Please note: This is an RH, with multiple POV, unusual spicy smex, and a focus on romance (including MM) and body positivity. If any of those things don't work for you, please don't read it!
BLURB:
As with most beginnings, it started with death.
When I had nothing left to lose, I traveled to the hut in the woods; the one no one dared approach. The witch who lived there recognized the darkness in my soul and took me under her wing—to witness her reign of terror firsthand and eventually, to inherit her legacy as my own.
Now I’m the monster they fear; the one humans avoid at all costs. In this welcome isolation, I've attempted to forget my past and the future that was taken from me.
Until three men appear, somehow able to break through my protective wards and see me in my true form. While resistant to their intrusion, I recognize they may be the ones I’ve been waiting for—the ones I need to ascend to my full power.
Too bad I would rather grind their bones than invite them in.
But something is mysteriously devouring the forest, and I suspect the threat may be the same one I barely escaped many moons ago. If it is, he will find me a more worthy opponent than the last time we met.
I am the Yaga and I may be broken, but my edges are sharp.
--
The Yaga’s Riders is based on the folklore of Baba Yaga, with creative liberties taken.
The Rise of the Witch is the first book in a steamy, paranormal romance trilogy featuring alphaholes, mysterious forces in magical woods, and a slightly frightening heroine who never has to choose just one man.
MMFM Multiple POV
This series is meant for readers 18 and over. Beware: Cliffys ahead!
Possible triggers: Sweary dialogue Graphic sex, including kink and various edgeplay Gore and violence Toxic masculinity (don't worry - it doesn't last forever! #characterarc) Reference to past sexual assault and pregnancy loss General weirdness and medium-dark elements
Stay connected by joining my Clubhouse of Smut on Patreon, my Little Sinners FB Group, subscribing to my newsletter, and lovingly st@lking me in all the places: https://c-rochelle.com/
C. Rochelle here! I’m a naughty but sweet, introverted, Aquarius weirdo who believes a sharp sense of humor is the sexiest trait, loves shaking my booty to Prince, and have never met a cheese I didn’t like. Oh, and I write spicy Paranormal/Sci-Fi/Monster Why Choose + MM, MFF & MMF romance with dark, naughty humor and a #loveislove mentality.
I actually enjoyed this book when I read it, so why the bad rating? Well after a few days of it marinating I realized it wasn't that good.
The characters were too insta-lovey and I hate insta-love, I can never understand how that works. The men are some kind of elite squad who's job is to tag shifters against their will. During one of these missions they are lost due to the magic forest messing with their equipment so they end up meeting the heroine.
As this is a RH, the heroine is attracted to them but she intends not to force it. Two of the guys are into her, these two guys are also in a relationship with each other, the last guy as they usually are in almost EVERY RH is a jerk for no reason than to be a jerk.
There is a vague darkness rising that the heroine has to counter? I honestly don't know. We spent most time with the guys lusting after her and themselves that the story didn't really move. The sex aspect which was more shock value than anything ( cos who just shoves a fist in without asking tf) didn't faze me , I just thought it wasn't needed.
The end left a lot to be desired, you could sort of tell what was going to happen but it just seemed boring to me. It seemed as though nothing happened except them having sex or thinking about sex. I am curious to see what happens in the next book so I might check it out.
I am so glad I stumbled upon this author and was able to be part of Vasi’s world. This was my first time reading C. Rochelle and she is an amazing author. She was able to pull me from my usual reads and keep me interested and entertained. Her writing style is unique and so are her characters.
Baba Yaga?!?! Who?? What!! I am certain I’ve heard of Baba Yaga but I am pretty sure that was about all I heard, the name. The story is written so we learn about the legend but are not smothered in it. The descriptive writing is A1 and helps when you are like me and visualize as you read.
Vasi is the Baba Yaga, people see her as something she is not. Like literally when they look at her they see something else. Until she is bathing one day and ooohhfff three lost hotties appear and they see her true form.
Nox, Tan and Asa lost in the woods stumble upon a beauty who just so happens to be a witch!! They follow her in hopes she will help them find their way back.
But once you meet Vasi, you will know why they end up sticking around and become Yaga’s Riders! Shortly after, their adventures start and not just the journey through the forest type, but the smoken hot ones too!!! The chemistry between the characters is amazing.
That cliffy, ahhh, it just makes me more excited to continue this series.
4 stars This has been on my TBR for ages and I finally gave it a go. Thoroughly enjoyed the book. I LOVED how Russian mythology was a central theme. Major cliff hanger at the end, eager to continue the series.
This was a interesting read but not for me. As I started I was definitely into it. The sex scenes though? creeped me way t.f out. The term baby batter? Gross. Also one of the guys can't wait to eat her out after not bathing for days, and he loves that non-washed smell? Just no! And then how the another one of the guys is fingering her then shoves his whole hand inside her? There is bush love, and blood play. I'm sorry but none of this was appealing in the slightest. It was just really weird for me. The ending was just so confusing, not that I didn't understand, but more as Why our heroine just stood there? She's supposed to be strong, and yet she wasnt when she had to be? Why? The ending was what pretty much put the last nail in the coffin for me, I somehow made it past the sex weirdness, but I really hate when a character is written strong but when we hit a bit of conflict she becomes weak.
I was so ready to love this. A paranormal romance inspired by Russian folklore? Baba Yaga as the love interest?? The potential was absolutely there and that cover? Gorgeous. It really gives the impression you’re about to sink into something dark, mythic, and maybe even a little bit dangerous.
Unfortunately, that’s not what this book delivers.
The idea behind Rise of the Witch is incredibly intriguing: gods, animal shifters, a mysterious facility doing twisted experiments, the underworld. It’s all technically in there. But barely. Instead of exploring the plot, most of the book follows Vasilisa (our centuries-old Baba Yaga) flirting with or having sex with her three love interests. And listen, I love spice. I live for spice. But here, it feels like the plot was sidelined completely in favor of smut, and even then... some of the lines meant to be sexy were just cringe-inducing. I’m talking “jus de vagine,” “ripe va ju-ju voodoo,” and the dreaded “alphaholes.” I need a full body cleanse after that.
The tone was also mismatched. This read way more like a cozy reverse harem romance than the dark, gritty book the summary and cover promised. And while I was excited to see a powerful, ancient witch at the center of the story, Vasilisa behaves more like a sassy 19-year-old than a woman who’s supposedly lived for centuries. It made her character and the overall tone feel disjointed and inauthentic.
That said, I did enjoy some of the spicy scenes, and when we did get bits of actual plot, I was intrigued. This book had so much potential, and I truly wanted to love it. But for me, the imbalance between romance and worldbuilding, the overly modern dialogue, and the missed opportunity to lean into the rich folklore all added up to a disappointing read.
I liked this a lot, and for a RH book, it was definitely one of the better ones I've read recently.
I loved the mix of folklore and the fact it was focused on Baba Yaga. I really liked Vasi as a character and the Harem are well characterised.
I have a few minor issues,, however, but they didn't massively detract from my enjoyment. I would have liked to see more of Vasi's powers and a little more plot development vs romance ratio, but that's a personal preference really. I also found the cliff hanger rather annkying, but because it was a cliff hanger, but the timing of it all felt a little silly.
The relationships move at different paces with the three guys, which I liked. With two of them I would say it was fast/medium burn, which isn't usually my thing, but the circumstances meant that this didn't really bother me. Two of the guys are in a m/m established relationship before they meet Vasi, whi h I know is a draw for some and a hard no for others. Personally I really liked Tann and Asa's relationship and their dynamic with Vasi. Jury us still out with Nox, although that's clearly the intention!
This is a very unusual one its medium burn reverse harem stepped in mythology and loosely interwoven with the mythical creature Baba Yaga from Russian folklore. Vasilisa is the legendary witch a former human and great beauty from humble beginnings. She was once married to the Russsian Tsar and comes complete with a tragic backstory. Now she lives in and protects the woods and the creatures that reside there.
Nox, Taneer and Asa are comrades and also as close as brothers they all work for the mysterious facility a human compound with an unknown agenda whilst on a mission they find themselves lost in the woods and going round in circles this is where they stumble upon the witch. To all else she appears a crone but they actually see Vasilisa as she is and with few current options they agree to accompany her to her home hoping for aid.
Vasilisa recognises the three as her prophesied riders the men who are meant to complete her power her fated mates but with obstacles and stubbornness on both sides, the journey to this goal has a way to go until everyone’s on the same page.
This had plenty of heat and great chemistry I loved all the mythology here and the storyline was intriguing. We also have an already established M/M bond between Tan and Asa and there connection was so delicious and also filled with so much emotion as well as heat. There’s also the usual resident arse in this case Nox who is fighting his fate all the way.
There’s danger intrigue old adversary’s as well as new ones fantastical mythical creatures and gods at play. There was also a thread of humour that I really appreciated running right through this the banter was also another plus and all the colourful and creatives insults definitely made me smile. Tan is most definitely my favourite he’s incorrigible and unapologetically perverse with his strange fetish. The finale here ends in a cliffhanger but the next book is already out I’m now intrigued to see what happens next and overall I’m definitely invested in this story it has a distinctive style of writing and it’s also unusual as well as being unique and standing out from the crowd.
Frankly, without the sex, each character was as boring as bread. It was difficult to immerse in the story as there was no clear introduction to the period setting. I had to remind myself countless of times that it was modern day.
After the many sexually-charged scenes, any form of endearment and reaction they had with one another became an absolute cringe-fest. Anyone who would tell me "God, I love your witchy pussy, vajuju voodoo, sweetness," would have instantly dried me up. That's why at about 60% through the book, it became harder and harder to keep reading. There just wasn't any substance to the story.
I just wish there had been more focus on the backstory instead of all the senseless sex. The Facility wasn't well introduced, the military wasn't well explained, the "seance" felt like a pointless addition to the story. And what of their need to go back to civilization? It's not really a compelling read if the characters are powerless to their desires. And if their desire is just witchy pussy, then that doesn't really make them substantial characters.
I know there's going to be a next book, but there should have been a lot given in the first book to start up any form of interest to a follow-up.
If I needed to imagine orgy porn scenes of people with bread personality that I don't care for, I can easily access them in my head, thank you very much.
Might not read the next book. Disappointed.
Got this copy for free from Kindle Unlimited. Thank God I didn't have to pay for it. 2 stars for the effort anyway.
Edit: I was thinking of giving the author's previous books a try but when I found out that she's aggressively defensive towards other reviewers and even attack them for being "jealous", I got immensely put off. Dear author, it doesn't help your books' reputations if you attack your readers just because they didn't like your work. If you only want to read good things being said about your books, you're not going to get it from Goodreads. Stay in your bubble of fandom affirmation, instead, coz in the real world of literature, authors crawl before they can stand up and run. And those authors are the absolute best.
First I want to say that this book was sent to me as an ARC for my honest review. My review is an honest account for how I feel about the book. Which is good enough that I’m buying the e-book and the paperback. I’m also going to try to not give away any spoilers, however, you have been warned going into it. So stop now if you’re worried about finding out too much maybe don’t continue reading.
The book grabs you right away. Not kidding, from the first page. The situation just sucks you right into the lore and the world and sets the book up to have a darker tone which truly sets the atmosphere. I love that it starts out with introducing everyone straight away rather than providing a ton of backstory and then introducing the characters. You learn about them as you go as well as watch them grow throughout the book. Vasi is amazing. I think she may be one of my absolute favorite MFC’s to date. She’s unapologetically herself; natural to what her character is while still being “human” enough to have emotions and struggles but still being a badass. She knows who and what she is but also gives everything so much thought and considers others despite her outer appearance of “I can’t people.” I also loved every single one of the guys. They were so well balanced inside the group. There was comic relief when things started to get a bit too serious but also plenty of very serious moments. The relationship(s) among the guys was so well done that I swear I could feel everything right along side them. It was tasteful but also steamy as hell. The story moves at a fast pace but has plenty of “down time” without any of it feeling boring or slow. Those moments are mostly reserved to grow the relationships so they are much needed. As for the overall story; it’s captivating, dark, so well thought out, filled with tons of respectful and tasteful culture and deliciously steeped with tons of folklore. Everything within the lore and cultures and language(s) is explained well so you never feel lost or confused. There is a ton of steamy parts that will leave you panting or fanning yourself, but it’s very well balanced with story so for those concerned about that, don’t worry, there is more plot than sexy times. There is a massive cliffhanger. Massive. Be warned. However, it’s so very worth it because you know it’s setting up the next book to be even more intense. Do yourself a favor and grab this one if you like ANY of the following: awesome and strong heroine, reverse harem, alpha males, sweet m/m relationship where they are also completely infatuated with the heroine, rejected mates, amazing paranormal world, steamy times, more mature/older characters above the 25 year mark, folklore mixed in or a story that takes place in a lesser used area of the world in romance.
It’s going down as one of my favorites for the year, I’m sure of that. A wonderful first book in an incredible new series.
It reads like fan fiction. That's the best description of this book. I enjoyed the original twist on the classic Baba Yaga tale and it was good story building but once you get to the sex scenes I found it really cringey and disappointing. I don't say that to be mean, that's honestly how I felt. This book and the characters felt like it was just an excuse to write fan fiction sex scenes. I couldn't take it seriously and I'm unsure why this book is rated so highly. If you read a lot of fan fiction you'd probably enjoy this book but otherwise I'd avoid it. I wish I could say this book was good, exciting, satisfying, enjoyable, etc. For me it wasn't any of those things at all. I feel mislead by the cover and the description of this book as well as the highly rated reviews. I probably should have watched the author's Instagram for a while to understand what this book was actually gonna be like but I was too excited to read a book based around Baba Yaga and that might be my fault. If you're interested in this book for a similar reason I wouldn't read this, it's less about Baba Yaga and more about fan fiction sex scenes. It's also telling to me how many people will jump on those who rate this book honestly with insults and "clearly you just don't understand and romance isn't for you. You're just vanilla and blah blah blah blah" this isn't romance. There was almost zero romance in this book. It's not romantic in the slightest. This community seems pretty toxic to me judging by the comments. Before y'all come for me I'm allowed to be disappointed and judge this book accordingly. That's what goodreads is for. I won't be responding to any comments. I'm sorry to the author if this is hard to hear, I'm glad there's people who got enjoyment from this book and want to see more but there's definitely improvements that could be made and I think the description for these books need to be more accurate. Your Instagram is much more accurate than the description. I really wanted to like this book and I was genuinely super excited to read it when I bought it.
I love this new story of Baby Yaga, finally a new classic retelling other than the usual fairytales.
There was a great balance between all of the characters, I feel like we got to know them and there is still so much more to find out. The different POVs were perfect. I loved watching all of their relationships change, even if some were right in the feels.
The ending just has me aching for more. That cliffhanger! Looking forward to the next book in the series.
Well that's an excruciating cliffhanger right there! My God!
I'm not sure how I feel, quite bereft at the moment.
Poor Vasi didn't have a good go of things in her mortal life and ended up trading it, becoming a forest witch, trying to protect the balance of nature and sometimes aiding humans by giving them guidance. At this stage she's pretty much settled into life and going about her own business when three military type guys get lost in the woods.
Nox, my gosh he comes across as an obnoxious pain, while Asa is pretty sweet and Tan is quite amusing are they destined to become more to Vasi and aid her in finding out the ominous things happening at the edge of her forest.
There is so much going on here, we are given lots of back story, plenty of character development, this is a fast burn so their relationship develops quickly and there is plenty of steam and some MM scenes as well.
I cannot wait to see where the story goes there is so much going on here part of it feels very contemporary whilst it's so definitely paranormal and I loved the way they blended together. I can't wait to find out more of each storyline and how they blend together.
Loved this! I found this extremely interesting - and a completely unique (to me) idea. Prior to reading this, I had never heard of the Baba Yaga, and now find myself Googling the legends.
Well written with beautifully descriptive imagery, I could feel myself in the ancient forests, and very much enjoyed the author's imagination.
There's plenty of intrigue, humour, darkness and steam...all of which worked together to create a book I had trouble putting down.
And I might need to have a serious word with the author on how this book finished. Cliffy alert! Can't wait for the next one!
Author kindly provided an extensive list of trigger warnings. Read them. I appreciated the diversity in nationality & cultures the author included in this story. However most of this book was subpar imho. I found the storytelling was dull, the writing amateurish, the characters superficial, the world building nonexistent, & the clichés abundant. I will not be continuing this series nor would I recommend it.
1 if they’d just communicate… nah it’d still be bad stars
Holy shit! there is nothing HOLY about this book! (I may or may not have borrowed some words from Tan and Vasi). This book was, Mesmerizing! It was BeWITCHING
Let’s start of with a disclaimer this is a RH so there is some hot and heavy stuff here, MM included. For MATURE and open minded readers! @ is known for all the SMEXY times in her books.
This book is pretty dam addictive, it Will hook you and because of that crazy cliffhanger it will definitely leave you hanging and wanting more.
I loved all the characters!
Vasi, our leading lady! Is a very powerful witch and is just straight out bad ass. She is just out there in her lonely world yearning for love, waiting for her infamous Riders. I am rooting for her.
Now on to the Riders:
Tanner (Tan)- was straight out amazing, I loved his charisma and care free manner. Always joking always sharing love.
Asa (Ace)- ughhhh my sweet southern gentleman He was just such a joy to read. I loved reading his chapters and loved seeing him through Tanner and Vasi’s eyes. He was such a sweetheart with a darks side to him.
Nox- I have mixed feelings about him. Though he is a true asshole alpha through and through, I can not help but feel attracted to him the most. What can I say I love asshole alphas. I know his character will develop in the next book and I just KNOW he will be my favorite! (He kinda already is TBH)
This book will keep you entertained with the funny parts while it will have you absolutely consumed with the folklore and mystery. I can not wait to read more of Vasi and her 3 Riders.
I enjoyed this so much more than Rochelle's previous trilogy. It had the same filthy energy but I personally felt the characters had more depth and the setting was unusual. I enjoyed the multicultural feel and the detail/research that had gone into the story. And yes. The hotness lol. Looking forward to the sequel.
This is my first C. Rochelle book and despite my growing TBR pile I moved this to the top of the list for two reasons: 1. I've been seeing this book everywhere on FB, IG and the blurb intrigued me; and 2. I absolutely LOVE the author's Instagram posts! Girl is seriously rocking that curly top knot! :)
Rise of the Witch is a sexy, steamy, intriguing read with a fierce FMC and sexy sweet (well, two of them) men. The writing is seriously good and the pacing is just right. Vasi is a witch living the simple life out in the woods when her fated mates (unbeknowst to them) stumble upon her. From there the book is mostly centered around building their relationships and learning about the characters' backstories. There is an overarching plot woven throughout that adds some mystery to the mix.
I highly reccomend this book for any paranormal romance lover, bonus if you like your RH with some MM heat, which I do! Terrific start to the series and I look forward to the next book!
This was definitely a different book than any other I’ve ever read. I’ve never been big on retellings but this has surpassed all my expectations. I did have to google Baba Yagas story since I wasn’t familiar with it and that helped a ton or I’m sure I would have been confused at some parts of the story.
Vasi is everything I love in a FMC. She’s funny, doesn’t take any crap and can hold her own in a fight. At the same time though she is able to express her desires and be vulnerable when needed too. She’s a well thought out character and you can clearly see it. I love that she is emotionally mature as well which I feel like we don’t see often. Asa, Tan and Nox are sexy. I’d have to say Asa is probably my favorite tied with Nox as I just love an a-hole.
I hope you give this book a shot just as I did. I promise you won’t be disappointed!
I cannot say enough about C Rochelles ability to make you lose yourself another world! Books like these where I can just get lost in the story are my favorite kind.
If you are looking for a meek heroine, you won't find her here. Vasi, is the first heroine I've really liked in a good while. I loved how she wasn't afraid to tackle anything head on, but was endearingly shy about tying her Riders to her. A testament that female main characters can be strong even when they're vulnerable. Even without fully bonding with her Riders, she seems to balance the three of them really well and I can't wait to see where their world takes us. Each of her Riders, uncovers a different facet of her, giving you another glimpse into what makes her tick. Speaking of her Riders, hold onto your panties gals! I couldn't pick a favorite. Nox is that aloof a-hole you always lusted after from afar. Tan the naughty best friend you want more than friendship from, and Asa, is the most dangerous one of all. The one you think you can fix. There's something about a beautifully broken man. I loved all three of them.
***Spoiler***
If you adore a well written mm story fully weaved into the harem to where that is part of the story and all the complexities that it brings with it, versus it just being a side story, then you'll love this story as much a I did! The genuine feelings and emotions and yes, jealousy are all so relatable and real.
Also, this author loves herself a good cliffy, so be ready for it!
I absolutely loved this book based on the legends of Baba Yaga. I only knew the vaugest bits of some of the folklaw but the author manages to give you all the details you need in a really organic way.
I'm a big lover of a strong FMC and Vasi does not disappoint. Her men may be fated to her but she's managed with them just fine for all this time thank you very much and she makes sure they don't forget it. I adored her sense of humour and ended up sniggering like muttly on more than one occasion.
As for the guys, oh boy!! Tan our light-hearted charmer is just so damn happy. He brings a lot of humour with his sunny outlook and I loved the way he and Vasi meshed. Asa is our southern gent. Almost shy and retiring compared to the others I loved seeing him grow in his confidence to ask for what he wants, and then we have Nox our grumpy bear. He might be a bit of a dick and not really a fan of Vasi but the moments when he gets over himself we can really see a softer side shine through.
C. Rochelle knows how to write my kinda steam at the best of times but this was next level. The rain? The tent?! I wont spoil it for you but you may want a change of underwear ready just in case! There is M/M in this and it really gives depth to the dynamics between everyone.
That ending though!! How am I meant to survive the wait for book 2???
4.4 stars. So far I’m really enjoying this storyline and these characters.
The chemistry between all of these characters is explosive and so far it’s been really fun watching them succumb to it and try and navigate their attraction and soul deep pull to Vasi while also in their own pre standing relationships.
The sexual things happening are fun and filthy and passionate, and wholly unique to them in certain ways that I really appreciate.
We don’t get a ton of personal connection between them in this book though. Some. But not as much I was hoping for.
This was a solid start to the saga. I’m definitely intrigued. All the different things going on are just being revealed and I’m so pissed at that cliffhanger. I’m just SO glad I waited for all the books to be released before starting this because that cliffhanger was absolutely fucking destructive.
So many things are going on right now. So many secrets, so much danger, and that’s not even accounting for all the strife happening between the four of them personally.
I am so ready to dig into the next book and find out what the hell they’re gonna do.
I thought I could get into this book, everything was getting good and then the sex scenes were just disappointing and so not hot. Lol! It felt like the author was really trying to do some real rough sex and pain. But all I got was trying too hard. Besides Vasi was not trying to be with these men and in 2 seconds forget this and let's have fate do its thing so she can die already. I was hoping these guys would have to work a little to get to her but nope she's too easy. I stopped reading because I couldn't continue the book with how it was going.
Ugh, I can't handle Nox and his misogynist attitude toward Vasi. Also, there's absolutely no scene setting -- is this our world? A made up world? I have no idea.
It’s not often that a short teaser from the author pulls me in that quickly and actually delivers, but this story was everything I never knew I was missing. The author seamlessly weaved old world fairy tales with new and then cranked the heat up to 11. The last chapter left me with way more questions than answers, but I am HERE for it.
Holy moly! This was ahmazing, I legit couldn’t put it down. Like all books from this incredible author C.Rochelle, this was fantastic from start to horrible, make me throw my kindle cliffhanger. I knew before I started reading that this would be a story so unique and mind blowing and I’m so happy that it was!
The take on the Baba Yaga bit it’s unexpected but entirely clever and frankly I have not seen done before. We have the FMC Vasilisa aka Vasi a witch but she’s no ordinary witch. With a past full of fear, pain and heartache Vasi is one bada$$ main character. Vasi is just fulfilling her duty but not necessarily in the way you expect. With strange happenings in her forest Vasi is out to determine what’s happening. Enter 3 lost men. Noxy, arrogant , untrusting, bad boy and at times fully rude, sweet, happy go lucky Tan and Ace who is so consumed by grief he finds it hard to see past it. All 3 fierce protectors in their own ways. Lost in the woods they stumble upon Vasi but all is not as it seems. From sexy scenes, to intrigue, bad guys and an alpha a hole (you totally want) this book is definitely worth reading you won’t regret it. The only thing I regret is not being prepared for that ending!!
Rise of the Witch is the perfect combination of folklore and smut, with a cliffhanger ending that has me impatiently waiting to read more about Vasi and her Riders.
There’s so much that happens in this book—visits from gods, the looming threat of the mysterious Koschei, the decaying blight on the forest, along with what’s really happening at the Facility, and the truth of Vasi and her Riders real purpose.
I’m seriously dying after how the book ended. I need answers ASAP
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
This book is so good and the premise the most unique I’ve seen in a while. It’s about actual Baba Yaga like from Russian folklore. C Rochelle obviously did her research because it’s rich with lore and super interesting. I’m really intrigued and looked up more because I’ve never been familiar with the stories before.
This is an RH with mystery and magic, and a beautifully described forest setting. The cliffhanger was insane and I can’t wait for the next one. Loved this so much!
Vasi (Yaga) has been through alot. Not only was she waiting for mate's her forest is slowly dying and she doesn't know why. Vasi gave up waiting for her mates and now fate has decided for them to find her. But there are secrets and mystery that must be solved. Her mates are human... The shifters that live in the forest are in danger. Book 2 is going to be something else I can't wait. Oh and you might get the urge to punch one of the characters.
This is my first time reading C. Rochelle but I stumbled upon the book on the Good Reads March Most Anticipated Romance list and first it was the cover that caught me and then the synopsis really drew me in. I found myself pushing this to the top of my tbr.
The story starts off at an intense and pivotal moment in the fmc's (Vasi's) life so you can expect to be captured and thrown right in, no chance to get bored.
I had a bit of a difficult time figuring out if the setting was historical, modern present, or futuristic. I believe it's modern present but Vasi is so very disconnected from the modern world that your time spent with her will feel very much like a fairytale, with a beautiful woman in the woods communing with nature.
There is quite a bit of mythology (of various cultures) in this world, including some Gods who interact with the fmc and her Riders (fated mates), and with the Gods comes various types of Devils and they all seem to be interested and following Vasi for some reason. We are given hints of prophecy and hints of the full potential of what Vasi and her Riders will be capable of when they fully connect, but this is just book one. I'm expecting book two will dive deeper into all of that.
On the whole this was really strong writing with a fair amount of mystery and intense situations to keep your attention. I definitely recommend and will be following this author to check out her other works.
Ratings: Character building: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ World building: 🌎 🌎 🌎 🌎 🌎 (really strong world building, you're going to feel like you are there) Romance: 💓 💓 💓 1/2 (this is just the first book so this will undoubtedly grow as the series progresses) Heat/Steam:🔥 🔥 🔥 🔥 (quite a bit of MM in this series, two guys have a relationship and are clearly in love prior to meeting the fmc) Action: 🍿 🍿 🍿 1/2 Suspense: 💣 💣 💣 💣 Drama: 👀 👀 👀 👀 Dark: 💀 💀 💀 💀 Multiple POVs: Yes ✔ Ending: Cliffhanger Recommend: Yes 👍 Triggers: Somewhat detailed mention of past rape, abuse and miscarriage. Length: Approximately 250 pages