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Xiveri Mates #2
Taken to Nobu
Kiki
There's no way I'm letting this alien who calls me his Xiveri mate claim me as his. He may say the right things and stir emotions in me I never expected to feel again for any male, but his kind has already taken too much from me as is.
Trapped now on his harsh, snow-consumed planet waiting to be hunted, with no way of escape, I'll do the only thing I can. The one thing I've been training for since the aliens first came to the human moon colony to hurt us. I'll fight.
But when our enemies become one, will I be able to leave my prejudices behind and fight, not against, but alongside him?
Va'Raku
She hates me, my human mate, but she honors me all the same. Nobu has never seen a queen before who is able to wield sword and staff, fist and tongue. A warrior queen, and mine to claim in the ceremony of the Mountain Run.
But when she fights me, it is not out of honor. She fights out of fear. She has been hurt before and views me as she does him. As a monster. Perhaps I am, because the one who harmed her will suffer torture upon torture at my hands.
I will need to catch him first and unfortunately, he has plans of his own and allies off-world. My queen and I will need to fight together to bring him to his knees and bury him once and for all... Trust, first, is what I need from her.
Taken to Nobu is a full-length (95k words), standalone, interracial, SciFi romance complete with an alpha alien overlord, warrior heroine, fated mates who are also enemies-to-lovers, world building and extra steamy bits. All Xiveri Mates books can be read as standalones, each one with a guaranteed HEA. NO cheating, harem or love triangles. Some dark themes, illusions to abuse, and debatable consent due to intergalactic cultural misunderstandings may be trigger warnings.
There's no way I'm letting this alien who calls me his Xiveri mate claim me as his. He may say the right things and stir emotions in me I never expected to feel again for any male, but his kind has already taken too much from me as is.
Trapped now on his harsh, snow-consumed planet waiting to be hunted, with no way of escape, I'll do the only thing I can. The one thing I've been training for since the aliens first came to the human moon colony to hurt us. I'll fight.
But when our enemies become one, will I be able to leave my prejudices behind and fight, not against, but alongside him?
Va'Raku
She hates me, my human mate, but she honors me all the same. Nobu has never seen a queen before who is able to wield sword and staff, fist and tongue. A warrior queen, and mine to claim in the ceremony of the Mountain Run.
But when she fights me, it is not out of honor. She fights out of fear. She has been hurt before and views me as she does him. As a monster. Perhaps I am, because the one who harmed her will suffer torture upon torture at my hands.
I will need to catch him first and unfortunately, he has plans of his own and allies off-world. My queen and I will need to fight together to bring him to his knees and bury him once and for all... Trust, first, is what I need from her.
Taken to Nobu is a full-length (95k words), standalone, interracial, SciFi romance complete with an alpha alien overlord, warrior heroine, fated mates who are also enemies-to-lovers, world building and extra steamy bits. All Xiveri Mates books can be read as standalones, each one with a guaranteed HEA. NO cheating, harem or love triangles. Some dark themes, illusions to abuse, and debatable consent due to intergalactic cultural misunderstandings may be trigger warnings.
313 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 16, 2020
607 people are currently reading
929 people want to read
About the author
Elizabeth Stephens
79 books1,385 followersTop 10 USA Today Bestselling author Elizabeth Stephens writes books where beastly men—or sometimes just beasts—always get the girl.
A full-time hybrid indie and traditionally published author, Elizabeth is best known for her Supers in the City series (Montlake) and her indie works like The Bone King and the Starling and Dark City Omega. In all of her books, readers can expect diverse casts, epic world-building, quests with unexpected twists, and women of color being celebrated loudly, Black and biracial women in particular.
When she isn’t writing, you might find Elizabeth enjoying the outdoors of the Pacific Northwest or traveling and making adventures of her own with her husband, tiny humans, and doggo, King Louis.
A full-time hybrid indie and traditionally published author, Elizabeth is best known for her Supers in the City series (Montlake) and her indie works like The Bone King and the Starling and Dark City Omega. In all of her books, readers can expect diverse casts, epic world-building, quests with unexpected twists, and women of color being celebrated loudly, Black and biracial women in particular.
When she isn’t writing, you might find Elizabeth enjoying the outdoors of the Pacific Northwest or traveling and making adventures of her own with her husband, tiny humans, and doggo, King Louis.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 338 reviews
August 20, 2022
Same universe, different planet!
The following ratings are out of 5:
Narration: 🎙🎙🎙🎙🎙
Romance: 💚🖤💙❤️💜
Heat: 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Story/Plot: 📕📗📙📔
World building: 🌏🌍🌎🌍🌏
Character development: 😒😚🥲😍
The heroine: Kiki - she was from the same moon colony as Miari from Taken to Voraxia and was one of Miari’s two best friends. She was two years older than Miari and was an offering to the Drakesh in the hunt twice. She was raped by the evil Bo’Raku both times, since he was the strongest and she the most beautiful. She hadn’t spoken since then. Though she had trained with her brother and is a warrior as well. She was determined to not let her friend Miari be taken in the hunt, so they ran away and she faced the beasts that attacked them in the sewers. She was badly hurt and spent months in the healing chamber.
The Hero: Va’Raku (a.k.a. Okkari) - He knew from the first time he saw Kiki that she was his Xiveri mate. When he and the Raku returned to the moon colony, he planned to take her home, and since she was injured, he stayed by her side while she was in the purple healing waters. Va’Raku is not a name but his position, which is kind of like Vice President while Raku is President (or King).
The Story: Kiki wakes and is in a cave on a frozen planet with many alien women. She is told that they are preparing for the hunt. Though the alien women are there by choice in order to find mates and have babies, Kiki only knows of being part of the hunt against her will and being forced by huge alien males who are much stronger than her. She is determined to fight and either get away or kill any male who tries to catch her.
I didn’t really understand what Va’Raku or his people were thinking. They had to know what people of the moon colony had been through and he stood watch over Kiki all that time. So why would he have her wake from her healing in the cave like that, thinking the same thing was happening to her again, instead of being there when she awakened and talk to her, explaining what she was to him?
Kiki continues to fight Va’Raku even after she starts to feel something for him, though she does second guess her desire to escape. I like this series because there is plenty of romance, steam and side storylines. They are also different from a lot of the “Alien Barbarian” type of Alien romance. These aliens come from different societies and have their own customs and each book is about a different couple and a different setting though in the same universe.
The book is told in dual points of view and done in duet narration where the female narrator does all the female parts and the male narrator does the male parts. Like the first book, this one was narrated by Blaire LaBlanc and I really like her voice, it is soft yet clear and very feminine but not high. The male parts were narrated by Marquis du Sad, and he also had a pleasant voice and did a great job despite his unfortunate name.
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The following ratings are out of 5:
Narration: 🎙🎙🎙🎙🎙
Romance: 💚🖤💙❤️💜
Heat: 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Story/Plot: 📕📗📙📔
World building: 🌏🌍🌎🌍🌏
Character development: 😒😚🥲😍
The heroine: Kiki - she was from the same moon colony as Miari from Taken to Voraxia and was one of Miari’s two best friends. She was two years older than Miari and was an offering to the Drakesh in the hunt twice. She was raped by the evil Bo’Raku both times, since he was the strongest and she the most beautiful. She hadn’t spoken since then. Though she had trained with her brother and is a warrior as well. She was determined to not let her friend Miari be taken in the hunt, so they ran away and she faced the beasts that attacked them in the sewers. She was badly hurt and spent months in the healing chamber.
The Hero: Va’Raku (a.k.a. Okkari) - He knew from the first time he saw Kiki that she was his Xiveri mate. When he and the Raku returned to the moon colony, he planned to take her home, and since she was injured, he stayed by her side while she was in the purple healing waters. Va’Raku is not a name but his position, which is kind of like Vice President while Raku is President (or King).
The Story: Kiki wakes and is in a cave on a frozen planet with many alien women. She is told that they are preparing for the hunt. Though the alien women are there by choice in order to find mates and have babies, Kiki only knows of being part of the hunt against her will and being forced by huge alien males who are much stronger than her. She is determined to fight and either get away or kill any male who tries to catch her.
I didn’t really understand what Va’Raku or his people were thinking. They had to know what people of the moon colony had been through and he stood watch over Kiki all that time. So why would he have her wake from her healing in the cave like that, thinking the same thing was happening to her again, instead of being there when she awakened and talk to her, explaining what she was to him?
Kiki continues to fight Va’Raku even after she starts to feel something for him, though she does second guess her desire to escape. I like this series because there is plenty of romance, steam and side storylines. They are also different from a lot of the “Alien Barbarian” type of Alien romance. These aliens come from different societies and have their own customs and each book is about a different couple and a different setting though in the same universe.
The book is told in dual points of view and done in duet narration where the female narrator does all the female parts and the male narrator does the male parts. Like the first book, this one was narrated by Blaire LaBlanc and I really like her voice, it is soft yet clear and very feminine but not high. The male parts were narrated by Marquis du Sad, and he also had a pleasant voice and did a great job despite his unfortunate name.
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August 17, 2020
I thought I loved book one, but book two just blew me away. I don’t understand how this author isn’t better known. Her dialogue, world building and the way she makes you feel every emotion the humans and aliens feel is just amazing. If you want to be transported by a story then this one’s for you!
KiKi is fierce. She’s a true Warrior Queen and I fell for her hard. Her rough and jaded outside hides a broken and beautiful inside.
And Kinan - well he has a spot in my Book Boyfriend Hall of Fame. I don’t care that he’s purple, he’s more man then most heroes I have read.
There’s clever observations about humanity hidden in this smart storytelling and very real world issues are handled beautifully. I cannot wait for more words from this author and cannot recommend this story enough.
I received an arc of this book.
KiKi is fierce. She’s a true Warrior Queen and I fell for her hard. Her rough and jaded outside hides a broken and beautiful inside.
And Kinan - well he has a spot in my Book Boyfriend Hall of Fame. I don’t care that he’s purple, he’s more man then most heroes I have read.
There’s clever observations about humanity hidden in this smart storytelling and very real world issues are handled beautifully. I cannot wait for more words from this author and cannot recommend this story enough.
I received an arc of this book.
May 31, 2022
I did not like this, which is disappointing after enjoying the first one.
Let’s set the scene of the first book: Kiki was brutally raped in The Hunt, which left her battered in body and spirit. She hasn’t spoken in the 9 years since it happened. She nearly died fighting beasts on her homeworld and is put into a healing tank by her fated mate. She was unconscious at the time so she doesn’t know about the whole mate thing. She spent over a month in the tank, and during that time all the atrocities of her home planet came to light. Kiki’s best friends are mated to two of the males in positions of power, with one of them being essentially the supreme ruler. Kiki’s mate is the supreme ruler’s best friend and is himself the ruler of a planet. All of the rulers and council know that the humans were being raped. Kiki’s best friends explicitly say they will make sure that they ease the confusion and be there to help Kiki and her mate’s new relationship. The book ends with Kiki days away from waking up.
Now, let’s see how book two starts: Kiki wakes up, confused, in a cave with a bunch of alien females. She is completely confused and her last memory is of being on her home planet fighting the beasts. She’s told very little, other than that she’s on another Hunt. They keep saying that the whole hunt was put on just for her. She thinks the one who raped her last time is the one after her again. She fights like hell to get away. Her mate (unbeknownst to her) catches up to her. He thinks that the human ritual is to fight back and resist the mating. So even though she physically fighting him off and resisting with all her might, he rapes her. Now, you can argue semantics, but if just the tip counts, and I think in this instance it does, then it was rape. He barely enters her briefly before pulling out and realizing something terribly wrong with her reception of the act. But even if you don’t count that, he at the bare minimum sexually assaulted her. He sticks his fingers in her, licks his fingers clean, and then rubs his penis in her. All of this is happening from his point of view, so you can’t even claim the whole “but she was secretly enjoying it.”
It’s absolutely disgusting and completely unnecessary. There was literally no reason whatsoever to have their relationship start like this. It makes absolutely zero sense that the MMC didn’t know that the Hunt was rape and that's why they resist. Everyone was talking about it. They were even in the infirmary with him while he was watching over Kiki. It’s completely absurd to think that he managed to stay oblivious for over a month to such important information. And it’s completely unbelievable that Kiki’s best friends nor his best friend didn’t talk to him about it.
It also never at all explained why he ups and leaves with her back to his planet without telling anyone first. And we later see that they wake up in the healing tank, so it also makes no sense that her first moment of awareness is in a snow cave on the MMC’s planet. What happened to the days between waking up in the tank, getting on transport, traveling through space to a far-off planet, landing on the planet, and traveling to the cave. It’s like the author decided she wanted more miscommunication and misunderstandings in the form of DubCon/NonCon and liked the idea of her waking up on a Hunt, damn the lack of logic and continuity.
The DubCon of the nature of the power imbalance in the first book was still ultimately a choice the FMC made. And we got to see her perspective so we knew that she did agree and even enjoyed it, even if the circumstances weren’t ideal. And she also didn’t have past SA, which would complicate the matter further. In this book the FMC was absolutely terrified and fighting with her all to not have it happen. And she is a SA survivor. There was absolutely no tact in how it was handled. How can I root for that? It made me sick to read.
One thing that finally turned me around in my view of the MMC in the first book was we witnessed the clearing of the miscommunication and heard the words of the MMC’s deep regret. That scene was pivotal to their relationship. We didn’t get that here. All the reveals to the MMC of the atrocities Kiki suffered happened off-page while Kiki was unconscious. We never see him adequately apologize. We never have her get to share her story in her own time and in her own way. And it’s not just the MMC that her story was shared with while she was unconscious. It was to her entire (new) people. And when she expresses discomfort with that, it is treated as if she is wrong to be concerned. At every step, the victim’s voice is silenced in favor of others speaking for her. From the lack of her POV during the MMC’s sexual assault of her in the snow(even if he didn’t intend for it to be SA), to her being absent from the conversations about her past to the dismissal of her feelings at having everyone know what happened to her.
Then, we have a period where they live apart while he “woos” her. But really all we see is him sparing with her a couple of times.
So we start the relationship in the book out with SA, then we have no communication, everything important for the growth of the relationship comes from Svera and happens off-page, we don’t have the forced proximity that would usually allow for rapid relationship growth, and we have very few scenes outside of sparing or sex scenes together. All of this combined leaves me feeling completely disconnected from the characters and their relationship, even excluding the vile way the beginning was handled.
The trial thing for Kiki and Svera is also bullshit. The human colony was not fledged, so the Raku was not their anything. As we well saw when Peixal couldn’t even be punished for anything he did to them. Because they were not voraxian citizens. He only was able to be punished when he admitted to trying to make deals with foreign planets behind Raku’s back. So not only is it fucked up to punish them for trying to save his mate from what they all saw as essentially sex slavery (especially since no one had explained the mates thing to them), but it also has absolutely no legal standing at all. You cannot punish them for a crime they couldn’t legally commit.
There may have been parts I enjoyed, but the parts that I didn’t eclipsed them. I’ll still continue the series because the 3rd book is the one I’ve been recommended most. But if one more starts with DubCon/NonCon because of miscommunication and misunderstandings, I’ll call it quits.
Let’s set the scene of the first book: Kiki was brutally raped in The Hunt, which left her battered in body and spirit. She hasn’t spoken in the 9 years since it happened. She nearly died fighting beasts on her homeworld and is put into a healing tank by her fated mate. She was unconscious at the time so she doesn’t know about the whole mate thing. She spent over a month in the tank, and during that time all the atrocities of her home planet came to light. Kiki’s best friends are mated to two of the males in positions of power, with one of them being essentially the supreme ruler. Kiki’s mate is the supreme ruler’s best friend and is himself the ruler of a planet. All of the rulers and council know that the humans were being raped. Kiki’s best friends explicitly say they will make sure that they ease the confusion and be there to help Kiki and her mate’s new relationship. The book ends with Kiki days away from waking up.
Now, let’s see how book two starts: Kiki wakes up, confused, in a cave with a bunch of alien females. She is completely confused and her last memory is of being on her home planet fighting the beasts. She’s told very little, other than that she’s on another Hunt. They keep saying that the whole hunt was put on just for her. She thinks the one who raped her last time is the one after her again. She fights like hell to get away. Her mate (unbeknownst to her) catches up to her. He thinks that the human ritual is to fight back and resist the mating. So even though she physically fighting him off and resisting with all her might, he rapes her. Now, you can argue semantics, but if just the tip counts, and I think in this instance it does, then it was rape. He barely enters her briefly before pulling out and realizing something terribly wrong with her reception of the act. But even if you don’t count that, he at the bare minimum sexually assaulted her. He sticks his fingers in her, licks his fingers clean, and then rubs his penis in her. All of this is happening from his point of view, so you can’t even claim the whole “but she was secretly enjoying it.”
It’s absolutely disgusting and completely unnecessary. There was literally no reason whatsoever to have their relationship start like this. It makes absolutely zero sense that the MMC didn’t know that the Hunt was rape and that's why they resist. Everyone was talking about it. They were even in the infirmary with him while he was watching over Kiki. It’s completely absurd to think that he managed to stay oblivious for over a month to such important information. And it’s completely unbelievable that Kiki’s best friends nor his best friend didn’t talk to him about it.
It also never at all explained why he ups and leaves with her back to his planet without telling anyone first. And we later see that they wake up in the healing tank, so it also makes no sense that her first moment of awareness is in a snow cave on the MMC’s planet. What happened to the days between waking up in the tank, getting on transport, traveling through space to a far-off planet, landing on the planet, and traveling to the cave. It’s like the author decided she wanted more miscommunication and misunderstandings in the form of DubCon/NonCon and liked the idea of her waking up on a Hunt, damn the lack of logic and continuity.
The DubCon of the nature of the power imbalance in the first book was still ultimately a choice the FMC made. And we got to see her perspective so we knew that she did agree and even enjoyed it, even if the circumstances weren’t ideal. And she also didn’t have past SA, which would complicate the matter further. In this book the FMC was absolutely terrified and fighting with her all to not have it happen. And she is a SA survivor. There was absolutely no tact in how it was handled. How can I root for that? It made me sick to read.
One thing that finally turned me around in my view of the MMC in the first book was we witnessed the clearing of the miscommunication and heard the words of the MMC’s deep regret. That scene was pivotal to their relationship. We didn’t get that here. All the reveals to the MMC of the atrocities Kiki suffered happened off-page while Kiki was unconscious. We never see him adequately apologize. We never have her get to share her story in her own time and in her own way. And it’s not just the MMC that her story was shared with while she was unconscious. It was to her entire (new) people. And when she expresses discomfort with that, it is treated as if she is wrong to be concerned. At every step, the victim’s voice is silenced in favor of others speaking for her. From the lack of her POV during the MMC’s sexual assault of her in the snow(even if he didn’t intend for it to be SA), to her being absent from the conversations about her past to the dismissal of her feelings at having everyone know what happened to her.
Then, we have a period where they live apart while he “woos” her. But really all we see is him sparing with her a couple of times.
So we start the relationship in the book out with SA, then we have no communication, everything important for the growth of the relationship comes from Svera and happens off-page, we don’t have the forced proximity that would usually allow for rapid relationship growth, and we have very few scenes outside of sparing or sex scenes together. All of this combined leaves me feeling completely disconnected from the characters and their relationship, even excluding the vile way the beginning was handled.
The trial thing for Kiki and Svera is also bullshit. The human colony was not fledged, so the Raku was not their anything. As we well saw when Peixal couldn’t even be punished for anything he did to them. Because they were not voraxian citizens. He only was able to be punished when he admitted to trying to make deals with foreign planets behind Raku’s back. So not only is it fucked up to punish them for trying to save his mate from what they all saw as essentially sex slavery (especially since no one had explained the mates thing to them), but it also has absolutely no legal standing at all. You cannot punish them for a crime they couldn’t legally commit.
There may have been parts I enjoyed, but the parts that I didn’t eclipsed them. I’ll still continue the series because the 3rd book is the one I’ve been recommended most. But if one more starts with DubCon/NonCon because of miscommunication and misunderstandings, I’ll call it quits.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 10, 2020
**ARC received in exchange of an honest review**
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
So like the previous book this again has reached the mark of '5 star deserving books'. Elizabeth you did it again!! I knew it was going to be amazing!!
So the plotting was great, where an entirely different planet Nobu has been brought up. I loved the hierarchy system with all those big and formal sounding titles. The real spice of the book is their super duper awesome characters, which I really loved. And the elements which has been put into. Elements like the xanaxana, which leads the great warriors towards their mates.
I mean the whole story revolves around xanaxana and mating procedure but somehow it manages to make the readers believe that it includes all the other things as well, which is really great.
The writing style is as usual commendable. So swiftly Elizabeth lures into a different world from where I didn't want to come out😭
Character building was amazing. I loved the progress made by each character. Every detailing was done amazingly.
I never thought kiki would be able to love someone that much after all the exploits she has been through. But here she proved me wrong and she found her true mate.
Their chemistry was sizzling.
Highly recommended 💞
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
So like the previous book this again has reached the mark of '5 star deserving books'. Elizabeth you did it again!! I knew it was going to be amazing!!
So the plotting was great, where an entirely different planet Nobu has been brought up. I loved the hierarchy system with all those big and formal sounding titles. The real spice of the book is their super duper awesome characters, which I really loved. And the elements which has been put into. Elements like the xanaxana, which leads the great warriors towards their mates.
I mean the whole story revolves around xanaxana and mating procedure but somehow it manages to make the readers believe that it includes all the other things as well, which is really great.
The writing style is as usual commendable. So swiftly Elizabeth lures into a different world from where I didn't want to come out😭
Character building was amazing. I loved the progress made by each character. Every detailing was done amazingly.
I never thought kiki would be able to love someone that much after all the exploits she has been through. But here she proved me wrong and she found her true mate.
Their chemistry was sizzling.
Highly recommended 💞
February 2, 2021
This second book we get to catch back up with kiki and her Xivera mate when we last saw them she was still recovering in the healing tank from her extensive injuries sustained on the human colony.
Awakening now on Nobu she again finds herself a participant in the mountain run.
This hunt has been arranged in her honour new mate still under the mistaken assumption that it is a human custom as well as one of his own.
Though initially frightened and thinking that she is again in the clutches of her past enemy and again revisiting her previous trauma Kiki rises to the challenge impressing Kinan her new mate and the Okkari of Nobu.
She’s his future Xhea and he has been saving himself for there joining and this union means everything to him.
Obviously there’s a whole lot of initial miscommunication between the two and also some OW drama thrown in with a jealous female that tries to come between them but despite this Kiki feels the bond and attraction between them burn brightly and does struggle to hold on to all her past hate in the wake of Kinan’s kindness and adoration towards her.
Kiki’s past has not been good and she has learned to protect herself by donning the mantle of a warrior a role that her mate actively encourages, I liked this about him that he was proud of her abilities and accomplishments, that he let her be her own person and also gave her the space she needed to evolve and accept him and his people in her own time and way.
Yeh she made mistakes but she owned them swiftly realising her past prejudices were just that, I liked that she was willing to admit her shortcomings and give this new life with Kinan a chance.
I especially liked the finish when he was willing to stand back and fight his own instincts and allow Kiki the chance to take control of her own destiny and obliterate her own demons.
I found Kinan a more emotional being than the Raku was, he does seem more willing to show his emotion while around others, less bothered about tradition and honour and just went with the flow willing to make new ones with Kiki.
This again had fantastic world-building some of the best I’ve encountered in this type of novel and I’m looking forward to reading more of this series in the future.
If your looking for a sci-fi romance series with substance then this is definitely the one it really is a great read.
I voluntary reviewed a copy of Taken To Nobu ( Xivera Mates #2)
Reviewed By Beckie Bookworm
https://www.facebook.com/beckiebookworm/
www.beckiebookworm.com
August 22, 2024
August 22, 2024
I LOVED IT all over again. This whole series id fantastic. This one is one of my favs in the series. I highly recommend. Happy reading!
March 4, 2022
5 "Love conquers hate." Stars!
I really loved this story! It took me trough the emotional wringer. You met Kiki and Kinan in book 1- Taken to Voraxia. Kiki had been severely injured when Kinan realizes she is his Xiveri mate. He faithfully stands vigilant by her side as she recovers. But what Kinan doesn't know is that Kiki has suffered much more than physical injuries.
Oh my heart, the beginning of story gave me anxiety. And it last wd for a while. Kiki is understandably suffering from PTSD because of events that happen in her past. But Kinan has no idea, and unknowingly makes things worse.
The anxiety lasted a while, but then I was like okay. I feel better, and ultimately I wanted to jump out of my seat and cheer! When Kinan gets it right, he gets it so very right.
I loved this story so much! This series so far has been just what I needed and wanted. I'll definitely be on to the next Xiveri mates very soon. Happy reading!
I LOVED IT all over again. This whole series id fantastic. This one is one of my favs in the series. I highly recommend. Happy reading!
March 4, 2022
5 "Love conquers hate." Stars!
I really loved this story! It took me trough the emotional wringer. You met Kiki and Kinan in book 1- Taken to Voraxia. Kiki had been severely injured when Kinan realizes she is his Xiveri mate. He faithfully stands vigilant by her side as she recovers. But what Kinan doesn't know is that Kiki has suffered much more than physical injuries.
Oh my heart, the beginning of story gave me anxiety. And it last wd for a while. Kiki is understandably suffering from PTSD because of events that happen in her past. But Kinan has no idea, and unknowingly makes things worse.
The anxiety lasted a while, but then I was like okay. I feel better, and ultimately I wanted to jump out of my seat and cheer! When Kinan gets it right, he gets it so very right.
I loved this story so much! This series so far has been just what I needed and wanted. I'll definitely be on to the next Xiveri mates very soon. Happy reading!
June 16, 2020
Really good story.
Strong heroine.
Virgin Hero.
Huge misunderstandings due to cultural differences.
Other woman drama.
No intimate scenes other than the Hero and heroine.
No cheating.
No interest in others.
Heroine was a victim of rape in previous book, it happened prior to the start of book 1 but events are referred to, though vague.
HEA.
Previous couple appear and breadcrumbs dropped for future books in series.
Strong heroine.
Virgin Hero.
Huge misunderstandings due to cultural differences.
Other woman drama.
No intimate scenes other than the Hero and heroine.
No cheating.
No interest in others.
Heroine was a victim of rape in previous book, it happened prior to the start of book 1 but events are referred to, though vague.
HEA.
Previous couple appear and breadcrumbs dropped for future books in series.
dnf
April 26, 2024DNF @ 16%. no TWs in the beginning of this one, so please note that there are a few moments of descriptive noncon, done by the MMC to the FMC, who’s already a SA survivor several times over and deeply traumatized as a result. no way can i root for this guy, regardless of whether it’s ‘just a misunderstanding.’ skipping to the next one and also once again asking authors to please include TWs and CWs at the start of your books.
January 6, 2024
3.5 stars
First things first, I don’t think you can read most of the books in this series without having started with the first and having read them in order. (there are some exceptions, like book 3 & 7)
All books focus on a different couple but most have had interactions in previous books.
Such is the case for this book as well.
Overall, I’d say that the story was entertaining and I got through most of the series pretty quick, but there are definitely some plot holes.
I found the lack of communication between the hero and heroine at the beginning of the book to be absolutely crazy and too convenient for the plot. It didn’t make sense.
The man just kidnapped her, brought her to a different planet and basically declared his soulmate - all while she was unconscious. And no, this wasn’t some sort of uncivilised alien mate thing, nor was he the type to force a woman into anything. His personality was actually all about honour, kindness, loyalty etc.
So it made no sense that he didn’t realise she had no idea about his customs. She literally didn’t even see his face. He didn’t even introduce himself before he left her to wake up in a room full of strange alien ladies who then sent her running up a mountain so that he can hunt her and find her and be mated happily ever after I guess.
That whole situation, was hard to explain afterwards, because logic and everything else told me that it couldn’t be explained away because he just wouldn’t do that. None of the people that were around them thought to actually talk to her or him about how messed up it was?
Again. Made no sense because the world, and characters as they were later portrayed clearly show no one in that book was the type of person to allow such a situation to occur, especially the hero.
First things first, I don’t think you can read most of the books in this series without having started with the first and having read them in order. (there are some exceptions, like book 3 & 7)
All books focus on a different couple but most have had interactions in previous books.
Such is the case for this book as well.
Overall, I’d say that the story was entertaining and I got through most of the series pretty quick, but there are definitely some plot holes.
I found the lack of communication between the hero and heroine at the beginning of the book to be absolutely crazy and too convenient for the plot. It didn’t make sense.
The man just kidnapped her, brought her to a different planet and basically declared his soulmate - all while she was unconscious. And no, this wasn’t some sort of uncivilised alien mate thing, nor was he the type to force a woman into anything. His personality was actually all about honour, kindness, loyalty etc.
So it made no sense that he didn’t realise she had no idea about his customs. She literally didn’t even see his face. He didn’t even introduce himself before he left her to wake up in a room full of strange alien ladies who then sent her running up a mountain so that he can hunt her and find her and be mated happily ever after I guess.
That whole situation, was hard to explain afterwards, because logic and everything else told me that it couldn’t be explained away because he just wouldn’t do that. None of the people that were around them thought to actually talk to her or him about how messed up it was?
Again. Made no sense because the world, and characters as they were later portrayed clearly show no one in that book was the type of person to allow such a situation to occur, especially the hero.
June 7, 2021
Not s e x positive. Trivialises trauma.
I had to NOPE out of this book very early on. The main character Kiki prior to book one survives an absolute horrific R a p e in which she is hunted down and the then brutalised by an alien. Her entire character is based on being a warrior and surviver and also not speaking? Hating being touch. all makes sense for someone with TRUMA.
So it makes NO SENSE for this author to put her in this position again as if to trivialise her trauma or that of R a p e.
Kiki starts of strong and I honestly thought the alien would catch up and she would freak and he would be omg are you ok? Nope he can’t even ask her friend or other humans to find out what her story is nope he tried to flipping r a p e. She struggles To start but then this mating feeling (that was never explained in book one) takes over and she burns and asks and begs him to F**k her. And there is NO WAY regardless of any feeling anyone who has been through a seggual trauma would ever be ok with that. NO. The author clearly has no understanding of this type of trauma and is trivialising it for a story.
What was worse is we saw it happening from the male perspective as if to silence her pain further because he was just doing what he thought was right? Still NO. Especially in today’s world? This book doesn’t live in a vacuum, just because he doesn’t know better is NOT AN EXCUSE.
Also THE FLIPPING HYMAN DOESN’T TEAR. It’s not a barrier. And the first time SHOULD NOT HURT. Learn biology please and stop perpetuating these lies. It’s not sex positive.
I had to NOPE out of this book very early on. The main character Kiki prior to book one survives an absolute horrific R a p e in which she is hunted down and the then brutalised by an alien. Her entire character is based on being a warrior and surviver and also not speaking? Hating being touch. all makes sense for someone with TRUMA.
So it makes NO SENSE for this author to put her in this position again as if to trivialise her trauma or that of R a p e.
Kiki starts of strong and I honestly thought the alien would catch up and she would freak and he would be omg are you ok? Nope he can’t even ask her friend or other humans to find out what her story is nope he tried to flipping r a p e. She struggles To start but then this mating feeling (that was never explained in book one) takes over and she burns and asks and begs him to F**k her. And there is NO WAY regardless of any feeling anyone who has been through a seggual trauma would ever be ok with that. NO. The author clearly has no understanding of this type of trauma and is trivialising it for a story.
What was worse is we saw it happening from the male perspective as if to silence her pain further because he was just doing what he thought was right? Still NO. Especially in today’s world? This book doesn’t live in a vacuum, just because he doesn’t know better is NOT AN EXCUSE.
Also THE FLIPPING HYMAN DOESN’T TEAR. It’s not a barrier. And the first time SHOULD NOT HURT. Learn biology please and stop perpetuating these lies. It’s not sex positive.
September 28, 2020
This second entry in the series focuses on a different couple on a different planet - this one is all snow and ice. Kiki is a warrior recovering from a disastrous situation. She hates to lose, which makes it difficult for her to move forward. However, the local warlord has found her to be his fated mate, so he must find a way for her to recover her strength and pride. A few adventures follow, along with some lustiness. She finally escapes from her internal cage and is able to destroy her enemy in grand style.
Although these stories follow the well-trod plot path, I'm enjoying the variations and the characters. I will read the next one.
Although these stories follow the well-trod plot path, I'm enjoying the variations and the characters. I will read the next one.
June 15, 2020
Taken to Nobu is a fabulous addition to the Xiveri Mates series. We first met Kiki, the protagonist, in Taken to Voraxia when she valiantly defended Miari from vicious beasts and was severely injured in the process. Kiki spends the remainder of that story incapacitated and recuperating from her wounds.
At the beginning of this book, Kiki, now healed, learns that she is on a foreign planet, and she is about to participate in a hunt. Traumatized by the hunts practiced on her home planet and the sexual assault she experienced by a sadistic Voraxian, Kiki is horrified by her present situation and decides that she won’t relent without a fight. She hates the aliens and the hunt, and she trained to fight so that she would never be a victim again. So, why does she feel so connected to Va’Raku? Is he really her Xiveri mate? Kiki’s body and mind want two different things, and Kiki is more confused than ever.
Va’Raku/Okkari admires his warrior mate and is devastated to learn of her past trauma. He is determined to do whatever it takes to get Kiki to trust and love him even if it means courting her, or worse, letting her go.
Can Kiki put aside her misgivings and prejudices, and can Okkari convince her that their love is worth fighting for?
The story alternates between Kiki and Okkari’s points of view. This dual narrative is effective in providing multiple perspectives and opinions of the events that unfold throughout the story. I find that it also worked well in describing the different traditions of Roku. Kiki experienced things differently than Okkari, as she is not from Roku and he is. Seeing events unfold from different perspectives shows how different Kiki and Okkari are culturally, and yet how similar they are in their actions and feelings.
Kiki is tough. She’s jaded, and she has a smart mouth. She doesn’t trust easily, and her prejudice against the inhabitants of Roku is palpable. Considering her past, this isn’t surprising, and it takes time for her to come to terms with her new reality. She feels conflicted and afraid of giving in to her feelings and desires.
Abandonment, loss, and sexual assault riddle her past and makes her distrustful of men. Kiki has a lot of justified anger and hurt, which she uses to keep people at arm’s length. Okkari is one of the first males to break through that wall, even though Kiki tries hard not to give in to the feelings she develops for him.
Okkari’s acceptance of Kiki, his understanding of her needs, and his desire to please her make this Alpha alien a perfect partner. His pride in her strength and skill, as well as his tenderness and protectiveness, says a lot about his character. He treats Kiki like his equal and his queen, and he feels honored and favored by the gods for binding him to Kiki.
Some of his swoon-worthy moments include learning and practicing human dating customs to show her respect and honor, giving her a home of her own to live in until she is ready to live with him, and taking her on a “date” to combat training instead of the typical date. There are also lovely moments like this:
"She beams up at me, all radiant light. She would make Voraxia’s suns jealous…I nod, mute, feeling every bit a boy. Feeling every bit a King."
Taken to Nobu is a well-crafted, well-paced romance with dynamic characters and edge-of-your-seat action. I love Kiki’s warrior personality and Okkari’s love and admiration of her. In addition to the amazing characters and immersive world-building, Elizabeth Stephens has a knack of successfully addressing difficult subjects within her stories. Thanks so much to Elizabeth Stephens for an advanced copy of the book.
https://onebookmore.com/2020/06/15/ar...
At the beginning of this book, Kiki, now healed, learns that she is on a foreign planet, and she is about to participate in a hunt. Traumatized by the hunts practiced on her home planet and the sexual assault she experienced by a sadistic Voraxian, Kiki is horrified by her present situation and decides that she won’t relent without a fight. She hates the aliens and the hunt, and she trained to fight so that she would never be a victim again. So, why does she feel so connected to Va’Raku? Is he really her Xiveri mate? Kiki’s body and mind want two different things, and Kiki is more confused than ever.
Va’Raku/Okkari admires his warrior mate and is devastated to learn of her past trauma. He is determined to do whatever it takes to get Kiki to trust and love him even if it means courting her, or worse, letting her go.
Can Kiki put aside her misgivings and prejudices, and can Okkari convince her that their love is worth fighting for?
The story alternates between Kiki and Okkari’s points of view. This dual narrative is effective in providing multiple perspectives and opinions of the events that unfold throughout the story. I find that it also worked well in describing the different traditions of Roku. Kiki experienced things differently than Okkari, as she is not from Roku and he is. Seeing events unfold from different perspectives shows how different Kiki and Okkari are culturally, and yet how similar they are in their actions and feelings.
Kiki is tough. She’s jaded, and she has a smart mouth. She doesn’t trust easily, and her prejudice against the inhabitants of Roku is palpable. Considering her past, this isn’t surprising, and it takes time for her to come to terms with her new reality. She feels conflicted and afraid of giving in to her feelings and desires.
Abandonment, loss, and sexual assault riddle her past and makes her distrustful of men. Kiki has a lot of justified anger and hurt, which she uses to keep people at arm’s length. Okkari is one of the first males to break through that wall, even though Kiki tries hard not to give in to the feelings she develops for him.
Okkari’s acceptance of Kiki, his understanding of her needs, and his desire to please her make this Alpha alien a perfect partner. His pride in her strength and skill, as well as his tenderness and protectiveness, says a lot about his character. He treats Kiki like his equal and his queen, and he feels honored and favored by the gods for binding him to Kiki.
Some of his swoon-worthy moments include learning and practicing human dating customs to show her respect and honor, giving her a home of her own to live in until she is ready to live with him, and taking her on a “date” to combat training instead of the typical date. There are also lovely moments like this:
"She beams up at me, all radiant light. She would make Voraxia’s suns jealous…I nod, mute, feeling every bit a boy. Feeling every bit a King."
Taken to Nobu is a well-crafted, well-paced romance with dynamic characters and edge-of-your-seat action. I love Kiki’s warrior personality and Okkari’s love and admiration of her. In addition to the amazing characters and immersive world-building, Elizabeth Stephens has a knack of successfully addressing difficult subjects within her stories. Thanks so much to Elizabeth Stephens for an advanced copy of the book.
https://onebookmore.com/2020/06/15/ar...
September 30, 2021
The beginning of this story is brutal. The heroine is set up to go on a ‘hunt' exactly the same way she was raped on her planet in the first book. She doesn’t understand that this ‘hunt’ is a huge honor and a sacred ritual on Nobu, all she knows is that she’s terrified to be caught again.
Kinan is one of the most gentle, fierce, alpha males I’ve ever read. His incredible sensitivity throughout this story was beautiful. He is the perfect mate for Kiki. He sees the warrior in her, the pain and suffering she’s gone thought and he only makes her stronger with his gentle care.
There is a machine the aliens have that heals most wounds. So when Kiki is injured in the first book, she is put into this womb-like machine to be healed. I don’t quite understand how or why the machine would make her a virgin again, but it seemed silly after the third time.
Despite a few plot points that didn’t make sense, I REALLY like these characters and world they live in. Kiki is a KICK ASS heroine and I loved her character growth. Again, huge props for a fabulous book cover!!
“And you say that one of them in particular is going to come for me." Just like last time. Just like every time. The shakes threaten to overwhelm me. I feel bile shoot up from stomach and into my mouth.Kiki is hurting, she’s beyond frightened and wanting to strike out in anyway she can.
I took his virginity with hate in my heart and have every intention of betraying him. Then maybe I will have something in common with him after all. His first time will also be ruined by an alien.I would almost classify this series as slightly hard-core sci-fi with a side of romance. They are intelligently written, somewhat brutal, and have the most amazing character depth. There is so much world building that at times it’s a little overwhelming. Sometimes reading it felt like homework.
Kinan is one of the most gentle, fierce, alpha males I’ve ever read. His incredible sensitivity throughout this story was beautiful. He is the perfect mate for Kiki. He sees the warrior in her, the pain and suffering she’s gone thought and he only makes her stronger with his gentle care.
I push her matted, freezing hair from her face and arch my body over hers to try to bring up her declining body temperature. Our foreheads touch and in the quiet space between our mouths where not even the savage wind can read, I whisper, “Warrior, what do you need?”There are some inconsistencies with Kiki’s story that bothered me. It was like the author might have forgotten a plot point from the beginning, and changed the ideas later in the book.
There is a machine the aliens have that heals most wounds. So when Kiki is injured in the first book, she is put into this womb-like machine to be healed. I don’t quite understand how or why the machine would make her a virgin again, but it seemed silly after the third time.
Despite a few plot points that didn’t make sense, I REALLY like these characters and world they live in. Kiki is a KICK ASS heroine and I loved her character growth. Again, huge props for a fabulous book cover!!
Purple against brown. Our colors look as if they were selected specifically to match. They look beautiful together.
July 19, 2023
I thought book one in this series was amazing, but this one blows book one out of the water!!
Taken to Nobu is an alien romance that takes place directly after Taken to Voraxia, so I do recommend reading these books in order. We also get to meet the two main characters in this book in book one. I think it is important to read book one to fully understand Kiki's character and what she went through before being taken to Nobu. In book one we see Va'Raku take one glimpse at the silent warrior woman and knows they are fated mates. But on her home moon, she gets badly injured. This book starts out with her waking up on his planet after being healed. She is thrown into a ritual of having alien males hunt down their women in the snowy wilderness. But Kiki has no plans of ever being captured by an alien male ever again.
I love this book so much!!! Both characters were just everything to me. Kiki is the type of character I adore reading about. She has gone through one of the worst things imaginable, and she honestly despises herself and who she has become. I loved seeing her growth!! She is so confident and strong by the end of the book. I also love Va'Raku! He was so patient and understanding, yet firm at the same time. He knew what Kiki needed. I also thought it was so cute how he was trying to incorporate human courting rituals into trying to woo Kiki. He was just so cute!
TW: trauma from SA, death, blood, fighting (physically)
TROPES: alien romance, tortured heroine, dual narration (amazing audiobook!!), emotional, fated mates, hero falls first, warrior woman, kindle unlimited, never been kissed (hero), no 3rd act breakup, soulmates, virgin hero, "who did this to you?"
Taken to Nobu is an alien romance that takes place directly after Taken to Voraxia, so I do recommend reading these books in order. We also get to meet the two main characters in this book in book one. I think it is important to read book one to fully understand Kiki's character and what she went through before being taken to Nobu. In book one we see Va'Raku take one glimpse at the silent warrior woman and knows they are fated mates. But on her home moon, she gets badly injured. This book starts out with her waking up on his planet after being healed. She is thrown into a ritual of having alien males hunt down their women in the snowy wilderness. But Kiki has no plans of ever being captured by an alien male ever again.
I love this book so much!!! Both characters were just everything to me. Kiki is the type of character I adore reading about. She has gone through one of the worst things imaginable, and she honestly despises herself and who she has become. I loved seeing her growth!! She is so confident and strong by the end of the book. I also love Va'Raku! He was so patient and understanding, yet firm at the same time. He knew what Kiki needed. I also thought it was so cute how he was trying to incorporate human courting rituals into trying to woo Kiki. He was just so cute!
TW: trauma from SA, death, blood, fighting (physically)
TROPES: alien romance, tortured heroine, dual narration (amazing audiobook!!), emotional, fated mates, hero falls first, warrior woman, kindle unlimited, never been kissed (hero), no 3rd act breakup, soulmates, virgin hero, "who did this to you?"
March 9, 2024
This series its better understood if read in order i would say and although each book is about a different couple the plot is ongoing and expanding as the series goes on.
I liked this couple especially the hero, very supportive and gentle with the heroine who has suffered some really bad trauma.
Although the lack of communication at the beginning was a bit frustrating I still enjoyed this very much.
I liked this couple especially the hero, very supportive and gentle with the heroine who has suffered some really bad trauma.
Although the lack of communication at the beginning was a bit frustrating I still enjoyed this very much.
June 17, 2020
Elizabeth Stephens does it again. Taken to Nobu is brilliantly written. Full of superb scenes of love, lust and battles. Perfect addition to the Xiveri Mates series.
Kiki, tormented human with trust issues after a harrowing hunt on her home colony. Injured trying to protect Miari, who was petrified of her fate. What is to become once she awakens from her injuries?
Okkari, strong, loyal warrior. In Taken to Voraxia Okkari goes to the human colony with the Rakukana to assist the Rakukana in claiming his mate. What he does not expect to happen is to find his one mate severely injured.
Okkari has Kiki places in merilian to heal her injuries. Once she is healed he arranges for a mountain run, as is custom on his home of Nobu.
After a harrowing experience in the hunt Kiki is angry, and confused. She does not wish for any of this to happen and after waking up in a cave filled with alien females she is even more so confused and angry.
After the mountain run Kiki and Okkari have a tremulous relationship with lots of confusion on both sides. But with time, patience and lots of council from Svera things start looking up. Can they stay that way and get better or do cultural differences come between them??
Kiki, tormented human with trust issues after a harrowing hunt on her home colony. Injured trying to protect Miari, who was petrified of her fate. What is to become once she awakens from her injuries?
Okkari, strong, loyal warrior. In Taken to Voraxia Okkari goes to the human colony with the Rakukana to assist the Rakukana in claiming his mate. What he does not expect to happen is to find his one mate severely injured.
Okkari has Kiki places in merilian to heal her injuries. Once she is healed he arranges for a mountain run, as is custom on his home of Nobu.
After a harrowing experience in the hunt Kiki is angry, and confused. She does not wish for any of this to happen and after waking up in a cave filled with alien females she is even more so confused and angry.
After the mountain run Kiki and Okkari have a tremulous relationship with lots of confusion on both sides. But with time, patience and lots of council from Svera things start looking up. Can they stay that way and get better or do cultural differences come between them??
September 30, 2023
This Alien romance series is so unique and I am loving it so much! This is book 2 and I liked it even more than I liked the first book. Kiki is one of my favorite FMCs and I honestly just loved her character arc in this. I also loved that Nobu was so different from Voraxia. Elizabeth Stephens has such a wonderful way of developing these stories and these worlds and this language and just throwing the reader into these new worlds in a way that isn't hard to digest. I love everything about this series and I can't wait for more.
June 10, 2020
Elizabeth Stephens continues her fascinating SFF series about humans who’ve been living in an alien culture for a long time but who are only now beginning to truly integrate with other species—with all the challenges that brings—with Taken to Nobu. This second book in the Xiveri Mates series deals with the assumptions we all make, and the prisms through which we see any incident. And this book starts with a doozy—what Kinan thinks he is doing to respect Kiki’s culture after he met her during a Hunt on her planet turns out to be anything but respect in her mind—it takes her back to the Hunt that resulted in her earlier rape. As Kinan slowly realizes that the step he took to honor tradition is anything but that, he’s got a long way to go to change Kiki’s opinion of him. Kiki has to take a similar path on her journey to trust Kinan, and Taken to Nobu is rooted in bridging these gaps.
There are assumptions across the board—what is deemed to be respectful to one might mean avoidance to another, what is considered an honor to one is a challenge to another. And Taken to Nobu takes the reader on Kiki’s and Kinan’s path to true understanding of one another. What drives this for both characters is the fated-mates concept that’s the root of Stephens’ series—that when two mates meet, they are inexorably drawn to one another physically and emotionally. But if your cultural differences and past history impede that, it’s a huge barrier to overcome.
There were some pat elements to Taken to Nobu—Kinan’s people are almost perfect, and anyone who isn’t is there as a plot device. I would have liked to have seen a range of reactions to their leader mating with someone from an unknown human race. There was also a rather odd presentation with Kiki, who’s lived in a desert environment, waking up in a land of frost and snow and never really being educated on what it’s like to cope with that or asking herself how to cope. It seemed strange to me that she’d keep using allusions to snow and ice rather than learning the terms from Kinan’s tribe or asking them about that. While early on it’s a great way to show her lack of understanding of a cold land, later on it grated as it seemed like she was willfully resisting learning more.
This book is a strong second in the Xiveri Mates series, but I do recommend reading the series in order—Kiki’s situation in the beginning of the book makes much more sense if you’ve read Taken to Voraxia. I’m really looking forward to reading more books in this series as well!
There are assumptions across the board—what is deemed to be respectful to one might mean avoidance to another, what is considered an honor to one is a challenge to another. And Taken to Nobu takes the reader on Kiki’s and Kinan’s path to true understanding of one another. What drives this for both characters is the fated-mates concept that’s the root of Stephens’ series—that when two mates meet, they are inexorably drawn to one another physically and emotionally. But if your cultural differences and past history impede that, it’s a huge barrier to overcome.
There were some pat elements to Taken to Nobu—Kinan’s people are almost perfect, and anyone who isn’t is there as a plot device. I would have liked to have seen a range of reactions to their leader mating with someone from an unknown human race. There was also a rather odd presentation with Kiki, who’s lived in a desert environment, waking up in a land of frost and snow and never really being educated on what it’s like to cope with that or asking herself how to cope. It seemed strange to me that she’d keep using allusions to snow and ice rather than learning the terms from Kinan’s tribe or asking them about that. While early on it’s a great way to show her lack of understanding of a cold land, later on it grated as it seemed like she was willfully resisting learning more.
This book is a strong second in the Xiveri Mates series, but I do recommend reading the series in order—Kiki’s situation in the beginning of the book makes much more sense if you’ve read Taken to Voraxia. I’m really looking forward to reading more books in this series as well!
June 7, 2020
Another amazing novel by Elizabeth Stephens.
This is a love story in a cold and foreign land. It prods you to ponder the connotations behind the term 'alien'. Negative? Positive? Both?
Alpha female meets alpha male. Sizzling love scenes. Intense battles of mind and strength.
My favourite passage in the book is where Kiki reminisces about Kinan speaking to his people of her. She recalls how 'he didn't tell them about my beauty. He told them about my might.'
This is a love story in a cold and foreign land. It prods you to ponder the connotations behind the term 'alien'. Negative? Positive? Both?
Alpha female meets alpha male. Sizzling love scenes. Intense battles of mind and strength.
My favourite passage in the book is where Kiki reminisces about Kinan speaking to his people of her. She recalls how 'he didn't tell them about my beauty. He told them about my might.'
May 19, 2022
This is a DNF for me. The author sold me a bill of goods on this one. We don't learn much about Kiki in the 1st book, but we do learn that she's totally mute and we listen to her rapist talk about raping humans (I assume Kiki) in graphic and horrifying detail. She is seen as fighter in book 1, but she is also obviously scarred and traumatized still, because she's totally mute for, I can't remember the exact timeline but it was 2 or 3 rotations of this alien planet were people are fulling grown at 7. So I have to assume she was mute for 6-10 years. Another timeline issue is that Kiki is literally put on ice. She's in some kind of healing tub for 4+ months which just makes no logical sense.
Then we get this this book and the author starts it out with the EXACT same thing happening to her as when she was raped. She's run down and hunted. There's no fear or past trauma comes up. She's talking, giving orders, and basically acts like Rambo. Then the hero sexually assaults her, but at least he stops when she isn't eager.
I just find the massive character change from book 1 to be inexplicable and to start this book out with a mate hunt after the horror and trauma she suffered is insanity. I knew going into this it would be a sensitive topic and I wondered how the author would handle it and I got my answer. She just ignored it. I hope it's at least talked about later in the book, but this wasn't the book I was expecting or the book this author promised from what we already know about this character. Basically, this book suffered from too much backstory.
My rating is totally based on my disappointment based on expectations set in book 1 and the sexual assault BY THE HERO of a rape victim. Not cool.
Then we get this this book and the author starts it out with the EXACT same thing happening to her as when she was raped. She's run down and hunted. There's no fear or past trauma comes up. She's talking, giving orders, and basically acts like Rambo. Then the hero sexually assaults her, but at least he stops when she isn't eager.
I just find the massive character change from book 1 to be inexplicable and to start this book out with a mate hunt after the horror and trauma she suffered is insanity. I knew going into this it would be a sensitive topic and I wondered how the author would handle it and I got my answer. She just ignored it. I hope it's at least talked about later in the book, but this wasn't the book I was expecting or the book this author promised from what we already know about this character. Basically, this book suffered from too much backstory.
My rating is totally based on my disappointment based on expectations set in book 1 and the sexual assault BY THE HERO of a rape victim. Not cool.
June 9, 2020
Can't wait for the next book in series. This author does an amazing job of blending the development of characters and cultural misunderstandings into a plot that didn't allow me to put the book down. I loved the first book and would recommend that people start with that one. It is possible to jump right into this book but the background from the first book gives a better understanding of the universe and characters. The book does have some darkness and the main character is dealing with trauma from a rape. One of the many things I liked about the book was that we got to see her dealing and working through this while dealing with a new alien culture. It wasn't an instant cure but true growth.
April 1, 2022
I loved this! I loved that once he realized what happened to Kiki, he wanted to "woo" her. I also liked his version of "wooing". It flowed really well and as she gradually began to change her mind, it was very easy to understand. It wasn't like his dick was magic or someone flipped a switch and she was all of a sudden ok with everything. Her mental process as the book progressed made sense and it really made the whole book that much better. The whole book was sweet and I loved what happened to Jaxal! Ugh, read it. It's such a good compliment to the first book.
I can't wait for Svera's book!
reread: paperback 2022
I can't wait for Svera's book!
reread: paperback 2022
June 18, 2020
4.5 stars! This series is so good and I simply can’t get enough! Elizabeth killed it with this one! I loved Kinan’s patience and devotion. Kiki was damaged, but also one fierce heroine. Her strength was something I would love to have. Once these two get together it’s so hot. I highly recommend this series! I am hoping we get 5-7 books😉 greedy much? Probably but I’m loving it!
July 20, 2020
I love this series! All the negative comments I had about book 1 were fixed in this one. Fans of sci fi romance should definitely give it a chance. Although each book is it's own story, I think they should be read in order to get the full backstory on Kiki. I'll be waiting for book 3!!!
June 8, 2020
While still a fun read with nice world building, I did like the first book more. Still an engaging read that I can reccomend for anyone loving this genre.
not-finishing
February 12, 2022TW rape on the page.
June 15, 2020
Although this is book two of the Xiver Mates series, both books can be read as standalone (with some minor missing pieces). Compare to book one, this book was darker and a bit harder to get through. I just recently discovered this author in one of my groups, and her first story, Taken to Voraxia, was amazing! I really love book one; the perfect combination of an alpha male alien and sweet romance. However, Taken to Nobu, the romance felt a bit off to me. Especially with them being together so soon. It could also have something to do with the heavy theme of rape that it was dealing with. I personally find that hard to read. Whatever it was, the romance for me was just extra difficult to get into and Kiki's attitude just bothered me. Instead of being the badass I wanted, her horrible attitude made me dislike her. It wasn’t funny sarcasm or anything like that, it was just straight bi*** y. Because of these small issues, I brought it down to 4/5 stars.
From what I described above, it seems like it might need to be lower in stars, but the style of the author and great world-building was still a 5/5. The author Elizabeth knows how to write and create a subversive world that keeps you engage until the end. It was just her main character that made it harder for me to enjoy like book one. Aside from Kiki’s crappy attitude, which can be justified after what happened to her, she was somewhat of a likable character. This author isn’t about keeping characters in their same, old ways, they do improve at a decent part of the story. She had enough redeeming qualities that kept me reading the story. After what happened to her, she decided to embrace her pain and become a fighter. A trait that I admire in any badass female main character. (Especially with that last part on the book of her revenge. That is something every female that has been hurt in such a way should be allowed to do.) That scene won her extra brownie points. No matter how much she wanted to stay away from the person who hurt her, she defended herself and proved her worth. Thus, if Kiki was being rated, she gets a 3/5 as a badass female character in my book. As for the male lead, Va’Raku, he gets 4/5. He was the one who carried the book in my opinion. He did a big mistake at the beginning with what he did to her, but he wasn’t aware, and she was the one that made that scene feel strange to me. But again, I understand it was part of the story, so I guess Kiki gets 3.5/5. Once he realized his mistakes, he fixed them and became a worthy mate. Again, in that last scene of her fight, instead of acting like the cliché alpha and refusing to let her get hurt, he supported her and even guessed her need before her. He gets a solid 4.5/5.
Once I got over my small issues with them, the story was still good. The plot, the world-building, the development of characters, and the culture were perfect. The author knows how to write a good story that makes you feel. A story that makes you imagine yourself right there next to the characters. The romance also picked up towards the middle once they started fixing their misunderstandings and issues. Overall, a good book towards the series, but not as great as book one.
All of this being said, I really want to read Krisxox’s & Svera’s story which won’t be out until next year *cries in sadness*. But while their story is being made, I also look forward to book three!
*I received an ARC from the author for an honest review.
From what I described above, it seems like it might need to be lower in stars, but the style of the author and great world-building was still a 5/5. The author Elizabeth knows how to write and create a subversive world that keeps you engage until the end. It was just her main character that made it harder for me to enjoy like book one. Aside from Kiki’s crappy attitude, which can be justified after what happened to her, she was somewhat of a likable character. This author isn’t about keeping characters in their same, old ways, they do improve at a decent part of the story. She had enough redeeming qualities that kept me reading the story. After what happened to her, she decided to embrace her pain and become a fighter. A trait that I admire in any badass female main character. (Especially with that last part on the book of her revenge. That is something every female that has been hurt in such a way should be allowed to do.) That scene won her extra brownie points. No matter how much she wanted to stay away from the person who hurt her, she defended herself and proved her worth. Thus, if Kiki was being rated, she gets a 3/5 as a badass female character in my book. As for the male lead, Va’Raku, he gets 4/5. He was the one who carried the book in my opinion. He did a big mistake at the beginning with what he did to her, but he wasn’t aware, and she was the one that made that scene feel strange to me. But again, I understand it was part of the story, so I guess Kiki gets 3.5/5. Once he realized his mistakes, he fixed them and became a worthy mate. Again, in that last scene of her fight, instead of acting like the cliché alpha and refusing to let her get hurt, he supported her and even guessed her need before her. He gets a solid 4.5/5.
Once I got over my small issues with them, the story was still good. The plot, the world-building, the development of characters, and the culture were perfect. The author knows how to write a good story that makes you feel. A story that makes you imagine yourself right there next to the characters. The romance also picked up towards the middle once they started fixing their misunderstandings and issues. Overall, a good book towards the series, but not as great as book one.
All of this being said, I really want to read Krisxox’s & Svera’s story which won’t be out until next year *cries in sadness*. But while their story is being made, I also look forward to book three!
*I received an ARC from the author for an honest review.
January 23, 2022
I’ve taken a brief hiatus from writing reviews, which means I didn’t get the chance to review Voraxia before moving on to this one. Although the basis of this review is Taken to Nobu, you can view it as a bit of a hybrid, carrying themes from the previous book.
I’m really liking this series so far. For those of us looking for a romance that doesn’t skimp on plot, Stephens is excellent at blending world building, plot, and romance. So much so that she has been the first and only author to convince me that my notions on changing main characters in a continuing series, might be a bit (and I do mean a bit) biased and over generalized. I have always hated when authors continue a plot line but rotate to new characters, which sucks for me because it’s the basis of 90% of romance novel series, but I am finally starting to see what a great move it is when it’s done correctly. Meaning that the author must appropriately feature her main couple, complete their segment, and realistically convince me that they are off enjoying external happiness while another couple steps up to take the helm. In the transition from Voraxia to Nobu, Stephens does just this, allowing Miari to become the Va’Raku, ruling in the background, while the reader follows her friend Kiki to another planet under her jurisdiction to commence her relationship with Okkari. Stephens kills two birds with one stone, making it easy for Miari and Kiki to still visit, while separating them enough that I don’t get jealous - either that Kiki is taking away from Miari’s romance or vice versa. It’s a subtle skill that Stephens is able to employ, one that really helps readers like me who get jealous when things detract from the characters they’ve fallen in love with.
Stephens star system is vast. I love how the themes of this captive human colony carry over as a wrong the Voraxians must right. I love that although Kiki’s storyline is separate from Miari’s, it helps to enhance the world in general. We see the progress the Voraxian’s have made in inviting humans to tour and slowly become integrated into their society. We see the continuation of the breeding storyline, whereby the Voraxians look for ways to solve their declining birth rate. And yet this is all subtlety woven into the tapestry of the world. Even though the tale is rich and detailed, the story is still mainly a romance, and for those looking primarily for romance it does not detract from the relationships, rather the details serve to enhance their bonds. At the same time, a reader looking for a plot driven space adventure with a heavy dose of romance would not be remiss in reading this.
Although I enjoy this series, and look forward to reading on, Taken to Nobu does highlight some of the issues initially seen in Taken to Voraxia, making them more obvious the second time around. I’ve already mentioned that I’m a jealous reader, preferring one main pairing as opposed to an ensemble romance, so take this with a grain of salt, but I’m not a fan on Svera. I was initially excited to read Kiki’s story, more so than Miari’s. I like a damaged heroine, one that has suffered and must learn to live life again. I was ready to build a connection with a woman whose anger has driven her to silence, but whose resolution has never faltered. And to a point I still did. Kiki is a kind of brittle strength that is compelling, who you really root for to have a happy ending. She is primed as a multi-dimensional character fully equipped to head a story, but Svera’s role as ambassador interferes with Kiki’s relationship with Kinan just as it did, to a lesser extent, between Miari and Raku.
Svera has become an intergalactic liaison, responsible for helping the two cultures learn to interact. Just as the world building grows so does Svera’s responsibility, and in the interim between the two books she has published a manual on humans and their culture. It is an important piece of work in terms of world building, but it subverts Kinan and Kiki’s relationship.
What do I mean by this? Kiki was attacked and raped repeatedly in a hunt that was previously believed to be a willing part of human culture. Svera’s manual published while Kiki recovers in the Merillian explains all of this to Kinan so that by the time Kiki is awake Kinan is well versed in the injustices done to her. In one respect this is nice because it eliminates stupid, contrived misunderstandings, but at the same time it shuts down the need for Kiki to explain anything to Kinan because he already knows everything. Where once we got to watch Miari and Raku work through cultural misunderstanding and build a stronger relationship, Kinan and Kiki don’t get to do this because Kinan is already so understanding and is simply there to make things better for her. He does things to please her, things she doesn’t even realize she needs to help her mentally heal, but we are missing the deeper conversations that would really help me believe in their romance. In comparison to our first couple, Kiki and Kinan seem much more shallow, connected mostly through the Xanaxana and Svera’s manual of convenience. Does this make their relationship bad? No, but considering how compelling a character Kiki is, carrying the scars of the intergalactic collision that started this whole mess, her past is underutilized.
I get the sense that Stephens really likes Svera. This is not the first time I have felt that she has interfered in the story. Back in Taken to Voraxia, she ends up switching faces with Miari in attempts to help her fight against Rhorkanterannu and his pirates. It’s not that she’s annoying or does things contrary to the storyline, just that she, and her eventual love interest Krisxox, end up playing savior roles when the heroics are best saved for the main couple. In both books Krisxox gets a huge fight scene, one that could easily have been done by Raku in book one, or been replaced by another scene featuring Okkari in the second. In doing this both love interests are emasculated while Krisxox steals the scene. And let’s be truthful, I like reading about Krisxox’s fighting skills, but I would like to save it for his eventual book and let the men I originally fell in love with have the spotlights. And just as Krisxox’s fighting prowess detracts from the men, his reluctant need to save Svera and then champion for her, take the place of what could have been a Raku fighting for his Varakukanna or Okkari protecting his Xhea (No I would not have him champion for Kiki, Kiki championing herself is the culmination of all I ever wanted over the course of these two books).
The fact that I have spent so much time on a secondary character highlights how distracting she is for me. Svera can have her time in book four, but I need her to disappear right now. And truthfully I’m not that excited for her book either. Her prim and proper religious persona is not really what I look for in a romance heroine, and although I will probably read it, I like the series too much to skip anything, I doubt she will be a favorite of mine.
I didn’t spend much time talking about Kinan and Kiki, because although theirs is a much better relationship than those in half the books out there, it suffers from a lack of foundation. And having read such a great romance between Miari and Raku, it just doesn’t stand up to them. Kinan’s and Kiki’s interaction is superficial. Through Svera he figures out her likes and dislikes and thus teaches her to train with their weaponry. He allows her space to come to terms with her situation in life, which leaves them living separate from each other for a bit. It’s just that Kinan has too much information and thus works to keep Kiki safe and happy, which is sweet, but keeps him from really getting to know her.
Taken to Nobu is good, but it’s not great. It provides additional information that will serve Stephens well as she seeks to expand her world, but Taken to Nobu is an airport as opposed to final destination. It makes me look forward to things to come, but doesn’t make me want to stay. Instead it reminds me of squandered opportunities. I wish it was better but I’m not mad that I read it. It was a pleasant diversion especially in a time where I can hardly focus enough to finish a book. I’m hoping Taken to Sasor, featuring a different human colony and alien species will be a nice break before I have to return to Svera’s story. ***3 wish I could give more Stars ***
I’m really liking this series so far. For those of us looking for a romance that doesn’t skimp on plot, Stephens is excellent at blending world building, plot, and romance. So much so that she has been the first and only author to convince me that my notions on changing main characters in a continuing series, might be a bit (and I do mean a bit) biased and over generalized. I have always hated when authors continue a plot line but rotate to new characters, which sucks for me because it’s the basis of 90% of romance novel series, but I am finally starting to see what a great move it is when it’s done correctly. Meaning that the author must appropriately feature her main couple, complete their segment, and realistically convince me that they are off enjoying external happiness while another couple steps up to take the helm. In the transition from Voraxia to Nobu, Stephens does just this, allowing Miari to become the Va’Raku, ruling in the background, while the reader follows her friend Kiki to another planet under her jurisdiction to commence her relationship with Okkari. Stephens kills two birds with one stone, making it easy for Miari and Kiki to still visit, while separating them enough that I don’t get jealous - either that Kiki is taking away from Miari’s romance or vice versa. It’s a subtle skill that Stephens is able to employ, one that really helps readers like me who get jealous when things detract from the characters they’ve fallen in love with.
Stephens star system is vast. I love how the themes of this captive human colony carry over as a wrong the Voraxians must right. I love that although Kiki’s storyline is separate from Miari’s, it helps to enhance the world in general. We see the progress the Voraxian’s have made in inviting humans to tour and slowly become integrated into their society. We see the continuation of the breeding storyline, whereby the Voraxians look for ways to solve their declining birth rate. And yet this is all subtlety woven into the tapestry of the world. Even though the tale is rich and detailed, the story is still mainly a romance, and for those looking primarily for romance it does not detract from the relationships, rather the details serve to enhance their bonds. At the same time, a reader looking for a plot driven space adventure with a heavy dose of romance would not be remiss in reading this.
Although I enjoy this series, and look forward to reading on, Taken to Nobu does highlight some of the issues initially seen in Taken to Voraxia, making them more obvious the second time around. I’ve already mentioned that I’m a jealous reader, preferring one main pairing as opposed to an ensemble romance, so take this with a grain of salt, but I’m not a fan on Svera. I was initially excited to read Kiki’s story, more so than Miari’s. I like a damaged heroine, one that has suffered and must learn to live life again. I was ready to build a connection with a woman whose anger has driven her to silence, but whose resolution has never faltered. And to a point I still did. Kiki is a kind of brittle strength that is compelling, who you really root for to have a happy ending. She is primed as a multi-dimensional character fully equipped to head a story, but Svera’s role as ambassador interferes with Kiki’s relationship with Kinan just as it did, to a lesser extent, between Miari and Raku.
Svera has become an intergalactic liaison, responsible for helping the two cultures learn to interact. Just as the world building grows so does Svera’s responsibility, and in the interim between the two books she has published a manual on humans and their culture. It is an important piece of work in terms of world building, but it subverts Kinan and Kiki’s relationship.
What do I mean by this? Kiki was attacked and raped repeatedly in a hunt that was previously believed to be a willing part of human culture. Svera’s manual published while Kiki recovers in the Merillian explains all of this to Kinan so that by the time Kiki is awake Kinan is well versed in the injustices done to her. In one respect this is nice because it eliminates stupid, contrived misunderstandings, but at the same time it shuts down the need for Kiki to explain anything to Kinan because he already knows everything. Where once we got to watch Miari and Raku work through cultural misunderstanding and build a stronger relationship, Kinan and Kiki don’t get to do this because Kinan is already so understanding and is simply there to make things better for her. He does things to please her, things she doesn’t even realize she needs to help her mentally heal, but we are missing the deeper conversations that would really help me believe in their romance. In comparison to our first couple, Kiki and Kinan seem much more shallow, connected mostly through the Xanaxana and Svera’s manual of convenience. Does this make their relationship bad? No, but considering how compelling a character Kiki is, carrying the scars of the intergalactic collision that started this whole mess, her past is underutilized.
I get the sense that Stephens really likes Svera. This is not the first time I have felt that she has interfered in the story. Back in Taken to Voraxia, she ends up switching faces with Miari in attempts to help her fight against Rhorkanterannu and his pirates. It’s not that she’s annoying or does things contrary to the storyline, just that she, and her eventual love interest Krisxox, end up playing savior roles when the heroics are best saved for the main couple. In both books Krisxox gets a huge fight scene, one that could easily have been done by Raku in book one, or been replaced by another scene featuring Okkari in the second. In doing this both love interests are emasculated while Krisxox steals the scene. And let’s be truthful, I like reading about Krisxox’s fighting skills, but I would like to save it for his eventual book and let the men I originally fell in love with have the spotlights. And just as Krisxox’s fighting prowess detracts from the men, his reluctant need to save Svera and then champion for her, take the place of what could have been a Raku fighting for his Varakukanna or Okkari protecting his Xhea (No I would not have him champion for Kiki, Kiki championing herself is the culmination of all I ever wanted over the course of these two books).
The fact that I have spent so much time on a secondary character highlights how distracting she is for me. Svera can have her time in book four, but I need her to disappear right now. And truthfully I’m not that excited for her book either. Her prim and proper religious persona is not really what I look for in a romance heroine, and although I will probably read it, I like the series too much to skip anything, I doubt she will be a favorite of mine.
I didn’t spend much time talking about Kinan and Kiki, because although theirs is a much better relationship than those in half the books out there, it suffers from a lack of foundation. And having read such a great romance between Miari and Raku, it just doesn’t stand up to them. Kinan’s and Kiki’s interaction is superficial. Through Svera he figures out her likes and dislikes and thus teaches her to train with their weaponry. He allows her space to come to terms with her situation in life, which leaves them living separate from each other for a bit. It’s just that Kinan has too much information and thus works to keep Kiki safe and happy, which is sweet, but keeps him from really getting to know her.
Taken to Nobu is good, but it’s not great. It provides additional information that will serve Stephens well as she seeks to expand her world, but Taken to Nobu is an airport as opposed to final destination. It makes me look forward to things to come, but doesn’t make me want to stay. Instead it reminds me of squandered opportunities. I wish it was better but I’m not mad that I read it. It was a pleasant diversion especially in a time where I can hardly focus enough to finish a book. I’m hoping Taken to Sasor, featuring a different human colony and alien species will be a nice break before I have to return to Svera’s story. ***3 wish I could give more Stars ***
June 6, 2020
This was a fantastic book, I loved the depth of love between Kiki and Okkari. It starts with Kiki waking up on Nobu after being unconscious while she was healing from life threatening injuries that she incurred in the beginning of the first book Taken to Voraxia.
She is immediately thrown into a mate hunt on the icy planet where Okkari tracks her through snow and swamp to claim her. From there they work to form a relationship while trying to understand one another.
My favorite part of this book was all of the emotions that you could feel from Kiki. Elizabeth Stephens did an amazing job conveying all of the feelings that Kiki was going through starting with her seething hate at the beginning. Kiki had experienced so much trauma already and Okkari was so amazing at trying to understand her and then help her heal and become whole again. He did so much to make her comfortable and find happiness while building her up.
The world building was also incredible. The description was so well written that I could see the characters and the ice planet in my mind clearly.
I highly recommend this book and can’t wait for the next one.
She is immediately thrown into a mate hunt on the icy planet where Okkari tracks her through snow and swamp to claim her. From there they work to form a relationship while trying to understand one another.
My favorite part of this book was all of the emotions that you could feel from Kiki. Elizabeth Stephens did an amazing job conveying all of the feelings that Kiki was going through starting with her seething hate at the beginning. Kiki had experienced so much trauma already and Okkari was so amazing at trying to understand her and then help her heal and become whole again. He did so much to make her comfortable and find happiness while building her up.
The world building was also incredible. The description was so well written that I could see the characters and the ice planet in my mind clearly.
I highly recommend this book and can’t wait for the next one.
July 29, 2023
Review to come!
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