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The Walker #1
Wings of the Walker
In a world ravaged by a merciless virus, I stand as an immune survivor, bound to Stonewell Manor and secretly in love with its lord, Josiah Stonewell. Amidst the ruins, our forbidden love is a beacon of hope and a perilous secret that could unravel the fragile threads of our society.Enter Cyler Black, offering an escape to a new sanctuary, a chance at freedom, and a crossroads for my heart. Faced with the choice between a hidden love and the promise of a new beginning, I navigate a path fraught with danger and desire.This is a tale of love and survival in a crumbling world, where every decision echoes with the possibility of change. In the shadow of apocalypse, where passion and peril intertwine, the greatest challenge is choosing what my heart truly desires.
246 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 15, 2017
502 people are currently reading
1816 people want to read
About the author
Coralee June
76 books2,997 followersAuthor Coralee June has always been passionate about storytelling and impressed by the influence it has on people and the decisions they make in life. She loves engaging with the projects she works on, diving headfirst into developing real, raw, and relatable characters that are equally flawed and beautiful. Coralee lives in Dallas, Tx with her husband and two daughters. She's been known to frequently indulge in boxed red wine and day-old pizza. When she's not writing, June is reading or substitute teaching at the local middle school.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 242 reviews
September 14, 2020
This read like a bad parody of a bad parody of something that is already bad to begin with.
That’s all I will say about it. Spending any more effort on reviewing this travesty is just unfair to myself at this point.
That’s all I will say about it. Spending any more effort on reviewing this travesty is just unfair to myself at this point.
January 30, 2018
OH MY GOD
I kind of just went on a book splurge on Kindle and just went ham and picked a ton of books. This of course was all without looking at what the actual book was about and just basing it off of covers. Yeah, sometimes I do that but it sometimes leads me to amazing books, new series, and new authors on accident (sort of?).
First, I need to get this off of my chest: I hate Josiah. HATE him. His supposed fiance is completely perfect for him. PERFECT PEOPLE because they both suck as people.
Second, I LOVE ASHLEIGH! She is such a kick ass girl and I hated the whole fact that she loved Josiah because he was her master (sort of). Yeah, it's that kind of book where Ash is a Walker which s basically a slave in this providence she is currently living in. I was so freaking happy when she was given the opportunity to get out of that crappy house and providence. THANK YOU MASTER BLACK!
Oh yeah, master black, aka Cyler, and his band of merry man. No, I wont tell you their names or where they all live now. WHY? because I need to keep some spoilers to my freaking self. You all need to go on KU and get this book and it read it. Hey, it's free if that helps? Go read it. It's cute. It's a quick and easy read. You'll fall in love with Ash. The guys she meets. Oh, and you'll probably end up hating Josiah as much, if not more, as me.
I kind of just went on a book splurge on Kindle and just went ham and picked a ton of books. This of course was all without looking at what the actual book was about and just basing it off of covers. Yeah, sometimes I do that but it sometimes leads me to amazing books, new series, and new authors on accident (sort of?).
First, I need to get this off of my chest: I hate Josiah. HATE him. His supposed fiance is completely perfect for him. PERFECT PEOPLE because they both suck as people.
Second, I LOVE ASHLEIGH! She is such a kick ass girl and I hated the whole fact that she loved Josiah because he was her master (sort of). Yeah, it's that kind of book where Ash is a Walker which s basically a slave in this providence she is currently living in. I was so freaking happy when she was given the opportunity to get out of that crappy house and providence. THANK YOU MASTER BLACK!
Oh yeah, master black, aka Cyler, and his band of merry man. No, I wont tell you their names or where they all live now. WHY? because I need to keep some spoilers to my freaking self. You all need to go on KU and get this book and it read it. Hey, it's free if that helps? Go read it. It's cute. It's a quick and easy read. You'll fall in love with Ash. The guys she meets. Oh, and you'll probably end up hating Josiah as much, if not more, as me.
March 18, 2018
Buddy Read with the girls at Reverse Harem Revolution (team #eatallthecake) ~
Rating : 3.5 stars
Wings of the Walker was a pleasant surprise.
It had neither action nor real plot but Ash was sweet and very endearing.
Rating : 3.5 stars
Wings of the Walker was a pleasant surprise.
It had neither action nor real plot but Ash was sweet and very endearing.
January 2, 2019
I have no idea how to write a review without being insulting. This book was horrible. It felt like a beginners attempt at writing RH. I say this because I just read Sunshine and Bullets, even though that was nothing to write home about it was at least not as cringey as this one.
Ash is a walker ( basically that's the word for slave in this world) who's in love with her master and the feeling is reciprocated even though he's not about to do anything about it since he's a prominent leader. A tribal leader comes to make an alliance with her master and also give his sister off in marriage, in exchange give him some slave and Ash. Her master doesn't fight for her and she leaves even though she's sad about it.
She goes to this new land and finds out she's going to be the cook in this new house where the town's five leaders stay. Suddenly they are all over her, salivating.
First off, a few pages ago she was this timid little thing sexually, now she's feeling tingles from left , right and centre. Everyone is growling when she walks past, it's basically the lions den as soon as she steps into the room . She is suddenly a brilliant strategist, things were being run through her like she was a general or something.
She is kidnapped by her former master and they spend a lot to buy her back just after knowing her for a week. The entire book felt like a big joke that I wasn't a part of. I'm definitely not reading the next one. I'm going to give the Bullets series another try though.
Ash is a walker ( basically that's the word for slave in this world) who's in love with her master and the feeling is reciprocated even though he's not about to do anything about it since he's a prominent leader. A tribal leader comes to make an alliance with her master and also give his sister off in marriage, in exchange give him some slave and Ash. Her master doesn't fight for her and she leaves even though she's sad about it.
She goes to this new land and finds out she's going to be the cook in this new house where the town's five leaders stay. Suddenly they are all over her, salivating.
First off, a few pages ago she was this timid little thing sexually, now she's feeling tingles from left , right and centre. Everyone is growling when she walks past, it's basically the lions den as soon as she steps into the room . She is suddenly a brilliant strategist, things were being run through her like she was a general or something.
She is kidnapped by her former master and they spend a lot to buy her back just after knowing her for a week. The entire book felt like a big joke that I wasn't a part of. I'm definitely not reading the next one. I'm going to give the Bullets series another try though.
January 29, 2018
Ashleigh is a servant in the household of her regions leader who she lives with. They grew up together and she loves him but they can't be together as she's lower class and ends up being given to another area as part of a trade deal arranged by him. Here she moves in with 6 of the new region's leaders and gains her freedom.
This was a hard one to rate because, while I did enjoy the story and characters more than a 3-star rating I had issues around the world building. Now it was easy enough to understand the region set up but the plague angle (which I didn't feel was explained enough) and use of modern tablets but with an almost western style feeling behind it all didn't quite mesh fully for me. Maybe if there was more background on the different class levels this would help.
Along with that, the heroine spends nearly the whole book yearning for her old owner. She did come to appreciate the six men around her and care about them, while also finding them attractive but as it stands nothing else has happened between them yet. Her longing for her weak ex-owner, him only deciding he really wanted her after somebody else did and her reluctance to see how mistreated she had been before went on for too long for my liking but I'm hoping she starts to stand on her own feet more and stops feeling so insecure in the next book. Also, some sexy times would be delightful.
**I have tagged this as a reverse harem because that's the direction the series is taking but this book does not have anything sexual between them all in it.**
May 28, 2021
Though this book came out in 2017, the parallel between the book's setting and the current COVID situation is uncanny. And because of that, I was like... uh oh, yeah, that does not make sense!
Who knows, maybe, in a parallel universe without COVID, the setting and society world building might not have been so annoying. But here, I was ready to give up the book in 2 pages when I read about the expensive vaccine that no Walker could get. And people being burnt who had even a whiff of infection. Oh, and the exciting natural immunity but still being treated worse than a slave!
Mind you, the super expensive vaccination drive is mentioned in the same sentence as the one observing the Stonewall's to be deep in debt and not having enough money for a lavish dinner. Also, how would Elite (once vaccinated) would be turned into a Walker? Or why wouldn't the vaccinated Walkers become Elites? Why was the divide between two groups so sharp? And sterilization laws - seriously?!
I could exactly see where the book was going, and given today's world, this was simply not what I wanted to read.... The petty YA angsty jealousy was the last straw!
Who knows, maybe, in a parallel universe without COVID, the setting and society world building might not have been so annoying. But here, I was ready to give up the book in 2 pages when I read about the expensive vaccine that no Walker could get. And people being burnt who had even a whiff of infection. Oh, and the exciting natural immunity but still being treated worse than a slave!
Mind you, the super expensive vaccination drive is mentioned in the same sentence as the one observing the Stonewall's to be deep in debt and not having enough money for a lavish dinner. Also, how would Elite (once vaccinated) would be turned into a Walker? Or why wouldn't the vaccinated Walkers become Elites? Why was the divide between two groups so sharp? And sterilization laws - seriously?!
I could exactly see where the book was going, and given today's world, this was simply not what I wanted to read.... The petty YA angsty jealousy was the last straw!
July 28, 2023
Wings of the Walker is what I'd consider the perfect read in between other books.
At least, that's what it was for me.
Fresh, chill, easy to follow, and entertaining - it checked all these boxes and manage to make me invested.
⤏ What to expect:
∘ New Adult Romance
∘ Dystopia
∘ Post-apocalyptic
∘ Reverse-Harem
∘ Shy & innocent Female
∘ Drama
⤏ Summary
Ashleigh has been serving the Stonewell household since she was a child. Things are about to change for her when Josiah Stonewell, her best friend and the man she loves, announces that he's to be engaged. Cyler, practically a stranger, offers her the chance to leave the Stonewell household behind and go live with him and six other male leaders in a new Providence, which she accepts.
⤏ Thoughts
Although there are a few action scenes, I wouldn't say this book is action-packed. It is, however, intense and intriguing. It promises a great adventure, and I'm really curious to see how Ash is going to fare in the next books. I'm sure her journey is going to be an interesting one! The men respect her and easily accept her in their space, which was surprising. She is technically a servant/slave in their house, but they treat her as a friend, and I love that about them.
The plot is a little all over the place at the moment, but I expect it to gain more contour in the sequels. The worldbuilding however is something I haven't encountered. Ash is a Walker, a survivor of a deadly virus that wiped away a large portion of the population, and her immunity is what allows her to be a servant.
Overall, I enjoyed this and I'll be picking up the next book soon!
At least, that's what it was for me.
Fresh, chill, easy to follow, and entertaining - it checked all these boxes and manage to make me invested.
⤏ What to expect:
∘ New Adult Romance
∘ Dystopia
∘ Post-apocalyptic
∘ Reverse-Harem
∘ Shy & innocent Female
∘ Drama
⤏ Summary
Ashleigh has been serving the Stonewell household since she was a child. Things are about to change for her when Josiah Stonewell, her best friend and the man she loves, announces that he's to be engaged. Cyler, practically a stranger, offers her the chance to leave the Stonewell household behind and go live with him and six other male leaders in a new Providence, which she accepts.
⤏ Thoughts
Although there are a few action scenes, I wouldn't say this book is action-packed. It is, however, intense and intriguing. It promises a great adventure, and I'm really curious to see how Ash is going to fare in the next books. I'm sure her journey is going to be an interesting one! The men respect her and easily accept her in their space, which was surprising. She is technically a servant/slave in their house, but they treat her as a friend, and I love that about them.
The plot is a little all over the place at the moment, but I expect it to gain more contour in the sequels. The worldbuilding however is something I haven't encountered. Ash is a Walker, a survivor of a deadly virus that wiped away a large portion of the population, and her immunity is what allows her to be a servant.
Overall, I enjoyed this and I'll be picking up the next book soon!
October 20, 2019
Short Summary
To summarize this book with as few words as possible: too rushed and not fleshed out. Literally I felt like I was reading a rough draft that only payed attention to the beginning of the book and totally ignored the pacing and development of the latter half of the novel.
Long Summary
The relationship between the heroine and the male interests is flimsy at best and childish at worst. It seemed to have developed with no context whatsoever.
While reading the story, I wasn't even aware that the author had made a few weeks pass by instead of the few, continuous days that novel actually described. It would make more sense if, as the time was passing, the characters are doing something different than they were before that time passed and a sort of change in dynamic had occurred. That didn't happen in this novel. For example, in the novel the heroine describes making lunch and having a lunch date with one of the male interests. As their date comes to its conclusion, it seems as if you're reading about the next day, where she has promised to have a picnic with one of the other male interests. As she's preparing the lunch, out of nowhere, the heroine says that a few weeks have passed instead of the day that is actually described. Time jumps are ok as long as the MC gives the token explanation of what occurred between those few weeks so that readers like me aren't left stranded in the time continuum. In this novel, the token explanation doesn't happen which left me confused about where and when in time the story was actually taking place. The relationship with Ashleigh and the guys could have spanned a few days, weeks or even months, who knows?
I think the author tried to force the reader to believe that the relationship between the heroes and the heroine was stronger than it was by alluding that the passage of time had allowed them to develop a deeper bond, without actually describing the development of deep emotions. Instead, what grew between the heroine and the heroes was lust and possessiveness, which should not be confused as romantic or budding love. This caused the dilemma of the reader believing that the heroine had a flimsy and insubstantial relationship with the male interests. Ultimately, the readers were meant to ignore the plot hole of how their relationship grew stronger and just accept it, which leaves a bitter taste in my mouth.
This novel was actually very promising in the beginning but seemed to come undone at the end as literally new and inexplicable elements were thrown in without any sort of building up to the supposed "climax" of the story. I would only recommend it after some heavy editing is done by a professional editor.
To summarize this book with as few words as possible: too rushed and not fleshed out. Literally I felt like I was reading a rough draft that only payed attention to the beginning of the book and totally ignored the pacing and development of the latter half of the novel.
Long Summary
The relationship between the heroine and the male interests is flimsy at best and childish at worst. It seemed to have developed with no context whatsoever.
While reading the story, I wasn't even aware that the author had made a few weeks pass by instead of the few, continuous days that novel actually described. It would make more sense if, as the time was passing, the characters are doing something different than they were before that time passed and a sort of change in dynamic had occurred. That didn't happen in this novel. For example, in the novel the heroine describes making lunch and having a lunch date with one of the male interests. As their date comes to its conclusion, it seems as if you're reading about the next day, where she has promised to have a picnic with one of the other male interests. As she's preparing the lunch, out of nowhere, the heroine says that a few weeks have passed instead of the day that is actually described. Time jumps are ok as long as the MC gives the token explanation of what occurred between those few weeks so that readers like me aren't left stranded in the time continuum. In this novel, the token explanation doesn't happen which left me confused about where and when in time the story was actually taking place. The relationship with Ashleigh and the guys could have spanned a few days, weeks or even months, who knows?
I think the author tried to force the reader to believe that the relationship between the heroes and the heroine was stronger than it was by alluding that the passage of time had allowed them to develop a deeper bond, without actually describing the development of deep emotions. Instead, what grew between the heroine and the heroes was lust and possessiveness, which should not be confused as romantic or budding love. This caused the dilemma of the reader believing that the heroine had a flimsy and insubstantial relationship with the male interests. Ultimately, the readers were meant to ignore the plot hole of how their relationship grew stronger and just accept it, which leaves a bitter taste in my mouth.
This novel was actually very promising in the beginning but seemed to come undone at the end as literally new and inexplicable elements were thrown in without any sort of building up to the supposed "climax" of the story. I would only recommend it after some heavy editing is done by a professional editor.
March 22, 2018
3.75 Stars
——Reverse Harem Revolution Buddy Read (#eatallthecake)——
This was not your usual RH plot. No special powers or abused high school girl. This is more dystopian. Which I’m down for! I like the twist on it, it’s refreshing.
This seems to be more of an establishing book, focusing more on the world and some of the characters. Just when we started getting into the meat of the story, it ended. I will continue on to see how it unfolds. Hoping for some more excitement. And some more Cyler and Huxley. ;)
——Reverse Harem Revolution Buddy Read (#eatallthecake)——
This was not your usual RH plot. No special powers or abused high school girl. This is more dystopian. Which I’m down for! I like the twist on it, it’s refreshing.
This seems to be more of an establishing book, focusing more on the world and some of the characters. Just when we started getting into the meat of the story, it ended. I will continue on to see how it unfolds. Hoping for some more excitement. And some more Cyler and Huxley. ;)
December 15, 2017
Wow 1st to review!
Better take my time with this one...
Better take my time with this one...
April 6, 2018
Thank you Sharon J for recommending this series to me. This was an amazing read. I loved every minute of it. The story was engaging and made me laugh. I thought the characters were amazing. Ashleigh is a fantastic character. I really loved her development as the story progressed. Also, I really loved Cyler, , Maverick, Patrick, Jacob, Huxley, and Kemper. They were sexy yet protective. The perfect book boyfriends. I would fall for anyone of them. I did not like Josiah or Jules. They were annoying to me. I really disliked them. The ending was great. I can’t wait to read book 2. Overall, a fantastic read.
December 16, 2017
This book made for a very pleasant discovery. The story pulled me in so quickly, I did not even have time to realize what was happening.
I really liked the world the events were set in. And even though I did not fully understand the political side of everything that transpired, it did not in any way prevent me from enjoying this book.
I absolutely loved the main heroine Ashleigh. I liked that she was not whiny and most of all the fact that she was not stupid or rushed with passing her judgment and making her decisions. Yes, when immediately presented with some information she could feel shocked and even appalled for a second, but then she would pull herself together, study all the facts and only after that would she make her final decision. That I most definitely liked about her.
I also like that it's gonna be a slow burn RH, I think it works perfect with the story and I'm giddy to see how the relationship between the guys will progress.
“We want you to feel comfortable in our home. Like a . . . sister . . . .”
Yeah, good luck with that! This is gonna be fun!
I do have a question though - what happened with Jules in the end? Actually, the majority of the last two chapters was a little unclear to me. Everything just happened so fast, I did not have time to process it all.
In other news, I read that the next book is set to be released in Summer. I'm afraid that's not gonna work for me. Like, at all. The separation is just too long. Can we move the release date to, say.. January? That would be great.
I really liked the world the events were set in. And even though I did not fully understand the political side of everything that transpired, it did not in any way prevent me from enjoying this book.
I absolutely loved the main heroine Ashleigh. I liked that she was not whiny and most of all the fact that she was not stupid or rushed with passing her judgment and making her decisions. Yes, when immediately presented with some information she could feel shocked and even appalled for a second, but then she would pull herself together, study all the facts and only after that would she make her final decision. That I most definitely liked about her.
I also like that it's gonna be a slow burn RH, I think it works perfect with the story and I'm giddy to see how the relationship between the guys will progress.
“We want you to feel comfortable in our home. Like a . . . sister . . . .”
Yeah, good luck with that! This is gonna be fun!
I do have a question though - what happened with Jules in the end? Actually, the majority of the last two chapters was a little unclear to me. Everything just happened so fast, I did not have time to process it all.
In other news, I read that the next book is set to be released in Summer. I'm afraid that's not gonna work for me. Like, at all. The separation is just too long. Can we move the release date to, say.. January? That would be great.
December 17, 2017
It was more than a three, not quite a four.
Wings of the Walker is a very interesting, and I had no problems reading it straight through. It never failed to keep my attention. It starts with out protagonist, Ashleigh, and her life as a walker which is basically an indentured servant bordering on a slave. Ash is a realistic character and makes logical decisions. She is in love with her master Josiah. Reading the synopsis I was l judging her
Actually reading the book I get it. He's portrayed as a kind person compared to those surrounding her. He was okay in my opinion, but it made sense why she loved him.
I'm not gonna spoil anything, but I found his inability to commit or be decisive annoying. You can't have your cake and eat it too. He really proved himself to be a trashbag. Here's how I imagined Josiah
He actually wasn't that bad till later, but I digress. Anyway, it was nice seeing Ash's character progress. She was told her whole life to know her place. Rather than say she thought it true, she did and believed what was necessary for her to survive. She knows others have it worse, and takes what she can get. Ash does not desire more, not because she believes she doesn't deserve it but because she does not think it is realistic. Which if she wasn't the MC would be true. Her whole life revolves around Josiah because in endless trial called her life he is the only good thing. Tragic really. Imagine the only good thing about your life being Josiah.
She meets her harem through a series of interesting events. The guys are cool. Huxley is supposed to be the hard to crack and mean one, yet I only felt like he was really mean once in the entire book. Even that was kind of mild. in reality that's enough, but...
I'm not complaining though. I find it hard to give once slighted. Ash and her harem hasn't fully developed, and that's fine. I absolutely love how she choose to love herself though.
Wings of the Walker is a very interesting, and I had no problems reading it straight through. It never failed to keep my attention. It starts with out protagonist, Ashleigh, and her life as a walker which is basically an indentured servant bordering on a slave. Ash is a realistic character and makes logical decisions. She is in love with her master Josiah. Reading the synopsis I was l judging her
Actually reading the book I get it. He's portrayed as a kind person compared to those surrounding her. He was okay in my opinion, but it made sense why she loved him.
I'm not gonna spoil anything, but I found his inability to commit or be decisive annoying. You can't have your cake and eat it too. He really proved himself to be a trashbag. Here's how I imagined Josiah
He actually wasn't that bad till later, but I digress. Anyway, it was nice seeing Ash's character progress. She was told her whole life to know her place. Rather than say she thought it true, she did and believed what was necessary for her to survive. She knows others have it worse, and takes what she can get. Ash does not desire more, not because she believes she doesn't deserve it but because she does not think it is realistic. Which if she wasn't the MC would be true. Her whole life revolves around Josiah because in endless trial called her life he is the only good thing. Tragic really. Imagine the only good thing about your life being Josiah.
She meets her harem through a series of interesting events. The guys are cool. Huxley is supposed to be the hard to crack and mean one, yet I only felt like he was really mean once in the entire book. Even that was kind of mild. in reality that's enough, but...
I'm not complaining though. I find it hard to give once slighted. Ash and her harem hasn't fully developed, and that's fine. I absolutely love how she choose to love herself though.
March 20, 2018
3,5
1 read 30 december 2017
4/5
2 read 18-19 march 2018
Holy damn i liked this more than i did when i read jt the first time, despite the fact that it's not very action packed and that it's a slow burn RH. This has become one of my fave RH books/series👌
1 read 30 december 2017
4/5
2 read 18-19 march 2018
Holy damn i liked this more than i did when i read jt the first time, despite the fact that it's not very action packed and that it's a slow burn RH. This has become one of my fave RH books/series👌
August 11, 2020
Post apocalyptic slow-burn RH with historical kind of feel. So I guess, steampunk maybe. Idk, whatever it is, I loved it!
May 14, 2018
Wings of the Walker was the book I didn't know was missing from my life!! Its a dystopian reverse harem and I loved it. Its got some elements of The Hunger Games (different districts, a 'capital', a corrupt ruling party) but manages to be unique. Ashley is a 'walker'. Walkers are the people who don't have enough money to afford the vaccine for the Influenza X. Once infected with this VERY contagious illness, death is inevitable. So, all the walkers are kept in a 'walker zone' and barely eek out a living. Ash, however, was taken in by the ruling family of her district because she had a natural immunity. So, she becomes their servant. She is trained in cooking, cleaning, and performing general household duties. She falls for the son of the family she serves, but they can never be together. When a ruling family from another district comes to visit, Ash's world turns totally upside down!
I thought this was a very well written story with layers to all the characters! The harem builds slowly, which I felt was perfect for the plot. Ash's entire world is turned upside down! She is a heroine I really did like. She is smart, intriguing, and not so full of her self. I often find in RH stories that the heroine is so egotistical about themselves.
I can't wait to continue with The Walker Series and see where Coralee June takes this world! If you are looking for a slow build reverse harem that is utterly unique, Wings of the Walker is the perfect pick. The audio is narrated by Elizabeth Hart, who does a wonderful job! Her voice was perfect and her narration only added to the story.
POV: 1st (Ash)
Tears: no
Trope: dystopian, reverse Harem
Triggers: none
Series/Standalone: series
Cliffhanger:
HEA:
The Ghost Bird series by CL Stone, The Veil Diaries by BL Brunnemer...then you will probably like Wings of the Walker!
Wings of the Walker
April 2, 2018
Ashleigh is a Walker - a person that has survived the Influenza X virus, but is of such a low class that she has few rights. She was "adopted" by Josiah's family when she was 3 and has been their servant ever since. While Josiah has been kind, in fact Ash's one and only friend, his mother is not and she resents the relationship that has developed between her son and the walker over the years. When Josiah takes his father's place in politics, his mother arranges a marriage with a girl from another province. When Mistress Black and her brother come to finalize the contract (which is a mixture of marriage and trade), Ashleigh is forced to recognize that while she loves Josiah, they can never be together because of her status.
I liked this one! It is definitely a SLOW burn reverse harem - I don't even think we've gotten to the harem part yet - but I like the build up. All the guys in Cyler's household are different and interesting, and I can see how anyone would eventually fall for each of them. The political maneuvering is just getting going, and I'm interested to see how it all plays out with Ash at the center of it all.
I liked this one! It is definitely a SLOW burn reverse harem - I don't even think we've gotten to the harem part yet - but I like the build up. All the guys in Cyler's household are different and interesting, and I can see how anyone would eventually fall for each of them. The political maneuvering is just getting going, and I'm interested to see how it all plays out with Ash at the center of it all.
March 17, 2018
Buddy Read (my very first one!) with the Reverse Harem Revolution group
June 8, 2018
4 Stars
This was a quick read. The world building was great. Each main guy stood out to me (Cyler, Maverick, Jacob, Kemper, Huxley, and Patrick). Ashleigh (Ash) was relatable. She's humble but she's gets a bit more bold as the story goes on. Even though she had a lot of submissive in her, she wasn’t afraid to say how she was feeling at times. Her confidence grew as the first book progressed. It was an interesting society that they lived in.
Josiah was such an asshole so I hope that's the last we see of him, but I'm not holding my breath. Jules, the guy's sister is a bitch and I hope she gets what's coming to her and gets brought down a peg.
I listened to some parts and read other parts. The narration by Elizabeth Hart was amazing. I don't always like her voice, but I really enjoyed it in this book. She really brought it to life.
There was thankfully no horrible cliffhanger at the end. I was worried for a moment there.
Slow burn. No insta-love.
I’m excited to see where this story goes.
This was a quick read. The world building was great. Each main guy stood out to me (Cyler, Maverick, Jacob, Kemper, Huxley, and Patrick). Ashleigh (Ash) was relatable. She's humble but she's gets a bit more bold as the story goes on. Even though she had a lot of submissive in her, she wasn’t afraid to say how she was feeling at times. Her confidence grew as the first book progressed. It was an interesting society that they lived in.
Josiah was such an asshole so I hope that's the last we see of him, but I'm not holding my breath. Jules, the guy's sister is a bitch and I hope she gets what's coming to her and gets brought down a peg.
I listened to some parts and read other parts. The narration by Elizabeth Hart was amazing. I don't always like her voice, but I really enjoyed it in this book. She really brought it to life.
There was thankfully no horrible cliffhanger at the end. I was worried for a moment there.
Slow burn. No insta-love.
I’m excited to see where this story goes.
September 6, 2019
Interesting Dystopian Reverse Harem
This is a slow burn Reverse Harem. There is no heat in this first book in the series.
Ashleigh is a Walker. Walker’s are those that survived a pandemic and are naturally immune, but poor. Those that are wealthy can afford the vaccine, those that can’t afford the vaccine are forced to live in camps, imprisoned away from those they could infect. The Walker’s, however, being immune can live apart from the camps and can be bought by the wealthy to live as slaves, and being grateful for not being forced to live in the camps anymore.
Ashleigh was bought when she was aged 3 by the Stonewell family, the prominent family in the Providence. She played with Josiah, the son of the house when they were children and she adores him with her whole heart, even if they cannot be together. Then one day Josiah’s fiancee arrives.
This dystopian book is really interesting. The world building is intriguing and I can definitely imagine this kind of societal split happening in many parts of the world, should a pandemic of this nature occur. The conflict between the rich and poor, both individuals and the Providences is evident and unsurprising, given what we can see in the world today.
I like Ashleigh’s character. She’s young and naive, but she is intelligent and understands things quickly, when given a chance. When she decides to fight for her own happiness, I gave her silent cheer that she knew that she had to do that. We meet her at the start of her journey into adulthood, which sometimes annoys me, because that was something I went through a long time ago, but in this instance I enjoyed it. The author has succeeded in creating a character that is interesting, despite her inexperience, which is quite a feat!
This is a very promising start to the series and I can’t wait to see what happens next.
This is a slow burn Reverse Harem. There is no heat in this first book in the series.
Ashleigh is a Walker. Walker’s are those that survived a pandemic and are naturally immune, but poor. Those that are wealthy can afford the vaccine, those that can’t afford the vaccine are forced to live in camps, imprisoned away from those they could infect. The Walker’s, however, being immune can live apart from the camps and can be bought by the wealthy to live as slaves, and being grateful for not being forced to live in the camps anymore.
Ashleigh was bought when she was aged 3 by the Stonewell family, the prominent family in the Providence. She played with Josiah, the son of the house when they were children and she adores him with her whole heart, even if they cannot be together. Then one day Josiah’s fiancee arrives.
This dystopian book is really interesting. The world building is intriguing and I can definitely imagine this kind of societal split happening in many parts of the world, should a pandemic of this nature occur. The conflict between the rich and poor, both individuals and the Providences is evident and unsurprising, given what we can see in the world today.
I like Ashleigh’s character. She’s young and naive, but she is intelligent and understands things quickly, when given a chance. When she decides to fight for her own happiness, I gave her silent cheer that she knew that she had to do that. We meet her at the start of her journey into adulthood, which sometimes annoys me, because that was something I went through a long time ago, but in this instance I enjoyed it. The author has succeeded in creating a character that is interesting, despite her inexperience, which is quite a feat!
This is a very promising start to the series and I can’t wait to see what happens next.
June 16, 2021
This epic series introduced us to the amazing voice that is CoraLee June just over three years ago- a series coincidentally foretelling since it deals with a pandemic. Her writing style has evolved over time, but this series introduced us to the hallmarks that make CLJ such a unique and compelling voice in the romance world.
Cora is a visionary- she’s unafraid of the unconventional story, she finds beauty in complex dynamics. It’s why her stories are spellbinding. Cora is a rule breaker- she cleverly and unabashedly colors outside of the lines- defies tropes, breaks romance “rules,” and she takes risks. It’s why she’s one of the most versatile writers out there- she’s always challenging herself and her readers. Cora is a character writer- she understands and develops her characters with such passion and artistry. It’s why her characters have such nuance and dimension, why they are unforgettable, and why they impact us deeply emotionally. And, Cora has a point of view- her stories are always entertaining, but they have profound depth and meaning that undergird everything. It is why her stories move us, why they stick with us.
This series is nothing like what you think it will be- this is not the Walking Dead. This is dystopian entertainment that is also complex and emotionally resonant. This is a sexy reverse harem with a serious slow burn. This is a story about a society beyond the norm, a new normal, but still bound by rules- yet, Cora writes a story that breaks all the rules. A story that exists in demise of a world we know, in which story builds an entirely new one.
If you love Cora's later work or are new to her, give this series a shot. There is not anything like it out in the world of romance- a true testament to CLJ's creativity.
Cora is a visionary- she’s unafraid of the unconventional story, she finds beauty in complex dynamics. It’s why her stories are spellbinding. Cora is a rule breaker- she cleverly and unabashedly colors outside of the lines- defies tropes, breaks romance “rules,” and she takes risks. It’s why she’s one of the most versatile writers out there- she’s always challenging herself and her readers. Cora is a character writer- she understands and develops her characters with such passion and artistry. It’s why her characters have such nuance and dimension, why they are unforgettable, and why they impact us deeply emotionally. And, Cora has a point of view- her stories are always entertaining, but they have profound depth and meaning that undergird everything. It is why her stories move us, why they stick with us.
This series is nothing like what you think it will be- this is not the Walking Dead. This is dystopian entertainment that is also complex and emotionally resonant. This is a sexy reverse harem with a serious slow burn. This is a story about a society beyond the norm, a new normal, but still bound by rules- yet, Cora writes a story that breaks all the rules. A story that exists in demise of a world we know, in which story builds an entirely new one.
If you love Cora's later work or are new to her, give this series a shot. There is not anything like it out in the world of romance- a true testament to CLJ's creativity.
November 5, 2023
You should read this !! You should read it now 🫠
Where has this book been !!!!!!!!!
I underestimated it immensely when I started it because I’ve been in such a book slump, but this post-apocalyptic world was just *chefs kiss*
Ash is timid, yet fierce, but such a lovable character. You can’t help but become so invested in everything she does and want the absolute best for her.
I think if the Hunger games had an older sister, it would be this book. It kind of follows the idea of fraction with Ash being a Walker (lower fraction) and Josiah (old love interest) being her master and of a higher fraction. More love interests are introduced from another fraction and they hold completely different belief and ideals to where Josiah and Jules live.
It’s a reverse harem, but no spice has occurred yet. Which would usually annoy me but the story is just so damn gooddddd. The sexual tension is constant though 😂.
The main guys -
Cyler - protector
Maverick - hot doctor
Kemper - shy engineer
Jacob - caregiver
Patrick - nice twin
Huxley - a-hole twin ( but there is more to unpack there)
I don’t hate any of them. They constantly treat her like their equal, which she isn’t used to at all and make her feel so valued. It’s honestly adorable.
I was a bit confused at the start because I thought it was set in a Victorian era maybe, because of the servant aspect and the ‘master title’. However, they all have tablets to face time and do work on, so this is why it feels like the hungover games to me. The richer people benefit from the electronic world and the poor people live in the dark ages almost.
I’m already downloading the next book !!! I haven’t read a book this good in so long and dystopia books are my absolute guilty pleasure.
Where has this book been !!!!!!!!!
I underestimated it immensely when I started it because I’ve been in such a book slump, but this post-apocalyptic world was just *chefs kiss*
Ash is timid, yet fierce, but such a lovable character. You can’t help but become so invested in everything she does and want the absolute best for her.
I think if the Hunger games had an older sister, it would be this book. It kind of follows the idea of fraction with Ash being a Walker (lower fraction) and Josiah (old love interest) being her master and of a higher fraction. More love interests are introduced from another fraction and they hold completely different belief and ideals to where Josiah and Jules live.
It’s a reverse harem, but no spice has occurred yet. Which would usually annoy me but the story is just so damn gooddddd. The sexual tension is constant though 😂.
The main guys -
Cyler - protector
Maverick - hot doctor
Kemper - shy engineer
Jacob - caregiver
Patrick - nice twin
Huxley - a-hole twin ( but there is more to unpack there)
I don’t hate any of them. They constantly treat her like their equal, which she isn’t used to at all and make her feel so valued. It’s honestly adorable.
I was a bit confused at the start because I thought it was set in a Victorian era maybe, because of the servant aspect and the ‘master title’. However, they all have tablets to face time and do work on, so this is why it feels like the hungover games to me. The richer people benefit from the electronic world and the poor people live in the dark ages almost.
I’m already downloading the next book !!! I haven’t read a book this good in so long and dystopia books are my absolute guilty pleasure.
January 4, 2018
Promising premise, sloppy execution.
The story is actually quite good, but there were a few missteps along the way.
Inappropriate commas, distract, from the story and, are quite, jarring.
Slave girls in any universe would never stomp their foot to get their way. If they do, they aren’t actually slaves.
Any time a new person speaks, a new paragraph should begin. It was not the case in this book. I had a hard time keeping up with dialogue. Sometimes it felt as though one person were having a conversation with themselves.
And as always, I will never in my life understand YA RH books. Scandalous handholding with a bunch of boys isn’t quite my kink, but kindle keeps suggesting them and for some reason I keep downloading them.
I’d like this series and would definitely sign up for book 2 on if I had assurances of better editing and a strong removal of the YA status. Ash needs a sweaty lay and maybe she’d get over Jo.
The story is actually quite good, but there were a few missteps along the way.
Inappropriate commas, distract, from the story and, are quite, jarring.
Slave girls in any universe would never stomp their foot to get their way. If they do, they aren’t actually slaves.
Any time a new person speaks, a new paragraph should begin. It was not the case in this book. I had a hard time keeping up with dialogue. Sometimes it felt as though one person were having a conversation with themselves.
And as always, I will never in my life understand YA RH books. Scandalous handholding with a bunch of boys isn’t quite my kink, but kindle keeps suggesting them and for some reason I keep downloading them.
I’d like this series and would definitely sign up for book 2 on if I had assurances of better editing and a strong removal of the YA status. Ash needs a sweaty lay and maybe she’d get over Jo.
January 9, 2018
This book was a pleasant surprise. I usually don't do RH unless it is completely supernatural like vampires, werewolf and such and while this book was not supernatural in that way, the world building was amazing. I was drawn into this dystopian world.
The relationship between Ash and her guys was amazing. There is no insta love in this book. We get to see the relationship build and the triangle (?) with Josiah makes the story just that much more interesting.
Definitely looking forward to the next book ..
The relationship between Ash and her guys was amazing. There is no insta love in this book. We get to see the relationship build and the triangle (?) with Josiah makes the story just that much more interesting.
Definitely looking forward to the next book ..
April 8, 2018
You have to read this book. It’s absolutely amazing! I waited entirely too long to give it a try. Highly addictive and creative characters. Plot was well thought out and relationships felt organic. Five glittery stars!
July 19, 2023
This feels like... a new author. Not quite go everything you need in a book. Its missing a connection and soul?
The female lead is a door mat and shed bland even tho every male seems to fall in love with her as soon as they see her.
The female lead is a door mat and shed bland even tho every male seems to fall in love with her as soon as they see her.
April 28, 2019
I’ve held off on starting this series because I wanted to wait for the last book to be out. I’ve read CoraLee’s stories before and I know how intoxicating they are, she’s a magician with writing and it’s often impossible to put her books down so I didn’t want to be left pining and waiting because I would surely lose my mind. Honestly, I’m already regretting my decision to wait. I wish that I had dove in heart first from the very start, I already can’t imagine not having this makeshift family in my life.
This book is such a wonderful mix of genres, it’s both dystopian and reverse harem. The dystopian aspects are nothing short of breathtaking, the author does a beautiful job of combining past and present technology and culture to create an entire new world for her readers to get lost in. There is so much happening in this first book, the entire layout for the series has been perfectly crafted to keep you effortlessly entertained and completely captivated by this intriguing new culture and group of men. It took me about five whole seconds to fall head over heels for the entire group of them, it was truly that easy.
Beyond the initial connections that are happening and the drama, twists and turns... there are some real interesting and honestly brilliant commentary on social classing and the economic impact that has divided regions in this dystopian society. I know, that sounds pretty deep but I promise that it’s integrated artfully and with such grace that you almost don’t realize how serious and revolutionary some of the subject matter is. Honestly, I was blown away by this part of the book, I love when authors push boundaries and take the time to address real issues. Even though the world that Cora has created is fictional, I couldn’t help but find similarities between the issues these characters are facing and what we are struggling with in modern society.
I absolutely love the innocence, beauty and bravery that Ashleigh (our leading lady) possesses. It’s easy to see why so many people are enamored with her, she’s spent her life pleasing and giving and is so awestruck by the simplest acts of kindness. I adore her, I want to hug her and make her my sister. Maybe that’s weird since I also have super inappropriate feelings towards her group of smoking hot men but whatever. It is what it is, I won’t apologize for becoming obsessed with these characters.
I would go on forever about this story, but I have the overwhelming need to start the next book. I will say this, it’s a relatively quick read but it’s packed full of everything you need. There’s love, loss, growth, political commentary, a group of smoking hot men, phenomenal build-up and wonderful execution of the first book in this series. That’s all, I must go read now.
This book is such a wonderful mix of genres, it’s both dystopian and reverse harem. The dystopian aspects are nothing short of breathtaking, the author does a beautiful job of combining past and present technology and culture to create an entire new world for her readers to get lost in. There is so much happening in this first book, the entire layout for the series has been perfectly crafted to keep you effortlessly entertained and completely captivated by this intriguing new culture and group of men. It took me about five whole seconds to fall head over heels for the entire group of them, it was truly that easy.
Beyond the initial connections that are happening and the drama, twists and turns... there are some real interesting and honestly brilliant commentary on social classing and the economic impact that has divided regions in this dystopian society. I know, that sounds pretty deep but I promise that it’s integrated artfully and with such grace that you almost don’t realize how serious and revolutionary some of the subject matter is. Honestly, I was blown away by this part of the book, I love when authors push boundaries and take the time to address real issues. Even though the world that Cora has created is fictional, I couldn’t help but find similarities between the issues these characters are facing and what we are struggling with in modern society.
I absolutely love the innocence, beauty and bravery that Ashleigh (our leading lady) possesses. It’s easy to see why so many people are enamored with her, she’s spent her life pleasing and giving and is so awestruck by the simplest acts of kindness. I adore her, I want to hug her and make her my sister. Maybe that’s weird since I also have super inappropriate feelings towards her group of smoking hot men but whatever. It is what it is, I won’t apologize for becoming obsessed with these characters.
I would go on forever about this story, but I have the overwhelming need to start the next book. I will say this, it’s a relatively quick read but it’s packed full of everything you need. There’s love, loss, growth, political commentary, a group of smoking hot men, phenomenal build-up and wonderful execution of the first book in this series. That’s all, I must go read now.
March 29, 2020
Me: I like reading romance novels because they help me take my mind off of stressful things, like living through a pandemic and rapidly expanding class inequality.
Also Me: Picks a dystopian novel that features an incurable plague that affects "anyone they come in contact with" and classes that are divided between those wealthy enough to afford a vaccine and those who cannot, the latter of whom are effectively slaves as a result.
I did enjoy this book, but listening to it felt a bit like that time my friend tried to help me forget about the guy named Andy who ghosted me by... taking me to see Toy Story 3, a film where they proceed to say the name "Andy" about fifty billion times. It was not the effective distraction I'd hoped.
Ash is sweet, which I love, and demure, which is not how I prefer my heroines... but I liked her well enough. The Dormas guys, however, have plenty to keep me interested. I enjoyed their different personalities and the way Ash's relationship grows differently with each one. And while I don't usually prefer slow-burn, chaste romances, I could appreciate it here as she is dealing with a lot of complex feelings over all these sudden changes to her life, as well as mourning the loss of an unrealized love. I think I would have been bothered if she managed to immediately forget all her old feelings and jump straight into a sexual dynamic with six men.
Also Me: Picks a dystopian novel that features an incurable plague that affects "anyone they come in contact with" and classes that are divided between those wealthy enough to afford a vaccine and those who cannot, the latter of whom are effectively slaves as a result.
I did enjoy this book, but listening to it felt a bit like that time my friend tried to help me forget about the guy named Andy who ghosted me by... taking me to see Toy Story 3, a film where they proceed to say the name "Andy" about fifty billion times. It was not the effective distraction I'd hoped.
Ash is sweet, which I love, and demure, which is not how I prefer my heroines... but I liked her well enough. The Dormas guys, however, have plenty to keep me interested. I enjoyed their different personalities and the way Ash's relationship grows differently with each one. And while I don't usually prefer slow-burn, chaste romances, I could appreciate it here as she is dealing with a lot of complex feelings over all these sudden changes to her life, as well as mourning the loss of an unrealized love. I think I would have been bothered if she managed to immediately forget all her old feelings and jump straight into a sexual dynamic with six men.
December 2, 2024
Book 1 and 2
This is a dystopian after a virus outbreak, it's also a slow burn RH. I wasn't sure about it towards the end of book 1 so read book 2 as well. I was very sure I didn't need to read the rest of the series by the end of book 2. I just got bored.
It's not badly written, needs editing but it's simple enough to follow but.....
The world build needs work. By some guess work, my calculations for the outbreak were about 20 years. Yet for some reason even the scavenger OAPs have white hair and sharp teeth. Everyone else hasn't been genetically modified but they all drink the same water. They have electricity, data pads, cars.... Also throw in healing pods...?
Questions, I have questions.
Again by calculations this Emperor managed to segregate people and take over in under 3 years. That's how old the heroine was when she was sold. Again eeeermmm .... With people dying left right and centre, displaced and panicked, I find it hard to believe people just stayed in shanty towns and just thought "oh well" for 20 years!!
Anyhoo, the story focuses mainly on the slow building relationships. There is a lot of angst and the repetitive scenarios made the book feel slow, especially when we were just focusing on the heroines day to day tasks. The story was underwhelming to be honest.
This is a dystopian after a virus outbreak, it's also a slow burn RH. I wasn't sure about it towards the end of book 1 so read book 2 as well. I was very sure I didn't need to read the rest of the series by the end of book 2. I just got bored.
It's not badly written, needs editing but it's simple enough to follow but.....
The world build needs work. By some guess work, my calculations for the outbreak were about 20 years. Yet for some reason even the scavenger OAPs have white hair and sharp teeth. Everyone else hasn't been genetically modified but they all drink the same water. They have electricity, data pads, cars.... Also throw in healing pods...?
Questions, I have questions.
Again by calculations this Emperor managed to segregate people and take over in under 3 years. That's how old the heroine was when she was sold. Again eeeermmm .... With people dying left right and centre, displaced and panicked, I find it hard to believe people just stayed in shanty towns and just thought "oh well" for 20 years!!
Anyhoo, the story focuses mainly on the slow building relationships. There is a lot of angst and the repetitive scenarios made the book feel slow, especially when we were just focusing on the heroines day to day tasks. The story was underwhelming to be honest.
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