What do you think?
Rate this book
The Warden
Just when I thought life couldn’t get any harder, I’m abducted by aliens and dropped on a hostile alien planet. Everything is trying to make me its next snack…even one of the natives that call the planet home. Tall, grey-skinned, with piercing amber eyes, Zarris watches me with a different kind of hunger.
I tell myself I don’t have time to notice the fearless, scarred man who makes my heart race. Finding a way back home has to be a priority. However, my determination to return to Earth sets into motion a chain of events that won’t only change my future but Zarris’ too.
And once I save us both, there’s no turning back.
I tell myself I don’t have time to notice the fearless, scarred man who makes my heart race. Finding a way back home has to be a priority. However, my determination to return to Earth sets into motion a chain of events that won’t only change my future but Zarris’ too.
And once I save us both, there’s no turning back.
360 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 25, 2023
108 people are currently reading
58 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
April 25, 2023
https://celebrityreaders.com/2023/04/...
I received a free copy through Booksprout in exchange for an honest and unbiased review/opinion.
4.5 stars — This was exactly what I was looking for and needing with the mood I was in. I know the author said the book turned out longer than she expected, but I honestly didn’t notice at all…and if you’ve been reading my reviews lately, you know that’s something that doesn’t work for me, when a book is long for no reason. The pacing felt good and I was absorbed and wanting to keep reading. I will admit the way the ending played out wasn’t what I was expecting. It’s not cliffhanger-y AT ALL, but there are world threads that aren’t finished and make me excited for the next book without leaving me unsatisfied…which is kind of the perfect combination for this reader.
I will say that the start felt a bit rough for me. Adriana gets thrown into the deep end of some crazy shiznit, and the glimpses we get of her before she’s abducted really give NO indication of who she is, what her life is like, or anything…just hints. And I’m like a teensy bit disappointed in that, but I did enjoy who I got to know as the book progressed…it’s just sometimes nice to know more than just who they are in the crisis. But honestly, I kind of forgot about that until later near the end when I realized I had no real idea what she was wanting to go back to.
Adriana was that perfect combination of tough and vulnerable — she’s not impervious to fear, but she compartmentalizes well enough to survive until she can relax. I felt like we got to see her broken down into survival mode, as well as protection mode, before getting to see more of her personality open up and flourish in her new environment. I loved how she tried hard to respect another’s cultures and customs while still holding on to her own beliefs and being unable to let some things go. I appreciated that she tried really hard to understand from different perspectives. In the end she was a perfect fit for that first heroine thrown into this crazy bigger world.
Zarris was pretty great himself. I felt for him being such a fish out of water in his own world, unable to let go of his own sense of right and wrong. He was a pretty good blend of gentle and respectful with his own touch of possessiveness and aggression…basically the good sides of an alpha male with the kindness of an…omega? Non-beta or alpha? Do we have a term? Normal decent guy? I’m not much of an alpha girl, but his moments of control didn’t chafe at me because he loved her fire and spirit and wasn’t looking to dim it, just revel in it.
And I appreciated their connection and how it grew at a good pace. It wasn’t immediately jump into the physical bits, we got a bit of all kinds of connection along the way.
The Anrothe world was both fascinating and disturbing from a human perspective…not like horribly so, just in those subtle ways it was meant to. I appreciated the nuances of navigating a society that needed some change but was reluctant to do so. And the wider world was both horrifying and interesting. The Oebri in particular were fascinating. I fully anticipating them being villains, but I loved that they ended up being way more complex than that…at least so far.
So yeah. I’m fully invested in this new series, and can’t wait to see how it plays out.
I received a free copy through Booksprout in exchange for an honest and unbiased review/opinion.
4.5 stars — This was exactly what I was looking for and needing with the mood I was in. I know the author said the book turned out longer than she expected, but I honestly didn’t notice at all…and if you’ve been reading my reviews lately, you know that’s something that doesn’t work for me, when a book is long for no reason. The pacing felt good and I was absorbed and wanting to keep reading. I will admit the way the ending played out wasn’t what I was expecting. It’s not cliffhanger-y AT ALL, but there are world threads that aren’t finished and make me excited for the next book without leaving me unsatisfied…which is kind of the perfect combination for this reader.
I will say that the start felt a bit rough for me. Adriana gets thrown into the deep end of some crazy shiznit, and the glimpses we get of her before she’s abducted really give NO indication of who she is, what her life is like, or anything…just hints. And I’m like a teensy bit disappointed in that, but I did enjoy who I got to know as the book progressed…it’s just sometimes nice to know more than just who they are in the crisis. But honestly, I kind of forgot about that until later near the end when I realized I had no real idea what she was wanting to go back to.
Adriana was that perfect combination of tough and vulnerable — she’s not impervious to fear, but she compartmentalizes well enough to survive until she can relax. I felt like we got to see her broken down into survival mode, as well as protection mode, before getting to see more of her personality open up and flourish in her new environment. I loved how she tried hard to respect another’s cultures and customs while still holding on to her own beliefs and being unable to let some things go. I appreciated that she tried really hard to understand from different perspectives. In the end she was a perfect fit for that first heroine thrown into this crazy bigger world.
Zarris was pretty great himself. I felt for him being such a fish out of water in his own world, unable to let go of his own sense of right and wrong. He was a pretty good blend of gentle and respectful with his own touch of possessiveness and aggression…basically the good sides of an alpha male with the kindness of an…omega? Non-beta or alpha? Do we have a term? Normal decent guy? I’m not much of an alpha girl, but his moments of control didn’t chafe at me because he loved her fire and spirit and wasn’t looking to dim it, just revel in it.
And I appreciated their connection and how it grew at a good pace. It wasn’t immediately jump into the physical bits, we got a bit of all kinds of connection along the way.
The Anrothe world was both fascinating and disturbing from a human perspective…not like horribly so, just in those subtle ways it was meant to. I appreciated the nuances of navigating a society that needed some change but was reluctant to do so. And the wider world was both horrifying and interesting. The Oebri in particular were fascinating. I fully anticipating them being villains, but I loved that they ended up being way more complex than that…at least so far.
So yeah. I’m fully invested in this new series, and can’t wait to see how it plays out.
May 1, 2024
I've been hesitating to write a review on this because I absolutely adore the author. Her Resurrection Chronicles books 1-3 are on my favorites list and get reread every few years or so. I was REALLY hoping The Warden would have some Demon Ember vibes, but it fell short. 😮💨
I was thinking if I'd read The Warden first, before discovering the other series, then maybe I would have liked it more? But...
😬😬😬😬
Real talk here - it's probably just me - but it feels like this author's standalone novels don't quite build right. (Just opinion, not fact.)
There was a feel... a cadence to the writing that's lacking, not only in The Warden, but in a lot of her other books too. I'm attributing it to the fact that a trilogy allows authors to flesh out their characters and build the world at a pace that makes it feel real, not rushed.
The Warden:
Adriana was just as adorable and relatable as Haag's other female leads. But the men fall short and sorta fade into the background. Even with the chapters written in Zarris's POV, I felt distanced from him. As though he didn't exist for any other reason than to be hers.
He felt one dimensional, flat when compared to Adriana and the other women on that planet.
The world building was beautifully done and cohesive, but Adriana's easy dismissal of the children under her care started to feel... negligent after a point. So like, not a reason to remove a star, but a good example of how children are not always conducive to building a romantic relationship in books. 🤭
The ending felt rushed, REALLY rushed. And the Conservators did not ingratiate themselves to me at all. I can see what Haag was trying to do, but it wasn't given enough time to be done correctly. Maybe the next books in the series will flesh all that out? But it made the end of book one feel as though it was just thrown onto the page.
"We'll live here and do this and these guys will be fine with it! Byeeee!" 🤨
There was literally more attention paid to where meals came from, than the political maneuvering once they got off planet.
But I digress.
I have a lot of things I did and didn't like about this read but I should probably just shut up and move on.
If you're in the mood for a quick, sweet, alien romance with instant attraction themes and a virgin hero then dig in and leave all the stars!
I was thinking if I'd read The Warden first, before discovering the other series, then maybe I would have liked it more? But...
😬😬😬😬
Real talk here - it's probably just me - but it feels like this author's standalone novels don't quite build right. (Just opinion, not fact.)
There was a feel... a cadence to the writing that's lacking, not only in The Warden, but in a lot of her other books too. I'm attributing it to the fact that a trilogy allows authors to flesh out their characters and build the world at a pace that makes it feel real, not rushed.
The Warden:
Adriana was just as adorable and relatable as Haag's other female leads. But the men fall short and sorta fade into the background. Even with the chapters written in Zarris's POV, I felt distanced from him. As though he didn't exist for any other reason than to be hers.
He felt one dimensional, flat when compared to Adriana and the other women on that planet.
The world building was beautifully done and cohesive, but Adriana's easy dismissal of the children under her care started to feel... negligent after a point. So like, not a reason to remove a star, but a good example of how children are not always conducive to building a romantic relationship in books. 🤭
The ending felt rushed, REALLY rushed. And the Conservators did not ingratiate themselves to me at all. I can see what Haag was trying to do, but it wasn't given enough time to be done correctly. Maybe the next books in the series will flesh all that out? But it made the end of book one feel as though it was just thrown onto the page.
"We'll live here and do this and these guys will be fine with it! Byeeee!" 🤨
There was literally more attention paid to where meals came from, than the political maneuvering once they got off planet.
But I digress.
I have a lot of things I did and didn't like about this read but I should probably just shut up and move on.
If you're in the mood for a quick, sweet, alien romance with instant attraction themes and a virgin hero then dig in and leave all the stars!
April 25, 2023
I finished reading The Warden which is an alien romance book I was asked to beta read and loved it! This book has a very familiar feel to The Resurrection Chronicles series, so if you are a fan of those books I am sure you will spot some similarities. Adriana and Zarris and the main couple in this story and they provide the perfect balance for this story, and then the kids are there to add extra smiles! This is the first book in this new series and it is definitely a starting point that will give Sage Alder many places to explore in future books, so I bet this will be a long series!
April 29, 2023
She crashed into his life after being kidnapped from her home world, and Zarris immediately knows that Adriana is different that the women of his people. She warm, fiercely protective, and doesn’t shun him or unquestionably obey the laws that keep the Wardens and the Ladies living separate lives.
But Adriana, despite being inexplicably and undeniably drawn to Zarris, is focused on getting home. Not just for herself, but also for the children under her care. They have families to get home to, and there are more dangers exposed at every turn on the strange world she’s found herself temporarily stranded on.
This new series is a departure for this author—thus the new pen name—but for those familiar with her other work will have some of the same vibes of learning to navigate a strange world and an alien species learning to interact with humans. Of course, since The Warden is the first in an alien romance series, there are in fact several alien species introduced throughout the book, creating some rich world and universe building that are very satisfying and make it more than a little difficult to stop reading once you get started. I literally stayed up all night to finish despite my intention to only read a few chapters for the night. And The Warden is worth the sleep deprivation!
There’s fantastic world-building, the dangers of the strange world create a near-constant tension that will leave readers guessing—including navigating the delicate political framework of an unfamiliar culture, and plenty of steamy moments of increasing intensity as Zarris and Adriana get to know one another. I’m so looking forward to book 2 The Fae, featuring a hero of another alien species introduced in The Warden, and seeing what else is going to happen in this new universe! I plan to follow Sage Alder as rabidly as I do her other pen name, and I believe this series will strongly appeal to fans of Margo Bond Collins’ Khanavai series, and Tasha Black’s alien universe.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
But Adriana, despite being inexplicably and undeniably drawn to Zarris, is focused on getting home. Not just for herself, but also for the children under her care. They have families to get home to, and there are more dangers exposed at every turn on the strange world she’s found herself temporarily stranded on.
This new series is a departure for this author—thus the new pen name—but for those familiar with her other work will have some of the same vibes of learning to navigate a strange world and an alien species learning to interact with humans. Of course, since The Warden is the first in an alien romance series, there are in fact several alien species introduced throughout the book, creating some rich world and universe building that are very satisfying and make it more than a little difficult to stop reading once you get started. I literally stayed up all night to finish despite my intention to only read a few chapters for the night. And The Warden is worth the sleep deprivation!
There’s fantastic world-building, the dangers of the strange world create a near-constant tension that will leave readers guessing—including navigating the delicate political framework of an unfamiliar culture, and plenty of steamy moments of increasing intensity as Zarris and Adriana get to know one another. I’m so looking forward to book 2 The Fae, featuring a hero of another alien species introduced in The Warden, and seeing what else is going to happen in this new universe! I plan to follow Sage Alder as rabidly as I do her other pen name, and I believe this series will strongly appeal to fans of Margo Bond Collins’ Khanavai series, and Tasha Black’s alien universe.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
April 22, 2023
I have to admit it was a little dark at times but boy was this a page turner. I was not expecting the dark bits which had me a little traumatized. it didn't last long. But I would highly recommend this book, after the first chapter it was a easier read and i loved the heroine and hero. Boy was the chemistry hot. I loved their bluntness it is so refreshing and made for alot of fun moments. This is a more mature read and alot of action, I wasn't expecting it but Ms Haag always does a great job of surprising me, she's very talented. This book is action packed with romance and very good humor.
Im looking forward to the next book.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Im looking forward to the next book.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
October 3, 2023
3.5 stars for creativity and sweetness.
Definately an interesting alien read. Lots of seriousness while not a huge amount of brutality to keep it from being too dark.
There wasn't a huge amount of spice in this book (though there is some), but it was a nice very slow burn story. Quite a bit actually happens in his book too. I kept looking at my progress going "Holy cow, I've still got half the book to go" and then I got to look forward to all of the things still to come.
The reason I didn't rate this higher is that it does drag a little. I didn't care for alot of the same stuff the MC didn't care for being in this alien culture, and the what ifs and uncertainty went on for so long I got kind of over it.
I did like it.... But I didn't love it, hence the 3 star rating.
Definately an interesting alien read. Lots of seriousness while not a huge amount of brutality to keep it from being too dark.
There wasn't a huge amount of spice in this book (though there is some), but it was a nice very slow burn story. Quite a bit actually happens in his book too. I kept looking at my progress going "Holy cow, I've still got half the book to go" and then I got to look forward to all of the things still to come.
The reason I didn't rate this higher is that it does drag a little. I didn't care for alot of the same stuff the MC didn't care for being in this alien culture, and the what ifs and uncertainty went on for so long I got kind of over it.
I did like it.... But I didn't love it, hence the 3 star rating.
June 4, 2023
Adriana and Zarris
Abducted from earth, nearly sold for food and then crashed landed on another planet. Adriana and two children she is caring for are rescue by some tall men and taken to their high up keep.
The social structure on this planet have the men and women living apart and only visiting for procreation. Adriana living with the men upsets the council but since women get to do what they want, she stays.
Zarris is not liked by the council and is always being singled out for punishment. Adriana selects him even though the council does all it can to discourage her.
I liked the main characters but the world building was really hard to accept.
Abducted from earth, nearly sold for food and then crashed landed on another planet. Adriana and two children she is caring for are rescue by some tall men and taken to their high up keep.
The social structure on this planet have the men and women living apart and only visiting for procreation. Adriana living with the men upsets the council but since women get to do what they want, she stays.
Zarris is not liked by the council and is always being singled out for punishment. Adriana selects him even though the council does all it can to discourage her.
I liked the main characters but the world building was really hard to accept.
April 27, 2023
For some one who hasn’t read an alien book this one definitely kept me intrigued! The beginning starts off with Adrianna running late to work and finds Nicky at her door. Trying to find his mother the get caught in a beam of light! Further in we meet another little girl named Lil. Throughout this whole book Adrianna learns of multiple species and crash lands into a different world with danger lurking everywhere! Zarris and Adrianna’s connection will having you wanting more! I can’t wait for book 2!
April 27, 2023
What an awesome book! I wasn’t sure what to expect from this book, but it definitely exceeded my expectations! 😍 This author writes under other pen names, & I have loved all of her books. She excels at world building & character development, totally drawing me in as a reader. The story evolves so well, causing me to want to learn more about the characters & what they end up going thru to get their happy for now ending, as well as the secondary characters, to see if they will also find “love”. I highly recommend this book, & look forward to the next in the series!
April 28, 2023
I am loving this new series by Sage Alder. The first book, “The Warden” from the new series “Alien Bride: First Conquest” was so good. Sage Alder sets the scene so well and the character development is excellent. I enjoyed all the characters, and the chemistry was hot for the main characters, Adriana and Zarris. Also, amazing descriptions of the Alien world, Anrothe. I also enjoyed the dual point of view of Adriana and Zarris. It’s great reading both views in the story and helps to understand what is happening in the story. I highly recommend this book.
June 9, 2023
Just when I think she can't get any better, she drops this book on us. It's a whole new world with multiple alien races and so much happening. Our MC is abducted from Earth in pure "beam me up" style by hostile lizard beings who think it's a trip to the meat market. The ship crashes and she ends up on a planet with aggressive and large beasts. Then she gets rescued by the Wardens. A whole other humanoid culture where the mere fact that she's a Lady gives her a huge upper hand. Then the Fey arrive...
I can't wait to read more.
I can't wait to read more.
June 18, 2023
Interesting
This was an interesting first read by this author for me. I liked the world building and the idea behind the ladies. Some points I thought could've used some fleshing out/ editing were the kids in the story. I understand wanting to use them in future books but they took away from the story with A having to constantly ask someone to watch them / feed them / carry them. Kids are usually introduced later in the story, or if inserted in the beginning, have a more major role than what was used here.
This was an interesting first read by this author for me. I liked the world building and the idea behind the ladies. Some points I thought could've used some fleshing out/ editing were the kids in the story. I understand wanting to use them in future books but they took away from the story with A having to constantly ask someone to watch them / feed them / carry them. Kids are usually introduced later in the story, or if inserted in the beginning, have a more major role than what was used here.
April 25, 2023
This book exceeded my expectations! The world building is fabulous. I just love how this author's mind works. I have read all her books under her other pen names, and I will be reading everything under this one as well. Zarris! I won't say anymore. You have to read this book if you love alien romance, even if you've never read one before, you definitely need to read this one and follow this author through her journey in writing this new world and characters for us.
May 28, 2023
Alien Romance
This first book of a new series, my attention was captured in first few pages. Adriana and the neighbor boy is captured by aliens who drug and use ppl for harvest. The evil aliens are attacked and her and 2 kids crash in alien planet that seems primitive. She meets Zarris & befriends and they become more. She is different than the Females of their world and makes the males question and changes start. I will definitely read more in this series
This first book of a new series, my attention was captured in first few pages. Adriana and the neighbor boy is captured by aliens who drug and use ppl for harvest. The evil aliens are attacked and her and 2 kids crash in alien planet that seems primitive. She meets Zarris & befriends and they become more. She is different than the Females of their world and makes the males question and changes start. I will definitely read more in this series
September 15, 2023
This is maybe a 3.5 but I'm really intrigued so I'm rounding up. My main issue is that at about the 80% mark it felt like we moved on and we started new world building for the next book in the series. Now I'm invested in this new world and less invested in a resolution to the main storyline. Still a really enjoyable read but the ending just felt a little disconnected for me. Will be reading the next book.
March 28, 2024
Not a bad read. I haven’t read too many alien romances, but over all, this story was intriguing. I like reading about new worlds and new races. Generally, the two main alien races in this story were peaceful, though a bit backward with their ideals. This tale is about increasing the population of these races by breeding, so there’s a lot of talk about that. The novel stays mostly pg-13 until about 2/3 of the way.
April 25, 2023
The world building is great, you really feel like your there. The characters are very relatable, as are their experiences. I saw somewhere this is a trilogy but hope its expanded because all these races that exist should be explored. I'm not sure what to say that won't be a spoiler besides this but check out her other books.
April 25, 2023
What a fantastic first book for this new series!! I LOVED it. The world building was detailed, and the story flowed seamlessly. The romantic element was sexy and sweet, and I enjoyed the additional political layer as well. I am super excited for more books in this world!
April 30, 2023
Amazing!
Such a great new series! The characters were awesome and so detailed, the world building was very well done, and I’m fascinated by what might happen next! Already pre-ordered the next book and can’t wait for it to hit my kindle!!
Such a great new series! The characters were awesome and so detailed, the world building was very well done, and I’m fascinated by what might happen next! Already pre-ordered the next book and can’t wait for it to hit my kindle!!
May 2, 2023
Stellar!
One of the best alien bride stories I have read in years (and I have read a lot). It sucked me in and wouldn't let me to till the very last page. I can't wait for the next one!
One of the best alien bride stories I have read in years (and I have read a lot). It sucked me in and wouldn't let me to till the very last page. I can't wait for the next one!
July 24, 2023
warden book 1
I found this story very real life and it could happen kinda way I was so happy in the end he got the girl and hope the kids stay I think it would the best I can’t wait till book 2 to come out
I found this story very real life and it could happen kinda way I was so happy in the end he got the girl and hope the kids stay I think it would the best I can’t wait till book 2 to come out
April 29, 2024
Engaging
I really loved this storyline. The abductions and landing on the auction planey was realistic and terrible.
The Wardens were so awesome and caring. I was unsure about the council most of the time, but they surprised me, and I'm happy for it.
I really loved this storyline. The abductions and landing on the auction planey was realistic and terrible.
The Wardens were so awesome and caring. I was unsure about the council most of the time, but they surprised me, and I'm happy for it.
April 30, 2024
4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
New author for me. It was recommended from a reading group on facebook. I quite enjoyed this story, although I didn’t think I was going to at the beginning. Good storyline, which leads into the next book in this series. Will I read more? Probably.
New author for me. It was recommended from a reading group on facebook. I quite enjoyed this story, although I didn’t think I was going to at the beginning. Good storyline, which leads into the next book in this series. Will I read more? Probably.
April 26, 2023
dnf @ 47%, it was just so boring there was zero motivation to keep reading & also the premise was a bit… strange for me
April 27, 2023
Amazing!
I am hooked and can't want for the next book. I normally not a science fiction fan, but I am sure I just became on. I look forward to so many more stories.
I am hooked and can't want for the next book. I normally not a science fiction fan, but I am sure I just became on. I look forward to so many more stories.
April 28, 2023
So Good
I really enjoyed this one. Really well written, great characters and a really beautiful love story. I’m really looking forward to the next one.
I really enjoyed this one. Really well written, great characters and a really beautiful love story. I’m really looking forward to the next one.
June 23, 2023
Great Read!
This was a wonderful introduction to the world's and alien races in this series. I really enjoyed this read and can't wait for the next in the series!
This was a wonderful introduction to the world's and alien races in this series. I really enjoyed this read and can't wait for the next in the series!
October 3, 2023
It's ok...
Nothing spectacular but a decent read. The story is not very entertaining but kept me reading because it was mildly interesting.
Nothing spectacular but a decent read. The story is not very entertaining but kept me reading because it was mildly interesting.
November 26, 2023
Great series.
April 18, 2024
I loved it ... but it was very long so it sometimes got boring.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews