especially intrigued by Lady Rosaline. I can’t wait to read more about her in the next issues in the series. This was a very enjoyable read. 😊👏 There were occasional MF scenes in the book but I didn’t mind since they were super erotic. 😜 And although this is particularly not about romance, you are in for a treat of those delicious erotic smut since those Incubi rut like mad. Love it! 😁😍
Favorite excerpts from the novel: 💙💚💜
They fought. They screamed. They begged. They died. And he loved it. And he hated himself for loving it.
He was made to be a conqueror, he could feel it in his bones, and one day they would all see it when he forced them all to their knees before him.
“I know my position might seem harsh, but always remember that even I have people I kneel before and must give my allegiance to. Collar or no, we all have our masters.”
One day, that would be different for Matthew. One day, others would kneel before him.
“Because love is the easiest way to control someone and I needed a way to control you.”
4.5 super sexy wings and tails and horns and fangs stars
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Matthew, a 7 years old vampire, who died for the first time when he was 32. Abandoned by his sire, he’s been on his own for 7 lone years. One day, he was attracted by an unusual thumping sensation and he was drawn to it like a moth to a flame. Little did he knew, he fell to the grasp of Tarrick, the high lord general of Incubi, and became a slave. And thus his story began. 😉 Along his journey as a slave and a prisoner of Incubi, he learnt that he’s not only a vampire but also a born incubus. He doesn’t wanna kneel in front of anyone but Tarrick broke him slowly and deceptively. He’s in a dilemma, does he belong to vampires or incubi? Whom should he pledge his fidelity to? 😐 And while Matthew is being very careful not to fall for handsome, irresistible General Tarrick, he belatedly realized that he’s already hopelessly fallen in love with Tarrick. 😒 While he once wanted more than anything to kill and destroy Tarrick, the man who broke his body and his soul, now he’d do anything and I mean anything to please and pleasure his lover. But his endeavor and loyalty were not appreciated and the High King of Incubi decided that he shouldn’t be more than just a tool in the centuries long war of vampires and incubi. And to worsen his misery, he realized that Tarrick never cared for him and manipulated him all along to achieve what he wanted. 😤 Broken, abandoned, lonely and miserable. 💔 How is Matthew going to survive and overcome everything? 😭
I love Matthew .. obviously. 😁 His character is really fascinating and mysterious. There’s so much mystery about his past and how he became what he is to be. A true creature of enigma and puzzlement. 😉 And his mind is always in a battle of being a vampire and an incubus. Despite being a vampire, he doesn’t enjoy kill and he’s afraid of the monster that he has become. While, I’m not a big fan of how he got cheated, played and manipulated by those goddamn Incubi, I’m proud of the man Matthew has become. He was just a man who wanted someone and a society to belong to. 😭 He has a long journey ahead and I can’t wait to read more of his adventures. 😍 And surprise, surprise, surprise, that bastard Tarrick, I wanna flay him alive and kick him in the nuts! 🤬 How could he break my poor Matthew’s heart? After everything he has done for him and saved his sorry ass! Grrrrghhhhhhh! So frustrating. 😤 And so many interesting side characters. I’m especially intrigued by Lady Rosaline. I can’t wait to read more about her in the next issues in the series. This was a very enjoyable read. 😊👏 There were occasional MF scenes in the book but I didn’t mind since they were super erotic. 😜 And although this is particularly not about romance, you are in for a treat of those delicious erotic smut since those Incubi rut like mad. Love it! 😁😍
Favorite excerpts from the novel: 💙💚💜
They fought. They screamed. They begged. They died. And he loved it. And he hated himself for loving it.
He was made to be a conqueror, he could feel it in his bones, and one day they would all see it when he forced them all to their knees before him.
“I know my position might seem harsh, but always remember that even I have people I kneel before and must give my allegiance to. Collar or no, we all have our masters.”
One day, that would be different for Matthew. One day, others would kneel before him.
“Because love is the easiest way to control someone and I needed a way to control you.”
4.5 super sexy wings and tails and horns and fangs stars
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
September 4, 2016
3.5 Stars
I'm a bit torn on this book. The world building is good, the take on vampires and incubi is very well done, very well drawn. I was very happy with that, and, in all honesty, I did not think that vampires and incubi could be taken to the level that Jex Lane has taken them to in a book that is not strictly paranormal or UF, it's a book that also focuses on sex.
Tarrick is a layered character. You think you have him figured out and he surprises you. I like a good mindfuck of a character and Tarrick is good at that. I really liked him. Without doubt, he is my favourite character. Matthew was fine, if not somewhat erratic as a character - he'd be a good guy, then do things that contradicted what the author set him up to be. Maybe book #2 will help me feel him a bit more. I did understand his conundrum of being between two worlds, because I'd be conflicted about where my place was as well if I were him. The vampires and the incubi both have strong selling features as well as minuses and Matthew is justifiably torn
The treatment of Matthew by Tarrick, while nasty, could have been darker and more intense but when it occurred Tarrick was good at being the bad guy. I would have liked a more deeply psychological storyline - perhaps I am too twisted - it just fell short of being hard core enough. The potential was there, it started out very strongly, but fizzled in he middle and was a bit 'kind' toward the end.
I didn't care much for the description of every outfit Tarrick wore and how neat, clean and tidy he was, his quarters were. I am serious, a lot of time went into what Tarrick was wearing and I just didn't need that. Give me more mindfuckery. Give me more game playing and- give me, give me, give me passion.
I'm good with different combinations of sexual liaisons. These are vampires and incubi, they fuck a lot, they're sexually fluid. Incubi need sexual energy, vampires feed off blood and sex from whoever happens to be around, but more needed to be done in that area. I love the combination of blood drinking, biting and sex and unfortunately that was a rarity. I also found the sex between men to be rigid and tense, the het sex seemed more comfortable for the author to write. Also, the use of the words, member, manhood and sex for a cock pissed me off - I am a grown woman reading an adult book, throw sexy words at me when people are fucking.
His hard manhood ached inside of his pants.
Tarrick’s sex stiffened beneath his hands.
His stiff, hard member/manhood/sex made me laugh - I don't want to laugh prior to or during sex. I want to feel the intensity. Give me a stiff or hard cock any day, thank you very much. The issue was that it came off conflicted as to whether it was being Vampire Academy or Beckoning Blood.
Which brings me to another problem. The chemistry between the people who count is nearly non-existent. This book deserved oodles of sexual tension. When Tarrick and Matthew got it on it should have been face melting, and it was nothing like that. There should have been a slow burn to knock your knickers off. Nope. It was sadly-desperate and not first-time-worthy. I felt robbed. But, hey, I know what Tarrick is wearing... all the time.
There's plenty of action in the book. There's an ongoing war between the vampires and the incubi and it's ramped up again with Matthew now in the thick of it. The action is well done and enough to keep many UF/paranormal lovers happy. However, it got a bit info dumpish in the mid section of the book when Matthew trained at Ashwood Academy the second time around.
I think the biggest problem the author has now is to make the chemistry between characters happen. I didn't feel it but I also seem to be in the minority, so bear that in mind. For what it's worth, I think it's important to know what camp this series lies in because, sadly, MF mixed into MM is often not a winner. If this were purely a MM book I think it would have been stronger. Likewise, if it was purely het it would appeal more too. People who read MM often do not like female parts in their reading and the same goes for those who like their sex of the heterosexual variety. I'm good with it but I like a clear idea of who is meant to be the pairing, the love triangle... octagon, or whatever. I honestly didn't get a feel for that.
The secondary characters are interesting as well. I'm sure some of them will feature more in further books.
Captive is a first book by the author. It is well edited, well put together, and there is massive potential in the concept/premise. This is an author well worth following. I can see huge potential in Jex Lane's writing and I'll certainly read more by them in the future.
I'm a bit torn on this book. The world building is good, the take on vampires and incubi is very well done, very well drawn. I was very happy with that, and, in all honesty, I did not think that vampires and incubi could be taken to the level that Jex Lane has taken them to in a book that is not strictly paranormal or UF, it's a book that also focuses on sex.
Tarrick is a layered character. You think you have him figured out and he surprises you. I like a good mindfuck of a character and Tarrick is good at that. I really liked him. Without doubt, he is my favourite character. Matthew was fine, if not somewhat erratic as a character - he'd be a good guy, then do things that contradicted what the author set him up to be. Maybe book #2 will help me feel him a bit more. I did understand his conundrum of being between two worlds, because I'd be conflicted about where my place was as well if I were him. The vampires and the incubi both have strong selling features as well as minuses and Matthew is justifiably torn
The treatment of Matthew by Tarrick, while nasty, could have been darker and more intense but when it occurred Tarrick was good at being the bad guy. I would have liked a more deeply psychological storyline - perhaps I am too twisted - it just fell short of being hard core enough. The potential was there, it started out very strongly, but fizzled in he middle and was a bit 'kind' toward the end.
I didn't care much for the description of every outfit Tarrick wore and how neat, clean and tidy he was, his quarters were. I am serious, a lot of time went into what Tarrick was wearing and I just didn't need that. Give me more mindfuckery. Give me more game playing and- give me, give me, give me passion.
I'm good with different combinations of sexual liaisons. These are vampires and incubi, they fuck a lot, they're sexually fluid. Incubi need sexual energy, vampires feed off blood and sex from whoever happens to be around, but more needed to be done in that area. I love the combination of blood drinking, biting and sex and unfortunately that was a rarity. I also found the sex between men to be rigid and tense, the het sex seemed more comfortable for the author to write. Also, the use of the words, member, manhood and sex for a cock pissed me off - I am a grown woman reading an adult book, throw sexy words at me when people are fucking.
His hard manhood ached inside of his pants.
Tarrick’s sex stiffened beneath his hands.
His stiff, hard member/manhood/sex made me laugh - I don't want to laugh prior to or during sex. I want to feel the intensity. Give me a stiff or hard cock any day, thank you very much. The issue was that it came off conflicted as to whether it was being Vampire Academy or Beckoning Blood.
Which brings me to another problem. The chemistry between the people who count is nearly non-existent. This book deserved oodles of sexual tension. When Tarrick and Matthew got it on it should have been face melting, and it was nothing like that. There should have been a slow burn to knock your knickers off. Nope. It was sadly-desperate and not first-time-worthy. I felt robbed. But, hey, I know what Tarrick is wearing... all the time.
There's plenty of action in the book. There's an ongoing war between the vampires and the incubi and it's ramped up again with Matthew now in the thick of it. The action is well done and enough to keep many UF/paranormal lovers happy. However, it got a bit info dumpish in the mid section of the book when Matthew trained at Ashwood Academy the second time around.
I think the biggest problem the author has now is to make the chemistry between characters happen. I didn't feel it but I also seem to be in the minority, so bear that in mind. For what it's worth, I think it's important to know what camp this series lies in because, sadly, MF mixed into MM is often not a winner. If this were purely a MM book I think it would have been stronger. Likewise, if it was purely het it would appeal more too. People who read MM often do not like female parts in their reading and the same goes for those who like their sex of the heterosexual variety. I'm good with it but I like a clear idea of who is meant to be the pairing, the love triangle... octagon, or whatever. I honestly didn't get a feel for that.
The secondary characters are interesting as well. I'm sure some of them will feature more in further books.
Captive is a first book by the author. It is well edited, well put together, and there is massive potential in the concept/premise. This is an author well worth following. I can see huge potential in Jex Lane's writing and I'll certainly read more by them in the future.
Read
July 26, 2021dnf @ 10%. i’ll definitely come back to this series, but i’m just not feeling it for right now. 🙄
February 24, 2018
4,25 STARS
Wow this book! This story!
Jex Lane created such a unique and fantastic world with vampires, incubi, witches and so many scary creatures. And all together gave us a great story.
I've started this book right before going to sleep. Wrong choice! I just couldn't go to sleep until I finished it, at 5 AM. And now I'm at work, exhausted but I'm still thinking about this story! That's how much I enjoyed it.
I'll start by saying I'm NOT a fan of fantasy. But I've read some stories with vampires and I absolutely loved The Black Dagger Brotherhood by J.R. Ward. Actually my first MM book was Lover at Last. I was SO hooked! Then I read more MM and later I discovered I don't ever want to stop. Now I'd really want to stick to only MM.
Back to this book. As I was saying: I really don't like fantasy or paranormal, but I grabbed this one because it was free on Amazon and I checked it on GR and saw all the high ratings for all the books in this series and so many of my friends loved it.
While scrolling through my MM books to read on my Kindle, something about the title and the cover made me open it. Well let me just tell you how sucked into the story I got. I kept reading and reading and I just couldn't put it down. This author's writing is very captivating to say the least!
Vampire Matthew is captured by incubus Tarrick. The General Tarrick reveals many things Matthew didn't even know about himself. There is a war between their kind and Matthew is forced to help those who kept him captive. But he falls desperately in love with Tarrick. This would be all I can reveal, because what happens in this book should be discovered by every reader on his own. I hate spoilers and I'm glad I haven't stumbled upon any before starting it.
What I loved here would be the uniqueness of the story, the flow and lightness of the reading, the suspense and also the unexpected hotness. Oh and there are SO many hot scenes! The incubi feed on sexual energy and they could also enchant others to fall for them or even do anything they want. Scary, right?
What I really didn't like would be the ending. Tarrick disappointed me big time! Oh and all that sleeping around with females too put me off. It's not something I expected to find here. I was even considering giving it less stars, but I was too glued to the pages and awed by the unique world this author created. So I'm sticking with 4 stars.
We get a lot of fighting, blood, but also super hot scenes. I would have loved for Tarrick not to break Matthew's and my heart, but I hope he'll redeem himself in the next books. Off I go, jumping into the next one!
Wow this book! This story!
Jex Lane created such a unique and fantastic world with vampires, incubi, witches and so many scary creatures. And all together gave us a great story.
I've started this book right before going to sleep. Wrong choice! I just couldn't go to sleep until I finished it, at 5 AM. And now I'm at work, exhausted but I'm still thinking about this story! That's how much I enjoyed it.
I'll start by saying I'm NOT a fan of fantasy. But I've read some stories with vampires and I absolutely loved The Black Dagger Brotherhood by J.R. Ward. Actually my first MM book was Lover at Last. I was SO hooked! Then I read more MM and later I discovered I don't ever want to stop. Now I'd really want to stick to only MM.
Back to this book. As I was saying: I really don't like fantasy or paranormal, but I grabbed this one because it was free on Amazon and I checked it on GR and saw all the high ratings for all the books in this series and so many of my friends loved it.
While scrolling through my MM books to read on my Kindle, something about the title and the cover made me open it. Well let me just tell you how sucked into the story I got. I kept reading and reading and I just couldn't put it down. This author's writing is very captivating to say the least!
Vampire Matthew is captured by incubus Tarrick. The General Tarrick reveals many things Matthew didn't even know about himself. There is a war between their kind and Matthew is forced to help those who kept him captive. But he falls desperately in love with Tarrick. This would be all I can reveal, because what happens in this book should be discovered by every reader on his own. I hate spoilers and I'm glad I haven't stumbled upon any before starting it.
What I loved here would be the uniqueness of the story, the flow and lightness of the reading, the suspense and also the unexpected hotness. Oh and there are SO many hot scenes! The incubi feed on sexual energy and they could also enchant others to fall for them or even do anything they want. Scary, right?
What I really didn't like would be the ending. Tarrick disappointed me big time! Oh and all that sleeping around with females too put me off. It's not something I expected to find here. I was even considering giving it less stars, but I was too glued to the pages and awed by the unique world this author created. So I'm sticking with 4 stars.
We get a lot of fighting, blood, but also super hot scenes. I would have loved for Tarrick not to break Matthew's and my heart, but I hope he'll redeem himself in the next books. Off I go, jumping into the next one!
April 12, 2017
2.5 stars
One of those weird books where I was glued and it was so, so hard to put down (kept me up too late last night), but I was disgusted and angered most of the time. It left me feeling frustrated. I almost bought the sequel but I peeked ahead at the reviews to see if it gets better - it doesn't (the situation), so I'll pass. I don't mind dark stuff, but I hate piss-me-off, unfair stuff.
I liked Matthew, although he was clearly a monster of sorts, but I root for the underdog, the oppressed, the abused. I look for redemption and them being able to raise up. Matthew was abused, abandoned, ignored, abused, beaten, abused, used, abused, not appreciated, abused and finally - spit in the face at the end. I couldn't stand the incubus, I really couldn't. What was so maddening is even though they clearly didn't deserve his loyalty anymore, he still kept trying, much like the vulnerable and abused tend to. Forced captivity pisses me off too - I would have been plotting the death of the whole house.
Matthew was too wishy washy too. He kept changing his mind and bending way too easy under his abuser's influence when it came to leaving. I know he wanted to belong somewhere but you should only give so many chances before you flip the proverbial bird and sail off into the sunset.
I did like the uniqueness of his abilities, the worldbuilding, and the writing style overall. Tarrick mainly pissed me off (can't stand him), and it's hard to invest in relationships since he freely slept with so many anyway. It just didn't feel like actual chemistry or anything special to me - if anything, I'd rather them remain total enemies.
I'm curious on the other books, but this one already gave me too much reader rage to continue. I did like the ending, though. Take that!
One of those weird books where I was glued and it was so, so hard to put down (kept me up too late last night), but I was disgusted and angered most of the time. It left me feeling frustrated. I almost bought the sequel but I peeked ahead at the reviews to see if it gets better - it doesn't (the situation), so I'll pass. I don't mind dark stuff, but I hate piss-me-off, unfair stuff.
I liked Matthew, although he was clearly a monster of sorts, but I root for the underdog, the oppressed, the abused. I look for redemption and them being able to raise up. Matthew was abused, abandoned, ignored, abused, beaten, abused, used, abused, not appreciated, abused and finally - spit in the face at the end. I couldn't stand the incubus, I really couldn't. What was so maddening is even though they clearly didn't deserve his loyalty anymore, he still kept trying, much like the vulnerable and abused tend to. Forced captivity pisses me off too - I would have been plotting the death of the whole house.
Matthew was too wishy washy too. He kept changing his mind and bending way too easy under his abuser's influence when it came to leaving. I know he wanted to belong somewhere but you should only give so many chances before you flip the proverbial bird and sail off into the sunset.
I did like the uniqueness of his abilities, the worldbuilding, and the writing style overall. Tarrick mainly pissed me off (can't stand him), and it's hard to invest in relationships since he freely slept with so many anyway. It just didn't feel like actual chemistry or anything special to me - if anything, I'd rather them remain total enemies.
I'm curious on the other books, but this one already gave me too much reader rage to continue. I did like the ending, though. Take that!
June 30, 2018
⋰⋱⋰⋱⋰⋱*Not so bad, I guess*⋰⋱⋰⋱⋰⋱
Usually my gut is right. Usually. However, deciding to go against my already decision to read the book wasn't really a mistake (as I had already shelved this book as a ‘checked won't read’ book). This is a first, I believe. First that I actually enjoyed - somewhat - after going back on my decision. Also, I thought this series was YA :O Boy was I wrong. The book centers around vampire Matthew Callahan (39, turns 40, though changed at 32) struggles with his need to feed on humans. For seven years, he's been keeping to himself, all alone, until one night, he is lured into a trap and taken prisoner by High Lord General Tarrick (thousand-years-old) who is a seductive incubus who feeds off sexual energy. He is then forced to called Tarrick his ‘master’ and trained to become a weapon as Matthew is not only a vampire, he's also an incubus. This makes him dangerous, powerful and he can help stop the war between vampires and incubus'. Matthew is determent to get free, but first he needs to learn everything he can.
“I have been fighting vampires for nearly a millennium. I have every possible means to kill a vampire at my disposal, but I have yet to decide which way your death would please me most.” A sinful smile crossed the man’s face and it was Matthew’s turn to be stunned. Just how old was he? Had he been fighting vampires for his entire life? If so, that placed him at nearly a thousand.
Suddenly thirty-nine didn’t seem so old. Matthew stopped aging the night he had been turned and wondered if other vampires counted their human years in their age. If not, he was seven. No wonder the man had been so shocked Matthew could break away from whatever he had been doing to him.
Overall, I'm surprised that I actually liked it. Sure, I didn't love it, far from it, but the plot was interesting and the characters had some potential. I like Matthew to a degree, but I still struggled with Tarrick. He is a cruel man, and not in a hot way, and I also found him weak as a person. Not my type :/ Story-wise, I liked that the timeline is for a period of time; months at least. However, the story was also predictable, and I wanted more from it. Also, I do hope that if there ever comes a time when Matthew gets together with for example Tarrick for real; like as a couple, they will be monogamous. I'm not all that into having multiple lovers. I more into ‘power couples’. On to the next one I guess.
A slave to his hunger, he was still unable to sate his thirst. The first year had been terrible for him and he’d taken a life nearly every night.
All it took was for a human to pass too close to him and his world would melt into the wonderful fragrance of blood…the flow of it pumping through their veins…the thud of their heartbeat…
Whenever he’d hunted, Matthew would silently beg for his prey to escape, but they never got away from him. By the time a human realized what he was—and understood the danger they were in—it was too late.
They fought.
They screamed.
They begged.
They died.
And he loved it.
And he hated himself for loving it.
Other characters:
“He wanted to lick every one of Tarrick’s wounds to taste his blood and speed along the healing process. He wanted to place his bite marks on Tarrick’s neck. Fuck. Matthew wanted to ravage the incubus in every way possible. He wanted to fuck him and destroy him all at once.”
Quick basic facts:
Genre: - (Adult) Paranormal
Series: - Series, Book One.
Love triangle? -
Cheating? -
HEA? -
Favorite character? - Matthew Callahan.
Would I read more by this author/or of series? - Sure, I guess.
Would I recommend this book/series? - Unsure.
Will I read this again in the future? - No.
Rating - 3 stars.
April 11, 2023
“Because love is the easiest way to control someone and I needed a way to control you”.
No. Absolutamente no. No me arrepiento de haberla leído, pero ahora mismo la catalogo como una de las peores novelas que he leído en lo que llevo de año. Me ha costado mucho darme cuenta que no me ha gustado porque el segundo libro sí que me llegó a gustar. Me explicaré en su reseña, pero en general, esta novela para mi objetivamente se lleva 3 estrellas, pero subjetivamente 1.
Para mi esto no es una historia de amor;esto es una historia de abusos sexuales, violencia de todo tipo, síndrome de Estocolmo y lo que más me molesta es que la autora pretende camuflarlo de deseo sexual. No sé, la mitad del libro me sentí violentada, y una parte de mi quería que me gustase esta historia, sin embargo, no ha podido ser y no me arrepiento, al menos tengo las pocas neuronas que me quedan bien situadas (por el momento).
Y me da que paso de hacer una reseña más densa por dos razones: siento que estoy perdiendo el tiempo y la segunda es que me voy a poner de peor humor del que ya tengo.
No. Absolutamente no. No me arrepiento de haberla leído, pero ahora mismo la catalogo como una de las peores novelas que he leído en lo que llevo de año. Me ha costado mucho darme cuenta que no me ha gustado porque el segundo libro sí que me llegó a gustar. Me explicaré en su reseña, pero en general, esta novela para mi objetivamente se lleva 3 estrellas, pero subjetivamente 1.
Para mi esto no es una historia de amor;esto es una historia de abusos sexuales, violencia de todo tipo, síndrome de Estocolmo y lo que más me molesta es que la autora pretende camuflarlo de deseo sexual. No sé, la mitad del libro me sentí violentada, y una parte de mi quería que me gustase esta historia, sin embargo, no ha podido ser y no me arrepiento, al menos tengo las pocas neuronas que me quedan bien situadas (por el momento).
Y me da que paso de hacer una reseña más densa por dos razones: siento que estoy perdiendo el tiempo y la segunda es que me voy a poner de peor humor del que ya tengo.
February 25, 2018
4.5*
Matthew Callahan is different. Seven years ago when he was thirty-two he was attacked and turned into a vampire. No that’s not why he’s different, there’s lots of vampires. There’s something else about him.
He was attacked and left, he’s never known his sire. He’s had to figure things out on his own and he knows nothing about vampires despite being one for the past seven years.
One night he hears a thump.....and another and he can’t resist. He’s drawn to the sound, the feeling but it’s a trap and Matthew finds himself captured by High Lord General Tarrick, a incubus.
Despite the fact that he’s a prisoner he finds himself attracted to Tarrick. Matthews life as a vampire has been an incredibly lonely. He left his family to save them and he’s struggled on alone and so he craves love and companionship and more than anything he wants to belong.
Tarrick uses him as a weapon against his own kind and Matthew does everything possible to him.
This book is fabulous, it’s different and I found I couldn’t put it down, I was hooked and desperate to find out more about the mystery that is Matthew.
It’s straight onto the next book Sire for me
May 9, 2020
Well, well, well...
This turned out to be a tasty little morsel.
Captive is an urban fantasy that's a little bit enemies to lovers and a whole lot bad wrong. Matthew is a vampire/incubus hybrid without a sire out hunting one night when he feels a "thump". Said "thump" is not Thumper but Tarrick, general baddie, sex king and ancient incubus general. Drawn like a tractor beam to him, his first sexual attraction to a man in case you were wondering and WHOOPSIE! Matthew finds himself in a pickle. However, for one so young he is exceedingly powerful which is precisely what gets him out of said pickle with Tarrick and his hunter/incubi entourage.
Well, sort of gets him out of a pickle. It gets him not dead so that's a win, but then the bad wrong begins. Suffice to say, these two paranormal superpowers do not see eye to eye and have been at war for centuries so... what's a little torture of a young vamp?
To be clear, Captive is not torture porn but it is certainly violent and dark. Yet, despite, or maybe because of, all the bad wrong there is definitely something between Matthew and Tarrick. I'm just not sure what that something is at this point which is part of what intrigues me about this series.
The other selling point is the action. What can I say? I'm feeling a little bloodthirsty. There is action galore! It was glorious: fighting, decapitation, slaughter, destruction, bludgeoning and general savagery abound. There are some unusual paranormal beings and a fair amount of sexy times happening too. WARNING: all of these characters are bisexual thus there is m/f sex on page.
All of the above in and of itself would be persuasive enough reasons to read this story but what takes it next level is Lane's crafting of these characters as not just morally grey but complex and layered, not just the main characters either. There are many, many characters all of which are pulling their weight in this story. That's rare imo. Many of them oftentimes make unexpected and/or infuriating decisions but that is precisely what makes this story so riveting and difficult to put down.
So, apologies to my review books. I'll get to you. One day.
If any of the above looks like your kind of thing, you will likely lose a few days to this series. I know I'm about to.
This turned out to be a tasty little morsel.
Captive is an urban fantasy that's a little bit enemies to lovers and a whole lot bad wrong. Matthew is a vampire/incubus hybrid without a sire out hunting one night when he feels a "thump". Said "thump" is not Thumper but Tarrick, general baddie, sex king and ancient incubus general. Drawn like a tractor beam to him, his first sexual attraction to a man in case you were wondering and WHOOPSIE! Matthew finds himself in a pickle. However, for one so young he is exceedingly powerful which is precisely what gets him out of said pickle with Tarrick and his hunter/incubi entourage.
Well, sort of gets him out of a pickle. It gets him not dead so that's a win, but then the bad wrong begins. Suffice to say, these two paranormal superpowers do not see eye to eye and have been at war for centuries so... what's a little torture of a young vamp?
To be clear, Captive is not torture porn but it is certainly violent and dark. Yet, despite, or maybe because of, all the bad wrong there is definitely something between Matthew and Tarrick. I'm just not sure what that something is at this point which is part of what intrigues me about this series.
The other selling point is the action. What can I say? I'm feeling a little bloodthirsty. There is action galore! It was glorious: fighting, decapitation, slaughter, destruction, bludgeoning and general savagery abound. There are some unusual paranormal beings and a fair amount of sexy times happening too. WARNING: all of these characters are bisexual thus there is m/f sex on page.
All of the above in and of itself would be persuasive enough reasons to read this story but what takes it next level is Lane's crafting of these characters as not just morally grey but complex and layered, not just the main characters either. There are many, many characters all of which are pulling their weight in this story. That's rare imo. Many of them oftentimes make unexpected and/or infuriating decisions but that is precisely what makes this story so riveting and difficult to put down.
So, apologies to my review books. I'll get to you. One day.
If any of the above looks like your kind of thing, you will likely lose a few days to this series. I know I'm about to.
January 23, 2018
This book was beyond amazing, I was transported to another universe and I do not want to leave. It reminds me of the feeling I had when readingCaptive Prince, the character felt alive and I just wanted to know more about them. You'll think with a book with sucubbus, incubbus and vampires it would be a sex galore but it wasn't, sex played a part of it but did not completely overshadow it as it usually does with books like these.
My friend Shin recommended this,this goes to show you how brilliant she is because this is earning a spot amongst my favs.
My friend Shin recommended this,this goes to show you how brilliant she is because this is earning a spot amongst my favs.
July 31, 2017
Jex Lane's Beautiful Monsters series, starting with Captive.
Like your vampire with a dose of incubus? This series is for you. That said, I hesitated to recommend is because (as of writign this review) it's not yet finished. It really is a series, so I don't know if Lane will stick the landing. So far as I can tell, Lane is a new author so I'm not sure what we are in for, in the end. But I did find the Beautiful Monsters books riveting. Everything is pretty darn graphic though, from the violence to the sex, so all kinds of trigger warnings on these puppies. The main characters (and most of the side characters) are pan sexual so... yeah... ALL THE THINGS in ALL the places.
Like your vampire with a dose of incubus? This series is for you. That said, I hesitated to recommend is because (as of writign this review) it's not yet finished. It really is a series, so I don't know if Lane will stick the landing. So far as I can tell, Lane is a new author so I'm not sure what we are in for, in the end. But I did find the Beautiful Monsters books riveting. Everything is pretty darn graphic though, from the violence to the sex, so all kinds of trigger warnings on these puppies. The main characters (and most of the side characters) are pan sexual so... yeah... ALL THE THINGS in ALL the places.
April 5, 2022
Unpopular review coming in...
🆗 Captor / Captive
🆗 Plot
🆗 Pace
🆗❌ Characters
❌ Relationship
❌ Sexual tension / Smut
DNF at 45%
At first, the idea of a hate-to-love romance developing between an incubus and a vampire in the middle of a war between their two species, and also while one was held captive by the other was really appealing to me… but sadly it fell short.
Matthew Callahan has been turned into a vampire 7 years ago, and has been struggling and craving basic interactions since then. For seven years, he's been alone, until one night when he is lured into a trap by the Lord General Tarrick, a seductive incubus who feeds off sexual energy and decides to take Matthew as a prisoner. Poor Matthew is then forced to called Tarrick “Master”, to obey him and to train to become a weapon if he wants Tarrick to give him the blood he craves. Matthew also learns that not only is he a vampire, he's also an incubus, and that makes him very powerful, unique and dangerous. But it could also mean that he is the answer to stopping the war between vampires and incubus.
The story seemed very interesting, and I was expecting a vibe similar to Captive Prince or Silk & Steel. The story is not bad, and the writing isn’t either, but I couldn’t get into the whole Master/prisoner relationship. I couldn’t feel the sexual tension between Matthew and Tarrick, except for the part where Matthew wanted Tarrick because he was using his incubi power, making it impossible for everyone around to resist him.
I also struggled to see the conflicted feelings in Matthew. He was pissed, but then he just gave up and started calling Tarrick “Master” and obeying him. We didn’t see the evolution of the feelings or the deeper change in the character and because of that, I didn’t feel that invested in their relationship. Instead of the complex and full of sexual tension relationship I was expecting, this felt more like a weak dom/sub relationship guided by a hunger for blood and incubi power instead of “real” feelings.
Matthew is not a bad character, he has potential and some parts of him were quite interesting. Still, I would have liked for him to stand his ground and to hold onto his anger and hatred instead of just giving up and deciding to comply so soon. I get it that he wants to belong, and he wants to know more about vampires and incubi, but it still felt weird that after being captured and tortured he would just decide to obey without any rebellious thoughts or feelings.
Despite that side of Matthew that I enjoyed less, it’s Tarrick that was the main issue for me when it comes to the characters. We know nothing about him, and honestly, I found him boring and bland. He does seem to care a tiny little bit for Matthew’s wellbeing, but all in all, he is cold and does not care about Matthew. That makes it even harder for me to get on board with the whole master/prisoner relationship since it seems that there is no feeling between the two-man, except sexual desire when Tarrick uses his incubi power, and obedience only to get blood.
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🆗 Captor / Captive
🆗 Plot
🆗 Pace
🆗❌ Characters
❌ Relationship
❌ Sexual tension / Smut
DNF at 45%
At first, the idea of a hate-to-love romance developing between an incubus and a vampire in the middle of a war between their two species, and also while one was held captive by the other was really appealing to me… but sadly it fell short.
Matthew Callahan has been turned into a vampire 7 years ago, and has been struggling and craving basic interactions since then. For seven years, he's been alone, until one night when he is lured into a trap by the Lord General Tarrick, a seductive incubus who feeds off sexual energy and decides to take Matthew as a prisoner. Poor Matthew is then forced to called Tarrick “Master”, to obey him and to train to become a weapon if he wants Tarrick to give him the blood he craves. Matthew also learns that not only is he a vampire, he's also an incubus, and that makes him very powerful, unique and dangerous. But it could also mean that he is the answer to stopping the war between vampires and incubus.
The story seemed very interesting, and I was expecting a vibe similar to Captive Prince or Silk & Steel. The story is not bad, and the writing isn’t either, but I couldn’t get into the whole Master/prisoner relationship. I couldn’t feel the sexual tension between Matthew and Tarrick, except for the part where Matthew wanted Tarrick because he was using his incubi power, making it impossible for everyone around to resist him.
I also struggled to see the conflicted feelings in Matthew. He was pissed, but then he just gave up and started calling Tarrick “Master” and obeying him. We didn’t see the evolution of the feelings or the deeper change in the character and because of that, I didn’t feel that invested in their relationship. Instead of the complex and full of sexual tension relationship I was expecting, this felt more like a weak dom/sub relationship guided by a hunger for blood and incubi power instead of “real” feelings.
Matthew is not a bad character, he has potential and some parts of him were quite interesting. Still, I would have liked for him to stand his ground and to hold onto his anger and hatred instead of just giving up and deciding to comply so soon. I get it that he wants to belong, and he wants to know more about vampires and incubi, but it still felt weird that after being captured and tortured he would just decide to obey without any rebellious thoughts or feelings.
Despite that side of Matthew that I enjoyed less, it’s Tarrick that was the main issue for me when it comes to the characters. We know nothing about him, and honestly, I found him boring and bland. He does seem to care a tiny little bit for Matthew’s wellbeing, but all in all, he is cold and does not care about Matthew. That makes it even harder for me to get on board with the whole master/prisoner relationship since it seems that there is no feeling between the two-man, except sexual desire when Tarrick uses his incubi power, and obedience only to get blood.
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December 31, 2017
An incubus & vampire male/male sexfest with echoes of the Captive Prince series.
I COULD. NOT. STOP. READING.
I COULD. NOT. STOP. READING.
September 13, 2016
The good parts are that the paranormal aspect of this book is pretty interesting (if you're able of throwing all your logic out of the window) and it's a fast-paced read with quite a bit of sex, gore and violence.
All the rest is extremely disappointing.
- The writing style is really simple, and it's all “tell” and no “show" to boot. I like my books to be a little more on the sophisticated side.
- The main characters' personalities are practically non-existent, almost like they're just cardboard cutouts.
- The humans here are nothing more than food and cannon fodder, and all the characters are basically monsters with little to no moral qualms about killing, so it's hard to feel any sympathy for them.
- This is NOT a romance book, it's an erotic urban fantasy. The only "romantic" part here is when Matthew admits that he's falling for Tarrick but that doesn't actually stop him from having sex with other people. And Tarrick doesn't seem to give a flying fuck about Matthew.
Hopefully the next book will have more romance, but I highly doubt it.
All the rest is extremely disappointing.
- The writing style is really simple, and it's all “tell” and no “show" to boot. I like my books to be a little more on the sophisticated side.
- The main characters' personalities are practically non-existent, almost like they're just cardboard cutouts.
- The humans here are nothing more than food and cannon fodder, and all the characters are basically monsters with little to no moral qualms about killing, so it's hard to feel any sympathy for them.
- This is NOT a romance book, it's an erotic urban fantasy. The only "romantic" part here is when Matthew admits that he's falling for Tarrick but that doesn't actually stop him from having sex with other people. And Tarrick doesn't seem to give a flying fuck about Matthew.
Hopefully the next book will have more romance, but I highly doubt it.
September 8, 2018
5 'vampires & incubi' stars
This book was wonderful and I loved it so very much I don't even know where to start. Ok, let's begin with Matthew, our MC. He has been a vampire for seven years but his sire abandoned him after he had turned him so he is kind of lost in his new life. He doesn't really know much about what exactly means to be a vampire. For instance, he has no idea that he can compel someone or that he can hide from the sun in the earth (that's quite gross btw). And most important he doesn't know that his race is in a war with incubi and has been for centuries. Actually millenniums more likely. So when he stumbles across an incubus it doesn't occur to him that he should run and hide. And that he definitely should not try to eat him.
Of course, this incubus is not just some random harmless demon, he is High Lord General Tarrick who's been killing vampires for about seven or eight hundred years. But Tarrick discovers another thing about Matthew that he hasn't been aware of - he is not only a vampire but an incubus as well. So instead of killing him, Tarrick takes him for a slave. My poor Matthew. He was abandoned first by his incubi parents and then by his vampire sire too. He is like some kind of a lost little puppy who wouldn't hurt a fly (well, he is killing humans by feeding on them but let's not dwell on this for too long). Anyway, he is such an amazing character. He is only trying to survive in a world that he does not even completely understand and everyone around is treating him really badly. These incubi are just a bunch of hypocrites. All of them who are hurting my Matthew are on my shit list. Starting with Tarrick.
Well, in truth, I can't really make my mind about him. Yes, I'm seriously mad at him because of everything he's done to Matthew but he is a great character too. And oh so hot which is a little strange since incubi are quite monstrous in their true form. Claws, horns, wings, tail, hooves, yes, you heard that right, fucking hooves (I'm trying to forget that part as it reminds me too much of o pony-play and that's something I don't find sexy at all.) So, despite the last part, yes it is hot as hell, I don't know how but it is! Ok, I got carried away a little. I was trying to say that I could have liked Tarrick as I like Matthew if he would only stop being such an idiot. He is this gorgeous warrior Viking born incubus who is such a badass but in reality, he is no better than a slave himself. I understand he's been a soldier for so long that obeying commands is probably in his blood. But for fuck sake, if his balls are as impressive as his dick then he better finds them real quick and tells the High King to go fuck himself. I hope he gets what he deserves for what he did to Matthew. I don't want something horrible for him but some penance would do him good. And I still haven't decided if I want Matthew and Tarrick to be together. They sure are hot together and I think that Tarrick lied about these cruel things he said to him. I want for Matthew to be happy and with someone who deserves him. If only Tarrick would man up. Well, we'll see in the next book.
There're also so many other fabulous characters. Lady Rosaline who I hated at first but she is actually really sweet. And I'm very intrigued by Hiroto. He is so cute and I'm pretty sure he is kinky little foxy. Must be these fluffy ears. I don't know yet what to think about Ascelina. Good or bad, she is interesting. And can someone please kill lord Tane. Ok, I don't truly wish him death, more for Tarrick's sake than his, but let's just say I won't mourn him if someone accidentally erases him from this world.
I could go on and on about how much I love this book, from worldbuilding to characters and everything in between but I'm stopping here and will rather finish this with some of the quotes I like.
“That night I trapped you, I was out there because I wanted to keep my abilities sharp. I don’t normally run thump traps, not since I was young.”
“Lucky me,” Matthew said, the sarcasm dripping from his words.
Tarrick’s eyes turned from blue to purple as he ran his hand down Matthew’s chest and across his abs. “Lucky me,” Tarrick echoed the words with his deep, sexy voice.
“How do you feel?” she asked, her voice alluring.
Matthew moved to sit down on the edge of the bed next to her. He flashed a
devilish smile and put his hand on her hip. “Horny. I’d like to make you come again.”
She blushed. He had made a sex demon blush. Matthew felt as if he had conquered all of Rome.
Oh shit. Matthew couldn’t believe Tane just said that. He wanted to be anywhere else but here right now. Even the underground prison was starting to sound good.
“I know my position might seem harsh, but always remember that even I have people I kneel before and must give my allegiance to. Collar or no, we all have our masters.”
One day, that would be different for Matthew. One day, others would kneel before him.
My original almost review
Holy shit, that was fuckintastic!!!! I loved it, loved it, loved it. RTC when I come to my senses LOL
This book was wonderful and I loved it so very much I don't even know where to start. Ok, let's begin with Matthew, our MC. He has been a vampire for seven years but his sire abandoned him after he had turned him so he is kind of lost in his new life. He doesn't really know much about what exactly means to be a vampire. For instance, he has no idea that he can compel someone or that he can hide from the sun in the earth (that's quite gross btw). And most important he doesn't know that his race is in a war with incubi and has been for centuries. Actually millenniums more likely. So when he stumbles across an incubus it doesn't occur to him that he should run and hide. And that he definitely should not try to eat him.
Of course, this incubus is not just some random harmless demon, he is High Lord General Tarrick who's been killing vampires for about seven or eight hundred years. But Tarrick discovers another thing about Matthew that he hasn't been aware of - he is not only a vampire but an incubus as well. So instead of killing him, Tarrick takes him for a slave. My poor Matthew. He was abandoned first by his incubi parents and then by his vampire sire too. He is like some kind of a lost little puppy who wouldn't hurt a fly (well, he is killing humans by feeding on them but let's not dwell on this for too long). Anyway, he is such an amazing character. He is only trying to survive in a world that he does not even completely understand and everyone around is treating him really badly. These incubi are just a bunch of hypocrites. All of them who are hurting my Matthew are on my shit list. Starting with Tarrick.
Well, in truth, I can't really make my mind about him. Yes, I'm seriously mad at him because of everything he's done to Matthew but he is a great character too. And oh so hot which is a little strange since incubi are quite monstrous in their true form. Claws, horns, wings, tail, hooves, yes, you heard that right, fucking hooves (I'm trying to forget that part as it reminds me too much of o pony-play and that's something I don't find sexy at all.) So, despite the last part, yes it is hot as hell, I don't know how but it is! Ok, I got carried away a little. I was trying to say that I could have liked Tarrick as I like Matthew if he would only stop being such an idiot. He is this gorgeous warrior Viking born incubus who is such a badass but in reality, he is no better than a slave himself. I understand he's been a soldier for so long that obeying commands is probably in his blood. But for fuck sake, if his balls are as impressive as his dick then he better finds them real quick and tells the High King to go fuck himself. I hope he gets what he deserves for what he did to Matthew. I don't want something horrible for him but some penance would do him good. And I still haven't decided if I want Matthew and Tarrick to be together. They sure are hot together and I think that Tarrick lied about these cruel things he said to him. I want for Matthew to be happy and with someone who deserves him. If only Tarrick would man up. Well, we'll see in the next book.
There're also so many other fabulous characters. Lady Rosaline who I hated at first but she is actually really sweet. And I'm very intrigued by Hiroto. He is so cute and I'm pretty sure he is kinky little foxy. Must be these fluffy ears. I don't know yet what to think about Ascelina. Good or bad, she is interesting. And can someone please kill lord Tane. Ok, I don't truly wish him death, more for Tarrick's sake than his, but let's just say I won't mourn him if someone accidentally erases him from this world.
I could go on and on about how much I love this book, from worldbuilding to characters and everything in between but I'm stopping here and will rather finish this with some of the quotes I like.
“That night I trapped you, I was out there because I wanted to keep my abilities sharp. I don’t normally run thump traps, not since I was young.”
“Lucky me,” Matthew said, the sarcasm dripping from his words.
Tarrick’s eyes turned from blue to purple as he ran his hand down Matthew’s chest and across his abs. “Lucky me,” Tarrick echoed the words with his deep, sexy voice.
“How do you feel?” she asked, her voice alluring.
Matthew moved to sit down on the edge of the bed next to her. He flashed a
devilish smile and put his hand on her hip. “Horny. I’d like to make you come again.”
She blushed. He had made a sex demon blush. Matthew felt as if he had conquered all of Rome.
Oh shit. Matthew couldn’t believe Tane just said that. He wanted to be anywhere else but here right now. Even the underground prison was starting to sound good.
“I know my position might seem harsh, but always remember that even I have people I kneel before and must give my allegiance to. Collar or no, we all have our masters.”
One day, that would be different for Matthew. One day, others would kneel before him.
My original almost review
Holy shit, that was fuckintastic!!!! I loved it, loved it, loved it. RTC when I come to my senses LOL
August 23, 2021
I waver on 4 vs 5 stars. This book is exactly the type of book I love. Torture porn is good with me - though this isn't it frankly. My torture porn is way grittier and way darker. This had darkness but overall it's not really that dark (JMHO) except in theme. There is a strong redemption theme threading here - mixed in w/love, community, family. It's an intoxicating combo. The mindfuckery alone here is so very worthy of your time - is it real or Memorex? The fifth star was earned the last 10%. Things got all real up in there...and I was relishing it completely.
The world building is intriguing - but there were times I could not tell if I was in a castle ala 1600's or in a modern world setting. I know it's the latter but elements of the former permeated the story. Made it a bit harder to think of in my head.
It's not a romance - and that's actually the main issue. It feels like it wants to be a romance. Like it's tipping into romancelandia and then it pulls itself back - sometimes artificially. Matthew is not a good guy. He's a vampire that preys on humans. Whether he wants to or not - he does it. Some of them, maybe many of them, are innocent. This ain't Dexter. He's a guy who does bad things. To live yes...however if he was as altruistic as we are constantly told he is then he would have walked into the sunrise long, long ago. His perfection makes him more of a romance MC than a general fiction MC. That eroded the star rating for some of the book. It's not until the last 15% that the tide changed - and I started to really "see" the real world parallels so clearly - oddly enough that made vampires and incubi seem human.
I liked Tarrick quite a lot and he didn't really change natures. He also does bad things, a victim and a victor of the world he lives in, and containing light and dark (though..lotsa dark, lotsa jaded, lotsa mindfuckery). These two are the MC's in a non-romance romance. I actually didn't find the sex too hot - could have been a lot hotter (though there was one scene that was smokin') but it's not a focus and it felt so so. Admittedly I don't like consensual MF so that affected my enjoyment. YMMV here. I feel like there needed to be more sex focus - after all they are incubi and feed from sexual energy - raw, gritty, harsh, unrepentant -- that's what I wanted and it peeks through here like a rainbow but vanishes just as quick.
The thing the thing...is "The" way, to everyone else, Matthew was perfect and un-killable. But Tarrick can take him down anytime. Physical? Mental? What? Really? A major disconnect and dissonance for me while reading. Matthew's very utter perfection grated on me and made me scrunch my face up while reading oh so many times. I wasn't feeling it and feeling him until way far in --- on a deeper level.
I liked some of the secondary characters - and the violence was yummy in that oh so taboo way. The total disregard for human life never got any play time - and that could have had more exploration to really cement that these two guys and this world are not any form of Utopia. So it felt a very little like Captive Prince but w/o the nuances and the sexual tension - and the right/wrong being gray/black/white at the same time. I very much enjoyed it - and am looking forward to the next one.
And, frankly, I only write any sort of critical review and give it 5 stars still if I see so much promise and potential - so that gives you an indication of how much I did like this despite it's shortcomings. An author to watch!
The world building is intriguing - but there were times I could not tell if I was in a castle ala 1600's or in a modern world setting. I know it's the latter but elements of the former permeated the story. Made it a bit harder to think of in my head.
It's not a romance - and that's actually the main issue. It feels like it wants to be a romance. Like it's tipping into romancelandia and then it pulls itself back - sometimes artificially. Matthew is not a good guy. He's a vampire that preys on humans. Whether he wants to or not - he does it. Some of them, maybe many of them, are innocent. This ain't Dexter. He's a guy who does bad things. To live yes...however if he was as altruistic as we are constantly told he is then he would have walked into the sunrise long, long ago. His perfection makes him more of a romance MC than a general fiction MC. That eroded the star rating for some of the book. It's not until the last 15% that the tide changed - and I started to really "see" the real world parallels so clearly - oddly enough that made vampires and incubi seem human.
I liked Tarrick quite a lot and he didn't really change natures. He also does bad things, a victim and a victor of the world he lives in, and containing light and dark (though..lotsa dark, lotsa jaded, lotsa mindfuckery). These two are the MC's in a non-romance romance. I actually didn't find the sex too hot - could have been a lot hotter (though there was one scene that was smokin') but it's not a focus and it felt so so. Admittedly I don't like consensual MF so that affected my enjoyment. YMMV here. I feel like there needed to be more sex focus - after all they are incubi and feed from sexual energy - raw, gritty, harsh, unrepentant -- that's what I wanted and it peeks through here like a rainbow but vanishes just as quick.
The thing the thing...is "The" way, to everyone else, Matthew was perfect and un-killable. But Tarrick can take him down anytime. Physical? Mental? What? Really? A major disconnect and dissonance for me while reading. Matthew's very utter perfection grated on me and made me scrunch my face up while reading oh so many times. I wasn't feeling it and feeling him until way far in --- on a deeper level.
I liked some of the secondary characters - and the violence was yummy in that oh so taboo way. The total disregard for human life never got any play time - and that could have had more exploration to really cement that these two guys and this world are not any form of Utopia. So it felt a very little like Captive Prince but w/o the nuances and the sexual tension - and the right/wrong being gray/black/white at the same time. I very much enjoyed it - and am looking forward to the next one.
And, frankly, I only write any sort of critical review and give it 5 stars still if I see so much promise and potential - so that gives you an indication of how much I did like this despite it's shortcomings. An author to watch!
October 14, 2019
Mm.
Well, I finished it.
This book started off as a 5 star, then went down to 3 because of how boring and flat it was in the middle, and ended on a solid 4 star.
To say that this book was a romance novel, was kiiiiinda a stretch since both the main characters Matthew and Tarrick are sucking, licking, kissing, tasting and fucking someone else every now and then. On top of that, despite Matthew's moaning about how he has fallen for Tarrick and how he only lives for Tarricks glorious gigantic magnificent dick, I still can't really feel the connection between the two. There's barely any chemistry whatsoever other than the constant need to fuck, so Matthew's feeling for his "Master" seems a tad too rushed.
Another thing, like some of the reviewers here mentioned, this book did a whole lot of telling and not enough showing. There was a shit ton of:
He was brushing his teeth, and then he went to shower. But not before he remembered that he wanted oh.so.fucking.badly to fuck Tarrick. He loved the way Tarrick and his purple/blue/green whatever eyes, fucked. At first Tarrick would hold his hips down and then bla blabla bla bla
It was good that this book was written in simple and easy to understand words, cause if the author tried to be flowery and shit with her words with all the constant description that she shoved down our throats, I would have thrown up words. And then DNF-ed.
Oh not to mention, too much sex. Not enough content. I get that this is the world of incubi and whatnot, but I mean, since it's a novel first and foremost, I would really work on developing the characters more, rather than just constantly making my characters having sex all the fucking damn time. But hey, that's just me.
Other than that, no real complaints. Book was addicting, which made it easy to want to keep reading. For now, I am curious enough to continue to book 2 and see how things unfold.
Blog : Click here for more of my reviews
December 26, 2022
⚡ Read for the KU Shitathon 2018 Challenge™ over at the MacHalos ⚡
Dear Goddess on a pogo stick, this was WOW.
I mean wow.. Daymn..
I was blindsided!
Honestly I didn't even remember what this was about before I started reading!
But after the first 5 pages I knew I was a done for. 5 pages. It took only the first 5 pages and I was like
Seriously, I am sitting here right now like
And the whole while I was like
Wow..
Daymn..
Although I have to say: Tarrick you little shithead! *shakes angry fist in the air*
Yes I know all this eloquence of mine is blowing away your mind but I can't help it. Not to mention my very original structural prowess and gif content.
For the record I have already started Sire. Yes, right after I finished this.
Now if you excuse me I have places to be..
P.S.: Dear Gaby, you were right and I am sorry, somewhat. Although you just have to admit - again - that the name is catchy (ヅ)
◼ Book: #4 -- Week: 15/07 - 28/07 ◼
Dear Goddess on a pogo stick, this was WOW.
I mean wow.. Daymn..
I was blindsided!
Honestly I didn't even remember what this was about before I started reading!
But after the first 5 pages I knew I was a done for. 5 pages. It took only the first 5 pages and I was like
Seriously, I am sitting here right now like
And the whole while I was like
Wow..
Daymn..
Although I have to say: Tarrick you little shithead! *shakes angry fist in the air*
Yes I know all this eloquence of mine is blowing away your mind but I can't help it. Not to mention my very original structural prowess and gif content.
For the record I have already started Sire. Yes, right after I finished this.
Now if you excuse me I have places to be..
P.S.: Dear Gaby, you were right and I am sorry, somewhat. Although you just have to admit - again - that the name is catchy (ヅ)
◼ Book: #4 -- Week: 15/07 - 28/07 ◼
July 13, 2020
4.5 Stars!
Wow. Not sure what else to say.
This one must've hit my feed. The blurb sounded interesting and the series as a whole has pretty high reviews.
I don't read a lot of paranormal, not that I don't enjoy it.
I found this one really interesting. Not to mention intriguing and exciting. The fighting scenes. The whole incubi feeding off of sex thing. The world building. The storyline. The different beings.
All of it.
Consider me hooked.
Wow. Not sure what else to say.
This one must've hit my feed. The blurb sounded interesting and the series as a whole has pretty high reviews.
I don't read a lot of paranormal, not that I don't enjoy it.
I found this one really interesting. Not to mention intriguing and exciting. The fighting scenes. The whole incubi feeding off of sex thing. The world building. The storyline. The different beings.
All of it.
Consider me hooked.
May 21, 2023
Reread after 5 years, still 5stars and some more. Rtc
November 20, 2017
4 Stars
Excellent story and I love the Incubus vs. Vampire story-line.
Would have been closer to 5 stars if not for the pages and pages of graphic MF sex in a book purported to be an MM romance. I didn't bother to count but I think there were more, and more graphic, MF scenes than there were MM scenes. Yeah, not interested...so after that first one with Tarrick and the two succubi I skimmed the rest. (Two more long, descriptive scenes with Matthew and another succubus.)
I mean, I get it; incubi/succubi are creatures of sex and need/take it from anyone regardless of gender. I just didn't appreciate that we were shorted on the scenes with Tarrick & Matthew. IMHO, it would have made Matthew's attraction and dedication to Tarrick more believable and his heart-ache more understandable if we'd gotten more of them as a couple in order to feel that emotion. Instead, the emotional turmoil and sense of betrayal at the end feels scripted, forced...like we're being told this is how he feels instead of being able to see it. (I skimmed bits of the Matthew/Rosaline scene but even only reading snatches here and there it felt like they had more of a connection than Matthew did with Tarrick, so that imbalance really did the story an injustice.)
I'll still put the sequel on the TBR because the entire arc is interesting. (Sentient Gargoyles FTW!!) I'd like to find out who Matthew's parents are, and who sired him. Also, what started the war and why it's ongoing. Maybe even how the shifters have almost been wiped out. And while part of me thinks that Tarrick's actions were a kindness to sever ties and allow Matthew to move on, the way the book is written really makes that questionable; if he actually did manipulate Matthew like that then I totally want Matthew to get some righteous revenge on that fucker.
Excellent story and I love the Incubus vs. Vampire story-line.
Would have been closer to 5 stars if not for the pages and pages of graphic MF sex in a book purported to be an MM romance. I didn't bother to count but I think there were more, and more graphic, MF scenes than there were MM scenes. Yeah, not interested...so after that first one with Tarrick and the two succubi I skimmed the rest. (Two more long, descriptive scenes with Matthew and another succubus.)
I mean, I get it; incubi/succubi are creatures of sex and need/take it from anyone regardless of gender. I just didn't appreciate that we were shorted on the scenes with Tarrick & Matthew. IMHO, it would have made Matthew's attraction and dedication to Tarrick more believable and his heart-ache more understandable if we'd gotten more of them as a couple in order to feel that emotion. Instead, the emotional turmoil and sense of betrayal at the end feels scripted, forced...like we're being told this is how he feels instead of being able to see it. (I skimmed bits of the Matthew/Rosaline scene but even only reading snatches here and there it felt like they had more of a connection than Matthew did with Tarrick, so that imbalance really did the story an injustice.)
I'll still put the sequel on the TBR because the entire arc is interesting. (Sentient Gargoyles FTW!!) I'd like to find out who Matthew's parents are, and who sired him. Also, what started the war and why it's ongoing. Maybe even how the shifters have almost been wiped out. And while part of me thinks that Tarrick's actions were a kindness to sever ties and allow Matthew to move on, the way the book is written really makes that questionable; if he actually did manipulate Matthew like that then I totally want Matthew to get some righteous revenge on that fucker.
June 23, 2021
This is another book I've had on my Kindle for going on 5 years. I'm such a fickle reader...I buy books and then, for whatever reason, take forever to actually read them. I need more reading hours in the day.
At first, I wasn't sure I actually liked this book. Tarrick seemed to be a manipulative prick (I'm still not quite convinced he isn't, but he certainly has a cruel streak) and considering how much empathy I have for Michael, I was a little troubled at the power imbalance here, not to mention the punishments Michael was subjected to.
As the story progressed, though, I started liking it more and more, and I'm even liking Tarrick, too...well, I was until that ending, but I'm thinking that Tarrick is trying to protect Michael the best way he knows how. We learn about Michael as he learns about himself and what he really is and is capable of, and I think we've only scratched the surface. I'm utterly intrigued. The sex is hot and the story a bit dark, and I have to say, I want to see where this goes.
Everyone, seems bent on using Michael for their own ends, but Michael just wants somewhere to belong. He wants a home. The ending broke my heart a little. I'm glad there are a couple more available books, and I hope that book 4 comes out soon, but we'll see.
Regardless, I'm liking this series, so far!
At first, I wasn't sure I actually liked this book. Tarrick seemed to be a manipulative prick (I'm still not quite convinced he isn't, but he certainly has a cruel streak) and considering how much empathy I have for Michael, I was a little troubled at the power imbalance here, not to mention the punishments Michael was subjected to.
As the story progressed, though, I started liking it more and more, and I'm even liking Tarrick, too...well, I was until that ending, but I'm thinking that Tarrick is trying to protect Michael the best way he knows how. We learn about Michael as he learns about himself and what he really is and is capable of, and I think we've only scratched the surface. I'm utterly intrigued. The sex is hot and the story a bit dark, and I have to say, I want to see where this goes.
Everyone, seems bent on using Michael for their own ends, but Michael just wants somewhere to belong. He wants a home. The ending broke my heart a little. I'm glad there are a couple more available books, and I hope that book 4 comes out soon, but we'll see.
Regardless, I'm liking this series, so far!
August 24, 2016
4 Stars
Full Review:
*I received a free ecopy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.*
If you like sex and violence, man, is this ever the book for you!
This book is full of sex and violence. But it's also full vampires and incubi, twists and turns, and all sorts of good stuff.
I was immediately drawn in by the writing style because it was simple, but Matthew's voice came through really well and just clicked with me. He just clicked with me, actually. I didn't necessarily relate to him, but he was interesting with emotions that made me feel for him and a sense of humor that I loved.
The dynamic between Matthew and Tarrick was interesting right off the bat as well, and I couldn't wait to see where that would go. I ended up disliking Tarrick for how manipulative and cruel he could be, but that's not a negative issue with the book, just my feelings about him as a character.
The book was then made even better by this really amazing twist partway through that I just LOVED.
There was also a vampire-incubus war that encompassed the plot since Tarrick was a general for the incubi, but, thankfully, the book always stayed focused on Matthew and his part in things. And I ended up finding the incubi society and military interesting. I felt so conflicted throughout the story though! Even I didn't know which side Matthew would be better off with, which one was less monstrous, or whom he should trust, so I could only imagine how hard it was for him to figure it out. And then that ending threw me for a loop since it was both terrible and amazing for Matthew.
But between the war, Matthew's inner beast that reveled in the killing and bloodshed, and Matthew constantly getting beat or tortured in some way or other, there was, as I said, A LOT of violence. Not a bad thing, just a warning to anyone who doesn't (or does) like that.
Also as I said, there was also a lot of sex, both M/M and M/F, though unfortunately not a lot of sex + blood drinking. The vampires were a nice blend of sexy and predatory, but it seemed like they were more on the predatory side (or maybe we just haven't gotten to the sexy blood drinking yet in the series).
Last but not least, I can't not mention that there were also some kickass, terrifying gargoyles!
The only negative thing I can say is that master/slave romance generally isn't my thing. (Not that this was a romance, but there were feelings and sex, so close enough.) I just don't find it believable that a slave would be attracted to or fall in love with his master. Vampires and incubi, however, just so happen to be my two favorite paranormal creatures, so there was no way I could resist this book. And you know what? Matthew did feel broken when he was eventually forced to submit, plus he felt super conflicted and confused by his feelings, so this was actually one of the more palatable portrayals I've read. Mostly though, this book just ended up being so good that I didn't even care if that aspect wasn't entirely believable.
So overall, this book was basically 300-something pages of sex and violence, but a well-written 300-something pages of sex and violence with a twisty story behind it, a great main character, and an interesting incubus society!
Recommended For:
Anyone who likes vampires, incubi, sex, and violence. Anyone who likes master/slave romance (romance being used loosely as it's mostly just sex).
Original Review @ Metaphors and Moonlight
Full Review:
*I received a free ecopy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.*
If you like sex and violence, man, is this ever the book for you!
This book is full of sex and violence. But it's also full vampires and incubi, twists and turns, and all sorts of good stuff.
I was immediately drawn in by the writing style because it was simple, but Matthew's voice came through really well and just clicked with me. He just clicked with me, actually. I didn't necessarily relate to him, but he was interesting with emotions that made me feel for him and a sense of humor that I loved.
The dynamic between Matthew and Tarrick was interesting right off the bat as well, and I couldn't wait to see where that would go. I ended up disliking Tarrick for how manipulative and cruel he could be, but that's not a negative issue with the book, just my feelings about him as a character.
The book was then made even better by this really amazing twist partway through that I just LOVED.
There was also a vampire-incubus war that encompassed the plot since Tarrick was a general for the incubi, but, thankfully, the book always stayed focused on Matthew and his part in things. And I ended up finding the incubi society and military interesting. I felt so conflicted throughout the story though! Even I didn't know which side Matthew would be better off with, which one was less monstrous, or whom he should trust, so I could only imagine how hard it was for him to figure it out. And then that ending threw me for a loop since it was both terrible and amazing for Matthew.
But between the war, Matthew's inner beast that reveled in the killing and bloodshed, and Matthew constantly getting beat or tortured in some way or other, there was, as I said, A LOT of violence. Not a bad thing, just a warning to anyone who doesn't (or does) like that.
Also as I said, there was also a lot of sex, both M/M and M/F, though unfortunately not a lot of sex + blood drinking. The vampires were a nice blend of sexy and predatory, but it seemed like they were more on the predatory side (or maybe we just haven't gotten to the sexy blood drinking yet in the series).
Last but not least, I can't not mention that there were also some kickass, terrifying gargoyles!
The only negative thing I can say is that master/slave romance generally isn't my thing. (Not that this was a romance, but there were feelings and sex, so close enough.) I just don't find it believable that a slave would be attracted to or fall in love with his master. Vampires and incubi, however, just so happen to be my two favorite paranormal creatures, so there was no way I could resist this book. And you know what? Matthew did feel broken when he was eventually forced to submit, plus he felt super conflicted and confused by his feelings, so this was actually one of the more palatable portrayals I've read. Mostly though, this book just ended up being so good that I didn't even care if that aspect wasn't entirely believable.
So overall, this book was basically 300-something pages of sex and violence, but a well-written 300-something pages of sex and violence with a twisty story behind it, a great main character, and an interesting incubus society!
Recommended For:
Anyone who likes vampires, incubi, sex, and violence. Anyone who likes master/slave romance (romance being used loosely as it's mostly just sex).
Original Review @ Metaphors and Moonlight
January 24, 2018
I was absolutely in love with this story from beginning to end! I already love a good vampire story, but add all the unique elements and this story was taken to the next level. It was so refreshing. And I loved Matthew!
The world building:
We get to see some unique and interesting twists on all the standard vampire tropes. We also see appearances by other supernatural creatures (Gargoyles, kitsune, shifters, Incubi and Succubi). However the focus was on Matthew, the vampire, and Tarrick, the Incubus. The Incubi/Succubi society/culture was interesting. The thing that really stood out was that there was so much sexual fluidity. No one cared who slept with who (no slut shaming and no homophobia). I LOVED IT! Lane incorporating the Incubi/Succubi into the story was a brilliant idea. It opened the world up to so many possibilities.
The characters:
Matthew:
We are introduced to Matthew just a mere seven years after he has become a vampire. He has adjusted to his fate, but everything changes when he meets Tarrick, who takes him captive. Matthew knows nothing of the supernatural world that exists beyond vampires. He barely knows anything about what it truly means to be a vampire. While in captivity in the Incubi/Succubi society, he begins to discover many hidden abilities. This was one of the most interesting aspects of the book!
I loved Matthew! 😍😍 He was so naive and kind hearted. Of course, Tarrick took advantage of that in every way possible. I hated to see Matthew held in captivity and I seriously hope he gets his revenge! 😈😈 His character had so many interesting layers.
Tarrick:
I HATE HIM! I could have forgiven him at one point, but by the end I knew I never could. There was not one moment in this story where I wanted Matthew and Tarrick to actually be together romantically. But, oh boy, did I enjoy their page time together!!!
Another character I loved was Rosaline. She was such a sweet heart to Matthew! I also liked Hiroto. I hope he makes an appearance in the next book! I pretty much loved anybody who helped Matthew and didn't use him or make his captivity worse.
The plot and pacing:
This story is set against the backdrop of a war spanning millennia. So we do get some awesome action/battle scenes. We get see Matthew steadily transforming and learning new abilities. The pacing was perfect. I was immediately sucked in to Matthew's story. Things were constantly happening, but we also got a well fleshed out story and characters.
Overall I loved it and can't wait to continue this series!!!
The world building:
We get to see some unique and interesting twists on all the standard vampire tropes. We also see appearances by other supernatural creatures (Gargoyles, kitsune, shifters, Incubi and Succubi). However the focus was on Matthew, the vampire, and Tarrick, the Incubus. The Incubi/Succubi society/culture was interesting. The thing that really stood out was that there was so much sexual fluidity. No one cared who slept with who (no slut shaming and no homophobia). I LOVED IT! Lane incorporating the Incubi/Succubi into the story was a brilliant idea. It opened the world up to so many possibilities.
The characters:
Matthew:
We are introduced to Matthew just a mere seven years after he has become a vampire. He has adjusted to his fate, but everything changes when he meets Tarrick, who takes him captive. Matthew knows nothing of the supernatural world that exists beyond vampires. He barely knows anything about what it truly means to be a vampire. While in captivity in the Incubi/Succubi society, he begins to discover many hidden abilities. This was one of the most interesting aspects of the book!
I loved Matthew! 😍😍 He was so naive and kind hearted. Of course, Tarrick took advantage of that in every way possible. I hated to see Matthew held in captivity and I seriously hope he gets his revenge! 😈😈 His character had so many interesting layers.
Tarrick:
I HATE HIM! I could have forgiven him at one point, but by the end I knew I never could. There was not one moment in this story where I wanted Matthew and Tarrick to actually be together romantically. But, oh boy, did I enjoy their page time together!!!
Another character I loved was Rosaline. She was such a sweet heart to Matthew! I also liked Hiroto. I hope he makes an appearance in the next book! I pretty much loved anybody who helped Matthew and didn't use him or make his captivity worse.
The plot and pacing:
This story is set against the backdrop of a war spanning millennia. So we do get some awesome action/battle scenes. We get see Matthew steadily transforming and learning new abilities. The pacing was perfect. I was immediately sucked in to Matthew's story. Things were constantly happening, but we also got a well fleshed out story and characters.
Overall I loved it and can't wait to continue this series!!!
October 22, 2017
— ¿Y no sientes nada por mí?
— No estoy desprovisto de sentimientos hacia ti. Eres... —hizo una pausa como si estuviera buscando la palabra correcta y continuara cuando la encontrase—, fascinante y estoy orgulloso de todos tus logros aquí, pero no te amo si eso es lo que me estás pidiendo. Y tú no me amas.
— ¿Cómo pudiste hacerme esto a mí? ¿Cómo pudiste ser tan cruel?
—Porque el amor es la manera más fácil de controlar a alguien y necesitaba una manera de controlarte.
¡JODEEER! Que libro... desde el inicio me atrapo y tarde en leerlo porque no tenía mucho tiempo... pero en serio que bueno que ya lo termine....
Matthew se merece lo mejor, ser libre y feliz.... por favor Tarrick ya no lo arruines mas :(
— No estoy desprovisto de sentimientos hacia ti. Eres... —hizo una pausa como si estuviera buscando la palabra correcta y continuara cuando la encontrase—, fascinante y estoy orgulloso de todos tus logros aquí, pero no te amo si eso es lo que me estás pidiendo. Y tú no me amas.
— ¿Cómo pudiste hacerme esto a mí? ¿Cómo pudiste ser tan cruel?
—Porque el amor es la manera más fácil de controlar a alguien y necesitaba una manera de controlarte.
¡JODEEER! Que libro... desde el inicio me atrapo y tarde en leerlo porque no tenía mucho tiempo... pero en serio que bueno que ya lo termine....
Matthew se merece lo mejor, ser libre y feliz.... por favor Tarrick ya no lo arruines mas :(
May 14, 2023
Well this certainly was an experience.
July 27, 2019
Hands down, Jex Lane has built a world equal to the greatest authors of the paranormal genre. This series came as a referral from a friend who pushed me to read. Thankfully, I listened because I was so clearly missing out. This entire series is full of twists and turns that Jex so artfully lays out, I just flat don't see them coming - the Beautiful Monsters series is so great and so original and so consuming, I recommend you stop what you are reading and give this series a try whether you're a paranormal reader or not.
Miscellaneous thoughts:
1) I'm not into horror being inside my paranormal, my friend is. Jex has created a story so complex, its absorbing. I'm satisfied, the friend is satisfied, which says a lot to Jex's storytelling ability.
1.5) Jex has taken the time to understand all the different aspects involved in the paranormal world. I've read lots of old school paranormal authors, and Jex is teaching me things I've never learned before.
2) The story unfolds from the main character's life experience. Jex does this so well, you live the life of discovery with Matthew. Nothing is rushed, nothing feels repetitive. I found myself hurting where I was supposed to hurt, happy when things went well and just rooting for the main character's well being.
3) Possible spoiler: The king is not my favorite.
4) I want to turn into a vampire and go be Matthew's friend.
5) One POV, third person.
6) The writing improves and improves and improves.
7) I'd love to live in this author's head for a while. This is artfully told and well-thought-out story, Jex has a fan for life. Someone needs to help me meet her so I can gush and gush.
Miscellaneous thoughts:
1) I'm not into horror being inside my paranormal, my friend is. Jex has created a story so complex, its absorbing. I'm satisfied, the friend is satisfied, which says a lot to Jex's storytelling ability.
1.5) Jex has taken the time to understand all the different aspects involved in the paranormal world. I've read lots of old school paranormal authors, and Jex is teaching me things I've never learned before.
2) The story unfolds from the main character's life experience. Jex does this so well, you live the life of discovery with Matthew. Nothing is rushed, nothing feels repetitive. I found myself hurting where I was supposed to hurt, happy when things went well and just rooting for the main character's well being.
3) Possible spoiler: The king is not my favorite.
4) I want to turn into a vampire and go be Matthew's friend.
5) One POV, third person.
6) The writing improves and improves and improves.
7) I'd love to live in this author's head for a while. This is artfully told and well-thought-out story, Jex has a fan for life. Someone needs to help me meet her so I can gush and gush.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,256 reviews