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Deridia #9
Rite
Emmaryn was to wed that day. To choose a man selected specifically for her, the arrangement a blessing to all of her kind. She had only wanted a moment in the Grove, to remember her parents and settle her anxious heart. She was not supposed to leave the safety of the Spiral on her own. And yet… she did. Someone was waiting. With intentions contrary to all of their ways.
Elrik had tired of being alone. He’d forsaken his people, scarred and betrayed, with all their talk of sacrifice. He wanted something for himself. Someone . And he would have her. It would be the worst thing he had ever done. And he would spend the rest of his life more than willing to atone.
-x-
“Your ceremony,” the warder repeated back, the words slow. Careful. “For your selection.”
She shifted again, ducking her head slightly. “Yes,” she confirmed quietly. “Although... I should not talk about such things with you,” she continued, trying to add a hint of apology to her tone. It would be painful, wouldn’t it? To speak of such matters when he would never have been eligible to witness a woman’s selection?
Her cheeks were cold. She hadn’t noticed before, not when she’d been too consumed with her own thoughts, but she could not deny it now. Not when her skin was prickling with awareness of just how he was looking at her, and she was suddenly filled with a dreadful trepidation. Another step back. He was blocking the path that twined through the Grove, but she would manage. Surely she was wrong. Warders were men of great honour. She was simply overwrought, that was all. Misinterpreting his intentions.
“And why is that?” he asked, as calmly as ever.
She rubbed her hands down her cloak, feeling the slight rasp of fine wool against her palms and it comforted her. “It’s rude, isn’t it? When... when you’re... a warder,” she finished lamely, trying to glance up at him with a look of apology. She did not know how to talk to one of his kind, had never been given cause to practise, and she thought she was doing a poor job of it indeed.
“Am I?”
Elrik had tired of being alone. He’d forsaken his people, scarred and betrayed, with all their talk of sacrifice. He wanted something for himself. Someone . And he would have her. It would be the worst thing he had ever done. And he would spend the rest of his life more than willing to atone.
-x-
“Your ceremony,” the warder repeated back, the words slow. Careful. “For your selection.”
She shifted again, ducking her head slightly. “Yes,” she confirmed quietly. “Although... I should not talk about such things with you,” she continued, trying to add a hint of apology to her tone. It would be painful, wouldn’t it? To speak of such matters when he would never have been eligible to witness a woman’s selection?
Her cheeks were cold. She hadn’t noticed before, not when she’d been too consumed with her own thoughts, but she could not deny it now. Not when her skin was prickling with awareness of just how he was looking at her, and she was suddenly filled with a dreadful trepidation. Another step back. He was blocking the path that twined through the Grove, but she would manage. Surely she was wrong. Warders were men of great honour. She was simply overwrought, that was all. Misinterpreting his intentions.
“And why is that?” he asked, as calmly as ever.
She rubbed her hands down her cloak, feeling the slight rasp of fine wool against her palms and it comforted her. “It’s rude, isn’t it? When... when you’re... a warder,” she finished lamely, trying to glance up at him with a look of apology. She did not know how to talk to one of his kind, had never been given cause to practise, and she thought she was doing a poor job of it indeed.
“Am I?”
407 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 7, 2023
18 people are currently reading
35 people want to read
About the author
Catherine Miller
25 books125 followersI am an American by birth and situation, whose heart forever remains in Great Britain. I derive much inspiration from my holidays abroad, and my writing is heavily influenced by the delights of the English and Scottish countryside. My author's journey began in several reimaginings of The Phantom of the Opera where I explore happier endings for our beloved Erik-- hopefully aided by my degrees in psychology. I have a love for fantasy and paranormal romance, as well as the pleasure of a thrilling murder mystery... each of which have begun to creep into my writerly pursuits. When I am not consumed with a novel, I enjoy lavishing affection on my two cats, and working in historical costume design.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
August 24, 2024
This was... Bad. Really really cringe inducingly bad. It had so much potential, a stolen bride and a wounded warrior? A beautiful cover? What's not to love? Apparently a lot.
PLOT:
Emmaryn is a maiden and set to take part in the selection, a ceremony where she chooses / has a husband chosen for her. On the day of her selection she goes out to visit her parents graves and is stolen by Elrik, a hulking, scarred warrior who makes her his wife.
THOUGHTS:
- I honestly feel catfished! This was my first book in the series and I loved the premise and cover! It looks like a story about a warrior girl who holds her own when captured and comes to love her abductor but it's not that. At all.
- the writing is great at first, it starts off in this lilting kind of flowery way that is really atmospheric but as the story progresses it just feels super vague and frustrating. Just tell me what's going on?! I don't need pages and pages dancing around things. I still have no idea what the characters actually look like (aside from Elrik being scarred) and NOTHING of substance happens the whole book.
- Emmaryn is TSTL. Honestly the most milksop, spineless, simpering delicate flower to ever exist. She knows she's not supposed to leave the area or be unattended but does so half dressed anyway. When she realizes things are going south she tries to scream, manages to pull a back muscle / really hurt herself and makes it easy for Elrik to kidnap her. She's constantly ill, hurting herself or crying and going between "he's so nice to me this is my life now" to "he stole everything from me" and it's EXHAUSTING. Then towards the end she gets Stockholm syndrome or something and agrees to be with him since he agrees to do an improv wedding ceremony with her so she's not a woman of ill repute *eye roll*. They don't have anything in common, barely speak full sentences to each other and now BOOM, they're in love and she's happy.
- WHERE IS THE ROMANCE?! WHERE IS THE SMUT?! I literally kept reading hoping things would get more interesting that we'd figure out what's going on but NOPE! I'm just more confused than when I came in. There's barely any dialogue, they barely spend time together and most of the plot takes place in his underground bunker thing in sterile hallways. It takes like 200 pages for them to even touch each other and even then it is written in that boring, detached way. The smut was HORRIBLE with this supposed maiden basically having to give Elrik a map to how to sleep with her... Yikes. Super unsexy.
Lastly, WHAT IS THIS BOOK SUPPOSED TO BE? I read it thinking it would be a romance but it doesn't have that working for it at all since the characters are basically dried up boring sticks, it's not really a historical fiction and I guess maybe it's sci-fi because of all the weird magical or technological elements the bunker house has? Either way, it did nothing for me.
PLOT:
Emmaryn is a maiden and set to take part in the selection, a ceremony where she chooses / has a husband chosen for her. On the day of her selection she goes out to visit her parents graves and is stolen by Elrik, a hulking, scarred warrior who makes her his wife.
THOUGHTS:
- I honestly feel catfished! This was my first book in the series and I loved the premise and cover! It looks like a story about a warrior girl who holds her own when captured and comes to love her abductor but it's not that. At all.
- the writing is great at first, it starts off in this lilting kind of flowery way that is really atmospheric but as the story progresses it just feels super vague and frustrating. Just tell me what's going on?! I don't need pages and pages dancing around things. I still have no idea what the characters actually look like (aside from Elrik being scarred) and NOTHING of substance happens the whole book.
- Emmaryn is TSTL. Honestly the most milksop, spineless, simpering delicate flower to ever exist. She knows she's not supposed to leave the area or be unattended but does so half dressed anyway. When she realizes things are going south she tries to scream, manages to pull a back muscle / really hurt herself and makes it easy for Elrik to kidnap her. She's constantly ill, hurting herself or crying and going between "he's so nice to me this is my life now" to "he stole everything from me" and it's EXHAUSTING. Then towards the end she gets Stockholm syndrome or something and agrees to be with him since he agrees to do an improv wedding ceremony with her so she's not a woman of ill repute *eye roll*. They don't have anything in common, barely speak full sentences to each other and now BOOM, they're in love and she's happy.
- WHERE IS THE ROMANCE?! WHERE IS THE SMUT?! I literally kept reading hoping things would get more interesting that we'd figure out what's going on but NOPE! I'm just more confused than when I came in. There's barely any dialogue, they barely spend time together and most of the plot takes place in his underground bunker thing in sterile hallways. It takes like 200 pages for them to even touch each other and even then it is written in that boring, detached way. The smut was HORRIBLE with this supposed maiden basically having to give Elrik a map to how to sleep with her... Yikes. Super unsexy.
Lastly, WHAT IS THIS BOOK SUPPOSED TO BE? I read it thinking it would be a romance but it doesn't have that working for it at all since the characters are basically dried up boring sticks, it's not really a historical fiction and I guess maybe it's sci-fi because of all the weird magical or technological elements the bunker house has? Either way, it did nothing for me.
August 9, 2023
Not for me
I couldn't get past the "hero" drugging and kidnapping the heroine. Perhaps this now passes for romance or normal behavior. Perhaps others view differently and if so may enjoy.
I couldn't get past the "hero" drugging and kidnapping the heroine. Perhaps this now passes for romance or normal behavior. Perhaps others view differently and if so may enjoy.
May 19, 2023
It seems unfair I can only give this five stars.
February 5, 2024
Mmm I wouldn’t say this is a bad book but it was definitely downhill from the others. This one dragged more.
June 6, 2023
Im guessing the other "excellent" reviews are from friends?
Dear author, you dont need someone to give empty praises... you need someone that will tell the truth so you can improve your writing
Dont get me wrong
I read Trade and quite liked it (even tho the ending was way too rushed)
But this????
What was the insipiration for this? Stockholm syndrome from wattpad?
How could Trade have had more angst than this, a story where the heroine gets kidnapped????
Make it make sense
It was like you made every possible decision to have her be as pathetic as she could possibly be
She will get kidnapped
And literally the next day she will hold hands with the guy
Think of making him some food cause he must be tired from the journey
Get flutters in her stomach
.... for real?? I refuse to think this is the best that you could come up with
The plot and development is stupid
No credible story whatsoever
Angst? Zero
Confrontation? Nope
Groveling or atonement? No no no
He'll just manipulate her into feeling bad
There is no truly discussion of what he has done
And she'll literally fall for him and start thinking of their babies the next day
What did you think to accomplish writing a doormat for a heroine? No personality
Absolutely ridiculous behavior considering what just happened to her
And we're supposed to think this is cute and romantic
That they have surpassed their obstacles?
????
Stockholm syndrome and body betrayal tropes are for lazy writers that for some reason dont actually want to develop their characters and plot
You are not one of those right?
How can the person that wrote Trade think this is reasonable????
No way
You're much better than this
Please read indentured from atmosphericfantasy on ao3
That is the sort of inspiration you should have
A dark story but still credible
Dear author, you dont need someone to give empty praises... you need someone that will tell the truth so you can improve your writing
Dont get me wrong
I read Trade and quite liked it (even tho the ending was way too rushed)
But this????
What was the insipiration for this? Stockholm syndrome from wattpad?
How could Trade have had more angst than this, a story where the heroine gets kidnapped????
Make it make sense
It was like you made every possible decision to have her be as pathetic as she could possibly be
She will get kidnapped
And literally the next day she will hold hands with the guy
Think of making him some food cause he must be tired from the journey
Get flutters in her stomach
.... for real?? I refuse to think this is the best that you could come up with
The plot and development is stupid
No credible story whatsoever
Angst? Zero
Confrontation? Nope
Groveling or atonement? No no no
He'll just manipulate her into feeling bad
There is no truly discussion of what he has done
And she'll literally fall for him and start thinking of their babies the next day
What did you think to accomplish writing a doormat for a heroine? No personality
Absolutely ridiculous behavior considering what just happened to her
And we're supposed to think this is cute and romantic
That they have surpassed their obstacles?
????
Stockholm syndrome and body betrayal tropes are for lazy writers that for some reason dont actually want to develop their characters and plot
You are not one of those right?
How can the person that wrote Trade think this is reasonable????
No way
You're much better than this
Please read indentured from atmosphericfantasy on ao3
That is the sort of inspiration you should have
A dark story but still credible
November 27, 2023
This series started out strong but in each subsequent book the 'heroines' have gotten emotionally weaker and fearful of nearly everything they encounter. They spend way too much time in their own heads, repeating the same fears over and over. It took me weeks to slog through this one with skimming the last 30%. After the first few chapters _nothing_ interesting happened. It's a shame because I like the idea of Deridia and the different beings that populate the planet. I just wish something, anything would happen in these books besides character internal dialog repeated over and over.
November 4, 2024
Excellent sci fi romantic adventure
But some readers won't like the kidnapping and captivity aspect. I admit I felt sorry for Elrik in Warder; he had been punished for a horrible, traumatic accident. And he wanted the normal life he expected to have. But he did bad things, and redemption seemed uncertain. Emmaryn is believable in her actions and decisions. The technology of the enslaved colonists is fascinating. The differences of the Algars is interesting. Rite is a good addition to the series.
But some readers won't like the kidnapping and captivity aspect. I admit I felt sorry for Elrik in Warder; he had been punished for a horrible, traumatic accident. And he wanted the normal life he expected to have. But he did bad things, and redemption seemed uncertain. Emmaryn is believable in her actions and decisions. The technology of the enslaved colonists is fascinating. The differences of the Algars is interesting. Rite is a good addition to the series.
May 13, 2023
This Series Keeps Getting Better and Better!
Each book in the series is so different, but the great writing remains constant. Miller explores social issues like consent, gender roles, othering and exploitation of minoritized populations, and more, but always within wonderful world building, fabulous storylines, memorable characters, and a romance that leaves your heart happy.
Each book in the series is so different, but the great writing remains constant. Miller explores social issues like consent, gender roles, othering and exploitation of minoritized populations, and more, but always within wonderful world building, fabulous storylines, memorable characters, and a romance that leaves your heart happy.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews