This promised to be such an interesting, exciting reading experience, then after I ditched reading the books individually, I picked up this complete series compilation. Huge. Mistake. I only liked and enjoyed the first two, and only because the first two females were the only two who had inner core strength, not only physically, but mentally and socially, which was extremely difficult for North, who was more antisocial and angry at the whole world than all the others put together. Yes, the spice level was high, and the sex scenes between Calian & January, then North and her mate were steamy and realistic. These two females also RESPECTED their guys, and never outright disrespected any of the other males, or acted as if they believed themselves better, even if they, out of any of the females in their stronghold household or the Unseelie's, were the best in character and basic goodness of heart without subjecting unsuspecting innocents to their emotional, psychological, or abusive history hang-ups. Thus, I enjoyed January's and North's journeys into self-discovery of their own worth, strengths, and importance, all while always being intelligent enough to realize they had so much to be grateful for, as well as acknowledging that their mates were key to what they ended up ultimately having.
Then I could barely put up with Mare's wishy-washy whining, questioning everything (after the first few, I had to wonder if her personality and overwhelming suspicion landed her some of the abusive mistreatment she got handed to her.) She. Was. Annoying. Yet, she wasn't nearly as bad as Dakota was with the way she.messed with more than one male. She made awful decisions, horribly disrespectful mistakes that she told herself were misunderstandings, which she never was strong enough to communicate to others unless it benefited herself (okay, I might be projecting that on Dakota, when Naomi was the worst of them all).
Summer's story was ridiculous. She was a quintessentially dumb chick who began the writer's need to turn each female into a superheroine when she didn't substantiate any brainpower for Summer, backbone and loyalty for Dakota, and strength of reason, reliability, loyalty, consideration and niceness for Naomi. All three were the antithesis for any of those cited characteristics.
In summation, I found only the first two books truly enjoyable. Mare's story was tolerable even if I disagreed with and was annoyed by her yo-yo personality. At least the sex scenes weren't boring or cringeworthy! However, the scenes in Dakota's, Summer's, and Naomi's books felt obscene and repetitious. I read the same acts and reactionary moments in the first three books. Besides, how does Naomi go from being that frigidly abusive witch when she dealt with Aev (who was so gorgeous and wonderful with Dakota, who still didn't deserve him even though she objectified and took advantage of his attraction to her), to the shameless hussy and suddenly in-heat nymphomaniac she became with Teris? Naomi never admitted, satisfactorily apologized, or explained to Aev why she treated him the way she did for TWENTY YEARS! That many years of cruel, vicious, reprehensible treatment of a male who was nothing but good, kind, and wonderful, and she is who the writer chooses to have the goddess' blessing? Nope. Did not agree with that plot twist, or her getting an hea. She needed to be punished, not rewarded. Teris did deserve happiness, but I so wish he hadn't had to settle for that particular female. Seriously. Gross. Outcome. Therefore, my rating devolving with each subsequent book beginning with Mare's, we end with Two Stars for the complete series compilation. I'm sorry. I am disappointed, because the initial storyline had so much promise. Maybe Summer, Dakota and Naomi's historical garbage and lack of self esteem outweighed how nasty and awfully they treated others and walked all over the feelings of others in favor of themselves? I did rate books one and two five stars each after I read them. Just couldn't give more for Summer, Dakota and Naomi.