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The Captive #4
Salvation
4th and last book in the Captive Series.
Imprisoned by Caleb and at the mercy of the king, Aria is determined not to let them break her. However, the more atrocities she witnesses, the more she realizes there are some horrors no one can withstand, and sometimes survival isn’t always the best option.
Tormented by the loss of Aria, Braith is forced to choose between his need to rescue her, and the impending rebel war he’s been chosen to lead. Fighting against the darkness which threatens to drag him into its tempting depths, Braith struggles not to become like the one thing he hates the most, his father.
Faced with their own separate challenges, Aria and Braith must come to terms with who they are, what they want, and the likelihood that they can never be together as the inevitable war looms on the horizon. A war that all of them will fight but not all of them will survive.
Edited by Leslie Mitchell at G2 Freelance Editing
Cover art by www.ebooklaunch.com
Imprisoned by Caleb and at the mercy of the king, Aria is determined not to let them break her. However, the more atrocities she witnesses, the more she realizes there are some horrors no one can withstand, and sometimes survival isn’t always the best option.
Tormented by the loss of Aria, Braith is forced to choose between his need to rescue her, and the impending rebel war he’s been chosen to lead. Fighting against the darkness which threatens to drag him into its tempting depths, Braith struggles not to become like the one thing he hates the most, his father.
Faced with their own separate challenges, Aria and Braith must come to terms with who they are, what they want, and the likelihood that they can never be together as the inevitable war looms on the horizon. A war that all of them will fight but not all of them will survive.
Edited by Leslie Mitchell at G2 Freelance Editing
Cover art by www.ebooklaunch.com
278 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 3, 2013
502 people are currently reading
4234 people want to read
About the author
Erica Stevens
44 books2,281 followersErica Stevens is the author of the Captive Series, Coven Series, Kindred Series, Fire & Ice Series, Ravening Series, and the Survivor Chronicles. She enjoys writing young adult, new adult, romance, horror, and science fiction. She also writes adult paranormal romance and historical romance under the pen name, Brenda K. Davies. When not out with friends and family, she is at home with her husband, son, dogs, cat, and horse.
She loves to speak with readers and can be found:
Erica Stevens/Brenda K. Davies Mailing List: http://bit.ly/ESBKDNews
She loves to speak with readers and can be found:
Erica Stevens/Brenda K. Davies Mailing List: http://bit.ly/ESBKDNews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 402 reviews
August 5, 2013
5++++++ Awesome, action-packed, gritty and I love Braith Stars!!!
What an absolutely amazing series! Set at an amazingly fast pace there was never a dull moment! I haven't read PNR in awhile, what an absolutely perfect way to break my hiatus!
The author's writing is amazing!!! You will be enthralled, gripped in the web she builds. Welcome to a world where Vampires rule and humans are enslaved by them, bled dry and thrown away.
The first two books Captured and Renegade were really good! The author focuses on character development. Braith is such a complex character, he's sweet and endearing then he's possessive and unpredictable. Arianna's character is just as strong as Braith, she is independent, headstrong and has the biggest heart ever!
When Braith sees her for the first time, he knows he must have her! She exposes a new side of him, a man who will do anything for the one he loves, literally go to any lengths to keep her safe.
Book three is when things started getting, darker, gritty and absolutely delicious!!! The twists in this book will blow your mind, the scenes literally leap off the page. Again about the character development, specifically Arianna. Her character grew so much, seriously I never like the heroines, I either find them annoying or am jealous of them!
Finally the last book! OMG!!!! My heart!!! Amazing!!!! Unputdownable!!!! I was flabbergasted!!! You will be so surprised, secrets are revealed, new allies, you'll love people you couldn't stand!!!
Brilliant, Genius, Miss Stevens you have a new fan!!!
This series should be a movie!!! I can't even begin to praise this author's writing style. I love fight scenes in books, and she wrote them beautifully. And okay I'm gonna say it, the smut level was very low but the sexual tension more than made up for it! This is an epic love story but there is also so much more to it! I know it's PNR but it's also about good overcoming evil, about compromise and acceptance. It will show you that not everything is always as it seems, and that everyone deserves a second chance!
A big thanks to Skanky pants Soraya Naomi for recommending this series to me!!! Johanna, one of the original skanks, you rock for finding this series before me!!! I had a blast skanks! Oh and Miss Stevens... I will be reading more of your books!!!
What an absolutely amazing series! Set at an amazingly fast pace there was never a dull moment! I haven't read PNR in awhile, what an absolutely perfect way to break my hiatus!
The author's writing is amazing!!! You will be enthralled, gripped in the web she builds. Welcome to a world where Vampires rule and humans are enslaved by them, bled dry and thrown away.
The first two books Captured and Renegade were really good! The author focuses on character development. Braith is such a complex character, he's sweet and endearing then he's possessive and unpredictable. Arianna's character is just as strong as Braith, she is independent, headstrong and has the biggest heart ever!
When Braith sees her for the first time, he knows he must have her! She exposes a new side of him, a man who will do anything for the one he loves, literally go to any lengths to keep her safe.
Book three is when things started getting, darker, gritty and absolutely delicious!!! The twists in this book will blow your mind, the scenes literally leap off the page. Again about the character development, specifically Arianna. Her character grew so much, seriously I never like the heroines, I either find them annoying or am jealous of them!
Finally the last book! OMG!!!! My heart!!! Amazing!!!! Unputdownable!!!! I was flabbergasted!!! You will be so surprised, secrets are revealed, new allies, you'll love people you couldn't stand!!!
Brilliant, Genius, Miss Stevens you have a new fan!!!
This series should be a movie!!! I can't even begin to praise this author's writing style. I love fight scenes in books, and she wrote them beautifully. And okay I'm gonna say it, the smut level was very low but the sexual tension more than made up for it! This is an epic love story but there is also so much more to it! I know it's PNR but it's also about good overcoming evil, about compromise and acceptance. It will show you that not everything is always as it seems, and that everyone deserves a second chance!
A big thanks to Skanky pants Soraya Naomi for recommending this series to me!!! Johanna, one of the original skanks, you rock for finding this series before me!!! I had a blast skanks! Oh and Miss Stevens... I will be reading more of your books!!!
June 4, 2013
Oh, yes, I’m on another severe Reader’s High (a sense of lingering euphoria resulting from reading an outrageously good book) and suffering a wicked Book Hangover (the inability to start a new book because one’s mind is still trapped in a previous book’s world). I received an ARC of Salvation from the author and I admit I kind of giggled in excitement and ridiculous self-satisfaction when I got to read it nine whole days before everyone else. I am a huge fan of this series, ever since I read the first one last autumn and this is by far one of my favorite series of all time. I finished Salvation in about five hours (probably more like four if you subtract dishwashing time, stopping check on little brother, stopping to chat with another little brother, etc.) and I don’t even mind that it’s the last in the series because I’m so happy right now! There were quite a few places where I actually laughed (especially in the parts told from Jack’s perspective and the banter between Aria’s brothers) and I may very well have enjoyed the finale more than the others.
The plot:
This book stressed me out. I was in a state of absolute agony, up until about the 97% mark because I was so scared about how it would wrap up. At around 43% I was freaking out because I kept thinking “alright, that was too flipping easy, where’s the catch? I demand to see the catch!” It turns out I was right, but we won’t talk too much about that for fear of spoilers…
The characters:
It was interesting to see how everyone had matured a bit since the beginning, particularly Braith. Yes, the nine hundred and fifty-two-year-old vampire still had a little growing up to do and I liked how by the end he was finally willing to consider everyone else, but still made Aria a priority.
I started to like Ashby in the previous book, but I grew quite fond of him in this one. Same with Xavier, Max, and Aria’s family. I thought the side characters became much more fleshed out and dimensional in this one and I was surprised to find myself worrying about them almost as much as Braith and Aria (because who are we kidding, I always worry about the couple the most).
I liked the part where everyone gets the chance to take revenge on the people who’ve wronged them and they show mercy while the bad people still get their comeuppance (eventually). The line between vengeance and justice can get a bit blurry at times and I was pleased by how well I thought the author handled the subject.
All in all, this was an incredible finale to an incredible series. I highly, highly recommend all these books to fans of vampire romance, upper YA romance, and maybe even dystopian romance. This series will forever hold a place on my bookshelves and I cannot wait for the author’s next book!
The plot:
This book stressed me out. I was in a state of absolute agony, up until about the 97% mark because I was so scared about how it would wrap up. At around 43% I was freaking out because I kept thinking “alright, that was too flipping easy, where’s the catch? I demand to see the catch!” It turns out I was right, but we won’t talk too much about that for fear of spoilers…
The characters:
It was interesting to see how everyone had matured a bit since the beginning, particularly Braith. Yes, the nine hundred and fifty-two-year-old vampire still had a little growing up to do and I liked how by the end he was finally willing to consider everyone else, but still made Aria a priority.
I started to like Ashby in the previous book, but I grew quite fond of him in this one. Same with Xavier, Max, and Aria’s family. I thought the side characters became much more fleshed out and dimensional in this one and I was surprised to find myself worrying about them almost as much as Braith and Aria (because who are we kidding, I always worry about the couple the most).
I liked the part where everyone gets the chance to take revenge on the people who’ve wronged them and they show mercy while the bad people still get their comeuppance (eventually). The line between vengeance and justice can get a bit blurry at times and I was pleased by how well I thought the author handled the subject.
All in all, this was an incredible finale to an incredible series. I highly, highly recommend all these books to fans of vampire romance, upper YA romance, and maybe even dystopian romance. This series will forever hold a place on my bookshelves and I cannot wait for the author’s next book!
August 5, 2016
The final book of the series ends the story of Braith and Aria in an enchanting way, and makes up for the drag of Book Three
Can Braith save Aria from the clutches of the King?
Will Aria and Braith get their happily ever after?
Will Humans and Vampires finally learn to live together?
Some of My Favorite Moments:
My Other Reviews in the Captive Series:
1 - Captured - You can read my full review HERE
2 - Renegade - You can read my full review HERE
3 - Refugee - You can read my full review HERE
4 - Salvation - You can read my full review HERE
“Now they were here, back where it had all started, and where it would finally end one way or another.”War is escalating.
Can Braith save Aria from the clutches of the King?
Will Aria and Braith get their happily ever after?
Will Humans and Vampires finally learn to live together?
Some of My Favorite Moments:
My Other Reviews in the Captive Series:
1 - Captured - You can read my full review HERE
2 - Renegade - You can read my full review HERE
3 - Refugee - You can read my full review HERE
4 - Salvation - You can read my full review HERE
Want to read
January 23, 2013I am so mad right now. It doesn't have a release date yet (just 2013)? Are you serious? I can't wait.
My first reaction:
My second reaction: WHYYYY?????
And finally:
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My first reaction:
My second reaction: WHYYYY?????
And finally:
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February 19, 2015
I was SO lucky to be able to get an ARC of this, and when I received it I automatically stopped my other read to start this one, and I was NOT Disappointed one bit! Only bad part was that this is the end, their will be no more Braith and Aria! I really would of liked maybe one more book to show how everything played out! Even though Erica did a wonderful job at bring this series to a close, I still would of liked to see the future of their world. YEAH ERICA, IT'S STILL NOT TO LATE TO CHANGE YOUR MIND...LOL! :) But I think the way Erica ended this series was PERFECT! It ended just the way I would of hoped, and I couldn't of asked for a better ending, to a PERFECT series!
*Sniffle Sniffle*
As always with Erica's books, the writing was amazing, BEYOND AMAZING, unlike anything I have ever read! She uses the best choice of words that fit perfectly with every scene, and I was swept away in this book! I cried more then I've EVER cried with this book! Maybe it was the intensity of the book, or maybe it was the undying love they had for each other, or the will to fight for their love and their people, or it could be that my time with this series was so fulfill and meaningful, and I knew it was coming to an end, and this was going to be the last book. But whatever it was, I was really an emotion wreck! You would think this was my life going on as much as I cried, laughed, moan, screamed, and hit things! But I was on an emotional roller coaster, (Still Am) But I LOVED EVERY MINUTE OF IT!
I just can't put in words how AMAZINGLY BRILLIANT this book, NO this series is! It's more then just a vampire book. More then just the battle of right and wrong, more then humans being tortured and violated, more the a thousand year old war brewing. No, it was something beyond that! This book shows people, that all is not as it seems, and just because the world is one way does not mean it can not be changed, and their can be forgiveness!
In this book, I found that LOVE WILL CONQUER ALL! All you have to do is want it! And want it they did!
Okay, okay, here's the Plot:
After finishing the 3rd book in the series, and being left on that astonishing cliffhanger, I was holding my breath until I got back into this world. This book picks up where book three left off. With Aria being captured by the Kings soldiers and Braith ready to destroy everything in his path to get too Aria!
Aria is all but shattered as she is taken to the Kings dungeon to await her fate from the King! She knows that whatever the King and Braith's sadistic brother Caleb has in store for her is going to be beyond any pain and torture she has ever endured! But she is determined to get through this, determined not to let them break her as they intended! But how can she remain optimistic when her days in captivity is filled with pain and torture, not only for self, but for her love ones and what they must be going through without her. Aria is getting weaker by the minute, and she's certain Braith will come for her, but when....?
Braith is furious! He is beyond reason! He is determined to get Aria back and kill her Captures! He is ready to storm the castle and battle anyone in his way to Aria. But something inside Braith clicks, something he has never felt when it comes to Aria. He realizes that it's not just him and her anymore, though he would be glad to storm the castle and kill anyone in his path. But he knows he would ruin everything they were fighting for, everything Aria, and even he wants. A new way of life! A new beginning not only for them, but for his people he agreed to lead into war. For his followers that look to him as a leader. He can't let them down. He knows this is what Aria would want. So a new Braith is born the day she is captured. He will get her back he says, but first with thought and planning, and most definitely with the help from others! They will go into battle prepared to win and not fail, no matter the cost!
Okay, I really don't want to give too much away, because you all would just hate me, and trust me when I say this, This is ONE book you want to experience for yourself with NO spoilers!
Their was VERY intense fighting scenes, that ROCKED me to my very CORE! Erica is the best at her writing when she is writing very emotional scenes and battle scenes. All the fighting and battling for dominance was so engaging that I could not get it read fast enough! The way Erica did it, we got to see all the fights going on at once. Well not at once, but Erica would do a scenes from either Aria, Braith or Jack's point of view while they were battling at war. So we get to see the full wrath of this battle through different peoples eyes! I LOVED it! The war was probably my favorite part. Well not my favorite because their was soooooo much that I loved about this book and pretty much every scenes was my favorite...lol!
I know my review is long and drawn out, but I'm just trying to give everyone a good picture of this book and what I felt while I was reading it. Not so much of the plot because that's something you should of experience yourself (especially this being the last in the series) but more of the world and the feelings to it.
I HIGHLY RECOMMENDED this book, BUT if you haven't read the rest of the series yet then I suggest you read them first, So your able to get the full experience of this book! I can not stress how much I am saddened that their won't be another book in this series! :( BUT if it has to come to an end, then I'm happy with the way Erica ended it. I couldn't be anymore happier then I am with this book! Erica you have an AMAZING talent at writing, and you can draw readers in with only a couple sentences, that's all it took for me when I started reading the first book in this series! I will be reading more of Erica's books because I know anything she writes will be AMAZING! Thank you Erica for the AMAZING world in The Captive series, and for wonderful hours I found myself lost in your books, as they became an out when I need a break from reality. I will be sad to see it end, but hey you have so many other good books out their that I've yet to pick up, and I'm sure MANY MORE to come!
*Sniffle Sniffle*
As always with Erica's books, the writing was amazing, BEYOND AMAZING, unlike anything I have ever read! She uses the best choice of words that fit perfectly with every scene, and I was swept away in this book! I cried more then I've EVER cried with this book! Maybe it was the intensity of the book, or maybe it was the undying love they had for each other, or the will to fight for their love and their people, or it could be that my time with this series was so fulfill and meaningful, and I knew it was coming to an end, and this was going to be the last book. But whatever it was, I was really an emotion wreck! You would think this was my life going on as much as I cried, laughed, moan, screamed, and hit things! But I was on an emotional roller coaster, (Still Am) But I LOVED EVERY MINUTE OF IT!
I just can't put in words how AMAZINGLY BRILLIANT this book, NO this series is! It's more then just a vampire book. More then just the battle of right and wrong, more then humans being tortured and violated, more the a thousand year old war brewing. No, it was something beyond that! This book shows people, that all is not as it seems, and just because the world is one way does not mean it can not be changed, and their can be forgiveness!
In this book, I found that LOVE WILL CONQUER ALL! All you have to do is want it! And want it they did!
Okay, okay, here's the Plot:
After finishing the 3rd book in the series, and being left on that astonishing cliffhanger, I was holding my breath until I got back into this world. This book picks up where book three left off. With Aria being captured by the Kings soldiers and Braith ready to destroy everything in his path to get too Aria!
Aria is all but shattered as she is taken to the Kings dungeon to await her fate from the King! She knows that whatever the King and Braith's sadistic brother Caleb has in store for her is going to be beyond any pain and torture she has ever endured! But she is determined to get through this, determined not to let them break her as they intended! But how can she remain optimistic when her days in captivity is filled with pain and torture, not only for self, but for her love ones and what they must be going through without her. Aria is getting weaker by the minute, and she's certain Braith will come for her, but when....?
Braith is furious! He is beyond reason! He is determined to get Aria back and kill her Captures! He is ready to storm the castle and battle anyone in his way to Aria. But something inside Braith clicks, something he has never felt when it comes to Aria. He realizes that it's not just him and her anymore, though he would be glad to storm the castle and kill anyone in his path. But he knows he would ruin everything they were fighting for, everything Aria, and even he wants. A new way of life! A new beginning not only for them, but for his people he agreed to lead into war. For his followers that look to him as a leader. He can't let them down. He knows this is what Aria would want. So a new Braith is born the day she is captured. He will get her back he says, but first with thought and planning, and most definitely with the help from others! They will go into battle prepared to win and not fail, no matter the cost!
Okay, I really don't want to give too much away, because you all would just hate me, and trust me when I say this, This is ONE book you want to experience for yourself with NO spoilers!
Their was VERY intense fighting scenes, that ROCKED me to my very CORE! Erica is the best at her writing when she is writing very emotional scenes and battle scenes. All the fighting and battling for dominance was so engaging that I could not get it read fast enough! The way Erica did it, we got to see all the fights going on at once. Well not at once, but Erica would do a scenes from either Aria, Braith or Jack's point of view while they were battling at war. So we get to see the full wrath of this battle through different peoples eyes! I LOVED it! The war was probably my favorite part. Well not my favorite because their was soooooo much that I loved about this book and pretty much every scenes was my favorite...lol!
I know my review is long and drawn out, but I'm just trying to give everyone a good picture of this book and what I felt while I was reading it. Not so much of the plot because that's something you should of experience yourself (especially this being the last in the series) but more of the world and the feelings to it.
I HIGHLY RECOMMENDED this book, BUT if you haven't read the rest of the series yet then I suggest you read them first, So your able to get the full experience of this book! I can not stress how much I am saddened that their won't be another book in this series! :( BUT if it has to come to an end, then I'm happy with the way Erica ended it. I couldn't be anymore happier then I am with this book! Erica you have an AMAZING talent at writing, and you can draw readers in with only a couple sentences, that's all it took for me when I started reading the first book in this series! I will be reading more of Erica's books because I know anything she writes will be AMAZING! Thank you Erica for the AMAZING world in The Captive series, and for wonderful hours I found myself lost in your books, as they became an out when I need a break from reality. I will be sad to see it end, but hey you have so many other good books out their that I've yet to pick up, and I'm sure MANY MORE to come!
May 30, 2015
This was by far the best of the 4. There was so much awesomeness in this book! I loved it. The first half was just...nonstop action, and then the 2nd half is where you get all the feels. I loved it!!! I only wish the epilogue hadn't been so...short and rushed. I wish it had been...MORE. The book itself was everything I could have hoped for, but IDK, I hate when the ending feels rushed, kind of takes away from the whole experience.
April 1, 2015
"She'd never thought to experience love in the first place, never mind this kind of love, with him, a vampire who had taught her there was far more to life, and the world, than she'd ever imagined. She was in love with this beautiful creature who had taught her that not everything was black and white, good and evil. There were shades of gray, there were in-betweens, and there were colors she'd never dreamed of."-Aria
It is truly bitter sweet to write this review. I have enjoyed this series so much! As we know, all good things must come to an end. (Well except for the Black Dagger Brotherhood. Those books just keep rolling out!)
At the conclusion of Refugee, Aria had been abducted and is now being held prisoner. The king and Braith's evil brother Caleb have her locked up tight. This visit to the castle is a stark contrast to her time spend there with Braith. Aria knows it is just a matter of time before Braith will come for her!
Because of the blood link Aria and Braith share, they are both going a little crazy. Braith is forced to maintain self control in order to lead the army to victory and in turn rescue Aria.
"He just had to find Aria, he'd be able to think better and be less on edge if he could just see and hold her right now."-Braith
Aria has one goal...just stay alive.
"He was in her heart, in her soul, and there was no way she was going to just abandon him again."
This fourth book has a slightly different feel from the others. The action is the focus of the first half of the book. As soon as Braith and Aria are reunited, the story shifts and focuses on their romance.
This entire second half felt a bit like an extended Epilogue. It was such a delight to have the rare glimpse into their future. Braith and Arianna have had quite the journey. Being together out in the open is something they have both craved since the beginning. I was so relieved that we didn't have to wait to long for Braith to rescue Aria.
"Life is so fragile and delicate all the time, we have to seize every moment we have together, have to cherish every gift that has been given to us, and this is one such gift Braith. We can be together, forever."
Overall, Salvation was an amazing ending for this series. Although I know there is a 5th book coming out entitled Redemption, the focus is on Jack and not on Aria and Braith. The dystopian world Erica Stevens created was unique. I enjoyed the fresh plot line and the passion between the two main characters. I can honestly say for YA their story was more passionate than many of the books I have read this year. For me, I will take an in depth love story with action over a quick sexy read any day!
It is truly bitter sweet to write this review. I have enjoyed this series so much! As we know, all good things must come to an end. (Well except for the Black Dagger Brotherhood. Those books just keep rolling out!)
At the conclusion of Refugee, Aria had been abducted and is now being held prisoner. The king and Braith's evil brother Caleb have her locked up tight. This visit to the castle is a stark contrast to her time spend there with Braith. Aria knows it is just a matter of time before Braith will come for her!
Because of the blood link Aria and Braith share, they are both going a little crazy. Braith is forced to maintain self control in order to lead the army to victory and in turn rescue Aria.
"He just had to find Aria, he'd be able to think better and be less on edge if he could just see and hold her right now."-Braith
Aria has one goal...just stay alive.
"He was in her heart, in her soul, and there was no way she was going to just abandon him again."
This fourth book has a slightly different feel from the others. The action is the focus of the first half of the book. As soon as Braith and Aria are reunited, the story shifts and focuses on their romance.
This entire second half felt a bit like an extended Epilogue. It was such a delight to have the rare glimpse into their future. Braith and Arianna have had quite the journey. Being together out in the open is something they have both craved since the beginning. I was so relieved that we didn't have to wait to long for Braith to rescue Aria.
"Life is so fragile and delicate all the time, we have to seize every moment we have together, have to cherish every gift that has been given to us, and this is one such gift Braith. We can be together, forever."
Overall, Salvation was an amazing ending for this series. Although I know there is a 5th book coming out entitled Redemption, the focus is on Jack and not on Aria and Braith. The dystopian world Erica Stevens created was unique. I enjoyed the fresh plot line and the passion between the two main characters. I can honestly say for YA their story was more passionate than many of the books I have read this year. For me, I will take an in depth love story with action over a quick sexy read any day!
September 17, 2019
Salvation is the perfect title for book 4 of this series.
I am completely engrossed by this series which is incredibly shocking because it is YA! Never do I ever feel like there is something missing. The storyline is perfect and the pictures Stevens creates with her words just hooks me every time.
Braith and Aria are as powerful physically and mentally as ever...even more so. The bond with them is unique in that they both make each other stronger. They both can tame each others beast. Braith allows Aria to be herself and embraces that verses trying to control her. Aria excepts there are times she has to contain herself for Braith's sake verses fighting him at every turn. Gah, I just love this series.
If you haven't read it PICK IT UP!
Happy Reading! DD
I am completely engrossed by this series which is incredibly shocking because it is YA! Never do I ever feel like there is something missing. The storyline is perfect and the pictures Stevens creates with her words just hooks me every time.
Braith and Aria are as powerful physically and mentally as ever...even more so. The bond with them is unique in that they both make each other stronger. They both can tame each others beast. Braith allows Aria to be herself and embraces that verses trying to control her. Aria excepts there are times she has to contain herself for Braith's sake verses fighting him at every turn. Gah, I just love this series.
If you haven't read it PICK IT UP!
Happy Reading! DD
June 21, 2013
This is a review for the entire series, not just a single book.
I had been looking around for an interesting romance/fantasy series to pick up and the high ratings (and high number of reviewers) on both amazon and goodreads made it seem as this would be a good pick. Unfortunately for once, the numbers did not match my expectations.
On the face of it, the plot had potential, despite being fairly trite. Set in the future in a vampire apocalyptic world, vampires have taken over and humans are the hunted/slaved. Ruled by an evil vampire king, tyranny and injustice abound in the world. A small group of human rebels hides in the countryside, looking for opportunities to bring about a revolution. In this charged atmosphere, enter the king's heir (blinded in a previous war) who apparently has the capacity for cruel leadership like his dad, but is not beyond redemption. And enter the human rebel princess, feisty, handy with a bow, and who is, of course, shining with goodness and strength of spirit. As a bonus, she also returns the sense of sight to the blind prince with prolonged proximity to each other. As the extended vampire royal family splits on moral grounds of injustice and tyranny perpetrated by the evil king, our blind heir is torn between following the call of his personal siren and doing his royal duty. With growing morality on where is the line between a strong ruler and a tyrannical one, his eventual shift from heir apparent to leader of the rebel army, should have been an engrossing read.
Except it wasn't. It was long and meandering. The narrative could have easily been tightened down to one good book, maximum two. Not four. And when you extend a two book plot to four, the inevitable will happen. The pace of the story will suffer. There will be random filler events. Sub plots will be started, will meander and fizzle out. With such a common plot, without a gripping pace to keep you engaged, your mind will start making comparisons with all the other books of the similar genre, and find unflattering similarities. I was amazed at how fast I raced through the first three books. I finished the entire series in a matter of 6 hours. Many many pages where just flipped through. And not once did I have to go back at having missed something out.
Another thing that grated on me was that it seemed the author did not know at what audience to pitch the book. Would it be PG rated or A or R rated? The steaminess would start with a bang...(the first words of the first book is 'blood slave'!) and then fizzle out to amateurish young adult levels of will-they-wont-they, before-marriage after-marriage. You start with blood slave, and think of Anne Rice. Vampires and paranormal creatures, and you are thinking Christine Feehan, JR Ward, Kresley Cole. And slowly the heroine degenerates from a feisty war woman to an innocent babe in the woods, who creates a lot of sexual tension without moving beyond tiny kisses that make her right leg pop up. Okay the last was an exaggeration, but you know what I mean. I was so bored by their physical relationship, I skipped most of it, including their the final consummation. I truly don't understand why authors start their heroines off as wily Xenas, only to turn them into wet-behind-the-ears Juliets. And yet, I think a lot of this is due to over-extension of the series. A heavy dose of editing would have done wonders to making their romance either charming or steamy. As such, what is was, was boring.
I did like the author's writing style. I didn't give up on the series. I did actually read it all the way through. But would I recommend it to anyone else? Not unless you are a die-hard fan of this genre.
I had been looking around for an interesting romance/fantasy series to pick up and the high ratings (and high number of reviewers) on both amazon and goodreads made it seem as this would be a good pick. Unfortunately for once, the numbers did not match my expectations.
On the face of it, the plot had potential, despite being fairly trite. Set in the future in a vampire apocalyptic world, vampires have taken over and humans are the hunted/slaved. Ruled by an evil vampire king, tyranny and injustice abound in the world. A small group of human rebels hides in the countryside, looking for opportunities to bring about a revolution. In this charged atmosphere, enter the king's heir (blinded in a previous war) who apparently has the capacity for cruel leadership like his dad, but is not beyond redemption. And enter the human rebel princess, feisty, handy with a bow, and who is, of course, shining with goodness and strength of spirit. As a bonus, she also returns the sense of sight to the blind prince with prolonged proximity to each other. As the extended vampire royal family splits on moral grounds of injustice and tyranny perpetrated by the evil king, our blind heir is torn between following the call of his personal siren and doing his royal duty. With growing morality on where is the line between a strong ruler and a tyrannical one, his eventual shift from heir apparent to leader of the rebel army, should have been an engrossing read.
Except it wasn't. It was long and meandering. The narrative could have easily been tightened down to one good book, maximum two. Not four. And when you extend a two book plot to four, the inevitable will happen. The pace of the story will suffer. There will be random filler events. Sub plots will be started, will meander and fizzle out. With such a common plot, without a gripping pace to keep you engaged, your mind will start making comparisons with all the other books of the similar genre, and find unflattering similarities. I was amazed at how fast I raced through the first three books. I finished the entire series in a matter of 6 hours. Many many pages where just flipped through. And not once did I have to go back at having missed something out.
Another thing that grated on me was that it seemed the author did not know at what audience to pitch the book. Would it be PG rated or A or R rated? The steaminess would start with a bang...(the first words of the first book is 'blood slave'!) and then fizzle out to amateurish young adult levels of will-they-wont-they, before-marriage after-marriage. You start with blood slave, and think of Anne Rice. Vampires and paranormal creatures, and you are thinking Christine Feehan, JR Ward, Kresley Cole. And slowly the heroine degenerates from a feisty war woman to an innocent babe in the woods, who creates a lot of sexual tension without moving beyond tiny kisses that make her right leg pop up. Okay the last was an exaggeration, but you know what I mean. I was so bored by their physical relationship, I skipped most of it, including their the final consummation. I truly don't understand why authors start their heroines off as wily Xenas, only to turn them into wet-behind-the-ears Juliets. And yet, I think a lot of this is due to over-extension of the series. A heavy dose of editing would have done wonders to making their romance either charming or steamy. As such, what is was, was boring.
I did like the author's writing style. I didn't give up on the series. I did actually read it all the way through. But would I recommend it to anyone else? Not unless you are a die-hard fan of this genre.
August 5, 2013
*~*4 Unpredictable, Action-Packed, Uber Alpha Male Stars*~*
Salvation was a great conclusion to this fast paced, action packed, paranormal series.
We have, Arianna, strong willed, stubborn, and courageous.
Then we have Braith. The vampire, Alpha Male Hottie. Need I say more?
Salvation has everything we desire in a book, action, vampires, and an EPIC LOVE STORY. The romantic tension in this series overall is enough to make you stab your eyes out.. I was itching for them to consummate their love for one another. Keep in mind, this series is YA so the smut factor is minimal or barely there. Surprisingly, it didn't take away from the romance or love Arianna & Braith have towards one another.
We also get a chance to see how Arianna & Braith's relationship evolve, and matures as they mature themselves. This final installment gives us a few twists and turns that will leave you thinking "WTF is going on". You get to appreciate that this series is unlike any other. Love the originality of it. And how the author was able to incorporate a dystopian world, of vampires, humans, and an aristocracy that is unike any other.
Overall, this series is great. I would recommend it to anyone who loves PNR & YA.
Thanks to Christine The Dark Romance Junkie & Soraya Naomi for allowing me to join their skankilicious buddy read.. Muahhh
Salvation was a great conclusion to this fast paced, action packed, paranormal series.
We have, Arianna, strong willed, stubborn, and courageous.
Then we have Braith. The vampire, Alpha Male Hottie. Need I say more?
Salvation has everything we desire in a book, action, vampires, and an EPIC LOVE STORY. The romantic tension in this series overall is enough to make you stab your eyes out.. I was itching for them to consummate their love for one another. Keep in mind, this series is YA so the smut factor is minimal or barely there. Surprisingly, it didn't take away from the romance or love Arianna & Braith have towards one another.
We also get a chance to see how Arianna & Braith's relationship evolve, and matures as they mature themselves. This final installment gives us a few twists and turns that will leave you thinking "WTF is going on". You get to appreciate that this series is unlike any other. Love the originality of it. And how the author was able to incorporate a dystopian world, of vampires, humans, and an aristocracy that is unike any other.
Overall, this series is great. I would recommend it to anyone who loves PNR & YA.
Thanks to Christine The Dark Romance Junkie & Soraya Naomi for allowing me to join their skankilicious buddy read.. Muahhh
March 14, 2015
**5 SEXY VAMPIRE-RIFFIC STARS**
oh man, this book (and the entire series) was amazing. Seriously amazing.
Okay, i'm going to make this review short and to the point.
The characters
strong-willed. stubborn. beautiful. deadly with a bow & arrow. completely in love with Braith
sexy. dangerous. vampire. mysterious. prince. completely in love with Aria
These two. wow. The chemistry they had was definitely one of the strongest I have ever read. I loved them from the first book, all the way to the last book. They were both CRAZY in love with each other and yet, they were both very dedicated to creating harmony between the vampires and the humans.
The action in this book had my heart pounding. One of the best action romances I have ever read. This entire book had me holding my breath the entire time wondering what was going to happen next and I loved every second of it.
Do yourself a favor guys and READ THIS SERIES. Hands down the BEST vampire book I have EVER read. I can't wait to read more from this author!!!
oh man, this book (and the entire series) was amazing. Seriously amazing.
Okay, i'm going to make this review short and to the point.
The characters
strong-willed. stubborn. beautiful. deadly with a bow & arrow. completely in love with Braith
sexy. dangerous. vampire. mysterious. prince. completely in love with Aria
These two. wow. The chemistry they had was definitely one of the strongest I have ever read. I loved them from the first book, all the way to the last book. They were both CRAZY in love with each other and yet, they were both very dedicated to creating harmony between the vampires and the humans.
The action in this book had my heart pounding. One of the best action romances I have ever read. This entire book had me holding my breath the entire time wondering what was going to happen next and I loved every second of it.
Do yourself a favor guys and READ THIS SERIES. Hands down the BEST vampire book I have EVER read. I can't wait to read more from this author!!!
December 12, 2018
Re-read 4th December - 6th December 2018
This is the last book in this series but the first one I've reviewed this book like the previous three was excellent and what an end to one of the best series's I've read.
It picks up where Refugee left off with Aria held prisoner by Caleb and Braith trying to hold himself together and keep the darkness at bay meanwhile Aria fights to maintain her sanity knowing that Braith will come for her but under the unbelievable cruelty and evil that is Caleb and Braiths father it's not easy. The resistance finalises it's invasion plans and all is set for the epic finale, who will win the battle and who will perish. This series gripped me from the beginning not only the story but the truly amazing characters which all seemed so real I feel abit at a loss now it's over but think I might start the Kindred Series something I've held back on because I don't like to have too many series's going at one time.
This is the last book in this series but the first one I've reviewed this book like the previous three was excellent and what an end to one of the best series's I've read.
It picks up where Refugee left off with Aria held prisoner by Caleb and Braith trying to hold himself together and keep the darkness at bay meanwhile Aria fights to maintain her sanity knowing that Braith will come for her but under the unbelievable cruelty and evil that is Caleb and Braiths father it's not easy. The resistance finalises it's invasion plans and all is set for the epic finale, who will win the battle and who will perish. This series gripped me from the beginning not only the story but the truly amazing characters which all seemed so real I feel abit at a loss now it's over but think I might start the Kindred Series something I've held back on because I don't like to have too many series's going at one time.
February 18, 2016
A SENSATIONAL ENDING TO AN AMAZING SERIES!
The final book in The Captive series dives straight into the action, and absolutely blew me away! After the hideous cliffy in Refugee, we get to see Braith and Aria put to their most devastating test yet, and the emotion was everything I expected it to be. And this leads into the most action-packed excitement of the entire series. The whole cast of characters is involved as the big climax that has been building for three books finally takes place, and it is EPIC! It’s violent and brutal, and pretty much everybody gets a moment to shine, and then there’s the cliffhanger resolution which almost had me in tears. I was terrified, I was cheering, I was devastated, and constantly on the edge of my seat. It felt like I barely took a breath during the entire first half of the book! It was so intense and action-packed, I was flipping pages frantically, I couldn’t read fast enough!
Braith and Aria are both phenomenal during this whole thing. Kickass, emotional, and still totally devoted to each other, their romance continues to shine despite everything that is going on, and it just made the whole thing that much more epic.
“Don’t leave me,” she whispered.
“Never,” he groaned against her ear. “No matter what happens I will always be with you Arianna. Always.”
While the first half the book left me breathless, the second half is the come down. Still moving at a great pace, we see everybody dealing with the fallout of all of that intensity, and we get beautiful resolution to all of the other storylines that have been developed across the series – and I do mean ALL of them! Secrets are revealed, conflicts are resolved, vengeance is carried out, and secondary characters all get their closure.
I must admit that while reading it, it felt like the shift in intensity was really drastic, but looking back, the beginning of this book flowed on so brilliantly from everything that had come before it, that it couldn’t have happened any other way. It really was the perfect way to finish the series. The way that the story unfolded made complete sense, and after the massive events of the first half of the book, the aftermath could have been so easily brushed over, but Stevens has given it to us in glorious detail with all of the build up and resolution beautifully and emotionally portrayed.
And at the heart of it all is Braith and Aria and their heart-clenching love story. Through everything, Braith and Aria’s love for each other continues to grow and their relationship solidifies even further as they completely open up to each other and embrace their new reality. And again, I was floored at the absolute faith and devotion they have to each other.
“I will love you until the end of days Aria; never doubt that for a moment. “
“I couldn’t possibly.”
And I was left a swooning mess as they stood strong and claimed their future.
“This.” He seized hold of her hand and pressed it over his still heart. “There are times I can almost feel this actually beating for you. You have owned it since the moment I saw you. It may have taken me a while to come to that realization, but it’s true, and there is nothing, nothing that is going to change that. Not blood and not sex. You were made for me Aria.”
In a way, the second half of the book felt like a really long epilogue as everybody ‘moves on’, but there are still some plot developments to unfold and there are definitely a few surprises in store – one that actually had me jumping out of my chair and screaming “WHAAAAAT?” (seriously, I did that!), but again, the resolution is still there, and everything is finished off beautifully.
Overall, this was a perfect finish to a series that has become a definite favourite. The paranormal world with a dystopian twist is original, the mix of action, romance and humour is great, all written with beautiful emotion. And the characters are absolutely sensational! I haven’t been able to put these books down since I started. If you’re a PNR fan, this series really can’t be missed.
5 fantastic stars.
And my Braith...
The final book in The Captive series dives straight into the action, and absolutely blew me away! After the hideous cliffy in Refugee, we get to see Braith and Aria put to their most devastating test yet, and the emotion was everything I expected it to be. And this leads into the most action-packed excitement of the entire series. The whole cast of characters is involved as the big climax that has been building for three books finally takes place, and it is EPIC! It’s violent and brutal, and pretty much everybody gets a moment to shine, and then there’s the cliffhanger resolution which almost had me in tears. I was terrified, I was cheering, I was devastated, and constantly on the edge of my seat. It felt like I barely took a breath during the entire first half of the book! It was so intense and action-packed, I was flipping pages frantically, I couldn’t read fast enough!
Braith and Aria are both phenomenal during this whole thing. Kickass, emotional, and still totally devoted to each other, their romance continues to shine despite everything that is going on, and it just made the whole thing that much more epic.
“Don’t leave me,” she whispered.
“Never,” he groaned against her ear. “No matter what happens I will always be with you Arianna. Always.”
While the first half the book left me breathless, the second half is the come down. Still moving at a great pace, we see everybody dealing with the fallout of all of that intensity, and we get beautiful resolution to all of the other storylines that have been developed across the series – and I do mean ALL of them! Secrets are revealed, conflicts are resolved, vengeance is carried out, and secondary characters all get their closure.
I must admit that while reading it, it felt like the shift in intensity was really drastic, but looking back, the beginning of this book flowed on so brilliantly from everything that had come before it, that it couldn’t have happened any other way. It really was the perfect way to finish the series. The way that the story unfolded made complete sense, and after the massive events of the first half of the book, the aftermath could have been so easily brushed over, but Stevens has given it to us in glorious detail with all of the build up and resolution beautifully and emotionally portrayed.
And at the heart of it all is Braith and Aria and their heart-clenching love story. Through everything, Braith and Aria’s love for each other continues to grow and their relationship solidifies even further as they completely open up to each other and embrace their new reality. And again, I was floored at the absolute faith and devotion they have to each other.
“I will love you until the end of days Aria; never doubt that for a moment. “
“I couldn’t possibly.”
And I was left a swooning mess as they stood strong and claimed their future.
“This.” He seized hold of her hand and pressed it over his still heart. “There are times I can almost feel this actually beating for you. You have owned it since the moment I saw you. It may have taken me a while to come to that realization, but it’s true, and there is nothing, nothing that is going to change that. Not blood and not sex. You were made for me Aria.”
In a way, the second half of the book felt like a really long epilogue as everybody ‘moves on’, but there are still some plot developments to unfold and there are definitely a few surprises in store – one that actually had me jumping out of my chair and screaming “WHAAAAAT?” (seriously, I did that!), but again, the resolution is still there, and everything is finished off beautifully.
Overall, this was a perfect finish to a series that has become a definite favourite. The paranormal world with a dystopian twist is original, the mix of action, romance and humour is great, all written with beautiful emotion. And the characters are absolutely sensational! I haven’t been able to put these books down since I started. If you’re a PNR fan, this series really can’t be missed.
5 fantastic stars.
And my Braith...
April 19, 2020
4.5 Stars
This was another great book in the series. The relationship between the two main characters is amazing and I love how devoted they are to each other, which I feel is a bit rare in vampire books. Although I do love the heroine and her development, which there was a lot of, I feel like Braith really makes this series. He is strong, smart, totally in love with the heroine, and like the heroine, his development is amazing, although I still love his crazier and more feral sides. I also really liked all the side characters, especially William, so I can't wait to get started on his book.
There were some things that weren't the best in the series, but also weren't a really big deal. One was sometimes there was a bit more telling than showing. For example, we are told of the torture and everything blood slaves go through but we never really experienced it so it's hard to have some sympathy and compassion for them. Another thing is I wanted to see more of Braith's craziness or darker side. He gets jealous or mad pretty easy when Aria's safety is in question, and threatens to hurt or kill someone for it, and this may be wrong, but I was kind of hoping he would? Like actually show me him doing something instead of threatening people. Or even how they had just let Lauren go who had beat Aria in book one, and was responsible for her capture, but they just let her go AGAIN. And this is after Braith, again, said he was going to kill her. They were killing his father's loyal followers, and yet they just let her ago? Even after all the stuff she did to Aria? That was a bit weak in my opinion, and I was hoping Braith would go behind her back to kill her. Other than that, the story did drag a bit in some places, but I was never disinterested so it wasn't too bad, and I still really enjoyed most things.
Overall, this has been an amazing experience and was such a great series to read. Every book just gets better and better. Super excited to read Aria and Braith's last book in the series after Jacks and William's stories. Definitely recommend.
This was another great book in the series. The relationship between the two main characters is amazing and I love how devoted they are to each other, which I feel is a bit rare in vampire books. Although I do love the heroine and her development, which there was a lot of, I feel like Braith really makes this series. He is strong, smart, totally in love with the heroine, and like the heroine, his development is amazing, although I still love his crazier and more feral sides. I also really liked all the side characters, especially William, so I can't wait to get started on his book.
There were some things that weren't the best in the series, but also weren't a really big deal. One was sometimes there was a bit more telling than showing. For example, we are told of the torture and everything blood slaves go through but we never really experienced it so it's hard to have some sympathy and compassion for them. Another thing is I wanted to see more of Braith's craziness or darker side. He gets jealous or mad pretty easy when Aria's safety is in question, and threatens to hurt or kill someone for it, and this may be wrong, but I was kind of hoping he would? Like actually show me him doing something instead of threatening people. Or even how they had just let Lauren go who had beat Aria in book one, and was responsible for her capture, but they just let her go AGAIN. And this is after Braith, again, said he was going to kill her. They were killing his father's loyal followers, and yet they just let her ago? Even after all the stuff she did to Aria? That was a bit weak in my opinion, and I was hoping Braith would go behind her back to kill her. Other than that, the story did drag a bit in some places, but I was never disinterested so it wasn't too bad, and I still really enjoyed most things.
Overall, this has been an amazing experience and was such a great series to read. Every book just gets better and better. Super excited to read Aria and Braith's last book in the series after Jacks and William's stories. Definitely recommend.
April 14, 2014
4.5 stars..
The passages in this book were
AMAZING
FANTASTIC
MAGNIFICENT
The battle was about 60 freaking pages, which amounts to 25% of the book, which is crazy, the writing was very very good..
And then that was so cool, and descriptive, all the vital signs and symptoms, all the feelings, and that void, that state of silence..
And then, when u think all was settled and it would be la vie en rose
BOOM
Comes the finale
This book was action packed, it was an uplift from the previous 2 books which i really though were a downfall from such an amazing first book..
The thing that bothered me really is the number of times that they talk about the same thing, around and around and around..
Also in the previous 2 books, Braith was very very possessive it was choking and totally grazing on ridiculous, however it was somehow tuned down a bit in this book, which was refreshing, but still he was very possessive, but the thing is i just have something toward him, i loved him really, although at times i thought he was hopping over my threshold of tolerance.
The Writing is just so good and descriptive, you can actually feel what is going on, and she really gave the war a big part of the book, which was a very smart and wise move from, and that finale.. it was amazing totally wicked, i didn't even see it coming, and it was a correction of something that bothered me in the war .
For that i have to praise Ms Erica for her efforts..
"She grinned up at him, her eyes sparkling and mischievous. He wasn’t entirely certain if forever would be enough for him. He knew that no matter what, this woman, once his blood slave, then his greatest downfall, and finally his salvation would never fail to amaze him, never fail to bring joy and love to his life, and would hold him captive for eternity"
Yep i just used a pride and prejudice gif ^.^
swoons
ILOVEBRAITH
ILOVEJACK
ILOVEASHBY
ILOVEWILLIAM
ILOVEDANIEL
I NEED JACK'S BOOK I NEED JACK'S BOOK I NEED JACK'S BOOK
I NEED JACK'S BOOK I NEED JACK'S BOOK I NEED JACK'S BOOK
I NEED JACK'S BOOK I NEED JACK'S BOOK I NEED JACK'S BOOK
I NEED JACK'S BOOK I NEED JACK'S BOOK I NEED JACK'S BOOK
I NEED JACK'S BOOK I NEED JACK'S BOOK I NEED JACK'S BOOK
I NEED JACK'S BOOK I NEED JACK'S BOOK I NEED JACK'S BOOK
I NEED JACK'S BOOK I NEED JACK'S BOOK I NEED JACK'S BOOK
I NEED JACK'S BOOK I NEED JACK'S BOOK I NEED JACK'S BOOK
I NEED JACK'S BOOK I NEED JACK'S BOOK I NEED JACK'S BOOK
or WILLIAM'S
or DANIEL'S
I'm really flexible :D
The passages in this book were
AMAZING
FANTASTIC
MAGNIFICENT
The battle was about 60 freaking pages, which amounts to 25% of the book, which is crazy, the writing was very very good..
And then that was so cool, and descriptive, all the vital signs and symptoms, all the feelings, and that void, that state of silence..
And then, when u think all was settled and it would be la vie en rose
BOOM
Comes the finale
This book was action packed, it was an uplift from the previous 2 books which i really though were a downfall from such an amazing first book..
The thing that bothered me really is the number of times that they talk about the same thing, around and around and around..
Also in the previous 2 books, Braith was very very possessive it was choking and totally grazing on ridiculous, however it was somehow tuned down a bit in this book, which was refreshing, but still he was very possessive, but the thing is i just have something toward him, i loved him really, although at times i thought he was hopping over my threshold of tolerance.
The Writing is just so good and descriptive, you can actually feel what is going on, and she really gave the war a big part of the book, which was a very smart and wise move from, and that finale.. it was amazing totally wicked, i didn't even see it coming, and it was a correction of something that bothered me in the war .
For that i have to praise Ms Erica for her efforts..
"She grinned up at him, her eyes sparkling and mischievous. He wasn’t entirely certain if forever would be enough for him. He knew that no matter what, this woman, once his blood slave, then his greatest downfall, and finally his salvation would never fail to amaze him, never fail to bring joy and love to his life, and would hold him captive for eternity"
Yep i just used a pride and prejudice gif ^.^
swoons
ILOVEBRAITH
ILOVEJACK
ILOVEASHBY
ILOVEWILLIAM
ILOVEDANIEL
I NEED JACK'S BOOK I NEED JACK'S BOOK I NEED JACK'S BOOK
I NEED JACK'S BOOK I NEED JACK'S BOOK I NEED JACK'S BOOK
I NEED JACK'S BOOK I NEED JACK'S BOOK I NEED JACK'S BOOK
I NEED JACK'S BOOK I NEED JACK'S BOOK I NEED JACK'S BOOK
I NEED JACK'S BOOK I NEED JACK'S BOOK I NEED JACK'S BOOK
I NEED JACK'S BOOK I NEED JACK'S BOOK I NEED JACK'S BOOK
I NEED JACK'S BOOK I NEED JACK'S BOOK I NEED JACK'S BOOK
I NEED JACK'S BOOK I NEED JACK'S BOOK I NEED JACK'S BOOK
I NEED JACK'S BOOK I NEED JACK'S BOOK I NEED JACK'S BOOK
or WILLIAM'S
or DANIEL'S
I'm really flexible :D
September 8, 2018
"He knew that no matter what, this woman, once his blood slave, then his greatest downfall, and finally his salvation would never fail to amaze him, never fail to bring joy and love to his life, and would hold him captive for eternity."
January 17, 2015
Loved it! I was able to purchase it at www.smashwords.com last night and already finished it. I absolutely loved this series.
November 27, 2019
It was a great ending to the story. I know there are more books, but I think I am going to finish here (at least for now). I feel like the story is done (or I am done with it) and I don't want to reach the last book and see them have to fight for everything they've already fought for again.
September 12, 2017
Great finish! Im happy for Aria & Braith. I'm excited to read some of the other characters stories now.
July 30, 2013
This is my review for the entire series:
Overall, it really does have a good story line - but, whoah, does it need to be refined! The 4 book series could have easily been edited down to probably 2 without sacrificing plot. There is so much repetition of dialogue especially involving Aria and Braith's relationship - there were some chapters where every other line was "I love you so much. I can't live without you. I'd die without you. You are my everything..." After a while, over-used heartfelt sentiments like that loose their effect on the reader. In fact, I began to scan a lot because I was getting tired of these mostly ill-timed (hey! we're in a battle, but lets make-out for a bit)declarations of love. I also agree with another reviewer - it appeared like Stevens couldn't decide if she wanted the book to be for young adults, or a more mature audience. Some scenes got steamy, but others were less descriptive. Just choose an audience and stick with it... but don't start something you can't finish.
I liked the series for what it was, but if it were to be edited more thoroughly and polished a bit - it could be a really good, not just sub-par, series.
Overall, it really does have a good story line - but, whoah, does it need to be refined! The 4 book series could have easily been edited down to probably 2 without sacrificing plot. There is so much repetition of dialogue especially involving Aria and Braith's relationship - there were some chapters where every other line was "I love you so much. I can't live without you. I'd die without you. You are my everything..." After a while, over-used heartfelt sentiments like that loose their effect on the reader. In fact, I began to scan a lot because I was getting tired of these mostly ill-timed (hey! we're in a battle, but lets make-out for a bit)declarations of love. I also agree with another reviewer - it appeared like Stevens couldn't decide if she wanted the book to be for young adults, or a more mature audience. Some scenes got steamy, but others were less descriptive. Just choose an audience and stick with it... but don't start something you can't finish.
I liked the series for what it was, but if it were to be edited more thoroughly and polished a bit - it could be a really good, not just sub-par, series.
December 8, 2014
Salvation was an unexpected satisfying end to the Captured series. I was impressed by the pacing and writing and plot overall. Here are my thoughts through gifs.
SO. MUCH. ACTION.
The First Half of the Book.
The Whole Time.
The Romance.
The Ending.
Overall.
SO. MUCH. ACTION.
The First Half of the Book.
The Whole Time.
The Romance.
The Ending.
Overall.
August 17, 2013
Ok here it is, the end to a great series and im a little disappointed. Dont get me wrong I love aria and Braith in fact I love all the characters. I love the way the story unfolded I just expected more. More danger a ruthless fight a movement when Aria and Braith finally came together. Just a little more. It left me with a lot of questions and I dont think the final story should be like that . Maybe she will write a story with the other characters and put their story in it too, like an update . Great read . Hopefully we will see this story further evolve.
April 4, 2014
Salvation was a nice wrap up to the series.
June 6, 2013
Loved this book...Cant wait til the next chapters of Jacks life or of William and Daniel's life begins to unfold...
September 28, 2020
YES!!! This is what I wanted, and what we’ve all been waiting for!! It had amazing action/plot development and romance.
Braith has had so much character development thought the series, and I loved watching him grow and evolve. He went from the stoic uncaring vampire to the loving rebel leader who fought for the humans. He would do anything for Aria, and is a fair ruler.
Aria was... meh. But it is more interesting now that she is a vampire. But the fact that she had some abilities as a human and survived the change because of her ancestors was stupid. Her great grandfather was a HALF vampire, so that made her strong and have abilities? The vampir blood is so diluted. If makes no sense that it would have such a strong effect on her.
The bit where the king came back from the dead for like two minutes was stupid. Like what? Why was that necessary?
Despite all my grumbling, I really did love this book!
Braith has had so much character development thought the series, and I loved watching him grow and evolve. He went from the stoic uncaring vampire to the loving rebel leader who fought for the humans. He would do anything for Aria, and is a fair ruler.
Aria was... meh. But it is more interesting now that she is a vampire. But the fact that she had some abilities as a human and survived the change because of her ancestors was stupid. Her great grandfather was a HALF vampire, so that made her strong and have abilities? The vampir blood is so diluted. If makes no sense that it would have such a strong effect on her.
The bit where the king came back from the dead for like two minutes was stupid. Like what? Why was that necessary?
Despite all my grumbling, I really did love this book!
June 21, 2025
she’s dumber than bella smh
June 19, 2013
He knew that no matter what, this woman, once his blood slave, then his greatest downfall, and finally his salvation would never fail to amaze him, never fail to bring joy and love to his life, and would hold him captive for eternity ~Braith
GAH!! I get tears in my eyes every time I read that quote, this was without a doubt one of the most beautiful paranormal romance stories that I've come across!! The love that Braith and Aria have for each other is beyond measure and above comparison, and in Salvation we truly see the depths and lengths that they will go to for each other. This was such a suspense-filled, intense, creepy, unsettling, disturbing, and moving conclusion to this series, I just loved every moment! It was the PERFECT finale, and I just want to give Erica Stevens a huge round of applause for creating such an incredible story!!
Just what makes Salvation stand out from the masses? Well, because there is so much MORE to this fourth book than any other finale I've every come across, and not a single moment was something that I'd expected! I couldn't believe how many twists blind-sided me as Aria, Braith, and their allies faced their destinies and near-certain death by leaping into the war that would change their world. I braced myself knowing that Aria was going to be suffering greatly in her recapture at the palace, but it didn't prepare me for what she and Braith both had to endure. It was both gut-wrenching and crushing, and there were moments when I thought I couldn't take any more pain for these beloved characters!! But even through the horrific moments, their love for each other carried them through, and Aria found strength she never knew she had. The action scenes were incredible, I was picturing every detail as they played out thanks to how vividly they were described. They were gruesome and terrifying, and I was definitely on the edge of my seat for every minute!! I loved that the character development went well beyond our hero and heroine once again, encompassing the lives of all of these unforgettable characters. The friendships they had made became so vital to them even beyond the fight they were taking on, and I just loved William, Max, Daniel, Ashby, Xavier, and all of this hodge-podge band of renegades!
What I really loved about this book was that the story doesn't cut off after the huge climax. The reader is treated to not just a glimpse at their new world, but a full view of how things will be and how their lives have changed. The story continues and we see Aria and Braith facing new decisions and challenges, and I was so grateful to get to have that time with them. And even when I thought the happily ever after was at their doorstep, another twist had my jaw dropping and my stomach lurching as my mind screamed out "noooooo!!!!" to my iPad screen!! Gah, it was scary and exciting, and a brilliantly stunning shift that just makes this book a cut above the rest!
The Captive series is something so entirely different with it's dystopian setting and distinctly unique storyline, and I've just been so drawn into each leg of Aria and Braith's journey. I hope that more readers grab up Erica Stevens' books, because I have no doubt this will be loved by the masses. If you haven’t started The Captive series yet, get it now!!
GAH!! I get tears in my eyes every time I read that quote, this was without a doubt one of the most beautiful paranormal romance stories that I've come across!! The love that Braith and Aria have for each other is beyond measure and above comparison, and in Salvation we truly see the depths and lengths that they will go to for each other. This was such a suspense-filled, intense, creepy, unsettling, disturbing, and moving conclusion to this series, I just loved every moment! It was the PERFECT finale, and I just want to give Erica Stevens a huge round of applause for creating such an incredible story!!
Just what makes Salvation stand out from the masses? Well, because there is so much MORE to this fourth book than any other finale I've every come across, and not a single moment was something that I'd expected! I couldn't believe how many twists blind-sided me as Aria, Braith, and their allies faced their destinies and near-certain death by leaping into the war that would change their world. I braced myself knowing that Aria was going to be suffering greatly in her recapture at the palace, but it didn't prepare me for what she and Braith both had to endure. It was both gut-wrenching and crushing, and there were moments when I thought I couldn't take any more pain for these beloved characters!! But even through the horrific moments, their love for each other carried them through, and Aria found strength she never knew she had. The action scenes were incredible, I was picturing every detail as they played out thanks to how vividly they were described. They were gruesome and terrifying, and I was definitely on the edge of my seat for every minute!! I loved that the character development went well beyond our hero and heroine once again, encompassing the lives of all of these unforgettable characters. The friendships they had made became so vital to them even beyond the fight they were taking on, and I just loved William, Max, Daniel, Ashby, Xavier, and all of this hodge-podge band of renegades!
What I really loved about this book was that the story doesn't cut off after the huge climax. The reader is treated to not just a glimpse at their new world, but a full view of how things will be and how their lives have changed. The story continues and we see Aria and Braith facing new decisions and challenges, and I was so grateful to get to have that time with them. And even when I thought the happily ever after was at their doorstep, another twist had my jaw dropping and my stomach lurching as my mind screamed out "noooooo!!!!" to my iPad screen!! Gah, it was scary and exciting, and a brilliantly stunning shift that just makes this book a cut above the rest!
The Captive series is something so entirely different with it's dystopian setting and distinctly unique storyline, and I've just been so drawn into each leg of Aria and Braith's journey. I hope that more readers grab up Erica Stevens' books, because I have no doubt this will be loved by the masses. If you haven’t started The Captive series yet, get it now!!
August 5, 2013
This review is from: Salvation (The Captive Series Book 4)
This was a much anticipated ending to a roller coaster series that had me screaming for more. After finishing book one two and three I could not believe book four Salvation had not been published. I devoured this book like a quick snack and felt like I had not eaten at all. The young, immature heroine was spared a worse tragedy than what she could have endured and i was pleased with that; however i feel like readers deserved more than what we got with Aria and Braith's reunion. After enduring three books of fore play we did not get the expected "climax" . What we got was more like a dash of tepid water thrown at us. In the future I will likely stay away from cliffhangers. I do not enjoy having to wait. I will stay away from romance books books with a young girl as the heroine. I have to conclude that the author had to tread lightly in bringing Aria's and Braith's relationship to a respectable end and left out the Hot romance. Mark this for young readers
January 9, 2014
I just freaking loved this series
. Yeah,it would have been more interesting if there was less description and more dialogues.. Well,whose complaining. I could read Braith and Arianna's story like forever. Fuck,i hate it cause i didnt want the story to end,4books werent enough for me. *pfft* The beginning and the epilogue both were perfect. All the characters were well written too.
When I started reading this I thought it would be like the VA series or Twilight. But believe me, it's nothing like either of them. Braith has his own fan club now. *grins* There is action,romance,mystery,secrets but most of the story is about Braith ans Aria's love. The whole series roams around that concept. That's y I think it's different from other Vampire stories I read.
Anyway,I enjoyed it beyond any expectations. 10 bloody stars
When I started reading this I thought it would be like the VA series or Twilight. But believe me, it's nothing like either of them. Braith has his own fan club now. *grins* There is action,romance,mystery,secrets but most of the story is about Braith ans Aria's love. The whole series roams around that concept. That's y I think it's different from other Vampire stories I read.
Anyway,I enjoyed it beyond any expectations. 10 bloody stars
August 4, 2013
In "Salvation," Braith and Aria's love continued to grow, mature, and strengthen. It was impossible to deny their bloodlink/bond and unyeilding love for each other. Braith's inner monster transforms into a hero, a loving husband and friend, and a loyal King. Their sweet love story, combined with an epic battle for freedom, gave a perfect fairytale ending to the "Captive Series." My rating: 5 stars!!!
P.S. The author's blog page contains photos of what she envisioned the characters to look like:
http://ericasteven.blogspot.com/2013/...
P.S. The author's blog page contains photos of what she envisioned the characters to look like:
http://ericasteven.blogspot.com/2013/...
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