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I will destroy all threats to the empire with unrelenting force. Even if that threat comes in the form of a weak, fragile lesser with night-black hair and beguiling eyes.
The blades. Elite forces of the empire, nightmare to all servant-world residents just trying to scrape by. Of course I have to flee when my medical ship comes under attack.
But my escape pod is captured by their ruthless leader.
His face is hidden in an assassin’s cowl. Metal sai weapons are fused to his wristbones. He can fly between spaceships like an owl and execute enemies through a hull.
Yet according to him, I’m the dangerous one.
His people’s lust metal has gotten in my blood. They’ll tear each other apart trying to get to me. And then? Because they can’t understand their feelings, they’ll tear me apart, too.
So he’s taking me to the Arsenal, a massive station teeming with his blades, where I’m one papercut away from unleashing hyperviolent zombie hordes.
Well, okay.
I’m lucky he’s the one who captured me. He senses the lust metal inside me, he understands the desires burning us both with unrelenting need, and he’s completely unaffected.
Or, well, mostly...
*** Contains unique alien shifters, fierce passion, and loyal warriors who find their fated mates in the stars. Each full-length book is a complete romance with an epic happily-ever-after. Claim your conqueror today!
The blades. Elite forces of the empire, nightmare to all servant-world residents just trying to scrape by. Of course I have to flee when my medical ship comes under attack.
But my escape pod is captured by their ruthless leader.
His face is hidden in an assassin’s cowl. Metal sai weapons are fused to his wristbones. He can fly between spaceships like an owl and execute enemies through a hull.
Yet according to him, I’m the dangerous one.
His people’s lust metal has gotten in my blood. They’ll tear each other apart trying to get to me. And then? Because they can’t understand their feelings, they’ll tear me apart, too.
So he’s taking me to the Arsenal, a massive station teeming with his blades, where I’m one papercut away from unleashing hyperviolent zombie hordes.
Well, okay.
I’m lucky he’s the one who captured me. He senses the lust metal inside me, he understands the desires burning us both with unrelenting need, and he’s completely unaffected.
Or, well, mostly...
*** Contains unique alien shifters, fierce passion, and loyal warriors who find their fated mates in the stars. Each full-length book is a complete romance with an epic happily-ever-after. Claim your conqueror today!
382 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 16, 2021
About the author
Starla Night
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Starla Night was born on a hot July at midnight. She hikes, scuba dives, and swims naked in the ocean. She writes about smoking-hot dragon-shifter billionaires and steamy alpha merman-shifters at StarlaNight.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 65 reviews
July 27, 2026
Zai and Esme’s Story Raised the Stakes
The following ratings are out of 5:
Romance: 💙💛💚❤️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Chemistry: 🧪🧪🧪🧪🧪
Story/Plot: 📕📗📘📙📔
World building: 🌏🌍🌎🌏🌍
Character development: 😋😀🤯😎😍
Narration: 🎙🎙🎙🎙🎙
Narration type: Dual Narration
Main Characters and Plot Overview
After everything that happened in Sithe, I was eager to see where the series would go next, and Zai did a great job expanding both the world and the larger conspiracy. Zai is the General Master of the Blades, a disciplined warrior who believes emotions are a weakness and sees humans as lesser beings. Esme is one of the women infected with Arrisan lusteal after accepting what she believed would be treatment for her mysterious condition. Her trip goes horribly wrong when the medical transport is attacked, leaving her escape pod drifting through space until Zai recovers it.
One of my favorite early moments is when Esme wakes to find Zai in serious physical distress and instinctively helps him despite having every reason to fear him. That scene immediately shifts the balance between them. I also liked how Esme’s nursing background actually mattered throughout the story instead of simply being mentioned once. As they return to the Arsenal, the plot becomes much bigger than a romance. Esme and Catarine gradually uncover clues about the Vanadisans weaponizing lusteal infected humans, while Esme’s questions also lead Zai to realize that someone within his own ranks has been poisoning him for years. Watching those pieces come together during the increasingly chaotic graduation sequence kept me completely invested.
Highlights and Limitations
What stood out most to me was how much quieter this romance felt compared to the constant action surrounding it. Zai does not suddenly become soft. Instead, he slowly learns how to care for Esme through awkward gestures, protective instincts, and his repeated requests for her to “tell him the things.” Those moments made him surprisingly endearing because they showed someone trying to understand feelings his culture never taught him to recognize.
Esme was equally satisfying because she grows in confidence over the course of the story. Early on, she believes she is unwanted after being rejected by her family but seeing her become someone Zai genuinely depends on emotionally and strategically gave her a meaningful arc. I especially enjoyed the scenes where her observations expose problems that everyone else had overlooked simply because they accepted the Arsenal’s traditions without question.
I did wish some of the military hierarchy had been explained a little more clearly. There were points where I had to stop and sort out who answered to whom before I could fully appreciate the political maneuvering. It never ruined the experience, but it occasionally slowed the pacing for me.
Another thing that bothers me, though it is a big part of this world, is the way that Arrisans see humans as “Lessers” which literally means lesser than them. The scientists are surprised that humans can even speak and said that after thoroughly studying the humans that they don’t think humans can feel pain, so they have no moral problems with cutting into them for their experiments, taking out parts of their brains, or stuffing them into a suitcase that is biologically secure. The Arrisan’s also went so far as to move Earth, which they renamed Humana, out of its orbit to make it better able to do the farming they want in order to produce their food. They didn’t care about the fact that changing the orbit caused catastrophic storms, hurricanes and floods that killed millions of humans.
I am also not a huge fan of the fact that Zai, though he is a leader, still has to answer to the High Command and the Emperor. After spending time with Esme, Zai stops thinking of her as a Lesser and starts valuing her ideas and intelligence, but the High Command and the Emperor still think of Lessors as basically animals. They see the ones that are infected with lusteal as some sort of weapon and have no feelings at all about dissecting them to find out what makes the lusteal infect them and how it all works.
Narration
The audiobook cast fit these characters remarkably well. Rose Dioro gives Esme a gentle warmth that reflects both her compassion and her growing confidence. Connor Crais has a deep, sexy voice and delivers Zai with the controlled, almost emotionless precision that fits an elite Blade, yet he gradually lets small hints of vulnerability slip through as Zai changes. Those subtle shifts made several emotional scenes land even harder.
J.F. Harding’s appearance is brief, but it serves as an effective introduction for what’s coming next in the series and left me looking forward to the following book. I really enjoy the fact that each book in this series is narrated by different people. I got the collection, so the entire series in one audiobook that is nearly 70 hours long. I would get too bored listening to the same two narrators for every book. But as is, I am wishing there would be another spin off or related series to get afterwards.
Final Thoughts
I ended up enjoying Zai even more than I expected because it balanced romance with genuine mystery and political intrigue. The relationship works because both characters actively make each other stronger. Esme helps uncover a conspiracy that threatens the empire while giving Zai someone he can finally trust, and Zai gives Esme a sense of purpose after she spent so long believing she had lost everything.
The world building and character development is great, and I love that this series is more story than smut, though there are still some great spicy scenes. I am a big fan of the Arrisan words they use for things, especially the way they say jack and socket for some intimate body parts. While many alien romance books use similar words for things like a version of our curse word that also mean getting busy, but these are original to this series, and it made me laugh.
The final stretch delivers several revelations in rapid succession, from the discovery of the poisoning to the escalating threat of weaponized lusteal, and it left me excited to continue the series. If you enjoy science fiction romance with layered world building, capable heroines, and emotionally reserved heroes who slowly learn how to love, this audiobook is absolutely worth picking up.
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The following ratings are out of 5:
Romance: 💙💛💚❤️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Chemistry: 🧪🧪🧪🧪🧪
Story/Plot: 📕📗📘📙📔
World building: 🌏🌍🌎🌏🌍
Character development: 😋😀🤯😎😍
Narration: 🎙🎙🎙🎙🎙
Narration type: Dual Narration
Main Characters and Plot Overview
After everything that happened in Sithe, I was eager to see where the series would go next, and Zai did a great job expanding both the world and the larger conspiracy. Zai is the General Master of the Blades, a disciplined warrior who believes emotions are a weakness and sees humans as lesser beings. Esme is one of the women infected with Arrisan lusteal after accepting what she believed would be treatment for her mysterious condition. Her trip goes horribly wrong when the medical transport is attacked, leaving her escape pod drifting through space until Zai recovers it.
One of my favorite early moments is when Esme wakes to find Zai in serious physical distress and instinctively helps him despite having every reason to fear him. That scene immediately shifts the balance between them. I also liked how Esme’s nursing background actually mattered throughout the story instead of simply being mentioned once. As they return to the Arsenal, the plot becomes much bigger than a romance. Esme and Catarine gradually uncover clues about the Vanadisans weaponizing lusteal infected humans, while Esme’s questions also lead Zai to realize that someone within his own ranks has been poisoning him for years. Watching those pieces come together during the increasingly chaotic graduation sequence kept me completely invested.
Highlights and Limitations
What stood out most to me was how much quieter this romance felt compared to the constant action surrounding it. Zai does not suddenly become soft. Instead, he slowly learns how to care for Esme through awkward gestures, protective instincts, and his repeated requests for her to “tell him the things.” Those moments made him surprisingly endearing because they showed someone trying to understand feelings his culture never taught him to recognize.
Esme was equally satisfying because she grows in confidence over the course of the story. Early on, she believes she is unwanted after being rejected by her family but seeing her become someone Zai genuinely depends on emotionally and strategically gave her a meaningful arc. I especially enjoyed the scenes where her observations expose problems that everyone else had overlooked simply because they accepted the Arsenal’s traditions without question.
I did wish some of the military hierarchy had been explained a little more clearly. There were points where I had to stop and sort out who answered to whom before I could fully appreciate the political maneuvering. It never ruined the experience, but it occasionally slowed the pacing for me.
Another thing that bothers me, though it is a big part of this world, is the way that Arrisans see humans as “Lessers” which literally means lesser than them. The scientists are surprised that humans can even speak and said that after thoroughly studying the humans that they don’t think humans can feel pain, so they have no moral problems with cutting into them for their experiments, taking out parts of their brains, or stuffing them into a suitcase that is biologically secure. The Arrisan’s also went so far as to move Earth, which they renamed Humana, out of its orbit to make it better able to do the farming they want in order to produce their food. They didn’t care about the fact that changing the orbit caused catastrophic storms, hurricanes and floods that killed millions of humans.
I am also not a huge fan of the fact that Zai, though he is a leader, still has to answer to the High Command and the Emperor. After spending time with Esme, Zai stops thinking of her as a Lesser and starts valuing her ideas and intelligence, but the High Command and the Emperor still think of Lessors as basically animals. They see the ones that are infected with lusteal as some sort of weapon and have no feelings at all about dissecting them to find out what makes the lusteal infect them and how it all works.
Narration
The audiobook cast fit these characters remarkably well. Rose Dioro gives Esme a gentle warmth that reflects both her compassion and her growing confidence. Connor Crais has a deep, sexy voice and delivers Zai with the controlled, almost emotionless precision that fits an elite Blade, yet he gradually lets small hints of vulnerability slip through as Zai changes. Those subtle shifts made several emotional scenes land even harder.
J.F. Harding’s appearance is brief, but it serves as an effective introduction for what’s coming next in the series and left me looking forward to the following book. I really enjoy the fact that each book in this series is narrated by different people. I got the collection, so the entire series in one audiobook that is nearly 70 hours long. I would get too bored listening to the same two narrators for every book. But as is, I am wishing there would be another spin off or related series to get afterwards.
Final Thoughts
I ended up enjoying Zai even more than I expected because it balanced romance with genuine mystery and political intrigue. The relationship works because both characters actively make each other stronger. Esme helps uncover a conspiracy that threatens the empire while giving Zai someone he can finally trust, and Zai gives Esme a sense of purpose after she spent so long believing she had lost everything.
The world building and character development is great, and I love that this series is more story than smut, though there are still some great spicy scenes. I am a big fan of the Arrisan words they use for things, especially the way they say jack and socket for some intimate body parts. While many alien romance books use similar words for things like a version of our curse word that also mean getting busy, but these are original to this series, and it made me laugh.
The final stretch delivers several revelations in rapid succession, from the discovery of the poisoning to the escalating threat of weaponized lusteal, and it left me excited to continue the series. If you enjoy science fiction romance with layered world building, capable heroines, and emotionally reserved heroes who slowly learn how to love, this audiobook is absolutely worth picking up.
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November 25, 2021
This is the second book in the Blades of Arris series, and I'm immensely enjoying it thus far. For being Night's first sci-fi series, this is shaping up to be so richly and incredibly thought out and detailed, it's one of my favorite aspects of the series. She's really outdone herself with this one, and I look forward to the next one!
The h is Esme, a nursing home caretaker from Australia. Like Catarine, she's infected with Arrisan lusteal, and she shares Catarine's same symptoms. But unlike Catarine, as a result of her disease, Esme has been estranged from her family and has had no contact with them for several years. And especially unlike Catarine, after the Eruvisans breach their cruiser, she makes it to her escape pod and ejects herself into space. That's the last thing she remembers before her consciousness goes in and out, and when she finally comes to, she's finds herself on a ship that's definitely not her own...
The H is Zai, commander of the Blades, a specialized group of soldiers tasked with guarding the empire (however, they are not part of the Arrisan military as their training is highly specialized and more rigid, and the selection process is equally picky). He’s the general master of every single Blade in the Arrisan empire - known collectively as the Arsenal - and as he puts it, his word is law. He hands out their assignments, gives out their orders, and oversees the training and graduation of new Blades within the school. The stress of his position, his growing suspicions of the High Commander, and the underlying threat of being replaced by another seems to have taken its toll on him – his health is deteriorating, and others around him have noticed.
And to make matters worse, there are reports about female lessers infected with Arrisan lusteal having absolutely devastating consequences when they come into contact with Arrisan Blades. But Zai doesn't know the half of it, yet. While scouring the debris field that remains of the doomed Vanadis-bound cruiser, he finds Esme's escape pod and secures it within his ship. He no sooner opens the pod to reveal her unconscious form inside when he suffers a near-fatal heart attack, and he barely makes it to a medical kit. When Esme comes to and explores the new ship she's found herself on, Zai is the first Arrisan she comes into contact with, and he learns those reports barely scratched the surface of the effects lusteal has on human women…
Initially, the concept of an Arrisan - especially a Blade - being infatuated with a lesser in any capacity is an impossibility in Zai's mind. He's alerted to this in regards to one of his Blades, Sithe, from the first book. Sithe's increasingly bizarre behavior on board the Spiderwasp is deeply concerning to Zai, especially since he personally chose and graduated Sithe from the Blades’ school, and considers Sithe his most efficient and obedient Blade. Zai is told multiple times, by different people , that Sithe is obsessed with a female lesser, and this obsession turned catastrophic when said lesser was hurt or in danger onboard the Spiderwasp. And he doesn't buy any of it. Even up to that point, he's still convinced in the only explanation that makes sense to him - a traitor is in their midst and has compromised Sithe and possibly others. That is, until he is presented with the truth for himself .
This causes Zai to reach a foreboding conclusion - if one of his most efficient Blades could become this affected by a lesser infected with Arrisan lusteal, then it could happen to any other Blade in the Arsenal, and this threat needs to be dealt with immediately. While it was confirmed that human women exposed to lusteal caused dangerous reactions in Arrisans, Esme’s case is the most dangerous and severe so far. She was born with her condition , so the lusteal has been in her blood for her entire life. Lusteal is only given to Arrisans when they enter the arena, as the effects simultaneously heighten their sex drive and battle rage. But no one in the Arsenal is prepared for the reaction her exposed blood has to all of them .
And if things weren’t bad enough with Esme literally being a sentient bio-weapon capable of affecting every Blade in the Arsenal, on top of everything else heaping onto his plate, Zai has another issue on his hands that’s worsening by the day. Verit, the single most bloodthirsty pupil to have ever participated in the Blades' school, is growing increasingly impatient and erratic in his behaviors. He is due for graduation from the Blades’ school in three goras time , and is insistent that Zai fight him at any given moment before then, confronting him and challenging him to no end . With Zai’s weakened state, he knows if he is defeated, it will mean his displacement as the general master of the Arsenal. But what he doesn't know is that Verit is the least of his concerns .
For all of Zai’s stubborn fighting against his budding feelings for Esme, it ultimately proves to be a losing battle. Esme finds her way under his skin and he not only can’t rid himself of her, he eventually realizes that he doesn’t want to. Esme's attraction to Zai is clear, but so is her drive to prove herself to him. After Zai unintentionally reveals that he needs her, Esme set out to make herself useful and not a burden to him , and as we see while the story progresses, she succeeds to both of their advantages.
As I mentioned before, one of my favorite things about this series is how fleshed out and richly detailed the world-building and lore is. Even down to the origin myths of the Arrisans . Many of the explanations given by the characters are technical in nature and will likely go over your head with how complex they are, but this is indicative that Night put a lot of thought, research and planning into how they tie into the plot. By the very end, it all makes sense and ties together, and it also starts a new arc in the story .
Another favorite thing I have about this series is that the heroines aren’t just diverse, they’re also intelligent. In the first book, Catarine (who was half-white and half-Malaysian) was seen as having a mental deficiency and even being stupid due to her infection, but she was a recent college graduate looking into graduate school programs before she became ill. Esme (who is described has having copper-toned skin ) is a nursing home caretaker, and she has enough medical experience to treat her wounds as well as Zai’s . She’s also well-versed in the Arrisan language, much to the surprise of many Arrisans in the Arsenal, and her insight proves invaluable to Zai when it's given. By the end of the story, Esme is almost seen as being the backbone of the Arsenal .
The book ends on something of a cliffhanger, but it leads to a segue to the next book . I usually don't drift towards sci-fi romances where political intrigue and treason are plot points, but with the way it ties into the story, I'm excited for this!
This is a definite 5/5 stars for me. Zai is my absolute favorite in the series so far, and I'm really looking forward to Ranse's story!
The h is Esme, a nursing home caretaker from Australia. Like Catarine, she's infected with Arrisan lusteal, and she shares Catarine's same symptoms. But unlike Catarine, as a result of her disease, Esme has been estranged from her family and has had no contact with them for several years. And especially unlike Catarine, after the Eruvisans breach their cruiser, she makes it to her escape pod and ejects herself into space. That's the last thing she remembers before her consciousness goes in and out, and when she finally comes to, she's finds herself on a ship that's definitely not her own...
The H is Zai, commander of the Blades, a specialized group of soldiers tasked with guarding the empire (however, they are not part of the Arrisan military as their training is highly specialized and more rigid, and the selection process is equally picky). He’s the general master of every single Blade in the Arrisan empire - known collectively as the Arsenal - and as he puts it, his word is law. He hands out their assignments, gives out their orders, and oversees the training and graduation of new Blades within the school. The stress of his position, his growing suspicions of the High Commander, and the underlying threat of being replaced by another seems to have taken its toll on him – his health is deteriorating, and others around him have noticed.
And to make matters worse, there are reports about female lessers infected with Arrisan lusteal having absolutely devastating consequences when they come into contact with Arrisan Blades. But Zai doesn't know the half of it, yet. While scouring the debris field that remains of the doomed Vanadis-bound cruiser, he finds Esme's escape pod and secures it within his ship. He no sooner opens the pod to reveal her unconscious form inside when he suffers a near-fatal heart attack, and he barely makes it to a medical kit. When Esme comes to and explores the new ship she's found herself on, Zai is the first Arrisan she comes into contact with, and he learns those reports barely scratched the surface of the effects lusteal has on human women…
Initially, the concept of an Arrisan - especially a Blade - being infatuated with a lesser in any capacity is an impossibility in Zai's mind. He's alerted to this in regards to one of his Blades, Sithe, from the first book. Sithe's increasingly bizarre behavior on board the Spiderwasp is deeply concerning to Zai, especially since he personally chose and graduated Sithe from the Blades’ school, and considers Sithe his most efficient and obedient Blade. Zai is told multiple times, by different people , that Sithe is obsessed with a female lesser, and this obsession turned catastrophic when said lesser was hurt or in danger onboard the Spiderwasp. And he doesn't buy any of it. Even up to that point, he's still convinced in the only explanation that makes sense to him - a traitor is in their midst and has compromised Sithe and possibly others. That is, until he is presented with the truth for himself .
This causes Zai to reach a foreboding conclusion - if one of his most efficient Blades could become this affected by a lesser infected with Arrisan lusteal, then it could happen to any other Blade in the Arsenal, and this threat needs to be dealt with immediately. While it was confirmed that human women exposed to lusteal caused dangerous reactions in Arrisans, Esme’s case is the most dangerous and severe so far. She was born with her condition , so the lusteal has been in her blood for her entire life. Lusteal is only given to Arrisans when they enter the arena, as the effects simultaneously heighten their sex drive and battle rage. But no one in the Arsenal is prepared for the reaction her exposed blood has to all of them .
And if things weren’t bad enough with Esme literally being a sentient bio-weapon capable of affecting every Blade in the Arsenal, on top of everything else heaping onto his plate, Zai has another issue on his hands that’s worsening by the day. Verit, the single most bloodthirsty pupil to have ever participated in the Blades' school, is growing increasingly impatient and erratic in his behaviors. He is due for graduation from the Blades’ school in three goras time , and is insistent that Zai fight him at any given moment before then, confronting him and challenging him to no end . With Zai’s weakened state, he knows if he is defeated, it will mean his displacement as the general master of the Arsenal. But what he doesn't know is that Verit is the least of his concerns .
For all of Zai’s stubborn fighting against his budding feelings for Esme, it ultimately proves to be a losing battle. Esme finds her way under his skin and he not only can’t rid himself of her, he eventually realizes that he doesn’t want to. Esme's attraction to Zai is clear, but so is her drive to prove herself to him. After Zai unintentionally reveals that he needs her, Esme set out to make herself useful and not a burden to him , and as we see while the story progresses, she succeeds to both of their advantages.
As I mentioned before, one of my favorite things about this series is how fleshed out and richly detailed the world-building and lore is. Even down to the origin myths of the Arrisans . Many of the explanations given by the characters are technical in nature and will likely go over your head with how complex they are, but this is indicative that Night put a lot of thought, research and planning into how they tie into the plot. By the very end, it all makes sense and ties together, and it also starts a new arc in the story .
Another favorite thing I have about this series is that the heroines aren’t just diverse, they’re also intelligent. In the first book, Catarine (who was half-white and half-Malaysian) was seen as having a mental deficiency and even being stupid due to her infection, but she was a recent college graduate looking into graduate school programs before she became ill. Esme (who is described has having copper-toned skin ) is a nursing home caretaker, and she has enough medical experience to treat her wounds as well as Zai’s . She’s also well-versed in the Arrisan language, much to the surprise of many Arrisans in the Arsenal, and her insight proves invaluable to Zai when it's given. By the end of the story, Esme is almost seen as being the backbone of the Arsenal .
The book ends on something of a cliffhanger, but it leads to a segue to the next book . I usually don't drift towards sci-fi romances where political intrigue and treason are plot points, but with the way it ties into the story, I'm excited for this!
This is a definite 5/5 stars for me. Zai is my absolute favorite in the series so far, and I'm really looking forward to Ranse's story!
July 18, 2026
Nice little political plot in the background.
May 18, 2022
In some ways it's better than the first book, but overall it's mostly average. Same gimmicks with the arrisians and their version of manifest destiny, biases towards the lessers, heads in the sand about lusteel. The couple is cute but they mostly go through the same motions as the first book
June 4, 2026
These books are my current hyper fixation. This week has been so busy for me and yet I’m still reading and when I’m not reading I’m thinking about reading.
This one follows Zai and Esme. I know this illness which we find out more about in this book is awful but in the first book because Catarine was loved by her parents. Her father left so she would have one parent there for her!! It didn’t feel as bad. But poor Esme. Her family shunned her. She was alone and felt very unwanted, unloved, unneeded. I’m glad these two found each other. These couples are so perfect for each other. Zai needed care and love. Esme needed someone to pour her love into. And all the action!!!! This was such a fun read from beginning ing to end.
This one follows Zai and Esme. I know this illness which we find out more about in this book is awful but in the first book because Catarine was loved by her parents. Her father left so she would have one parent there for her!! It didn’t feel as bad. But poor Esme. Her family shunned her. She was alone and felt very unwanted, unloved, unneeded. I’m glad these two found each other. These couples are so perfect for each other. Zai needed care and love. Esme needed someone to pour her love into. And all the action!!!! This was such a fun read from beginning ing to end.
February 25, 2022
3.75
The General and the Ingénue.
I liked their story and enjoyed their journey- and man that finale was chaos! However, while I didn't love it as much as the first book I think I just like a little bit more of a hard edge to my leads. But considering the character's personalities the two fit well together as a couple and were perfect for each other.
I'm def looking forward to the next book with the Emperor plot and political intrigue
The General and the Ingénue.
I liked their story and enjoyed their journey- and man that finale was chaos! However, while I didn't love it as much as the first book I think I just like a little bit more of a hard edge to my leads. But considering the character's personalities the two fit well together as a couple and were perfect for each other.
I'm def looking forward to the next book with the Emperor plot and political intrigue
December 2, 2021
I'm definitely keeping an eye on this author and this series in particular.
May 19, 2022
Really interesting world building.
June 28, 2022
This series is delectable. Just positively one of my FAVORITE series.
May 15, 2022
(audiobook) The glimpse of Zai I got at the end of the previous book made me want to read his story, and I wasn’t disappointed. As much as I liked Sithe, I loved Zai even more–his attentiveness, not only for Esme but for other people too, was definitely swoon-worthy.
We meet him at his worse. Sick and tired, suffering from headaches for a long time, he may even be dying when Esme wakes up in his ship and discovers him. She saves his life, and he allows himself to be weak in front of a lesser–supposedly a less intelligent form of life. And that’s basically the gist of their relationship. Despite having a position of power inside the empire, Zai’s condition has made him lose control of the situation, and he’s in dire need of another set of eyes, especially those of a smart human like Esme. Even if she’s infected with a metal that inspires rage and lust in Zai’s alien race.
Yes, like the first book, it’s a magic lust story, coupled with a fated mate trope, as Zai is the only one who can appease Esme’s need, and they work so well together that they obviously were destined to meet. In fact, like in the first book as well, the myth of Grundi and Amante is back and used to explain and describe Zai and Esme’s relationship.
What I enjoyed the most was the way Zai tried to understand Esme, and how he wanted to take care of her. Gifts, gestures, as well as protectiveness and trust, he did his best to show how he felt about her, while not really understanding it, since it was so foreign to his race. Imagine a deadly general alien being cute! And magic lust oblige, he was also hot and sexy. Again he tried to learn what would please Esme. Swoon-worty, I tell you.
It wasn’t just a romance though. The world built in the first book was fascinating, and we get a bit more of it. Especially more of the conspiracy that was hinted at previously. There’s some action, some violence, and some treachery. Gripping.
As for the narration, the female narrator gave the perfect subdued quality to voice Esme, while the male narrator did the complete opposite for Zai–cold-heartedness with a hint of emotions. The third narrator had a couple of chapters to introduce his character from the next book, and he did well enough. A really good listen.
Quickie
- Series: Blades of Arris #2 (can be read as a standalone)
- Hashtags: #SF romance #fated mates #POC main character
- Triggers: dubious consent, violence, deaths
- Main couple: Esme & Zai
- Hotness: 5/5
- Romance: 4/5
- + Zai wanting to learn how to take care of a human, swoon-worthy
- – Zai is supposed to be smart, he didn’t seem so
We meet him at his worse. Sick and tired, suffering from headaches for a long time, he may even be dying when Esme wakes up in his ship and discovers him. She saves his life, and he allows himself to be weak in front of a lesser–supposedly a less intelligent form of life. And that’s basically the gist of their relationship. Despite having a position of power inside the empire, Zai’s condition has made him lose control of the situation, and he’s in dire need of another set of eyes, especially those of a smart human like Esme. Even if she’s infected with a metal that inspires rage and lust in Zai’s alien race.
Yes, like the first book, it’s a magic lust story, coupled with a fated mate trope, as Zai is the only one who can appease Esme’s need, and they work so well together that they obviously were destined to meet. In fact, like in the first book as well, the myth of Grundi and Amante is back and used to explain and describe Zai and Esme’s relationship.
What I enjoyed the most was the way Zai tried to understand Esme, and how he wanted to take care of her. Gifts, gestures, as well as protectiveness and trust, he did his best to show how he felt about her, while not really understanding it, since it was so foreign to his race. Imagine a deadly general alien being cute! And magic lust oblige, he was also hot and sexy. Again he tried to learn what would please Esme. Swoon-worty, I tell you.
It wasn’t just a romance though. The world built in the first book was fascinating, and we get a bit more of it. Especially more of the conspiracy that was hinted at previously. There’s some action, some violence, and some treachery. Gripping.
As for the narration, the female narrator gave the perfect subdued quality to voice Esme, while the male narrator did the complete opposite for Zai–cold-heartedness with a hint of emotions. The third narrator had a couple of chapters to introduce his character from the next book, and he did well enough. A really good listen.
Quickie
- Series: Blades of Arris #2 (can be read as a standalone)
- Hashtags: #SF romance #fated mates #POC main character
- Triggers: dubious consent, violence, deaths
- Main couple: Esme & Zai
- Hotness: 5/5
- Romance: 4/5
- + Zai wanting to learn how to take care of a human, swoon-worthy
- – Zai is supposed to be smart, he didn’t seem so
November 10, 2021
Another explosively sexy and thrilling book in Starla Night's EXCITING new Blads Of Arris series that really, REALLY make me wish these sexy alien assassins' were real!
I devoured this second book way to quickly and then I immediately had the urge to read BOTH books again. Zai is such a powerful hero. One that made my knees weak and my heart race. The way he was with Esme was pretty freaking epic too. You can definitely sense his draw to beautiful Esme while he tries not to succumb to his desires. But Esme has a pull that is irresistible. I loved her as a whole too. She was compassionate and beautiful and fit Zai in a way that is definitely good for him. She makes him feel in a way he has never once felt and it really calls to the romantic in me. This book was amazing to read and I am already pumped for the next one!
Zai gets a SEXY AND ACTION PACKED FIVE TENSION FILLED STARS!!
I devoured this second book way to quickly and then I immediately had the urge to read BOTH books again. Zai is such a powerful hero. One that made my knees weak and my heart race. The way he was with Esme was pretty freaking epic too. You can definitely sense his draw to beautiful Esme while he tries not to succumb to his desires. But Esme has a pull that is irresistible. I loved her as a whole too. She was compassionate and beautiful and fit Zai in a way that is definitely good for him. She makes him feel in a way he has never once felt and it really calls to the romantic in me. This book was amazing to read and I am already pumped for the next one!
Zai gets a SEXY AND ACTION PACKED FIVE TENSION FILLED STARS!!
February 5, 2022
Zai is the General Master of the Arsenal who reports to no one but the Emperor. His life is about to change forever when he enters the spaceship that was being attacked and he found Esme who happens to be a human from Humana or Earth but the Arrisan and other races call them lessers she and the other women on the ship happened to be infected with the Lusteal drug that can drive the Arrisan to total insane violence supposedly they were going to the Vanadis planet and they claim they wanted to help them through testing when they are attacked by another race they all get into pods but Esme doesn't get away when Zai comes onto the ship he is not well and he does what he must but when he passes out she helps him. Then something happened with his ship and he had to make a repair outside the ship when it starts and he brings Esme to the Arsenal and the Science Officer wanted to have her taken to the science lab so that he could dissect her but Zai would not accept his excuses and chose to take her to his quarters and let the science officer come take the blood sample he needed she stays in his quarters with him until she noticed that the powder he had been using was tainted but as an Artisans they cannot smell it but he had it checked out and requested a new batch but he doesn't realize that things have been off for a long time but he just didn't think that anyone wanted to betray him and he cannot believe that to be possible but Esme is noticing things that have just kind of slipped by him and he locks her in his room for her safety not knowing that she wasn't when he comes back he is shocked when he sees her on the floor. Zai begins to investigate the master key because he knows someone used a key to his private quarters. What he finds out shakes him to his core and he realizes the only person he is able to trust is Esme his lesser from Humana the planet that provides food for the Arrisan. This book was even better than the first book in the series. Drama, mystery, suspense, action-adventure, betrayal, danger, and love. I read an ARC via BookFunnel without obligation. I volunteered an honest review.
June 30, 2026
The entire series has the right amount of everything, well rounded characters, a fully fleshed out and well paced storyline, with a touch of spice that just sets it on fire ... but not too much spice you begin to wonder "where's the story?" I've already read every book in this series several times since I purchased it, each book flows into the next with a chapters worth of the next story as the ending of the one before, this is perfect if you buy the collection that includes every book in the series [instead of purchasing each book individually], the collection turns the entire series into an epic read. While it’s hard to choose a favorite book, because the entire series is really good, I have read each book in this series more than once. Highly Recommended 😉
On a Personal Note: I dislike the old Harlequin Romance stories of my youth, the ones with cookie-cutter plots, couples, and storylines that only swap the covers, character names, and general location, but everything else is basically the same thing from book to book, so finding Starla Night's The Lords of Atlantis Series, which led me to my new favorite the Blades of Arris Series was a welcome change. That's probably why I purchased the ebook & audible versions from Amazon and the Signed Hard Cover Collector's Edition from Starla's webstore.
The Blades Series Includes:
Blades of Arris, Sithe [Book 1]
Blades of Arris, Zai [Book 2]
Blades of Arris, Aizen & Ger [Book 2.5]
Blades of Arris, Ranse [Book 3]
Blades of Arris, Alana [Book 4]
Blades of Arris, Ukuri [Book 5]
Blades of Arris, Falkion [Book 6]
Blades of Arris, Erion [Book 7]
On a Personal Note: I dislike the old Harlequin Romance stories of my youth, the ones with cookie-cutter plots, couples, and storylines that only swap the covers, character names, and general location, but everything else is basically the same thing from book to book, so finding Starla Night's The Lords of Atlantis Series, which led me to my new favorite the Blades of Arris Series was a welcome change. That's probably why I purchased the ebook & audible versions from Amazon and the Signed Hard Cover Collector's Edition from Starla's webstore.
The Blades Series Includes:
Blades of Arris, Sithe [Book 1]
Blades of Arris, Zai [Book 2]
Blades of Arris, Aizen & Ger [Book 2.5]
Blades of Arris, Ranse [Book 3]
Blades of Arris, Alana [Book 4]
Blades of Arris, Ukuri [Book 5]
Blades of Arris, Falkion [Book 6]
Blades of Arris, Erion [Book 7]
September 13, 2026
This is my favorite of the series, I enjoyed the MMC and FMC, but also the setting of the Arsenal.
I snorted at Zai telling Esme to resist the Lusteal upon her rescue and sighting of him, citing his strong control only to have him give in almost immediately. He is such a puddle for her; yes please I want more.
There is internal Arsenal conflict occuring that we later find out is part of a larger plan by the High Commander. The multitude of attempts on both Zai and Esme stack up and veer into repetitive territory. If I am to critique Night's titles with strong passion it is to point out that this is the fatal weak point in otherwise delectable series.
As an aside: I find the hygiene glossed over too much. They have these orange peach gel baths the characters take advantage of often enough, but the are told their suits take care of most hygiene by wisking bodies dry. The amount of *cough* described on/in the FMC bodies though...?? I just don't understand is it dry and not sticky, where does the cleansing go? There is also no mention of teeth hygiene or where one would use a toilet. There is so much talk of sex, of medication ointments using their technology, I'm begging for a crumb of this information.
Things I 💕:
The origin stories are entwined and grow with the pairings and I love that Esme is referred to as Esmante.
I wanted more grav tube explanation from Sithe and not only does that happen in Zai, as Zai conducts his student training duties Esme is nearby training on the little grav tube course. She's zipping and living her best life, learning how to ride the tubes like she was born on a spaceship.
I snorted at Zai telling Esme to resist the Lusteal upon her rescue and sighting of him, citing his strong control only to have him give in almost immediately. He is such a puddle for her; yes please I want more.
There is internal Arsenal conflict occuring that we later find out is part of a larger plan by the High Commander. The multitude of attempts on both Zai and Esme stack up and veer into repetitive territory. If I am to critique Night's titles with strong passion it is to point out that this is the fatal weak point in otherwise delectable series.
As an aside: I find the hygiene glossed over too much. They have these orange peach gel baths the characters take advantage of often enough, but the are told their suits take care of most hygiene by wisking bodies dry. The amount of *cough* described on/in the FMC bodies though...?? I just don't understand is it dry and not sticky, where does the cleansing go? There is also no mention of teeth hygiene or where one would use a toilet. There is so much talk of sex, of medication ointments using their technology, I'm begging for a crumb of this information.
Things I 💕:
The origin stories are entwined and grow with the pairings and I love that Esme is referred to as Esmante.
I wanted more grav tube explanation from Sithe and not only does that happen in Zai, as Zai conducts his student training duties Esme is nearby training on the little grav tube course. She's zipping and living her best life, learning how to ride the tubes like she was born on a spaceship.
November 16, 2021
Zai is the Grand Master and a model of discipline. One of the disciplnes though is not doing him any favours, until his mission is done he will not sleep and yet as Grand Master his mission will never be complete. Something of a conumdrum! There is something else going on but he cannot quite put his finger on it and there is some crazy rumour going round about a weapon and lessers. He has no idea until he meets the rumour head on in the form of Esme. She has lusteal in her very blood and it affects all Arrisans that come into contact with her. The way that it affects Zai though seems to be very different and soon all he can think about is keeping her with him although he knows that he cannot. She is the only thing that seems to keep his heart pumping, sends his permanent headache away and soothes him yet on others she only has to walk past to incite violence. Esme seeing all that Zai does for her, to the detriment of himself at times cannot help but become drawn to the honourable male. What can they be to each other though? A blade and a weapon? All this happening while what seems like civil unrest and foreign attacks rage in the background. Is the cause of evreything closer at hand that at first perceived?
I love how the Arsenals are built, how they run and the rules that govern the societies. There is so much to enjoy in this but please do not pick it up if you are after a quick or simple read. This has so many layers that you would not do justice if that were the case and I would not want such a great book to be affected because is was not what the reader was after.
I love how the Arsenals are built, how they run and the rules that govern the societies. There is so much to enjoy in this but please do not pick it up if you are after a quick or simple read. This has so many layers that you would not do justice if that were the case and I would not want such a great book to be affected because is was not what the reader was after.
November 9, 2021
I don't think there is any better word to describe this book than EPIC. An epic romance is backed by a epic story filled with taut drama, rich emotion, nerve stretching tension, keep you guessing intrigue and many stunning twists and revelations. I simply adored Esme and Zai and I fell for them so hard. Zai was super swoon worthy to me. His devotion to his duty and his strong moral compass was sharply and yet, so very beautifully balanced with his affection, desire and genuine need to care for Esme. Esme herself, was a bit quirky and immensely clever. Her self doubts and emotional baggage made her easy to connect with and to relate to. Together I felt that they created a true super couple. I felt there was a poignant sweetness to their relationship that appealed to me so strongly. This book delivers a enticing blend sweet and spicy that has your heart a gooey mess while your temperature is rising. While Zai and Esme's romance is a standalone read, there is an overarching story that is unfolding over this series. Personally, I would recommend that you read book one first. It will help you see the bigger picture, introduce you to characters that reappear throughout and in my opinion, simply increase your own overall enjoyment and understanding of everything and everyone. This book sets up the next one quite nicely and I am seriously anxious to get my hands on it just as soon as I can. This is my frank, freely posted review.
November 17, 2021
This is a book that’s fraught with danger, action, some very steamy scenes and a happily ever after ending. The world building is vivid and has a range of different aliens. The chemistry between the main characters is off the charts and it makes the book all that much better.
The Arrisans control the empire and invaded and took over Earth and renamed it Humana. Esme is human but with uncontrollable, let’s say “certain” urges, urges so bad that she is in a medical institution to find out the cause. When another alien race claims to be able to cure her she consents to go there to get help. On the way the ship is attacked and Esme and her fellow humans are put into escape pods. Zai brings her pod onto his ship and when Esme wakes it’s to find him almost dead. She brings him back but as soon as he smells her he knows something is wrong, and not just with Esme. She’s been infected with Lusteal, something usually used by the Arrisans. After getting a lot closer they work together to escape and get back to the Arsenal. There the science officer attacks Esme and Zai saves her. He’s the general master of the Arsenal but it doesn’t mean he is all powerful unfortunately. Now they must find a way to save the empire from an alien race bent on using the Lusteal infected humans as weapons against the empire, he must also try to control his feelings about Esme.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
The Arrisans control the empire and invaded and took over Earth and renamed it Humana. Esme is human but with uncontrollable, let’s say “certain” urges, urges so bad that she is in a medical institution to find out the cause. When another alien race claims to be able to cure her she consents to go there to get help. On the way the ship is attacked and Esme and her fellow humans are put into escape pods. Zai brings her pod onto his ship and when Esme wakes it’s to find him almost dead. She brings him back but as soon as he smells her he knows something is wrong, and not just with Esme. She’s been infected with Lusteal, something usually used by the Arrisans. After getting a lot closer they work together to escape and get back to the Arsenal. There the science officer attacks Esme and Zai saves her. He’s the general master of the Arsenal but it doesn’t mean he is all powerful unfortunately. Now they must find a way to save the empire from an alien race bent on using the Lusteal infected humans as weapons against the empire, he must also try to control his feelings about Esme.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
July 23, 2026
The Second book in the series is getting a little more mysterious and a little more high stakes. Zai and Esme are the next favored couple and what a pair indeed. She doesn’t believe in her importance because of past familial trauma and he believes too much in his status and the foundations in which he was taught. Definitely some character growth here. It’s been fun trying to figure it out who is betraying who. I must admit, when the plot twist happened I was enthralled. I still can’t get over it. I think this is way better than the first book and I can’t wait to see how much better this series gets book by book because of the political underlaying plots.
Some after thoughts …. I also think it’s weird to think about how the aliens call their male genitalia a Jack …. They make it a verb because it jacks into the female genitalia and they call them sockets…… It’s a weird vernacular to use.
Lastly I have noticed that the Arrisans only wear a suit that cleans their body while wearing and it comes on and off of their body’s like a cloak or a cape but it shrinks to their body like a jump suit…. It reminded me of the 1999 sci-fi comedy My Favorite Martian, Zoot is Uncle Martin's sentient, highly-advanced, headless silver spacesuit.
Even though the Arrisans suits aren’t sentient….. they do form to the body in technologically sentient way. It parts where you tug and really comes in handy for other fun.
Some after thoughts …. I also think it’s weird to think about how the aliens call their male genitalia a Jack …. They make it a verb because it jacks into the female genitalia and they call them sockets…… It’s a weird vernacular to use.
Lastly I have noticed that the Arrisans only wear a suit that cleans their body while wearing and it comes on and off of their body’s like a cloak or a cape but it shrinks to their body like a jump suit…. It reminded me of the 1999 sci-fi comedy My Favorite Martian, Zoot is Uncle Martin's sentient, highly-advanced, headless silver spacesuit.
Even though the Arrisans suits aren’t sentient….. they do form to the body in technologically sentient way. It parts where you tug and really comes in handy for other fun.
November 12, 2021
Okay so here is book two in the Blades series. Yes I shortened it but you will understand when you read the books. So as you know we met Zai in book one. So we pick up from where we are leave off in book one. Zai finds himself a pod that has a lesser inside it. A lesser being is a human. Now why is there a lesser in a pod. Well as you know the lesser is infected with lusteal. So who is this Lesser? Lets meet Esme. Now she has not had it easy since she was infected. She has managed to close herself off to her friends and family. So when she meets Zai, he is in a predicament no one wants to be in. His health is acting up and well she helps him out. Now this story does get hot and heavy quick. There are funny moments throughout this book. Especially when mentioning jack and socket. Even though we get some really good steamy sessions, we also have a great story going on. Like who is trying to kill Zai? Why is Zai trying to resist the urge to bite Esme? There are moments when you will be on the edge of your seat wanting to know what will happen. So when everything is said and done, will Zai and Esme be together. There is a lot of touch and go through out. If you want to know how it ends, then you need to read this book. You will love it.
November 19, 2021
I received an ARC edition of this book from the author and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I highly recommend reading the previous book before reading this one. Though this is a separate couple, the other book offers some background that will make this one better.
I really liked both Esme and Zai. They complement each other in a variety of ways (not just the physical). Although Zai originally sees her as a "lesser", the more she helps him the more he comes to depend on her. For someone that has few that he could trust, Esme becomes not only a perfect sounding board, but a reason for him live and not just exist. Supporting Zai also gives Esme confidence she was lacking at the beginning, she comes to realize that she is not a burden, but rather truly valuable to another person.
I did find the command dynamics of the Arsenal to be a bit confusing. There are a lot of layers and nuances that just wouldn't quite click for me. It's a lot of politics and backstabbing at times. I did enjoy some of the more individual moments and I really liked how Zai eventually interacted with the soon to be graduates, but I had to question how things got so bad to begin with in some situations.
I'm interested to see how the next of the women with interact with her own Blade.
I highly recommend reading the previous book before reading this one. Though this is a separate couple, the other book offers some background that will make this one better.
I really liked both Esme and Zai. They complement each other in a variety of ways (not just the physical). Although Zai originally sees her as a "lesser", the more she helps him the more he comes to depend on her. For someone that has few that he could trust, Esme becomes not only a perfect sounding board, but a reason for him live and not just exist. Supporting Zai also gives Esme confidence she was lacking at the beginning, she comes to realize that she is not a burden, but rather truly valuable to another person.
I did find the command dynamics of the Arsenal to be a bit confusing. There are a lot of layers and nuances that just wouldn't quite click for me. It's a lot of politics and backstabbing at times. I did enjoy some of the more individual moments and I really liked how Zai eventually interacted with the soon to be graduates, but I had to question how things got so bad to begin with in some situations.
I'm interested to see how the next of the women with interact with her own Blade.
February 1, 2022
I am not disappointed with this series yet. This book was just as good as the first, and I want the third!
What I liked:
1. Esme is not a badass. She uses her head and is pretty quick on her feet, but not to the point that it makes you want to roll our eyes.
2. Zia is sweet and cares about Esme's safety. He wants to be a good provider for her, even though he doesn't understand the urge.
3. Zia and Esme are very compatible with one another. They work as a team and don't argue. It's refreshing to not have that push and pull between personalities.
There wasn't anything in this book that I didn't like.
One thing to keep in mind about Zia is he was never trained for his role. He's earned it during combat 5 years prior with absolutely no training. None of the surrounding masters helped train or guide him, and they all kind of left his to fend for himself. Because of this, he can come off as inexperienced and that's because he is. He's strong/powerful with a moral code that many find endearing. He shows respect to others when they earn it, and he does not have an ego. He wants to be a good General Master to both the Empire and the planets under their rule, and at the end of the book, you see him earn that from the rest of the force.
What I liked:
1. Esme is not a badass. She uses her head and is pretty quick on her feet, but not to the point that it makes you want to roll our eyes.
2. Zia is sweet and cares about Esme's safety. He wants to be a good provider for her, even though he doesn't understand the urge.
3. Zia and Esme are very compatible with one another. They work as a team and don't argue. It's refreshing to not have that push and pull between personalities.
There wasn't anything in this book that I didn't like.
One thing to keep in mind about Zia is he was never trained for his role. He's earned it during combat 5 years prior with absolutely no training. None of the surrounding masters helped train or guide him, and they all kind of left his to fend for himself. Because of this, he can come off as inexperienced and that's because he is. He's strong/powerful with a moral code that many find endearing. He shows respect to others when they earn it, and he does not have an ego. He wants to be a good General Master to both the Empire and the planets under their rule, and at the end of the book, you see him earn that from the rest of the force.
November 13, 2021
This is another thrilling edition to the Blades of Arris series as exiting and provocative as the first!
Esme is rescued by Master General Zai after her stasis pod is left floating in space. She is another of the females abducted from Humana by the alien Vanadisan ruse that offered a cure to the aphrodisiac of Arrisan lusteal metal infecting their blood.
Sweet and unassuming Esme whose character I loved is drawn to the stern and officious Zai who has no love for what his race considers lessors but ultimately he does begin to feel emotional stirrings towards the fascinating female that has nothing to do with the lusteal in her blood affecting him.
Persistently riveting and deeply satisfying this was a deftly written, imaginative and never boring Sci-Fi Romance. With excellent world building, engaging characters, intrigue and suspense swirling around the two leads whose intense love scenes lit up the pages.
I can’t wait to read more of the stories to be told in this hypnotic fabulous world.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Esme is rescued by Master General Zai after her stasis pod is left floating in space. She is another of the females abducted from Humana by the alien Vanadisan ruse that offered a cure to the aphrodisiac of Arrisan lusteal metal infecting their blood.
Sweet and unassuming Esme whose character I loved is drawn to the stern and officious Zai who has no love for what his race considers lessors but ultimately he does begin to feel emotional stirrings towards the fascinating female that has nothing to do with the lusteal in her blood affecting him.
Persistently riveting and deeply satisfying this was a deftly written, imaginative and never boring Sci-Fi Romance. With excellent world building, engaging characters, intrigue and suspense swirling around the two leads whose intense love scenes lit up the pages.
I can’t wait to read more of the stories to be told in this hypnotic fabulous world.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
October 30, 2021
I absolutely love this series!
I highly recommend you read Sithe (book 1 of the series) to best understand the complex world building the author has crafted for this series. Even having read and LOVED Sithe, it took me a few chapters to get immersed once again in this incredible world.
The storyline is incredible with so many nuances and rich layers. Not everything is as it seems on the Arsenal and Esme asks questions that bring Zai some clarity and awareness to what has been taking place around him. There is intrigue, action, drama and plenty of twists and turns to this book.
I really enjoyed seeing the situations that take place on the Arsenal from both Zai and Esme’s perspectives, especially hers because it gave a fresh perspective that was different from what was learned from Sithe and Catarine’s perspectives in the prior book.
I am very eager to read the next book in the series, Ranse and Allie!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I highly recommend you read Sithe (book 1 of the series) to best understand the complex world building the author has crafted for this series. Even having read and LOVED Sithe, it took me a few chapters to get immersed once again in this incredible world.
The storyline is incredible with so many nuances and rich layers. Not everything is as it seems on the Arsenal and Esme asks questions that bring Zai some clarity and awareness to what has been taking place around him. There is intrigue, action, drama and plenty of twists and turns to this book.
I really enjoyed seeing the situations that take place on the Arsenal from both Zai and Esme’s perspectives, especially hers because it gave a fresh perspective that was different from what was learned from Sithe and Catarine’s perspectives in the prior book.
I am very eager to read the next book in the series, Ranse and Allie!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
November 16, 2021
The world building in this novel was lush and layered, with the nuances and contradictions of this alien culture really coming to life. There was plenty of action and danger that contributed to the high stakes and fast pacing. I really enjoyed the political machinations and intrigue, it also contributed to the high stakes which made reading this novel fly by. The heroine was deeply sympathetic and nuanced, and the hero was DELICIOUSLY alpha, in the romance novel sense. I always love an emotionless assassin/black ops hero who is totally unraveled by his feelings for the heroine! YUM. This novel ended on a Happy For Now ending with the romantic relationship resolved but the overarching series plot threads left dangling. I loved the teaser for the next book in the series! Looking forward to watching the Kingmaker at work. I look forward to reading the next book in this series when it releases, and I will definitely buy myself a keeper copy of this book.
I received a copy of this book for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received a copy of this book for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
November 17, 2021
Of all of Starla’s characters these are my absolute favorite! I’ve read all of her works and thus far Zai and Esme’s story is at the top of my list, I could not put it down. Book one (Sithe) was a bit darker, I dont know if reading it prepared me for book 2, or if the relationship between Zai and Esme just seems brighter, but it does seem closer to Starla’s other series’s. Zai’s character has the weight of an empire on his shoulders and the stress of it is taking its toll. Esme’s character is just incredible, she is in a really horrible situation but manages to find a friend and inspire others in spite of her circumstances. I love Zai’s asking Esme to “tell him the things”, I wish I had someone telling me everything would be ok. This is a wonderful book, and I love how it paints a picture for book 3. Starla is an amazing story teller and her series’s always end with incredible detail, nothing is left out. I highly recommend this book, and the whole Blades of Arris series!
November 21, 2021
Ehh
It was nice to see the continuation starting right off where previous book has finished.
But it was not as good as the first one.
What bothered me:
1) the male character - he seemed so out of sorts in everything. Ok, according to the plot he had his reasons, but nothing turns off more than clueless guy with little respect from his peers, his subordinates and (!) his superiors (failed all around),
2) the female character - she was really unremarkable. Catharine at least had an excuse (illness made her “stupid” but IMHO that was debatable as she managed to actually detangle ancient arix legends and use it to her advantage), this girl had literally nothing. There’s a brief touch up with her being a nurse or other medical staff but other than that - zero.
I’ll probably read the next one in the series cause I want to learn what’s next. But I hope the guys will be more capable.
It was nice to see the continuation starting right off where previous book has finished.
But it was not as good as the first one.
What bothered me:
1) the male character - he seemed so out of sorts in everything. Ok, according to the plot he had his reasons, but nothing turns off more than clueless guy with little respect from his peers, his subordinates and (!) his superiors (failed all around),
2) the female character - she was really unremarkable. Catharine at least had an excuse (illness made her “stupid” but IMHO that was debatable as she managed to actually detangle ancient arix legends and use it to her advantage), this girl had literally nothing. There’s a brief touch up with her being a nurse or other medical staff but other than that - zero.
I’ll probably read the next one in the series cause I want to learn what’s next. But I hope the guys will be more capable.
November 19, 2021
This is the second book in the series with the story of Zai and Esme.
The author is a new to me writer, and I find her science fiction to be excellent, the thriller part of the story riveting and the romance quirkily great. The tropes are somewhat standard, but the writing is really well done. As I write this, it’s four months until I can read the follow-up book, and the suspense is already killing me. I have enjoyed the series so far, and look to the third book with Ranse and Allie. The first book with Sithe and Catarine was really excellent, too!
The Blades all have blade-like names (Sithe-scythe; Zai-sai), but I don’t know what kind of a blade Ranse is, so I am going to have do some research there… Actually just searching Ranse revealed it to be ranseur, another sai-like bladed weapon, but in spear length.
YMMV.
The author is a new to me writer, and I find her science fiction to be excellent, the thriller part of the story riveting and the romance quirkily great. The tropes are somewhat standard, but the writing is really well done. As I write this, it’s four months until I can read the follow-up book, and the suspense is already killing me. I have enjoyed the series so far, and look to the third book with Ranse and Allie. The first book with Sithe and Catarine was really excellent, too!
The Blades all have blade-like names (Sithe-scythe; Zai-sai), but I don’t know what kind of a blade Ranse is, so I am going to have do some research there… Actually just searching Ranse revealed it to be ranseur, another sai-like bladed weapon, but in spear length.
YMMV.
November 13, 2021
I loved this book! It's the first book I've read both by this author and in this series. Great world building. It caught my attention right from the story. I found the blades so interesting and unique. I liked Zai and Esme. They complimented each other and developed a good emotional connection. Zai is a blade and Esme is a lesser. She has contracted lusteal- his people's lust metal- and something about lesser's blood combined with the lusteal has a strong effect on them to either breed or battle. When the medical ship Esma is on is attacked, she escapes on an escape pod and is picked up by Zai. When she regains consciousness and finds him in the state of a medical emergency, she saves him. This book is fast paced and good action. Loved it. 5 stars.
December 17, 2021
A thrilling, pageturner
I really am enjoying this series. The world building is awesome. The characters are interesting, as are their back stories. The only thing that bothered me a little is I didn't see as big of a mindset change on Zai, as we did with Sithe. With Sithe, everything Humana needed explained, emotions needed explained, and he didn't understand his reactions half the time. We see that to some degree in Zai, but not enough to show the enormity of the change in perspective. Esme was a super different character too because her sickness causes an interesting side effect, besides the obvious one. Can't wait to see how Ranse will handle the kingmaker and what will be left of the Empire!
I really am enjoying this series. The world building is awesome. The characters are interesting, as are their back stories. The only thing that bothered me a little is I didn't see as big of a mindset change on Zai, as we did with Sithe. With Sithe, everything Humana needed explained, emotions needed explained, and he didn't understand his reactions half the time. We see that to some degree in Zai, but not enough to show the enormity of the change in perspective. Esme was a super different character too because her sickness causes an interesting side effect, besides the obvious one. Can't wait to see how Ranse will handle the kingmaker and what will be left of the Empire!
October 24, 2021
Another fantastic addition to this series. Zai, the General Master of the Blades, refuses to admit he needs assistance but when the infected Esme comes to his aid, he slowly realizes all is not as it seems, and he has more than the Vanadisans chemical weapon to worry about. Esme has finally learned about her condition and now grasp just how dire her situation is, one of which makes her the enemy and can forfeit her very life.
The Arsenal is no longer as safe as he once believed and now the two must start trusting in one another if they hope to survive. This amazing read is full of action, adventure, suspense, mystery, and danger and I cannot wait for the next installment.
The Arsenal is no longer as safe as he once believed and now the two must start trusting in one another if they hope to survive. This amazing read is full of action, adventure, suspense, mystery, and danger and I cannot wait for the next installment.
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