Love can save you...if it doesn't destroy you first.
Gwen has spent her life on the road, picking up and moving every few months when her mother has a mental break. They take care of each other. They don't need anyone else. Or so Gwen believes...until her mother announces she's met a man online.
When they arrive at his opulent home, Gwen is plunged into a world that seems too good to be true. Suddenly she's living in a mansion overlooking the beach and eating foods she's only read about in paperback novels. Her mother's new man has a gorgeous daughter and four irresistible sons who apparently don't mind her complete social incompetence. At last, her dream of going to school and being a normal 16-year-old is within her reach.
But the family they've joined has more than its share of secrets. Not all of them want her there, and her inexplicable attraction to each of them only complicates matters further. When strange phenomena begin to occur in their presence, Gwen must emerge from her protective shell and embrace a destiny she's never imagined.
This book is definitely an interesting concept. It is definitely a slow burn, and I really like the mix in this particular harem especially Peyton! I think I’ve only come across one other series where there was a female in the harem mix. Seriously, why aren’t there more?
The issue I had with this book is that it isn’t very consist. By that I mean the characters in particular. There are multiple instances where one character or another will behave or react to a situation in a manner that doesn’t seem to fit their character. For example, when the group hears that they’re all inhabited or possessed by something from another world, they don’t really question it all that much. And when Gwen and her mother and have spent her entire life running, her mother just randomly decides to stop and marry the very person she was running from? Not to mention that for the most part, Joaquin is an ass and Gwen seems to find him almost creepy...and then decides that sure, she’ll go to house with him. There are other occurrences, enough peppered throughout that it was getting to be to much.
I definitely think this book has a great concept, but I really think it needs to be reworked. Also, based off of the cover art of the book, I was expecting the big reveal to be something entirely different. It doesn’t really seem to fit the book at all.
One other thing to note: the author has a note at the stating that the continuation of the series is based on how well the first book is received. I find that rather odd. I mean, if you have the whole story then write it all. Otherwise it just sounds as if she is writing on whim with no clear idea of where the plot is going. Plus, there have been plenty of times when new series has come out and while the first book may not be the greatest, the next one is as the author seems to get more into a flow.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
I swear to god all RH books are starting to be eerily similar in that they always feature a heroine with an unconventional, sad life where she's abused or bullied or has no parents or she's homeless or she's poverty stricken or she's neglected or she's a runaway. Just... SOMETHING that makes her shy and socially inept and abnormal with a bad home life or past.
I get that a lot of the time it's easy to make a fantasy/paranormal story work with a teenager whose parents don't care or who's lived an unconventional life that makes accepting something abnormal a little more streamlined, but I'm starting to wonder if perhaps RH authors have no other idea how to make a polyamorous relationship work if the heroine isn't naive as all fuck about socializing and super thirsty for any human relationships or semblance of normalcy. Like, what, is it too greedy to be a normal person who ends up in love with several people? It's a weird trend I'm noticing. I don't know if I like it being used like this. It's not like, a quirk, these topics are kind of serious and sensitive.
I don't really like how the adults in this series act or think that Gwen and her mom's reactions to things are normal. The mom is so flighty and then she's like "by the way I did something I never do, now we're moving lol" and when Gwen has concerns the mom is like "trust me I need you to be in this with me" when the mom offer Gwen nothing but Gwen just... ignores all realistic concerns because her mom was like ":( let me do weird crazy shit" and it's like... don't use mental illness and homelessness and these sorts of conflicts if you can't devote the time and effort to making them realistic and their solutions seem earned, not just tossed in as the story needs. The mom never communicated anything but "ravens are here, giants are coming!" and then like we ultimately find out the the mom was just acting eratic and that Gwen knowing things wouldn't have done anything and that her choice to keep Gwen on the run was miserable and futile and the mom is like confused that Gwen is upset and I'm like I'd be SO pissed if my mom denied me a normal, stable life and not a single one of her actions or fears was justified in the end. I know the mom is supposed to be sick with her visions of paranormal shit but I just got really fed up with her bullshit and I was honestly hoping she'd die off. And also that Gwen would like, not have feelings that are reasonable only to toss them away because her mom was like :( at her.
Anyway, Emerge.
First thoughts beyond "why is this heroine also a socially inept kid who's been homeless her whole life and has no idea how human interaction works??" is that the cover is REALLY pretty.
Now, to get it all out of the way, I will say that this installment does have some strengths going for it that a lot of other RH do not. Firstly, while we do have "mythical attraction pulling everyone close" we haven't yet dove head first into declarations of love and the relationships still seem to be working towards development beyond some talking and hand touching and general feelings of interest/lust. Now, like with a lot of books, I've been burned by first books before who seem to be holding off on the insta-love bomb just to throw it in my face immediately in book two, so we'll see.
Another interesting angle is that this RH features a girl. Peyton identifies as a lesbian and there are sparks between her and Gwen. I find that a really interesting, worthwhile change from the standard "one girl with just guys" formula, though because the guys view Peyton as a sister and each other as brothers, my assumption is that this is strictly a harem where everyone gets along but is only romantically/sexually involved with Gwen. That's not a deal breaker for me, but I did want to mention it since I've seen RH do both: everyone is there to be with one girl & everyone has sexual relations with everyone in the group.
The idea of the story so far is based around Norse mythology, which, if I'm being honest, isn't really all that interesting to me. I'm more into realistic depictions of Norse life (like historic "viking" romances; Beautiful Wreck is a great example) and I've only ever liked Norse myth paranormal/fantasy books like Starling in a general way but without finding myself completely enamored with the story. There's just something so repetitive about Norse myth in YA books; they're all about the end of the world. I don't know if Norse myth is just that boring that the only story worth telling is Ragnarok with Fenrir the wolf eating the world but I can't think of any other story I've seen in modern YA besides this. We're not told everything quite yet, but I'm assuming based on what we are seeing that the various elements, however the author chooses to present them, will culminate with the group saving the world from frost and fire giants thus preventing the apocalypse.
Also, big trigger warning there is a scene where Gwen is lured into a guy's apartment and he threatens to rape her, using explicit language, ties her up, interrogates her, cuts her, and licks her/kisses her, clearly intent on actually raping her should she not tell him what he wants to know. The scene lasts for several pages and while he doesn't actually rape her, the scene was such that I feel like it could be hard to handle all the same. I was actually kind of shocked the author was so frank with it, so I'd say this is like a 17+ YA for more mature readers.
As for the guys we have Zeke who's kind of a benign football player who's well meaning, Xander who is the moody edge-lord and asshole of the group, Finn who is an artist and also like religious and judgey, Eliot who is a ladies man who looks like hot-nerd-chic and is a genius, and then Peyton who has pink hair and is very upbeat.
Eliot and Peyton are my favorites. Zeke is okay, sort of bland. Xander is, as expected, just your typical asshole character who underneath has like a chip on his shoulder or something and the heroine will probably draw out his goodness and he's the first one she kisses because of course she kisses the asshole first before literally anyone else because YA novels can't imagine the asshole not winning.
I would like Finn except his POV kind of sucks and his character makes me feel uncomfortable. He's like religious, being all weird about "church told me that if I hold hands with a girl that it's like I own her so I shouldn't do it" and I'm like... what kind of ultra conservative nonsense is THAT? And he's talking about how he's saved himself and like harps on how his brothers in a judgy way are but then when he gets The Big Reveal he's like "we're all going to hell my birth mother was a whore and she's in hell and my adoptive mom was good but she lied so she's also going to hell and my siblings are going to hell and I'm going to hell why did I ever try to be a good person when we're all filthy sinners going to hell and I'm so terrible for wanting to fuck Gwen and fuck my brothers it's wrong and nasty and sinful" and it's just weird and a lot and I don't like it. It sets me on edge. I hope that it was just him spazzing out because he's upset and that he's not going to be a weird character throwing some strange conservative, judgemental christian nonsense into this mix.
I'll probably read book #2 to see what's up but I'm not super hopeful. I feel like we'll have instalove happen immediately and that Finn will keep being weird and Xander will get far more couple time than he should. I just hope Peyton doesn't get the short stick for being a girl; like if you're gonna have a lesbian romance, then treat it equally. A token lesbian relationship is insulting.
This book has a lovely cover, and a very unique plot. Gwen, and all the other characters (especially Xander, my favorite guy) were interesting, and I enjoyed getting to know them and their dynamics. While this book was light on the romance and the world building, it looks like we should be getting more of that in book two. Overall, I just felt it was original, and that it had endearing characters. Oh, and 3.5 stars.
*I received a free copy of this book which I voluntarily chose to write an honest review for.
Book one in the brand new Hosting Gods series and what an intriguing start it is too. We meet Gwen who has spent most of her life pretty much on the run with her mother who has issues. Emotional from the very beginning and you quickly feel bad for the girl and then mom does something totally out of character by taking them to the house of a guy she met online. Once there she meets his teen kids and strange things start happening around them as they all try to get used to one another. This leads to some secrets coming to light that really ramp up the story which leads us to the end that leaves you wanting to know more about what is going to happen next. Great paranormal very slow burn reverse harem novel I must say that I really enjoyed so I give it 4/5 stars.
There definitely was no easing into the story - we were in the thick of it from page one. And let me tell you, I was pretty baffled by what I was reading - especially the beginning. The choices the characters' parents were making made no sense to anyone - not to me, nor to the characters in the story, but we all sure wanted to see where things were going. I liked that everything about this book threw me off - it did not fit the usually mold I expected it to feet. The plot itself was rather unique, I do not think I've read a concept like this one before - and it is based on North mythology, which is a plus! The characters (and I liked this fact most of all) did not fit into the stereotypes you expected them to fit into - they will all for sure surprise you with the way they act, because you will expect them to follow a certain pattern that we are all used to and they don't give a damn about the pattern, they do what they want. I liked that a lot. The story ended rather abruptly and I am still processing everything. The picture does not quite come together in my mind - I don't have all the pieces yet - but I am definitely looking forward to reading the next book and figuring everything out.
Just wow! Instantly hooked when we meet Gwen and her mother in the run yet again. You see her mother keeps saying that fire giants are chasing them, ravens are spying on them and the wolf is trying to find them! WTH right? Except Gwen was used to what she thinks is her mother's mental illness. Ready to run at the drop of a hat, never having friends. What she wasn't expecting was to learn they were headed to meet some random guy in a completely different state that her mother met online. What was going on? When they finally pulled up to find a mansion she was even more confused. Enter the guys children all her age and all gorgeous specimens. The strange thing is the instant draw she has toward them and strange incidents that begin happening more frequently. Enter a world where Gwen and her new family learn all about Nordic gods and lore, and how THEY are personally entwined within in all. Housing parts of a Nordic god makes this entire thing next level! What the heck is going on, and what will they all do? Open this first book in the series and start the magical journey. I can't wait to see what's next!
This book was definitely a big difference for me. I know Egyptian mythology, I know Greek mythology, I know Roman and some Native American mythology. But Norse mythology? I've never really thought about it. The most I know is just stuff from Marvel. So this was definitely an interesting change. I haven't learned too much on the subject yet, but I'm on the author's ARC team, so hopefully by the end of the series I'll be an expert.
The plot was exciting. Really, really weird, too, but that's okay. I had an exciting time guessing who Gwen would end up with and what was really going on. Trust me, the ending is not expected. This book left me wanting to just get to the sequel, but considering it's past my bedtime, that's not happening currently.
Anyways, in summary, I enjoyed the new shake up of things and I'm eager to begin the sequel and find out what happens next. Happy reading!!!
What a unique twist of mythology... I’m still curious about the harem aspect of the story and love some of the characters (though some seem a little too accepting of events). I can’t wait to see who the other three are and what all of this amounts to.
Well, I have no idea where this is going. I didn’t realize this was going to be a reverse harem like this...when I picked it up but it really seems to be heading that way, it’s definitely different and if they are all sharing pieces of the same god isn’t that going to be weird? I am definitely hoping the FMC becomes stronger. Right now she seems frail and weak both physically and emotionally. It’s definitely interesting enough to continue the story.
This is a fantastic first book!! I loved every minute of it! This is my first read from this author, it won't be my last. This book had twists and turns and burning moments. It's a slow burn RH. It has a bit on F/F but it's more like subtle attraction not full on, like I said, it's slow burn. I really liked the author's writing style. The characters were good too. Classic characters, the bad boy, the nerd, the football star, the semi-normal one.
This has a bit of lore going on. I'm hoping that this author decides to continue this series! Hint, hint. The book didn't have a cliff-hanger, which I'm so thankful for, but it definitely has more to come. I just hope we get to read it. There were a few mistakes here and there but I'm sure it will be fixed by the time this books gets published.
Thank you for this amazing book Lena, I hope I get to read more of it!!
I was enjoying this book, but then I had a reality check with one of the characters. Now it's early enough in the series that I'm not positive about who will be love interested, but 'I hate him, but I want him' makes me think he is. Now I do love bad boys, and the enemies turned lovers is a favorite. However there is a line, there is not liking someone because they get on your nerves (their cockiness or something) then there is full on mental abuse. He crossed this line, and I'm not ok reading about involvement with someone like that. Maybe later in the book/series we'll find out he's the bad guy or something - I don't know.
The concept is good but something was missing. It lacks of intimacy and emotions. I’ve gotten really bored, until I couldn’t take it anymore. Unfortunately, this goes to my DNF. I kept going and going, looking for the thrill that will set me on edge but, none. Nada.
This is my first LMH book and I LOVED IT. RH is a genre that is really hot these days. And, I feel it has to be done right. I have read SOOOOO many these last 6 months.
Gwen has moved around since she was little with her mom who she thought was mentally ill and has visions. Her mom one day says she met a man online and is moving them in with them. The man also has 5 children her age and is mega rich.
I really liked Gwen she was a strong character and even though she went through a hard and not normal childhood basically being homeless she is not weak. I hate when RH girls are weak and broken and then the men swoop in to make everything better and by the end of book 1 they are all trying to get with her.haha.
I liked the guys in this series. They are all her step- brothers, but they all care for her. And Peyton is a sweet stepsisters. I think RH works best when there is some paranormal aspect to it and for this one there is one of the Norse-Mythology variety which is cool and I haven't seen yet in other RH. I think contempory Rh are just odd! haha. Like having a paranomral aspects makes a teen girl having a relationship with 3+ other men less odd somehow. I also likes the action that happens. And the connection with one of the guys she starts at the end. I think for RH to be done right they should be slow burn. BUT not so slow that by book 10 nothing happens.hahaha. SO I hope that each book is as good as the first book. But, I also hope that Lena has planned a certain # of books within the series that is reasonable. Like 8 books or 13? I really hate the C.L Stone books of her RH The Academy- i skim through her books, but she is on book 12 and NOTHING HAPPPENS. And its contempory and i hate the main girl. Anyhow..........GREAT JOB LENA!!! I wish you lots of success. And I need book 2 like next month!! thanks.haha
below is a compelete summary. really just for me so i remember .lol
I had some high hopes for finding a new YA RH that could be added to my growing list of favorites. Unfortunately, Emerge does not quite make the cut for me.
Emerge had an interesting premise, and it jumps right into action with the trope-ish scenario of girl on the run needs to leave behind the life she's barely started to make her own. At first, it seems like Gwen's mother has some type of mental illness- she sees and hears things that speak of fantastical monsters from Norse lore, and that's definitely not normal. Or at least that's what Gwen thinks.
It was a bit...different...for Gwen's harem to be made up of her step-siblings. Honestly, since she wasn't raised with them, there's not much of an ick factor in case anyone's concerned. Really, their status as step-siblings is just more material for the mean girls to use, but I don't think it matters much overall.
The step-sibs are a varied bunch- from what I can tell, there's likely some f/f in the future for the series. Personally, that doesn't bother me, but I know some people like to be forewarned. There's some kind of pull between Gwen and each of her siblings, even the one who doesn't seem to want her there at all.
For the most part, the characters are likable. Xander, the unwelcoming one, is not that easy to love. There's a moment towards the end where I felt some sympathy for him, but I'm not convinced that she should really be redeemed just yet. I was actually kind of irritated that Gwen lets him off the hook so easily- he really is an *sshole to her.
The others provide many of the usual tropes- the athlete (who might not be the smartest of the bunch), the literary, the artist, the popular one. There's a bit of a twist since one of them has a very religious attitude, so it'll be intriguing to see how that plays out.
Overall, Emerge was an OK read. I was amused enough that I did follow it through to the end. Would I pay for it? I'm not really convinced on that, but I might check out book two if the series stays on KU.
I'm here with a review for an amazing book called Emerge by Lena Mae Hill. It's full of fantasy and mythology. Add a few mental illnesses and other problems and there you go.
There are many reasons why I like the book so let's start there.
The book touches mental illnesses, something you can't say about a lot of other fiction books. And it has fantasy in it! And hot boys if that's your cup of tea. The LGBTQIA representation means so much too. So really that book has it all.
Let's talk about things that I didn't like as much. Firstly, the start of it was slow. It was confusing and til the end of the book, I was like: what is that? So be prepared that fun stuff is coming and the poly I was hoping for didn't happen as much.
This is a series if I understood correctly. So if you read it and wish for the next book (If I don't get the second book I will sue) please tell the author and support her!
I loved it even tho you need to go through a lot of chapters to really get into it but it's interesting and cause I don't know much about the Norse myths and legends, I was really excited to learn more about it.
I can't say it's an easy quick read. Definitely not, it's a novel and around 82,000 words, so depending on how quickly you read depends how "quick" the read is. But easy read it isn't, it has a lot going on and tension is up. Not too much action before the end. But that's all I will tell about the book.
Grammatically, like always, the version I got is an ARC so I can't say much. I will say that the writing style wasn't my favourite but it was okay. Maybe you are going to love it so give it a shot.
I think that's all for now. My rating for it would be a strong 6/10 and I totally recommend it to everyone who loves fantasy and paranormal and Norse Myths and Legends, or if you're looking for something new! If you do check it out please tell me and the author of course!
I love this author, and although this is something of a new direction, she still delivers. Lena Mae Hill has a real knack for creating imaginative, fantastical worlds that somehow seem authentic and believable. Here we are treated to Norse mythology alongside such modern day topics as homelessness and mental health issues, both of which are well handled, in my opinion, and the reader is left, at first, to make their own mind up.
It won't please everyone because although it doesn't exactly end on a real cliffhanger, we still have a lot of questions left unanswered so clearly this is intended as the start of a series. As such there is a fair amount of scene setting necessary which is well done, and I loved the characters. They developed before our eyes as we got to know them and Gwen was likeable and relatable. Billed as a reverse harem, this was only just starting to unfurl but I can see how that would work as all the Keen kids were attractive and charismatic in their own ways. I cannot wait to see how those relationships will develop.
As usual, the writing is quality, with a natural flow that just leads the reader in. I didn't know much about Norse mythology but I didn't need to. It was clear towards the end what was developing, at least enough to whet my appetite for more. There are several points of view telling this story which all adds to the flavour. Good start, can't wait for more!!
I am speechless! This book was outstanding in every way! This is the first Lena Mae Hill book I have read; however, I can assure you it won’t be my last! I was fully engrossed in this story from the very beginning and I found myself not wanting it to end. Lena Mae’s writing style is nothing short of brilliant. Her storyline and characters suck you in from the start and leave you wanting more. She provides enough hints about what MAY be going on that you think you know, and then blows your theories out of the water. Emerge is steeped in Norse Mythology (think Thor and Asgard), which I am a huge fan of! Gwen has never had a normal life, living constantly on the run from her mother’s imaginary foes, until this last move when her mother informs her they are going to live with some guy she met on the internet. Gwen’s life is turned upside down when she gains an instant family of 4 brothers and a sister. To make matters worse, there is some strange electric attraction between Gwen and each one of the siblings. She craves their nearness and their touch, which is completely bizarre to her, as she has never touched anyone but her mother. There are so many good things I could say about this story, but I don’t want to ruin it for you, so moving on... Yay’s: This book is EVERYTHING good about YA/NA Fiction! There is a bit of something for everyone - mythology and legend, romance (just a hint), suspense.... the perfect combination, if you ask me! The character development is outstanding! I wanted to be a part of the siblings and experience their tight knit group. They all offered something different, and they had their issues, but were fiercely loyal to each other. And did I mention the storyline? I did not want it to end. Ever! While the book did not end in a cliffhanger, it is very clear that there is much more to come. Much remains unresolved and I will have to wait, on pins and needles, for the second book in the series. Have I mentioned that I am not the most patient person when it comes to books I love! 🤪 Nay’s: I’ve got nothing! Seriously! This book checked ALL the boxes for me!
Not as good as I hoped. First off how old is the main character? It seems to go back and forth between 15 and 16.
Then there’s everyone in the RH being her step-siblings, them having one God’s essence split up between them, and the author making a big deal about them being related by marriage. The incest vibe gets creepy (which it shouldn’t be IMHO since they aren’t actually related and they did not grow up together). Yet the author managed to make it seem gross.
However it was the prophecy that they would lose one and be betrayed by another, that really spoiled the book for me.
Since I don't normally write reviews unless I have something specific to say, here's the break down of how I rate my books...
1 star... This book was bad, so bad I may have given up and skipped to the end. I will avoid this author like the plague in the future.
2 stars... This book was not very good, and I won't be reading any more from the author.
3 stars... This book was ok, but I won't go out of my way to read more, But if I find another book by the author for under a dollar I'd pick it up.
4 stars... I really enjoyed this book and will definitely be on the look out to pick up more from the series/author.
5 stars... I loved this book! It has earned a permanent home in my collection and I'll be picking up the rest of the series and other books from the author ASAP.
I ashamed to say I am DNFing this series, although by miracle I was able to finish this book. All because of Freaking Bish-derrière Xander!
I had hope at first when the h said something along the line of, I am not going to fall for the asshat of hot guy like all those romance novels. But what do we get the typical fall and get hurt of the "bad boy," but I get my brothers back cliché.
I mean for God sake (lord forgive me for saying your name in vain) it can get more stereotypical than that.
Other points, like how whiney the h is, the most of harem guys are manhores , and that there will be JUST DID NOT FLOAT MY BOAT.
SO... YAH I am not in the mood or have the patience to deal with this for a whole series.
I will give it 3.5 stars, but not because it was not good.
I enjoyed reading the book, it was easy to read and follow for the audience. The heroine was great, she was relatable, cliché enough to make her likeable for every reader but still enough of individuality to make it interesting. She is not too dependent and passive, strong with her own weaknesses. I also like her mother, unstable, with her fair share of mental illness, yet still loving and trying to protect her daughter. I loved their relationship, weird and definitely not your usual mother-daughter relationship portrayals, but you can't help but still love their unique mother-daughter-love. What intrigued me the most, in the beginning, was the atmosphere. It was eerie, the reader already knows and feels that there is something wrong. This mystery that the reader tries to uncover is what mostly made me stay.
In general, it was a really enjoyable book. The only reason why it does not have 4 stars is because it is too short and because of it, too early to tell how good it is. But the premise is good and it does excite me for the next instalment, to see where it will (hopefully) go.
I don't know if my review could be considered a spoiler for the details I am about to put so beware.
I really liked the fact that this book was written about Norse mythology. You don't see that very often. Or maybe I am not reading the right books. I could not predict the ending which is a big thing for me. I like that.
There are a couple of things that keep me from giving this a 5 star.
1) I wish we had more from Peyton's POV. Personally I like the fact that there is a girl in the harem. JS. I don't see that often.
2) Zeke is coming off as such an airhead. I love it but it also seems every sees him as a leader character and I just don't get it. Like I laughed through his whole POV because he was ridiculous. I guess I am going to have to wait to see how this dynamic plays out.
3) Xander was too much of a whiny little bitch for me. His back story was a little too tame for the shade he threw in the book. Like I get some of it but other parts were a little over the top. Xander pissed me the fuck off at times.
Overall I liked this and cannot wait to see how this turns out.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
This was definitely interesting and had some good ideas and could have been a really unique story, but there was so much info dumping and things that didn't make any sense.
There were parts that felt kind of ridiculous. But I can't say I was ever really bored or wanted to quit reading, even when the plot got convoluted.
For all it's faults, this was still worth the read in my opinion and I'll most likely read the next one. Who knows, maybe with most of the world building in place, the second one will be better.
Also, I really like that this included another girl in the reverse harem, which isn't something I've seen before but the fact that they're all siblings, either through adoption or by law, is a little off putting.
Also, I could NOT stand Xander and even with the revelation about his unfortunate past, I still didn't think it excused the emotionally abusive, cruel treatment of Gwen for 99% of the book.
She has been through much more hardship than him and it didn't turn her into an as ssh old who enjoyed hurting people just because she could, so I'm not really interested in seeing them as a couple.
I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving a free copy.
Emerge was a great start to what has the potential to be a really cool series. I am a sucker for a good Norse Mythology based novels and Emerge attacks mythology from a new, refreshing take. I absolutely loved and became invested in these characters and their development. I got so into the characters that I actually finished this book in about 4 hours. I just couldn't put it down.
That being said, I feel like the pull between Gwen and all her "brothers" is a little on the weird side. I wish that had been explained a little bit more. I was immensely disappointed by the ending. Just when you start to find out what is going on the story ends. It feels like an incomplete story.
I will definitely be finishing the series, because I love the characters and want to see what happens to them. I just hope the rest of the books actually satisfy a lot of the questions that weren't even close to tackled in the first one.
First off I'd like to start by saying; as my first reverse harem I've ever read this book blew me away.
It's been awhile since a fantasy book has had me SO invested in the plot and characters (and I LOVE me some fantasy!!!!)
Between the fact that there are so many pieces to this godly puzzle and the fact that all along Gwen's journey was not for nothing the action keeps you on the edge of your seat.
Next, I've never read a book with two female characters who have such a strong physical reaction like Gwen and Peyton do...and so this book is then made that much better to me. It's refreshing to see.
This book also shows firsthand that everyone is not always as they first seem. -looking at you Xander and Joaquin.-
And finally I just have to say, throughout the entire book I was left WAITING for a kiss....and the oneit ended up happening with was PERFECT!!!!!
I simply can NOT wait to reads the last two in the series.
This story began as one of a girl having to deal with her mentally ill mom. Lots of crazy things going on. Then all of a sudden they were moving in with this rich family. And even more crazy things happen. It was very confusing as to where this story was going. Also, the story is told in multiple POVs which was difficult to keep track of at times. Each POV was trying to flesh out what was happening to them. There was talk of Norse mythology and that they each could be a piece of one Norse god (what?). Yeah, a very confusing, crazy story. And on top of that we have the reverse harem thing thrown in where each POV was talking about how they were so physically attracted to this one character and she was attracted to each of them to the point that all they could think about was touching and kissing and....yeah. Not sure how I feel about this crazy story but hey, maybe you will like it.
This book seriously had me wanting to punch the characters! A lot of the guys were seriously funny and pretty cool but Xander was straight up a jerk. Emerged had me wanting to figure out what was going to happen before it did and really got me thinking about the mysteries and characters in the book and their backgrounds. Gwen at times had me wanting to seriously punch her or slap her just to make her realize what was going on and to get her out of her head and see that these guys actually liked her. There are definitely a lot of moments where you might want to just scream over and over and tell The characters to not do this or to run or to fight and I absolutely love that. The homeless factor of Gwen‘s past definitely adds to the book and the way it contrasts with the way the Keens lives is perfect. I absolutely love all the drama and romance and humor and factors of this book. Lena Mae Hill you rock! 😄