Inimical

Circuit Fae #3

by Genevieve Iseult Eldredge

Being a fairy princess isn’t all it’s cracked up to be, especially when you have to choose between saving your people… And killing your girlfriend. Oh, and let’s not forget having to pass summer school, too.

Talk about a hot mess.

First, there’s Rouen, princess of the dark Fae, goth-rock star Euphoria, and soon-to-be senior at Richmond Elite High. Her world is all things ice, snow, and death. And that death will include her own people unless she can defeat her evil father in a Battle of Wits and War and seize the throne. Trouble is, taking the throne is a death sentence for the princess of the fair Fae. In other words, a quick death for Syl, Rouen’s girlfriend.

And that’s so not good.

Second, there’s Syl, princess of the fair Fae, geek girl mathlete, also an incoming senior. Things aren’t any easier for her. Syl must save her people by battling her old nemesis, the fair Fae prince, and the same rules apply: taking the throne means a death sentence for the other court’s princess, Rouen.

Even worse, Syl and Rouen’s enemies have figured out they’re in love. Now, both Rouen’s father and Syl’s archenemy are teaming up to ensure neither of them makes it till Midsummer’s Day—never mind the fall semester. Looks like passing summer school is the least of their worries!

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, LGBT, Urban Fantasy

392 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 18, 2018

About the author

Genevieve Iseult Eldredge (she/they) writes angsty, slow-burn lesbian stories about girls who can’t decide whether to kiss or kill each other.

Sometimes they do both.

GIE is multi-published and, in her role as an editor, has guided hundreds of authors throughout the course of their publishing careers.

Her readers say GIE is a "master of world building," who is "stellar" at normalizing LGBTQIA+ characters and relationships and "writing for the broader community."

FOLLOW
Website: https://www.girlyengine.com/
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REPRESENTATION
Linda Camacho at Gallt & Zacker Literary Agency

THE CIRCUIT FAE SERIES
Moribund eSampler (FREE)
Moribund
Derailed - a Moribund Prequel Novella
Ouroboros
Dethroned – An Inimical Prequel Novella
Inimical
Rekindled – a Nemesis Prequel Novella
Nemesis
Eidolon – coming soon!

Reviews

[Danielle's · Rating 4 out of 5]

Inimical is the third book in the circuit fae series. It's a continuous story. Syl found out in book one she was a sleeper fairy and part of the light fae community. She met Roue who was struggling with her own demons. She's a dark fairy and her family want her to kill the sleeper fairies princesses. It isn't what she wanted to do, but she was given a guiding hand. She joined the high school Syl attends and things got complicated. The girls fell in love. Now they have partnered up and not everyone is happy about it. They have monsters to fight and schoolwork to finish.

In book 3, Syl and Roue are back and so is term time. Unfortunately, Syl is struggling to sleep now she's dating a princess of the dark Fae her nightmares are disagreeing with her decisions. These two are supposed to be enemies. They want to bring peace to their people but neither side is open to negotiations. Both sides are trying to do what it takes to ensure their people survive. Unfortunately for the girls this means their fathers are stepping in. A light princess is supposed to be the queen of a light prince. Their union is the simple solution, but Syl has already said it's not what she wants. Syl and Roue want to try and work their own way out of the dying kingdoms problems, but everyone is against them. Their last attempt failed and caused more problems. Winter and Summer fairies are from two different worlds. They are not supposed to fall in love.

The action is stepped up a notch in this instalment. There is less school and more fantasy. I liked the story and the plot has some interesting twists. Inimical sets up the story for book 4 and will leave you wanting more. The author suggests there will be less Mundane and more fantasy in future storylines.

This series is aimed at the younger teen audience. I'm glad the school attendance will be phased out and I'm hoping for more character growth in the next book. I'm not really a fan of the hip (not sure if that's the right word) language used by the girls, however I'm guessing this will appeal to a younger audience. Overall this is a nice series about fighting for what you want.

4 stars out of 5. *I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review as part of the blog tour.

[Christina Bauer · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG, each book keeps getting better and better! A thrill ride of romance, action, and intrigue! Whether sharing kisses or kicking ass, Syl and Roue are simply adorbs together. GIE has really outdone herself this time--read this NOW!

[Della B · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, just wow. Action, Faerie and love. I would write more but I need, yes need to read the next book in this series. Best series ever!

[Judith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I found this book considerably more engaging than Moribund as there was definitely less repetition and the plot denouement was tackled from a more adult perspective in my opinion. Syl and Rouen's relationship seemed to develop more depth as they shouldered more responsibility for their peoples and tried to support each other in causing as few fatalities as possible as the two fae realms converged. The ending was quite a shock and has definitely left me keen to read the next book in the series.

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

So, this is book three in the Circuit Fae series, and with every book (and novella), everything just keeps getting better and better!

In this third book, the stakes have raised to epic proportions, both in the story and in the relationship between Syl and Rouen. Syl and Roue are getting closer and closer, and worlds are literally colliding. There's action aplenty, but the author thankfully gives the reader a few slower, sweeter moments between our girls. Which is good, because this book is INTENSE. As Syl would say, the author turns the knob up to 11. And that's before the end! I won't spoil anything, but I will tell you that the final scene left me breathless and desperate for the next book!

If you like urban fantasy and YA, then you HAVE TO read this series! There really is nothing else like it.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series continues to be the witty, fun, lesbian urban fantasy I've always wanted!

The pacing is great with a good mix of humor and angsty drama. More back story about the Fae realms (and their Kings) is revealed, giving you a sense that this universe is fully fleshed out, though my favorite parts are when Syl and Rouen have to deal with everyday high school problems.

I really love some of the new characters introduced in this book, especially the gender fluid Fae The Xi (OMG representation, yes!). I can't wait to see what Eldredge does with this character in the next book.

I am really enjoying this series overall. It's so refreshing to read about fun lesbian characters just being in love and saving the world together!

[Erica]

Review originally posted at my blog: https://livingahundredlives.wordpress...

This book is too awesome to handle! To be honest, I’ve been eyeing the series for awhile now because hello, just look how awesome the covers are. They’ve been sitting on my Kindle for some time and I’m so happy to finally have the chance to read them! I swear it gets better with every book!

Inimical is the third book in the series. It follows with how Dethroned finished. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND to read every prequel novella first before the next one because tbh, you’ll feel lost. I felt this when I started Inimical right after Ouroboros and ended up going one step back. Still, you’d be able to understand the third book without the 2.5 novella but you’ll know something is missing.

The transition between the books is amazing. Derailed started with introducing the two, then Moribund is when they finally get close to each other. Followed by being together in Ouroboros and giving a sneak peek of the Fae Kingdom in Dethroned. Inimical gives us more of the fantasy part and I’m lovin’ it!

Reading the series in marathon is like watching Rouen and Syl grow up and be more awesome. They became more confident in using their powers, especially Syl. And their bond keeps on getting stronger. Also, they’re too cute together!! And this book brings more girl-to-girl action, if you know what I mean. *wink wink (No dude, they just kissed and maybe made out)

Unique world building by GIE. The whole conflict between the Fair and Dark Fae is too interesting, my curious self is looking for more. The pacing of each book is also fast and it really appeals to a YA audience since the author’s writing uses relatable scenes and such. I think her writing also seems to mature in every book indicating the characters’ development since they became less whiny.

The books are told in two POVs: Syl and Rouen, which gives way to better understanding of the both sides. I couldn’t ask for more. Well, except for the next book which would be released by March next year.

Action-packed fantasy novel. The series did not disappoint and I’m craving for more! What’s also great is Inimical doesn’t treat Syl and Rouen’s relationship as “different” because of their gender. The conflict in the book is caused by Syl belonging to the Fair and Rouen to the Dark. I also think it’s awesome that they balance each other. It’s really sweet in Rouen’s part.

I’m so looking forward to more of Fae! Overall, I rate Inimical by Genevieve Iseult Eldredge, 4.5 out of 5 stars!

[Ankita Singh · Rating 4 out of 5]

This series just gets better and better! The only thing that doesn't change is Syl and Rouen's love for each other. 


Inimical was beautiful and heart breaking; hopeful and heart warming, all at the same time. 


It was full of angst and witty one-liners. Rouen's songs were cute, kinda amateur, but they managed to explain exactly how Rouen felt, even when she couldn't say it herself. (And that is a very very relatable thing for me.)


I can't wait for the next book, because I know it'll be just as amazing, maybe even more so!


I definitely recommend you to read this beautiful series. I promise you, you'll be hooked before you turn the first page!

[Rae Sontheyon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dark vs. Fair Fae . . .

**FYI read book “Dethroned” 2.5 or you’ll feel a tad lost.** 

        I was excited and waiting for this 3rd installment of this series because Syl and Rouen are finally together! BUT with their circumstances heir is always a catch and ALWAYS someone, something, some rule keeping them from complete happiness. This book is certainly filled wonderful highs, angst, laughter and pain with a cliffhanger that will leave you freaking out just a bit. 

       Having to take make up courses Richmond Elite High to help them finish off their junior, Rouen and Syl, in a normal world should only have to worry about going on dates, finishing homework assignments, and making it to class on time. However neither of them are ordinary girls, Syl is the last Fair Princess and Rouen is the princess of the dark Fae, as well as the goth-rock star Euphoria. Their chance at love is threaten by the constant pull from their realms, both of which are dying and want each princess to kill the other in order to ascend. All must be decided by Midsummer’s Day where Fair or Dark will converge, but only one may survive. 

        Overall, great 3rd book in the series, but sad some events feel on repeat. Poor Syl and Rouen are girls that have proven themselves time and again but they can’t catch a break. After the last book I was hoping for more happy moments in this novel, but they basically get put in a scenario of kill her or let everyone die kinda of place . . . again. Now I will say I am happy to see that Syl and Rouen are both growing character development-wise, Rouen is allowing herself to feel and show emotions and Syl is learning to be strong and confident in herself. Both young women are definitely heroines on an epic level even if fictional they are inspirational. Okay last thing, that cliffhanger ending, not spoiling anything, but Oooooo book 4 gonna be cray-cray! So if you’ve been into this series from the beginning read on it’s gonna get real complicated now.



------Read more of my reviews at: http://heyitwasfree.blogspot.com/------

[Colleen Corgel · Rating 4 out of 5]

*I received this ARC from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.*

This is, by far, the smoothest book of the series. It was also the best written. The plot was tight and rarely slowed down. When it did, it was more for the characters to breathe and collect themselves before the next even hit them.

Almost right off the bat, Rouen and Syl are pulled out of the mortal realm and into their respective sides of fairy because their blood is requiring them to claim their thrones. Unfortunately, their kingdoms are demanding a price from them that they aren't willing to pay. Along the way, Rouen must deal with her father who has inexplicably decided to use an evolved form of the Muribund (the circuit magic that basically turns fae into machines) to try to consolidate his power.

The stakes are super high here in this volume, with both Rouen and Syl really feeling the strain of their respective roles. The relationship is growing here, too. Both are wanting to take the relationship into more intimate territories, but both are a little wary of doing so for very different reasons. I loved that dynamic, and just gave the romance more weight.

If there is any complaint, its that it does rely a little too much on the reader having read the events of Dethroned a novella that takes place between this book and Ouroboros. I felt like there was a ton of info dumping near the beginning of the book to sum up Dethroned. There were also a ton more references back to that book that got confusing at times.

I love a good urban fantasy series, and this is one of the few really good series that focus around LGBT main characters. I thought this was the most complete book of the series, and can't wait for the next step.

[Rebecca Veight · Rating 4 out of 5]

Both Dark and Fair Fairie are dying so Syl & Roue have a plan to use their combined powers and heal the hearthstones. Of course their nightmares are telling them something different, urging them to hurt each other. The pull from their respective realms trying to tear them apart.

Syl with Roue are as adorable as ever. I love how their feelings for each other are expressed through their POVs.

I like that the author is focusing on the Fairie realms, the differences between them and the differences between the protagonists. No matter how good a story is, it needs to evolve, and Eldredge realizes this before the series loses steam.

Using words like bananapants and expressions like Super Mario Bros on steroids, the author continues to captivate with her own witty, maybe a little cynical, relatable way of writing. It does get confusing at times (a lot of Fairie details are thrown at us at once), but I do enjoy the details. The author's imagination runs wild with a sense of immediate danger. And the action is nerve-stomping.

A whirlwind of excitement and emotion, this is another great installment in the series and promises us another good one on the way. With so much having changed, you don't know what to expect and that's a good thing.

[Dev · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an ARC copy of this book from NetGalley

Another cute installment in this series. As I've said in the past, this series is probably a little bit young for me, but there wasn't a series with lesbian faeries when I was a teenager so I have to read it now as an adult. This would probably easily be a 4 star read for me if I was in the proper age range because it does have a lot of YA tropes that I don't really care for, but it's still a cute series. I like that we spent more time in faerie and less time in high school in this installment [a change the author said she made based on reader feedback].

I'm not wild about the ending just because I felt like this would have been a good end to the series [with maybe an epilogue novella after] but instead there's one of my least favorite plot twists so I guess I'll see how that goes in the next one. Also, and I know this is nitpicky but it's apparently my pet peeve with this series, but some version of the phrase 'my girl' is used by both of our narrators over 109 times in this 300 page novel and that's just excessive no matter what the phrase is.

[Nancy (The Avid Reader) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Syl and Rouen are back again in Inimical book three of the Circuit Fae Series with plenty of battles to keep the excitement rolling and the love flowing.

Syl is a light princess of the light fae summer court. It is time for Syl to marry the light prince and take the throne as his queen but there is one problem with this Syl is in love with Rouen the dark princess of the winter court.

The people of the summer court are in danger and the only way to save her people is for her to overtake the throne from her father and become the next queen and the only way to do that is to kill the one she loves. But Syl can’t do that. So their just has to be another way.

Rouen is in the same predicament in the winter court as Syl. It is also time for Rouen to marry a dark prince and become queen of the dark fae. But Rouen is in love with Syl. Rouen like Sly will have to kill Syl to save her people and her world. How are Rouen and Syl going to save their people and become queen of their own court and hang on to each other at the same time?

I have loved this series from the beginning. In each and every book Syl and Rouen has taken us on a magical journey in both the human realm and the fae realm. Syl and Rouen light up the world with their love for each other and on the battle field with the magic they have inside of them.

Each and every book just gets better and better as does Syl and Rouen’s world of magic. Usually you only have one heroine in a story but not in the Circuit Fae series, no here we have two heroines who know how to kick butt but I believe that this derives from the love that these two people have for each other as well as for others. I can’t wait to check out the next book in the series.

Inimical is for all fans of the magical world of the fae and the magic between two people.

[Mutated Reviewer · Rating 4 out of 5]

The third full length novel in the Circuit Fae series, Inimical begins with Syl and Rouen preparing to go back into their respective faerie realms, to heal the hearthstones with their combined magic, and fight the kings if it comes down to it. Once the hearthstones are healed, both the lands and the kings will be healed too, and hopefully everything will go back to normal. Only, of course that isn't what happens. The chapters rotate between Syl and Rouen, like they always do, and it's nice to see clearly both sides of the story.

Check out the rest of my review here!

https://radioactivebookreviews.wordpr...

[Firefly Hill Press · Rating 5 out of 5]

So lucky to have been able to read this before everyone else - I mean, I could barely wait even this long! I think everyone is going to just LOVE this next installment of the Circuit Fae Series. Ms. Eldredge is incredibly talented and each book just keeps getting better and better.

[Consuelo Garcia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series is killing me!

I have read each book, and now I have to wait till 2019.😱 The books are written so well I get lost in the story. I hold my breath on parts, get frustrated and mad too. I swear the books pulls every emotion I have. I hope to see other stories from the author ASAP.

[Ren · Rating 5 out of 5]

The action doesn't really stop in this one - it's one problem after another. We see Syl and Rouen grow in their relationship and as Fae princesses. I really enjoyed the story and was yelled at for trying to complete "just one more page" because it came out the day I went to NY with family. They would have understood if they also read great books. ;) Be warned: you will need the next book immediately after reading this one! (It's currently scheduled for release in September 2019.)

Rouen and Syl have to juggle summer school, their relationship, and saving their Fae realms, which happen to be on a collision course thanks to the Convergence they set in motion. The two are pulled against their will into their respective realms. This shows us a different side of each character since they've previously been able to rely on each other but they must tackle these problems independently since they cannot communicate across the different realms, even with their soulbond.

They struggle to come up with a plan to save both realms only to have others interfere and ruin their plan. Through it all they discuss their relationship and its priority with all the chaos going on. Even with everything and everyone telling them they must destroy the other first in order to become Queen, they keep fighting to save both their realms. This is one of my favorite things about this series – no matter the odds or the challenges, Syl and Rouen always push back against what they are expected to do in favor of doing what they believe is right.

As with other books in this series, the action rarely slows so it was a page turner, especially near the end when everything comes together.

[Dream Read Repeat · Rating 5 out of 5]

The action doesn't really stop in this one - it's one problem after another. We see Syl and Rouen grow in their relationship and as Fae princesses. Be warned: you will need the next book immediately after reading this one! (It's currently scheduled for release in September 2019.)

Rouen and Syl have to juggle summer school, their relationship, and saving their Fae realms, which happen to be on a collision course thanks to the Convergence they set in motion. The two are pulled against their will into their respective realms. This shows us a different side of each character since they've previously been able to rely on each other but they must tackle these problems independently since they cannot communicate across the different realms, even with their soulbond.

They struggle to come up with a plan to save both realms only to have others interfere and ruin their plan. Through it all they discuss their relationship and its priority with all the chaos going on. Even with everything and everyone telling Rouen and Syl they must destroy each other in order to become Queen, they keep fighting to save both of their realms. This is one of my favorite things about the series – no matter the odds or the challenges, Syl and Rouen always push back against what they are expected to do in favor of doing what they believe is right.

As with other books in this series, the action rarely slows so it was a page turner, especially near the end when everything comes together.

[Aslee · Rating 2 out of 5]

i couldn't do it anymore i couldn't pretend the edgy was cool just because lesbians

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like it but why didn't the Xi ever get a name?