Ah, this book. The first that will start making or breaking the series for some people if they haven't gotten to that point already. I am wondering if it is because Keita is a female character, not male, and rather than being a kick ass overt bad ass she plays up the pretty pretty princess fashion obsessed thoughtless chatter box trope. Keita doesn't physically bust heads, she either gets others to bust the heads for her or she poisons them. In all counts she out smarts them, even when she herself is 'caught' and outsmarted.

Again, this book is more....plot than porn. While there is a relationship focus there are many other plot points. Good old sexism double standards rears its head in more ways than one.

Keita is more or less a female Gwenvael and arguably even better at being so more than Gwenvael himself. She seems to have a habit of getting in over her head and some how managing to get out of the situations more or less physically unscathed with her intended target burnt to the ground. Her reputation is more or less in tatters and she uses that to her advantage. She is not overtly strong but she is very good at playing the roll of the weak, vapid princess to her advantage and covertly destroying a perceived threat to her family, friends and the realm. It's all fun and games until someone who is not her mother, sister or herself calls her a useless vapid whore. Then it is pain and destruction or worse, lifeless proper-royal mundanity that may or may not conclude in a show more bout of mysterious poisoning.

Ragnar is more or less a dragon male Dagmar. Like Dagmar, he thinks very highly of his intelligence and cleverness and is very judgey when it comes to a person's perceived intelligence and over all 'usefulness'. Keita, despite claiming other wise, is actually very sensitive to being being seen and treated as the very vapid, useless thing she so often plays the part of. The two clash, Ragnar being Ragnar judges Keita fairly, but unjustly. He realizes his mistake, genuinely apologizes and then Keita is back to her crazy antics and back to playing the role of the vapid, useless thing like nothing happened. Only this time they are both 'in' on the game and work together. Though Keita still breaks off and runs off to do things on her own. It catches up to her but lucky for her, Ragnar and her siblings still stick with her.

Various side plots build up, conclude and split off different directions.
The over all book is basically a set up for the upcoming war, Keita and Ragnar's is not really officially 'resolved' as they are together but Ragnar has not branded Keita. Mostly because she does not want to be branded- yet. There is more alluded to the larger over all storyline but details aren't really explained or set. Why is Annwyl and the babies so important? Why are the babes so strange and powerful or even exist? Why is this war even happening and why are the god meddling in their lives?

What really bugged me/got me mad was the turn in Izzy and Eibhears relationship- hence the sexist double standard rearing up and sticking out with its poison.

*** Spoiler to Spoiler-ish***

With all the build up of Izzy and Eibhear's relationship, it essentially explodes with Eibhear calling Izzy a whore who 'ruined herself' for becoming sexually involved with Celyn. Celyn then has the thoughtless nerve to act like a smug cocky cock about being Izzy's 'first' and then plays the sad wounded victim when Eibhear lashes out and beats him near to death. Thus initiating Eibhear from sweet 'innocent' endearing hatching-child into an emotionally unstable, selfish emo-like adult.

Izzy gets blamed for it and, if you stick around for the next book, gets labeled as the'whore who got between two cousins' by pretty much all of her female dragon relatives. Infuriating and disgusting.

However, the people who are important- being her mother Talaith and Annwyl are perhaps the only two to care about how all this shit affects Izzy and provide her with support and comfort. Talaith is unphased, reminding Izzy that she was far younger when she started having sex and became pregnant. Annwyl provides words of comfort and in the end Izzy cares more about advancing her military career- becoming Queen's squire- than being held to any relationship anyways. Which brings a delightful blow to Celyn's ego. As much as Izzy cared for him and enjoyed him, she cares more about her career than him.

Disgusted with how it's handled but eh, it's sadly still pretty standard fair in media.
Either way it ends on a happy-ish note and we continue on to the next book. Or toss the entire series into the fire and never speak of it ever again. show less

This probably my favorite of the series. It provides a delightful insight to Gwenvael's character and answers the age old question of how do you write a romance and eventual monogamous matting centered on an unapologetic pleasure seeking sex machine who has no desire to settle down with a mate. Answer: you take him out of his element and comfort zone. We learn real quick (and even more so if you continue on with the series) that a Gwenvael not focused on sass, pleasure and instigating chaos within his family or with other in general, is truly a terrible force to behold.

This book is also the start of the books being more 'plot' than porn with out plot in the series. Delightful and fun, but not without it's flaws and dragging points.

The world building is still underdeveloped and trope based- the North is the stander stand in for big burly barbarian manly men that are always fighting each other and are even more overtly sexist than the South (which, even though women are treated more 'equally' in comparison, are still the target of passive sexism and double standards). The North is still typecasted as the big barbarian that will kidnap a women, mutilate and brutalize her and keep her her will. Though it does point out that the women of the North are not totally without power, their power is just more covert and brain based rather than overt and brawn based. There are was to navigate the set in stone blindly sexiest mentality.

New characters are introduced with little show more description or background, the nature of the dragons' magic remains unexplained though we get to see the Northern Lightning Dragons and more meddling of thoughtless and over all selfish human gods and dragon gods that do what ever they want without really giving a damn about the people who's lives they are meddling with and essentially destroying. Annwyl's fighting abilities remain over the top unrealistic and equally unexplained.

The plot is an amalgamation of various threads, which are well integrated overall. The plot of the main relationship developing, the various 'main' background character and their individual stories and this whole game/plot plan thing that involves several different gods using the people of the book to one up each other or to 'help' each other. The action scenes are exciting, the sex is good and the dysfunctional dragon family a total delightful riot!

Sass and shenanigans ensue as Annwyl's life is again under threat both from outsider threats and the supernatural elements of her pregnancy. Alliances are made, family bonds are tested and strengthened and the newest addition- the sharp-tongued, devious and practical no nonsense Dagmar- is both amazed and speechless at how these crazy overt Southerners manage to function in their state of dysfunction. show less

Second book in a series. We got formula, we got two characters that have complementary arguing is just a form of verbal oral sex kink, secrets and lies and engaging secondary characters. A short term and long term threat that ties everyone together and sex, violence and bloody death for everyone. We got brave men, arrogant and insurable men and kick ass women with an overabundance of estrogen and the ability to kill entire armies.

The world building remains cookie cutter vague-blank slate and although the plot brings up rival interfering and manipulating Gods hell bent on using using Annwyl and Fearghus's relationship as a tool and Talaith as a pawn meant to stop Annwyl and Fearghus's relationship (aka kill Annwyl) for their unexplained game between each other....it doesn't do much or go anywhere other than add drama, urgency and a common thread to tie all these people together now. And give an excuse for there to be yet another battle for Annwyl to go on a much needed blood crazy brutal killing spree.

It is not heavy reading and does not at any point pretend to be. Despite this,there are plenty of things to keep a reader amused. The dragon family that these books focus on an the humans that end up loving them are endearing and entertaining.
The story is as much about the secondary characters as it is about the main characters/the relationship/romance focus of the book. The dynamic between the dragon siblings is hilarious, the updates in Annwyl and Fearghus's relationship show more is good and great and Morfyd and Brasties's budding romance slowly plods forward off to the side. The ground work has been laid for a love you-hate you relationship between Eihbear - the youngest dragon sibling and Izzy- the at the moment underage human daughter of main female character- Talaith and the consequences of Izzy more or less selling herself to a god in order to save her mother is hanging over Izzy's head.

There are laughs, there are tears and there is sex. There are endearing moments and frustrating enraging moments.

More importantly, there is an epilogue that leading into the third book showing that Gwenvae will be meeting his doom. Aka his match. Which really is all the motivation a reader needs to keep going. show less

The first book of a series of Romance/Dragon Porn fantasy books. We got formula- crazy bloody female virgin who's never known love and an equally violent cranky black dragon male and his pain in the ass family. We got our conflicts, we got our sexual tensions, our lies (with the best of intentions in mind when they were said) a war and sexy times and happy endings. This is very much a junk food for your brain- but I'd like to think it's on the health conscious side. It has consent, the females are just as blood and sex driven as the males and the romantic pair of the book feeds into each other in healthy and supportive ways.

I mean, it's sex with human shape shifting dragons. We don't ask for much.

The world building is a bit cookie cutter under-developed blank slate with very little detail given regarding the dragons, the people and the world they live it. The writing mainly flows but there are some clumsy transitions between scenes and over use of the word And. But again, we didn't come to this book for world building details. We came to this book for sex, wit and sass with some blood shed thrown in the mix.

The biting wit of the characters, the sex scenes and the supporting secondary characters along with there being plenty of room to grow as a series is enough to entice a reader to keep rolling through the series. For the moment at least. Unfortunately, these formulas- while good for providing quick hot sex when you want your fix- are not designed to be long lasting show more or self sustaining. But it cant provide one hell of a sugar rush while it lasts! show less

It's very hard to figure out let alone judge the good from the bad when it comes to books talking about abductions and UFOs.

The Threat is, to me, a practical, thought out and informative book on the topic.

The author has his premise, his hypothesis and his methods that have lead to his conclusions that is as much of a reflection of his opinion and his bias on the topic as any other researcher on the topic. He talks of the known established patterns and the continuous build up that even researchers who's use of hypnoses and memory recall he is critical of mention in their own works.

It is thought provoking and while it does not provide answers or solutions it at least assures that you that yest these patterns exist. For why and how we may never know but they are there.

I would recommend this book to anyone looking into the topic of abductions and UFOs. Especially people who are looking for information concerning human/alien hybrids.

Okay....so heads up this is a book heavy on the psychological sex with bondage, gags and the main female character facing the source of her inner rage aka why she cut her self off from wanting to feel intimacy and vulnerability. If you are squeaked out by OMG BONDAGE! OMG! ANGER MANAGEMENT! TRUST ISSUES! OMG! The male characters NOT coercing or raping the main female character in order to get her to submit to their affections and 'love' then this is not the book for you.

But I mean, seriously this is like a staple trope of Romance/ Trash Romance conflicts. Angry, frigid Ice Queen Bitch must find the ONE, the TRUE LOVE and only with the power of his incredibly condescending manipulative and sexist DICK is she able to heal and become the weak, sappy female all we women are longing to be deep deep down. Lets toss in some poorly thought out and totally unrealistic spread eagle bondage so the readers can feel like they are better than the people who just read those plain old boring 'vanilla sex' books. Sooooo....not sure what the freak out is about. All the warning labels on what kind of book you are getting into are there.

Seriously. Are we still fixating on the bondage parts of the book?

Call me whatever, but in my opinion the bondage parts are actually very, very tame in my opinion. Most of the sex in this book is gonna be in your head. Which is not for everyone- I get that, but 50 Shades of Gray this book is not.
This book is actually more focused on the psychological and show more physical care and one could even go so far to say healing and education of the subject rather than the sex and control of the subject. I personally would not call this book hard core. To me, the elements are rather light and are a lot more focused on the before care and after care bits rather than hot and hard sexy times. The actual sex in the book is very little (and hello, ROMANCE BOOK. That is kinda a red flag that sex of some kind is gonna happen). Which can throw a reader off and confuse them. I didn't expect to actually enjoy it as much as I did and it was all sensation-head space driven rather than visual graphic sex driven. It was...different, a change of pace and freaking awesome! Seriously, author was able to get me zoned out in a good sexy head space with just by talking about how a soft bristle brush felt on oiled skin and how warm and safe the character felt after a particularly emotionally draining restraint/meditation session. About how the characters actually cared about about Roxanne's well being and their concern for her rapid progress through the sessions.

Still need assurance? Fine.

The guy, Brian, who is the one that does this stuff to the female main, Roxanne Defarge (who ends up getting renamed) has methods that all the other characters admit are strange and border line extreme. But they work. Brian does not get a free pass to do what ever he wants with Roxanne. He gets called out on his shit, by Roxanne herself, by the other characters. Brian gets shut down when he starts coming up with a plan that nobody wants to see done, Roxanne even goes toe to with him constantly to ensure her boundaries- while pushed- are still respected and he respects her boundaries. The only time Brian messes with Roxxane's boundaries is when he feels she is at risk of self harm. He made it very clear that he will not stand by or enable Roxanne to inflict any kind of physical or mental self-harm. Which honestly, while there are plenty of times Roxxane is not happy with how he goes about doing what he does, she grudgingly respects and agrees that he was not wrong in doing what he did.
In fact one of the biggest things Roxanne faces is her whole "not breaking down to give him what he wants" out of spite (at the time, she was seeing what Brian wants as being him wanting the guy she ends having sex with) only to realize that no- Brian never wanted to be the one Roxanne ends up being intimate with. Brian even admits that because of the emotional buttons he pushed, he more or less lost any and all chance of Roxanne ever wanting him as anything more than a teacher or adviser. He's sad that he, through his own actions,fucked up what could have been a good thing, but he's more happy that Roxanne came into her own and is stronger for it because that's what he wanted more than being her lover anyway. He is a healer and a teacher first. Lover would have been a nice addition but it was not his goal.

How many romance books have you read that managed to pull something like that off? Cuz let me tell you, it made this book an even more enjoyable read for me.

Consent- actual informed consent- happens in this book. Brian explains everything he does. Roxanne can and does say no, she can and does make her own choices. Roxanne gets into some very ugly head spaces where she lashes out to the point of self harm- hence the gag- but she is cared for. Actual fucking after care happens in this book. Eventually, the restraints and the gag are no longer needed and instead of getting tied up for two hours to get into a meditative head space she gets back into painting to achieve the save effect.

So there. There's your "warning there be kinky shit bondage in this book" warning and assessment. I get it, not everyone is okay with bondage or head space focused stuff. Even the light and tame stuff. There's nothing wrong with that not being your thing.

It is very clear that this book is a set up for another book or two. It is very obvious Roxanne is being trained and groomed for some kind of role in a position of power. Be that as a fighter or ruler and the story is not over. Brian Treemark is a man with a cause and it is clear that while his plans have their good points, not everyone is a fan of his methods. His methods work, yes, but there are things that he is willing to do and how he insists on doing them that raises much concern with the others that have been around him and brings him and Roxanne into conflict.

Yes, there is a strong High Lander Immortal vibe to the Elvin/mutant immortal race that is scattered about the globe.
To some people, that could be a turn off. Others, a turn on. Honestly, those elements concerned me more than the bondage bits. You could write this book off as some kind of kinky High Lander fan fiction. But again, it didn't take away from the story for me so to each their own.

When Roxanne gets initiated into being “one of them” she isn’t automatically endowed with the gifts and the knowledge she needs to survive in the world.

There is actually quite a bit of physical and mental training she has to go through to develop the basic skills she needs in order to survive (I admit, kind of nice to see a character coming into power and going through a helpless baby needs learning phase. She's a gifted student and fast learner, but she's not at the level to take on an experienced elder without getting the appropriate damage from it).

Not to mention the reasons why Treemark more or less demands and forces her to participate in his brand of psychological healing becomes fairly obvious real quick. Treemark and the others are concerned- to flat out terrified- about Roxanne becoming a corrupted power junkie threat- something they've all seen far too often, have all suffered at the hands of and are still being actively hunted by. They are concerned about Roxanne becoming a threat to them and their endangered race if she doesn’t face and deal with the damage her mundane life has done to her. So as much as they want to protect and nurture Roxanne they are also fearful of her becoming a threat if she chooses the path of a power junkie killer rather than the path of someone who dedicates their life to resisting and fighting off power junkie killers.

So in summary-
This is a romance book. It is a romance book with the frigid untrusting bitter angry Ice Queen Bitch leaving the big bad dangerous city and getting back in touch with nature by way of working on a horse ranch and finding that she is a rare immortal mutation. Thrusting her into a new strange world where she has to learn not only to survive but also how to open herself up to trust and love. Self-discovery, danger, and incompetent law enforcement. The Ice Queen melts and she learns to trust not only herself, but others and she finds love only to also find that with love also comes the pain of having to let that love go.

Also- heads up warning (cuz there are still people who are more squeaked out by this than bondage)- there is very clear indication to a brief scene involving a male on male sex and a whole thought assessment of same sex/not reproductive sex being okay and why and reflection on monogamist relationships and having multiple partners and why those things could be not wrong and getting use to the idea of being around people who have different ideas and comfort levels of how they define intimate relationships.

Also again, this being a book with an endangered race with low numbers, the topic of the 'need to breed'/'need to spread the seed' and child care/babies and who gets to raise them and stuff also comes up.

None of this bother me, aside from raising an eye brow at some of the thought processes Roxanne talked herself through, and it hits at parts of the build up for more world building and more books.

But...it's there and now you know.

For as 'disturbingly into kinky-bondage' and 'free love' and 'spread the seed! Breed! Breed Breed!' this book and characters can be in some respects, this book and its characters can also be down right prudish in other aspects. show less