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Kingmakers #2
Renegade
After betraying his oath to the Khalshir Guild, Coryn is expecting to be sentenced to a painful execution. Instead, he’s sent out on an assassination job designed to test his loyalty. When the test demands a moral sacrifice Coryn can’t bring himself to make, he flees, only to end up in captivity with two outlanders.
Kai is determined to save his teenage cousin Adrian from an abusive father. Before he can come up with a plan, their long-lost grandfather kidnaps them and whisks them away to another world. Once there, Kai learns that Adrian possesses a power that makes him a valuable commodity, and that protecting him may be far more dangerous than facing down his drug-addicted uncle.
With the Guild hot on his trail, Coryn has no intention of getting entangled with his fellow captives, but when a chance for escape comes, he finds himself unable to abandon the pair to certain death. Reluctantly, Coryn takes Kai and Adrian under his wing, all the while struggling to deny his growing feelings for Kai.
Can Coryn evade the Guild long enough to help the cousins escape their grandfather and find a mythe-weaver powerful enough send them home? And if he succeeds, will his heart survive losing the man he’s beginning to care for?
Kai is determined to save his teenage cousin Adrian from an abusive father. Before he can come up with a plan, their long-lost grandfather kidnaps them and whisks them away to another world. Once there, Kai learns that Adrian possesses a power that makes him a valuable commodity, and that protecting him may be far more dangerous than facing down his drug-addicted uncle.
With the Guild hot on his trail, Coryn has no intention of getting entangled with his fellow captives, but when a chance for escape comes, he finds himself unable to abandon the pair to certain death. Reluctantly, Coryn takes Kai and Adrian under his wing, all the while struggling to deny his growing feelings for Kai.
Can Coryn evade the Guild long enough to help the cousins escape their grandfather and find a mythe-weaver powerful enough send them home? And if he succeeds, will his heart survive losing the man he’s beginning to care for?
ebook
First published January 1, 2019
4 people are currently reading
44 people want to read
About the author
Jaye McKenna
24 books132 followersJaye McKenna was born a Brit and was dragged, kicking and screaming, across the Pond at an age when such vehement protest was doomed to be misinterpreted as a “paddy”. She grew up near a sumac forest in Minnesota and spent most of her teen years torturing her parents with her electric guitar and her dark poetry. She was punk before it was cool and a grown-up long before she was ready. Jaye writes fantasy and science fiction stories about hot guys who have the hots for each other. She enjoys making them work darn hard for their happy endings, which might explain why she never gets invited to their parties.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
February 11, 2019
This book delivers with the classic Jaye Mckenna formula of low-heat-high-fantasy that we've all come to know and love. Every character was fully realized, with three-dimensional personalities and motivations, and the whole thing came together in yet another truly enjoyable visit to the world(s) of the mythe. Whatever I felt the first book in this series lacked, this one brought in abundance. Excellent work.
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January 24, 2019Now available at Amazon and Smashwords. Coming to other retailers soon.
July 21, 2019
I know there are a lot of deserving authors out there, but this one truly deserves more attention.
I love the world Jaye McKenna has created in most (all?) her books. From what I understand, each series can be read without reading any of the other series she has written but sometimes have very slight connections in lore and characters. (Which doesn’t affect the story for first time readers of any of these series)
Quality storytelling and writing. The world building is fantastic as well. Sometimes I wish there sex were a little more explicit. I’m not asking for full out porn smut. I just think the sex scenes could be more intimate and emotional.
Over all, I’ve always loved every story Jaye McKenna puts out there. If you’re on the fence, take a chance! I’m almost positive you won’t regret it (:
I love the world Jaye McKenna has created in most (all?) her books. From what I understand, each series can be read without reading any of the other series she has written but sometimes have very slight connections in lore and characters. (Which doesn’t affect the story for first time readers of any of these series)
Quality storytelling and writing. The world building is fantastic as well. Sometimes I wish there sex were a little more explicit. I’m not asking for full out porn smut. I just think the sex scenes could be more intimate and emotional.
Over all, I’ve always loved every story Jaye McKenna puts out there. If you’re on the fence, take a chance! I’m almost positive you won’t regret it (:
February 3, 2019
Totally awesome!!
This book was awesome I liked all the characters... The plot of this one was in point! Unlike Roe from book one...Coryn was an assassin!! You were showed he had skills... The veil thing was a great addition.... The author can go into so many directions .... Now I'm waiting for the mentors book... He has to get his HEA .... Patiently waiting!!!
This book was awesome I liked all the characters... The plot of this one was in point! Unlike Roe from book one...Coryn was an assassin!! You were showed he had skills... The veil thing was a great addition.... The author can go into so many directions .... Now I'm waiting for the mentors book... He has to get his HEA .... Patiently waiting!!!
May 11, 2022
I loved the first book in this series but this one is even better. I love Jaye McKenna's writing! The blurb is accurate so I won't repeat it but the writing is outstanding and no blurb can do this book justice. The book reads well as a standalone but all of her books are related in a way that makes each of them richer. Renegade's characters are wonderful, the world amazing and the story is strong. There is romance but it's secondary to the action and the sex is fade to black, which is perfect for the story. Although this book could be considered a complete story, there are so many characters who need their own book and there is more of Coryn and Kai's story to tell. I can't wait!
December 26, 2020
Rating = 3.5 Stars
Blurb = (Scale 1-5) 2 stars; Not at all clear that this was similar to a time travel story. It really threw me off when the story shifted to modern time America.
My Genre Scale = (Scale 1-5) 3
I am not opposed nor particularly fond of the Time Travel trope.
Odds if not your genre = (Scale 1-5)
3
Development of: = (Scale 1-5)
*World = 3
*Plot = 3
*Characters (scratch below the surface?) = 3.5
What stood out =
Nothing
Mood Type / Appeal to those looking for = Quest / Adventure with Romance and light sex.
Warnings = Mild torture, references to parental abuse
Series Notes = 2nd of Kingmakers but part of the Wytch King and Guardians of the Pattern Universe.
*Reading on? N/A
*Reading back to back? Yes, I did.
*Can be easily read without the previous? Definitely
Rating Notes =
Definitely ends with a HFN/HEA. I did not feel this was as well developed as all the other of Jaye's books I've read (which is most of them). I found myself asking why? too often. As in why would a character do that or why did something happen a certain way etc... Do not get me wrong, it was not bad at all. Overall, it really didn't effect my enjoyment. I think it stood out because it has never been an issue (that I can remember) with any of her other books. Things are always well developed like motivations, sequence of events, or the world building etc... This one was good. It just didn't quite reach really good (4 stars) or great (5 stars) for me.
**************
Below are my explanations or thoughts on reviewing!
***************
1.Obviously no review can take into account all the various personal pet peeves of readers. But, I do try to take into account the common ones often bemoaned by other reviewers
2. If used in this review, the term Brain candy is not necessarily negative. It has its uses and at times it is my preference when I just want to pass some time; so it does not carry a negative connotation for me - unless I'm expecting the next great novel. (What falls under brain candy? The book is meant for pure entertainment to pass time. It may be formulaic, from an author published quickly like monthly, things escalate fast, and are often solved easily etc.. Publishing industries version of pop music. Beach type reads etc... ).
3. Blurb rating purpose:
Like many readers, I do not like to think I'm reading one kind of story; just to end up with another type. But...I also don't think a book should be docked stars for being as stated. If I don't like stories about "_________", and I choose to read one. I shouldn't give it 2 stars based JUST on my preferences. Unless... it wasn't clear in the blurb.
4. Other Factors that effect my perspective when reviewing:
Since 2009, I have exclusively read m/m. My 1st was in 2007. I am a Kindle diehard, and I never do audio for m/m. I read at least 100+ books a year - with an average length of 220± pages; but the total number of books is usually much higher. My Goodreads lifetime rating (at the start of 2020) was a 3.72 average for 1390 books. Which considering, you should be better at picking out books the more you read, I feel is a accurate average. I have over 700 reviews within the m/m genre here on Goodreads.
Blurb = (Scale 1-5) 2 stars; Not at all clear that this was similar to a time travel story. It really threw me off when the story shifted to modern time America.
My Genre Scale = (Scale 1-5) 3
I am not opposed nor particularly fond of the Time Travel trope.
Odds if not your genre = (Scale 1-5)
3
Development of: = (Scale 1-5)
*World = 3
*Plot = 3
*Characters (scratch below the surface?) = 3.5
What stood out =
Nothing
Mood Type / Appeal to those looking for = Quest / Adventure with Romance and light sex.
Warnings = Mild torture, references to parental abuse
Series Notes = 2nd of Kingmakers but part of the Wytch King and Guardians of the Pattern Universe.
*Reading on? N/A
*Reading back to back? Yes, I did.
*Can be easily read without the previous? Definitely
Rating Notes =
Definitely ends with a HFN/HEA. I did not feel this was as well developed as all the other of Jaye's books I've read (which is most of them). I found myself asking why? too often. As in why would a character do that or why did something happen a certain way etc... Do not get me wrong, it was not bad at all. Overall, it really didn't effect my enjoyment. I think it stood out because it has never been an issue (that I can remember) with any of her other books. Things are always well developed like motivations, sequence of events, or the world building etc... This one was good. It just didn't quite reach really good (4 stars) or great (5 stars) for me.
**************
Below are my explanations or thoughts on reviewing!
***************
1.Obviously no review can take into account all the various personal pet peeves of readers. But, I do try to take into account the common ones often bemoaned by other reviewers
2. If used in this review, the term Brain candy is not necessarily negative. It has its uses and at times it is my preference when I just want to pass some time; so it does not carry a negative connotation for me - unless I'm expecting the next great novel. (What falls under brain candy? The book is meant for pure entertainment to pass time. It may be formulaic, from an author published quickly like monthly, things escalate fast, and are often solved easily etc.. Publishing industries version of pop music. Beach type reads etc... ).
3. Blurb rating purpose:
Like many readers, I do not like to think I'm reading one kind of story; just to end up with another type. But...I also don't think a book should be docked stars for being as stated. If I don't like stories about "_________", and I choose to read one. I shouldn't give it 2 stars based JUST on my preferences. Unless... it wasn't clear in the blurb.
4. Other Factors that effect my perspective when reviewing:
Since 2009, I have exclusively read m/m. My 1st was in 2007. I am a Kindle diehard, and I never do audio for m/m. I read at least 100+ books a year - with an average length of 220± pages; but the total number of books is usually much higher. My Goodreads lifetime rating (at the start of 2020) was a 3.72 average for 1390 books. Which considering, you should be better at picking out books the more you read, I feel is a accurate average. I have over 700 reviews within the m/m genre here on Goodreads.
July 19, 2019
4.5 stars
Did Not Finish
July 1, 2020Rating: dnf
I’m marking this down as a DNF since I basically read the first chapter and then skipped to the last chapter. The way the book was headed didn’t interest me, so I stopped reading. I’m just lucky that a friend lent me her copy and I didn’t spend money on it.
I’m marking this down as a DNF since I basically read the first chapter and then skipped to the last chapter. The way the book was headed didn’t interest me, so I stopped reading. I’m just lucky that a friend lent me her copy and I didn’t spend money on it.
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April 10, 2019(Originally reviewed for Love Bytes Reviews.)
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews