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New Atlanta #3
Being Emerald
They’ll escape New Atlanta or die trying.
Brave, beautiful, and not easily controlled—even within a dictatorship—Laila Lewis has finally attained the prestige of an Emerald designation. Now only one thing is keeping her from her life’s goal of retrieving the Declaration of Independence and other priceless artifacts from the wild unknown of the Onyx the six weeks of training necessary to ensure her survival outside the city walls. But she won’t be going it alone…
After a year as a designated Emerald, rugged, sensual ex-cop Rock Rodgers is finally prepared to leave New Atlanta for good. Six weeks of training is the only thing standing between him and his next to disappear into the freedom of the Onyx Zone where the long-armed rule of the Gov can’t reach him. But when the chemistry between him and Laila reaches a boiling point, with captivity just one false move away, will he have to escape on his own—or risk everything for a woman more tempting than freedom...
CONTENT Contains explicit sexual language and content, m/f, and elements of BDSM that may be objectionable to some readers.
82,000 Words
Brave, beautiful, and not easily controlled—even within a dictatorship—Laila Lewis has finally attained the prestige of an Emerald designation. Now only one thing is keeping her from her life’s goal of retrieving the Declaration of Independence and other priceless artifacts from the wild unknown of the Onyx the six weeks of training necessary to ensure her survival outside the city walls. But she won’t be going it alone…
After a year as a designated Emerald, rugged, sensual ex-cop Rock Rodgers is finally prepared to leave New Atlanta for good. Six weeks of training is the only thing standing between him and his next to disappear into the freedom of the Onyx Zone where the long-armed rule of the Gov can’t reach him. But when the chemistry between him and Laila reaches a boiling point, with captivity just one false move away, will he have to escape on his own—or risk everything for a woman more tempting than freedom...
CONTENT Contains explicit sexual language and content, m/f, and elements of BDSM that may be objectionable to some readers.
82,000 Words
220 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 31, 2015
8 people are currently reading
99 people want to read
About the author
Sylvia Ryan
7 books148 followersSylvia lives the life of an ordinary wife, mother and professional existing in Midwest Suburbia, USA. She reads voraciously and loves to lose herself and fall head over heels for the alpha males in the novels she reads.
When she gets the chance to shed the prim and proper persona of average wife and mother, her secret identity, Sylvia Ryan, emerges. This alter ego strives to write original ideas in extraordinary settings for her readers to remember long after the book has been read. Her dream is to transform her racy thoughts and naughty nature into tangible works of erotic fantasy for others’ secret identities to enjoy.
When she gets the chance to shed the prim and proper persona of average wife and mother, her secret identity, Sylvia Ryan, emerges. This alter ego strives to write original ideas in extraordinary settings for her readers to remember long after the book has been read. Her dream is to transform her racy thoughts and naughty nature into tangible works of erotic fantasy for others’ secret identities to enjoy.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
February 17, 2015
Finally the book focusing on Rock arrives! Rock Rodgers is the sexy dominant ripped from the Amber zone and granted the privilege to live in the Emerald zone. Except, Rock can do without this punishing assignment. The real reason for him assigned to the Emerald zone is complicated depending upon two different perspectives.
I've liked Rock since he first showed up in this series. My hope is that this book would really showcase his dominant skills. I'm mixed because whilst I really like Rock in this story, it just isn't enough D/s for me. He possesses many of the traits I enjoy in a dominant, including his leanings towards being a Daddy dom. Sadly, his D/s skills is not fully showcased in this story. For me, the kinky elements of BDSM are a bit less in intensity and frequency in this book versus the previous ones. Although, I must admit, the kink in this one is a bit more on the edgier side than others. (*warning to those who are squicked by women's monthly cycle*) The BDSM elements did add to this story so I'm glad it is incorporated so smoothly with how Rock trains the person he needs to protect.
The new character to meet Rock's need to dominant is Laila Lewis. She too is a transplant to Emerald zone. Her dream come true turns out to be a hollow one as indigenous Emerald citizens do not accepts her as one of their own. Undeterred, Laila focuses on her career and she's determined to find the founding fathers' documents. This brings her straight to Rock for training to survive in the Onyx zone. The chemistry between these two is good and hot. I like how their erotic power exchange works. I must admit, Rock felt like a tease at times.
What I enjoy about this book is how Ms. Ryan shows a dystopian world where the classes of society are so segregated. The difference is not just with physical attributes but with how they interact with each other. There is something to be said for being outcasts because it allows people the freedom to behave as they wish. For those raised in the Amber zone, it means healthy sexual expression and physical contact for comfort. For Rock and Laila to be thrown together it's like relieving the value on a pressure cooker. Both are bottled up so tightly as they are watched by the Orwellian government. The lack of human contact is slowly killing them from inside out. When Rock and Laila start fighting, it's amazing that there are not more sparks. Rock and Laila's relationship growth is fun to watch as Rock physically trains her in self-defense. The frustrations Laila experiences at his tough love training methods are amusing and endearing. Seriously, forcing her to change the tire that is almost bigger than her makes me laugh. It is these little nuances which makes Ms. Ryan's stories come alive for me. This is why she's on my list of authors to always read.
The big reveals in this story are as expected since Ms. Ryan laid out little crumbs for readers to follow and figure out. The reality of the heinous acts perpetrated by the crazy General is well done. Every little piece of this story leads up to a satisfying climax. The sexual tension and the underground rebellion suspense is well balanced and keeps a reader on the edge. So this is a surprise when the ending arrives too swift. I feel like there should be more and yet the story wraps up quickly before I'm done blinking. I am hooked and yearn for the next book in this series. This 3.5 star speculative fiction is recommended to kinky readers who enjoy alpha males and stubborn females.
*provided by NetGalley
I've liked Rock since he first showed up in this series. My hope is that this book would really showcase his dominant skills. I'm mixed because whilst I really like Rock in this story, it just isn't enough D/s for me. He possesses many of the traits I enjoy in a dominant, including his leanings towards being a Daddy dom. Sadly, his D/s skills is not fully showcased in this story. For me, the kinky elements of BDSM are a bit less in intensity and frequency in this book versus the previous ones. Although, I must admit, the kink in this one is a bit more on the edgier side than others. (*warning to those who are squicked by women's monthly cycle*) The BDSM elements did add to this story so I'm glad it is incorporated so smoothly with how Rock trains the person he needs to protect.
The new character to meet Rock's need to dominant is Laila Lewis. She too is a transplant to Emerald zone. Her dream come true turns out to be a hollow one as indigenous Emerald citizens do not accepts her as one of their own. Undeterred, Laila focuses on her career and she's determined to find the founding fathers' documents. This brings her straight to Rock for training to survive in the Onyx zone. The chemistry between these two is good and hot. I like how their erotic power exchange works. I must admit, Rock felt like a tease at times.
What I enjoy about this book is how Ms. Ryan shows a dystopian world where the classes of society are so segregated. The difference is not just with physical attributes but with how they interact with each other. There is something to be said for being outcasts because it allows people the freedom to behave as they wish. For those raised in the Amber zone, it means healthy sexual expression and physical contact for comfort. For Rock and Laila to be thrown together it's like relieving the value on a pressure cooker. Both are bottled up so tightly as they are watched by the Orwellian government. The lack of human contact is slowly killing them from inside out. When Rock and Laila start fighting, it's amazing that there are not more sparks. Rock and Laila's relationship growth is fun to watch as Rock physically trains her in self-defense. The frustrations Laila experiences at his tough love training methods are amusing and endearing. Seriously, forcing her to change the tire that is almost bigger than her makes me laugh. It is these little nuances which makes Ms. Ryan's stories come alive for me. This is why she's on my list of authors to always read.
The big reveals in this story are as expected since Ms. Ryan laid out little crumbs for readers to follow and figure out. The reality of the heinous acts perpetrated by the crazy General is well done. Every little piece of this story leads up to a satisfying climax. The sexual tension and the underground rebellion suspense is well balanced and keeps a reader on the edge. So this is a surprise when the ending arrives too swift. I feel like there should be more and yet the story wraps up quickly before I'm done blinking. I am hooked and yearn for the next book in this series. This 3.5 star speculative fiction is recommended to kinky readers who enjoy alpha males and stubborn females.
*provided by NetGalley
March 31, 2015
RELEASED - MARCH 31st
March - check out the book trailer! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Rddz...
This story was a 4.5 star read for me. I contemplated whether to round up or down, but it was a no brainer to round up. The one/two issues I had were minor. Well one not so minor (see below) and the other was a name quirk. So nothing that should detract from the rating of a brilliant story.
I had a
moment during a shower sex scene......it pushed one of my limits, made my eyes bug out, whatever you like to call it!
I went so far as the message the author to see if maybe she had gone insane. She replied something along the lines of.... "I'm literally laughing out loud right now, I bet you'll never forget it."...Never has a truer word been spoken and I'm still not sure if that's a good or bad thing.
At the end of the day, this story was near on perfection for me, it kept me engaged and made me 'feel'. I Loved the characters, the plot, the suspense, the world building, and the sexy time was smoking hot! **cough cough, for the most part ;)
I had been waiting for Rock's story since reading Being Amber. It was a long time coming but well worth the wait.
Thank you for keeping me entertained Sylvia. You Rock, pun intended, lol ;)
While I think this can be read as a standalone readers would definitely benefit from reading Being Amber and Being Sapphire first. That said Sylvia did a great job at providing enough backstory, that this can be read as a standalone story, IMO.
ARC provided by Kensington Books via NetGalley
March - check out the book trailer! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Rddz...
This story was a 4.5 star read for me. I contemplated whether to round up or down, but it was a no brainer to round up. The one/two issues I had were minor. Well one not so minor (see below) and the other was a name quirk. So nothing that should detract from the rating of a brilliant story.
I had a
moment during a shower sex scene......it pushed one of my limits, made my eyes bug out, whatever you like to call it!
I went so far as the message the author to see if maybe she had gone insane. She replied something along the lines of.... "I'm literally laughing out loud right now, I bet you'll never forget it."...Never has a truer word been spoken and I'm still not sure if that's a good or bad thing.
At the end of the day, this story was near on perfection for me, it kept me engaged and made me 'feel'. I Loved the characters, the plot, the suspense, the world building, and the sexy time was smoking hot! **cough cough, for the most part ;)
I had been waiting for Rock's story since reading Being Amber. It was a long time coming but well worth the wait.
Thank you for keeping me entertained Sylvia. You Rock, pun intended, lol ;)
While I think this can be read as a standalone readers would definitely benefit from reading Being Amber and Being Sapphire first. That said Sylvia did a great job at providing enough backstory, that this can be read as a standalone story, IMO.
ARC provided by Kensington Books via NetGalley
July 6, 2015
Being Emerald is the third book in the New Atlanta series and while you can read it as a stand-alone, in order to really understand Rock's character, what he's been through and why he is the man he's become, I highly recommend reading the other two first. Oh, how I've eagerly anticipated Rock's story! He's deliciously dominant and the teasers that we got of his kink in the first two books had me salivating for more. In Being Emerald, he's assigned to protect Laila, another Amber turned Emerald, and their need for each other is instantaneous. Unfortunately, while what we did get was hot and well written, Rock's bent towards the D/s lifestyle wasn't explored as much as I would've liked. He warned and he threatened but only delivered a couple of times. The rebellion storyline and the suspense was well done though and I find myself anxious to see if they'll be successful. My only complaint was that I felt the story wrapped up a little too quickly. I realize that there will be a next in the series, and it definitely did it's job in hooking me for it, but this still needs an epilogue to give proper closure to Rock and Laila's story. In the end, I really enjoyed Being Emerald. Ms. Ryan showed true talent with this one, weaving in humor, sadness, love, fear, passion, and, of course my favorite, hot sexy scenes with a little kink :)
***I've just been told this has an epilogue and the author has kindly provided me with the link.***
***I've just been told this has an epilogue and the author has kindly provided me with the link.***
March 30, 2015
ARC provided by author.
I really enjoyed this book. I think it is my favorite of the series so far and I can't wait to read the next installment.
In this book we get Rocks story. I do believe that you need to read the others in the series and wish I had taken the time to review them prior to reading. With that being said the author did a great job of reminding the reader of the past events and this is a complete story within the series so it is not a cliffhanger but a continuation.
Rock is an amazing dominating alpha male who immediately has a connection with the woman that he is charged with protecting. They have to go on a mission outside of the safe Emerald zone to retrieve some important historical documents. Along the way there is danger, mystery and smoking hot sex...and maybe even a shower scene that will have you saying...surely, what did I just read...oh my!
This is my favorite kind of book where there is a great story to go along with the great erotica.
I really enjoyed this book. I think it is my favorite of the series so far and I can't wait to read the next installment.
In this book we get Rocks story. I do believe that you need to read the others in the series and wish I had taken the time to review them prior to reading. With that being said the author did a great job of reminding the reader of the past events and this is a complete story within the series so it is not a cliffhanger but a continuation.
Rock is an amazing dominating alpha male who immediately has a connection with the woman that he is charged with protecting. They have to go on a mission outside of the safe Emerald zone to retrieve some important historical documents. Along the way there is danger, mystery and smoking hot sex...and maybe even a shower scene that will have you saying...surely, what did I just read...oh my!
This is my favorite kind of book where there is a great story to go along with the great erotica.
March 13, 2015
Buddy Read with my Sassy Sasha!!
Being Emerald
5 OZ stars
This is a special one for me… The author and netgalley gifted me a copy and I am just on cloud 9!
This book also holds a special meaning to me because the first book in this series is the first book I have ever won in a group give away. This is the 3rd book in a 4 book series. They can be read as a standalone but more suspense and understanding develops if you read the books in order.
I have been excited about this book since we met Rock in his sexy little ménage he had in Amber.
Each Being book is completely different vibe and different situations that build up to the large picture that you see in being Emerald.
Being Emerald brings back Rock from Amber when he got designated Emerald and Laila who tested Emerald but was born in Amber.
they were connected. It was as if shed fallen into his yes and landed in his soul. Nothing else existed. She opened herself fully to his feelings. Warmth and affection, happiness, love—they were all there
Laila has secret agendas that are different from the resistance agendas. And they have the potential to get her killed and get
Rock steps in as Laila’s protection because she “came from bad stock but was rated Emerald for being really smart” During this protection period Laila and Rock’s relationship builds and if you read Amber you know his struggles with people. He hasn’t been with anyone since his GF
he was his own contradiction. Sweet and cruel. Demanding and giving. Closed off and yet willing to be an open book.
This story is an emotional attack and will bring tears to your eyes, disgust and happiness.
The line from the book that completely explains this book is one of the ending ones. This story is about overcoming an oppressive government, kidnapping, perfect breeding, love, loss and change
In this moment, I’m the happiest and saddest I can ever remember being
One word to describe this book
Being Emerald
5 OZ stars
This is a special one for me… The author and netgalley gifted me a copy and I am just on cloud 9!
This book also holds a special meaning to me because the first book in this series is the first book I have ever won in a group give away. This is the 3rd book in a 4 book series. They can be read as a standalone but more suspense and understanding develops if you read the books in order.
I have been excited about this book since we met Rock in his sexy little ménage he had in Amber.
Each Being book is completely different vibe and different situations that build up to the large picture that you see in being Emerald.
Being Emerald brings back Rock from Amber when he got designated Emerald and Laila who tested Emerald but was born in Amber.
they were connected. It was as if shed fallen into his yes and landed in his soul. Nothing else existed. She opened herself fully to his feelings. Warmth and affection, happiness, love—they were all there
Laila has secret agendas that are different from the resistance agendas. And they have the potential to get her killed and get
Rock steps in as Laila’s protection because she “came from bad stock but was rated Emerald for being really smart” During this protection period Laila and Rock’s relationship builds and if you read Amber you know his struggles with people. He hasn’t been with anyone since his GF
he was his own contradiction. Sweet and cruel. Demanding and giving. Closed off and yet willing to be an open book.
This story is an emotional attack and will bring tears to your eyes, disgust and happiness.
The line from the book that completely explains this book is one of the ending ones. This story is about overcoming an oppressive government, kidnapping, perfect breeding, love, loss and change
In this moment, I’m the happiest and saddest I can ever remember being
One word to describe this book
March 29, 2015
**This was an ARC copy given by the author for a honest review**
3 stars
This was a good story and addition to the New Atlanta series. I liked Laila and the story was interesting and kept me engaged. Rock wasn't my type of hero though.
Laila was born in the Amber district. When testing age came, she was found to have a high intellect and was changed to a Sapphire designation and then her work moved her up to Emerald. Unfortunately, this meant that she had to leave her mother and all her friends back in Amber and was treated like crap by the people in the other districts because of where she was born.
Rock is from book #1. He was a cop in the Amber district and was in love but a murderous woman sent by the Gov killed his woman (as part of a larger killing spree). The Gov covered it up, moving Rock to the Emerald district due to his "heroic actions" in their cover story (not that he wanted to be a part of any of it, they just didn't give him a choice). Now Rock is working with the resistance but planning to leave New Atlanta for good very soon.
Rock is assigned as the personal security for Laila when they leave for the capital (DC) to try to recover some of the national treasures like the Constitution and such. They have a while before they're supposed to leave and Rock has decided to train Laila in everything she needs to make it through the trip in one piece. When Laila meets Rock, she's been away from the Amber district for 5 years. In Amber people are very open and touchy and Laila has been missing that closeness and comfort for years. When she realizes that Rock is also from Amber she reaches out to him and they bond over their loneliness and their situation. Rock is attracted to Laila from the start but holds himself away because he made a promise to himself that there would be no one else after he failed to protect a woman he cared about once. He doesn't want to be in that spot to lose someone close to him again. Laila is attracted to Rock and believes that he's a good man so she wants whatever he'll give her.
The main problem in the story (for me at least) was Rock and his cold and hot behavior towards Laila. He pretty much started training her both in their regular training hours and during their personal time but in very different ways. In the off hours, he trained her like a BDSM submissive but without discussing what he's doing with her before hand. He would give her commands and then punish her for not automatically falling in to place. Laila is a intelligent and strong woman and yet he seemed to think that he didn't ever need to discuss anything with her and would just punish her and make her feel bad when she disappointed him. . Regardless of this, Laila and Rock manage to work their way into a relationship. They make it through the training and to the mission, where things get pretty messed up...and things get even more messed up (don't want to give too many details). I liked that Laila got herself out of the mess at the end, she showed some real strength there. The story ends with Rock and Laila reunited and heading for a HEA together.
I liked the story. I also liked Laila. At times I wishes she'd have shown more backbone but with Rock's obsessive need to dominate and control her actions I can't help but think that she did what she could. Rock...well obviously he was the downfall for me. The way he acted just made it hard for me to feel a real connection and want them to be together. I'm glad things worked out for Laila in the end. Overall, the story was good and I'm still looking forward to the next book in the series...I want to see how the resistance works out. :D
3 stars
This was a good story and addition to the New Atlanta series. I liked Laila and the story was interesting and kept me engaged. Rock wasn't my type of hero though.
Laila was born in the Amber district. When testing age came, she was found to have a high intellect and was changed to a Sapphire designation and then her work moved her up to Emerald. Unfortunately, this meant that she had to leave her mother and all her friends back in Amber and was treated like crap by the people in the other districts because of where she was born.
Rock is from book #1. He was a cop in the Amber district and was in love but a murderous woman sent by the Gov killed his woman (as part of a larger killing spree). The Gov covered it up, moving Rock to the Emerald district due to his "heroic actions" in their cover story (not that he wanted to be a part of any of it, they just didn't give him a choice). Now Rock is working with the resistance but planning to leave New Atlanta for good very soon.
Rock is assigned as the personal security for Laila when they leave for the capital (DC) to try to recover some of the national treasures like the Constitution and such. They have a while before they're supposed to leave and Rock has decided to train Laila in everything she needs to make it through the trip in one piece. When Laila meets Rock, she's been away from the Amber district for 5 years. In Amber people are very open and touchy and Laila has been missing that closeness and comfort for years. When she realizes that Rock is also from Amber she reaches out to him and they bond over their loneliness and their situation. Rock is attracted to Laila from the start but holds himself away because he made a promise to himself that there would be no one else after he failed to protect a woman he cared about once. He doesn't want to be in that spot to lose someone close to him again. Laila is attracted to Rock and believes that he's a good man so she wants whatever he'll give her.
The main problem in the story (for me at least) was Rock and his cold and hot behavior towards Laila. He pretty much started training her both in their regular training hours and during their personal time but in very different ways. In the off hours, he trained her like a BDSM submissive but without discussing what he's doing with her before hand. He would give her commands and then punish her for not automatically falling in to place. Laila is a intelligent and strong woman and yet he seemed to think that he didn't ever need to discuss anything with her and would just punish her and make her feel bad when she disappointed him. . Regardless of this, Laila and Rock manage to work their way into a relationship. They make it through the training and to the mission, where things get pretty messed up...and things get even more messed up (don't want to give too many details). I liked that Laila got herself out of the mess at the end, she showed some real strength there. The story ends with Rock and Laila reunited and heading for a HEA together.
I liked the story. I also liked Laila. At times I wishes she'd have shown more backbone but with Rock's obsessive need to dominate and control her actions I can't help but think that she did what she could. Rock...well obviously he was the downfall for me. The way he acted just made it hard for me to feel a real connection and want them to be together. I'm glad things worked out for Laila in the end. Overall, the story was good and I'm still looking forward to the next book in the series...I want to see how the resistance works out. :D
March 13, 2015
Rock finally gets his story in Being Emerald. This one has been a long time coming and I downed it in one sitting. I fell in love with this touch sexy guy back in Being Amber. When he got 'promoted' to Emerald it damn near killed me especially after he had loss Emily! Rock isn't the only Amber raised now living the life of a Emerald. Laila is, too only she's been there longer and has to shut down her Amber thoughts and emotions. He's got six weeks to train her survival outside the city walls and then he can finally do what he wants to do - escape to the Onyx Zone.
I really enjoyed Rock and Laila's story. Their meeting, the struggles they go through, the love that builds between them was most satisfying. There's a lot of chemistry that goes on between these two, and they have a lot in common both having been raised Amber. The sex between them was pretty hot although I have a teeny gripe to make. Rock is always talking about how real strict and over the top Dom he can be. I think I've grown too jaded from all the BDSM books I have read because while there were some juicy BDSM scenes, I didn't find him as extreme as he kept claiming to be. There also wasn't quite the emotional punch the first two books had but what it lacked in that department was more than made up for with adventure and intrigue.
If you're like me and actually enjoy secondaries characters you may be a tad disappointed. Unlike in the previous book, there is minimal information provided regarding previous characters and only an appearance of one, Journey. Well, actually there is one more - Morgan. Yes we still need the bad guy to make his appearance. There are secrets revealed about his shenanigans that, if you didn't hate him before, you certainly will now. I seem to remember seeing somewhere that this was to be the last book in the series. I'm really hoping not because with those previously mentioned shenanigans really need to be addressed.
Sylvia Ryan's New Atlanta series was my very first taste in the dystopia genre and it has been an outstanding one. This truly has been a remarkable series for me and I use it as my bases to judge any other dystopian stories I read. As for Being Emerald, it can be read as a stand-alone however, there is a lot of build up and explanations in the previous books that is lacking in this book. Without that background knowledge it can be very confusing to understand the color rating of the haves and the have nots so I highly suggest starting from the beginning and working your way forward. As a added bonus, if you need just a wee bit more HEA for each book, on Ms. Ryan's website you can find she has provided a epilogue for her books. Jordan's was bitter sweet but Jac and Xander's, dang that one almost killed me. At the time of posting this review Rock and Laila's had not been posted yet. Operative word - YET! I'll be stalking her website to find out what happens.
I received this book from the JeepDiva for the express purposes of an honest review. The opinions and rating of this review are solely mine and in no way was I compensated.
Stars - 4, Flames - 3
I really enjoyed Rock and Laila's story. Their meeting, the struggles they go through, the love that builds between them was most satisfying. There's a lot of chemistry that goes on between these two, and they have a lot in common both having been raised Amber. The sex between them was pretty hot although I have a teeny gripe to make. Rock is always talking about how real strict and over the top Dom he can be. I think I've grown too jaded from all the BDSM books I have read because while there were some juicy BDSM scenes, I didn't find him as extreme as he kept claiming to be. There also wasn't quite the emotional punch the first two books had but what it lacked in that department was more than made up for with adventure and intrigue.
If you're like me and actually enjoy secondaries characters you may be a tad disappointed. Unlike in the previous book, there is minimal information provided regarding previous characters and only an appearance of one, Journey. Well, actually there is one more - Morgan. Yes we still need the bad guy to make his appearance. There are secrets revealed about his shenanigans that, if you didn't hate him before, you certainly will now. I seem to remember seeing somewhere that this was to be the last book in the series. I'm really hoping not because with those previously mentioned shenanigans really need to be addressed.
Sylvia Ryan's New Atlanta series was my very first taste in the dystopia genre and it has been an outstanding one. This truly has been a remarkable series for me and I use it as my bases to judge any other dystopian stories I read. As for Being Emerald, it can be read as a stand-alone however, there is a lot of build up and explanations in the previous books that is lacking in this book. Without that background knowledge it can be very confusing to understand the color rating of the haves and the have nots so I highly suggest starting from the beginning and working your way forward. As a added bonus, if you need just a wee bit more HEA for each book, on Ms. Ryan's website you can find she has provided a epilogue for her books. Jordan's was bitter sweet but Jac and Xander's, dang that one almost killed me. At the time of posting this review Rock and Laila's had not been posted yet. Operative word - YET! I'll be stalking her website to find out what happens.
I received this book from the JeepDiva for the express purposes of an honest review. The opinions and rating of this review are solely mine and in no way was I compensated.
Stars - 4, Flames - 3
March 22, 2015
** I was provided a copy of an ARC by the author for my honest review. **
Probably closer to 3-1/2 stars. Overall, this was another good addition to the series and moves the main story line (toppling the current governmental structure) forward a bit more. And while I was happy for Rock to find someone after having lost Emily in the first one, and I was happy that Laila was able to be more "Amber" with Rock (Ambers are much more touchy-feely than any of the other groups, and Laila had been Emerald for four years after having been Amber), their love seemed to happen without too much of a spark. Or maybe it's that Rock was so reserved that it made it hard for me to understand why Laila was so completely in love with him, and it didn't feel sincere when he said he reciprocated his feelings. I'm not sure what could have changed, but I just didn't quite feel it when they first declared their love.
Beyond that, the story seemed to end abruptly. I felt like I wanted more information about or their new life together. Simply didn't feel like a good place to end the story. On the other hand, plenty of questions were left unanswered for the next one to hopefully answer.
Thank you to the author for allowing me to read this prior to release.
Probably closer to 3-1/2 stars. Overall, this was another good addition to the series and moves the main story line (toppling the current governmental structure) forward a bit more. And while I was happy for Rock to find someone after having lost Emily in the first one, and I was happy that Laila was able to be more "Amber" with Rock (Ambers are much more touchy-feely than any of the other groups, and Laila had been Emerald for four years after having been Amber), their love seemed to happen without too much of a spark. Or maybe it's that Rock was so reserved that it made it hard for me to understand why Laila was so completely in love with him, and it didn't feel sincere when he said he reciprocated his feelings. I'm not sure what could have changed, but I just didn't quite feel it when they first declared their love.
Beyond that, the story seemed to end abruptly. I felt like I wanted more information about or their new life together. Simply didn't feel like a good place to end the story. On the other hand, plenty of questions were left unanswered for the next one to hopefully answer.
Thank you to the author for allowing me to read this prior to release.
April 1, 2015
An action packed sexy read. Ex-cop Rock is desperate to escape New Atlanta but first he must train Laila survive on the outside. I admit I haven’t read the others in the series but I enjoyed this one so much I will. I had no issues keeping up with the story so it can be read as a standalone. The story held me captivated throughout and the chemistry between Rock and Laila is hot and the sex, steamy. Great Read!
March 21, 2015
I have been wondering about Rock since Being Amber when he lost the love of his life and then was sent to live in the Emerald Zone, we had glimpses of him in Being Sapphire but now we get to see Rock in all of his glory...and there is a lot of it! Rock is being assigned to escort Laila Lewis as she makes a journey to Washington DC to retrieve historical artifacts. It has been two years since Rock's life was turned upside down and he hasn't felt the need for any intimacy or even a casual touch, that was until he meets Laila and things start to change for him as well as for her. Laila was raised an Amber and missed the touching and intimate contact you were freely given in the Amber Zone once she finds out that Rock had been an Amber as well she can't resist reaching out and touching him. This story has a lot of twists and turns and you don't know what is going to happen next at one point I was literately on the edge of my seat waiting to see what was going to happen. I loved that it wasn't predictable and I loved the fact that I can see a future book being written.....I hope I'm right!
Rock is into BDSM and Laila hasn't been exposed to that before so it was great seeing that she was open to exploring it with him. There was one scene that I wasn't particularly fond of but I understood what it was being done and the emotions of both parties involved were thoroughly expressed. That being said it did not take away from this book at all, I loved it!
You can read the epilogue at Ryanbooks.net I waited until after I read this book to go and read all the epilogues and I am glad that I did because they contained some spoilers for the earlier books.
***I would like to Thank Sylvia Ryan for supplying me an advanced copy of this book to read and review for her***
Rock is into BDSM and Laila hasn't been exposed to that before so it was great seeing that she was open to exploring it with him. There was one scene that I wasn't particularly fond of but I understood what it was being done and the emotions of both parties involved were thoroughly expressed. That being said it did not take away from this book at all, I loved it!
You can read the epilogue at Ryanbooks.net I waited until after I read this book to go and read all the epilogues and I am glad that I did because they contained some spoilers for the earlier books.
***I would like to Thank Sylvia Ryan for supplying me an advanced copy of this book to read and review for her***
March 15, 2015
*ARC received from the author in exchange for an honest review*
Being Emerald is the 3rd book in Sylvia Ryan's New Atlanta series. Dystopian in nature, it deals with life in the USA after a pandemic has destroyed most of the world's population. The people have been divided into sectors in accordance with repopulation laws. The "Gov" is attempting to breed out unfavourable/weak traits in the people. Rock and Laila have both earned the prestigious Emerald designation after having grown up in the unfavoured Amber zone. Laila has been granted the authorization to travel to the US capital to retrieve some valuable artifacts, and Rock has been designated as her guard. They form a bond almost immediately, their Amber traits emerging in each other's company as Rock trains Laila. As Emeralds, they have been starved for human touch and affection, and they are able to find comfort together.
Rock is a dominant and BDSM is explored in this novel as he exerts the control he feels is necessary to keep Laila safe. The steamy sections of this book are exactly that...super steamy! (OK...pun intended, there are a few shower scenes!) Ms. Ryan is able to advance her overall arc here as well as we learn more about the Resistance. Morgan is back as the evil villain, and we learn more about his repopulation plans as well. I loved both Rock and Laila's characters, and it was wonderful to see them find happiness at long last.
My only complaint here is that I wanted more...at times I read something and couldn't quite trace where it began. I would have loved a little more in the end as well, as I thought it ended just a bit abruptly. Luckily, Ms. Ryan has provided an epilogue on her website once again. Small complaints though, and this was still a strong 4 to 4.5 star read for me. I'm looking forward to Journey's story next to complete the series.
Being Emerald is the 3rd book in Sylvia Ryan's New Atlanta series. Dystopian in nature, it deals with life in the USA after a pandemic has destroyed most of the world's population. The people have been divided into sectors in accordance with repopulation laws. The "Gov" is attempting to breed out unfavourable/weak traits in the people. Rock and Laila have both earned the prestigious Emerald designation after having grown up in the unfavoured Amber zone. Laila has been granted the authorization to travel to the US capital to retrieve some valuable artifacts, and Rock has been designated as her guard. They form a bond almost immediately, their Amber traits emerging in each other's company as Rock trains Laila. As Emeralds, they have been starved for human touch and affection, and they are able to find comfort together.
Rock is a dominant and BDSM is explored in this novel as he exerts the control he feels is necessary to keep Laila safe. The steamy sections of this book are exactly that...super steamy! (OK...pun intended, there are a few shower scenes!) Ms. Ryan is able to advance her overall arc here as well as we learn more about the Resistance. Morgan is back as the evil villain, and we learn more about his repopulation plans as well. I loved both Rock and Laila's characters, and it was wonderful to see them find happiness at long last.
My only complaint here is that I wanted more...at times I read something and couldn't quite trace where it began. I would have loved a little more in the end as well, as I thought it ended just a bit abruptly. Luckily, Ms. Ryan has provided an epilogue on her website once again. Small complaints though, and this was still a strong 4 to 4.5 star read for me. I'm looking forward to Journey's story next to complete the series.
March 13, 2015
*Actual Rating 3.5 Stars*
My Thoughts: I didn’t read the previous 2 books in this series, so maybe my likeness could have been love. This was a good read but there were several moments when I was completely lost. This world is new to me, right along with the characters.
The chemistry between Laila and Rock was perfect. It made all of the other unknown variables to this story perfect for me. Rock just wants out of New Atlanta, Laila wants to succeed in retrieving the most priceless artifact in the world- The Declaration of Independence. Together they must train hard to survive the mission. Try as they might, but their burning desire for each other cannot be denied.
BDSM is not everyone’s forte. I’m not familiar with it, other than the occasional read, so I’m not sure how spot on the author wrote out some of the scenes. The sex is hot, I’ll admit that. I just felt like there’s more that I’m missing with this whole dystopian world. And that’s totally my fault for not reading the other books first.
The different classes in this world- Amber, Emerald, Sapphire (I’m sure that I’m missing some)- are unique in the way that they are separated. With dystopia comes control. Someone always wants the throne and there are always rebels to that cause. I still need to read the other books in this series, but I did enjoy reading this. I’d definitely recommend, but do read the previous books so that you are not oblivious as I was while reading this.
My Thoughts: I didn’t read the previous 2 books in this series, so maybe my likeness could have been love. This was a good read but there were several moments when I was completely lost. This world is new to me, right along with the characters.
The chemistry between Laila and Rock was perfect. It made all of the other unknown variables to this story perfect for me. Rock just wants out of New Atlanta, Laila wants to succeed in retrieving the most priceless artifact in the world- The Declaration of Independence. Together they must train hard to survive the mission. Try as they might, but their burning desire for each other cannot be denied.
BDSM is not everyone’s forte. I’m not familiar with it, other than the occasional read, so I’m not sure how spot on the author wrote out some of the scenes. The sex is hot, I’ll admit that. I just felt like there’s more that I’m missing with this whole dystopian world. And that’s totally my fault for not reading the other books first.
The different classes in this world- Amber, Emerald, Sapphire (I’m sure that I’m missing some)- are unique in the way that they are separated. With dystopia comes control. Someone always wants the throne and there are always rebels to that cause. I still need to read the other books in this series, but I did enjoy reading this. I’d definitely recommend, but do read the previous books so that you are not oblivious as I was while reading this.
February 23, 2015
ARC Received through NetGalley for honest review.
WOW! This series just keeps getting better and better!
I had my fingers crossed that the next installment in this series was going to be Rock's story and I was beyond excited to learn it was!
From start to finish this is a gut wrenching read that will leave you emotionally drained yet begging for more!
I honestly love all of Sylvia's books but I think this one was my favorite by far! If I could give it more stars I would in a heartbeat!
The twists and turns that keep on coming with this series are absolutely mind boggling and I can't even begin to imagine the amount of time that has gone into thinking this all out. It is honestly one of the most creative series I have ever read.
The depth that she puts into everyone of her stories is amazing but this particular one went above and beyond! You honestly get so sucked into the characters that it is as if you can feel everything they are going through and I love that in a great story!
I loved the ending to this particular one. It was just different than the others in the series and I thought the Author did a fabulous job with it.
I cannot wait to get more of this series!!!!
WOW! This series just keeps getting better and better!
I had my fingers crossed that the next installment in this series was going to be Rock's story and I was beyond excited to learn it was!
From start to finish this is a gut wrenching read that will leave you emotionally drained yet begging for more!
I honestly love all of Sylvia's books but I think this one was my favorite by far! If I could give it more stars I would in a heartbeat!
The twists and turns that keep on coming with this series are absolutely mind boggling and I can't even begin to imagine the amount of time that has gone into thinking this all out. It is honestly one of the most creative series I have ever read.
The depth that she puts into everyone of her stories is amazing but this particular one went above and beyond! You honestly get so sucked into the characters that it is as if you can feel everything they are going through and I love that in a great story!
I loved the ending to this particular one. It was just different than the others in the series and I thought the Author did a fabulous job with it.
I cannot wait to get more of this series!!!!
April 4, 2015
I knew as soon as I finished chapter one that this book is part of a series but found myself captivated by the story that I continued reading. Rock is a bodyguard assigned to protect Laila on her mission to retrieve priceless artifacts in the Onyx zone (the world has been devastated and now people live in zones and have a zone band tattooed on their arm). Rock and Laila live in the Emerald zone (a top ranking zone) though both are from the overpopulated Amber zone. Both miss their families and the vibrant zone that they were raised in and find themselves drawn to each other. Rock is a very dominant man who will do everything he can to protect Laila as well as teach her to protect herself. Laila has been so lonely since working her way to the Emerald zone and she finds herself drawn to Rock. Rock has shut down his feelings but Laila slowly starts to melt his defenses.
This book was well written with a fascinating storyline. I did at times feel a little lost, especially in the beginning but found myself really enjoying the exchanges between Rock and Laila. I would recommend reading this series in order as I am sure I would have been able to follow along much better. Lovers of futuristic romances (with some BDSM elements) would enjoy this series.
March 14, 2015
This was the hardest book I've ever written. I wanted Rock's story to be epic, and then had trouble finding the words to make it that way. I guess every author has writer's block from time to time, but this book was like teasing words out of a block of granite, a true labor of love, (and sometimes not love). Anyway, in the end, everything seemed to work itself out.
I'm currently finishing up the last book to this series, Being Free. It's Journey's story. Hers was easier to write. Thank God.
April 18, 2015
I enjoyed the story and will be reading the series again, but I felt that the ending just left too many questions unanswered.
March 3, 2015
Being Emerald is the third book in Sylvia Ryan’s New Atlanta series. That being said, this is the first book I have read by this author so I was a little lost at first. From what I can figure out the United States was decimated by a virus. Fast Forward 25 years and the books is set in New Atlanta where a government is in place and in an effort to ensure only the strongest genes are passed on. To achieve this goal they have created a social system where people are separated based on their intelligence, genes, and “desirable characteristics”. Once assigned to a group, which are identified via gem stone colors (Amber, Emerald, Sapphire, Diamond, etc.) an individual must live with others of their designation. The government requires everyone below an Emerald designation to be sterilized to prevent any unsavory genes from being passed on to the population as it replenishes. I had to go out and read some reviews to get a good idea of what the dynamic of each designation assigned to people really meant, and what their culture differences were within each delegation. Once I did that the story made a whole lot more sense. For the purpose of this book, people born or raised in the Amber designation (the lowest) are brought up in very loving and welcoming settings. The government sees them as cast-offs so they don’t interact much with this group, and the group has created a very nurturing and open (with EVERYTHING) culture. Emeralds, on the other hand, are under the thumb of the government, and are very isolated and weary of making close relationships since they are under constant scrutiny. One wrong move, or wrong pissed off person could mean the difference between life and death. There is an underground Resistance against the government that is building, and this book picks up right from where the previous book left off (I am assuming).
The Plot Overview:
Leila Lewis has been an Emerald for about five years and has been working toward her life’s goal of retrieving important pre-virus documents and artifacts from Washington DC. With the government’s backing she is preparing to carry out a trip from New Atlanta to DC and in an effort to ensure her safety they assign her a team of military personnel to assist and protect her. One of those men is Rock Rogers, a very new Emerald who has no interest in returning from the trip. His goal is to get lost in the Onxy Zone (the unincorporated area where the government has no power). He has recently lost his girlfriend as a direct result of the current corrupt government leader, and plans to escape before he is killed next. When Leila and Rock meet it is revealed that they were both born and raised in Amber, and a bond forms as a result of that common link. Leila is affection starved, and misses the constant safety and comfort of human touch that is so rare in Emerald. Rock has been in a state of mourning that has been made worse by having no one to protect or to provide a nurturing presence to. Rock is a very dominant man, and as their relationship progresses during the six week pre-trip training he and Leila navigate the power balance of their relationship. I don’t want to give anything away, but the last 20% of the book is more plot-driven and I really like how the book took a turn I wasn’t expecting that had nothing to do with the trip. Needless to say, the leader of the government is even more coo-coo-for-cocoa-puffs than we thought. The book ends with a HEA for the characters, but the main story and Resistance back in New Atlanta still very much up in the air.
What I liked:
The word was very interesting! I like post-apocalyptic stuff because the author can do whatever they want. Leila was a pretty cool heroine, and I could relate to her and her reaction to things pretty well. Rock is definitely a dominant character, leaning toward Daddy Dom in his interactions with Leila. Some of those moments were very sweet (although they were few and far between when it came to him being sweet). I really liked the last twenty percent of the book, and honestly that raised the overall rating one star for me. The book was easy to read, and flowed nicely.
What didn’t work for me:
Most of the (I am assuming) nice moments where Rock and Leila are building their relationship are off page. The book covers a pretty large span of time so time jumps are to be expected, but they pretty much jump from Rock being an ass, to Rock being a huge dickwad. Being dominant is one thing, but there were moments when he was downright hateful and abusive to Leila in the guise of being “for her own good”. Once he tore her down there wasn’t any building back up, or at least not enough for me to have forgiven him. There were sweet moments, just not enough to overshadow the moments when I wanted to punch him in the balls. The “love scenes” were mainly him teaching her a lesson and he used sex as a weapon in all but one or two interaction on page. There were others, I am assuming, off page that we do not see. Also, the plot twist and action at the end felt a little rushed, but I loved it all the same!
My Rating: 3.5 Stars
I liked the book! The story was interesting (especially the last 20 %), and the world was really captivating. I want to know what lead up to this book, and what happens next. Even though I wasn’t a fan of Rock, I will still be picking up the first two books in the series, and will most likely continue reading the future ones as well.
~This book was graciously provided to me via NetGalley for a honest review.~
The Plot Overview:
Leila Lewis has been an Emerald for about five years and has been working toward her life’s goal of retrieving important pre-virus documents and artifacts from Washington DC. With the government’s backing she is preparing to carry out a trip from New Atlanta to DC and in an effort to ensure her safety they assign her a team of military personnel to assist and protect her. One of those men is Rock Rogers, a very new Emerald who has no interest in returning from the trip. His goal is to get lost in the Onxy Zone (the unincorporated area where the government has no power). He has recently lost his girlfriend as a direct result of the current corrupt government leader, and plans to escape before he is killed next. When Leila and Rock meet it is revealed that they were both born and raised in Amber, and a bond forms as a result of that common link. Leila is affection starved, and misses the constant safety and comfort of human touch that is so rare in Emerald. Rock has been in a state of mourning that has been made worse by having no one to protect or to provide a nurturing presence to. Rock is a very dominant man, and as their relationship progresses during the six week pre-trip training he and Leila navigate the power balance of their relationship. I don’t want to give anything away, but the last 20% of the book is more plot-driven and I really like how the book took a turn I wasn’t expecting that had nothing to do with the trip. Needless to say, the leader of the government is even more coo-coo-for-cocoa-puffs than we thought. The book ends with a HEA for the characters, but the main story and Resistance back in New Atlanta still very much up in the air.
What I liked:
The word was very interesting! I like post-apocalyptic stuff because the author can do whatever they want. Leila was a pretty cool heroine, and I could relate to her and her reaction to things pretty well. Rock is definitely a dominant character, leaning toward Daddy Dom in his interactions with Leila. Some of those moments were very sweet (although they were few and far between when it came to him being sweet). I really liked the last twenty percent of the book, and honestly that raised the overall rating one star for me. The book was easy to read, and flowed nicely.
What didn’t work for me:
Most of the (I am assuming) nice moments where Rock and Leila are building their relationship are off page. The book covers a pretty large span of time so time jumps are to be expected, but they pretty much jump from Rock being an ass, to Rock being a huge dickwad. Being dominant is one thing, but there were moments when he was downright hateful and abusive to Leila in the guise of being “for her own good”. Once he tore her down there wasn’t any building back up, or at least not enough for me to have forgiven him. There were sweet moments, just not enough to overshadow the moments when I wanted to punch him in the balls. The “love scenes” were mainly him teaching her a lesson and he used sex as a weapon in all but one or two interaction on page. There were others, I am assuming, off page that we do not see. Also, the plot twist and action at the end felt a little rushed, but I loved it all the same!
My Rating: 3.5 Stars
I liked the book! The story was interesting (especially the last 20 %), and the world was really captivating. I want to know what lead up to this book, and what happens next. Even though I wasn’t a fan of Rock, I will still be picking up the first two books in the series, and will most likely continue reading the future ones as well.
~This book was graciously provided to me via NetGalley for a honest review.~
February 4, 2015
*** This review is SPOILER-FREE! Read on with confidence! ***
* Being Emerald is part of a continuing series and should not be read as a standalone. If you must, you must, but I think you'd be cheating yourself. =) *
Being Emerald is as different from the first two books in this series as they were from each other. Rock is... 'intense' is not nearly extreme enough a descriptor for this man. He is complex, unpredictable, overwhelming, stubborn as hell, and addictive. The sex scenes between Rock and Laila are—whew—smokin'! I appreciated each new evolution of their relationship and rebelled against Rock's immovable authority right along with Laila. Sometimes it takes more courage to submit than to fight, and the way Ms. Ryan threads all Rock's "lessons" through to the final plot sequence—transforming the private, personal experiences into life-saving survival skills—weaves a beautiful tapestry of shared trust and determination to succeed at all costs.
Being Amber flirted with BDSM—Xander used it as a tool to help Jaci cope—and Being Sapphire introduced it as a lifestyle choice for the Jordan and Shane, but Being Emerald dives right off into the deep water of pair-bonding. Anyone who has read the series so far knows about the gruff, domineering armor Rock wears like a shield, but it's not just a shell; those alpha traits are a compulsion and control is a requirement for his happiness. The relationship Rock and Laila build is hard won, and I don't think either one of them would like it any other way. He needs—truly craves and relishes—her dependency and total submission to his will, and she loves him so much that she can't keep from giving him everything, yet she's independent and spunky enough to need to hold back and (sometimes unintentionally) brat a little. All the main personalities so far in the series have been very strong, vastly different from one another and particularly memorable. Most of them haven't changed much from when we first met them in Being Amber, but Journey is one you can see slowly growing throughout the books. I'm curious to see where her path wanders in her own story, and I imagine she is aptly named. *wink*
Overall, I enjoyed this story a lot. After blazing through the first two very emotional stories, however, I was left wanting just a little with Being Emerald. In comparison to other books and series in this genre, it still stands out as a "must read", but lined up next to Ms. Ryan's stellar work on its predecessors, I felt there were fragments missing—little details which could have better tied up plot lines and filled in story pieces. General Morgan—for all his bluster and evil—still really hasn't lived up to the monster he's been built up as, not in his personal scenes anyway. There were story segments where I didn't have any sense of how fast time was progressing, and the characters would do or say something that made me have to stop and think "wait, when did they do that?" I'm also not sure I believe Rock would have truly made the decision he ultimately did in order to keep Laila "safe". It felt like a plot device for the author to maneuver Laila into a position that would allow the delivery of a key piece of intel for the continuation of the overall series' story arc. All that said, the book still packs emotional punch and is definitely worth the read for fans of the series.
So far in the New Atlanta series, the end of each story has brought about a wholly different emotion in me. Amber was cultural shock and a warm feeling of unity, Sapphire was respect and a sense of sisterly pride, but at the end Emerald, I realized something that really wasn't a surprise but made me profoundly sad anyway. I won't talk about that here, to keep from giving inadvertent spoilers, but I will say that those of you who wondered about the differences in the epilogues for Amber and Sapphire will gain a little insight at the close of Emerald. As of this posting, Ms. Ryan hasn't yet made the epilogue to Being Emerald available on her website, but I'm looking forward to reading it! My overall score for this is 8.5/10, which translates to just above a 4/5 on GoodReads.
* Being Emerald is part of a continuing series and should not be read as a standalone. If you must, you must, but I think you'd be cheating yourself. =) *
Being Emerald is as different from the first two books in this series as they were from each other. Rock is... 'intense' is not nearly extreme enough a descriptor for this man. He is complex, unpredictable, overwhelming, stubborn as hell, and addictive. The sex scenes between Rock and Laila are—whew—smokin'! I appreciated each new evolution of their relationship and rebelled against Rock's immovable authority right along with Laila. Sometimes it takes more courage to submit than to fight, and the way Ms. Ryan threads all Rock's "lessons" through to the final plot sequence—transforming the private, personal experiences into life-saving survival skills—weaves a beautiful tapestry of shared trust and determination to succeed at all costs.
Being Amber flirted with BDSM—Xander used it as a tool to help Jaci cope—and Being Sapphire introduced it as a lifestyle choice for the Jordan and Shane, but Being Emerald dives right off into the deep water of pair-bonding. Anyone who has read the series so far knows about the gruff, domineering armor Rock wears like a shield, but it's not just a shell; those alpha traits are a compulsion and control is a requirement for his happiness. The relationship Rock and Laila build is hard won, and I don't think either one of them would like it any other way. He needs—truly craves and relishes—her dependency and total submission to his will, and she loves him so much that she can't keep from giving him everything, yet she's independent and spunky enough to need to hold back and (sometimes unintentionally) brat a little. All the main personalities so far in the series have been very strong, vastly different from one another and particularly memorable. Most of them haven't changed much from when we first met them in Being Amber, but Journey is one you can see slowly growing throughout the books. I'm curious to see where her path wanders in her own story, and I imagine she is aptly named. *wink*
Overall, I enjoyed this story a lot. After blazing through the first two very emotional stories, however, I was left wanting just a little with Being Emerald. In comparison to other books and series in this genre, it still stands out as a "must read", but lined up next to Ms. Ryan's stellar work on its predecessors, I felt there were fragments missing—little details which could have better tied up plot lines and filled in story pieces. General Morgan—for all his bluster and evil—still really hasn't lived up to the monster he's been built up as, not in his personal scenes anyway. There were story segments where I didn't have any sense of how fast time was progressing, and the characters would do or say something that made me have to stop and think "wait, when did they do that?" I'm also not sure I believe Rock would have truly made the decision he ultimately did in order to keep Laila "safe". It felt like a plot device for the author to maneuver Laila into a position that would allow the delivery of a key piece of intel for the continuation of the overall series' story arc. All that said, the book still packs emotional punch and is definitely worth the read for fans of the series.
So far in the New Atlanta series, the end of each story has brought about a wholly different emotion in me. Amber was cultural shock and a warm feeling of unity, Sapphire was respect and a sense of sisterly pride, but at the end Emerald, I realized something that really wasn't a surprise but made me profoundly sad anyway. I won't talk about that here, to keep from giving inadvertent spoilers, but I will say that those of you who wondered about the differences in the epilogues for Amber and Sapphire will gain a little insight at the close of Emerald. As of this posting, Ms. Ryan hasn't yet made the epilogue to Being Emerald available on her website, but I'm looking forward to reading it! My overall score for this is 8.5/10, which translates to just above a 4/5 on GoodReads.
March 15, 2015
The third book in the New Atlanta series is Rock's book (yay, finally)!!
I believe, in order to really enjoy and understand the "zones", this should be read after Being Amber and Being Sapphire. Not that you won't like this as a stand-alone, but Rock's story has been a long time coming -doesn't it just feel SO much better to get "relief" after an intense build-up? This is exactly what Being Emerald is for me. Exquisite relief!
Uber-Alpha Rock Rogers was first introduced in Being Amber, as a "reward" for his heroism he was relocated/re-designated as an Emerald. Isolated from everyone he's ever known in the new zone, Rock learns to live his new life. Things quickly change with his newest mission: Search/Protect/Deliver priceless Documents and Artifacts from Washington DC, along with the woman responsible for the mission: Laila Lewis.
Laila grew up Amber, but was designated Sapphire due to her high IQ score ("lucky" her). For 5 years she's learned to survive without the closeness that Amber's know. She's studied and prepared for the journey to the capital to retrieve and transport important documents: The Constitution, The Bill of Rights, etc.
When Rock and Laila come together - two Amber's in a world devoid of companionship, they quickly fall into old routines. Unfortunately, they're both a bit out of practice. Not to mention, the Resistance is still working tirelessly to bring equality across the zones and they each play a role unbeknownst to the other.
Rock, as I said above, was one of my favorite characters from the 1st book. He's intense, intimidating, yet sexy, and a bit sweet (once you get past his wall). He's not an easy person to love, he's very closed-off but he still has a spark of hope. Laila was the perfect counterbalance to Rock's hard exterior. She's smart, sassy, and sweet. She doesn't let him push her around and she invests 110% in anything/everything she does. Together, these guys felt like real people. They weren't "fluffy" and perfect, they clashed at times, it took a lot of work for them to get a comfortable routine, and I couldn't wait to see where this story "went".
Twists and turns, emotional upheaval, steamy-sexy-goodness (just a hint of BDSM elements) in addition to a well-told story about characters that I fell in love with are all reasons I had to rate this story 5 stars.
If I must list a negative about this book, it would be that it ended too quickly. The final scene felt a bit rushed, and I would've preferred an extension.
I must add these 2 miscellaneous points:
1) I absolutely LOATHE Gen.Morgan (and NEED to see him tortured).
2) I pray that Journey gets her own HEA
**Thanks to Ms.Ryan for providing me a free copy of Being Emerald to review**
I believe, in order to really enjoy and understand the "zones", this should be read after Being Amber and Being Sapphire. Not that you won't like this as a stand-alone, but Rock's story has been a long time coming -doesn't it just feel SO much better to get "relief" after an intense build-up? This is exactly what Being Emerald is for me. Exquisite relief!
Uber-Alpha Rock Rogers was first introduced in Being Amber, as a "reward" for his heroism he was relocated/re-designated as an Emerald. Isolated from everyone he's ever known in the new zone, Rock learns to live his new life. Things quickly change with his newest mission: Search/Protect/Deliver priceless Documents and Artifacts from Washington DC, along with the woman responsible for the mission: Laila Lewis.
Laila grew up Amber, but was designated Sapphire due to her high IQ score ("lucky" her). For 5 years she's learned to survive without the closeness that Amber's know. She's studied and prepared for the journey to the capital to retrieve and transport important documents: The Constitution, The Bill of Rights, etc.
When Rock and Laila come together - two Amber's in a world devoid of companionship, they quickly fall into old routines. Unfortunately, they're both a bit out of practice. Not to mention, the Resistance is still working tirelessly to bring equality across the zones and they each play a role unbeknownst to the other.
Rock, as I said above, was one of my favorite characters from the 1st book. He's intense, intimidating, yet sexy, and a bit sweet (once you get past his wall). He's not an easy person to love, he's very closed-off but he still has a spark of hope. Laila was the perfect counterbalance to Rock's hard exterior. She's smart, sassy, and sweet. She doesn't let him push her around and she invests 110% in anything/everything she does. Together, these guys felt like real people. They weren't "fluffy" and perfect, they clashed at times, it took a lot of work for them to get a comfortable routine, and I couldn't wait to see where this story "went".
Twists and turns, emotional upheaval, steamy-sexy-goodness (just a hint of BDSM elements) in addition to a well-told story about characters that I fell in love with are all reasons I had to rate this story 5 stars.
If I must list a negative about this book, it would be that it ended too quickly. The final scene felt a bit rushed, and I would've preferred an extension.
I must add these 2 miscellaneous points:
1) I absolutely LOATHE Gen.Morgan (and NEED to see him tortured).
2) I pray that Journey gets her own HEA
**Thanks to Ms.Ryan for providing me a free copy of Being Emerald to review**
March 20, 2015
I was provided a copy of an ARC by the author for my honest review
This is book 3 in the New Atlanta Series and I recommend reading the previous books first to fully understand what is happening. I will just come right out and say this is my least favorite book of the series, and I think a lot of that is purely personal preference.
The story line with Morgan and the Resistance moved forward some, but I felt like it was background noise where we get snippets, but it isn’t the focus of this story like it was in the first two. I was left with many questions about how things happened that hopefully will be answered in the next book.
In Being Amber and the snippets we saw of him in Being Sapphire I liked Rock, but the more we got to know him in this book I kind of fell out of love with him. This is the personal preference issue I mentioned above—what Rock wants is a 24/7 sub that will bow to everything he says anytime, he will control every single aspect of everything---and that doesn’t work for me. I like bedroom/sex dominance not life dominance. So in that aspect Rock just pissed me off all the time during their training (which was over half the book). I like Laila and her inner struggles on when to “obey” him and when to choose to follow her own heart/brain just made be proud of her. Their love seemed to happen without too much emotion or spark. I didn’t understand why they seemingly loved each other. Craving physically touch and sex yes, but LOVE for the first ¾ or really anything before just didn’t seem feasible or sincere for me.
The story ended too abruptly for me. I felt like I wanted them to talk about what she went through during the big climatic situation and more information about or their new life together. I just learned that there are epilogues on the author’s website for this series and I have to admit I just read them….and really appreciated that closure! However, I feel like this book needed a better more fulfilling ending.
This is book 3 in the New Atlanta Series and I recommend reading the previous books first to fully understand what is happening. I will just come right out and say this is my least favorite book of the series, and I think a lot of that is purely personal preference.
The story line with Morgan and the Resistance moved forward some, but I felt like it was background noise where we get snippets, but it isn’t the focus of this story like it was in the first two. I was left with many questions about how things happened that hopefully will be answered in the next book.
In Being Amber and the snippets we saw of him in Being Sapphire I liked Rock, but the more we got to know him in this book I kind of fell out of love with him. This is the personal preference issue I mentioned above—what Rock wants is a 24/7 sub that will bow to everything he says anytime, he will control every single aspect of everything---and that doesn’t work for me. I like bedroom/sex dominance not life dominance. So in that aspect Rock just pissed me off all the time during their training (which was over half the book). I like Laila and her inner struggles on when to “obey” him and when to choose to follow her own heart/brain just made be proud of her. Their love seemed to happen without too much emotion or spark. I didn’t understand why they seemingly loved each other. Craving physically touch and sex yes, but LOVE for the first ¾ or really anything before just didn’t seem feasible or sincere for me.
The story ended too abruptly for me. I felt like I wanted them to talk about what she went through during the big climatic situation and more information about or their new life together. I just learned that there are epilogues on the author’s website for this series and I have to admit I just read them….and really appreciated that closure! However, I feel like this book needed a better more fulfilling ending.
April 1, 2015
25 yrs. ago a deadly visas had almost wiped out the human population.
The newly formed government had classified those remaining PPL into 4 classes: Ambers Zone (society lower class), Onyx Zone, Sapphire Zone, & Emerald Zone (elite, military).
Rock Rodgers (National Guard, ex-cop, aka Emerald) & Laila Lewis (21, Rock’s lover, Fine Arts & Artifacts Recovery Program (OZ), National Guard, Emerald, aka Peanut) had become sexually involved.
Sydney Parr (f, Black Guard, & Sapphire Zone) & Garrett were 2 of their comrades.
The 4 went from New Atlanta to DC to save the National archive mementos (Onyx Zone).
General Conrad Morgan (National Guard) Garret (National Guard, mission head, navigator) was interrogating Laila (Sapphire Zone). He also controlled birth rates.
She was locked up at/in Peacekeeper’s Compound (Emerald Zone).
Will Laila get released?
Will Laila & Rock get to keep the baby?
Warning: This book is for adults only & contains adult content or vulgar language &/or sexually explicit scenarios. It may be offensive to some readers.
I did not receive any type of compensation for reading & reviewing this book. While I receive free books from publishers & authors, I am under no obligation to write a positive review. Only an honest one.
A very awesome book cover, great font & writing style. A very well written trilogy erotic BDSM book. It was very easy for me to read/follow from start/finish & never a dull moment. There were no grammar/typo errors, nor any repetitive or out of line sequence sentences. Lots of exciting scenarios, with several twists/turns & a great set of unique characters to keep track of. This could also make another great sex movie, or mini TV series. BDSM is not my cup of tea.
It was just OK for me not steamy hot, or super thrilling so I will rate it at 4/5 stars.
Thank you for the free Goodreads; Kensington books; Author; ARC; PDF book
Tony Parsons MSW (Washburn)
The newly formed government had classified those remaining PPL into 4 classes: Ambers Zone (society lower class), Onyx Zone, Sapphire Zone, & Emerald Zone (elite, military).
Rock Rodgers (National Guard, ex-cop, aka Emerald) & Laila Lewis (21, Rock’s lover, Fine Arts & Artifacts Recovery Program (OZ), National Guard, Emerald, aka Peanut) had become sexually involved.
Sydney Parr (f, Black Guard, & Sapphire Zone) & Garrett were 2 of their comrades.
The 4 went from New Atlanta to DC to save the National archive mementos (Onyx Zone).
General Conrad Morgan (National Guard) Garret (National Guard, mission head, navigator) was interrogating Laila (Sapphire Zone). He also controlled birth rates.
She was locked up at/in Peacekeeper’s Compound (Emerald Zone).
Will Laila get released?
Will Laila & Rock get to keep the baby?
Warning: This book is for adults only & contains adult content or vulgar language &/or sexually explicit scenarios. It may be offensive to some readers.
I did not receive any type of compensation for reading & reviewing this book. While I receive free books from publishers & authors, I am under no obligation to write a positive review. Only an honest one.
A very awesome book cover, great font & writing style. A very well written trilogy erotic BDSM book. It was very easy for me to read/follow from start/finish & never a dull moment. There were no grammar/typo errors, nor any repetitive or out of line sequence sentences. Lots of exciting scenarios, with several twists/turns & a great set of unique characters to keep track of. This could also make another great sex movie, or mini TV series. BDSM is not my cup of tea.
It was just OK for me not steamy hot, or super thrilling so I will rate it at 4/5 stars.
Thank you for the free Goodreads; Kensington books; Author; ARC; PDF book
Tony Parsons MSW (Washburn)
March 29, 2015
Ok, so I haven't read any of the previous in the series, nor have I read this author, BUT I liked this book! And I've read some things and everyone loves Rock, and now I do too! This is such an interesting concept and the world building that I see is amazing. I bet it's even better if I would have read the other books before it. This one could be read as a stand a lone thought because I didn't have any trouble. And I also maybe should have payed a little more attention as I would almost put this book in the erotica side, but it's dystopian as well.
Rock is complicated LOL I understand he likes things a little different in bed as well :) He's not just a crazy kinky dude. He is a product of his surroundings. And with him and Laila, they need love not just lust. It took the two of them together to finally understand things. And Rock trains Laila in self defense, they begin a real relationship. Something to grow on. And Laila doesn't have it easy. Rock is hard core and really tough on her.
The world that is build in a dystopian world is fantastic. Well, it's not happy, it's just done so well!! Each person is put into a class, and each class is very separate. It's not just say skin color, but also personality if I can explain it like that. The Amber zone has a more "normal" outlook on sex and how people comfort each other. The rebellious others have their hands full as well and creates a lot of suspense for the reader. The government will make you cringe. Their rules and how things go. Let's just say that this one was nothing of what I expected but I will be looking to read more :) 4.5 PAWS!
Rock is complicated LOL I understand he likes things a little different in bed as well :) He's not just a crazy kinky dude. He is a product of his surroundings. And with him and Laila, they need love not just lust. It took the two of them together to finally understand things. And Rock trains Laila in self defense, they begin a real relationship. Something to grow on. And Laila doesn't have it easy. Rock is hard core and really tough on her.
The world that is build in a dystopian world is fantastic. Well, it's not happy, it's just done so well!! Each person is put into a class, and each class is very separate. It's not just say skin color, but also personality if I can explain it like that. The Amber zone has a more "normal" outlook on sex and how people comfort each other. The rebellious others have their hands full as well and creates a lot of suspense for the reader. The government will make you cringe. Their rules and how things go. Let's just say that this one was nothing of what I expected but I will be looking to read more :) 4.5 PAWS!
July 16, 2015
It's taken me a little while to get around to reading this book mainly due to other things happening; but I finally managed to read this book. And I enjoyed it.
I have to say it took me a little bit of time to get into the story mainly as it starts virtually straight after the previous book (Being Sapphire); and it was a while ago that I read this book plus it is also about Rock who appeared in the first book. But once I was into the story I enjoyed it. The two characters, Laila Lewis and Rock Rodgers, are very interesting. Laila has a lot of inner depths; she has some very obvious flaws and issues. But what I found very interesting was Rock. He initially came across as a very together guy; instead as the story went he was the one who had more inner depths.
There was only part of the story that didn't quite gel with me and that was when Rock made Laila return to the city. And then what happened to her whilst she was there. It just didn't quite work for me; especially as she ends up leaving and finding him despite him saying that he wanted her to be safe.
But it was still a good story and I love the way Sylvia Ryan writes her characters - they are very multi-dimensional and it's great to get to know them.
I have to say it took me a little bit of time to get into the story mainly as it starts virtually straight after the previous book (Being Sapphire); and it was a while ago that I read this book plus it is also about Rock who appeared in the first book. But once I was into the story I enjoyed it. The two characters, Laila Lewis and Rock Rodgers, are very interesting. Laila has a lot of inner depths; she has some very obvious flaws and issues. But what I found very interesting was Rock. He initially came across as a very together guy; instead as the story went he was the one who had more inner depths.
There was only part of the story that didn't quite gel with me and that was when Rock made Laila return to the city. And then what happened to her whilst she was there. It just didn't quite work for me; especially as she ends up leaving and finding him despite him saying that he wanted her to be safe.
But it was still a good story and I love the way Sylvia Ryan writes her characters - they are very multi-dimensional and it's great to get to know them.
April 1, 2015
Truthful I am left feeling all over the place after reading this book. Some parts for me were 2 stars, some 3 and others 4. Yet overall I was mostly just enjoying the journey.
While each book in the series can be read as a standalone, it is probably advisable to read the book in order. As this is the first book I can read by this author and this series, I was left a little lost in some parts of the story. I believe I my have enjoyed it more if I had read the other book in the series.
However all that being said I was it captivated by is world and was intrigued as to how it all worked. The main characters were also very well thought out. Their interactions with each other were different to many leading couples that I have read recently.
Being Emerald was a good read, but I am still left wanting more from these characters. I want to know how Rock and Laila how going and what the future holds for them and everyone else. I felt that the main characters needed a more complete ending and now am I left hanging for more.
While each book in the series can be read as a standalone, it is probably advisable to read the book in order. As this is the first book I can read by this author and this series, I was left a little lost in some parts of the story. I believe I my have enjoyed it more if I had read the other book in the series.
However all that being said I was it captivated by is world and was intrigued as to how it all worked. The main characters were also very well thought out. Their interactions with each other were different to many leading couples that I have read recently.
Being Emerald was a good read, but I am still left wanting more from these characters. I want to know how Rock and Laila how going and what the future holds for them and everyone else. I felt that the main characters needed a more complete ending and now am I left hanging for more.
April 7, 2015
**This was an ARC copy given by the author for a honest review**
I hope this was not the last book in the series. when I started the series I not expecting much. I am not a huge romance book fan but wanted something different to read. I did not plan to get so into the story that I would be reading a new series of books back to back. The story of the post pandemic life and the separate zone designations had me hooked right from the start of book one. I love how each book tells the story of another person. This was Rock's story. Being Emerald is about the advancement resistance movement. Rock is assigned to train and protect Laila. He is trains and protects her on a more intimate level. the story is gripping and the adult content is exciting.
I would recommend reading the books in order. the story really does build from book to book and it would be a loss to not have a full understanding.
I hope this was not the last book in the series. when I started the series I not expecting much. I am not a huge romance book fan but wanted something different to read. I did not plan to get so into the story that I would be reading a new series of books back to back. The story of the post pandemic life and the separate zone designations had me hooked right from the start of book one. I love how each book tells the story of another person. This was Rock's story. Being Emerald is about the advancement resistance movement. Rock is assigned to train and protect Laila. He is trains and protects her on a more intimate level. the story is gripping and the adult content is exciting.
I would recommend reading the books in order. the story really does build from book to book and it would be a loss to not have a full understanding.
February 16, 2021
Okay
Honestly I’d been looking forward to Rocks story, but was really disappointed. Laila was boring and just didn’t interest me at all. I’d thought she was an emerald and was hoping for more conflict and struggle. It was just sooo boring. Rock was this tattooed deviant dominant supposedly, but he really wasn’t that dominant at all. I’m bored with the Ambers. We’ve gotten zero glimpses into the minds and lives of the elites Emeralds and diamonds I was hoping this would be that book. Not sure if I’ll keep reading.
Honestly I’d been looking forward to Rocks story, but was really disappointed. Laila was boring and just didn’t interest me at all. I’d thought she was an emerald and was hoping for more conflict and struggle. It was just sooo boring. Rock was this tattooed deviant dominant supposedly, but he really wasn’t that dominant at all. I’m bored with the Ambers. We’ve gotten zero glimpses into the minds and lives of the elites Emeralds and diamonds I was hoping this would be that book. Not sure if I’ll keep reading.
March 30, 2015
The author does a great job of creating a world that is futuristic, but not so out there you can't understand what's going on. The characters are really well thought out. I liked Layla's spirit. Rock drove me crazy at times, I would get so angry at him. Then the next second I'd be rooting him on. He's the alpha male we all love to hate, and hate to love. lol
The sex was anything but boring. It was hot and well written. Who doesn't like a steamy scene with their romance!
The sex was anything but boring. It was hot and well written. Who doesn't like a steamy scene with their romance!
July 16, 2016
This series gets better and better! I was looking forward to Rock's story and Ms Ryan didn't disappoint and gave him a story (and a woman) he really deserved. Leila was a great character and her chemistry with Rock really resonated through the book.
This was a 4.5star read for me and the only reason it didn't get a 5 is that I would have liked to have read more about Leila's talents and the historical artifacts she was sent to retrieve.
This was a 4.5star read for me and the only reason it didn't get a 5 is that I would have liked to have read more about Leila's talents and the historical artifacts she was sent to retrieve.
March 5, 2015
This was an intense futuristic type romance between Rock and Laila that had heart wrenching emotional scenes, dang hot sex scenes, and bad guys you loved to hate. It was action packed and kept you guessing and with no cliffhanger ending, everything was wrapped up with a big pretty bow. Loved it!
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