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Fantasyland #2
The Golden Dynasty
ASIN B005IMCYVI moved to newer alternate cover edition.
Circe Quinn goes to sleep at home and wakes up in a corral filled with women wearing sacrificial virgin attire - and she is one of them. She soon finds out that she’s not having a wild dream, she’s living a frightening nightmare where she’s been transported to a barren land populated by a primitive people and in short order, she’s installed very unwillingly on her white throne of horns as their Queen.
Dax Lahn is the king of Suh Tunak, The Horde of the nation of Korwahk and with one look at Circe, he knows she will be his bride and together they will start The Golden Dynasty of legend.
Circe and Lahn are separated by language, culture and the small fact she’s from a parallel universe and has no idea how she got there or how to get home. But facing challenge after challenge, Circe finds her footing as Queen of the brutal Korwahk Horde and wife to its King, then she makes friends then she finds herself falling in love with this primitive land, its people and especially their savage leader.
Circe Quinn goes to sleep at home and wakes up in a corral filled with women wearing sacrificial virgin attire - and she is one of them. She soon finds out that she’s not having a wild dream, she’s living a frightening nightmare where she’s been transported to a barren land populated by a primitive people and in short order, she’s installed very unwillingly on her white throne of horns as their Queen.
Dax Lahn is the king of Suh Tunak, The Horde of the nation of Korwahk and with one look at Circe, he knows she will be his bride and together they will start The Golden Dynasty of legend.
Circe and Lahn are separated by language, culture and the small fact she’s from a parallel universe and has no idea how she got there or how to get home. But facing challenge after challenge, Circe finds her footing as Queen of the brutal Korwahk Horde and wife to its King, then she makes friends then she finds herself falling in love with this primitive land, its people and especially their savage leader.
456 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 22, 2011
1158 people are currently reading
15956 people want to read
About the author
Kristen Ashley
138 books39.5k followersKristen Ashley was born in Gary, Indiana, USA. She nearly killed her mother and herself making it into the world, seeing as she had the umbilical cord wrapped around her neck (already attempting to accessorise and she hadn't taken her first breath!).
Kristen grew up in Brownsburg, Indiana but has lived in Denver, Colorado and the West Country of England. Thus she has been blessed to have friends and family around the globe. Her posse is loopy (to say the least) but loopy is good when you want to write.
Kristen was raised in a house with a large and multi-generational family. They lived on a very small farm in a small town in the heartland and existed amongst the strains of Glenn Miller, The Everly Brothers, REO Speedwagon and Whitesnake (and the wardrobes that matched).
Needless to say, growing up in a house full of music, clothes and love was a good way to grow up.
And as she keeps growing up, it keeps getting better.
Kristen grew up in Brownsburg, Indiana but has lived in Denver, Colorado and the West Country of England. Thus she has been blessed to have friends and family around the globe. Her posse is loopy (to say the least) but loopy is good when you want to write.
Kristen was raised in a house with a large and multi-generational family. They lived on a very small farm in a small town in the heartland and existed amongst the strains of Glenn Miller, The Everly Brothers, REO Speedwagon and Whitesnake (and the wardrobes that matched).
Needless to say, growing up in a house full of music, clothes and love was a good way to grow up.
And as she keeps growing up, it keeps getting better.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 3,301 reviews
September 12, 2014
The only thing that could make this book okay is if the author donated all of the money made on it to battered women's shelters to help the women who have suffered the atrocities that she is trying to glamorize in this book. Rape is never romantic. Domestic abuse is never forgivable. Slavery is never acceptable.
We start out with a "hunt" where women are in a corral and are set loose to run for their lives as men on horses hunt them down, rape them, tear off all their clothes, and then display them naked in front of the camp as their capture/slave/wife. She now belongs to him. Let the raping begin!! Many of these women have been captured from foreign lands and have no grasp of the language, so they don't know what their new "husbands" are saying to them, just that they are in a living hell of captivity and rape with a savage.
This is what happens to our hero, Circe. But, Circe is "lucky" because she is raped and captured by the king, Lahn, who considers her his "Golden Queen", so he sends in an interpreter to try to communicate with her. This interpreter tells her that this is their warrior ways and she needs to get her crap together and start acting right or else things could get even worse for her. (worse, how?) So, Circe decides that her captor is kinda cute (cuz, don't we all forgive rapists if they are cute, huh, girls?), and she starts to like him.
And, it's all sweet love and happiness - Stockholm Syndrome Style!
Until, he decides that she was bad by not telling him where she was for a while, and he backhands her across the face, knocking her into next week. Bring in the magic interpreter!!! She must explain that this, yet again, is just their warrior ways. Plus, he's ho-ot! (cuz, girls, if your boyfriend starts smacking you around, you just gotta forgive him. It's just the way he is. He's passionate! You don't gotta leave him cuz he's got such strong feelings! And, he feels bad! He won't do it again!(unless you make him mad again, cuz he's passionate!)). So, of course, Circe forgives him and true love travels on.
This book is determined to degrade women in every possible way and act like it is somehow forgivable because it is all part of this savage culture. But, here's the thing. The author made up this culture!! She decided to create this culture of violence against women. I just have to ask myself, "Why?" And, why does everyone like it and excuse the atrocities in this book? I just don't get it.
We start out with a "hunt" where women are in a corral and are set loose to run for their lives as men on horses hunt them down, rape them, tear off all their clothes, and then display them naked in front of the camp as their capture/slave/wife. She now belongs to him. Let the raping begin!! Many of these women have been captured from foreign lands and have no grasp of the language, so they don't know what their new "husbands" are saying to them, just that they are in a living hell of captivity and rape with a savage.
This is what happens to our hero, Circe. But, Circe is "lucky" because she is raped and captured by the king, Lahn, who considers her his "Golden Queen", so he sends in an interpreter to try to communicate with her. This interpreter tells her that this is their warrior ways and she needs to get her crap together and start acting right or else things could get even worse for her. (worse, how?) So, Circe decides that her captor is kinda cute (cuz, don't we all forgive rapists if they are cute, huh, girls?), and she starts to like him.
And, it's all sweet love and happiness - Stockholm Syndrome Style!
Until, he decides that she was bad by not telling him where she was for a while, and he backhands her across the face, knocking her into next week. Bring in the magic interpreter!!! She must explain that this, yet again, is just their warrior ways. Plus, he's ho-ot! (cuz, girls, if your boyfriend starts smacking you around, you just gotta forgive him. It's just the way he is. He's passionate! You don't gotta leave him cuz he's got such strong feelings! And, he feels bad! He won't do it again!(unless you make him mad again, cuz he's passionate!)). So, of course, Circe forgives him and true love travels on.
This book is determined to degrade women in every possible way and act like it is somehow forgivable because it is all part of this savage culture. But, here's the thing. The author made up this culture!! She decided to create this culture of violence against women. I just have to ask myself, "Why?" And, why does everyone like it and excuse the atrocities in this book? I just don't get it.
July 19, 2016
"I gave up a world for you."
One of my absolute favorites, especially by Kristen Ashley <3
Amazing book, love it to pieces :))))
The story
Circe suddenly wakes up in a strange place surrounded by women and finds out that they are about to be hunted by warriors.
If only it was a bad dream, but no, the warrior king sees her, fights for her, and wins her.
Right after the brutal claiming (rape), she is presented to his people as their golden queen.
Yep, poor Circe had it bad right from the start, and now she has to deal with the king, her husband now, who is a brute savage, raised as a warrior in a culture so beyond different than hers.
But poor Circe is pretty lucky cause that king turns out not to be so bad after all, and he earns her trust and affection as the book goes on.
*sigh* Lahn *sigh*
Lahn and Circe
Lahn is the king of the Korwahk people, a warrior who is set in the Korwahk ways, a fact that doesn't help Circe in any way.
The way they live, their rules and laws are so different from hers that she has trouble adjusting (I mean seriously, who wouldn't), but as Lahn shows her his sweet side and as they get closer, she comes to peace with the fact that she'll probably never return home.
And so they both have to adapt, Lahn to Circe's weird ways, and she to his.
Circe was a lot of fun to read, especially the parts when she does something wrong and has no idea about it :D One thing about her I just didn't get and it's the only thing in this book that bothers me, how after
Lahn, gosh I really loved that savage guy <3 Even though he did the terrible thing at the beginning, he made up for it, big time, like when she , plus all the sweet scenes between them :))
He did act like a jerk a couple of times and yeah I took Circe's side there, especially the big thing at the end :((((
Gosh it's one of the saddest scenes from KA.
But again, he totally made up for it in the end <3
Overall
I just love this book :)
It's one of my favorites, and after this re-read, I still love it <3
It's weird cause it's so different from everything I've read, especially the savage part, but still :)))
The language part was great because it made sense that they couldn't understand each other (even though I got lost later on and just stopped trying to translate everything ahahahh).
What else... I said about the only thing that bothered me in the book above in the Lahn and Circe sections, it just isn't believable to me, but it still didn't make me love the book less :)
Oh yes and it made me cry, even in the re-read :((((
When Dortak's wife , and later on when they have .
Btw it's a coincidence that I have the same name as Dortak's wife, only hers is spelled differently. It doesn't make me feel good cause of the way she ended up :(((( Just my luck ahahhaah
And I was thinking....
If everyone in this world has a duplicate in the Fantasyland...
And Lahn's taken there...
I'm gonna grab the one from my world ;))))
*buddy read with Vishous and Shelly*
August 20, 2021
MORE than 5 stars!!!
It’s no secret I am a huge KA fan. Love her books. Some are good, most are great, and a few are exceptional. This is an exceptional read! Such an amazing story! Loved every single thing about it!
It takes this couple some time to finally click, but once they do, it’s a true and beautiful love. They are both devoted to each other. Even though their cultures are completely different, they both attempt to make concessions to make one another happy. The love they share is deep.
As I said before, Lahn is THE alpha male. He is PERFECT! Being an extreme alpha, we know he’s going to be rough, stubborn, protective and possessive, but when he brought out the sweet side, I loved him even more!
A story about two people from two totally different worlds. A beautiful love story that was just epically good. There is some drama, angst, a lot of action and romance! These Fantasyland books have me looking forward to the day my other world twin decides to switch places with me ;) hehe! Anyway, this is one of my absolute favorite KA reads! A MUST READ!!!
Yes, I know this casting is very unoriginal, but I simply couldn’t see ANYONE else as Circe and Lahn! ♥ ♥ ♥
It’s no secret I am a huge KA fan. Love her books. Some are good, most are great, and a few are exceptional. This is an exceptional read! Such an amazing story! Loved every single thing about it!
I went to bed in my bed in a world I understood and I woke up here in a world that was entirely foreign to me, everything about it, and not one thing about it was good. And now I was running for my life.Circe is just a girl from Seattle who woke up one morning surrounded by Korwahk warriors and many other women who are getting ready to be ‘hunted’. It is the way of the Korwahk, how they choose their brides. And Circe gets chosen by none other than the King of Suh Tunak, Dax Lahn. Dax Lahn is not just a alpha male, he is the alpha male. He’s a warrior, a savage, a king. Circe is freaked. She can’t understand Lahn (they speak a different language) and she doesn't’ know how she got there or how she is going to get home. With the help of a translator who later becomes a friend, Dax Lahn and Circe start to communicate. Lahn is crazy about Circe. He loves how fierce she is. She is his true Golden Queen.
It takes this couple some time to finally click, but once they do, it’s a true and beautiful love. They are both devoted to each other. Even though their cultures are completely different, they both attempt to make concessions to make one another happy. The love they share is deep.
“If you’re given the opportunity to look deep enough, you can see a person’s spirit in their eyes but usually, they are guarded, kept safe. Not you, my tigress, the night of your claiming, even in the moonlight, I could see your spirit shining from your eyes. You hold your spirit close to the surface for all to behold and it is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen.”
As I said before, Lahn is THE alpha male. He is PERFECT! Being an extreme alpha, we know he’s going to be rough, stubborn, protective and possessive, but when he brought out the sweet side, I loved him even more!
“I am your husband, I will keep you safe and I will do it by keeping my feet on this earth, breathing the air and being there to make you feel safe. Do you understand this?”Circe was a fantastic heroine! She was also strong and tough, but so funny, feisty and quirky. She was soft, but she also had what it took to be a Queen. I loved how possessive she got over Lahn.
“Out there, King Lahn is a fierce warrior but in here, my Lahn... kah Lahn is sweet.”
“He is my kind, he is a warrior, he is my husband and I am proud to say about all... he is mine.”
A story about two people from two totally different worlds. A beautiful love story that was just epically good. There is some drama, angst, a lot of action and romance! These Fantasyland books have me looking forward to the day my other world twin decides to switch places with me ;) hehe! Anyway, this is one of my absolute favorite KA reads! A MUST READ!!!
Yes, I know this casting is very unoriginal, but I simply couldn’t see ANYONE else as Circe and Lahn! ♥ ♥ ♥
May 7, 2013
You know you’ve struck gold when you've found an author whose every book you experience becomes your newest favorite, and such is the case with Kristen Ashley. Every single book I've read, 21 to date, has become a keeper because the characters and their stories grab hold and just will not let go!
How is it possible that this happens time and time again, you ask?
Well, when I sit down to read a book and escape the crap that comes with real life, it's not the properly placed semi colon or comma that makes me sigh, nor is it the perfectly structured sentence that brings tears to my eyes, it's the amazing characters, the characters who stop being just words on the page and become living, breathing people... their lives, their stories... those are the things that make me content. Happy. That’s what Kristen Ashley gives me.
Every. Single. Time.
And this book, like all the others, has given me the very same.
The Golden Dynasty is the second book in the Fantasyland series, and nothing like any book I’ve ever read. Think Game of Thrones meets Braveheart in Avalon, and that’s what you get with this book. Vile barbaric customs and traditions, gods, goddesses, witches, magic, plundering, pillaging, executions, and loads of burn up the pages sex make this one of the most intense books I’ve read, and Dax Lahn one of the most demanding, frustrating, bloodthirsty, brutal alphas of any Kristen Ashley book.
And, heaven help me, but I’m in love with him!
Keeping in mind this is a primitive and, what we would consider a barbaric culture, I feel I should mention that this book contains graphic scenes of violence against women, and rape, while never shown on the page, is also part of that culture. For those who might be concerned about this and wondering if they should read this story, I’ll tell you this; The heroine, Circe, does everything in her power to change these things, and is a true champion for the women in this story. For these reasons, and many more, I so admired Circe. Her compassion, her strength, her capacity to love... and I mean love hard, made her the perfect wife for Dax Lahn, whose world has no room for beauty, passion, or anything except leading his warriors, The Horde, and ensuring the survival and prosperity of the Korwahk nation.
As gory as this story is, as cruel as its warrior king hero could be, this is one of the best of KA’s romances, in my opinion. The language barrier, the cultural and moral differences… so much stood in the way of The Warrior King Lahn and his Golden Queen Circe getting their happily ever after. But they knew what they had, what they could have, and they ached for it, reached for it, bled for it... and when they finally got it, it was a beautiful, amazing thing.
-----
If you're already a Kristen Ashley addict, or interested in checking out her books, be sure to stop by our Kristen Ashley Addict's Support Group here on Goodreads!
November 7, 2021
***Re-read April 18, 2017 June 20, 2018***
I don't think it could EVER be a bad experience...
It's my yearly visit and I loved it AGAIN. I will be back.
***********
So, Goodreads is telling me that I’m re-reading The Golden Dynasty for the 21st time. Well, that might be a slight exaggeration…but it might also be pretty bloody accurate. I LOVE THIS STORY!!
I was having a think on why I love re-reading, or in a lot of cases listening to an audio for a re-read, so much. I think re-reading is like being a stunt person. You know the layout, study the highs and lows and know when the scary parts are coming up. You can brace all you like, but you will still feel the impact. Sometimes those impacts will leave marks and other times you are so sure you're going to get hurt, you skirt around it at the last moment.
Reading, or in my case, re-reading for the 21st time (still a little shocked at that), The Golden Dynasty is exactly like that. I know when all of the bad bits are coming up and I prepare for the impact as much as I can, but still, manage to come away bruised and battered.
There are a couple of scenes that REALLY affect me. I try to make sure that I’m in the right place at the right time when the impact happens but I’m not always successful. There is this one scene at the beginning of the book that I HAVE to be at home for. I need to give my full attention and make sure nothing can distract me or take away my attention from it. Today, I was on the train when King Butt-Head (Balder) visits Lahn and Circe. Now King Butt-Head’s visit isn’t really the problem but Lahn’s reaction to the visit had left me a little teary. Even after 21 reads I STILL CRY…EVERY…BLOODY…TIME!!! Obviously, I got my timing WRONG...really, really wrong.
This will not be the last time that I bring out The Golden Dynasty to cheer me up. For me, this is a book that will always take me to my happy place. An epic read that takes you from the lowest lows to the highest highs. I can brace all I like, prepare all I want, but the impacts will still move me, mark me and stay with me forever.
********
Another review -
********
The below review is my first review of reading the book.
****
This is not an Epic review, this is just a tribute…
This review is a little spoilery so proceed with caution.
I have an incurable condition called OCKAD aka Obsessive Compulsive Kristen Ashley Disorder. It’s self-diagnosed, but I’m pretty sure I’ve got it. How I diagnosed my condition was by studying my feelings while reading Kristen Ashley books. I recognised an overwhelming desire to re-read every book Kristen Ashley has written over and over again. This is not a one off situation either. It happens EVERY TIME. How do I manage my condition…with a lot of perseverance and a one-click management program of buying more and more books to distract me from KA. Sometimes it works other times it’s a losing battle. I’m okay living with this condition on the proviso that Kristen Ashley keeps feeding my addiction with - alpha male, sexy, macho man, bossy heroes.
How to write a review for an epic tale like The Golden Dynasty? I have no bloody idea how to do it justice. This book brings out the most intense feelings in me about subjects that I would normally abhor. On the surface it’s about a bunch of blokes who seem to care only about their own needs and which woman or slave will serve it best. These guys are into fighting, raiding, drinking, partying and having sex. To find their wives and partners they make it a game… The Wife Hunt. Let’s find the prettiest chicks in the world, dress 'em up and tell them to run for their lives. The men then chase them down, fight off other contenders, which could end in their death, snap a chain around their neck and “claim” them. Sounds great doesn’t it? No?
Well, the first part of this story is a little hard to take, I’ll grant you that. The fact that the “claiming” doesn’t always get explained to the women makes it so much better…NOT! Once their “claimed”, the blokes then take them back to their cham (tent) and do a little more “claiming”. Some of these lucky ladies knew beforehand what was going to happen, but others don’t and have to deal with foreign words, actions and living arrangements.
So, initially you start this book thinking – How on earth am I going to fall for a hero who “claims” (if you haven’t cottoned on yet, I mean rape) his heroine and then keeps doing it over and over again? Well after awhile, his “claimings” takes a turn and becomes a little more, shall we say pleasant. The story comes to life as we get to know the characters and can’t help but fall in love with them.
Circe is from Seattle and wakes up in an alternate universe smack bang in the middle of the Wife Hunt. She has no idea how she got there but learns pretty damn quickly that she better get her head screwed on and run. We see through her eyes the horrors of the event and what she must survive. Circe soon realises she’s not returning home and must learn to live in this place and find happiness where she can. Luckily, she makes friends and learns their language which helps her settle into her new life.
Dax Lahn is king of his people. He has not joined the wife hunt before because he hasn’t felt an attraction to any of the women gathered. When Circe is paraded before him, he feels an instant connection. He chases her down, fights off his competitors and “claims” her as his own. Unfortunately, his queen does not know of his people and doesn’t jump for joy and accept him wholeheartedly like he’d hoped. Lahn must learn patience and compromise to gain affection from Kah Lahnahsahna (My Tigress).
This story is about struggling in a new world, learning to accept people for who they are and what they stand for and adjusting your expectations. We see a man who is also a king learn that the old ways are not always the best ways. We meet some wonderful characters in Diandra, Narinda, Bain and Zahnin. We also meet some truly awful characters. Dortak and King Baldur made my skin crawl with their evilness and greed that jumped right off the pages.
The Golden Dynasty is part of a series. Each couple in the book before and books after are connected by the quest to bring peace and goodwill to their universe. Luckily the heroines have friends to help and husbands who at first can be brutal, but learn to be loving.
This is one of the most intense books I have ever read. My feelings were like a rollercoaster. I wanted to hate Lahn for his handling of things, but realised they were part of his culture and he didn’t know any different. I loved the friendships formed and the connections made between the people and their Golden Queen. The communication difficulties had me laughing at times and made me appreciate the difficulties Circe faced learning the Korwahk language. I was sad whenever Dortak’s bride made an appearance as I knew the abuse she faced would be unbearable. I became frustrated at the warriors for what they made their wives put up with, which contradicted the love and appreciation they show them. But overall I just felt awe that Kristen Ashley’s The Golden Dynasty let me escape for just awhile and live in Fantasyland.
I don't think it could EVER be a bad experience...
It's my yearly visit and I loved it AGAIN. I will be back.
***********
So, Goodreads is telling me that I’m re-reading The Golden Dynasty for the 21st time. Well, that might be a slight exaggeration…but it might also be pretty bloody accurate. I LOVE THIS STORY!!
I was having a think on why I love re-reading, or in a lot of cases listening to an audio for a re-read, so much. I think re-reading is like being a stunt person. You know the layout, study the highs and lows and know when the scary parts are coming up. You can brace all you like, but you will still feel the impact. Sometimes those impacts will leave marks and other times you are so sure you're going to get hurt, you skirt around it at the last moment.
Reading, or in my case, re-reading for the 21st time (still a little shocked at that), The Golden Dynasty is exactly like that. I know when all of the bad bits are coming up and I prepare for the impact as much as I can, but still, manage to come away bruised and battered.
There are a couple of scenes that REALLY affect me. I try to make sure that I’m in the right place at the right time when the impact happens but I’m not always successful. There is this one scene at the beginning of the book that I HAVE to be at home for. I need to give my full attention and make sure nothing can distract me or take away my attention from it. Today, I was on the train when King Butt-Head (Balder) visits Lahn and Circe. Now King Butt-Head’s visit isn’t really the problem but Lahn’s reaction to the visit had left me a little teary. Even after 21 reads I STILL CRY…EVERY…BLOODY…TIME!!! Obviously, I got my timing WRONG...really, really wrong.
This will not be the last time that I bring out The Golden Dynasty to cheer me up. For me, this is a book that will always take me to my happy place. An epic read that takes you from the lowest lows to the highest highs. I can brace all I like, prepare all I want, but the impacts will still move me, mark me and stay with me forever.
********
Another review -
********
The below review is my first review of reading the book.
****
This is not an Epic review, this is just a tribute…
This review is a little spoilery so proceed with caution.
I have an incurable condition called OCKAD aka Obsessive Compulsive Kristen Ashley Disorder. It’s self-diagnosed, but I’m pretty sure I’ve got it. How I diagnosed my condition was by studying my feelings while reading Kristen Ashley books. I recognised an overwhelming desire to re-read every book Kristen Ashley has written over and over again. This is not a one off situation either. It happens EVERY TIME. How do I manage my condition…with a lot of perseverance and a one-click management program of buying more and more books to distract me from KA. Sometimes it works other times it’s a losing battle. I’m okay living with this condition on the proviso that Kristen Ashley keeps feeding my addiction with - alpha male, sexy, macho man, bossy heroes.
How to write a review for an epic tale like The Golden Dynasty? I have no bloody idea how to do it justice. This book brings out the most intense feelings in me about subjects that I would normally abhor. On the surface it’s about a bunch of blokes who seem to care only about their own needs and which woman or slave will serve it best. These guys are into fighting, raiding, drinking, partying and having sex. To find their wives and partners they make it a game… The Wife Hunt. Let’s find the prettiest chicks in the world, dress 'em up and tell them to run for their lives. The men then chase them down, fight off other contenders, which could end in their death, snap a chain around their neck and “claim” them. Sounds great doesn’t it? No?
Well, the first part of this story is a little hard to take, I’ll grant you that. The fact that the “claiming” doesn’t always get explained to the women makes it so much better…NOT! Once their “claimed”, the blokes then take them back to their cham (tent) and do a little more “claiming”. Some of these lucky ladies knew beforehand what was going to happen, but others don’t and have to deal with foreign words, actions and living arrangements.
So, initially you start this book thinking – How on earth am I going to fall for a hero who “claims” (if you haven’t cottoned on yet, I mean rape) his heroine and then keeps doing it over and over again? Well after awhile, his “claimings” takes a turn and becomes a little more, shall we say pleasant. The story comes to life as we get to know the characters and can’t help but fall in love with them.
Circe is from Seattle and wakes up in an alternate universe smack bang in the middle of the Wife Hunt. She has no idea how she got there but learns pretty damn quickly that she better get her head screwed on and run. We see through her eyes the horrors of the event and what she must survive. Circe soon realises she’s not returning home and must learn to live in this place and find happiness where she can. Luckily, she makes friends and learns their language which helps her settle into her new life.
Dax Lahn is king of his people. He has not joined the wife hunt before because he hasn’t felt an attraction to any of the women gathered. When Circe is paraded before him, he feels an instant connection. He chases her down, fights off his competitors and “claims” her as his own. Unfortunately, his queen does not know of his people and doesn’t jump for joy and accept him wholeheartedly like he’d hoped. Lahn must learn patience and compromise to gain affection from Kah Lahnahsahna (My Tigress).
This story is about struggling in a new world, learning to accept people for who they are and what they stand for and adjusting your expectations. We see a man who is also a king learn that the old ways are not always the best ways. We meet some wonderful characters in Diandra, Narinda, Bain and Zahnin. We also meet some truly awful characters. Dortak and King Baldur made my skin crawl with their evilness and greed that jumped right off the pages.
The Golden Dynasty is part of a series. Each couple in the book before and books after are connected by the quest to bring peace and goodwill to their universe. Luckily the heroines have friends to help and husbands who at first can be brutal, but learn to be loving.
This is one of the most intense books I have ever read. My feelings were like a rollercoaster. I wanted to hate Lahn for his handling of things, but realised they were part of his culture and he didn’t know any different. I loved the friendships formed and the connections made between the people and their Golden Queen. The communication difficulties had me laughing at times and made me appreciate the difficulties Circe faced learning the Korwahk language. I was sad whenever Dortak’s bride made an appearance as I knew the abuse she faced would be unbearable. I became frustrated at the warriors for what they made their wives put up with, which contradicted the love and appreciation they show them. But overall I just felt awe that Kristen Ashley’s The Golden Dynasty let me escape for just awhile and live in Fantasyland.
January 18, 2015
Review contains strong themes including rape
The Golden Dynasty by Kristen Ashley is the story of Circe, a modern woman from Seattle, who wakes up in a parallel universe. She is upon waking subjected to a so called wife hunt, rape and forced into marriage. The story continues of the main characters' struggle to overcome their many differences and Circe’s struggle to accept this new world of the Korwahk and her new warrior husband Lahn.
I didn't like this book at all and I especially loathe the heroine’s acceptance of this world. While there are numerous other things that irritated me in this book (such as the ridiculous made up language and the bad writing; punctuation errors, paragraphs overflowing with unnecessary adjectives, and all those inconsequential details that really don't make the world building any better) they really all pale in comparison.
In order to create a depth of differences between the main characters, not only of language, but of morality, ethics and of a sense of right and wrong, the author created a fantasy world; A misogynistic country dominated by chauvinistic, brutal men, a society in which masculinity and violence are emphasized and a culture in which rape and violence towards women are normalized.
The world depicted in this book is made up of a brute horde of men who see it as their right to rape, abduct and abuse women. Women have no rights in their society, it is a warrior’s right to rape and claim a woman as his wife and treat her any way he likes, with no laws in place to prevent abuse. With this social order of dominant male warriors Kristen Ashley created the perfect psychological setting for these men to vent their hatred of women.
The characters:
The female mc Circe is a modern woman. A modern woman, who was raised in equality to men, with rights, with freedom, with the choice to say no and above all, with a sense of right and wrong. But she strives to accept her new husband after he repeatedly rapes, beats and mistreats her and she strives to accept this misogynistic world of the Korwahk with "their way". Kristen Ashley created a weak, ignorant, materialistic, selfish and shallow character who doesn’t bother to look beyond her own bubble of relative safety. She doesn’t fight for all the women in the Korwahk society who suffer immeasurably, nor does she even try to free herself from her awful situation.
As she becomes the new Korwahk queen, is given pretty jewelry and clothes, she surrounds herself with her circle of friends and screens herself off from the rest of the people. She sees only what she wants to; she calls her slaves “her girls”, gives them jewelry and clothes and overlooks the fact that they were brutally taken from their homes and forced to live out their lives as slaves, instead believing, that if she doesn’t treat them as slaves, it would make their lot in this world different. She really does not understand the concept of slavery and is actually baffled when one of her slaves betrayes her for her own people and her freedom (Teetru, the strongest, most likeable woman in this book as she actually fights against this society). This kind of ignorance, born from looking the other way and being able to ignore the horror when it is not happening right in front of one's eyes, makes her such a weak and detestable woman. She doesn’t give other women (the Horde's slaves who are forced into prostitution) who are kept as slaves a second thought, instead focusing on how it affects her and whether Lahn still as sex with them.
She gets wrapped in this bubble by Lahn and is pampered as the Korwahk queen. She puts on her rose colored glasses and sits contently back surrounded by her friends, forgetting, ignoring or looking the other way (I never figured out which) as the rest of the women in this world continue to suffer. And she has seen what women are subjected to by their husbands! While she made a rather pointless attempt to help one woman, she never stopped to look at the bigger picture, never broke the silence and raised her voice against all the wrongness of this society, never tried to change the way things are, and never fought for justice and equality for women. Instead, she focused on trying to accept her husband, his people and “their way”.
The male mc Lahn was born and raised into the Korwahk society and into the hierarchical command of the military with the power of weaponry exclusive to their hands, so it is of no surprise that he views horrific acts such as rape, abduction, slavery, forced marriage and violence against women to subdue, intimidate, punish and as a weapon as his right and as “their way”. If someone is raised to believe such values are fundamentally their right, how would one know of the wrongness of their acts? He is a brutal, cruel and ruthless warrior, who led his entire life as such, who takes what he wants regardless of the suffering of others. But the reader is made to believe that such a man can change himself, his values, his belief in the warrior’s way and the way he thinks of the social mechanisms through which his society functions. That he would come to view rape as an act of wrongness, after instrumenting it continuously as a weapon and as a way to control and subdue women, is just plain unbelievable.
Not only this, but that such a man, a king to a horde of savages, would abandon the Korwahk warrior’s most crucial social instrument and their most horrible weapon of war – sexual violence against women – is extremely far-fetched. Especially after it is impressed upon Circe how crucial it is, that he as king must not be seen as weak or challenges would be issued.
That a person can change their entire being, their entire belief of what is right and wrong, in a matter of days is not only absurd but is a dangerous message to send.
The romance:
First off, in my opinion, such a relationship never has a chance. Never mind the way he treats her, but there is literally a world of differences between the two and it's just not realistic that their relationship can ever work out. But that is beside the point, as this is about how the romance is depicted the book.
Their relationship progresses with no explanation and because of that, is not believable. Lahn falls in instant lust with her because she's the only blond woman. Then, after being raped continuously for three days, Circe one day just literally has an orgasm during another attack and she starts calling Lahn by pet names at the same time. This is the man who raped her for days! She doesn’t come to terms with her rape and is able to view her rapist as her new husband and lover in ONE day. It just continues this way; there is no believable romance between the main characters, Circe forgives Lahn for his mistreatment of her and romanticizes the times when he acts different towards her. The issue of the many differences between them is resolved by Lahn just changing his entire personality and way of thinking and Circe accepting everything just because “it is their way”.
The society and "their way":
Seeing how this society is depicted in the book, the use of gender violence to control and subdue women becomes apparent. In this social order depicted in the book, in which men as a social class are dominant over women and men are entitled to women’s bodies and their lives, the violence against women is one of the vital social mechanisms by which women are forced into a subordinate position. Women in this society do not have any rights; they cannot speak up for themselves and have no legal way of seeking justice. Using a warrior’s weapon to defend themselves is an automatic death sentence. Those who are raised in this society are forced into subordinate positions; those who fight back against their oppressors are sentenced to death. The punishments for treason committed by women are sexual assault, violent rape, public humiliation and finally death. Women are kidnapped in raids and kept as slaves. Gender violence is not random and not only about sex, but functions as a deliberate social function; asserting control over women’s' lives and keeping them second-class citizens.
But all this doesn't matter to the female mc, for love is more important than such things as equality, freedom, justice and the right to choose.
Gender violence is used to assert control over women of other countries as well: Raids and attacks on villages on the borders are committed as common occurrence. Sexual violence and rape of women are used as a weapon of war. While the heroine is horrified when she learns of these raids she only asks that Lahn not rape anyone - because then he would be cheating!
She is told - by a woman (Diandra, the most detestable character in this book as she conditions other women to accept “their way”) - that to prevent him from raping women during the raids she must fuck his brains out, because then Lahn wouldn't have the need to rape women!
First, the use of rape in times of war is not a result of conflicts and not only about sex, but it is a pre-planned and deliberate military strategy and a weapon of war. That he, as their leader, would agree not to rape anyone and thus not use one of their most devastating weapons of war is just not believable. Sexual violence is a weapon of war used to humiliate and terrify, to destroy societies and to eliminate cultural and religious traditions. Especially as it was pointed out in the book, that he as Korwahk King has to lead a strong example and not show weakness to avoid uprisings.
And second, a woman is here conditioning another woman to assume the responsibility of a man's sexuality and of controlling his behavior. I don't even have to point out how wrong it is, to make a woman assume such a responsibility.
In addition to rape, girls and women of these attacked villages are abducted and forced into slavery. Women are kidnapped for the wife hunt and forced into marriages. Seen as spoils of war and as a warrior’s right, this just furthers to underline the belief of the Korvahk men that women are secondary to their world and as such to the world that matters.
But Circe accepts the use of rape as a weapon, the abduction and abuse of women, slavery and the overriding war culture as the new social norm because "it is their way".
The depiction of misogyny:
The way that rape is depicted in this book is utterly sexist. The reader learns, that these warriors see it as their right to rape women and that they don’t view rape as an act of wrongness:
But this is completely contradicted later on in the book, when we learn that they do indeed know the difference between consensual sex and rape. So, while they see nothing wrong with raping women, it’s an entirely different story when it’s a man being raped:
The way that male and female victims of rape are viewed differently, and the way that a rapist’s punishment depends on his victim's gender is the most blatant portrayal of misogyny in the book and that I've ever seen in a romance book.
The female mc's acceptance of "their way":
Now, the heroine struggled – understandably – to accept this society of prevailing warriors and their king Lahn. Her friend Diandra most adamantly insists that Circe must accept her new husband and their way, while the threat of violence hangs over her head should she not conform to her new social role. Diandra “helped” her accept her new place in this world by explaining that “it is their way”.
The phrase “it is their way” is used throughout the book to explain and excuse these atrocious acts against humanity and to help the female mc accept this primitive, misogynistic land, its people, and their king.
And so Circe changes a lot - not to the better - during the book and with her, her views on the way things are. After three weeks, she not only accepts this society, but also sees nothing wrong anymore with "their way": In the beginning of the book she was naturally horrified by the way a warrior raped and abused his wife, Mahyah, and she even tried to help her. She also automatically hated that warrior because of the way he treated his wife. But then, later on in the book, Circe goes from sympathizing with a woman who was being badly abused by her husband to this:
The woman was abducted and raped for three weeks and Circe is fucking worried about the rapist's fucking bad mood and is surprised that his victim "is still like this"? What the fuck!
Circe goes from despising a man because of how he mistreats a woman to actually liking another man who rapes a woman for weeks. She goes from trying to help a woman escape from her rapist to actually "helping" another woman stay with her rapist! And the reason, that after three weeks she has a completely different view on a rapist and his victim, is BECAUSE IT IS THEIR WAY.
All that violence against women happening in our world today BECAUSE IT IS THEIR WAY! There are too many societies in which such horrendous acts and worse are being committed, and it is also “their way”. This does not condone such acts. It does not make them all right. It most certainly does not serve as a way to justify them. And it definitely does not mean that women have to accept them just because it is their way!
Gender violence in this book is sanctioned in the name of tradition, because "it is their way". The way this society is set up and the way that Circe just accepts her subordinate place in it maintains the male dominance and female subjugation of this world and the violence against women is a manifestation of this unequal power relationship between men and women.
But instead of fighting against this status quo, Circe fights to accept it!
And that is my biggest issue with the book: That a modern woman could EVER accept these inexcusable and intolerable violations against humanity as the new social norm JUST because “it is their way”.
So, while countless women suffer and die every day because of the way things are in some parts of our world and while women continue to fight and die for not to having to accept the way things are in their societies, here we are, reading this romance book by Kristen Ashley, in which a modern woman passively accepts her place in a misogynistic society where violence against women is normalized and tolerated in silence because it is "their way".
While 300 girls were kidnapped in Nigeria earlier this year, sold into slavery and forced into marriages, here is this book by Kristen Ashley, in which the female mc is also kidnapped and forced into a marriage. She is told that she must accept everything as it is because "it is their way". And she fucking does! What kind of message does that send? Because, the Islamic extremists are also following their way. Does that condone or justify their horrendous acts? NO!
So why does “their way” condone and justify the exact same behavior in a romance book?
I honestly can not understand all those five star ratings.
I am guessing - and really hoping - that the author's only intention with this book, was to send the message that love conquers all differences. But dammit, don’t do it like this!
First of all, it’s just not realistic, and second, the way this acceptance in the name of love is depicted is just plain wrong and obscene. Women (and men) should never, ever have to accept such a status quo just because it is "their way"!
The Golden Dynasty by Kristen Ashley is the story of Circe, a modern woman from Seattle, who wakes up in a parallel universe. She is upon waking subjected to a so called wife hunt, rape and forced into marriage. The story continues of the main characters' struggle to overcome their many differences and Circe’s struggle to accept this new world of the Korwahk and her new warrior husband Lahn.
I didn't like this book at all and I especially loathe the heroine’s acceptance of this world. While there are numerous other things that irritated me in this book (such as the ridiculous made up language and the bad writing; punctuation errors, paragraphs overflowing with unnecessary adjectives, and all those inconsequential details that really don't make the world building any better) they really all pale in comparison.
In order to create a depth of differences between the main characters, not only of language, but of morality, ethics and of a sense of right and wrong, the author created a fantasy world; A misogynistic country dominated by chauvinistic, brutal men, a society in which masculinity and violence are emphasized and a culture in which rape and violence towards women are normalized.
The world depicted in this book is made up of a brute horde of men who see it as their right to rape, abduct and abuse women. Women have no rights in their society, it is a warrior’s right to rape and claim a woman as his wife and treat her any way he likes, with no laws in place to prevent abuse. With this social order of dominant male warriors Kristen Ashley created the perfect psychological setting for these men to vent their hatred of women.
The characters:
The female mc Circe is a modern woman. A modern woman, who was raised in equality to men, with rights, with freedom, with the choice to say no and above all, with a sense of right and wrong. But she strives to accept her new husband after he repeatedly rapes, beats and mistreats her and she strives to accept this misogynistic world of the Korwahk with "their way". Kristen Ashley created a weak, ignorant, materialistic, selfish and shallow character who doesn’t bother to look beyond her own bubble of relative safety. She doesn’t fight for all the women in the Korwahk society who suffer immeasurably, nor does she even try to free herself from her awful situation.
As she becomes the new Korwahk queen, is given pretty jewelry and clothes, she surrounds herself with her circle of friends and screens herself off from the rest of the people. She sees only what she wants to; she calls her slaves “her girls”, gives them jewelry and clothes and overlooks the fact that they were brutally taken from their homes and forced to live out their lives as slaves, instead believing, that if she doesn’t treat them as slaves, it would make their lot in this world different. She really does not understand the concept of slavery and is actually baffled when one of her slaves betrayes her for her own people and her freedom (Teetru, the strongest, most likeable woman in this book as she actually fights against this society). This kind of ignorance, born from looking the other way and being able to ignore the horror when it is not happening right in front of one's eyes, makes her such a weak and detestable woman. She doesn’t give other women (the Horde's slaves who are forced into prostitution) who are kept as slaves a second thought, instead focusing on how it affects her and whether Lahn still as sex with them.
She gets wrapped in this bubble by Lahn and is pampered as the Korwahk queen. She puts on her rose colored glasses and sits contently back surrounded by her friends, forgetting, ignoring or looking the other way (I never figured out which) as the rest of the women in this world continue to suffer. And she has seen what women are subjected to by their husbands! While she made a rather pointless attempt to help one woman, she never stopped to look at the bigger picture, never broke the silence and raised her voice against all the wrongness of this society, never tried to change the way things are, and never fought for justice and equality for women. Instead, she focused on trying to accept her husband, his people and “their way”.
The male mc Lahn was born and raised into the Korwahk society and into the hierarchical command of the military with the power of weaponry exclusive to their hands, so it is of no surprise that he views horrific acts such as rape, abduction, slavery, forced marriage and violence against women to subdue, intimidate, punish and as a weapon as his right and as “their way”. If someone is raised to believe such values are fundamentally their right, how would one know of the wrongness of their acts? He is a brutal, cruel and ruthless warrior, who led his entire life as such, who takes what he wants regardless of the suffering of others. But the reader is made to believe that such a man can change himself, his values, his belief in the warrior’s way and the way he thinks of the social mechanisms through which his society functions. That he would come to view rape as an act of wrongness, after instrumenting it continuously as a weapon and as a way to control and subdue women, is just plain unbelievable.
Not only this, but that such a man, a king to a horde of savages, would abandon the Korwahk warrior’s most crucial social instrument and their most horrible weapon of war – sexual violence against women – is extremely far-fetched. Especially after it is impressed upon Circe how crucial it is, that he as king must not be seen as weak or challenges would be issued.
That a person can change their entire being, their entire belief of what is right and wrong, in a matter of days is not only absurd but is a dangerous message to send.
The romance:
First off, in my opinion, such a relationship never has a chance. Never mind the way he treats her, but there is literally a world of differences between the two and it's just not realistic that their relationship can ever work out. But that is beside the point, as this is about how the romance is depicted the book.
Their relationship progresses with no explanation and because of that, is not believable. Lahn falls in instant lust with her because she's the only blond woman. Then, after being raped continuously for three days, Circe one day just literally has an orgasm during another attack and she starts calling Lahn by pet names at the same time. This is the man who raped her for days! She doesn’t come to terms with her rape and is able to view her rapist as her new husband and lover in ONE day. It just continues this way; there is no believable romance between the main characters, Circe forgives Lahn for his mistreatment of her and romanticizes the times when he acts different towards her. The issue of the many differences between them is resolved by Lahn just changing his entire personality and way of thinking and Circe accepting everything just because “it is their way”.
The society and "their way":
Seeing how this society is depicted in the book, the use of gender violence to control and subdue women becomes apparent. In this social order depicted in the book, in which men as a social class are dominant over women and men are entitled to women’s bodies and their lives, the violence against women is one of the vital social mechanisms by which women are forced into a subordinate position. Women in this society do not have any rights; they cannot speak up for themselves and have no legal way of seeking justice. Using a warrior’s weapon to defend themselves is an automatic death sentence. Those who are raised in this society are forced into subordinate positions; those who fight back against their oppressors are sentenced to death. The punishments for treason committed by women are sexual assault, violent rape, public humiliation and finally death. Women are kidnapped in raids and kept as slaves. Gender violence is not random and not only about sex, but functions as a deliberate social function; asserting control over women’s' lives and keeping them second-class citizens.
But all this doesn't matter to the female mc, for love is more important than such things as equality, freedom, justice and the right to choose.
Gender violence is used to assert control over women of other countries as well: Raids and attacks on villages on the borders are committed as common occurrence. Sexual violence and rape of women are used as a weapon of war. While the heroine is horrified when she learns of these raids she only asks that Lahn not rape anyone - because then he would be cheating!
She is told - by a woman (Diandra, the most detestable character in this book as she conditions other women to accept “their way”) - that to prevent him from raping women during the raids she must fuck his brains out, because then Lahn wouldn't have the need to rape women!
First, the use of rape in times of war is not a result of conflicts and not only about sex, but it is a pre-planned and deliberate military strategy and a weapon of war. That he, as their leader, would agree not to rape anyone and thus not use one of their most devastating weapons of war is just not believable. Sexual violence is a weapon of war used to humiliate and terrify, to destroy societies and to eliminate cultural and religious traditions. Especially as it was pointed out in the book, that he as Korwahk King has to lead a strong example and not show weakness to avoid uprisings.
And second, a woman is here conditioning another woman to assume the responsibility of a man's sexuality and of controlling his behavior. I don't even have to point out how wrong it is, to make a woman assume such a responsibility.
In addition to rape, girls and women of these attacked villages are abducted and forced into slavery. Women are kidnapped for the wife hunt and forced into marriages. Seen as spoils of war and as a warrior’s right, this just furthers to underline the belief of the Korvahk men that women are secondary to their world and as such to the world that matters.
But Circe accepts the use of rape as a weapon, the abduction and abuse of women, slavery and the overriding war culture as the new social norm because "it is their way".
The depiction of misogyny:
The way that rape is depicted in this book is utterly sexist. The reader learns, that these warriors see it as their right to rape women and that they don’t view rape as an act of wrongness:
he [Zahnin] kept using her [Sabine] body for the last three weeks as any warrior would feel his due from his wife. […] And he didn’t understand it but he’d been forcing her to live a nightmare for three weeks.
But this is completely contradicted later on in the book, when we learn that they do indeed know the difference between consensual sex and rape. So, while they see nothing wrong with raping women, it’s an entirely different story when it’s a man being raped:
“they don't allow homosexuality and they-?" Diandra shook her head. "No, Dax Lahn does, he does not seem to care. He only punishes those who force it on others who do not wish it”
The way that male and female victims of rape are viewed differently, and the way that a rapist’s punishment depends on his victim's gender is the most blatant portrayal of misogyny in the book and that I've ever seen in a romance book.
The female mc's acceptance of "their way":
Now, the heroine struggled – understandably – to accept this society of prevailing warriors and their king Lahn. Her friend Diandra most adamantly insists that Circe must accept her new husband and their way, while the threat of violence hangs over her head should she not conform to her new social role. Diandra “helped” her accept her new place in this world by explaining that “it is their way”.
The phrase “it is their way” is used throughout the book to explain and excuse these atrocious acts against humanity and to help the female mc accept this primitive, misogynistic land, its people, and their king.
And so Circe changes a lot - not to the better - during the book and with her, her views on the way things are. After three weeks, she not only accepts this society, but also sees nothing wrong anymore with "their way": In the beginning of the book she was naturally horrified by the way a warrior raped and abused his wife, Mahyah, and she even tried to help her. She also automatically hated that warrior because of the way he treated his wife. But then, later on in the book, Circe goes from sympathizing with a woman who was being badly abused by her husband to this:
Then she [Sabine] got up and quickly backed away, her eyes glued in fear to Zahnin, her body shaking.
I studied her.
Yep, this was why Zahnun was in such a bad mood. Three weeks [of rape] and she was still like this?
The woman was abducted and raped for three weeks and Circe is fucking worried about the rapist's fucking bad mood and is surprised that his victim "is still like this"? What the fuck!
Circe goes from despising a man because of how he mistreats a woman to actually liking another man who rapes a woman for weeks. She goes from trying to help a woman escape from her rapist to actually "helping" another woman stay with her rapist! And the reason, that after three weeks she has a completely different view on a rapist and his victim, is BECAUSE IT IS THEIR WAY.
All that violence against women happening in our world today BECAUSE IT IS THEIR WAY! There are too many societies in which such horrendous acts and worse are being committed, and it is also “their way”. This does not condone such acts. It does not make them all right. It most certainly does not serve as a way to justify them. And it definitely does not mean that women have to accept them just because it is their way!
Gender violence in this book is sanctioned in the name of tradition, because "it is their way". The way this society is set up and the way that Circe just accepts her subordinate place in it maintains the male dominance and female subjugation of this world and the violence against women is a manifestation of this unequal power relationship between men and women.
But instead of fighting against this status quo, Circe fights to accept it!
And that is my biggest issue with the book: That a modern woman could EVER accept these inexcusable and intolerable violations against humanity as the new social norm JUST because “it is their way”.
"But as much as your world scared me, as much as your practices repulsed me, I still chose you."
So, while countless women suffer and die every day because of the way things are in some parts of our world and while women continue to fight and die for not to having to accept the way things are in their societies, here we are, reading this romance book by Kristen Ashley, in which a modern woman passively accepts her place in a misogynistic society where violence against women is normalized and tolerated in silence because it is "their way".
While 300 girls were kidnapped in Nigeria earlier this year, sold into slavery and forced into marriages, here is this book by Kristen Ashley, in which the female mc is also kidnapped and forced into a marriage. She is told that she must accept everything as it is because "it is their way". And she fucking does! What kind of message does that send? Because, the Islamic extremists are also following their way. Does that condone or justify their horrendous acts? NO!
So why does “their way” condone and justify the exact same behavior in a romance book?
I honestly can not understand all those five star ratings.
I am guessing - and really hoping - that the author's only intention with this book, was to send the message that love conquers all differences. But dammit, don’t do it like this!
First of all, it’s just not realistic, and second, the way this acceptance in the name of love is depicted is just plain wrong and obscene. Women (and men) should never, ever have to accept such a status quo just because it is "their way"!
January 14, 2023
🎧 6th Read, Nov. 2021 — 5 Stars
🎧 5th Read, Sept. 2021 — 5 Stars
🎧 4th Read, Jun. 2021 — 5 Stars
🎧 3rd Read, Apr. 2021 — 5 Stars
🎧 2nd Read, Feb. 2021 — 5 Stars
[1st Read]
Aug. 2020 — 5 Stars
MY DROGO × DAENERYS SHIPPING HEART IS THRIVINGGG!!!!!
Idk if it’s intentional or not that the author wrote this . . . GoT fanfiction-ish love story set in this Dothraki inspired world (and some might take this fact as a criticism towards the book), but a rip-off or not and whatever the reason is, I’m overjoyed that this book exists.
Thank you for giving us (me) what the show couldn’t. I LOVED EVERY SECOND OF IT I WISH IT NEVER ENDED. 😫 Not that I condone all the abhorrent things that happened to the women in this book. My romantic heart couldn’t help but blossom under all the love between Lahn and Circe.
KAH FREAKIN’ LAHN, MY TREASURED AND MOST SAVAGE WARRIOR!!!!!
It was frustrating not being able to understand what Lahn was saying everytime he spoke in his tongue, but goddamn if it wasn’t sexy and beautiful. He can Kah Lahnahsahna whatever sahna sahna me whenever he wants. I think I died just about a thousand times from swooning. 🙈
I have reservations about a few things, but I’m not going to voice them. What good would nitpicking do when I’m all but taken and so bewitched already. Seriously, I don’t think you comprehend how much I adore this book. It’s overwhelming and indescribable. 🤪
TW:
(Read as an Audiobook)
December 23, 2013
5.5 stars!
I ABSOLUTELY ADORED THIS BOOK!!!!
Kristen Ashley never ceases to amaze me with the beauty of the books she writes. Seriously, this story is just magical <3
Its a story about two people overcoming extreme cultural differences for the sake of love. There were parts of this book that were gruesome, brutal and sickening, parts that were swoony, heart-melting and utterly precious and ultimately it told a beautiful story about compromise, understanding and acceptance.
The story follows Circe, who went to sleep one night in her bed in Seattle and woke up in a nightmare world. Literally. She woke up in a an alternate parallel universe to ours in a corral with a whole bunch of women, most of whom didn’t even speak her language, who were penned there, half naked, waiting for “The Wife Hunt” to commence.
O_O
The Wife Hunt?!?!
“It was a nightmare. It was a nightmare’s nightmare.”
To call The Wife Hunt brutal would be an understatement. It is a common practice by the Korwahk people with the purpose of finding wives for their warriors. But the way they go about it, to our eyes, from our culture’s perspective, is horrific. They round up the most beautiful women from both their people and others who they kidnap and, at an appointed time, are let loose in the woods and hunted down by the warriors, raped, and thus claimed as that warrior’s new wife.
Now, this is something which under normal circumstances would turn me way the hell off a book. But I had a lot of faith in KA’s story-telling ability and so I spent some time prior to reading it trying to understand or come to terms with it.
I wont say anything here that will spoil the story, but I will try and give a little bit of a general explanation so that in case you, like me, read that description and kinda balk and start backing away while wondering if there was any way in the world you could ever love a hero who would do such a thing, then maybe this will help you understand him a little before the start of the story.
There is a LOT of emphasis made in this book about how this is their culture. The people in their culture (including the women!) are happy with it. They are a prosperous, thriving culture. These are their customs. These are their ways. Yes, to outsiders, and to us, their ways are savage, brutal, barbaric, cruel, take your pick, but to them, this is their world.
And, after the brutal first scene in the book, The Wife Hunt (which, by the way, was not very graphic), things do start to gradually change a little….
“There are some men, no matter what blood flows in their veins or what teachings were drilled into their heads, who are just good men.”
Our hero, Dax Lahn, is one of those men. And for a guy from such a brutal culture, he was actually pretty darn swoony!! And Circe is just an incredible heroine – she is strong-willed, fiesty, sassy, deeply understanding and I instantly felt connected to her character. And not long into the book, it becomes abundantly clear how proud Lahn is of her, of having found a warrior women. And he really does do his best, in his own savage-brute way, of trying to figure her out.
They spoke different languages, came from different worlds, couldn’t understand each literally or culturally and yet they both worked so hard at figuring each other out. It was totally, completely, endearing - the big brutish warrior King and his Seattle chick Queen.
The thing was that regardless of the fact that this was their culture, there was still the issue that that Circe was NOT from it and so Lahn had to learn to make concessions along the way too. And whenever he screwed up, I loved that she totally stood up to him. Which he, in turn, found endearing…. it was all just very sweet.
But, I’ll be honest, some of the stuff that happens in their culture is really hard to accept. Reeeeeeeally hard. Borderline impossible. But I really just tried to go into it with an open mind and realize that a lot of the things that to me, I found demeaning or heartless were really the results of my own culture speaking. Its a hard thing to wrap your mind around.
It helped though, that Lahn just melted my heart. He was just the biggest brute and definitely the kind of guy that nobody messes with and yet, when it came to her, he showed another side where he actually was just the biggest loveable softie <3 And its impossible not to see just how MUCH he cares!!
“This is my vow to you… I am your husband, I will keep you safe and I will do it by keeping my feet on this earth, breathing the air and being there to make you safe. Do you understand this?”
And I absolutely loved that Circe made concessions in a lot of ways to his culture – after all, she was the one who came into his world, but she had a few key things that really didn’t sit right with her (totally understandably!!) and in an awesome way that just made me want to cheer, stood up to him over and over again. Basically, she never lost who she was or her spirit or her character but still found ways to accept him and his culture and compromise.
“Lahn told me that when he claimed me, even in the moonlight, he saw my spirit shining in my eyes and it was the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen. To me, he was raping me. To him, he was receiving a gift he’d treasure always. This is a contradiction that it is difficult to come to terms with and although it does not heal the pain we felt, a memory seared into our brains, the terror we experienced, I cannot say it does not provide just enough balm to allow me to live with it.”
Once I got over the brutality of their world or rather, just tried to accept their way of life, I was able to fully focus on the epicness of their swoon. And oh my freaking god was it ever EPIC and SWOONY. There would be pages and pages on end where I’d be grinning from ear to ear.
Lahn did do a lot of brutal things, but for some reason, I found myself forgiving him. Not excusing or justifying his actions or even accepting them, but understanding and forgiving him. And the SOLE reason I felt that was was that I could see and sense all along that he was really, genuinely trying to be a good guy by her standards. He was trying to adapt and compromise. And yes, there were times when he screwed up, hmmmm, no, more like where he really effing f*cked the hell up, but he got better, progressively. That was his redeeming quality in my eyes.
And, let me tell you, when this big guy f*cks up. He royally f*cks up. But I loved that he realized it and he was prepared to grovel (well, lol, in a kingly brutish swoony way, but still) to get/earn her forgiveness. A big Alpha guy who is Alpha enough to apologize and ask for forgiveness without losing an ounce of his Alpha-ness (and also, more importantly, learn from his mistake) is the kind of character I pretty much just fall head over heels in love with.
I kind of also think that I might have been more okay with the issues in this book than the last one because despite the brutality of them, they are out in the open. This isn’t about deception or doing something behind someone’s back. This is just about the clear cultural RIFT between two people who come from vastly different worlds.
“Your king did not break through with me until his touch stopped taking and started giving and until, in our cham, he treated me with kindness. He is the mightiest of Suh Tunak, recognized the battle he had on his hands, analyzed it, created his strategy and then he went about winning that battle using any means necessary. And…my Lahn won that battle. I now lay awake at night waiting for him to return. When he does not, I fall asleep looking forward to the morning when he will wake me with his hands. He is my king, he is my warrior, he is my husband and I am proud to say above all…he is mine.”
One of my favorite things about this book was watching both of them learn each other’s language. KA did an incredible job of creating a believable, beautiful sounding and fairly detailed Korwakh language and I loved that I actually started being able to understand what they were saying without translation. But seriously, when Lahn spoke English, even when he only knew a few words, my heart just melted into a puddle of goo. “Rest, baby.” *swoooooon*
“Oh shit, yeah. He could be sweet.
And that sucked.
“You know what sucks? I whispered to him, doing it because I knew he would have no clue to a word I was saying. “It sucks that you can be sweet and when you’re sweet you’re really sweet. That sucks.”
He didn’t stop tenderly stroking my hair as I spoke but his eyes dropped to my mouth and when I was done, they came back to mine.
Then my heart squeezed when he whispered back, “I don’t understand you, baby.”
There it was again. Sweet.
I lifted a hand and placed it on his chest. He looked down at it but his eyes came back to mine when I spoke.
“Out there, King Lahn is a fierce warrior but in here, my Lahn… kah Lahn is sweet.”
His eyes changed, intensity shifting in when he murmured, “Fierce warrior, sweet.”
I grinned at him. “You’ve sort of got it.”
“Fierce warrior, sweet,” he muttered again.
Honestly, I don’t know what else to say about this book except the scenes in it are epic!!! Everything from ceremonies to rides to contests to executions to tender, beautiful private time to hot intense private time…
I totally fell into this world and into this story.
Lahn and Circe’s love was beautiful and romantic and I utterly adored this book despite parts of it being hard to stomach.
It definitely made my favorites shelf.
CASTING:
(PS - I found these ^^^ on Tumblr and take no credit for the fanart)
For more of my reviews, visit Aestas Book Blog
And come join the Aestas Book Blog Facebook Page
I ABSOLUTELY ADORED THIS BOOK!!!!
Kristen Ashley never ceases to amaze me with the beauty of the books she writes. Seriously, this story is just magical <3
Its a story about two people overcoming extreme cultural differences for the sake of love. There were parts of this book that were gruesome, brutal and sickening, parts that were swoony, heart-melting and utterly precious and ultimately it told a beautiful story about compromise, understanding and acceptance.
The story follows Circe, who went to sleep one night in her bed in Seattle and woke up in a nightmare world. Literally. She woke up in a an alternate parallel universe to ours in a corral with a whole bunch of women, most of whom didn’t even speak her language, who were penned there, half naked, waiting for “The Wife Hunt” to commence.
O_O
The Wife Hunt?!?!
“It was a nightmare. It was a nightmare’s nightmare.”
To call The Wife Hunt brutal would be an understatement. It is a common practice by the Korwahk people with the purpose of finding wives for their warriors. But the way they go about it, to our eyes, from our culture’s perspective, is horrific. They round up the most beautiful women from both their people and others who they kidnap and, at an appointed time, are let loose in the woods and hunted down by the warriors, raped, and thus claimed as that warrior’s new wife.
Now, this is something which under normal circumstances would turn me way the hell off a book. But I had a lot of faith in KA’s story-telling ability and so I spent some time prior to reading it trying to understand or come to terms with it.
I wont say anything here that will spoil the story, but I will try and give a little bit of a general explanation so that in case you, like me, read that description and kinda balk and start backing away while wondering if there was any way in the world you could ever love a hero who would do such a thing, then maybe this will help you understand him a little before the start of the story.
There is a LOT of emphasis made in this book about how this is their culture. The people in their culture (including the women!) are happy with it. They are a prosperous, thriving culture. These are their customs. These are their ways. Yes, to outsiders, and to us, their ways are savage, brutal, barbaric, cruel, take your pick, but to them, this is their world.
And, after the brutal first scene in the book, The Wife Hunt (which, by the way, was not very graphic), things do start to gradually change a little….
“There are some men, no matter what blood flows in their veins or what teachings were drilled into their heads, who are just good men.”
Our hero, Dax Lahn, is one of those men. And for a guy from such a brutal culture, he was actually pretty darn swoony!! And Circe is just an incredible heroine – she is strong-willed, fiesty, sassy, deeply understanding and I instantly felt connected to her character. And not long into the book, it becomes abundantly clear how proud Lahn is of her, of having found a warrior women. And he really does do his best, in his own savage-brute way, of trying to figure her out.
They spoke different languages, came from different worlds, couldn’t understand each literally or culturally and yet they both worked so hard at figuring each other out. It was totally, completely, endearing - the big brutish warrior King and his Seattle chick Queen.
The thing was that regardless of the fact that this was their culture, there was still the issue that that Circe was NOT from it and so Lahn had to learn to make concessions along the way too. And whenever he screwed up, I loved that she totally stood up to him. Which he, in turn, found endearing…. it was all just very sweet.
But, I’ll be honest, some of the stuff that happens in their culture is really hard to accept. Reeeeeeeally hard. Borderline impossible. But I really just tried to go into it with an open mind and realize that a lot of the things that to me, I found demeaning or heartless were really the results of my own culture speaking. Its a hard thing to wrap your mind around.
It helped though, that Lahn just melted my heart. He was just the biggest brute and definitely the kind of guy that nobody messes with and yet, when it came to her, he showed another side where he actually was just the biggest loveable softie <3 And its impossible not to see just how MUCH he cares!!
“This is my vow to you… I am your husband, I will keep you safe and I will do it by keeping my feet on this earth, breathing the air and being there to make you safe. Do you understand this?”
And I absolutely loved that Circe made concessions in a lot of ways to his culture – after all, she was the one who came into his world, but she had a few key things that really didn’t sit right with her (totally understandably!!) and in an awesome way that just made me want to cheer, stood up to him over and over again. Basically, she never lost who she was or her spirit or her character but still found ways to accept him and his culture and compromise.
“Lahn told me that when he claimed me, even in the moonlight, he saw my spirit shining in my eyes and it was the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen. To me, he was raping me. To him, he was receiving a gift he’d treasure always. This is a contradiction that it is difficult to come to terms with and although it does not heal the pain we felt, a memory seared into our brains, the terror we experienced, I cannot say it does not provide just enough balm to allow me to live with it.”
Once I got over the brutality of their world or rather, just tried to accept their way of life, I was able to fully focus on the epicness of their swoon. And oh my freaking god was it ever EPIC and SWOONY. There would be pages and pages on end where I’d be grinning from ear to ear.
Lahn did do a lot of brutal things, but for some reason, I found myself forgiving him. Not excusing or justifying his actions or even accepting them, but understanding and forgiving him. And the SOLE reason I felt that was was that I could see and sense all along that he was really, genuinely trying to be a good guy by her standards. He was trying to adapt and compromise. And yes, there were times when he screwed up, hmmmm, no, more like where he really effing f*cked the hell up, but he got better, progressively. That was his redeeming quality in my eyes.
And, let me tell you, when this big guy f*cks up. He royally f*cks up. But I loved that he realized it and he was prepared to grovel (well, lol, in a kingly brutish swoony way, but still) to get/earn her forgiveness. A big Alpha guy who is Alpha enough to apologize and ask for forgiveness without losing an ounce of his Alpha-ness (and also, more importantly, learn from his mistake) is the kind of character I pretty much just fall head over heels in love with.
I kind of also think that I might have been more okay with the issues in this book than the last one because despite the brutality of them, they are out in the open. This isn’t about deception or doing something behind someone’s back. This is just about the clear cultural RIFT between two people who come from vastly different worlds.
“Your king did not break through with me until his touch stopped taking and started giving and until, in our cham, he treated me with kindness. He is the mightiest of Suh Tunak, recognized the battle he had on his hands, analyzed it, created his strategy and then he went about winning that battle using any means necessary. And…my Lahn won that battle. I now lay awake at night waiting for him to return. When he does not, I fall asleep looking forward to the morning when he will wake me with his hands. He is my king, he is my warrior, he is my husband and I am proud to say above all…he is mine.”
One of my favorite things about this book was watching both of them learn each other’s language. KA did an incredible job of creating a believable, beautiful sounding and fairly detailed Korwakh language and I loved that I actually started being able to understand what they were saying without translation. But seriously, when Lahn spoke English, even when he only knew a few words, my heart just melted into a puddle of goo. “Rest, baby.” *swoooooon*
“Oh shit, yeah. He could be sweet.
And that sucked.
“You know what sucks? I whispered to him, doing it because I knew he would have no clue to a word I was saying. “It sucks that you can be sweet and when you’re sweet you’re really sweet. That sucks.”
He didn’t stop tenderly stroking my hair as I spoke but his eyes dropped to my mouth and when I was done, they came back to mine.
Then my heart squeezed when he whispered back, “I don’t understand you, baby.”
There it was again. Sweet.
I lifted a hand and placed it on his chest. He looked down at it but his eyes came back to mine when I spoke.
“Out there, King Lahn is a fierce warrior but in here, my Lahn… kah Lahn is sweet.”
His eyes changed, intensity shifting in when he murmured, “Fierce warrior, sweet.”
I grinned at him. “You’ve sort of got it.”
“Fierce warrior, sweet,” he muttered again.
Honestly, I don’t know what else to say about this book except the scenes in it are epic!!! Everything from ceremonies to rides to contests to executions to tender, beautiful private time to hot intense private time…
I totally fell into this world and into this story.
Lahn and Circe’s love was beautiful and romantic and I utterly adored this book despite parts of it being hard to stomach.
It definitely made my favorites shelf.
CASTING:
(PS - I found these ^^^ on Tumblr and take no credit for the fanart)
For more of my reviews, visit Aestas Book Blog
And come join the Aestas Book Blog Facebook Page
May 25, 2017
5+++++++++++++++++ STARS
This is seriously in my top 5 of all time EVER books. I loved it. I can't even write a review about it because I would butch it. DAX LAHN, I love you.
This is seriously in my top 5 of all time EVER books. I loved it. I can't even write a review about it because I would butch it. DAX LAHN, I love you.
May 13, 2020
Of all the books in Kristen Ashley's 'Fantasyland' series, 'The Golden Dynasty' was by far my favorite. I love dark, controversial romances that make you love them in spite of all reason. This was one of those stories. I spent as much time cringing as I did smiling, but I couldn't have asked for more. I loved this one!
If you've read many of Ms. Ashley's books, then it goes without saying that the hero is an over-the-top Alpha. Dax Lahn, King of Suh Tunak and the Horde of Korwahk, was pretty intimidating, even by her standards. In his world, the men are warriors that are prized for their physical dominance and ability to take what they want, including a wife. As they roam around raiding villages, they murder, rob and rape. They are barbarians.
Circe goes to sleep in her world, but wakes up in a parallel world. She has no idea of how she ended up there, unlike Finnie who agreed to trade places with her otherworldly twin in the first book. A quick assessment of the situation has Circe, rightfully, terrified. She has awoken to a real-life nightmare.
Along with several other women, Circe is caged. Provided only scraps of clothing, she is told that she has been selected to participate in a great Korwahk tradition. What tradition? The wife hunt.
The wife hunt is exactly what it sounds like. A group of women are rounded up and dressed in skimpy outfits. Then, after being displayed for the Horde warriors, they are released...and hunted. The men track down the women, overpowering any other warrior challengers, and "claim" their wife right then and there. To say the least, this is a horrific, traumatic and uncivilized tradition.
This is how Circe comes to be Dax's wife. Understandably, she hated him. Their relationship developed gradually. Eventually, it turned into something beautiful. This was a story that appealed to baser urges.
As primitive as Dax could be, he revered his wife in his own way. This was something that Circe came to recognize and appreciate. Granted, she was far more forgiving that I could have ever imagined possible...but it is fiction and a romance, so you knew it had to happen to move the story along.
Even as the feminist side of me thinks that I should be appalled by this story, the honest part of me has to admit that I was completely addicted. Circe came to wield a great deal of power in her own way, capitalizing upon the great deal of admiration that her husband had for her. It certainly wasn't a politically correct type of story, but it was beautiful in it's own right.
I fell in love with Dax, right along with Circe. Here was this super-tough, barbarous bad-ass, who truly couldn't understand why his behaviors were so off-putting to his new wife. Even as he was determined to dominate her, he was saddened to think of his actions crushing her spirit in any way. He wanted her to submit to him, while loving the fight and her spirit.
If you are looking for a romance with a hot-headed Alpha hero, then look no further. This book will not disappoint. It is by far, my favorite of the books in this series.
On the other hand, if you are sensitive to darker subject matter, like rape and physical violence, then you'll want to steer clear of this one. It is full to the brim with controversial topics. All the more reason for me to love it, but I know that isn't the case for many readers. Be forewarned.
Check out more of my reviews at www.bookaddicthaven.com
If you've read many of Ms. Ashley's books, then it goes without saying that the hero is an over-the-top Alpha. Dax Lahn, King of Suh Tunak and the Horde of Korwahk, was pretty intimidating, even by her standards. In his world, the men are warriors that are prized for their physical dominance and ability to take what they want, including a wife. As they roam around raiding villages, they murder, rob and rape. They are barbarians.
Circe goes to sleep in her world, but wakes up in a parallel world. She has no idea of how she ended up there, unlike Finnie who agreed to trade places with her otherworldly twin in the first book. A quick assessment of the situation has Circe, rightfully, terrified. She has awoken to a real-life nightmare.
Along with several other women, Circe is caged. Provided only scraps of clothing, she is told that she has been selected to participate in a great Korwahk tradition. What tradition? The wife hunt.
The wife hunt is exactly what it sounds like. A group of women are rounded up and dressed in skimpy outfits. Then, after being displayed for the Horde warriors, they are released...and hunted. The men track down the women, overpowering any other warrior challengers, and "claim" their wife right then and there. To say the least, this is a horrific, traumatic and uncivilized tradition.
This is how Circe comes to be Dax's wife. Understandably, she hated him. Their relationship developed gradually. Eventually, it turned into something beautiful. This was a story that appealed to baser urges.
As primitive as Dax could be, he revered his wife in his own way. This was something that Circe came to recognize and appreciate. Granted, she was far more forgiving that I could have ever imagined possible...but it is fiction and a romance, so you knew it had to happen to move the story along.
Even as the feminist side of me thinks that I should be appalled by this story, the honest part of me has to admit that I was completely addicted. Circe came to wield a great deal of power in her own way, capitalizing upon the great deal of admiration that her husband had for her. It certainly wasn't a politically correct type of story, but it was beautiful in it's own right.
I fell in love with Dax, right along with Circe. Here was this super-tough, barbarous bad-ass, who truly couldn't understand why his behaviors were so off-putting to his new wife. Even as he was determined to dominate her, he was saddened to think of his actions crushing her spirit in any way. He wanted her to submit to him, while loving the fight and her spirit.
If you are looking for a romance with a hot-headed Alpha hero, then look no further. This book will not disappoint. It is by far, my favorite of the books in this series.
On the other hand, if you are sensitive to darker subject matter, like rape and physical violence, then you'll want to steer clear of this one. It is full to the brim with controversial topics. All the more reason for me to love it, but I know that isn't the case for many readers. Be forewarned.
Check out more of my reviews at www.bookaddicthaven.com
July 11, 2023
4 Stars (Originally Read 7/3/2018)
4.5 Stars (Re-Read 1/14/2019)
4.5 Stars (Re-Read 11/12/2019)
4.5 Stars (Re-Read 5/21/2020)
4.5 Stars (Re-Read 2/22/2021)
Re-Read Update: I'm not going to add much to this review after my re-read, because I still feel mostly the same about the book. I did enjoy it more (hence my increase in stars) and didn't have as many issues with the h as I did before. That could very well be because I remembered how everything works out and wasn't experiencing it for the first time. Still loved the H (and pictured him as Jason Momoa 😍), still loved how the h works through the language and culture barriers, and still simply loved the overall premise! I think this will go along with Sweet Dreams as a book that I will turn to when I am looking for a good and reliable re-read.
2nd Re-Read Update: Nothing really to add! Just a good, reliable re-read when I'm not feeling my tbr list 😘
3rd Re-Read Update: Same as above, nothing much to add. I do wish the ending had more of their HEA though....
4th Re-Read Update: I felt a book funk coming on and thought I’d jump into this world for a break. Nothing else to add ��� same old same old!
Overall Opinion: This was an enjoyable read! I liked the whole alternate universe/everyone has a twin aspect going on! I'm not usually a fantasy or pnr fan, but if anyone has recommendations for books that are similar to this one -- please share! After reading such raving reviews I hesitantly started this one (hesitant because I was worried my expectations would let me down again), and I'm happy I read it! Definitely not KA's typical story, but enjoyable all the same. I liked the H, and I couldn't help but imagine him as Jason Momoa (like the hottie savage he is in Game of Thrones) 😉😉. I did, however, struggle with the h and her stubbornness at times. This also didn't have the epic epilogue that I come to expect from KA. I'm greedy, so I know that it's something I need to let go because I still would call it a HEA. I don't think this is "safe", because this has some scenes and aspects that many will struggle with (see Trigger spoiler tag below). Personally, I think in understanding that this is an alternate universe and with a completely different and primitive culture made it a little easier to accept those things. Overall this was a fun read, and I can see this being one I might re-read again down the road!
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Circe and Lahn's story. Circe wakes up and finds herself in a cage with several other women that are telling her that she is part of the "wife hunt". She realizes quickly that she has no idea where she is or who these other people are. She then finds herself on the run while these huge, savage men chase after her and chain themselves to her neck. She ends up captured by the King of the strange land, and she is the new queen. After some rough first encounters, some huge language and cultural barriers, and some acceptance from Circe that this is her new reality -- she starts to adapt to her new life. Lahn is a fierce warrior to his people, but inside their home he is sweet and caring for Circe and they fall in love. There are some suspenseful moments, some sexy times, and some sweet scenes...and they get a HEA ending.
POV: This was told in Circe's POV.
Overall Pace of Story: Good. This is KA, so it's long! It even felt long at times, but I never skimmed and I thought it flowed well (it just was a lot that went on packed into the one book!).
Instalove: No. BUT I think they move quickly and their circumstances definitely contribute to that, so it didn't feel insta to me.
H rating: 4 stars. Lahn. I liked him. He made some big mistakes, but he was definitely a product of his upbringing because he didn't see the wrong in his actions at first. I loved how he cared for the h.
h rating: 3 stars. Circe. She adapted pretty well considering it was some crazy circumstances, but I did feel like she was a little too stubborn at times though.
Sadness level: Low/moderate. I cried a few times, but I never needed any tissues.
Push/Pull: Yes
Heat level: Good. They have some good tension, chemistry, and scenes -- but not so much it takes away from the story.
Descriptive sex: Yes
OW/OM drama: No
Sex scene with OW or OM: No
Cheating: Kind of, but no specific details or descriptive scenes
Separation: Yes
Possible Triggers: Yes
Closure: This had pretty good closure with what I would call a HEA ending .
Safety: This one is probably Not Safe for most safety gang readers.
4.5 Stars (Re-Read 1/14/2019)
4.5 Stars (Re-Read 11/12/2019)
4.5 Stars (Re-Read 5/21/2020)
4.5 Stars (Re-Read 2/22/2021)
Re-Read Update: I'm not going to add much to this review after my re-read, because I still feel mostly the same about the book. I did enjoy it more (hence my increase in stars) and didn't have as many issues with the h as I did before. That could very well be because I remembered how everything works out and wasn't experiencing it for the first time. Still loved the H (and pictured him as Jason Momoa 😍), still loved how the h works through the language and culture barriers, and still simply loved the overall premise! I think this will go along with Sweet Dreams as a book that I will turn to when I am looking for a good and reliable re-read.
2nd Re-Read Update: Nothing really to add! Just a good, reliable re-read when I'm not feeling my tbr list 😘
3rd Re-Read Update: Same as above, nothing much to add. I do wish the ending had more of their HEA though....
4th Re-Read Update: I felt a book funk coming on and thought I’d jump into this world for a break. Nothing else to add ��� same old same old!
Overall Opinion: This was an enjoyable read! I liked the whole alternate universe/everyone has a twin aspect going on! I'm not usually a fantasy or pnr fan, but if anyone has recommendations for books that are similar to this one -- please share! After reading such raving reviews I hesitantly started this one (hesitant because I was worried my expectations would let me down again), and I'm happy I read it! Definitely not KA's typical story, but enjoyable all the same. I liked the H, and I couldn't help but imagine him as Jason Momoa (like the hottie savage he is in Game of Thrones) 😉😉. I did, however, struggle with the h and her stubbornness at times. This also didn't have the epic epilogue that I come to expect from KA. I'm greedy, so I know that it's something I need to let go because I still would call it a HEA. I don't think this is "safe", because this has some scenes and aspects that many will struggle with (see Trigger spoiler tag below). Personally, I think in understanding that this is an alternate universe and with a completely different and primitive culture made it a little easier to accept those things. Overall this was a fun read, and I can see this being one I might re-read again down the road!
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Circe and Lahn's story. Circe wakes up and finds herself in a cage with several other women that are telling her that she is part of the "wife hunt". She realizes quickly that she has no idea where she is or who these other people are. She then finds herself on the run while these huge, savage men chase after her and chain themselves to her neck. She ends up captured by the King of the strange land, and she is the new queen. After some rough first encounters, some huge language and cultural barriers, and some acceptance from Circe that this is her new reality -- she starts to adapt to her new life. Lahn is a fierce warrior to his people, but inside their home he is sweet and caring for Circe and they fall in love. There are some suspenseful moments, some sexy times, and some sweet scenes...and they get a HEA ending.
POV: This was told in Circe's POV.
Overall Pace of Story: Good. This is KA, so it's long! It even felt long at times, but I never skimmed and I thought it flowed well (it just was a lot that went on packed into the one book!).
Instalove: No. BUT I think they move quickly and their circumstances definitely contribute to that, so it didn't feel insta to me.
H rating: 4 stars. Lahn. I liked him. He made some big mistakes, but he was definitely a product of his upbringing because he didn't see the wrong in his actions at first. I loved how he cared for the h.
h rating: 3 stars. Circe. She adapted pretty well considering it was some crazy circumstances, but I did feel like she was a little too stubborn at times though.
Sadness level: Low/moderate. I cried a few times, but I never needed any tissues.
Push/Pull: Yes
Heat level: Good. They have some good tension, chemistry, and scenes -- but not so much it takes away from the story.
Descriptive sex: Yes
OW/OM drama: No
Sex scene with OW or OM: No
Cheating: Kind of, but no specific details or descriptive scenes
Separation: Yes
Possible Triggers: Yes
Closure: This had pretty good closure with what I would call a HEA ending .
Safety: This one is probably Not Safe for most safety gang readers.
March 26, 2014
Re-read (for probably the 5th time) 3.25.14
6+++ STARS
I don't care how many times I re-read this book. Every time I read it, it's not just as good, it's better. This is my go to KA book for whenever I'm in a slump. No review, no words, nothing will ever do this book justice. It's amazing, incredible, EPIC, out of this world GREAT. If you have read it, you know exactly what I mean. And if you haven't I really don't know what you're waiting for. Dax Khan is the alpha to beat all alphas. I'm not even kidding. Not slightly exaggerating. He's just THAT good.
I could sit here and regurgitate the synopsis or plot for you, but really that would just kill the experience that is this book. And trust me, this is one of those books that needs to be experienced
Having said that, this book might not be for everyone. There are moments in here that were very tough to stomach; violence, rape, forced seduction. You have to take into perspective that this is written in a land that is MUCH different, it's primitive, it's savage, brutal, and unlike anything you can imagine. You have to be prepared to go out of your comfort zone to truly enjoy this book. This is just one of those KA books that will wring a multitude of emotions from you. There are 3 scenes here that never fail to hit me right in the feels.
Ms. Ashley's writing is really what makes this story incredible. She is able to paint a picture for the reader through her writing, that you experience everything along with the characters.
Circe is transported to a land much different from her own, and straight into a wife hunt. She is forced to get used to their traditions, their ways and their language. The way that the language barrier is written is pure genius, because the reader gets to experience learning it along with Circe. It's just pure utter brilliance.
I'm a fan of The Game of Thrones show, and I love that KA was inspired by Drogo and Daenerys to write Lahn and Circe. Read only if you've seen the first season of the show
Beautiful! Incredible! Fantastical 6+ star read!
6+++ STARS
I gave up my world for you, Lahn. I sat at your side through things people in my world would find loathsome and I did it with my head held high. I even felt pride that I could endure, that I could be a good queen to you. I didn’t know how to be a queen but every day I walked amongst your people giving them my time and my ear and my attention, hoping that was what I was supposed to do. Everything I did in this fucking place, even before I fell in love with you, was for…fucking...you."
I don't care how many times I re-read this book. Every time I read it, it's not just as good, it's better. This is my go to KA book for whenever I'm in a slump. No review, no words, nothing will ever do this book justice. It's amazing, incredible, EPIC, out of this world GREAT. If you have read it, you know exactly what I mean. And if you haven't I really don't know what you're waiting for. Dax Khan is the alpha to beat all alphas. I'm not even kidding. Not slightly exaggerating. He's just THAT good.
I could sit here and regurgitate the synopsis or plot for you, but really that would just kill the experience that is this book. And trust me, this is one of those books that needs to be experienced
Having said that, this book might not be for everyone. There are moments in here that were very tough to stomach; violence, rape, forced seduction. You have to take into perspective that this is written in a land that is MUCH different, it's primitive, it's savage, brutal, and unlike anything you can imagine. You have to be prepared to go out of your comfort zone to truly enjoy this book. This is just one of those KA books that will wring a multitude of emotions from you. There are 3 scenes here that never fail to hit me right in the feels.
Ms. Ashley's writing is really what makes this story incredible. She is able to paint a picture for the reader through her writing, that you experience everything along with the characters.
Circe is transported to a land much different from her own, and straight into a wife hunt. She is forced to get used to their traditions, their ways and their language. The way that the language barrier is written is pure genius, because the reader gets to experience learning it along with Circe. It's just pure utter brilliance.
I'm a fan of The Game of Thrones show, and I love that KA was inspired by Drogo and Daenerys to write Lahn and Circe. Read only if you've seen the first season of the show
Beautiful! Incredible! Fantastical 6+ star read!
June 4, 2025
“I could not dream a better you.”
I love this story, because it is incredibly unique. This is a modern woman, somehow plucked out of her time, and thrown into a barbarian one, where she doesn’t speak the language, the customs are frightening, and yet finds a way to not only survive, but to flourish.
Yes, it is filled with tropes but still highly entertaining and reminiscent of those 90s swashbuckling historical romances.
Barbarians/warriors
Language barrier
Extreme cultural differences
Graphic sex, and intimacy
Graphic violence
On-page rape and physical abuse
Protective, dominant alpha
Strong FMC
Excellent character growth
Fantasy/magic
No cheating
HEA
The fmc talks somewhat immature at times which is annoying for someone supposed to be in her 30s, but this is indicative of KA’s writing. For once, her “me man, you woman” language for the male lead, fits perfectly in this barbarian landscape.
Original review:
I have a love/hate relationship with this story. I hate the beginning and the rape (yes yes it's a different world and all) but I still hate it. However, once I get to the third chapter I started to really like the story.
A powerful, warrior king brought to heed by his unwilling bride. It's very Game of Thrones, Khal Drogo and Daenerys.
This is a great story of traveling to another world, learning their customs, and falling in love. And there's some magic involved.
"I gave up my world for you, Lahn. I sat at your side through things people in my world would find loathsome and I did it with my head held high. I even felt 'pride' that I could endure, that I could be a good queen to you.......Everything I did in this fucking place, even before I fell in love with you, was for...fucking...YOU."
I love this story, because it is incredibly unique. This is a modern woman, somehow plucked out of her time, and thrown into a barbarian one, where she doesn’t speak the language, the customs are frightening, and yet finds a way to not only survive, but to flourish.
Yes, it is filled with tropes but still highly entertaining and reminiscent of those 90s swashbuckling historical romances.
Barbarians/warriors
Language barrier
Extreme cultural differences
Graphic sex, and intimacy
Graphic violence
On-page rape and physical abuse
Protective, dominant alpha
Strong FMC
Excellent character growth
Fantasy/magic
No cheating
HEA
The fmc talks somewhat immature at times which is annoying for someone supposed to be in her 30s, but this is indicative of KA’s writing. For once, her “me man, you woman” language for the male lead, fits perfectly in this barbarian landscape.
Original review:
I have a love/hate relationship with this story. I hate the beginning and the rape (yes yes it's a different world and all) but I still hate it. However, once I get to the third chapter I started to really like the story.
A powerful, warrior king brought to heed by his unwilling bride. It's very Game of Thrones, Khal Drogo and Daenerys.
This is a great story of traveling to another world, learning their customs, and falling in love. And there's some magic involved.
"I gave up my world for you, Lahn. I sat at your side through things people in my world would find loathsome and I did it with my head held high. I even felt 'pride' that I could endure, that I could be a good queen to you.......Everything I did in this fucking place, even before I fell in love with you, was for...fucking...YOU."
July 29, 2016
December 29, 2013 Update
I decide to give this book another try and I'm so glad I did. Even though I still struggled with the rape scene at the beginning of the story, I believe this to be Kristen Ashley's best work. It's not my favorite but it's brilliantly and superbly written. I'm so glad I gave it another chance.
April 12, 2012
DNF
I did not finish this book due to personal reasons. Because there is no disclaimer at the beginning of the book, I feel the need to let potential readers know about some of the content within the story. If you are sensitive to rape and/or repeated scenes of forced seduction, which, in my opinion, is a glorified term for rape. You might want to read this book with caution.
April 18, 2012 Update: I am aware that certain readers have a profound dislike for Kristen Ashley and her work. I sincerely hope that my comments about this particular book will not be used to exploit their cause. While everyone is entitled to his or her own opinion about a particular author and/or book, I would be distressed if my comments about this particular book were used to hurt an author whom I love and for whose storytelling I have profound respect and admiration
I decide to give this book another try and I'm so glad I did. Even though I still struggled with the rape scene at the beginning of the story, I believe this to be Kristen Ashley's best work. It's not my favorite but it's brilliantly and superbly written. I'm so glad I gave it another chance.
April 12, 2012
DNF
I did not finish this book due to personal reasons. Because there is no disclaimer at the beginning of the book, I feel the need to let potential readers know about some of the content within the story. If you are sensitive to rape and/or repeated scenes of forced seduction, which, in my opinion, is a glorified term for rape. You might want to read this book with caution.
April 18, 2012 Update: I am aware that certain readers have a profound dislike for Kristen Ashley and her work. I sincerely hope that my comments about this particular book will not be used to exploit their cause. While everyone is entitled to his or her own opinion about a particular author and/or book, I would be distressed if my comments about this particular book were used to hurt an author whom I love and for whose storytelling I have profound respect and admiration
February 8, 2021
I have read this wonderful book many many times. I can honestly say, that this is my absolute favorite KA book...and I have many KA favorits.
I never took the time to review this one though, because I love it so much...which is making it hard for me to write down a proper review. I have so many many feelings about this one, that I don't even know how or where to start.
Being that this is one of my all time favorite books though, I felt I had to write down something....so here goes.
Circe is a 35 year old woman from Seattle. She has a wonderful life. Her mother was murdered when she was 10, but she has a very loving father, who means the world to her. She has a good job working for his company and a lot of friends. She is single and a bit unlucky in love, but all in all she is very happy.....but that's all about to change.
One day she wakes up in a cage with a bunch of other women, in a world that is not her own. Everything is different. The people, the time, the land, the language.... .......every...fucking....thing !!
Thankfully one of the women speaks her language and explains to her what is going on. Apparently all the women are part of a ritual called "The Wife Hunt". Korwahk tribe has this ritual every 2 years. All the women are paraded in front of the warrior men...set free to run...and are then hunted. Did I say hunted....why yes I did. This is how they capture their new wife. Once captured, they are claimed.....and with claimed I mean raped. Did I say raped....yes I most certainly did...
Now Circe is fucked, not only because she woke up in a parralel universe and is about to be hunted and claimed. No she is also fucked because she has caught the eye of Dax Lahn, the King of the Korwahk Horde....and he is a savage. He is supposed to be a cold and heartless warrior and he is about to hunt her down.
Which is what he does. He hunts, captures and rapes her. I won't lie, it was hard to read. Circe is claimed and crowned "the golden queen" to her new warrior husband. Things don't get much easier. Circe does not speak the language, she can't make herself clear. So the violations keeps happening... He doesn't talk to her and just keeps taking...
That's when Diandra comes in and things start to change. Diandra has been living with the Kohrwak tribe for a long time and is married to one of the warriors. She however speaks english and is to be Circe's translator. Slowly communication becomes easier and Circe and Lahn start connecting. They become closer and closer and it was beautiful to read and see how much Lahn liked his new bride...
I loved the language thing...it was awesome !! It was nice to see that even in a different language, Lahn still had quite the dirty mouth ;)
“You’re my gold, nahna xaxsah is my hahnee rah. Kay jahnan nahna lisa, na uvan tee luh kay. Ana kay jahnan nahna pahnsahna, Circe. Kay nayeesan tee. Fahzah.”
“You’re my gold, your cunt is my liquid gold. I will have your mouth, you will give it to me. Then I will have your spirit, Circe. I will own it. Always.”
KA writes some awesome Alpha men, but Lahn is the biggest and baddest Alpha out of all her books. He could be a extreme asshole and he seriously fucks up more than once !!
But no worries, because Circe is also the strongest and most wonderful heroine out of all KA's books. She is defnitely my all time favorite heroine ! She gave a lot, but she also tried to stayed true to herself and I really admired her for that.
“Then I whispered, “I love you, my Lahn,” and heard the swift hiss of his intake of breath. Then he buried his face in my neck and whispered back, “Loot kay hansahnalay na, my Circe.” And I love you, my Circe.”
So there you have it. My favorite KA book, my favorite hero and my favorite heroine !! Like I said...I have read this book many many times already and I am sure I will read it many times more !!
I never took the time to review this one though, because I love it so much...which is making it hard for me to write down a proper review. I have so many many feelings about this one, that I don't even know how or where to start.
Being that this is one of my all time favorite books though, I felt I had to write down something....so here goes.
Circe is a 35 year old woman from Seattle. She has a wonderful life. Her mother was murdered when she was 10, but she has a very loving father, who means the world to her. She has a good job working for his company and a lot of friends. She is single and a bit unlucky in love, but all in all she is very happy.....but that's all about to change.
One day she wakes up in a cage with a bunch of other women, in a world that is not her own. Everything is different. The people, the time, the land, the language.... .......every...fucking....thing !!
Thankfully one of the women speaks her language and explains to her what is going on. Apparently all the women are part of a ritual called "The Wife Hunt". Korwahk tribe has this ritual every 2 years. All the women are paraded in front of the warrior men...set free to run...and are then hunted. Did I say hunted....why yes I did. This is how they capture their new wife. Once captured, they are claimed.....and with claimed I mean raped. Did I say raped....yes I most certainly did...
Now Circe is fucked, not only because she woke up in a parralel universe and is about to be hunted and claimed. No she is also fucked because she has caught the eye of Dax Lahn, the King of the Korwahk Horde....and he is a savage. He is supposed to be a cold and heartless warrior and he is about to hunt her down.
Which is what he does. He hunts, captures and rapes her. I won't lie, it was hard to read. Circe is claimed and crowned "the golden queen" to her new warrior husband. Things don't get much easier. Circe does not speak the language, she can't make herself clear. So the violations keeps happening... He doesn't talk to her and just keeps taking...
That's when Diandra comes in and things start to change. Diandra has been living with the Kohrwak tribe for a long time and is married to one of the warriors. She however speaks english and is to be Circe's translator. Slowly communication becomes easier and Circe and Lahn start connecting. They become closer and closer and it was beautiful to read and see how much Lahn liked his new bride...
I loved the language thing...it was awesome !! It was nice to see that even in a different language, Lahn still had quite the dirty mouth ;)
“You’re my gold, nahna xaxsah is my hahnee rah. Kay jahnan nahna lisa, na uvan tee luh kay. Ana kay jahnan nahna pahnsahna, Circe. Kay nayeesan tee. Fahzah.”
“You’re my gold, your cunt is my liquid gold. I will have your mouth, you will give it to me. Then I will have your spirit, Circe. I will own it. Always.”
KA writes some awesome Alpha men, but Lahn is the biggest and baddest Alpha out of all her books. He could be a extreme asshole and he seriously fucks up more than once !!
But no worries, because Circe is also the strongest and most wonderful heroine out of all KA's books. She is defnitely my all time favorite heroine ! She gave a lot, but she also tried to stayed true to herself and I really admired her for that.
“Then I whispered, “I love you, my Lahn,” and heard the swift hiss of his intake of breath. Then he buried his face in my neck and whispered back, “Loot kay hansahnalay na, my Circe.” And I love you, my Circe.”
So there you have it. My favorite KA book, my favorite hero and my favorite heroine !! Like I said...I have read this book many many times already and I am sure I will read it many times more !!
January 6, 2020
Re reading again! I love this book.
And I left this series till last and did not think I would like it, and even starting this book, it started horrifically, and I wondered how KA could redeem him, but for me she just did!
“I could not dream a better you.”
Oh my God.
Oh… my… God.
Did he just say that?
I stared into his warm eyes.
He just said that.
And that was so sweet, so unexpected but so welcome, my breath arrested and all I could do was continue staring at him.
He wasn’t done. “A better wife, a better queen. Not even in a dream could I create better than you.”
........................
“He is my king, he is my warrior, he is my husband and I am proud to say above all… he is mine.”
.......................
“Then I whispered, “I love you, my Lahn,” and heard the swift hiss of his intake of breath. Then he buried his face in my neck and whispered back, “Loot kay hansahnalay na, my Circe.” And I love you, my Circe.”
And I left this series till last and did not think I would like it, and even starting this book, it started horrifically, and I wondered how KA could redeem him, but for me she just did!
“I could not dream a better you.”
Oh my God.
Oh… my… God.
Did he just say that?
I stared into his warm eyes.
He just said that.
And that was so sweet, so unexpected but so welcome, my breath arrested and all I could do was continue staring at him.
He wasn’t done. “A better wife, a better queen. Not even in a dream could I create better than you.”
........................
“He is my king, he is my warrior, he is my husband and I am proud to say above all… he is mine.”
.......................
“Then I whispered, “I love you, my Lahn,” and heard the swift hiss of his intake of breath. Then he buried his face in my neck and whispered back, “Loot kay hansahnalay na, my Circe.” And I love you, my Circe.”
August 10, 2016
RE-READ#7
Still one of my favourite books ever. *sigh*
** 10 “loot kay hansahnalay na” STARS **
“If you’re given the opportunity to look deep enough, you can see a person’s spirit in their eyes but usually, they are guarded, kept safe. Not you, my tigress. You hold your spirit close to the surface for all to behold and it is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen.”
~ LAHN
This book... This f*ckin' book.
It was nothing like any other I’ve ever read.
From the first page, to the last, I lost myself inside the brutality of this foreign world, inside the complexity of Lahn and Circe’s relationship, inside the heartbreak and joy of this very fictional but touched by the sweetest bits of reality story… I lost myself in a dimension with goddesses and gods, traditions of rape and execution, war and gore, magic and witches, barbaric and savage nations and their primitive, unforgiving, unique customs. I lost myself in one of the most unlikely love stories I’ve ever read and lost my heart to a certain violent, bloodthirsty warrior king, carrying the softest and warmest soul inside...
Circe kisses her father and goes to bed, in their home in Seattle and when she opens her eyes, she is in a paralel world, an alternate reality that is entirely foreign to her… She is in a pen with many other women, some terrified, some excited, surrounded by Korwahk warriors, waiting for “the Wife Hunt” she is forced to participate in. She is to be chosen, hunted down, “claimed”, paraded and taken as wife by a Korwahk warrior, as is tradition. Needless to say, she is scared shitless…
Dax Lahn is known as a cruel and heartless savage, as the mighty king of The Horde of the Daxshee and as the leader of the terrifying Korwahk warriors. He always attends, but never participates in the Wife Hunts. But this year one of the woman in the parade catches his eye… A woman with long blonde hair and fair skin that shine under the sun, igniting his blood, watering his mouth, filling him with feelings of possession and want. A woman that he chases, fights for, fights “with” and finally “claims” as his wife…
“Out there, King Lahn is a fierce warrior but in here, my Lahn... kah Lahn is sweet.”
~ CIRCE
Circe is now the wife of Dax Lahn, the Golden Worrior Queen of the Korwahk people and her husband's “Lahnahsahna”, his fearless tigress, and his golden bride…
Will she ever be able to go back home, to his father and her friends? With the fierce pull she feels towards her husband and the weird connection to this crazy foreign nation, will she even want to?
“Kah Dax, kah Tunakan, kah Lahn.”
My king, my worrior, my Lahn.
“Meena, my Circe, kah nahna.”
Yes, my Circe, all yours.
Circe and Lahn have so much that stand in their way of a happy life together… They speak different languages, they have different moral codes, they have different cultural backgrounds… But Circe and Lahn try to communicate and understand each other. They learn to accept each other for who they are, and hold on to the connection they both feel in the core of their hearts. They reach for a true and strong love, they fight for it and when they finally get it… they never let go.
“He is my kind, he is a warrior, he is my husband and I am proud to say about all... HE IS MINE.”
~ CIRCE
This book made me angry. This book made me smile. This book made me feel hurt and sad and frustrated. This book made me go through so many different emotions. What makes this story beautiful is the way it shows us that love can be found in the most unexpected places, with the most unexpected people. That love has the power to make a person forgive, forget and unsee a lot of things he or she might have never thought they could. That love can help people to overcome all the obstacles on the way, against all odds, and create a connection between them so fierce, no one can ever sever it.
“You are my golden queen. You are my tigress. You are my Circe. Always, Circe. ALWAYS. Never will I allow your gold to be taken from me. NEVER. Understand this, Circe, and NEVER FORGET.”
~ LAHN
You see, one of my dearest friends, Hanife, has been insisting on making me read this book FOR YEARS! Of course I, the idiot that I am, judged the book by it's cover and ignored her pleas. Now, I am totally kicking myself for putting this book off! Once again, it has been proven to me that Kristen Ashley is an amazing author and that she NEVER disappoints.
“Words make marks DEEPER than fists; they last LONGER and sometimes NEVER go away.”
P.S: I know it's weird that I've started the “Fantasyland” series with Book#2... My buddy told me it's the best book of them all and that I wouldn't get lost even if I didn't read Book#1 first. She gave me a little heads up about the PNR element, summarized the general plotline without spoilers before I started and it worked!
So thank you so much Hanife, baby! I love you! ♥
May 28, 2022
Reread 🎧 : 4.98🌟
yo i can’t believe it’s only been 2 months since i first read this and i already miss Lahn so much i had to pick this up again 😭🤚🏻 I just want to sign up as his super exclusive private Xacto we don’t even have to tell Circe, man 😞
I enjoyed this a lot more listening to the audiobook and that’s mostly bc i didn’t have to torture myself w the bad/cringey writing. however, the downside of it was that i couldn’t use Khal drogo’s voice in my head bc of the narrator but wtv you get some, you lose some 🤷🏻♀️
I’m STILL so pissed abt the time jumps at the last 20% of the book AAAND so fucking angry that THE ONLY time we get to see Lahn being vulnerable and sad, Circe decides to be all quirky and ‘oh it’s fiiine’ 🙄 i was like shut upppp i wanna hear what he has to saaaaayyyyyy!!!😤 especially when he’s that type of dude who has high ego and never apologizes! it could’ve been a once in a lifetime moment and she ruined ittttt🤬
imagine. a freaking ruthless fierce savage brutal hunk of a king warrior who doesn’t say much to other people except barking out orders says this sort of crap to you and onlY you..... imaGINE.
ANYWAY i wouldn’t be surprised if i do another reread in the next 2 months 😌
•
•
•
•
•
************
4.5-DaxLahn-can-have-me-any-way-he-likes-STARS🌟
𝗖𝗔𝗡 𝗬𝗢𝗨 𝗛𝗘𝗔𝗥 𝗠𝗬 𝗗𝗔𝗡𝗬+𝗗𝗥𝗢𝗚𝗢 𝗙𝗔𝗡𝗚𝗜𝗥𝗟 𝗛𝗘𝗔𝗥𝗧 𝗦𝗖𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗠𝗜𝗡𝗚𝗚𝗚𝗚𝗚?!?!?!$.&,$/-@,&/$,$$/!,
🖤⚜️🖤⚜️🖤⚜️🖤⚜️🖤⚜️🖤⚜️🖤⚜️🖤⚜️🖤⚜️🖤⚜️🖤⚜️
"𝑶𝒖𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆, 𝑲𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑳𝒂𝒉𝒏 𝒊𝒔 𝒂 𝒇𝒊𝒆𝒓𝒄𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒓𝒓𝒊𝒐𝒓 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝒊𝒏 𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒎𝒚 𝑳𝒂𝒉𝒏 ..𝒌𝒂𝒉 𝑳𝒂𝒉𝒏 𝒊𝒔 𝒔𝒘𝒆𝒆𝒕.”
shutupshutupshutupshutup i know it’s only february but idc i’m placing this in my top faves of 2021 list!!
Gosh, i SQUEALED and SWOONED (cried a bit too) at how much of a perfection Lahn and Circe were together! At first I told myself i was just gonna try one chapter but ended up reading the whole thing in 2 sitting 😭💀the way they interacted w each other was enough to build a freaking zoo in my stomach and i have no complaints 🙅🏻♀️
I literally don’t think i can write a coherent review on exactly how i felt after reading this so i’ll just say i LOOOOOVED THIS SO DAMN MUCH!!! my heart is so overwhelmingly full right now!! (though i wanted more from the ending) I’m definitely getting a physical copy of this one to add to my book collection bc 😭✨😍🔥🥵
"𝑯𝒆 𝒊𝒔 𝒎𝒚 𝑲𝒊𝒏𝒈, 𝒉𝒆 𝒊𝒔 𝒎𝒚 𝒘𝒂𝒓𝒓𝒊𝒐𝒓, 𝒉𝒆 𝒊𝒔 𝒎𝒚 𝒉𝒖𝒔𝒃𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑰’𝒎 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒔𝒂𝒚 𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒂𝒍𝒍...𝒉𝒆 𝒊𝒔 𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒆.“
-0.5 bc the writing was so bad and slightly cringey—it was too juvenile and comical for my liking and the repetitive dialogues/monologues had my left eye twitching. but i should’ve expected it since this was written a decade ago. i’m sure Kristen Ashley’s writing has improved over the years (god, i hope). but the fact that i still continued reading says a lot abt how absolutely ✨𝓹𝓮𝓻𝓯𝓮𝓬𝓽✨ and gripping the romance was. *chef’s-fucking-kiss*
random: i cant believe out of ALL the savage and heinous shit that Lahn’s done, the only thing that pisses me off is that he cant seem to utter the word sorry. I can almost hear Diandra scolding me "that is just who and how he is. it is thEiR wAy, my sweet."
TW: rape, domestic abuse
yo i can’t believe it’s only been 2 months since i first read this and i already miss Lahn so much i had to pick this up again 😭🤚🏻 I just want to sign up as his super exclusive private Xacto we don’t even have to tell Circe, man 😞
I enjoyed this a lot more listening to the audiobook and that’s mostly bc i didn’t have to torture myself w the bad/cringey writing. however, the downside of it was that i couldn’t use Khal drogo’s voice in my head bc of the narrator but wtv you get some, you lose some 🤷🏻♀️
I’m STILL so pissed abt the time jumps at the last 20% of the book AAAND so fucking angry that THE ONLY time we get to see Lahn being vulnerable and sad, Circe decides to be all quirky and ‘oh it’s fiiine’ 🙄 i was like shut upppp i wanna hear what he has to saaaaayyyyyy!!!😤 especially when he’s that type of dude who has high ego and never apologizes! it could’ve been a once in a lifetime moment and she ruined ittttt🤬
His eyes moved over my face and he whispered back, “I could not dream a better you—A better wife, a better queen. Not even in a dream could I create better than you.”
imagine. a freaking ruthless fierce savage brutal hunk of a king warrior who doesn’t say much to other people except barking out orders says this sort of crap to you and onlY you..... imaGINE.
ANYWAY i wouldn’t be surprised if i do another reread in the next 2 months 😌
•
•
•
•
•
************
4.5-DaxLahn-can-have-me-any-way-he-likes-STARS🌟
𝗖𝗔𝗡 𝗬𝗢𝗨 𝗛𝗘𝗔𝗥 𝗠𝗬 𝗗𝗔𝗡𝗬+𝗗𝗥𝗢𝗚𝗢 𝗙𝗔𝗡𝗚𝗜𝗥𝗟 𝗛𝗘𝗔𝗥𝗧 𝗦𝗖𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗠𝗜𝗡𝗚𝗚𝗚𝗚𝗚?!?!?!$.&,$/-@,&/$,$$/!,
🖤⚜️🖤⚜️🖤⚜️🖤⚜️🖤⚜️🖤⚜️🖤⚜️🖤⚜️🖤⚜️🖤⚜️🖤⚜️
"𝑶𝒖𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆, 𝑲𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑳𝒂𝒉𝒏 𝒊𝒔 𝒂 𝒇𝒊𝒆𝒓𝒄𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒓𝒓𝒊𝒐𝒓 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝒊𝒏 𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒎𝒚 𝑳𝒂𝒉𝒏 ..𝒌𝒂𝒉 𝑳𝒂𝒉𝒏 𝒊𝒔 𝒔𝒘𝒆𝒆𝒕.”
shutupshutupshutupshutup i know it’s only february but idc i’m placing this in my top faves of 2021 list!!
Gosh, i SQUEALED and SWOONED (cried a bit too) at how much of a perfection Lahn and Circe were together! At first I told myself i was just gonna try one chapter but ended up reading the whole thing in 2 sitting 😭💀the way they interacted w each other was enough to build a freaking zoo in my stomach and i have no complaints 🙅🏻♀️
I literally don’t think i can write a coherent review on exactly how i felt after reading this so i’ll just say i LOOOOOVED THIS SO DAMN MUCH!!! my heart is so overwhelmingly full right now!! (though i wanted more from the ending) I’m definitely getting a physical copy of this one to add to my book collection bc 😭✨😍🔥🥵
"𝑯𝒆 𝒊𝒔 𝒎𝒚 𝑲𝒊𝒏𝒈, 𝒉𝒆 𝒊𝒔 𝒎𝒚 𝒘𝒂𝒓𝒓𝒊𝒐𝒓, 𝒉𝒆 𝒊𝒔 𝒎𝒚 𝒉𝒖𝒔𝒃𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑰’𝒎 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒔𝒂𝒚 𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒂𝒍𝒍...𝒉𝒆 𝒊𝒔 𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒆.“
-0.5 bc the writing was so bad and slightly cringey—it was too juvenile and comical for my liking and the repetitive dialogues/monologues had my left eye twitching. but i should’ve expected it since this was written a decade ago. i’m sure Kristen Ashley’s writing has improved over the years (god, i hope). but the fact that i still continued reading says a lot abt how absolutely ✨𝓹𝓮𝓻𝓯𝓮𝓬𝓽✨ and gripping the romance was. *chef’s-fucking-kiss*
random: i cant believe out of ALL the savage and heinous shit that Lahn’s done, the only thing that pisses me off is that he cant seem to utter the word sorry. I can almost hear Diandra scolding me "that is just who and how he is. it is thEiR wAy, my sweet."
TW: rape, domestic abuse
December 29, 2023
"I gave up a world for you."
I LOVED IT. LOVED IT, LOVED IT, LOVED IT!
“I already had a feeling I was screwed, seeing I was in sacrificial virgin attire and in a corral. But now I was thinking I was way screwed. My attention focused back on her when she went on to say in a dire tone, “The Wife Hunt.”
This was an amazing book! AMAZING!
“My side hurt. My feet hurt. My neck hurt. My ass hurt. I needed a fucking bra. But I didn't care. I just ran.”
I have no words, I don't know what to say! I need to read it again I loved it so much!
“I could not dream a better you."[...]“A better wife, a better queen. Not even in a dream could I create better than you.”
I am joining the Game of Thrones hype here! Sorry, I can’t help myself ; P
Dax Lahn
Circe
“He is my king, he is my warrior, he is my husband and I am proud to say above all… he is mine.”
“He's a husband, he's a king, he's a man but remember above all, my queen, always remember, above all, he...is...a warrior.”
“Out there, King Lahn is a fierce warrior but in here, my Lahn… kah Lahn is sweet.”
“You know I love you," I whispered in his ear.
"I know," he whispered back, turned, I pulled my arms away and he got on his knees in front of me, his hands framing my face.
I looked in his dark eyes.
"Do you know how much?" I kept whispering.
"How much, baby?" ...
I bent my forehead to his and told him the truth. "More than my world.”
“I am who I am, I am Korwahk, I am warrior, I am Dax and you must accept me as what I am. I may have forced my body on yours but I did not force your love, you gave it to me knowing who I am. As we live our lives, you cannot decide to disagree with parts of that and then decide to take your love away, Circe. I’ll not live like that. Therefore, you need to reflect on this, come to your peace with it and never, my golden queen, never request another such concession from me.”
“You love the feel of me”
“You don’t have to have had something to want it or need it but when you have something you liked… very much… and it is taken away, and you want it back, it can become a hunger.”
"I gave up my world for you, Lahn. I sat at your side through things people in my world would find loathsome and I did it with my head held high. I even felt 'pride' that I could endure, that I could be a good queen to you.......Everything I did in this fucking place, even before I fell in love with you, was for...fucking...YOU." ”
“Then I whispered, “I love you, my Lahn,” and heard the swift hiss of his intake of breath. Then he buried his face in my neck and whispered back, “Loot kay hansahnalay na, my Circe.” And I love you, my Circe.”
“What has been has been but what will be is what we make of it.”
WARNING:
This story is extremely sexist and degrading to women. It romanticizes rape and domestic abuse. It glamorizes submissiveness and obedience in women, as well as male control and dominance. Perpetuates gender roles, toxic masculinity and offers very offensive archetypes for women. Morally, I am very opposed to everything happening in this book and very aware of how disgusting it is, nothing here is excusable or desirable. Nevertheless, I still loved it, emotionally not rationally. I feel guilty about it, but I recognize, despite my ideals, I am also a product of a sexist society, I did grow up loving Disney and its weakling princesses in distress. As and adult, I have worked hard to reprogram myself against all that, I try to fight my upbringing as much as I can, but I am human and sometimes I fail. This is one of those times. I won't beat myself for it constantly. I don't excuse or condone any of it, I recognize it and I move on trying to be a better feminist, just not this time.
I LOVED IT. LOVED IT, LOVED IT, LOVED IT!
“I already had a feeling I was screwed, seeing I was in sacrificial virgin attire and in a corral. But now I was thinking I was way screwed. My attention focused back on her when she went on to say in a dire tone, “The Wife Hunt.”
This was an amazing book! AMAZING!
“My side hurt. My feet hurt. My neck hurt. My ass hurt. I needed a fucking bra. But I didn't care. I just ran.”
I have no words, I don't know what to say! I need to read it again I loved it so much!
“I could not dream a better you."[...]“A better wife, a better queen. Not even in a dream could I create better than you.”
I am joining the Game of Thrones hype here! Sorry, I can’t help myself ; P
Dax Lahn
Circe
“He is my king, he is my warrior, he is my husband and I am proud to say above all… he is mine.”
“He's a husband, he's a king, he's a man but remember above all, my queen, always remember, above all, he...is...a warrior.”
“Out there, King Lahn is a fierce warrior but in here, my Lahn… kah Lahn is sweet.”
“You know I love you," I whispered in his ear.
"I know," he whispered back, turned, I pulled my arms away and he got on his knees in front of me, his hands framing my face.
I looked in his dark eyes.
"Do you know how much?" I kept whispering.
"How much, baby?" ...
I bent my forehead to his and told him the truth. "More than my world.”
“I am who I am, I am Korwahk, I am warrior, I am Dax and you must accept me as what I am. I may have forced my body on yours but I did not force your love, you gave it to me knowing who I am. As we live our lives, you cannot decide to disagree with parts of that and then decide to take your love away, Circe. I’ll not live like that. Therefore, you need to reflect on this, come to your peace with it and never, my golden queen, never request another such concession from me.”
“You love the feel of me”
“You don’t have to have had something to want it or need it but when you have something you liked… very much… and it is taken away, and you want it back, it can become a hunger.”
"I gave up my world for you, Lahn. I sat at your side through things people in my world would find loathsome and I did it with my head held high. I even felt 'pride' that I could endure, that I could be a good queen to you.......Everything I did in this fucking place, even before I fell in love with you, was for...fucking...YOU." ”
“Then I whispered, “I love you, my Lahn,” and heard the swift hiss of his intake of breath. Then he buried his face in my neck and whispered back, “Loot kay hansahnalay na, my Circe.” And I love you, my Circe.”
“What has been has been but what will be is what we make of it.”
WARNING:
This story is extremely sexist and degrading to women. It romanticizes rape and domestic abuse. It glamorizes submissiveness and obedience in women, as well as male control and dominance. Perpetuates gender roles, toxic masculinity and offers very offensive archetypes for women. Morally, I am very opposed to everything happening in this book and very aware of how disgusting it is, nothing here is excusable or desirable. Nevertheless, I still loved it, emotionally not rationally. I feel guilty about it, but I recognize, despite my ideals, I am also a product of a sexist society, I did grow up loving Disney and its weakling princesses in distress. As and adult, I have worked hard to reprogram myself against all that, I try to fight my upbringing as much as I can, but I am human and sometimes I fail. This is one of those times. I won't beat myself for it constantly. I don't excuse or condone any of it, I recognize it and I move on trying to be a better feminist, just not this time.
January 29, 2021
Third re-read: 29.01.2021
I don't like how pushy Diandra is. I also don't like that not just one character, but pretty much everyone talks the same way. They constantly push their opinions on a character. Not giving said character a chance to speak. And another thing that seriously bother me with KA's books is the constant use of "baby" "honey" "sweet" "my love" and so forth. I get that SOME people are like this, but not freaking everyone. Lahn does something truly bad, like for example, hitting Circe. She forgives him even after she said he had lost her. Then later one, he does something bad again, and she again says he has lost her. She forgives him again. This is because apparently, a person cannot take time to heal. One must forgive after Lahn is being sweet. I know what I just said doesn't make sense. And while I love Lahn, the pushy way Diandra is, in regards of how Circe acts with for example Lahn, is annoying. I'm a woman who does not forgive easily, and I would've hated it if someone tried to push me to forgive. Even if Circe might feel the same, it is still not right to push her to feel this. Give her freaking time. And what about Lahn's men's treatment of Circe when Balder came? Is it all forgiven without any apologizes? That said, I still enjoyed the read.
Second re-read: 04.09.2019
I decided to re-read this one again as I remember liking the story about Dahksahna Circe, the golden warrior queen and King/Dax Lahn of Korwahk nation. The parallelunivers is a awesome concept that is an absolute joy to read about, though it can be a bit confusing at time. One thing I noticed this time around, was how annoyed I because at Circe calling Lahn ‘baby’ all the time. There was also the difficult to understand what the hell the Korwahk was talking about, even after Circe learned their language. Strange as I cannot remember the latter being a problem before. That being said, I like the characters; the male characters are hot alpha male, and in this case terrific warriors.
Kristen Ashley has that great talent with writing amazing alpha males, whilst for me, her female characters always annoys the living shit out of me. A while Circe can be a bit annoying, she's by far one of my favorite female characters of KA, if not the favorite, because there's little that do annoy me with her. She's sweet, kind, but also fierce. Overall, I'm glad I re-read it again, I still enjoyed it very much and I didn't skim (though I have to be honest, there was some points where I felt myself starting to skim but went back and read it properly). Maybe I should re-read more from this series...
New Rating: 3.5 stars.
Other Characters:
→ Seerim, a warrior of The Horde, his wife Diandra. She teaches Circe the new world she has ended up in. Their daughter, Sheena (12).
→ Dortak, a creepy warrior of The Horde who wants the throne.
→ Teetru, the boss of sorts (of the slaves), Jacanda, Packa, Gaal and Beetus, Circe's ‘slaves’, a gift from Lahn.
→ Geoffrey, a man from Middleland. Middleland is ruled by King Baldur, who is a greedy, cruel man.
→ Karrim ‘The Eunuch’, he's the charge of the scouts who search for the wives for the Hunt, of the Hunt and its celebrations, of the warrior selections and once the warriors are selected, he chooses who will be trained by whom then, once they are of an age, who will be assigned to whom. He was cast out for being gay (?) by the previous Dax, but when Lahn became the Dax he tracked him down and gave him the job.
→ Narinda, a woman who became a bride in the Hunt and help Circe understand what was going on. Feetak, her husband.
→ Nahka, a bride of the warrior Bohtan, who's son Circe saved when the boy was choking.
→ Bain and Zahnin, two of Circe's personal guards. Oahsee, Bain's wife. Sabine, Zahnin's wife. Zahnin is Lahn's closest lieutenant.
→ Claudine, a friend of Diandra who knows French, and helped teach Sabine Korwahk.
→ Char and Vuntus, Nahka’s two BFFs. Their husbands, Tark and Yoonan.
→ Twinka, Lahn's house slave who looked after his residence in Korwahn while he was away.
→ Harold Quinn, Circe's father.
→ Marlene, Circe's best friend in Seattle.
Re-read: 10.10.2016
Still fantastic: I love this book. I think I might even love it more than the first book, though I'm not so sure who I love the most Frey Drakkar ( Wildest Dreams ) or Dax (King) Lahn... They are both amazing, hot and alpha male. So I'll just go for both. Circe Kaye Quinn (35) is, too, a great character, who doesn't make me annoyed, which is actually rare these days... Second time reading the book and it's still so damn good. I'm 120% sure I'll be re-reading this one again, and book one. Kristen Ashley do know how to write terrific books, I must say...
Quick basic facts:
Genre: - (Adult) Fantasy Romance (M/F).
Series: - Series (Can Be Read As A Standalone), Book Two.
Love triangle? -
Cheating? -
HEA? -
Favorite character? - Dax Lahn.
Would I read more by this author/or of series? - Yes.
Would I recommend this book/series? - Yes.
Will I read this again in the future? - Probably.
Rating - 4 Stars.
First read review:
Simply said, I loved it! Thank you so much, V, for reminding (recommend it to me again) me of this book! I'm sure that if it weren't for you saying I would love it, then I wouldn't have read it at all ;P
I don't like how pushy Diandra is. I also don't like that not just one character, but pretty much everyone talks the same way. They constantly push their opinions on a character. Not giving said character a chance to speak. And another thing that seriously bother me with KA's books is the constant use of "baby" "honey" "sweet" "my love" and so forth. I get that SOME people are like this, but not freaking everyone. Lahn does something truly bad, like for example, hitting Circe. She forgives him even after she said he had lost her. Then later one, he does something bad again, and she again says he has lost her. She forgives him again. This is because apparently, a person cannot take time to heal. One must forgive after Lahn is being sweet. I know what I just said doesn't make sense. And while I love Lahn, the pushy way Diandra is, in regards of how Circe acts with for example Lahn, is annoying. I'm a woman who does not forgive easily, and I would've hated it if someone tried to push me to forgive. Even if Circe might feel the same, it is still not right to push her to feel this. Give her freaking time. And what about Lahn's men's treatment of Circe when Balder came? Is it all forgiven without any apologizes? That said, I still enjoyed the read.
⋰⋱⋰⋱⋰⋱*Still Quite Enjoyable*⋰⋱⋰⋱⋰⋱
Second re-read: 04.09.2019
I decided to re-read this one again as I remember liking the story about Dahksahna Circe, the golden warrior queen and King/Dax Lahn of Korwahk nation. The parallelunivers is a awesome concept that is an absolute joy to read about, though it can be a bit confusing at time. One thing I noticed this time around, was how annoyed I because at Circe calling Lahn ‘baby’ all the time. There was also the difficult to understand what the hell the Korwahk was talking about, even after Circe learned their language. Strange as I cannot remember the latter being a problem before. That being said, I like the characters; the male characters are hot alpha male, and in this case terrific warriors.
Kristen Ashley has that great talent with writing amazing alpha males, whilst for me, her female characters always annoys the living shit out of me. A while Circe can be a bit annoying, she's by far one of my favorite female characters of KA, if not the favorite, because there's little that do annoy me with her. She's sweet, kind, but also fierce. Overall, I'm glad I re-read it again, I still enjoyed it very much and I didn't skim (though I have to be honest, there was some points where I felt myself starting to skim but went back and read it properly). Maybe I should re-read more from this series...
New Rating: 3.5 stars.
Other Characters:
→ Seerim, a warrior of The Horde, his wife Diandra. She teaches Circe the new world she has ended up in. Their daughter, Sheena (12).
→ Dortak, a creepy warrior of The Horde who wants the throne.
→ Teetru, the boss of sorts (of the slaves), Jacanda, Packa, Gaal and Beetus, Circe's ‘slaves’, a gift from Lahn.
→ Geoffrey, a man from Middleland. Middleland is ruled by King Baldur, who is a greedy, cruel man.
→ Karrim ‘The Eunuch’, he's the charge of the scouts who search for the wives for the Hunt, of the Hunt and its celebrations, of the warrior selections and once the warriors are selected, he chooses who will be trained by whom then, once they are of an age, who will be assigned to whom. He was cast out for being gay (?) by the previous Dax, but when Lahn became the Dax he tracked him down and gave him the job.
→ Narinda, a woman who became a bride in the Hunt and help Circe understand what was going on. Feetak, her husband.
→ Nahka, a bride of the warrior Bohtan, who's son Circe saved when the boy was choking.
→ Bain and Zahnin, two of Circe's personal guards. Oahsee, Bain's wife. Sabine, Zahnin's wife. Zahnin is Lahn's closest lieutenant.
→ Claudine, a friend of Diandra who knows French, and helped teach Sabine Korwahk.
→ Char and Vuntus, Nahka’s two BFFs. Their husbands, Tark and Yoonan.
→ Twinka, Lahn's house slave who looked after his residence in Korwahn while he was away.
→ Harold Quinn, Circe's father.
→ Marlene, Circe's best friend in Seattle.
I didn’t know where I was or how I got there. I wasn’t certain what was happening. I went to bed in my bed in a world I understood and I woke up here in a world that was entirely foreign to me, everything about it, and not one thing about it was good.
And now I was running for my life.
Re-read: 10.10.2016
Still fantastic: I love this book. I think I might even love it more than the first book, though I'm not so sure who I love the most Frey Drakkar ( Wildest Dreams ) or Dax (King) Lahn... They are both amazing, hot and alpha male. So I'll just go for both. Circe Kaye Quinn (35) is, too, a great character, who doesn't make me annoyed, which is actually rare these days... Second time reading the book and it's still so damn good. I'm 120% sure I'll be re-reading this one again, and book one. Kristen Ashley do know how to write terrific books, I must say...
“What has been has been but what will be is what we make of it.”
Quick basic facts:
Genre: - (Adult) Fantasy Romance (M/F).
Series: - Series (Can Be Read As A Standalone), Book Two.
Love triangle? -
Cheating? -
HEA? -
Favorite character? - Dax Lahn.
Would I read more by this author/or of series? - Yes.
Would I recommend this book/series? - Yes.
Will I read this again in the future? - Probably.
Rating - 4 Stars.
First read review:
Simply said, I loved it! Thank you so much, V, for reminding (recommend it to me again) me of this book! I'm sure that if it weren't for you saying I would love it, then I wouldn't have read it at all ;P
August 18, 2021
Re-read on 8/17/2021.
Listening Length: 17 hours 24 minutes.
__________________________
17 hours of audio bliss!! My favorite Kristen Ashley book to date!!!
If you're a fan of GAME OF THRONES love story between Daenerys and Khal Drogo then this story is for you!!! This is how I pictured their love story had Khal Drogo stayed on the show longer.
READ IT!!! I'm already planning to re-read this book later this year!!
SERIES
The Fantasyland Series is a series of five novels that take place in our world and a parallel universe where fantasies are true... but perhaps not all you would expect.
Follow Foxy Blogs at: Foxy Blogs ♥ Twitter ♥ Instagram ♥ Facebook
Listening Length: 17 hours 24 minutes.
__________________________
17 hours of audio bliss!! My favorite Kristen Ashley book to date!!!
If you're a fan of GAME OF THRONES love story between Daenerys and Khal Drogo then this story is for you!!! This is how I pictured their love story had Khal Drogo stayed on the show longer.
READ IT!!! I'm already planning to re-read this book later this year!!
SERIES
The Fantasyland Series is a series of five novels that take place in our world and a parallel universe where fantasies are true... but perhaps not all you would expect.
Follow Foxy Blogs at: Foxy Blogs ♥ Twitter ♥ Instagram ♥ Facebook
October 18, 2025
This book REDEFINES the barbarian-yummy smut trope!
Honestly the writing of this series has really blown me away and started me down a rabbit hole of epic fantasy meets alphahole romances. So allow me to introduce the enchantress Circe who gets trapped into a suddenly different world… only to discover it stinks without electricity
“His eyebrows went up in question, ‘What kingdom are you from?’
“Umm..” Shit. Well, here goes, “Seattle.”
His brows descended only to knit over narrowed eyes. “Seattle?”
“Yes, its a very small kingdom,” i told him.”
Shoutout to the epic Pacific Northwest callout!
This is a dark romance, featuring some hard tropes. Forced marriage being the tamest one. Picture suddenly thrust in Mongolian empire with a Horde King chosing his bride but theres a shit ton of magic.
The writing style and dynamic characters immediately got sucked me into this world. The yummy barbaric culture, the mythology and culture was woven throughout the book! It was extremely well written while also making the book feel all the more real, new, and dangerous to us the reader and our modern-day Mary Sue….
JK … She was definitely a submissive but with a hilarious blend of sassy and sweet.
“You speak seven languages?” I breathed, Diandra translated and he nodded so I leaned in and kept breathing, “Seven?”
His eyes roamed my face and one side of his lips twitched before he replied in English, “Yes, Circe, seven.”
“Then why don’t you know English?” I shouted. “I mean, Valearian or whatever!”
It isn’t easy finding yourself in a strange new world where no one knows what English is let along speak it! Our Circe bares her claws and puts up a fight until HORDE KING lets her know that his steel is little sharper….
“If you’re given the opportunity to look deep enough, you can see a person’s spirit in their eyes but usually, they are guarded, kept safe. Not you, my tigress, the night of your claiming, even in the moonlight, I could see your spirit shining from your eyes. You hold your spirit close to the surface for all to behold and it is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen.”
Oh.
My.
God.”
Also there's like a lotta Dirty, sex, hot .
My critiques…
I beg of you, do NOT judge this book by its cover.
Inside awaits my favorite blend of epic fantasy world with a great romance with hot alpha King.
I struggled with some of the miscommunication tropes. I hated the idea of him missing her (). I wished we had more moments of our Horde court like the queen interacting with other officals or public more than the Battle scenes.
Overall, I've read this book like 5 fucking times so if that's not an endorsement i have no goddamn clue what is.
Warning AGAIN, this is some dark shit so definite trigger warnings if you not a fan of dark fantasy taboo shit
“And then, with one swing of his mighty arm, falling right out of love and landing with a crash so brutal, it shattered me.
In other words, I cried a lot of fucking tears”
Honestly the writing of this series has really blown me away and started me down a rabbit hole of epic fantasy meets alphahole romances. So allow me to introduce the enchantress Circe who gets trapped into a suddenly different world… only to discover it stinks without electricity
“His eyebrows went up in question, ‘What kingdom are you from?’
“Umm..” Shit. Well, here goes, “Seattle.”
His brows descended only to knit over narrowed eyes. “Seattle?”
“Yes, its a very small kingdom,” i told him.”
Shoutout to the epic Pacific Northwest callout!
This is a dark romance, featuring some hard tropes. Forced marriage being the tamest one. Picture suddenly thrust in Mongolian empire with a Horde King chosing his bride but theres a shit ton of magic.
The writing style and dynamic characters immediately got sucked me into this world. The yummy barbaric culture, the mythology and culture was woven throughout the book! It was extremely well written while also making the book feel all the more real, new, and dangerous to us the reader and our modern-day Mary Sue….
JK … She was definitely a submissive but with a hilarious blend of sassy and sweet.
“You speak seven languages?” I breathed, Diandra translated and he nodded so I leaned in and kept breathing, “Seven?”
His eyes roamed my face and one side of his lips twitched before he replied in English, “Yes, Circe, seven.”
“Then why don’t you know English?” I shouted. “I mean, Valearian or whatever!”
It isn’t easy finding yourself in a strange new world where no one knows what English is let along speak it! Our Circe bares her claws and puts up a fight until HORDE KING lets her know that his steel is little sharper….
“If you’re given the opportunity to look deep enough, you can see a person’s spirit in their eyes but usually, they are guarded, kept safe. Not you, my tigress, the night of your claiming, even in the moonlight, I could see your spirit shining from your eyes. You hold your spirit close to the surface for all to behold and it is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen.”
Oh.
My.
God.”
Also there's like a lotta Dirty, sex, hot .
My critiques…
I beg of you, do NOT judge this book by its cover.
Inside awaits my favorite blend of epic fantasy world with a great romance with hot alpha King.
I struggled with some of the miscommunication tropes. I hated the idea of him missing her (). I wished we had more moments of our Horde court like the queen interacting with other officals or public more than the Battle scenes.
Overall, I've read this book like 5 fucking times so if that's not an endorsement i have no goddamn clue what is.
Warning AGAIN, this is some dark shit so definite trigger warnings if you not a fan of dark fantasy taboo shit
“And then, with one swing of his mighty arm, falling right out of love and landing with a crash so brutal, it shattered me.
In other words, I cried a lot of fucking tears”
February 11, 2014
ANOTHER 5 STAR READ!!!
E P I C!!!!!
Kristen Ashley is
This couple is
This book is
The writing is
This series is
My Thoughts are
KA is a true GENIUS!! The second I finished this book I found my self wanting to go back to the beginning to start all over again. YES, it was that GOOD! I noticed how KA set up each story in the first book which is Wildest Dreams, again GENIUS! It was that fantasyland book where she mentions what's up with each couple and even sets the story line up for her current release Broken Dove.
Note to self: I wonder if it is a coincidence that all these women are swapping with their universal twins...All around the same time... Things that make you go hmmm.
KA is very good with details she sucks you completely in to her fantasyland universe and you want to stay there. FOREVER!!!
On another note if you have not noticed I am totally and completely OBSESSED with this series!!! TOTAL MUST READ!
Dear friends, if you enjoy a good PNR(paranormal romance) I highly suggest you bump this series up on your to-read list!
FAVE LINES said or usaid
“You have rare beauty the like I have never seen but you will be more beautiful heavy with my seed,” he stated softly.
Holy freaking moly… my husband was hot!
“Do you have words, sister?” Lahn asked softly. The woman in white stared at him. Then, slowly, her eyes slid to me. Then a small, tragic smile drifted across her mouth and she said one word.
“Rainbow.”
I am your husband. I will keep you safe and I will do it by keeping my feet on this earth, breathing the air and being there to make you safe. Do you understand this?”
His eyes moved over my face and he whispered back, “I could not dream a better you.”
“Now,” Lahn went on, “you will leave with no trunks filled with Korwahk’s bounty in your greedy, fat hands. What you will leave with is your life and the knowledge that if you ever carry forth a plot that threatens my golden queen, you will die choking on your own balls and you’ll do it while staring in my eyes.”
I couldn’t believe this.
This was unbelievable.
It was also heartbreaking.
Nope, I was wrong about that. It was soul destroying.
E P I C!!!!!
Kristen Ashley is
This couple is
This book is
The writing is
This series is
My Thoughts are
KA is a true GENIUS!! The second I finished this book I found my self wanting to go back to the beginning to start all over again. YES, it was that GOOD! I noticed how KA set up each story in the first book which is Wildest Dreams, again GENIUS! It was that fantasyland book where she mentions what's up with each couple and even sets the story line up for her current release Broken Dove.
Note to self: I wonder if it is a coincidence that all these women are swapping with their universal twins...All around the same time... Things that make you go hmmm.
KA is very good with details she sucks you completely in to her fantasyland universe and you want to stay there. FOREVER!!!
On another note if you have not noticed I am totally and completely OBSESSED with this series!!! TOTAL MUST READ!
Dear friends, if you enjoy a good PNR(paranormal romance) I highly suggest you bump this series up on your to-read list!
FAVE LINES said or usaid
“You have rare beauty the like I have never seen but you will be more beautiful heavy with my seed,” he stated softly.
Holy freaking moly… my husband was hot!
“Do you have words, sister?” Lahn asked softly. The woman in white stared at him. Then, slowly, her eyes slid to me. Then a small, tragic smile drifted across her mouth and she said one word.
“Rainbow.”
I am your husband. I will keep you safe and I will do it by keeping my feet on this earth, breathing the air and being there to make you safe. Do you understand this?”
His eyes moved over my face and he whispered back, “I could not dream a better you.”
“Now,” Lahn went on, “you will leave with no trunks filled with Korwahk’s bounty in your greedy, fat hands. What you will leave with is your life and the knowledge that if you ever carry forth a plot that threatens my golden queen, you will die choking on your own balls and you’ll do it while staring in my eyes.”
I couldn’t believe this.
This was unbelievable.
It was also heartbreaking.
Nope, I was wrong about that. It was soul destroying.
April 17, 2022
Dax Lahn screamed of Drogo from the Games of Thrones and picturing him looking like Jason Mamoa was no hardship. I have since learned that the author did in fact use him as inspiration for this book and I'm glad for it.
I absolutely loved Lahn. To me, there is nothing better than a dominant alpha who turns into such a protective, loving mate. He did things I didn't love, but he also watched, and learned, and adapted. His love for his golden queen makes this an epic love story.
For a heroine, Circe was one of the best I've read so far. She had such spirit and kindness to her that you can't help but love. As a couple, I felt they were perfect for each other, and exactly what I like to read about. His hardness to her softness, and the way they both helped the other grow and become better people is what made them such a great match.
Even with the beginning of this story having some scenes that I would normally abhor in my romance novel, I also understood that it's a realistic depiction of what would have been in a time like this, in a place like this, with people like this. It also provided real character growth opportunities that you do get to see developed. That being said, there are triggers in this book.
The author could have continued this story into 10 more books and I don't think I would ever get bored of hearing about them or their world. It is a favorite re-read of mine, and one I wish I could find similar books like it.
I absolutely loved Lahn. To me, there is nothing better than a dominant alpha who turns into such a protective, loving mate. He did things I didn't love, but he also watched, and learned, and adapted. His love for his golden queen makes this an epic love story.
For a heroine, Circe was one of the best I've read so far. She had such spirit and kindness to her that you can't help but love. As a couple, I felt they were perfect for each other, and exactly what I like to read about. His hardness to her softness, and the way they both helped the other grow and become better people is what made them such a great match.
Even with the beginning of this story having some scenes that I would normally abhor in my romance novel, I also understood that it's a realistic depiction of what would have been in a time like this, in a place like this, with people like this. It also provided real character growth opportunities that you do get to see developed. That being said, there are triggers in this book.
The author could have continued this story into 10 more books and I don't think I would ever get bored of hearing about them or their world. It is a favorite re-read of mine, and one I wish I could find similar books like it.
December 29, 2024
I know that many of my friends make fun of me for reading so many things at once but I just can't help it! While on vacation this past week, I couldn't help but pick up one of my faves! I absolutely adore this book. Circe and Lahn are two of my favorite characters of all time! This book has it all! Romance, passion, action, and the absolute best steamy scenes! It doesn't matter if you are a KA fan or not, this book is the best! Now I can start my next read with a big smile on my face! Everyone has their go-to book...this is mine! So glad I took the time to re-read one of my favorites!
“You know I love you," I whispered in his ear.
"I know," he whispered back, turned, I pulled my arms away and he got on his knees in front of me, his hands framing my face.
I looked in his dark eyes.
"Do you know how much?" I kept whispering.
"How much, baby?" Lahn kept whispering too.
I bent my forehead to his and told him the truth. "More than my world.”
Original read August 12, 2014
It's no surprise that I am a HUGE Kristen Ashley fan. I have enjoyed every single one of her books. There are not enough stars in the world to award to this book. The Golden Dynasty is raw, gritty, beautiful, action packed, and one of those books that stays with you. I feel it is necessary to warn readers that this book starts out very violent. Kristen Ashely wants to immerse us into this fantastical world. The only way to make that happen is to really put you there in that world. You have to feel every emotion of the heroine in order to grasp the depths of the love that Lahn and Circe find in each other. Now I will try to express in words just how much I adored every second of this read!
The story begins with Circe in a foreign realm. She went to sleep the night before in her apartment and has woken up in a cell full of scared women. She doesn't know what is happening but she is afraid and works quickly to assess her predicament.
Circe quickly learns from another girl in the pen that she is about to participate in a ritual known as "the hunt". The women run and the warriors (aka savages) hunt, capture and then claim their bride. Circe gathers her strength and prepares to run for her life. (Obviously, she is far away from Seattle and just has to deal....love this girl)!
Somehow, the unbelievable happens. Circe has caught the eye of the mighty warrior King Lahn. He is known to watch the hunts and not participate. Yet Circe has caught his eye and he jumps into the hunt to claim her as his!
Lahn catches Circe (after she has been traumatized by another warrior who tried to catch her first) and claims her. This claiming is not soft and sweet. It is rape. At this point, you might be checking the cover of the book. Is this a Kristen Ashley book? Is this a romance novel? What is actually happening here?
Circe is deeply traumatized by her new life. Yet she doesn't break down. She clings to her father's words of wisdom. She is an inspiration.
“What has been has been but what will be is what we make of it.”
Circe immerses herself in this new world. Although there is a language barrier, she tries to find kindness in her husband. Although he is rough and raw, we see moments of tenderness as he begins to show his adoration to his queen. Circe makes a friend who speaks her language. She begins to help guide her through the muddy waters of her new life. She also helps Circe understand Lahn. She serves as a translator and Lahn and Circe begin to communicate.
“He has bragged greatly about you. The Lahnahsahna, a true warrior’s wife. He told his people he did not claim you. He told his people he battled you before he won you. He told his people you challenged him. The warrior king’s bride fought like a warrior. She did not lay back and accept her fate. She stood strong and shouted in the face of a king. She fought and did not give up. Even knowing she’d taste defeat, she fought on, like a true warrior. He told his people you are not his queen. You are his warrior queen.”
Circe becomes a queen to her people. She begins to fall in love with her husband. She is such a strong heroine. She begins to fall deeply in love with Lahn.
“I was in love. Perhaps not with the man of my dreams, but with a man that was more man than any I’d ever encountered.”
Their love begins to grow.
The road to happiness is filled with violence, miscommunication, and hurt. Yet this is a love story I will never forget. Bravo to Ms. Ashley for stepping WAY out of the box and creating such a masterpiece. If you aren't afraid to dig deep into an unbelievable world then look no further. This book has it all!!!!
💕Re-read July 20-25, 2018💕
This book will never get old. I love every second!
💕💕Re-read July 1-4💕💕
💕💕💕Re-read July 20, 2020💕💕💕
This is an (F)BR with my girl SIMPLY NIK!!!!
For more reviews/reveals/giveaways visit:
April 21, 2018
Reread #4848548469 on 4/21/18
LOVE THIS BOOK
So when I discovered one of my all time favorite books was released in paperback for the first time, I bought that paperback right away! I meant to skim my favorite parts, but ended up completely rereading the entire book. And it was just as good if not better the second time around.
I am writing this review on a different edition of the book, so I think 2 reviews will show up and for that I am sorry if it bothers anyone. But since Goodreads doesn't have a reread option this was my only choice.
Anyways this is one of those epic romances that completely tears you apart on the inside and then puts you back together again. It's unconventional and yet it's beautiful and quite possibly the best book this author has ever written. If you haven't read it yet, you need to.
LOVE THIS BOOK
So when I discovered one of my all time favorite books was released in paperback for the first time, I bought that paperback right away! I meant to skim my favorite parts, but ended up completely rereading the entire book. And it was just as good if not better the second time around.
I am writing this review on a different edition of the book, so I think 2 reviews will show up and for that I am sorry if it bothers anyone. But since Goodreads doesn't have a reread option this was my only choice.
Anyways this is one of those epic romances that completely tears you apart on the inside and then puts you back together again. It's unconventional and yet it's beautiful and quite possibly the best book this author has ever written. If you haven't read it yet, you need to.
January 25, 2015
That's it. That's all I have to say.
June 10, 2020
Why did I even bother reading bad written Daenerys x Drogo fanfiction when I could have read this book all along??
I'm not the biggest Game of Throne fan, but I was VERY invested in Daenerys and Khal Drogo's relationship and when that didn't end so well, I was HEARTBROKEN. Therefore this book makes me super happy, because it's so similar to their story BUT WITH A HAPPY ENDING!
I love the whole concept of parallel universes and waking up in a foreign environment. Would I want to wake up in barren land populated by primitive people where I don't understand the culture nor the language? HELL NO. But it makes such a great and interesting story. It's something I haven't read that often or in this case even at all so that makes it even more interesting.
Circe (h) and Lahn (H) were amazing characters. The way Circe adjusted to her new surrounding and learned to cope with all the challenges was nothing short but inspiring. After a very traumatizing beginning, instead of retreating in a shell, she 'fought' back and tried to understand the people around her. Lahn oh Lahn, the king of Suh Tunak and a warrior. He is not a gentle or soft man, but when he is with Circe he's trying his best. He can be so sweet if he wants to be. I love her, I love him. I love them.
The Golden Dynasty makes me smile so much. It's such a beautiful story. I love how Lahn and Circe overcome their obstacles of communication. Lahn learning English and Circe learning Korwahk. IT'S SO HEARTWARMING I wanna cry. Their whole journey of falling in love under the most unusual circumstances. Lahn and Circle are literally people from two different worlds who find their soulmates in each other. While there is a plot, most of Lahn and Circe scenes are them together in bed just laying in each other arms and trying to communicate and it's making me so soft 🥺
As much as I love the romance, I adore the friendship between Circe and Diandra. Diandra helped Circe adjust in this new world. Their talks is seriously so funny. Circle forms all these friendship with Diandra, her maids, her guards and the people of Korwahn. It shows what a true QUEEN she is.
This book is 530 pages long, which is pretty long, but I never wanted it to end. It's so wholesome and I just want to say thank you to Kristen Ashley for writing this beautiul story where love really overcomes everything.(Please let me have this one sappy moment okay? 😂)
ONE OF MY FAVORITE BOOKS OF 2020 I'M CALLING IT!
I'm not the biggest Game of Throne fan, but I was VERY invested in Daenerys and Khal Drogo's relationship and when that didn't end so well, I was HEARTBROKEN. Therefore this book makes me super happy, because it's so similar to their story BUT WITH A HAPPY ENDING!
What has been has been but what will be is what you make of it.”
I love the whole concept of parallel universes and waking up in a foreign environment. Would I want to wake up in barren land populated by primitive people where I don't understand the culture nor the language? HELL NO. But it makes such a great and interesting story. It's something I haven't read that often or in this case even at all so that makes it even more interesting.
Circe (h) and Lahn (H) were amazing characters. The way Circe adjusted to her new surrounding and learned to cope with all the challenges was nothing short but inspiring. After a very traumatizing beginning, instead of retreating in a shell, she 'fought' back and tried to understand the people around her. Lahn oh Lahn, the king of Suh Tunak and a warrior. He is not a gentle or soft man, but when he is with Circe he's trying his best. He can be so sweet if he wants to be. I love her, I love him. I love them.
The Golden Dynasty makes me smile so much. It's such a beautiful story. I love how Lahn and Circe overcome their obstacles of communication. Lahn learning English and Circe learning Korwahk. IT'S SO HEARTWARMING I wanna cry. Their whole journey of falling in love under the most unusual circumstances. Lahn and Circle are literally people from two different worlds who find their soulmates in each other. While there is a plot, most of Lahn and Circe scenes are them together in bed just laying in each other arms and trying to communicate and it's making me so soft 🥺
His eyes moved over my face and he whispered back, “I could not dream a better you.”
As much as I love the romance, I adore the friendship between Circe and Diandra. Diandra helped Circe adjust in this new world. Their talks is seriously so funny. Circle forms all these friendship with Diandra, her maids, her guards and the people of Korwahn. It shows what a true QUEEN she is.
This book is 530 pages long, which is pretty long, but I never wanted it to end. It's so wholesome and I just want to say thank you to Kristen Ashley for writing this beautiul story where love really overcomes everything.(Please let me have this one sappy moment okay? 😂)
ONE OF MY FAVORITE BOOKS OF 2020 I'M CALLING IT!
February 23, 2020
I'm gonna try something new and write my review as I go along reading the book. I feel like this will be one of those books I have "revelations" about as I read along that won't be satisfied with just my stat updates. And also, it's a freaking LONG book! But I promised Princess N I'd read all of it and not skip so I will keep that promise IF SHE WILL DO THE SAME! (You know what I'm talking about P2)
Rating to come at the end.
So, impressions thus far are as follows:
Then:
Seriously, it's like reading the romance version of Kahl Drago and Daenerys from The Game of Thrones by Martin. Here are the similarities:
* warrior clan speaking their own language, savage, big dark haired, dark skinned men. Think Cavemen on horses.
* Heroine is fair skinned, fair haired, wedded by force (he "claimed" her) and raped 7 times before the sex was sorta consensual
* they speak diff languages so they don't understand each other. It's the age old language between men and women that's spoken here - grunts, facial expressions, touches, sex.
* There's a white animal pet. Tho here it's a baby tiger, it's named Ghost. In GoT, Ghost is the name of the MC Hero's wolf.
* Blondie is the long-prophesied queen of whatever
* He's BIG (6'7" or some such), she's tiny (barely over 5 feet)
Lots of differences, obviously, this being a romance with the h being plucked out of modern day Seattle (she's an office manager!) and waking up in this fantasy world in the middle of a bride hunt.
But still, my bet is that this book was inspired by the GoT and not the other way around. Hey, nothing against it, all authors are inspired by something, and if it's not out right plagiarism, do what you gotta do.
I do admit to being disappointed in GoT that Drago and D never got their HEA. How that warrior met his end was just so sad. But then, there are no such things as HEA in GoT so that wasn't surprising.
It's good to be looking forward to that HEA for Lahn and Circe here. So.
So far so good.
Alright. So here's my review, finally finished this LONG ass book!
All of Ashley's stuff is long. I think there's only 1 book I've read < 500 pages. I have the same complaint I always have: it doesn't have to take so many pages!!
Thankfully, about 85% of this one was worth reading every word. And yes, I read all the other 15% too, bc SOMEONE made me.
Look, I loved it. Full stop.
I love Lahn and Circe is pretty adorable herself. There were a few errors in the book, but I didn't bother to highlight them. I was in a hurry to read the story.
As I note below, you have to suspend belief. Not just because this is fantasyland, but emotional belief. A modern woman with modern sensibilities, morals, and who's loved and pampered by a very good man (her father), is thrust into a strange world with big dark warriors who hunt brides, then consummate the deal with a raping... well, you'd think there'd be some emotional trauma involved.
Nope, none. Not even after the first time. And not after the first 7 times. Tho Circe sure did warm up to her gorgeous husband when he treated her well by being gentle. Guess being attracted to your rapist help with the falling in love thing.
It's a pretty big leap to make for anyone's brain.
But, this is fantasy romance and what other choice does a strong woman have but to suck it up and make the best out of a rotten situation.
But hey, at least her husband is the biggest, baddest, most gorgeous warrior king in the land and can give her multiple orgasms multiple times a day.
All's well that ends well.
I can't give this 5 stars bc ultimately, I'm not sure I'm rereading this book. Firstly, it's LONG, so it's not like a quick treat some lonely night. Secondly, well...
KA's characters seem to blend into each other. I love most of them, don't get me wrong. I especially like the men in her books. All alpha males who have a very soft spot for their women. Who don't hesitate to sleep around when it's not THE ONE, as alpha males are expected to do, I suppose. They tend to not talk much, unless they have something important to say. And tho they might not say it, they are very observant and sensitive. They CARE.
Great men.
She writes mostly great heroines too. Circe is no different.
It's just they all blend together. The interactions. The lengthiness. Replace the time, place and plot, and you have fundamentally similar characters. Which is probably why I gave a couple of her other books 5 stars, because they were more "new to me" at the time.
Now I'm kinda used to it. And tho I like this couple and story quite a lot, I'm not sure at this point that it's "unique" enough to get 5 stars.
Still, I do like the book. And there's at one point when Lahn finally breaks down in the end and expresses his defeat after 8 months of trying to win Circe back that I got a little teary.
Otherwise, this book didn't provoke as strong reactions in me as some other books. I like to be provoked.
Thanks to Princess Nhya for recommending it!
All right, I upgraded the rating to 5 stars... mainly bc of Dax Lahn... The scene with "mine"..."yours" and when he said he hadn't had a woman in 8 months... those scenes cinched it for me :)
Rating to come at the end.
So, impressions thus far are as follows:
Then:
Seriously, it's like reading the romance version of Kahl Drago and Daenerys from The Game of Thrones by Martin. Here are the similarities:
* warrior clan speaking their own language, savage, big dark haired, dark skinned men. Think Cavemen on horses.
* Heroine is fair skinned, fair haired, wedded by force (he "claimed" her) and raped 7 times before the sex was sorta consensual
* they speak diff languages so they don't understand each other. It's the age old language between men and women that's spoken here - grunts, facial expressions, touches, sex.
* There's a white animal pet. Tho here it's a baby tiger, it's named Ghost. In GoT, Ghost is the name of the MC Hero's wolf.
* Blondie is the long-prophesied queen of whatever
* He's BIG (6'7" or some such), she's tiny (barely over 5 feet)
Lots of differences, obviously, this being a romance with the h being plucked out of modern day Seattle (she's an office manager!) and waking up in this fantasy world in the middle of a bride hunt.
But still, my bet is that this book was inspired by the GoT and not the other way around. Hey, nothing against it, all authors are inspired by something, and if it's not out right plagiarism, do what you gotta do.
I do admit to being disappointed in GoT that Drago and D never got their HEA. How that warrior met his end was just so sad. But then, there are no such things as HEA in GoT so that wasn't surprising.
It's good to be looking forward to that HEA for Lahn and Circe here. So.
So far so good.
Alright. So here's my review, finally finished this LONG ass book!
All of Ashley's stuff is long. I think there's only 1 book I've read < 500 pages. I have the same complaint I always have: it doesn't have to take so many pages!!
Thankfully, about 85% of this one was worth reading every word. And yes, I read all the other 15% too, bc SOMEONE made me.
Look, I loved it. Full stop.
I love Lahn and Circe is pretty adorable herself. There were a few errors in the book, but I didn't bother to highlight them. I was in a hurry to read the story.
As I note below, you have to suspend belief. Not just because this is fantasyland, but emotional belief. A modern woman with modern sensibilities, morals, and who's loved and pampered by a very good man (her father), is thrust into a strange world with big dark warriors who hunt brides, then consummate the deal with a raping... well, you'd think there'd be some emotional trauma involved.
Nope, none. Not even after the first time. And not after the first 7 times. Tho Circe sure did warm up to her gorgeous husband when he treated her well by being gentle. Guess being attracted to your rapist help with the falling in love thing.
It's a pretty big leap to make for anyone's brain.
But, this is fantasy romance and what other choice does a strong woman have but to suck it up and make the best out of a rotten situation.
But hey, at least her husband is the biggest, baddest, most gorgeous warrior king in the land and can give her multiple orgasms multiple times a day.
All's well that ends well.
I can't give this 5 stars bc ultimately, I'm not sure I'm rereading this book. Firstly, it's LONG, so it's not like a quick treat some lonely night. Secondly, well...
KA's characters seem to blend into each other. I love most of them, don't get me wrong. I especially like the men in her books. All alpha males who have a very soft spot for their women. Who don't hesitate to sleep around when it's not THE ONE, as alpha males are expected to do, I suppose. They tend to not talk much, unless they have something important to say. And tho they might not say it, they are very observant and sensitive. They CARE.
Great men.
She writes mostly great heroines too. Circe is no different.
It's just they all blend together. The interactions. The lengthiness. Replace the time, place and plot, and you have fundamentally similar characters. Which is probably why I gave a couple of her other books 5 stars, because they were more "new to me" at the time.
Now I'm kinda used to it. And tho I like this couple and story quite a lot, I'm not sure at this point that it's "unique" enough to get 5 stars.
Still, I do like the book. And there's at one point when Lahn finally breaks down in the end and expresses his defeat after 8 months of trying to win Circe back that I got a little teary.
Otherwise, this book didn't provoke as strong reactions in me as some other books. I like to be provoked.
Thanks to Princess Nhya for recommending it!
All right, I upgraded the rating to 5 stars... mainly bc of Dax Lahn... The scene with "mine"..."yours" and when he said he hadn't had a woman in 8 months... those scenes cinched it for me :)
August 20, 2020
I only have one word for this book: EPIC
I have to say that it is the perfect example of how season 1 in Game of Thrones should have been developed, executed and concluded without breaking the hearts of Drogo's fans.
Because trust me when I say that there is no chance someone who loves watching Game of Thrones and is reading the book for first time not picturing Dax Lahn as Drogo and Circe Quinn as Daenerys.
In the downfalls of the book, I really missed the elves and the dragons from Fantasyland book 1 and the Korwahk language was a bit hard to get used to especially in the beginning of the book. Also although Circe was mentioned as a witch in the first book, I could not picture this fact in the second book until storms and rainbows have started making appearences in the sky.
But the last 100 pages of the book have seriously taken the story at a higher level and made me fall in love with the two main characters.
Lahn was purfect as the savage king who falls in love at first sight with beautiful golden Circe.
Circe was purfect as the innocent girl from Seattle who is taken unwillingly from her world, who is given no choice of her own life and who is repeatedly being raped before she forgives and falls in love.
Dortak was perfect as the man who was born to be hated.
I never expect to cry and have my heart that broken with a fantacy book...
I have to say that it is the perfect example of how season 1 in Game of Thrones should have been developed, executed and concluded without breaking the hearts of Drogo's fans.
Because trust me when I say that there is no chance someone who loves watching Game of Thrones and is reading the book for first time not picturing Dax Lahn as Drogo and Circe Quinn as Daenerys.
In the downfalls of the book, I really missed the elves and the dragons from Fantasyland book 1 and the Korwahk language was a bit hard to get used to especially in the beginning of the book. Also although Circe was mentioned as a witch in the first book, I could not picture this fact in the second book until storms and rainbows have started making appearences in the sky.
But the last 100 pages of the book have seriously taken the story at a higher level and made me fall in love with the two main characters.
Lahn was purfect as the savage king who falls in love at first sight with beautiful golden Circe.
Circe was purfect as the innocent girl from Seattle who is taken unwillingly from her world, who is given no choice of her own life and who is repeatedly being raped before she forgives and falls in love.
Dortak was perfect as the man who was born to be hated.
I never expect to cry and have my heart that broken with a fantacy book...
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