Cold Mark

Mark #1

by Scarlett Dawn

Subject Name: Braita Valorn
Race: Human
Sex: Female
Age: 18
Designation: Slave
Temperament: Hostile

Darn right I’m hostile. Being thrown into a barbaric world and forced into slavery will do that to a gal. The Plumas of the West may have stolen my freedom, but will never rob me of the will to fight.

Plus, I have a secret that could change everything. My men are looking for me, and they will stop at nothing to get me back. A war is brewing with me as the catalyst, one made far more deadly by my irresistible attraction to two Pluma leaders of the East.

Above all else, I’m a fighter. I will claim my freedom if I have to use every weapon at my disposal to make it so... including my men.

Genres: Science Fiction, Romance, Aliens, Fantasy, Menage, Paranormal, New Adult

429 pages, ebook

First published June 30, 2015

About the author

New York Times bestselling author and award-winner, Scarlett Dawn, is the mastermind behind the Forever Evermore fantasy series, the Origin paranormal dystopian stories, the Vampire Crown paranormal romance thrillers, the Mark science fantasy saga, and the Lion Security contemporary romance series.

She lives in the Midwest, adores her music loud, and demands her fries covered in melted cheese.

Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/4X1rv

Reviews

[JAIME LOUISE · Rating 1 out of 5]

Nope. Nope. Nope.

This was originally released as teeny tiny novella's that cost like $3 each. I think I bought the first couple, thought they were stupid and forgot about them.

For some reason, I decided to start my 2016 reading campaign with this stupid. And it was stupid. Plot holes the size of Africa. The heroine had zero motivation for most all of her actions, and most all of her actions were stupid. Not to mention I will never ever forgive a protagonist for any sort of deceit where they remove the free will of someone they care about.

There. Now you won't have to read this. Because it's stupid. You're welcome.

[Elise ✘ a.k.a Ryder's Pet ✘ · Rating 4 out of 5]

⋰⋱⋰⋱⋰⋱*Still Not So Bad*⋰⋱⋰⋱⋰⋱

This is a re-read as I have previously read the serial version and rated each book independently.
The book centers around human slave Braita Valorn (18). All she wants is her freedom, which is hard considering she's the Soul to the Plumas of west. Being technically force to be someone to someone, is not what Braita wants, specially not when the Plumas of east captures her attention as well. Overall, I did actually enjoy this re-read. I like the characters and I liked some of the brutality of it. I did however, wish that there was more sex, or at least sexy times, or maybe more romance.

The book doesn't have a lot of romance. Which is weird when I think about it. But the premisses is awesome, though lots of information (not too much though, which is good) so I added a lot of it to my review to help myself along the way and others if needed. That being said, I wish the story had more depth, but other than that I liked it still and read it in one go, not wanting to stop. I recommend it, I do. I truly enjoy the authors writing style, and I definitely love her male characters. No one beats Ezra from Forever Evermore though.

The leaders of the Mian:
→ Pluma Leo Kreob (25) (golden hair), the Pluma of the west. He the direct ruler. He was born into the line of succession. His father was the Pluma before him.
→ Pluma Malik Wazra (25) (black hair), the Pluma of the west. Vaq pair with Leo. Their home, fortress is in the city Belvar. Where Braita will live now that she is their Soul.
→ Pluma Phila Moir (27) (long white hair), the Pluma of the east. He the direct ruler. He's an engineer.
→ Pluma Killeg Creo (27) (chippy white hair), the Pluma of the east. Vaq pair with Phila. Their home, fortress is in the city Vlymun. The east and west are enemies and as Braita was to be with the east, the west chose Jax to go with them. Killeg's a botanist. He and Phila are half-brothers. They are Kireg-Mian hybrids which gives them the power to influence anyone.

Other Characters:
As the list is long and contains information, I put it in a spoilers tag.
→ Madam Ki, Braita's teacher at the planet Joyal - a planet that was founded three hundred years ago when Earth had been devastated by pollution and greed, wrecking the planet beyond repair.
→ Jax Waterston (18), best friend of Braita and sparring partner. Both were also two of the few who had received the ten marked tattoos on the undersides of their wrists for achieving their combat training. They never touched skin-to-skin, until they hugged when leaving their planet Joyal.
→ Winslet, a Mian woman and was one of Leo and Malik's lovers.
→ Krim, a Mian woman and the chef at the palace of west.
→ Charlie, a bug Braita named, who reminds Braita of a spider - who farts. LOST OF INFORMATION -> Is a Lavano. They're nasty beings that hide in the depths of the underground but take flight occasionally. Their wings hide under a tough scaling that makes it near impossible to clip the wings. But, not only that, the males have a horrid habit of abducting Mian females. When the Lavano male is ready to breed with a Lavano female, he takes the weakened Mian woman as a present. The female Lavano uses the Mian body as a hatchling cocoon for her offspring." He paused thoughtfully. "Of course, that happens after the mother kills the Mian, guts her, and feeds on her organs. Once the offspring hatch, they eat the remaining bones of the Mian as their first meal.
→ Stiller, a Mian warrior male from the east and best friend of the Plumas of the east. Also the leader of their military force. Stiller's Jax other half of a Vaq.
→ Emalt Kreob, Pluma Kreob's younger brother. Leo was smart enough to send his senseless brother far, far away from Belvar. Plumas of the east' sources tell them that Pluma Wazra was the younger Kreob's pet for a time - tortured him. From what the east's Plumas understand, it was Pluma Wazra who initially stopped Pluma Kreob from killing his younger brother.
→ Rule, the delegate of Triaz Braita had first encountered when her name had been called on Joyal. Most delegates live at Center. Their highest duty is to maintain the force field. The delegates literally controlled the land. And, survivable land was everything to any race. Kidnaps and Torture Braita for information - a Kireg named Geo kills him by making Rule kill himself.
→ Georan ‘Geo’, the most wanted Kireg criminal to ever grace planet, Egyac. He's looking for a human woman named Madeline.

Information:
Both he and Braita was chosen (randomly) to be sent to the Mian - the aliens to fear, the war societies who inhabited Triaz due to the ancestors precautions when the humans first landed on Joyal. With Joyal planet's lesser size, and the risk of natural disaster such as the tsunami that his Plata, the human founders had made a deal with the Mian and the Kireg in exchange for some of the humans technology. If a worldwide disaster ever plagued Joyal, the Mian and the Kireg would allow a certain number of Humans to be sent to their planets. To live there. Amongst them. Neither Braita or Jax had never dropped out of the government program where they trained humans in case of natural disaster, and the reason for that was that they were excellent at fighting beside each other. Unfortunately, the Mian leaders made the decision that the 300 humans (both planets agreed to 300 each) that will come to their planet will be slaves. Only ten females where chosen to go to Mian, they were Cold Marked while each man wore a black slave's bracelet on their left wrist. At arrival, the human men was to face off against Mian warrior from the east and the west in the 'ring' for fifteen minutes, with blades to protect themselves. If they survived the fifteen minutes with the Mian warriors, they would prove themselves to be adequate slaves of the Mian. Only forty-one human men survived, including Jax. Braita had jumped in and fought alongside Jax, disobeying orders and getting the attention of the Plumas.

The solar system Kline:
→ Egyac, the second largest planet that had been habitable, and inhabited by the Kireg. They were a deeply psychic alien life form.
→ Triaz, the largest planet, and inhabited by the Mian. They were the aliens to fear, the war societies.
→ Joyal was the smallest planet by far, but it had been empty, and the humans had taken it as their own.
The one thing all three life forms had in common was their need for oxygen. Three different races of aliens brought together by the destruction of their original planets. All three knew the cost of a planet's ruin—a race's annihilation. So the Mian, Kireg, and Humans lived as they needed to. Peacefully alone, never intruding on the other.

Facts:
→ The Mian were separated into warring factions of the east and the west. By having a tattoo that rested next to a Mian's left eye, it clearly depicted a round symbol with a line through it - origin was from the west. If from the east, a Mian would have worn the tattoo of a star next to his right eye.
→ The Mian were predominately of the night. They slept during the day because their eyes were unusually sensitive to light. Their vision was ten times better than a Human's, along with their strength. Every weakness that a Human had, they did not. They were superior to Humans in physicality.
→ Females of the Mian society received a Cold Mark when they were born. The Mian population were governed by men. There were always two men to a household, how they were picked to be together the Humans still did not understand. But they were together for life. Underneath that same household, the ruling two men were allowed ten women to protect. They called the two men Vaq and the ten women their Harem. It was an honor to be picked as part of a Harem. Their Vaq were always there to protect and shelter them.
→ A Reckoning (what the Mian calls it). All women of Harems fear it. It is when a Vaq meets their intended, their Soul. A Soul senses when their Vaq is near. It comes on just as it did for you. The intended becomes ill until one of the Vaq touched the intended. After the initial skin contact, regular contact is normal. During sexual contact it can flare again. Braita is Malik and Leo's Soul. The one woman who was meant specifically for them. They wear her rings and the three of them are now bound together since the Reckoning has occurred. If one of the three dies, all dies. It is a Mian way. By touch, their lives are now linked. Leo and Malik can feel Braita - the farther they moved away from her, the deeper the pull to return to her is. Braita will feel the same. Once a Soul is found, that person is what holds a Vaq pair together—instead of their bond. The farther away a Soul is, the less a Vaq is unified. If their Soul is too far away, they are no longer able to feel each other's emotions or hear each other's thoughts or easily know where the other person is. It would be akin to having a piece of your mind ripped away. That is how deeply linked a Vaq pair is.
→ Humans are forbidden from skin contact with each other. There was no need for it. Their genetic scientists created all new Humans by in vitro fertilization.

Quick basic facts:
Genre: - (New Adult) Paranormal Romance (M/F/M).
Series: - Series, Book One.
Love triangle? - Yes.
Cheating? - Not really, though Braita is the Soul of the Plumas of west, she kisses the Plumas of east after she runs away from her Vaqs.
HEA? - Yes.
Favorite character? - The Plumas of east.
Would I read more by this author/or of series? - Yes.
Would I recommend this book/series? - Yes.
Will I read this again in the future? - Probably.
New Rating - 3.5/3 stars.

First read review:
I love this book! It was way, WAY better than I expected, and I really didn't think it could be that good considering it was that short, but boy, I was wrong! Scarlett Dawn did it again!! She's brilliant! When I first started reading this book I didn't think it had any gay/menage 'thingy' in it, but as I came more to the middle/to the end, I kinda knew something would happen sooner or later between Leo and Malik. So I'm really excited to see what will happen to Braita now, considering she's their 'soul'..
'Fall' was great, though sometimes a bit hard to understand, but I can't wait to read next one!!
Rate: 4 stars.

[Talltree · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sci-fi menage romance that took an unusual path to the HEA. Till the end I wasn't sure who among the men the h would end up with, it also didn't help that the book ended up mostly clean romance as intimacy would have been a clue. But the plot was still unpredictable and sci-fi and fun!

3.75 stars!!

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Braita is barely eighteen when her world and own people ships her off to the planet Triaz as a slave. This is Braita’s adventure and battle for freedom.

Be prepared to be immersed in Braita’s amazing journey. You will be pushed through the gambit of emotions as the spit fire, Braita faces challenges and choices that would weaken even the toughest of warriors. What I loved most about this tale is Braita’s willingness to fight for the freedom she so desires even if it means bucking the system.

I read this story originally as a serial. When I first completed the final serial, I thought it would be great to go back and all the serials whole. That is exactly what Cold Mark – The Complete Saga provided.

Cold Mark - The Complete Saga is a non-stop, science fiction, action adventure with heated attractions, incredible world building and also manages to provide heartfelt, emotional connections to characters. In other words, the complete package…making for a marvelous adventure, superbly executed and highly entertaining storytelling.

I received this copy of Cold Mark - The Complete Saga from Scarlett Dawn in exchange for a honest review.

[Angela (Angel's Book Nook) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Cold Mark is book one in the Mark series by Scarlett Dawn.

I was looking for a sexy alien romance and what I got was one Hot Mess!! I’m not even sure what kept me engrossed and reading it until the end.

Our heroine Brita is 18, thrown into a barbaric world, with no real freedom, and her existence depends on the men of Triaz.

OMG I hate teenagers. The main reasons I dislike them and especially reading about them is that they make stupid decisions, don’t think, and have zero life experience. So, Brita had zero motivation for her actions and all of her actions where stupid.

Then we have a love triangle with two sets of two’s… Uhh, one set is her Soul and the other well I just didn’t know what they where, until the end. Are you confused? I am! To me I thought that Soul meant soul mates, but here it’s different, so I was confused and never truly grabbed the concept of what a Soul is. I was like whats the point, if she doesn’t end up with her Soul (mates).

The intimacy was clean, very little, not erotic, and no true menage.

Cold Mark was just one confusing hot mess. This book was not for me. If the blurb intrigues you, I urge you to give it a shot. Just because it did not work for me does not mean it won’t for you. 

Rated: 2 Stars

[Runningrabbit · Rating 4 out of 5]

Again

I originally read this series when it was released as a serial. Once again I loved this. It’s something a bit different with great world building and distinctive characterizations.

[Stacey Brutger · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars
DESCRIPTION:
FALL
Thrown head first into a barbaric world she knows nothing of, Braita Valorn must adapt to a dark life as a slave of the Mian society–her existence depends on it.

SINK
Danger lurks, and Braita’s lack of knowledge of the planet, Triaz, is now abundantly clear. On a mission to find her best friend, Jax, she must infiltrate the Crank Pit, a brutal complex where Mian enter, only to leave absent a heartbeat.

STOP
Braita Valorn is stuck. She has no real freedom, her existence dependent on what the men of Triaz decide. But she desperately wants it to be, and will do anything to capture it.

RISE
Judgments are made, an archaic stand within Mian laws, and Braita finds herself charged with treason. But never one to sit during a battle, she risks her last chance of release with blackmail.

SOAR
Braita Valorn is a disaster walking. One mistake after another on the planet Triaz has landed her in trouble time and again. Will Braita obtain her freedom? Or will she finally accept a life she never asked for?



REVIEW:
Braita has been selected to travel to another world after a natural disaster nearly destroys her own. Her sacrifice will save her people from extinction. Stuck on a barbaric world that values fighting skills, she must use her wits and her sword arm to survive. Determined to regain her freedom, Braita escapes her captors but ends up jumping from the frying pan into the fire. Only by sheer luck is she rescued and her life spared. As she begins to understand the world around her, she must learn to adapt or die.


Both Fall and Sink get 5 stars for me! Unfortunately, things get a little shaky in Stop, then completely crashes and burns in Soar. Just when I really started to get into the book, it fell apart. I ended up so frustrated with Braita that I didn’t really care if she got her happy ending or not. In the beginning, I found her headstrong and willing to fight for what she believed. I loved her courage. By the end of the book, she had lied, cheated, stolen and manipulated everyone around her, coming off as a spoiled brat. I just couldn’t root for a woman willing to physically and mentally hurt others just to get what she wanted. Her character does a complete 180 from Fall and Sink, turning her into a huge hypocrite. While I did enjoyed the supporting characters, I felt sorry that they ended up stuck with her. It almost felt like someone else finished the series, substituting Braita with a different person. Despite the great world building and wonderful action sequences, I was so disappointed in the ending that I can’t rate this book more than 3 stars. Cold Mark could’ve been so good. Very disappointing.

Posted from my site: www.StaceyBrutger.com

[Jeanny · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a re-read. Originally read the serial version & rated each release independently.


Braita wants one thing above all others freedom. The freedom to be who she is, go & do what she wants, befriend & love who she wishes. It all comes down to choices & the freedom to make them. It seems a relatively basic right. Unfortunately Braita & her best friend Jax are slaves on an Alien planet. Will fate help Briata make lemonade?

This book is my favorite in this series. The author wove a compelling tale. While reading this story I kept wondering what the h would follow fate or destiny. I was very happy with her choice.


Edit
General Definition (I was asked what the diff is)
Fate ‘“ the preordained course of your life that will occur because of or in spite of your actions.
Destiny ‘“ a set of predetermined events within your life that you take an active course in shaping.

[Tink Magoo is bad at reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

What I love about Scarlett Dawn's writing is the fact that she makes her heroines independent, sarcastic and strong willed. They are exactly what I like to see in a lead, not some weak Mary Sue who needs a man to feel strong.
Add onto that some drama, action, sexual chemistry and then some hot sex and I'm happy. Cold Mark had all these things along with lots of hot aliens. The world building was interesting and the story had me reading this in a day.
I cannot wait for Geo and Madeline's story

[⋆☆☽ Kriss ☾☆⋆ · Rating 1 out of 5]

Braita is a total brat who gave me whiplash with her flip-flopping, whining bitchiness and this book has no emotion or worthwhile plot development or ANYTHING.

The relationship between Braita and the plumas had no development or chemistry. She's with two of them for a few days, walks in on them having sex, and just has a complete and utter childish bitch meltdown over it, runs away all dumbly to live in a hole with a dangerous animal, falls in love with the other two plumas after a kiss but is like unable to decide who she wants to be with, escapes back to the human planet with her best friend to find out the president is a piece of shit, goes back with her aliens, is in prison, has more dumb fits, doesn't really try with the 2 she was supposed to be like bonded with, runs away again and like wants these 4 men to like be her reverse harem while she figures out her feelings because FREEDOM, has their memories erased so they'll forget about her and their weird bond thing and then like just fucks off with the two guys who she loves because she kissed them one and they answered her questions while the other two had kept their relationship quiet because they'd known Braita for like 2 days and were trying to ease her into living on an alien planet and being part of a weird alien bonding thing. Like... how is that being deceptive? It's called "taking it slow." I don't meet new friends and just regurgitate everything about myself in a landslide.

Like... what the actual fuck was this stupid book? It's just Braita being a selfish brat doing dumb things because I GOTTA BE FREE NO MATTER WHAT DUMB SELFISH THING I GOTTA DO TO GET IT (even if it means capture, torture, genocide, death, etc. etc.) and then being weird about physical contact and freaking the fuck out over it because "well I was told I was supposed to be special like 4 days ago and now seeing that the two guys who have known each other longer than they've known me are intimate with each other is THE ULTIMATE BETRAYAL!" and I'm like....

Who the fuck is this conceited, narcissistic, overly dramatic bitch???

Also the way Braita reacts to the guys feels very homophobic though I guess the idea was that she was just upset they were touching (apparently skin to skin contact isn't done on her planet; which make me laugh because there's no way humans are gonna outlaw sex with each other lololol like ask the catholic church how well celibacy has worked for people) which was just weird and unrealistic and... god.

This is like the worst alien """"romance""" I've ever read. Yeet.

There's nothing really romantic about it. There's no emotional depth or development or ANYTHING. I could barely keep their names straight because everyone's personalities and actions were basically identical.

There's barely any worldbuilding, barely any SENSIBLE world building, and I don't know the plot because we don't explore the bonding thing, we don't explore politics, we don't even explore relationships. It's just a string of events that culminate with Braita going "ah! freedom! at last! let's have sex." and I'm mostly just confused about everything and upset with how stupid it all is.

BLEH. Don't buy. Not worth your time. Trust me. This once sold for like $5 and that is STUPIDLY criminal and what's even worse was this used to sell for like $3 a piece in dumbass little serials which is even more criminal and awful. What an exploitative and horrifically done story with a horrible heroine!

I have 0 interest in Moon Mark, which is SHORTER than this book and this book is supposed to be like 400 pages.

Do yourself a favor and read Ruth's Bonded or Stolen by an Alien

[Novel Grounds · Rating 5 out of 5]

Goodreads|Amazon

LOVED this Saga. I swear that every book I read by Scarlett I find a new favorite character and this one was no different. This was a series that transcended genres. It was a romance, a science fiction, a fantasy, heck, it was likely genres I don't even know. What  I do know is that it was wonderful and engaging.



This story had one line through all of its saga's and that message was Freedom. Even if we don't really truly know what freedom is, what we do know is that it is something we crave in all areas. For Briata that was the one thing in life she wanted. She wanted her freedom. Her right to choose her destiny and her love.

The journey to that truth was pure chaos. Chaos that I loved every second of.

Even if you aren't a large fan of these types of novels, the base line romance of the story grabs your attention from about the second chapter on and doesn't let you go. Scarlett has a talent with her writing that truly does change what type of books you think you like and you aren't sure about.

Cold Mark is also the perfect title for this Saga. I couldn't quite understand why Scarlett choose it until the very end. Then I got to that moment that it all snaps into place and it really hit me. It was perfection.

Brit, Jax, and all of the other fantastic scarcer in this series find their way into your heart. At any given moment I didn't know who I was routing for. It was a fun read and a great escape from reality for a little while.

Goodreads|Amazon
Synopsis:
"MY WORLD WAS FOREVER CHANGED."

Cold Mark - The Complete Saga

FALL
Thrown head first into a barbaric world she knows nothing of, Braita Valorn must adapt to a dark life as a slave of the Mian society--her existence depends on it.

SINK
Danger lurks, and Braita's lack of knowledge of the planet, Triaz, is now abundantly clear. On a mission to find her best friend, Jax, she must infiltrate the Crank Pit, a brutal complex where Mian enter, only to leave absent a heartbeat.

STOP
Braita Valorn is stuck. She has no real freedom, her existence dependent on what the men of Triaz decide. But she desperately wants it to be, and will do anything to capture it.

RISE
Judgments are made, an archaic stand within Mian laws, and Braita finds herself charged with treason. But never one to sit during a battle, she risks her last chance of release with blackmail.

SOAR
Braita Valorn is a disaster walking. One mistake after another on the planet Triaz has landed her in trouble time and again.
Will Braita obtain her freedom?
Or will she finally accept a life she never asked for?

[Vanessa · Rating 5 out of 5]

**FULL REVIEW**

I'm going to show this as each separate part of this book since it was first released as a novella series. My emotions throughout the saga remain quite constant as this is a fabulous story!

Fall: Wow. That is all I can say.

This book, or the start of it, as it’s a serial novella series, is absolutely unlike anything I’ve personally read before. I am not usually one to read sci-fi or fantasy of this sort and I am SO HAPPY I took a chance with Scarlett Dawn’s Fall. I knew the writing would be amazing, I just didn’t count on the story pulling me in like this one did.

This book is seriously like Hunger Games meets ET meets Mom & Dad Save the World meets Judge Dredd…I cannot wait for the next installment to come out, I have to know what happens!

Sink: OMG!!! Just when I get used to the current situation at hand, Scarlett goes and COMPLETELY changes the game! Goodness, I cannot wait for the next installment...I have MORE questions!

Stop: Ish just got real!

Rise: In the continuation of Braita’s story we are learning some new and interesting things…her tolerance for one is exemplary. And her thirst for revenge…let’s just say she has a little evil streak in her. (Yes, I’m smirking).

I can’t tell you how much I enjoy each little tidbit of information I get from these serials. Honestly, I hope that when they are done, Dawn will publish them as a set because I would love to re-read them all together. The detail, the character development, even the plot twists are just so perfect and perfectly timed that I can’t get enough. So what that I have to wait longer than I’d like for the next part of this story. Scarlett makes the wait worth it, and again, I am floored by how she has pulled me in and hooked me from page one all the way past the ending…I cannot wait for the next installment!

Soar: Once again, Scarlett Dawn has captured my mind in a tangled web of alien awesomeness. I don’t know which way is up and I loved every part of this crazy world she has created. And chapter 13…whoa.

I knew this was the end of the Cold Mark Saga, but I do hope she will revisit Briata and the Plumas. I love her spunk, her hidden innocence, and the fact that she is completely “owned” by both the east and west…there has to be more!

So, there you have it! Some installments were shorter than others because honestly, I was at a loss for words sometimes. And you will be too. Your jaw will hit the floor, you'll shake your head, you'll laugh and you'll blush. This is a fantastic story!

[Yelena Bosh · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wasn't sure what to expect from this collection of books but I was glad that I was given the opportunity to read all 5 in exchange for an honest review.

Not having read science fiction in a very long time, I was super excited to delve into this one. It seemed like a great opportunity for a breath of fresh air.

The characters were engaging and very interesting, different to anything or any story I have read in this genre before. Though I can't remember the last time that I was THIS addicted to names I can barely pronounce!

It was surprising to see how intense and emotionally demanding these mere novella length books were. That's what caught my eye more than anything. That the author was able to create a world were even if it was within a few shorter than my usual length of pages written, she still managed to capture the essence, depth and emotional roller coasters of such a unique world.

I am not even going to mention the writing style. It was beautiful.

The things that made me mark it to a 3 out of 5, were merely around the idea of the story as a whole. Though I did enjoy that this was such a unique creation in comparison to books I inhale in a heartbeat, I realised why I haven't read a science fiction book in a long time. It's uncountably interesting BUT it just didn't deliver the emotional connection for me personally.

Braita is a very strong characters, and she develops so well throughout the story. I just couldn't get past some of the more less-believable aspects of the world.

Don't get me wrong, I would recommend this book to anyone that is looking for a fun, inspiring and interesting adventure, but I think you'd love it more if you were a die hard science fiction fan as opposed to the contemporary/romance/new adult avid reader like myself.

I would read more of Scarlett Dawn's books, especially with her writing style that is so beautiful and easy to read.

Thank you for the opportunity to read the Cold Mark - The Complete Saga by Scarlett Dawn ARC.

[Karah Sommer · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

This was actually really good! There were a lot of twists and turns in this book that I didn't see coming and I really enjoyed that! However, the reason I didn't give this book the full four stars is for these reasons only... 1. Not enough dialogue and getting to know Kileg and Philla (I didn't quite see the true connection; the whole "I could look into their eyes for days" thing wasn't enough for me lol).2. Not enough time mated to Kileg and Philla, like literally it happened and then the book ended! Talk about dissapointing:/ But overall I liked it just wish there was more.

[Leigh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ahh SD... Are you even capable of writing a bad book??

- I have been hooked on SD since the first book I ever read by her. Since then, I am a junkie for anything she writes. How to describe her books. Well if you take Taunting Destiny and it has a baby with Magic Burns you would have a SD book. She's amazing. Just the right amount of sex, heart, funny dialogue, interesting characters, and great plots!

Here are some things great about the book.
1. The story line isn't an old, overused, recycled plot. It's fun and new and exciting!
2. The main female characters of any SD books are enjoyable, strong, and always come out on top. This book was no exception.
3. The guys... Alpha male and not lame "obviously written by a girl" alpha males. They were actually realistic (for the most part)
4. Thank you for not doing the insta-love thing. Thank you.
5. The dialogue. Thank you for not making it cheesy.

Some negatives

1. SD usually writes serials and this was is one. I loved the entire sage but would like to see SD do longer works.
2. There was a little moment where I didn't like the heroine and I didn't understand why she was doing what she was doing... but it only lasted a second and I got over it...
3. I wish that the story could have expanded a little more. The ending kind of felt too easy and a little rushed. But I know there are more in the series so maybe these characters will pop back up!


I recommend this to fans of Ilona Andrews and Amelia Hutchins

[Karen Stewart · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow!

Cold mark was just totally not how I imagined it would be.... it was much, much better ! I loved it!

[Lynsey is Reading · Rating 2 out of 5]

Braita lives on one of a trio of planets that support oxygen-dependant life forms, hers being the smallest. When her planet is devestated by a tsunami, she's sent to one of the remaining planets to live with the warrrior-like beings of Triaz.

You know, despite my 2 star rating, this wasn't terrible. Just not my thing, I suppose. My main gripe is - where was my warning that this woud be a menage book? It certanly doesn't say so in any of the blurbs, and it's a shame because there were some really good Sci-Fi elements in it and some good ideas, but then it just seemed to be taken over by "Who gets to shag Braita?".

Not my cuppa, but not all bad.

2 Stars ★★ A copy of this book was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

[Crystal · Rating 3 out of 5]

With our need to be a part of the controlling agents of Joyal, our worst fear was now our reality.

After reading about 2% of this book, I was pretty sure I wasn't going to like it at all. Lucky for me, it got better. But still, this was just a forgettable book for me. It just wasn't my thing. My biggest problem with this book would probably be the relationship dynamics. I'm just not a fan of multiple people in a single romantic relationship.

I have read other books by Ms Dawn that I throughly enjoyed. I hope to enjoy more books by her in the future.

I received this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Iona Fincati · Rating 2 out of 5]

Going into this I was definitely prepared for a threesome relationship. But as the book goes on , Braita runs away from her 2 bonded and lands up with these other 2 Vaq's - as they are called. When they start trying to seduce her , I was out of there.
I don't understand how the author starts building a bond between the first 2 Vaq's (which she rightfully belongs to) then cut that bonding and start describing the same bonding feelings with these other 2 guys.
Not interested to find out if anything does happen. If you're going to create a love interest between a set of people, then stick to it

[Sharon Gillman · Rating 5 out of 5]

ColdMark vs Forever Evermore?

My first introduction to Ms. Dawn's writing was a short story found in an Anthology: Taming the Alpha (Valan Palyboys) listed under Mandy M. Roth. Soon after I was grabbing everything I could get mind hands on next with the Forever Evermore Series, and then the ColdMark series.

Okay, so with that said, I have to say, it is a toss up as to which of the above Scarlett Dawn series I love the most and the winner would be the ColdMark series.

Why you might ask?

Well, after listing pros (mostly) vs cons (rarely) it's because to my recollection this is the most enjoyable Sci-fi series I first had the pleasure of reading back in 2015. Now I'm stressing this because back at that time I was more into fantasy/PNR as my genre of choice and it was most definitely a different and refreshing story about aliens and humans set in the future without being heavy handed on the techno jargon. I find most Sci-fi books overwhelming when it comes to this.

Another point is that when looking for a break from fantasy, even now, I always reach for this series for an intermittent re-read for which I have lost count of.

So pick up the ColdMark series and check it out.

[Midwest Romantic · Rating 5 out of 5]

Originally posted on my Blog Live Laugh & Love Books


I am so glad that I got the chance to read these books!! They are so freaking amazing!!

I love that the characters were so well made, and how even though it was a world that is most likely never going to exist it felt so real in my head. Braita is such an amazing woman who doesn’t give up on her freedom no matter what is thrown at her, at times my heart hurt for her. She has the bestest guy friend EVER and is surrounded by incredibly hot men! I seriously loved all male characters, I kind of wanted her to end up with BOTH sets of guys..but I’m still very happy with the outcome of this book!

I am so excited to read whatever Scarlett puts out next, she is such an amazing writer! This is all I am saying because I feel spoilers coming on if I don’t stop now! Just know that I recommend this book to all that love sci-fi, fantasy and romance!!

*I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for a fair and honest review.*

[LuvRomance · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book got me reading all her other books. This is a nice fun read. I like this author because sometime you just want a nice simple romance with good sex

[Megpie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Seriously? I'm so frustrated! I totally thought this would be a successful read for me but then to my surprise this is some weird ménage three-person-in-a-relationship kinda thing.

Uhhhh yeah, NOT my cup of tea.

At all.

I couldn't even finish the story because this is just something I couldn't look past. I wanted Braita with just Pluma Malik but she was bonded and with both Malik and Leo both. It was weird. I don't enjoy triad relationships. Even before Braita comes in the picture Malik and Leo shared a room, shared lovers, and both slept in the same bed.

Like I said... not my cup of tea.

Which sucks because I was liking Braita, she was a total badass, and I was loving the world Ms. Dawn built. And the writing was great.

Sigh. I guess it's on to something else. I just wish there was a warning this would be a threesome relationship though then I wouldn't had to waste my time.

However if a female character being bonded to two men doesn't bother you and you like scifi then definitely check this one out!

[Ulla Bisgaard · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars for Cold Mark by Scarlett Dawn
Categories: Scifi, futuristic, romance, ménage
Audience: YA, NA, Mature

Synopsis:
In the future humans has moved on to new planets in order to survive. When disaster strikes on their new planet 100 people between 18 and 30 are send to the neighboring planets. Braita and Jax are both 18 years old and are send to a planet very different from their own. Here they have to learn how to survive in a culture very different from the one they come from. Can they find love and happiness ? Read and find out

Conclusion:
I was hooked from the very first page. The book is very well written and a real page turner. I loved how the author managed to portray two 18 year old pushed to make adult decisions before they are ready. Even in their often terrible situation they are still in a way kids just on the edge of adulthood. The book is full of action, drama and intrigue.

[Calista Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once again Author Scarlett Dawn does not disappoint. I am a true fan of her writing. I LOVE her stories and this one was another great.

In this sci-fi story we're introduced to Braita. Braita is a feisty, spit fire, adventurous girl. We're taken through her journey into a world completely foreign to her and read as she navigates it all. From unique supporting characters to amazing descriptions of their world - I promise you, you'll feel like you're there as you read Scarlett's story.
It's edge of your seat action at times, hilariously spunky and witty others and even a few sad scenes. There's plenty of super HOT scenes as well.

I tend to keep my reviews short and sweet - I hate spoilers.
Absolutely read this series. You'll love it. I know I did!

[Patti · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am so totally impressed! Other than being an avid PNR lover, I totally enjoy wrapping my brain around an engaging sci fi story and once again this writer did not disappoint! These characters are so well created they are believable and then you just can't help but want to find out their story! This story moves along great and you just can't help rooting for Brata. I wonder if it's in some sci fi writers rule book somewhere that says character names have to sound otherworldly! It is a challenge just wondering if I am mentally pronouncing their names right ! Moving on to Moon Mark now lol!

[Veronica · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my third re-read of this series. That right there should tell you that I love these books. Scarlett Dawn does a great job of taking the "fated mates" trope and dropping it on it's head.

The characters are well-developed, the heroine is relatable and sticks to her guns, and I'm ecstatic that her male best friend never once gets turned into a love interest.

[Rachel · Rating 1 out of 5]

THIS BOOK HAS M/M. The summary doesn't warn you and neither do any of the reviews that I saw. This just happens to be not my kink at all so the book went from 5+ stars to 0. I am super disappointed because I LOVED this book for the first 24% but then it just got gross. This should have been mentioned in the summary.

[S.J. Abbo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Iskreno, nisam očekivala da će knjiga biti ovako dobra. Krenula sam sa čitanjem slučajno, onda me je zainteresovala a onda su se pred kraj desile neke promene i .....zvezdica manje. A mogla je imati 5, pih, šteta!!!

[Marianne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Re-read of this (originally serialised) novella