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mrtnk's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
katrinarinelli's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
3.0
The writing was not the best, and the constant ",because" drove me crazy. It was still very fun and entertaining though, and I very much enjoyed the spice. Worth it for a quick, smutty read.
kaayyy's review against another edition
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
bookishhill's review against another edition
3.0
3/5 ⭐️s
Sometimes a narrator can kill a book, and I feel like that happened here. Todd McLaren’s POV narration for Tarak was probably intentionally stilted to emulate the straightforward persona of a career military general, but it took a lot of the emotion out of the story. And his voice for the FMC was truly atrocious. This probably would’ve been closer to a 3.5/5 had I read the physical copy instead of listening to the audiobook.
The story itself had a lot of promise! Anna Carven’s a new to me author, and I think she has a genuinely interesting story to tell here. The world building was great, and I love the idea of a “dark planet” with an alien species that will follow in the tracks of their dying sun if they don’t branch out past their own people.
The writing is somewhat simple at times, but I can look past that for a good story. I do wish the pacing had been better; it dragged in some places while speeding through crucial plot in others. It also felt like key plot elements were dropped a lot throughout the book. What about Tarak’s headaches or his issues with the empress? I also need his backstory with experiments explained. I hope we get answers and a more fleshed out story in book two.
The romance had a lot of moments I loved. Tarak and Abbey started out strong, and their growing respect and attraction throughout the book was great! I’m excited to see them in a new environment in book two.
Spice: 3/5
Sometimes a narrator can kill a book, and I feel like that happened here. Todd McLaren’s POV narration for Tarak was probably intentionally stilted to emulate the straightforward persona of a career military general, but it took a lot of the emotion out of the story. And his voice for the FMC was truly atrocious. This probably would’ve been closer to a 3.5/5 had I read the physical copy instead of listening to the audiobook.
The story itself had a lot of promise! Anna Carven’s a new to me author, and I think she has a genuinely interesting story to tell here. The world building was great, and I love the idea of a “dark planet” with an alien species that will follow in the tracks of their dying sun if they don’t branch out past their own people.
The writing is somewhat simple at times, but I can look past that for a good story. I do wish the pacing had been better; it dragged in some places while speeding through crucial plot in others. It also felt like key plot elements were dropped a lot throughout the book. What about Tarak’s headaches or his issues with the empress? I also need his backstory with experiments explained. I hope we get answers and a more fleshed out story in book two.
The romance had a lot of moments I loved. Tarak and Abbey started out strong, and their growing respect and attraction throughout the book was great! I’m excited to see them in a new environment in book two.
Spice: 3/5
hayley_lynn_77's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
solaana's review against another edition
I guess I can deal with an overarching imperial civil war plot
rattybluestocking's review against another edition
4.0
Surprisingly good
I was expecting something less, but I got something much more than I was expecting. This was actually a good, well-written alien romance story. I liked the characters, and the storyline was interesting. This was a good little romance, and I'll definitely be reading more by this author.
I was expecting something less, but I got something much more than I was expecting. This was actually a good, well-written alien romance story. I liked the characters, and the storyline was interesting. This was a good little romance, and I'll definitely be reading more by this author.