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The Atlanteans #1
Captive
Ambrose. The name is not only feared, but shunned and reviled. He’s a monster sentenced to a life of desolation and loneliness, and no one but his tormentor knows his whereabouts — at the bottom of the ocean. A creature of the sea cursed because of one simple mistake… Mari. Her life was a small happy bubble until it’s popped by the finding out that her boyfriend has been cheating on her — just as the cruise ship she’s on starts to sink! She’s sure that death is near until she drowns upon an underwater cave…and a hulking man with swirling eyes. Seeing a chance to escape, Ambrose forces the terrified Mari to help them both, but not before ultimately changing her life…and her legs. Their worlds turning upside in the matter of minutes, Ambrose is on a mission to clear his name and Mari’s on a mission to return to land. But how can she do that when she slowly starts to fall for the dangerous, damaged man who only wants to be free…and heal her own heart in the process?
122 pages, ebook
First published May 7, 2013
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 65 reviews
August 14, 2017
4 stars
**edit** Currently 0.99p on Amazon.co.uk
I have always had a slight fascination with the myth of Atlantis. Watched a fair amount of documentaries that try to figure out if it truly existed and where. I also love reading how authors spin the myth and make it their own. So when I saw the title of this, I pounced.
The book starts rather ominously with a shipwreck. Mari has been forced by her boyfriend to go alone on the couple's cruise they were supposed to go together. Following a bout of seasickness, she opens up her emails only to find that her boyfriend is cheating on her. And if that wasn't enough the ship she is on begins to sink. After losing consciousness she wakes up to find herself in an underwater cave. And it looks like she's not alone.
Ambrose is a merman, excuse me Atlantean, that has been imprisoned and tortured in a cave for over two thousand years. When a human suddenly appears there all he wants is for her to leave before his jailer comes back. Mari though is stubbornly immovable especially since she thinks she's dead. Seeing an opportunity to escape Ambrose uses a freaked out Mari to do it. But in order for both of them to survive he is forced to change Mari forever.
Now, on the run (or is it on the swim?) the pair are trying to stay alive while combating all the obstacles that come their way. Mari is trying to adjust to everything that happens underwater and Ambrose is set on protecting her. Emotions run high and the two find themselves attracted to one another. But can their love conquer all?
I loved the mythology and pantheon D.K. Combs built around Atlantis. I especially loved how the Desctruction of Atlantis came about. But at times I did feel a bit like there was a book I should have read previously in order to understand all the Gods and Goddesses introduced. Regardless, I enjoyed all the worldbuilding immensely! Mari's endless questions and quirkiness elevate the somber tone of the book and entertained me. The ending was a bit abrupt and I would have loved a proper epilogue. It does end with a HFN and leaves us with some loose threads that I really hope will be tied in the second book. If you love the myth of Atlantis and all things under the sea, I definitely recommend this one.
**edit** Currently 0.99p on Amazon.co.uk
I have always had a slight fascination with the myth of Atlantis. Watched a fair amount of documentaries that try to figure out if it truly existed and where. I also love reading how authors spin the myth and make it their own. So when I saw the title of this, I pounced.
The book starts rather ominously with a shipwreck. Mari has been forced by her boyfriend to go alone on the couple's cruise they were supposed to go together. Following a bout of seasickness, she opens up her emails only to find that her boyfriend is cheating on her. And if that wasn't enough the ship she is on begins to sink. After losing consciousness she wakes up to find herself in an underwater cave. And it looks like she's not alone.
Ambrose is a merman, excuse me Atlantean, that has been imprisoned and tortured in a cave for over two thousand years. When a human suddenly appears there all he wants is for her to leave before his jailer comes back. Mari though is stubbornly immovable especially since she thinks she's dead. Seeing an opportunity to escape Ambrose uses a freaked out Mari to do it. But in order for both of them to survive he is forced to change Mari forever.
Now, on the run (or is it on the swim?) the pair are trying to stay alive while combating all the obstacles that come their way. Mari is trying to adjust to everything that happens underwater and Ambrose is set on protecting her. Emotions run high and the two find themselves attracted to one another. But can their love conquer all?
I loved the mythology and pantheon D.K. Combs built around Atlantis. I especially loved how the Desctruction of Atlantis came about. But at times I did feel a bit like there was a book I should have read previously in order to understand all the Gods and Goddesses introduced. Regardless, I enjoyed all the worldbuilding immensely! Mari's endless questions and quirkiness elevate the somber tone of the book and entertained me. The ending was a bit abrupt and I would have loved a proper epilogue. It does end with a HFN and leaves us with some loose threads that I really hope will be tied in the second book. If you love the myth of Atlantis and all things under the sea, I definitely recommend this one.
December 26, 2017
The Atlantis: The King's Return starts with a good beginning. Unfortunately there are several aspects that made the story dull in some parts. If others would like Mari and the whirlwind romance between her and Ambrose, then I'm not certainly not one of them. Another disappointment is the unexpected ending; it ended hastily that will confuse and make readers curious on what happened to some characters, and whether it will be answered on the second book.
December 22, 2021
Reread December 2021
This book is one of my fave go to’s when I’m in a slump and want to reread something. I’ve barely read anything for the past few months but flew through this one.
Loved being back in this world and am still so sad about the fact there isn’t a 2nd installment (yet). I really hope the author is going to write and publish it someday.
Until then I’ll keep rereading this!
Rated it 4 stars now instead of the original 5. Whilst this story is so incredibly enjoyable I definitely see some little flaws here and there like writing/grammar mistakes that I think should’ve been detected before publishing.
But overall; a fantastic book if you’re into a more darker and adult little mermaid retelling; Atlanteans/mermaids, Atlantis, gods, steamy romance, banter… it has it all!!
~
Original review back in 2017
First read: 5 star rating
O.M.G. I LOVE THIS BOOK! loved loved lovedddd this read. I've been a big fan of the little mermaid ever since I was a little girl and now reading this adult version makes me swoon big time! I love just about EVERYTHING I just read. The story-line is really interesting and thankfully this first book doesn't end on a huge cliffhanger but leaves you with a semi-finished feeling which I'm very thankful for because I hate cliffhangers haha. Especially if the book has just been released and you have to wait a while until the next one releases.
This book is a thrill to read right from the start and every page is an adventure. I loved the story-line progress, the romance progress and the character developing progress. Every element is in perfect balance with one another.
STORY-LINE:
Really, really awesome!! Starting with the main character Mari, finding herself on a couples cruise without her boyfriend and then finding out that he is cheating on her back on the mainland. And to top it off, right after she finds out the freaking cruise ship is sinking! She ends up washed ashore in a cave where she comes across a merman - or as he likes to call himself an Atlantean - who's been held captured by a minor goddess. Mari thinks she's dead for sure and this is her hellish afterlife.. But nope, not dead, lol. Mari helps Ambrose escape and from then on her whole world gets turned upside down. In order to save Mari's life - since Ceto, the minor Goddess who held Ambrose captive, could come after them at any moment - he has to turn her into an Atlantean.
Mari's now 'forced' to live her life beneath the Sea. She discovers this whole new world with these Atlanteans/mermaids living in Atlantis - God, how awesome would it be discovering Atlantis and mermaids truly exist?! I want to be a mermaid too!!! She and Ambrose are running from Ceto and Ambrose has plans to take back Atlantis. At the same time Ambrose and Mari grow feelings for one another and that may be the most dangerous thing that could happen to them...
Let me start with the female lead; Mari.
I really think my bestie Kwante would LOVE mari, because when I think about describing Mari I think about Tigger from Winnie the Pooh - and Kwante is just like Tigger as well, lol. But seriously, She's so extremely excited all the time and full of energy - which I couldn't blame her for because she got to explore Atlantis and such And it really made me laugh so much because Ambrose, being 2000+ years old and such, felt like dealing with a merbaby at those moments which was so funny. He was sighing all the time and couldn't contain her enthusiasm. In the end he just gave up and let her be excited, lol. And aside from that all, she's ferocious if needs to be and has such a strong personality. She's feisty and even though Ambrose is a really alpha manly man, she doesn't let herself be pushed around, yes! I love her outbursts and the way she curses - 'fishy' here, 'fishy' there.. yep, loved it hahaha. Even though she was being dealt this hand in life, she knows how to adapt fast and she has so much love to give being a warm and kind person.. If I'd ever switch to 'the other side' I'd definitely had a woman crush now, lol. Mari is just freaking awesome!!!
Allrighty then, on to our male lead; Ambrose, the Exiled One
He was King of Atlantis before being exiled and being held captive for 2000 years by a minor Goddess named Ceto. He's in really bad shape when Mari finds him and he undergoes a tremendous development throughout this book, in the most positive sense. Bit by bit we get to learn Ambrose as he was before and now he's becoming even better, because now he has Mari at his side. Mari's showing him so many new things in life - because she's not like most of the Atlanteans in behavior since she grew up on land and this has Ambrose's tail in a twitch hihi. He's gone for, lol - which only add to his amazing personality development. We get to learn him as this prisoner and feeling like he doesn't deserve anything or anyone and he ends up being this bad-ass meant to be King/Alpha male that has ever female's panties drop instantly hehe..
WORLD BUILDING
Epic! Truly! Everything is mesmerizing and so beautifully written. I can totally see everything about this world come to live in my mind. I love the author's attention to detail, especially when it comes to this world building and the workings of everything inside this world beneath the sea. She thought of everything and it's just so insanely good. I'm in awe, really. I fell in love with this world and couldn't get enough of it. I was just as excited as Mari was to explore more of Atlantis and the other creatures that live beneath the Sea.
ROMANCE.
I know not everyone is a fan of a quickly developing romance, but I gotta tell you; this romance is absurdly well written, almost to perfection I think. Looking back, seeing how their feelings developed over a span of just a couple of days you'd normally think; an author could never written a well developed and believable romance within that span of time. But this author did just that and she made it believable. The quickly developing romantic feelings between Ambrose and Mari stole my breath away, it's so beautiful and they are a perfect match for one another. I really love how these two characters bond with each other and grow with each other during the story. I loved seeing Ambrose being a manly-man but vulnerable at the same time and I loved seeing Mari be this ferocious woman, standing up for Ambrose and at the same time feel that exact same vulnerability Ambrose feels too. These two are a match made in heaven - since the Gods definitely have something to do with their fate, I feel like laughing a bit about that statement hehe. And don't get me started on the sexy time between these two because.. HOLY FREAKING CUPCAKE, THESE TWO CHARACTERS ARE SO HOT TOGETHER!!! This author really knows how to make a sexy scene work, yep.
WRITING.
The writing is addictive, right from the start. This was my first book of this author and I love Combs' writing style so much, can't wait to read more of her books. It's expressive, funny, addictive and so fluently written that I just couldn't or wanted to stop reading.
CONCLUSION.
I just can't do anything other than give this book a 5 star rating because I devoured it and loved every single aspect of this book, from beginning till end. It made me laugh, ache, love, cry and swoon. It had me on the edge of my seat and I couldn't 'flip the pages' - I've read on my kindle but you get what I mean right haha - fast enough. I loved the little mermaid references in the book and I loved how a lot of things were recognizable from the world I fell in love with as a young girl in the Disney story, but at the same time it being completely different. I mean, Ursula was a scary mean bitch, but the monsters in this book will have you crawl back into a corner hehe. This story is definitely more mature - on every level - and darker and I reaaaaaly liked that, a lot! I couldn't think of anything I didn't like about this book, so it deserves all the praise and the 5 star rating! a MUST BUY/READ for everyone who likes a thrilling adventure beneath the sea with really awesome 'mermaids/atlanteans', a swoon worthy and sexy as hell romance that'll leave you drooling and a really exciting story-line so amazingly well written, you can't get enough of it.
This book is one of my fave go to’s when I’m in a slump and want to reread something. I’ve barely read anything for the past few months but flew through this one.
Loved being back in this world and am still so sad about the fact there isn’t a 2nd installment (yet). I really hope the author is going to write and publish it someday.
Until then I’ll keep rereading this!
Rated it 4 stars now instead of the original 5. Whilst this story is so incredibly enjoyable I definitely see some little flaws here and there like writing/grammar mistakes that I think should’ve been detected before publishing.
But overall; a fantastic book if you’re into a more darker and adult little mermaid retelling; Atlanteans/mermaids, Atlantis, gods, steamy romance, banter… it has it all!!
~
Original review back in 2017
First read: 5 star rating
O.M.G. I LOVE THIS BOOK! loved loved lovedddd this read. I've been a big fan of the little mermaid ever since I was a little girl and now reading this adult version makes me swoon big time! I love just about EVERYTHING I just read. The story-line is really interesting and thankfully this first book doesn't end on a huge cliffhanger but leaves you with a semi-finished feeling which I'm very thankful for because I hate cliffhangers haha. Especially if the book has just been released and you have to wait a while until the next one releases.
This book is a thrill to read right from the start and every page is an adventure. I loved the story-line progress, the romance progress and the character developing progress. Every element is in perfect balance with one another.
STORY-LINE:
Really, really awesome!! Starting with the main character Mari, finding herself on a couples cruise without her boyfriend and then finding out that he is cheating on her back on the mainland. And to top it off, right after she finds out the freaking cruise ship is sinking! She ends up washed ashore in a cave where she comes across a merman - or as he likes to call himself an Atlantean - who's been held captured by a minor goddess. Mari thinks she's dead for sure and this is her hellish afterlife.. But nope, not dead, lol. Mari helps Ambrose escape and from then on her whole world gets turned upside down. In order to save Mari's life - since Ceto, the minor Goddess who held Ambrose captive, could come after them at any moment - he has to turn her into an Atlantean.
Mari's now 'forced' to live her life beneath the Sea. She discovers this whole new world with these Atlanteans/mermaids living in Atlantis - God, how awesome would it be discovering Atlantis and mermaids truly exist?! I want to be a mermaid too!!! She and Ambrose are running from Ceto and Ambrose has plans to take back Atlantis. At the same time Ambrose and Mari grow feelings for one another and that may be the most dangerous thing that could happen to them...
Let me start with the female lead; Mari.
I really think my bestie Kwante would LOVE mari, because when I think about describing Mari I think about Tigger from Winnie the Pooh - and Kwante is just like Tigger as well, lol. But seriously, She's so extremely excited all the time and full of energy - which I couldn't blame her for because she got to explore Atlantis and such And it really made me laugh so much because Ambrose, being 2000+ years old and such, felt like dealing with a merbaby at those moments which was so funny. He was sighing all the time and couldn't contain her enthusiasm. In the end he just gave up and let her be excited, lol. And aside from that all, she's ferocious if needs to be and has such a strong personality. She's feisty and even though Ambrose is a really alpha manly man, she doesn't let herself be pushed around, yes! I love her outbursts and the way she curses - 'fishy' here, 'fishy' there.. yep, loved it hahaha. Even though she was being dealt this hand in life, she knows how to adapt fast and she has so much love to give being a warm and kind person.. If I'd ever switch to 'the other side' I'd definitely had a woman crush now, lol. Mari is just freaking awesome!!!
Allrighty then, on to our male lead; Ambrose, the Exiled One
He was King of Atlantis before being exiled and being held captive for 2000 years by a minor Goddess named Ceto. He's in really bad shape when Mari finds him and he undergoes a tremendous development throughout this book, in the most positive sense. Bit by bit we get to learn Ambrose as he was before and now he's becoming even better, because now he has Mari at his side. Mari's showing him so many new things in life - because she's not like most of the Atlanteans in behavior since she grew up on land and this has Ambrose's tail in a twitch hihi. He's gone for, lol - which only add to his amazing personality development. We get to learn him as this prisoner and feeling like he doesn't deserve anything or anyone and he ends up being this bad-ass meant to be King/Alpha male that has ever female's panties drop instantly hehe..
WORLD BUILDING
Epic! Truly! Everything is mesmerizing and so beautifully written. I can totally see everything about this world come to live in my mind. I love the author's attention to detail, especially when it comes to this world building and the workings of everything inside this world beneath the sea. She thought of everything and it's just so insanely good. I'm in awe, really. I fell in love with this world and couldn't get enough of it. I was just as excited as Mari was to explore more of Atlantis and the other creatures that live beneath the Sea.
ROMANCE.
I know not everyone is a fan of a quickly developing romance, but I gotta tell you; this romance is absurdly well written, almost to perfection I think. Looking back, seeing how their feelings developed over a span of just a couple of days you'd normally think; an author could never written a well developed and believable romance within that span of time. But this author did just that and she made it believable. The quickly developing romantic feelings between Ambrose and Mari stole my breath away, it's so beautiful and they are a perfect match for one another. I really love how these two characters bond with each other and grow with each other during the story. I loved seeing Ambrose being a manly-man but vulnerable at the same time and I loved seeing Mari be this ferocious woman, standing up for Ambrose and at the same time feel that exact same vulnerability Ambrose feels too. These two are a match made in heaven - since the Gods definitely have something to do with their fate, I feel like laughing a bit about that statement hehe. And don't get me started on the sexy time between these two because.. HOLY FREAKING CUPCAKE, THESE TWO CHARACTERS ARE SO HOT TOGETHER!!! This author really knows how to make a sexy scene work, yep.
WRITING.
The writing is addictive, right from the start. This was my first book of this author and I love Combs' writing style so much, can't wait to read more of her books. It's expressive, funny, addictive and so fluently written that I just couldn't or wanted to stop reading.
CONCLUSION.
I just can't do anything other than give this book a 5 star rating because I devoured it and loved every single aspect of this book, from beginning till end. It made me laugh, ache, love, cry and swoon. It had me on the edge of my seat and I couldn't 'flip the pages' - I've read on my kindle but you get what I mean right haha - fast enough. I loved the little mermaid references in the book and I loved how a lot of things were recognizable from the world I fell in love with as a young girl in the Disney story, but at the same time it being completely different. I mean, Ursula was a scary mean bitch, but the monsters in this book will have you crawl back into a corner hehe. This story is definitely more mature - on every level - and darker and I reaaaaaly liked that, a lot! I couldn't think of anything I didn't like about this book, so it deserves all the praise and the 5 star rating! a MUST BUY/READ for everyone who likes a thrilling adventure beneath the sea with really awesome 'mermaids/atlanteans', a swoon worthy and sexy as hell romance that'll leave you drooling and a really exciting story-line so amazingly well written, you can't get enough of it.
September 18, 2017
https://koeur.wordpress.com/2017/09/1...
Publisher: DK Combs
Publishing Date: August 2017
ISBN: 9781522056379
Genre: Fantasy
Rating: 1.0/5
Publishers Description: Ambrose. The name is not only feared, but shunned and reviled. He’s a monster sentenced to a life of desolation and loneliness, and no one but his tormentor knows his whereabouts — at the bottom of the ocean. A creature of the sea cursed because of one simple mistake…
Review: Ah where to start. The opening to this novel was dam good. Mari has strength of character seldom read and is immediately thrust into an interesting story line with impeccable movement. After her cruise ship sinks, she finds herself in a cave with a tortured merman and helps him escape his imprisonment. In order to save her life he turns her into an Atlantean and so begins the long slide into the shitter.
Mari not only turns into a mermaid but into a juvenile, petulant, recriminatory asshat. Her tantrums are epic, her tail denotes that she is a goddess (of course) and she loves mer-dick, specifically the guy she rescued who happens to be….. a King! At the end of this novel Mari is on land and behaving like an adult and is embarrassed by her behavior while under the sea. Well she went through the “CHANGE” and that made her emotionally unstable, which is a great excuse for writing pure shjt.
Why would an author knowingly sabotage her main character for the sake of writing juvenile romantic fantasy? It really boggles the mind that with writing talent in evidence that a constructed character with depth and strength was sadly, not built. This novel had HUGE potential. Great movement and writing talent coupled with a strong character and a story line on the verge of intricacy. Just a dam crying shame…..on YOU, DK “Sellout” Combs.
Publisher: DK Combs
Publishing Date: August 2017
ISBN: 9781522056379
Genre: Fantasy
Rating: 1.0/5
Publishers Description: Ambrose. The name is not only feared, but shunned and reviled. He’s a monster sentenced to a life of desolation and loneliness, and no one but his tormentor knows his whereabouts — at the bottom of the ocean. A creature of the sea cursed because of one simple mistake…
Review: Ah where to start. The opening to this novel was dam good. Mari has strength of character seldom read and is immediately thrust into an interesting story line with impeccable movement. After her cruise ship sinks, she finds herself in a cave with a tortured merman and helps him escape his imprisonment. In order to save her life he turns her into an Atlantean and so begins the long slide into the shitter.
Mari not only turns into a mermaid but into a juvenile, petulant, recriminatory asshat. Her tantrums are epic, her tail denotes that she is a goddess (of course) and she loves mer-dick, specifically the guy she rescued who happens to be….. a King! At the end of this novel Mari is on land and behaving like an adult and is embarrassed by her behavior while under the sea. Well she went through the “CHANGE” and that made her emotionally unstable, which is a great excuse for writing pure shjt.
Why would an author knowingly sabotage her main character for the sake of writing juvenile romantic fantasy? It really boggles the mind that with writing talent in evidence that a constructed character with depth and strength was sadly, not built. This novel had HUGE potential. Great movement and writing talent coupled with a strong character and a story line on the verge of intricacy. Just a dam crying shame…..on YOU, DK “Sellout” Combs.
May 11, 2018
Superleuk! Leest heel makkelijk en snel. Ik zou ook wel een Ambrose willen.... en een staart😆 😊😍
June 26, 2016
Captive the first book in the Alantean series is (currently) a free work of fiction from Wattpad, a free website where people can post and read original stories. You can (currently) click on the url available under the book summary to take you there directly.
Let me start out by saying there are definitely things I think could use some improvement in Captive. There was the usual grammatical errors and fast pace, which as unfair as it may be, I don't really hold against these types of stories because, well, they simply aren't books. If this was a book I'd probably be judging it differently.
And if the time was really put into it I think that this could be a really good book.
One thing that I felt it needed was more descriptions and information. While the author did fairly well of giving that to the bigger things in the story, smaller and less important things fell to the wayside a little. This a new world we're seeing, so even just a little tidbit about how things work, are made, or the history of it can make a big difference. I also felt like the history of the side characters could use some work. Some needed more and some didn't have much of one at all.
Plot wise it was pretty good. It could use some work, but the basis of it is solid.
As for the characters I really liked them. Ambrose and Mari were both great. Their emotions were realistic and their actions and reactions were believable. A little tweaking maybe, but I'm not complaining. The only character that I think really needs to be worked on is Ceto. As the main villain she comes off as a shallow character, and her personality just didn't feel right to me.
I also liked the play on the scales. I think it's unique and looks better then the typical mermaid attire. A+ on that. I was also given a believable explanation on how cute mer-babys were made, too.
Final thoughts?: Book Two here I come!
Let me start out by saying there are definitely things I think could use some improvement in Captive. There was the usual grammatical errors and fast pace, which as unfair as it may be, I don't really hold against these types of stories because, well, they simply aren't books. If this was a book I'd probably be judging it differently.
And if the time was really put into it I think that this could be a really good book.
One thing that I felt it needed was more descriptions and information. While the author did fairly well of giving that to the bigger things in the story, smaller and less important things fell to the wayside a little. This a new world we're seeing, so even just a little tidbit about how things work, are made, or the history of it can make a big difference. I also felt like the history of the side characters could use some work. Some needed more and some didn't have much of one at all.
Plot wise it was pretty good. It could use some work, but the basis of it is solid.
As for the characters I really liked them. Ambrose and Mari were both great. Their emotions were realistic and their actions and reactions were believable. A little tweaking maybe, but I'm not complaining. The only character that I think really needs to be worked on is Ceto. As the main villain she comes off as a shallow character, and her personality just didn't feel right to me.
I also liked the play on the scales. I think it's unique and looks better then the typical mermaid attire. A+ on that. I was also given a believable explanation on how cute mer-babys were made, too.
Final thoughts?: Book Two here I come!
August 22, 2017
So I did really enjoy this story.. but there were quite a few things that bothered me about it. Not huge things that took away from the book but enough where it drove me crazy.
The story itself was fantastic. I loved it. I love books about Atlantis. I Loved Ambrose. He was super sweet and kind.. especially for a man that was tortured for 2000 years. I think that Mari was good for him because she was so bubbly and I just think that helped him.
So I liked the idea behind this story. I love that a mortal woman was shipwrecked and saved a merman and in turn he saved her by turning her. I love that! Such a freaking cool premise.
A couple things that really, really bothered me though:
One thing that I did not like was where the author broke off chapters. I feel like a lot of the chapters ended in the middle of a thought. That just seemed off to me. The second thing was Mari... She wasn't a terrible character, she was just dumb. She kept asking if mermaids farted.. I mean she was obsessed with it. It annoyed the ever loving fuck out of me. The third thing was the world building was terrible. There really wasn't any at all.
So overall, good book. I just wish that I knew more about the world. I feel like it was very relationship based.. which is 100% fine with me.. except when the book is in freaking Atlantis, I want to know about that shit!
The story itself was fantastic. I loved it. I love books about Atlantis. I Loved Ambrose. He was super sweet and kind.. especially for a man that was tortured for 2000 years. I think that Mari was good for him because she was so bubbly and I just think that helped him.
So I liked the idea behind this story. I love that a mortal woman was shipwrecked and saved a merman and in turn he saved her by turning her. I love that! Such a freaking cool premise.
A couple things that really, really bothered me though:
One thing that I did not like was where the author broke off chapters. I feel like a lot of the chapters ended in the middle of a thought. That just seemed off to me. The second thing was Mari... She wasn't a terrible character, she was just dumb. She kept asking if mermaids farted.. I mean she was obsessed with it. It annoyed the ever loving fuck out of me. The third thing was the world building was terrible. There really wasn't any at all.
So overall, good book. I just wish that I knew more about the world. I feel like it was very relationship based.. which is 100% fine with me.. except when the book is in freaking Atlantis, I want to know about that shit!
May 3, 2014
This book literally holds you captive till its end
It's so beautifully written you will easily fall in love with it.
The characters are amazing ,Mari is so funny and down to earth and then there's Ambrose , the complete package
I just fell in love with it and I'm pretty sure you will too .
It's so beautifully written you will easily fall in love with it.
The characters are amazing ,Mari is so funny and down to earth and then there's Ambrose , the complete package
I just fell in love with it and I'm pretty sure you will too .
May 3, 2013
This is by far the best book I have read in a long time! It absolutely captivated me!
Read
December 30, 2017Review to come.
May 2, 2013
Love it with all my heart thank you writing this amazing stories and captive makes me look forward to updates on wattpad
October 29, 2017
I really enjoyed this book. I intially picked it because I am obsessed with all things mythical and Atlantis is at the top of the list (with dragons). As soon as I started it I felt for Mari who is alone on a couples cruise because her boyfriend had to “work”. She is alone and sad and her boat starts to sink the mintue she finds out that he has been cheating on her – how can you not feel for her and what she is going through.
Mari and Ambrose fit together and work really well, yes you can see their romance coming a mile off but it just makes you want it to happen sooner. While Ambrose is made out to be a wicked man to begin with and super scary, he is just a big softy who wants to help his people with his wicked fighting skills.
The descriptions of Atlantis and the surrounding areas, as well as the merpeople and their magic are great and help you to see the lost kingdom. The are some parts that could perhaps be a little stronger especially towards the end (no spoilers here, if you want to know you can ask) and I am truly happy with how it ended.
The beginning book in a series always sets it up well and this is no exception, I am looking forward to reading the next in the series as I am wanting to know in which direction the story will progress. Most books like these are easy to read and as it’s not overly long I gulped it down in a couple of days while enjoying every mintue of it.
A 3.5 to 4 star read which I will probably read agin when i’m after something easy to read.
Mari and Ambrose fit together and work really well, yes you can see their romance coming a mile off but it just makes you want it to happen sooner. While Ambrose is made out to be a wicked man to begin with and super scary, he is just a big softy who wants to help his people with his wicked fighting skills.
The descriptions of Atlantis and the surrounding areas, as well as the merpeople and their magic are great and help you to see the lost kingdom. The are some parts that could perhaps be a little stronger especially towards the end (no spoilers here, if you want to know you can ask) and I am truly happy with how it ended.
The beginning book in a series always sets it up well and this is no exception, I am looking forward to reading the next in the series as I am wanting to know in which direction the story will progress. Most books like these are easy to read and as it’s not overly long I gulped it down in a couple of days while enjoying every mintue of it.
A 3.5 to 4 star read which I will probably read agin when i’m after something easy to read.
August 23, 2017
Ambrose Katariglos was forced into the role of king of Atlantis when he was basically a teenager due to the deaths of his parents. For over 500 years he ruled fairly and well until someone framed him for the sinking of the island and the resulting deaths of many Atlanteans. Ambrose was dragged before the gods and exiled from the only home he'd ever known. As he was leaving his beloved Atlantis, a petty, cruel lesser god kidnapped him, trapping him in a cave that even the other gods could not find. Unable to escape, Ambrose was tortured and used for the power the god could drain him of.
Mari was basically happy--she had a job she loved and although her boyfriend wasn't perfect, they'd been together for 3 years and would no doubt get married in the near future and start a family. Ray is called in to work and he forces Mari to take the couple's cruise they booked, because he said that she shouldn't miss out on her vacation because he needs to work. Bored and sea-sick, Mari stays in her cabin and checks her email. The personal email that both she and Ray share has several emails that shows her that Ray is not the man she thought he was...he is a liar and a cheater. Just as she finds this our, there is a big bang and the ship shudders violently. Making her way to her cabin's door, she opens it, only to have water rush in.
Mari, convinced she is dead, wakes up in a cave with no exit other than a dark tunnel and maybe an underwater entrance in the small lake she found herself on the edge of. Gathering her courage, Mari heads down the dark tunnel.
Ambrose, weak and wounded, had a hard time believing that someone found him after so long. The problem is, she's human and his captor would kill her slowly and painfully if she was found. Doing his best to convince the woman to flee, she stubbornly refuses to leave and will do nothing other than help him escape.
Atlantis: The King’s Return is a wonderful story that was so interesting and the pacing is so well done, that I couldn’t put it down. D. K. Combs did a fantastic job of bringing an amazing story to life. I loved how well the characters in this story were developed, even the secondary and walk-ons were well done. The adventures that Mari and Ambrose found themselves in were believable, and weren’t rushed, nor were they slow; they flowed as naturally as the ocean itself. I really am hoping that there will be another book in this world, because I need to know what happened to Deimos.
Mari was basically happy--she had a job she loved and although her boyfriend wasn't perfect, they'd been together for 3 years and would no doubt get married in the near future and start a family. Ray is called in to work and he forces Mari to take the couple's cruise they booked, because he said that she shouldn't miss out on her vacation because he needs to work. Bored and sea-sick, Mari stays in her cabin and checks her email. The personal email that both she and Ray share has several emails that shows her that Ray is not the man she thought he was...he is a liar and a cheater. Just as she finds this our, there is a big bang and the ship shudders violently. Making her way to her cabin's door, she opens it, only to have water rush in.
Mari, convinced she is dead, wakes up in a cave with no exit other than a dark tunnel and maybe an underwater entrance in the small lake she found herself on the edge of. Gathering her courage, Mari heads down the dark tunnel.
Ambrose, weak and wounded, had a hard time believing that someone found him after so long. The problem is, she's human and his captor would kill her slowly and painfully if she was found. Doing his best to convince the woman to flee, she stubbornly refuses to leave and will do nothing other than help him escape.
Atlantis: The King’s Return is a wonderful story that was so interesting and the pacing is so well done, that I couldn’t put it down. D. K. Combs did a fantastic job of bringing an amazing story to life. I loved how well the characters in this story were developed, even the secondary and walk-ons were well done. The adventures that Mari and Ambrose found themselves in were believable, and weren’t rushed, nor were they slow; they flowed as naturally as the ocean itself. I really am hoping that there will be another book in this world, because I need to know what happened to Deimos.
December 7, 2017
What a book!! I need more. Hopefully we will get more information about the second one soon.
Full review to come on thebookdutchesses.wordpress.com
Full review to come on thebookdutchesses.wordpress.com
August 13, 2017
Perfect ship - ancient stern sexy alpha and bubbly airhead heroine who asks him whether fish fart
June 25, 2016
Five amazing starts for this "captivating" book! (See what I did there?)
First let me start off with my ratings. I rated this book 5/5 stars because the story line was so much fun to read, the characters were great, and the writing style was easy to read and enjoyable, and the author had such an adventurous tone throughout the book. I was going to rate 4/5 at first just because there were A LOT of grammatical errors, and no I am not being the Grammar Police (for I am sure there will be small errors in my review as well). There were errors in many sentences, some sentences just cut off or the wrong pronouns were used, or sometimes It seemed the author was going to write the sentence one way, but decided to change it last minute but forgot to delete what she already had. While this was pretty annoying, I didn't dwell on it for too long because it really was a great story.
Now to the nitty gritty!
The characters...
They were great! Fun and each one was different. Not one of the characters were alike, which I enjoyed because it gave a new taste to the story each time you read another page. I love a good variety of characters and think characters are what make the story intriguing and hold it together. Think of them as the glue. Without them, everything would fall apart.
Mari:
Mari is the leading lady, and I really liked her! She had a very young and spunky personality but was never too immature. She had her moments where she acted a little less than her age (Like where she kept demanding Ambrose tell her if mermaids fart) but it was mainly just her quirky personality. Mari was so hilarious with her one liners and she was so strong minded which I loved. Mari was thrown into the Atlantean world not by choice, but by a devastating thing that happened to her and she took it pretty well! She stayed true to herself. While she had to adapt to a new world, new lifestyle, and new people, she never changed who she was to please any of them. That earned her a great deal of respect in my eyes.
Ambrose:
You couldn't help but love Ambrose. From his looks, to what he had suffered and endured thanks to the minor goddess Ceto, to him overcoming every obstacle thrown at him, he was perfect. My heart wrenched for him just minutes into the book when reading the scene of him laying helpless in the cave. The author had such a way with words, and she really knew how to use them to get the readers to feel sympathy for the Exiled one. Ambrose was a great character because he wasn't just this strong, dominant, former Atlantean-King, but also because he had a soft and caring heart. Ambrose still cared about the well-being of his people of Atlantis even after they had all turned their backs on him. Ambrose had a lot of patience with Mari as well. He didn't have to change her or take her with him. She wasn't his responsibility, but he did it out of the kindness of his heart. He didn't want anyone to suffer what Ceto had put him through. He was all in all, an honorable man.
The storyline:
The author kept me intrigued during the whole book. I love mythology, even if it isn't the classic Greek mythology. It is one of my favorite things to read, and I love when supernatural/fantasy books include them into their plot. I felt like I had been growing up learning about these Gods and Goddesses after reading D.K. Combs stories about them. I really liked how she tied them all together in an easy to understand way. I do wish she had went into more detail about the two sisters though.. they were very interesting. How they had no emotions and had to teach themselves feelings? Very sad but I would love to see them get their own book. But back to the main story. I liked how the author introduced the Atlantean life. I don't feel like she rushed into anything and each chapter transitioned smoothly. One of my favorite scenes is when they are at the F-Inn and Mari is still adjusting to everything and the Atlanteans are freaked out by her tail. And of course the part where Ambrose kicks all their asses without breaking a sweat. I just think we learned so much about the Atlanteans in that chapter. Another thing I found important to mention is that the author didn't just forget about Mari's life before the shipwreck and her being introduced to the underwater world. The author mentions her past constantly in the book reminding the reader that she isn't quite done with Mari's past and her family yet. The ending is great because the author once again ties everything back together.
This was a great book and if you love merpeople as much as I do, I suggest this for an enticing, quick read about an Exiled King who is saved by a young woman who miraculously survived a shipwreck in the middle of the ocean. You will get romance, laughter, and adventure all in one!
First let me start off with my ratings. I rated this book 5/5 stars because the story line was so much fun to read, the characters were great, and the writing style was easy to read and enjoyable, and the author had such an adventurous tone throughout the book. I was going to rate 4/5 at first just because there were A LOT of grammatical errors, and no I am not being the Grammar Police (for I am sure there will be small errors in my review as well). There were errors in many sentences, some sentences just cut off or the wrong pronouns were used, or sometimes It seemed the author was going to write the sentence one way, but decided to change it last minute but forgot to delete what she already had. While this was pretty annoying, I didn't dwell on it for too long because it really was a great story.
Now to the nitty gritty!
The characters...
They were great! Fun and each one was different. Not one of the characters were alike, which I enjoyed because it gave a new taste to the story each time you read another page. I love a good variety of characters and think characters are what make the story intriguing and hold it together. Think of them as the glue. Without them, everything would fall apart.
Mari:
Mari is the leading lady, and I really liked her! She had a very young and spunky personality but was never too immature. She had her moments where she acted a little less than her age (Like where she kept demanding Ambrose tell her if mermaids fart) but it was mainly just her quirky personality. Mari was so hilarious with her one liners and she was so strong minded which I loved. Mari was thrown into the Atlantean world not by choice, but by a devastating thing that happened to her and she took it pretty well! She stayed true to herself. While she had to adapt to a new world, new lifestyle, and new people, she never changed who she was to please any of them. That earned her a great deal of respect in my eyes.
Ambrose:
You couldn't help but love Ambrose. From his looks, to what he had suffered and endured thanks to the minor goddess Ceto, to him overcoming every obstacle thrown at him, he was perfect. My heart wrenched for him just minutes into the book when reading the scene of him laying helpless in the cave. The author had such a way with words, and she really knew how to use them to get the readers to feel sympathy for the Exiled one. Ambrose was a great character because he wasn't just this strong, dominant, former Atlantean-King, but also because he had a soft and caring heart. Ambrose still cared about the well-being of his people of Atlantis even after they had all turned their backs on him. Ambrose had a lot of patience with Mari as well. He didn't have to change her or take her with him. She wasn't his responsibility, but he did it out of the kindness of his heart. He didn't want anyone to suffer what Ceto had put him through. He was all in all, an honorable man.
The storyline:
The author kept me intrigued during the whole book. I love mythology, even if it isn't the classic Greek mythology. It is one of my favorite things to read, and I love when supernatural/fantasy books include them into their plot. I felt like I had been growing up learning about these Gods and Goddesses after reading D.K. Combs stories about them. I really liked how she tied them all together in an easy to understand way. I do wish she had went into more detail about the two sisters though.. they were very interesting. How they had no emotions and had to teach themselves feelings? Very sad but I would love to see them get their own book. But back to the main story. I liked how the author introduced the Atlantean life. I don't feel like she rushed into anything and each chapter transitioned smoothly. One of my favorite scenes is when they are at the F-Inn and Mari is still adjusting to everything and the Atlanteans are freaked out by her tail. And of course the part where Ambrose kicks all their asses without breaking a sweat. I just think we learned so much about the Atlanteans in that chapter. Another thing I found important to mention is that the author didn't just forget about Mari's life before the shipwreck and her being introduced to the underwater world. The author mentions her past constantly in the book reminding the reader that she isn't quite done with Mari's past and her family yet. The ending is great because the author once again ties everything back together.
This was a great book and if you love merpeople as much as I do, I suggest this for an enticing, quick read about an Exiled King who is saved by a young woman who miraculously survived a shipwreck in the middle of the ocean. You will get romance, laughter, and adventure all in one!
August 15, 2017
Worth the read
I think this book changed my mind on mermen. The humour and storytelling had me believing that I could see the story in my head.
I think this book changed my mind on mermen. The humour and storytelling had me believing that I could see the story in my head.
January 6, 2018
*I received this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*
I picked up this book because I wanted to read a fantasy with mermaids and I love the tale of Altantis. This ended up being more Romance than Fantasy genre, but I was ready to roll with it.
Straight-up: This book is confusing.
Things just don't entirely make sense. Mari's reactions to things can get to the point of childish or ridiculous. How long is she going to think she is dead?! Then why didn't she even ask Ambrose why he changed her? Then after she is changed... wow so childish, which is blamed on hormones yet he still likes her even though it isn't the real her and-- ugh like I said, confusing.
Besides their actions and personalities being confusing, scenes and description could be confusing. Much of this is spoiler, so I don't want to talk about it too much. Let me say, that significance of tail color isn't explained fully (does tail color designate class too?) especially not to the main character who just kinda goes with it, and the healing powers of the Atlanteans changes unless I'm misunderstanding Ambrose's predicament in the cave. There is also a lack of description with what the tails of the Gods look like, so for some of the book I had no idea what Mari's tail looked like.
So, there were a few times I re-read passages trying to see if I missed something, other times conversation would switch drastically (let's not even talk about Mari's personality switch), and kinda just went with the confusing flow.
Now, besides the confusion, the plot and story have so much potential. A returning king with a human-turned Atlantean, evil creatures and unfair punishment by the Gods. Like, there is a lot here. So much potential!! It was interesting and I wanted to know how things would work out.
I don't agree with the ending, which I found to be lackluster, but all in all, this is not a terrible book... for a romance book.
I probably won't continue the series, but I will be looking for other mermaid books to read.
I picked up this book because I wanted to read a fantasy with mermaids and I love the tale of Altantis. This ended up being more Romance than Fantasy genre, but I was ready to roll with it.
Straight-up: This book is confusing.
Things just don't entirely make sense. Mari's reactions to things can get to the point of childish or ridiculous. How long is she going to think she is dead?! Then why didn't she even ask Ambrose why he changed her? Then after she is changed... wow so childish, which is blamed on hormones yet he still likes her even though it isn't the real her and-- ugh like I said, confusing.
Besides their actions and personalities being confusing, scenes and description could be confusing. Much of this is spoiler, so I don't want to talk about it too much. Let me say, that significance of tail color isn't explained fully (does tail color designate class too?) especially not to the main character who just kinda goes with it, and the healing powers of the Atlanteans changes unless I'm misunderstanding Ambrose's predicament in the cave. There is also a lack of description with what the tails of the Gods look like, so for some of the book I had no idea what Mari's tail looked like.
So, there were a few times I re-read passages trying to see if I missed something, other times conversation would switch drastically (let's not even talk about Mari's personality switch), and kinda just went with the confusing flow.
Now, besides the confusion, the plot and story have so much potential. A returning king with a human-turned Atlantean, evil creatures and unfair punishment by the Gods. Like, there is a lot here. So much potential!! It was interesting and I wanted to know how things would work out.
I don't agree with the ending, which I found to be lackluster, but all in all, this is not a terrible book... for a romance book.
I probably won't continue the series, but I will be looking for other mermaid books to read.
September 26, 2017
I am so confused on how I ultimately feel about Atlantis: The King's Return. The story is great. The characters teeter-totter between good and incredibly annoying.
The story itself was interesting, and enough to hook a reader. The main character, Mari, started so strong and great. A woman to get behind. But then she goes completely out of her mind. Completely irrational. Her mood swings and the way she would blow up about things she's never heard of to know anything about were crazy. It's later explained, but I feel like the explanation came too little too late after the reader already has too much time to grow to dislike her. Ambrose was a mostly good character though. He is broken, hunky, and protective. Almost barbarically protective at times, but I could get over it. What was bad was his back and forth issues. His thoughts and feelings versus his actions was continuous, and eye-roll inducing.
My problem with the writing started with all the typos that could've been caught with another pass. Not deal breaking though. What was deal braking was the confusing POV. A chapter would start focused on Mari, but then you're getting all of Ambrose's thoughts and feelings, then an abrupt switch to Mari. All in one page. You never knew who you were supposed to be thinking as.
When I started the book, I was really into it. Then it started to take a turn. By about 60%, I was dreading going on. Somehow, the end has me intrigued enough to see what comes in the next book. Kind of like I'm already through the first book, might as well, kind of thing.
If you like romance and fantasy, this quick read is maybe worth a shot.
The story itself was interesting, and enough to hook a reader. The main character, Mari, started so strong and great. A woman to get behind. But then she goes completely out of her mind. Completely irrational. Her mood swings and the way she would blow up about things she's never heard of to know anything about were crazy. It's later explained, but I feel like the explanation came too little too late after the reader already has too much time to grow to dislike her. Ambrose was a mostly good character though. He is broken, hunky, and protective. Almost barbarically protective at times, but I could get over it. What was bad was his back and forth issues. His thoughts and feelings versus his actions was continuous, and eye-roll inducing.
My problem with the writing started with all the typos that could've been caught with another pass. Not deal breaking though. What was deal braking was the confusing POV. A chapter would start focused on Mari, but then you're getting all of Ambrose's thoughts and feelings, then an abrupt switch to Mari. All in one page. You never knew who you were supposed to be thinking as.
When I started the book, I was really into it. Then it started to take a turn. By about 60%, I was dreading going on. Somehow, the end has me intrigued enough to see what comes in the next book. Kind of like I'm already through the first book, might as well, kind of thing.
If you like romance and fantasy, this quick read is maybe worth a shot.
November 3, 2013
It was awesome and welcoming. It was not at all pretentious at trying to impress the audience with how it ethereal it was.
The flaws I found were in the characters. At first, I did not understand why Ambrose hated Mari's bawling, because it seemed too immature to do so, and I did not understand why Mari bawled over such little things. I mean, sure, any guy would be uncomfortable in the face of women crying, but it seemed appropriate, I guess, to his character development from asshole to accepting lover. On the one hand, the execution could have been better, but on the other hand, it was alright.
The flaws I found were in the characters. At first, I did not understand why Ambrose hated Mari's bawling, because it seemed too immature to do so, and I did not understand why Mari bawled over such little things. I mean, sure, any guy would be uncomfortable in the face of women crying, but it seemed appropriate, I guess, to his character development from asshole to accepting lover. On the one hand, the execution could have been better, but on the other hand, it was alright.
May 17, 2013
I can't really remember how I ended up finding this book through millions of other books on wattpad but I'm glad that I did !
I loved every single part of this book.... Especially the ones that had Mari and Ambrose together !
Ambrose was nothing but flawless !
The book was written beautifully !
I recommend it ! (;
I loved every single part of this book.... Especially the ones that had Mari and Ambrose together !
Ambrose was nothing but flawless !
The book was written beautifully !
I recommend it ! (;
January 11, 2015
I was never the biggest fans of mermaids until I read this. And now I wonder why I never gave them a chance. This novel is fantastic, as it keeps you interested and immersed in the story and you just do not wish to put it down! It has its humorous bits, its serious bits, and its sweet, romantic bits and its the perfect combination.<3
June 23, 2013
Amazing on wattpad at the moment.:)
May 4, 2013
I love it! It's awesome.
June 21, 2013
loved it..Original..
December 22, 2013
I'm addicted to this book. I keep rereading it just because it's so well written!
April 30, 2014
This was my first mermaid story...I think I'm hooked!!!
December 13, 2016
A great blend of fantasy and folklore. Mari and Ambrose have this amazingly insane connection that constantly is pulling them together.
May 8, 2017
Speachless
I have no words to express how exciting this book was. Enough suppens and romance to keep you reading for hours.
I have no words to express how exciting this book was. Enough suppens and romance to keep you reading for hours.
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