“Captive Omega” is the newest release from Ember Nicole and is another dark, gritty omegaverse that follows the same timeline as book one, only throug“Captive Omega” is the newest release from Ember Nicole and is another dark, gritty omegaverse that follows the same timeline as book one, only through the eyes of omega Resa.
Resa has suffered immense trauma over the last two years, both physical and mental. She was abused during a visit to a heat clinic and, since then, has been a captive of one of the Asylum members (who we learned about in book one). A freak accident provides Resa with the chance to escape, and she quickly falls right into the lap of the Lucas pack.
Before I continue, I want to provide a disclaimer that this review will contain spoilers to the first book. If you have not read the first book, which is by no means required in order to enjoy this one, please be aware that there will be spoilers if you proceed.
When Resa is taken in by Pack Lucas, she has no clue that they’ve been looking for her for quite some time. Bloody and pregnant, Resa begins to build herself back up with the help of two alphas and one stubborn beta.
Compared to book one, I enjoyed the MMCs quite a bit, but grew frustrated with Resa. Like Ever in book one, Resa was a horrible communicator. However, she made great strides to better herself mentally, and for that I applaud her. I also felt that the journey to recovery was written very realistically, as Resa spends the *entire* book working on bettering herself. Resa has grit and tenacity and I will give her that. The MMCs are not without fault, however. I found their pack to be a bit disjointed. We have alpha Garrison, stoic leader of the pack, who I enjoyed. Then we have Blaine, who suffered a horrible attack that left him with burns over his entire body. Blaine, understandably, is suffering with immense trauma and self-esteem issues. Lastly, we have the beta Vaughn, who unfortunately, every time I read his name, immediately thought we were talking about Vince Vaughn. Nevertheless, Vaughn was the light to Resa's darkness. He was the comedic character of the bunch, and truly helped Resa make the most progress in her journey.
Pack aside, I felt that there were times where the plot became quite predictable and boring. While shorter than Ever’s book, there were still chapters where I wanted to grab Resa by the shoulders and tell her to hurry up and get back to the men!!! As seen in book one, when the FMCs come into their own and begin to have a voice, that is when family shows up and wants to bring them back to their old life. For Resa, this meant her family bringing her home and making no mention of her pack. I don’t remember how many chapters Resa spent at home, but I do remember feeling so frustrated that Resa made so much progress in her healing but was just as weak when it came to standing up for herself. In a way, I see bits of myself in her. You can be strong in front of others, but when it comes to family you feel like that small child once again. Despite that, I still would have liked to see Resa advocate for herself and her new life.
Still an enjoyable continuation of the series with an overall rating of 3.5. I’m most excited for book three where we get to see Della and what pack she ends up with!...more
Do you ever love a book so much that you grow tired of how long it is?
I know, usually when you love a book you want it to last forever. In this case,Do you ever love a book so much that you grow tired of how long it is?
I know, usually when you love a book you want it to last forever. In this case, by the time I got to page 500 I was ready for the book to be over. Don’t get me wrong, it’s an excellent read and one I will be thinking about for days, but at almost 600 pages, this book is way too long.
Nicole Ember is an author who I have never read before, and I was excited to have the chance to read some of her books early! In preparation for her upcoming release, I decided to read book one, “Runaway Omega” to get a better understanding of the world that these books take place in.
As far as characters go, they’re all very well written. They are full of depth and unique, and I never caught myself confusing one MMC with another (which can sometimes happen in OV RH’s). Everleigh, the omega, did frustrate me quite a bit with how she treated the Ashe pack. While she had a traumatic bonding experience, I felt that she was her own worst enemy at times. Further, when Ever was finally ready for her own happiness, she still sacrificed herself for the sake of her mother. Pack Ashe has a hell of a lot more compassion than I do, as I would’ve walked by then.
One thing that stood out to me about Ember’s take on omegaverse was the mating bite. In traditional OV, the bite is not only a visual sign of your bond, it’s also a conduit between partners. While Ever had a mating bite from Lawrence, her old alpha, at no point during the book does she pick up on his emotions or he on hers. Without the emotional connection, I am curious why there is a bite at all. Is it purely for control? Is it seen as barbaric? The only one who benefits from it would be the alpha, so hopefully we get more clarification on this in the next book!
While I have my gripes about the length of the book, I still stand by it being one of the best OV’s that I’ve read this year. I highly, highly recommend this book if you’re looking for a darker, grittier omegaverse! ...more
“Glass Omega” by Calliope Stewart is, like many of the first books in a series, more plot than anything else.
As an omegaverse fan, I go into these bo“Glass Omega” by Calliope Stewart is, like many of the first books in a series, more plot than anything else.
As an omegaverse fan, I go into these books eager to see each authors take on the trope (genre?). While Stewart has written some strong, entertaining OV’s, “Glass Omega” unfortunately fell short to me. Though truthfully not in length, as it honestly read quite long.
Like many of her first books, I felt that it was more macro plot development than actual storyline. As far as characters go, I didn’t find myself rooting for anyone in particular. The MMCs weren’t remarkable and, for being a mafia romance, there was nothing cutthroat about them or their lives. Instead, they felt rather lackluster and the mafia aspect felt forced. The omega FMC was equally as flat and was altogether dull. As I sit here writing this review I find myself drawing blank on what she actually contributed…
Now, that isn’t to say that it’s a bad book! The characters are entertaining and the steamy scenes are well written. While this book wasn’t a hit for me I have no doubt that the series will get better over time. Stewart always reads this way to me, and I wouldn’t give up on her just yet! If you’re new to omegaverse, I would recommend this book. If you’re a voracious reader like myself, then consider going into it knowing that the series will certainly get better with each book. ...more
“All In” was everything I’ve been wanting from West! In my previous review, I highlighted how many of the recent MMC’s have been similar to the ones “All In” was everything I’ve been wanting from West! In my previous review, I highlighted how many of the recent MMC’s have been similar to the ones who came before them. Not in “All In”! “All In” has a cast with refreshing, unique characters who make for such an enjoyable read.
Right before you dive in, you’re met with a notice from West highlighting the neurodiversity of the upcoming cast of characters. West has done a phenomenal job of writing these characters in previous books, so I was immediately intrigued with how she would tackle these characters. West is an author who embraces diversity with her books, and I’m always left feeling that she has done her research and done them justice.
Plot-wise, “All In” does have some overlap with it’s predecessor, “Queen of Spades”, though it stands strong enough on it’s own to where you don’t necessarily need to read it in order to understand what’s going on in this world. Like always, I do recommend that you read in order so that you get the most enriching experience!
I know that I’ve alluded to it already, but the characters are what made this book for me. Laken is a character with such depth that is complimented by her pack mates. Locke (my baby!) is extremely protective of her from the beginning. He truly fits the “he fell first” mold to a T. Tanner is who I would have initially described as the himbo of the group, but as you read the story you’ll come to realize that there is more to him than meets the eye— and he does that intentionally! Lastly, Ranger (my love!) is our MMC who is similar to Laken in that he is also neurodivergent. Ranger is extremely protective of Laken and pack, and I love getting to see his more dominant side that we didn’t quite get the chance to explore in the previous book. As a whole, this pack was so refreshing to read about and I can confidently say that they are unlike any of West’s previous packs.
If you have space in your summer TBR, or are looking for your next addictive read, look no further! ...more
“Queen of Spades” by Jillian West is another hit in West’s omegaverse world. Even more, it’s part of a larger collection featuring other authors! Whil“Queen of Spades” by Jillian West is another hit in West’s omegaverse world. Even more, it’s part of a larger collection featuring other authors! While I only read this story, I will definitely be keeping my eye on the rest of the world and checking out some of the other authors stories.
In “Queen of Spades”, we learn about an omega, Annika, on the run from her past. While on the run, she steps into a line of work that leads her to cross paths with many wealthy, albeit suspicious, men. This environment is only further made dangerous by the fact that she is an unbonded omega just weeks away from her next heat.
Without spoiling the rest of the story, I will say that the pack development was very interesting. Some relationships, such as Annika’s relationship with Grady, developed quite slowly, whereas her relationship with Ward, was unexpectedly quick. Overall, I would cite this book as being fast burn.
If you’re new to West, this is an excellent place to start. If you’re very familiar with her work, then you might find many similarities to this pack and some of her others. In my case, I feel like the men begin to run together, as there’s typically always an alpha male (or two) and a himbo. I’ve read every book West has put out, and this pack wasn’t anything memorable to me. Unfortunately, and perhaps this is the risk with omega verse, they all begin to run together.
Despite that, I would still recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a more grittier omegaverse!...more
“Rebel and Her Knights” is…something, to say the least.
I am a huge fan of omegaverse. There are key aspects of omegaverse that set it apart from your“Rebel and Her Knights” is…something, to say the least.
I am a huge fan of omegaverse. There are key aspects of omegaverse that set it apart from your typical romance. These include: knots, heats, packs, bonds, etc. At face value, this is described as an omegaverse, but if you’re familiar at all with the basic aspects of this genre, then you would see right away that this isn’t entirely the case. I would actually classify this as an attempt at omegaverse, as it is missing some key elements that make it OV. Instead, it feels like the author took a relatively easy trope and wanted readers to be okay with the bare minimum.
Semantics aside, this book was all over the place. Within the first two chapters it was very obvious who the mystery man was, so there was no need to have the big reveal for the final chapter. The character developments were also messy, with some characters feeling more fleshed out than others. Unfortunately, I have no desire to continue reading the series with how this book was written.
“Heart on Ice” is the conclusion to the Seattle Omegas trilogy. It tells Ciara’s story and gives readers further insight into how she’s been feeling s“Heart on Ice” is the conclusion to the Seattle Omegas trilogy. It tells Ciara’s story and gives readers further insight into how she’s been feeling since Brynn’s accident in book one.
Ciara has been an enigma to me throughout this series, and I was so excited to finally have her book! She surprised me with how headstrong she was, and I like that her pack grounded her and encouraged her to grow in a healthy way.
At the beginning of the story, Ciara is snarky and brash, choosing to run rather than face her problems head on. She’s impulsive and knows when she’s making a bad decision, even when it’s at the expense of someone else. Truthfully, I didn’t connect with her much in the beginning because of those attributes. However, Stewart really won me over and by the end of the book I appreciated and empathized Ciara so much! Ciara goes through incredible development and is not a FMC to underestimate.
One of the things I love about Stewart’s FMC’s is that they love hard. Ciara is no exception. Her pack is the center of her world, and I love that her family wasn’t an after thought, but often an extension of her pack. This means we see a ton of Brynn and Aurelia in this book, so get excited for all of the cameos!
Overall, my second favorite book of Stewart’s. A must read for fans of sports, omegaverse, or romance in general. ...more
“Ready or Not” is the second part of the Assurance Security duet.
I will admit, the cliffhanger in book one left me so curious as to how this book wou“Ready or Not” is the second part of the Assurance Security duet.
I will admit, the cliffhanger in book one left me so curious as to how this book would start! Needless to say, the opening of the book was a good indicator of how the book in its entirety would flow: fast.
Vale does spend the majority of this book pregnant, and I was very surprised to see how quickly her pack grew. What I thought was established as a pack of convenience, quickly (and quite suddenly) turned into a legitimate pack. I felt like I blinked and the other men, save Bishop, were calling her their wife and ensuring they were in a position to bond her ASAP. Compared to book one, where you have certain characters (read: Mercer) stressing that the pack is simply formality, this sudden change in tone left me feeling like I suffered whiplash.
In this book, we’re able to get more of Cooper and Vale’s backstory, while simultaneously getting to know the remaining members of the pack.
It was an overall enjoyable book, but not my favorite from this author. It was slightly too fast paced for me, and in the end I would have enjoyed seeing more of Vale and her pack post baby. Unfortunately, that was saved for the final quarter of the book and the epilogues. ...more
“Not Ready” is a unique, non traditional take on omegaverse. Our FMC, Vale, is a former cam girl who is on the run from her stalker. Pregnant and scar“Not Ready” is a unique, non traditional take on omegaverse. Our FMC, Vale, is a former cam girl who is on the run from her stalker. Pregnant and scared, she seeks shelter from one of her longtime viewers, Bishop.
Bishop directs Vale to his address, but fails to disclose that he lives with his coworkers Holt and Mercer. Conveniently, all three men work in the security business for high profile cases. With former military background, this was truly the safest place for Vale, and baby Aurora, to end up.
While this is part one, the book is heavily focused on establishing the characters and setting. Vale and Bishop move quickly, which is unsurprising given their long history. What is surprising is how the pack is formed! Mercer recruits Vale to take part in a fake marriage to appease his family while Holt, who didn’t grow up in a pack, takes the longest to warm up to the situation at hand.
While I found the book to be slow at times, I do believe that it ended strongly and I’m excited to see where it goes from here! This is certainly an unconventional take on omegaverse, as our FMC is pregnant for the entire duration of the book. With no heats, West gets creative on how she has the pack bond. I think readers will find this book enjoyable as it is a breath of fresh air in the OV space!...more
“Cherished” is one of my favorite omegaverses, hands down! I am so, so thankful I got to read an arc of this book and enjoy being in Luna a little lon“Cherished” is one of my favorite omegaverses, hands down! I am so, so thankful I got to read an arc of this book and enjoy being in Luna a little longer.
If you read books one and two, then you have already met Westin. For what it’s worth, I do believe you can enjoy this book without having read the previous ones, so if you’re hesitant about jumping in on book three, don’t be! To those of you who have read books one and two, I can say with full confidence that you’re going to love this story.
Westin, an omega, has been quietly suffering for quite some time. Raised by her abusive uncles and doting aunt, she’s now on her own trying to make something of herself with the new laws in place that grant freedom for omegas. Due to the history with her uncles, she finds it extremely hard to open up to people. Despite that, she still makes it a point to help those around her, and she actually works with Josie at her and Ben’s bakery. Her friendship with Josie does become stronger as the story is told, and I absolutely love how protective Pack Ashwood became of Westin. The strong friendships and found family was certainly one of my favorite elements of this story.
Speaking of those in Westin’s life — her alpha’s, and beta, were absolutely incredible. I love that each man added to Westin and supported her in different ways. I also appreciated seeing them go through their own growing pains as a pack, as we so often only read about packs who hit it off from the start. This isn’t realistic (she says, while reviewing an omegaverse) and is instead a further testament to the writer Emerson is. Her characters are human, they have flaws, and aren’t perfect.
I do want to highlight that while this book is fun, there is quite heavy content within these pages. Westin has not had it easy, and she has been suffering with a chronic illness for many, many years. Truthfully, there were times while reading in which I wanted to skim the pages to get through the medical trauma and onto the good stuff. However, immunocompromised people do not have the luxury of simply skipping over their problems. With this reminder, I carried on and spent more time putting myself in Westin’s shoes to truly understand how I might feel in her situation.
As a whole, this book is incredible. I’m not lying when I said I ended this book with tears in my eyes. Westin is an incredibly resilient woman who deserves all the happiness, joy, and roller skates. Emerson is one of my favorite OV authors and I cannot wait to see who she writes about next. ...more
“Knot Guaranteed” is the latest installment in West’s rockstar romance world. This story follows Tinley, an omega that has yet to present, and her bes“Knot Guaranteed” is the latest installment in West’s rockstar romance world. This story follows Tinley, an omega that has yet to present, and her best friend’s brother Fitz. Fitz is an alpha who is on tour and he brings Tinley along with him. While on tour, Tinley meets two of his band mates: Warrick and Ramsey, who are twins.
As you can imagine, being together on a tour bus, paired with the adrenaline of a show, leads to an intense few months. As the heat turns up, so does tension on the bus, and soon Tinley will have to decide if she wants to bond with one or with all. Her feelings of being an omega complicate things, but thankfully the book is light enough that the angst is still enjoyable!
If you’re a fan of Jillian’s other rockstar romances, you’re going to love this one. ...more
If you’re a fan of rockstar romance, or a fan of romance that is as real as it is deep, then you’re going to enjoy “Wicked Truths”… where do I begin?
If you’re a fan of rockstar romance, or a fan of romance that is as real as it is deep, then you’re going to enjoy this book.
Like the other books in West’s rockstar omegaverse, “Wicked Truths” deals with some heavy topics. Don’t get me wrong, the book itself is relatively light, but be warned that some of the themes are quite deep. West does a fantastic job of creating characters who are flawed. None of her characters are perfect, which makes their love stories all the more sweet!
In “Wicked Truths” we read about a FMC omega and her misfit pack of artists (plus security). Her childhood best friend is a beta named Sullivan, and her alphas are Marcus, Liam, and Hawk. What I loved about this story is how Oakley develops a relationship with each man, as opposed to having one bulk relationship.
Separately, I so enjoy how much I learn about sexuality through reading West’s work. One of the members of this pack is graysexual, and to be honest I found myself identifying with a lot of their inner dialogue. Leave it to Jillian to teach me about sexuality while I read omegaverse!
Overall, this book is the perfect blend of sweet and spicy.
I highly recommend reading if you enjoy the following tropes:
☆ rockstar romance ☆ childhood best friends to lovers ☆ MMFMM ☆ omegaverse ☆ group healing ...more
I’m so disappointed that I didn’t enjoy this book, especially because OPUP was phenomenal. This one, for whatever reason, didn’t excite me as much andI’m so disappointed that I didn’t enjoy this book, especially because OPUP was phenomenal. This one, for whatever reason, didn’t excite me as much and I found the FMC to lack any real personality. ...more
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