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Dark World Mates #3
Shadow's Chosen
From their first encounter, she knew he was trouble
A top operative in her field, Elise was trained since youth to be one of Earth's most elite soldiers.
But nothing could prepare her for Tyrminus and the deadly aliens taking over the city.
One job: find the Grayhart team of explorers that have disappeared within the undercity and bring them back alive. A seemingly impossible mission.
One rule: stay away from the alien bounty hunters--especially their terrifying and hypnotic leader, Nezka--who've been assigned to hunt down the mysterious criminal overlord now ruling the undercity.
As much as Elise would gladly abide by that rule, fate had other plans.
Now Nezka is her only hope of surviving.
Despite how wicked and dangerous he may seem, the ruthless hunter claims he will aid her in the fight to save the others and escape the city.
Because protecting her suddenly seems his top priority.
But Nezka carries dark secrets, including a separate mission that could destroy the growing bond between them.
Can she trust him? Or will he be her end?
Shadow's Chosen is a complete standalone novel in the Dark World Mates series with intense action-packed moments, heated intimate scenes, and dark elements. It includes possible triggers including violence and is intended for mature readers.
Though Shadow's Chosen can be read on its own, to get a better understanding and feel for certain situations and characters, its best to read book one and two:
Heart's Prisoner
Dark's Savior
A top operative in her field, Elise was trained since youth to be one of Earth's most elite soldiers.
But nothing could prepare her for Tyrminus and the deadly aliens taking over the city.
One job: find the Grayhart team of explorers that have disappeared within the undercity and bring them back alive. A seemingly impossible mission.
One rule: stay away from the alien bounty hunters--especially their terrifying and hypnotic leader, Nezka--who've been assigned to hunt down the mysterious criminal overlord now ruling the undercity.
As much as Elise would gladly abide by that rule, fate had other plans.
Now Nezka is her only hope of surviving.
Despite how wicked and dangerous he may seem, the ruthless hunter claims he will aid her in the fight to save the others and escape the city.
Because protecting her suddenly seems his top priority.
But Nezka carries dark secrets, including a separate mission that could destroy the growing bond between them.
Can she trust him? Or will he be her end?
Shadow's Chosen is a complete standalone novel in the Dark World Mates series with intense action-packed moments, heated intimate scenes, and dark elements. It includes possible triggers including violence and is intended for mature readers.
Though Shadow's Chosen can be read on its own, to get a better understanding and feel for certain situations and characters, its best to read book one and two:
Heart's Prisoner
Dark's Savior
288 pages, Paperback
First published March 6, 2021
206 people are currently reading
515 people want to read
About the author
Olivia Riley
12 books533 followersOlivia loves the dark possibilities of space; of ferocious aliens and brave heroines. She writes sci-fi, horror, and fantasy.
Join her Newsletter:
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Find more from her on social media:
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 131 reviews
March 19, 2021
This is the third book in the series and I really enjoyed it a lot.
It can easily be read as a stand-alone there is some slight background regarding the humans and the fact that there such a hot commodity for the empire but it isn’t necessary to read the previous books though It may enhance the experience as a whole and they are fantastic and well worth a read.
We were introduced to Nezka briefly at the end of the previous book and I did find myself greatly intrigued by him.
Recently tasked by his master to round-up some missing humans he and his team sign up undercover as bounty hunters to assist the human soldiers sent in to rescue them from the lower sectors of a city on the planet of Irosa home of the Drogin.
The lower city has been overtaken by low life’s and gangs the ones responsible for the human's capture are the red blades.
Elise is one of the human soldiers tasked with this dangerous rescue mission.
When they are all betrayed and set upon by there enemies Elise finds herself separated from her team with only Nezka as her ally and the two will now have to work together if they have any chance of succeeding.
These two start out very much as enemies Nezka definitely making a shaky first impression with Elise.
She’s also not aware of his true motives for assisting her and there not in her best interests either far from it.
But Nezka finds himself strangely drawn and fascinated by Elise and as the two grow closer Nezka realises he has a choice to make one that will change everything.
His feelings towards the little human and his current task have changed and his emotions are only growing stronger he cares and admires Elise greatly but knows when she discovers the truth she will only rightly hate him.
This one was action-packed and slow burn which did work, the world-building was excellent and really well done.
It’s dual POV which I do prefer my only slight criticism was I would have preferred a less abrupt ending, it just didn’t give me enough feels.
This author is fast becoming a firm favourite of mine and I definitely recommend this if you like alien romance with fantastic world immersion.
Her descriptions are always so vividly intense.
I’m impressed with this one I enjoyed it a lot it’s a great addition to the series.
I voluntary reviewed a copy of Shadows Chosen ( Dark Mates #3).
Reviewed By Beckie Bookworm
https://www.facebook.com/beckiebookworm/
www.beckiebookworm.com
March 25, 2023
A dangerous place!
The following ratings are out of 5:
Romance: 💚🖤💙
Heat/Steam: 🔥🔥🔥
Story/Plot: 📕📗📘
World building: 🌏🌍🌎🌏
Character development: 😮🙂🥰
Narrator(s): 🎙🎙🎙🎙🎙
Narration type: Dual Narration
The heroine: Elise - she has been trained since she was young to be one of Earths best soldiers. She now works in space and is tasked with finding the crew of a spaceship funded by the Grayhart Corporation, which was on a mission in deep space to find new civilizations. They arrive at Tyrminus to find out if the crew is hiding in the undercity. Though the place is in flux, full of criminals, bounty hunters and other deadly aliens.
The Hero: Nezka - Nezka appeared in the last book as the galaxy’s best hunter who was tasked with finding out where the humans came from in order for the Nillium to take human females as slaves to use for procreation. He was interested in the human females but felt nothing about selling humans or their coordinates and being partly responsible for human slavery. His boss still wants humans found to sell to the Nillium despite the unrest on Nil, knowing that they still need women who can carry their children and will pay a premium.
The Story: A criminal organization called the Red Blades has taken over parts of Tyrminus and Elise’s team is going in to try to find the crew of the Grayhart mission and recover the parts of the city utilities that have been taken over by criminals for the Grayhart corp and the council on Tyrminus. Meanwhile, Nezka had been about to capture the human crew on Tyrminus just when they went missing in the undercity. So he is also on the planet looking for the missing group of humans. Not to mention the huge bounty on the leader of the Red Blades.
There was a ton of chemistry between Elise and Nezka from the start when their two teams began working together on the mission to recover the crew and hunt the crime bosses. The premise of this story was pretty good and the writing was as good as in the last two books. This was another original story and I must say that I love the fact that this series has alien males that actually wear clothes instead of just loincloths which has been a pet peeve of mine lately.
Though the story in this book didn’t interest me as much as in the two prior books in this series. I think it was because I didn’t like the characters as much. Elise was a warrior, who thought a bit too much of her training based on how well she fought with other species and Nezka was good at what he did, but the fact that he planned to fight alongside Elise, then betray her and her people and sell them pretty much turned me off to him from the start.
This book was told in dual narration and was narrated by Mason Lloyd and Felicity Monroe. These two do the narration on a bunch of Ruby Dixon books and I am very used to their style of narration. I enjoy listening to both of these and love Mason’s tempo for alien romance. It is perfect for the alien men. Felicity monroe is a good narrator and is very emotive and pleasant to listen to. She is great at doing a number of different voices and accents for different characters.
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The following ratings are out of 5:
Romance: 💚🖤💙
Heat/Steam: 🔥🔥🔥
Story/Plot: 📕📗📘
World building: 🌏🌍🌎🌏
Character development: 😮🙂🥰
Narrator(s): 🎙🎙🎙🎙🎙
Narration type: Dual Narration
The heroine: Elise - she has been trained since she was young to be one of Earths best soldiers. She now works in space and is tasked with finding the crew of a spaceship funded by the Grayhart Corporation, which was on a mission in deep space to find new civilizations. They arrive at Tyrminus to find out if the crew is hiding in the undercity. Though the place is in flux, full of criminals, bounty hunters and other deadly aliens.
The Hero: Nezka - Nezka appeared in the last book as the galaxy’s best hunter who was tasked with finding out where the humans came from in order for the Nillium to take human females as slaves to use for procreation. He was interested in the human females but felt nothing about selling humans or their coordinates and being partly responsible for human slavery. His boss still wants humans found to sell to the Nillium despite the unrest on Nil, knowing that they still need women who can carry their children and will pay a premium.
The Story: A criminal organization called the Red Blades has taken over parts of Tyrminus and Elise’s team is going in to try to find the crew of the Grayhart mission and recover the parts of the city utilities that have been taken over by criminals for the Grayhart corp and the council on Tyrminus. Meanwhile, Nezka had been about to capture the human crew on Tyrminus just when they went missing in the undercity. So he is also on the planet looking for the missing group of humans. Not to mention the huge bounty on the leader of the Red Blades.
There was a ton of chemistry between Elise and Nezka from the start when their two teams began working together on the mission to recover the crew and hunt the crime bosses. The premise of this story was pretty good and the writing was as good as in the last two books. This was another original story and I must say that I love the fact that this series has alien males that actually wear clothes instead of just loincloths which has been a pet peeve of mine lately.
Though the story in this book didn’t interest me as much as in the two prior books in this series. I think it was because I didn’t like the characters as much. Elise was a warrior, who thought a bit too much of her training based on how well she fought with other species and Nezka was good at what he did, but the fact that he planned to fight alongside Elise, then betray her and her people and sell them pretty much turned me off to him from the start.
This book was told in dual narration and was narrated by Mason Lloyd and Felicity Monroe. These two do the narration on a bunch of Ruby Dixon books and I am very used to their style of narration. I enjoy listening to both of these and love Mason’s tempo for alien romance. It is perfect for the alien men. Felicity monroe is a good narrator and is very emotive and pleasant to listen to. She is great at doing a number of different voices and accents for different characters.
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March 14, 2021
The good aspects:
- Nezka's character design. Hands down. One of the coolest descriptions I saw for an alien in this genre. I could easily understand the protag's reluctant attraction towards him. Edgy? Sure, but still cool. Add that to the fact that his every action was a mix of poise, raw strength, confidence and asshole-ness and you got yourself a very alluring chara.
-The idea behind it: This book has a simple but "tried and true" kind of concept and there's enough detail to make its own unique thing. Also, It tries to read more like a SF epic first and romance second and that's different, as well.
The bad aspects:
- The protag's unfortunately one of those Strong Female Character! types, meaning she wasn't strong at all and just behaved like a brat while being saved by the love interest the entire time. She reads like a specially immature YA heroine.
- The dialogues added to my dislike of our protagonist. She sounded really dumb just for exposition's sake. Making obvious remarks or questions in case the reader wasn't following the plot. Interactions were expository and awkward in general.
- Various aspects of the setting and decisions made very little sense just to expose the characters to some type of scenario.
- I said the concept of this book's good. But the execution? It's very convoluted and repetitive. A whole lot of untapped potential thrown out for boring, stretched, irrational situations (Elise's team is one example).
- Editing needed a lot of work, especially when it comes to pacing.
- The romance: They have cute moments, but they are marred by a) Pacing. Again. It starts gradually and makes sense - then goes all over the place and suddenly ~ love. b) Nothing about Elise as a person justified how admired she was at first sight by nearly every male chara. c) unstable personalities, they both changed attitudes from time to time in a weird way.
- Scene descriptions + world building (when it comes to constructions, roles, social structures, language, technology, etc): Just confusing, all around.
I really enjoyed book 1 of this series: things actually made sense. Unfortunately dnf'd book 2. I'm still hopeful for the 4th. Let's see.
- Nezka's character design. Hands down. One of the coolest descriptions I saw for an alien in this genre. I could easily understand the protag's reluctant attraction towards him. Edgy? Sure, but still cool. Add that to the fact that his every action was a mix of poise, raw strength, confidence and asshole-ness and you got yourself a very alluring chara.
-The idea behind it: This book has a simple but "tried and true" kind of concept and there's enough detail to make its own unique thing. Also, It tries to read more like a SF epic first and romance second and that's different, as well.
The bad aspects:
- The protag's unfortunately one of those Strong Female Character! types, meaning she wasn't strong at all and just behaved like a brat while being saved by the love interest the entire time. She reads like a specially immature YA heroine.
- The dialogues added to my dislike of our protagonist. She sounded really dumb just for exposition's sake. Making obvious remarks or questions in case the reader wasn't following the plot. Interactions were expository and awkward in general.
- Various aspects of the setting and decisions made very little sense just to expose the characters to some type of scenario.
- I said the concept of this book's good. But the execution? It's very convoluted and repetitive. A whole lot of untapped potential thrown out for boring, stretched, irrational situations (Elise's team is one example).
- Editing needed a lot of work, especially when it comes to pacing.
- The romance: They have cute moments, but they are marred by a) Pacing. Again. It starts gradually and makes sense - then goes all over the place and suddenly ~ love. b) Nothing about Elise as a person justified how admired she was at first sight by nearly every male chara. c) unstable personalities, they both changed attitudes from time to time in a weird way.
- Scene descriptions + world building (when it comes to constructions, roles, social structures, language, technology, etc): Just confusing, all around.
I really enjoyed book 1 of this series: things actually made sense. Unfortunately dnf'd book 2. I'm still hopeful for the 4th. Let's see.
December 15, 2025
None of the charm of the first book was present
I judge a book for how long it takes me to finish it. The longer it takes me, the less I like it and this one took me more than two days.
My biggest issue?
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🕮⋆˚࿔✎𓂃 𝐣𝐨𝐢𝐧 𝐦𝐲 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐲 𝐟𝐮𝐥𝐥 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰
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I judge a book for how long it takes me to finish it. The longer it takes me, the less I like it and this one took me more than two days.
My biggest issue?
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🕮⋆˚࿔✎𓂃 𝐣𝐨𝐢𝐧 𝐦𝐲 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐲 𝐟𝐮𝐥𝐥 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰
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March 18, 2021
"He turned his gaze over to her, and their eyes locked. Her eyes spoke of her fear but also her fury and her will to endure, and in that moment, as time seemed to stretch, he felt again that pull—that need to bring her closer."
So- I had a lot of fun reading this one!
I really enjoyed the enemies to lovers story line- and liked the characters individually. Also, I have to say thumbs up again for the world building, and all of the descriptions of the under city, the fighting arenas, and underground systems and aliens bc they really got my imagination going.
We start the story out with a group of human soldiers-including our lead Elise- being contacted by the Grayhart group in order to conscript them into going down to an alien planet to find their missing human explorers that disappeared during a goodwill mission.
However, not only do they have to deal with venturing out into the vast labyrinth of the undercity- this team of soldiers is also made aware that there are large groups of criminals clusters trying to undermine the alien government- and might not take kindly to their territory being encroached on.
This is how our H, Nezka, and his team of mercenaries/ bounty hunters get invited planet side as well- with their main priority to take out the heads of the criminal organizations, as well as keeping an eye out for the missing humans.
However, that is not his only goal...as we saw in the last book and his attitude toward the human soldiers is haughtily uninterested at best and hostile at worst... except when it comes to Elise. Yeah, he's is definitely interested in her from jump with all the intense staring...
Anyhoo--while exploring the under city both Elise and Nezka grow closer as they both overcome deathly setbacks and hazardous obstacles in their quest to rescue the captured humans no matter the odds--but can their budding romance survive in the end when everything is revealed?
March 3, 2022
"All dark places carry some innocence."
At this point, I’ll read anything Riley writes. Absolutely anything. The author crafts a fantastic blend of action and romance, with heroes that are actually inhuman and not just beefy men with a different skin tone (which I LOVE and struggle to find in alien romances). I mean, the heroine’s first thought when she lays eyes on the hero is that he’s “a scary son of a bitch if she ever saw one” . Yes yes yes! Mix with this the hero being an arrogant SOB who is dangerous af and undeniably (yet unwillingly) drawn to the heroine, as well as enemies to lovers, forced proximity, and survival/on the run tropes, and I’m SOLD!
I was immediately fixated on Nezka when we met him at the end of book 2, and was so excited when I found out this book would be his romance. At no point did he disappoint, and Elise was his perfect match in every way.
I hope there are more books in this world (am I the only one intrigued by the villainy Nyxok we met briefly?), but I will also follow Riley down whatever writing path she chooses!
At this point, I’ll read anything Riley writes. Absolutely anything. The author crafts a fantastic blend of action and romance, with heroes that are actually inhuman and not just beefy men with a different skin tone (which I LOVE and struggle to find in alien romances). I mean, the heroine’s first thought when she lays eyes on the hero is that he’s “a scary son of a bitch if she ever saw one” . Yes yes yes! Mix with this the hero being an arrogant SOB who is dangerous af and undeniably (yet unwillingly) drawn to the heroine, as well as enemies to lovers, forced proximity, and survival/on the run tropes, and I’m SOLD!
I was immediately fixated on Nezka when we met him at the end of book 2, and was so excited when I found out this book would be his romance. At no point did he disappoint, and Elise was his perfect match in every way.
I hope there are more books in this world (am I the only one intrigued by the villainy Nyxok we met briefly?), but I will also follow Riley down whatever writing path she chooses!
November 24, 2022
I wish the “strong” FMC was actually strong and not all talk. Even if it was just at the end showing her improvement by saving herself rather than the MMC having to for the 10th time.
Also I’m tired of whenever there’s a character conflict like betrayal or whatever it may be in “action” books, they never talk about said conflict again once the bigger conflict appears. Like yes, he was going to save her in the end but he still was lying to her and planning on at least kidnapping the other humans up until the very last moment.
I liked the premise and was excited to see where this story goes but it was a bit of a let down. Still a solid alien romance and would recommend this series if you’re looking for not so human alien romances.
Also I’m tired of whenever there’s a character conflict like betrayal or whatever it may be in “action” books, they never talk about said conflict again once the bigger conflict appears. Like yes, he was going to save her in the end but he still was lying to her and planning on at least kidnapping the other humans up until the very last moment.
I liked the premise and was excited to see where this story goes but it was a bit of a let down. Still a solid alien romance and would recommend this series if you’re looking for not so human alien romances.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
![Profile Image for Elle ♡ [semi-hiatus].](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.gr-assets.com%2Fimages%2FS%2Fcompressed.photo.goodreads.com%2Fusers%2F1521418447i%2F78060090._UY200_CR25%2C0%2C200%2C200_.jpg&w=128&q=75)
August 28, 2022
1.75 stars?
Yeah so um…that was really bad…might write more about it eventually lol but it’s a miracle I even finished this book.
Yeah so um…that was really bad…might write more about it eventually lol but it’s a miracle I even finished this book.
March 8, 2021
I received an ARC of this book via Booksprout and I am voluntarily leaving a review.
After reading the first two books in this series, I can say this one by far is the most action-packed. Riley described it in a newsletter as a "gritty take on a cyber-punk aesthetic", and it absolutely delivered. It takes a grittier turn than the last book, and it features a slow-burn enemies-to-lovers romance with a HEA. The book can be read as a standalone, but the events and characters of the previous books are referenced frequently throughout this one, so I'd recommend reading the first two books in order before starting this one.
This story centers around a woman named Elise, a highly trained and equally capable operative/soldier. She belongs to a team of other operatives and soldiers who are tasked with a mission to locate and retrieve a missing group of scientists on a planet called Irosa.
Irosa's capital is Tyrminis, which is where the scientists originally were, studying it and the planet itself. But for reasons unknown, they were led to the underbelly of Tyrminis, aptly called the undercity, and were never seen or heard from again . Organized crime is rampant throughout the undercity, with the masterminds behind it being a ruthless gang called the red blades. The Irosa natives, a species called the Drogin, have pledged themselves to helping the human operatives in retaking the undercity as well as locating the missing scientists. (Btw, this is what I pictured the Drogin looking like).
Most of Elise's teammates don't have descriptions when it comes to their physical appearance. Elise and Nezka themselves are featured on the cover. But I was able to get a better view of what some of them looked like based on real-life and other fictional characters I'm familiar with: Bruce is Brock Lesnar, Jericho is Lance Reddick, and Adrien is a real-life version of McCree from the video game Overwatch. These are characters I'm familiar enough with that I was able to mentally see them in the story, but it will be different for each reader.
Those familiar with the series have seen Nezka before, if only briefly, in the second book. Here, he appears to be a bounty hunter looking to collect the bounty placed on the leader of the red blades. He has his own team, independent of Elise's and the scores of Drogin accompanying them to the undercity. But unbeknownst to both parties, he and his team have a more sinister motive. Elise and her team find themselves in mortal peril , and it's seemingly by a miracle that Elise is saved by Nezka .
The author has done a terrific job in pacing the characters' feelings and emotions. Elise is distrustful of Nezka from the very beginning and throughout most of the book, largely due to events prior to the siege and her rescue. Nezka is dark and mysterious, but he's also cocky and arrogant. Elise is headstrong, iron-willed, persistent and independent. She relies on no one but herself. But her survival in the undercity is solely dependent on her trusting Nezka, as well as finding the rest of her team, the scientists, and bringing them back home. She doesn't like her options, but there's no other way forward, and she's smart enough to realize this and go along with Nezka's plan .
Nezka, to his credit, has been keeping her at a distance - until he can't, and he suddenly finds his investment in her safety and well-being goes beyond his original plan . His inner conflict and turmoil, as well as his refusal to give up on her and let her go, were well-written, and I was on the edge of my seat until the very end.
The grittiness of the story isn't just because of the undercity itself, but the elements within the undercity. Riley has painted a dark picture of life in a place where organized crime is the "law" of the land, anything goes, and all bets are off. Riley also did a great job in depicting how criminals within the smaller gangs behaved around others, operated within their ranks, and reacted to various situations. .
One of the author's greatest strengths throughout all three books has been her ability to write characters with realistic reactions to everything around them and everything happening to them. Elise and her team were highly trained operatives caught in dire straits, and I absolutely felt their desperation .
More of the bigger picture behind the series is coming to light as well. As a result of the events in this book, Earth has learned two things: , and . I really like how this is set up, as it gives the story a lot of pacing. As I mentioned in the previous reviews I did for the other books, the exploration into the galaxy and discovery of new species didn't happen overnight. This makes it seem like months have passed before the events of this book start.
I also loved the diversity of Elise's team, with human men and women of different races. I'm hoping we see more of this diversity in future books, especially with the female main characters!
Something I found unclear was . Nezka never reveals his past to Elise, nor where he came from. Elise never mentions it again or asks him to elaborate, and even the name of his species is a mystery. It's different than the previous two books where we had ample information about the vrisha and the nillium, so I'm wondering if this is a result of the other events in the book taking center stage.
The ending was also very heartwarming . However, it left many unanswered questions: . An epilogue would have been wonderful .
Overall, I give this a 4.5/5 stars. There were a few missing punctuation marks (commas, periods, quotations, etc.) that didn't detract from the story as a whole, but I'm assuming they'll be fixed by the time the book is released. Shadow's Chosen lives up to its name as a dark and gritty cyberpunk aesthetic, with no shortage of action, adventure, and romance.
After reading the first two books in this series, I can say this one by far is the most action-packed. Riley described it in a newsletter as a "gritty take on a cyber-punk aesthetic", and it absolutely delivered. It takes a grittier turn than the last book, and it features a slow-burn enemies-to-lovers romance with a HEA. The book can be read as a standalone, but the events and characters of the previous books are referenced frequently throughout this one, so I'd recommend reading the first two books in order before starting this one.
This story centers around a woman named Elise, a highly trained and equally capable operative/soldier. She belongs to a team of other operatives and soldiers who are tasked with a mission to locate and retrieve a missing group of scientists on a planet called Irosa.
Irosa's capital is Tyrminis, which is where the scientists originally were, studying it and the planet itself. But for reasons unknown, they were led to the underbelly of Tyrminis, aptly called the undercity, and were never seen or heard from again . Organized crime is rampant throughout the undercity, with the masterminds behind it being a ruthless gang called the red blades. The Irosa natives, a species called the Drogin, have pledged themselves to helping the human operatives in retaking the undercity as well as locating the missing scientists. (Btw, this is what I pictured the Drogin looking like).
Most of Elise's teammates don't have descriptions when it comes to their physical appearance. Elise and Nezka themselves are featured on the cover. But I was able to get a better view of what some of them looked like based on real-life and other fictional characters I'm familiar with: Bruce is Brock Lesnar, Jericho is Lance Reddick, and Adrien is a real-life version of McCree from the video game Overwatch. These are characters I'm familiar enough with that I was able to mentally see them in the story, but it will be different for each reader.
Those familiar with the series have seen Nezka before, if only briefly, in the second book. Here, he appears to be a bounty hunter looking to collect the bounty placed on the leader of the red blades. He has his own team, independent of Elise's and the scores of Drogin accompanying them to the undercity. But unbeknownst to both parties, he and his team have a more sinister motive. Elise and her team find themselves in mortal peril , and it's seemingly by a miracle that Elise is saved by Nezka .
The author has done a terrific job in pacing the characters' feelings and emotions. Elise is distrustful of Nezka from the very beginning and throughout most of the book, largely due to events prior to the siege and her rescue. Nezka is dark and mysterious, but he's also cocky and arrogant. Elise is headstrong, iron-willed, persistent and independent. She relies on no one but herself. But her survival in the undercity is solely dependent on her trusting Nezka, as well as finding the rest of her team, the scientists, and bringing them back home. She doesn't like her options, but there's no other way forward, and she's smart enough to realize this and go along with Nezka's plan .
Nezka, to his credit, has been keeping her at a distance - until he can't, and he suddenly finds his investment in her safety and well-being goes beyond his original plan . His inner conflict and turmoil, as well as his refusal to give up on her and let her go, were well-written, and I was on the edge of my seat until the very end.
The grittiness of the story isn't just because of the undercity itself, but the elements within the undercity. Riley has painted a dark picture of life in a place where organized crime is the "law" of the land, anything goes, and all bets are off. Riley also did a great job in depicting how criminals within the smaller gangs behaved around others, operated within their ranks, and reacted to various situations. .
One of the author's greatest strengths throughout all three books has been her ability to write characters with realistic reactions to everything around them and everything happening to them. Elise and her team were highly trained operatives caught in dire straits, and I absolutely felt their desperation .
More of the bigger picture behind the series is coming to light as well. As a result of the events in this book, Earth has learned two things: , and . I really like how this is set up, as it gives the story a lot of pacing. As I mentioned in the previous reviews I did for the other books, the exploration into the galaxy and discovery of new species didn't happen overnight. This makes it seem like months have passed before the events of this book start.
I also loved the diversity of Elise's team, with human men and women of different races. I'm hoping we see more of this diversity in future books, especially with the female main characters!
Something I found unclear was . Nezka never reveals his past to Elise, nor where he came from. Elise never mentions it again or asks him to elaborate, and even the name of his species is a mystery. It's different than the previous two books where we had ample information about the vrisha and the nillium, so I'm wondering if this is a result of the other events in the book taking center stage.
The ending was also very heartwarming . However, it left many unanswered questions: . An epilogue would have been wonderful .
Overall, I give this a 4.5/5 stars. There were a few missing punctuation marks (commas, periods, quotations, etc.) that didn't detract from the story as a whole, but I'm assuming they'll be fixed by the time the book is released. Shadow's Chosen lives up to its name as a dark and gritty cyberpunk aesthetic, with no shortage of action, adventure, and romance.
Read
July 27, 2025So far I’ve only liked the first book in this series, & after trying this one, that continues to be so.
Absolutely zero chemistry between the mcs. I can see why Nezka would be alluring with his looks & fighting skills, but that’s as far as his character went. Their interactions & dialogue were super stale. Besides his interest in wanting to try out a human woman in the bedroom for the first time, Nezka didn’t seem all that interested in Elise beyond that.
Its also a pet peeve of mine when the fmc is skilled in some form of combat & should be a badass in her own right, but instead the author makes her completely useless, stupid & dependable on the mmc. Based on all that happened to Elise I was questioning whether or not she was actually trained because her skills were always falling significantly short & she seemingly had no sense of survival skills.
The plot wasn’t doing anything for me either. We learn about the crews, see them go through some training/fighting together & bam, every other side character is removed. I just didn’t care for the direction things went in.
Not for me. DNF at 50%.
Absolutely zero chemistry between the mcs. I can see why Nezka would be alluring with his looks & fighting skills, but that’s as far as his character went. Their interactions & dialogue were super stale. Besides his interest in wanting to try out a human woman in the bedroom for the first time, Nezka didn’t seem all that interested in Elise beyond that.
Its also a pet peeve of mine when the fmc is skilled in some form of combat & should be a badass in her own right, but instead the author makes her completely useless, stupid & dependable on the mmc. Based on all that happened to Elise I was questioning whether or not she was actually trained because her skills were always falling significantly short & she seemingly had no sense of survival skills.
The plot wasn’t doing anything for me either. We learn about the crews, see them go through some training/fighting together & bam, every other side character is removed. I just didn’t care for the direction things went in.
Not for me. DNF at 50%.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 28, 2021
Two stars and a half. I wanted to like this book! Book one is AMAZING, book two was meh, didn't like it that much, and then, this one appeared and I was "Great! Let's see what the author wrote this time, hope it's better than the second installment"...
Good point: I really like the H, Nezka was really badass and knew his line of work.
Bad points:
The h was not that great, she should have been a little more savvy if she was supposedly that experience, but nope, she was kind of an idiot sometimes... Girl, use your brain matter sometimes, it would have given you a more mature character that what you showed.
The story: it started quite good, a little slow and many unnecesary scenes wih the h's crew, and you have a past trauma which is never fully disclosed that makes the h react this way or another. But my major problem is the pacing. The romance was progressing well, then, from one moment to the other, LOVE! no, no no, love is not like that, you build it, you nurture it. Another awful negligence is the lack of inner talk from the H, man, you scarcely knew what he was feeling or why he was acting this way or another...
All in all, it had all the ingredients for a good novel, but it lacked a well-rounded resolution.
I hope the next book has this issued resolved. That's the last chance I'm giving this series.
Good point: I really like the H, Nezka was really badass and knew his line of work.
Bad points:
The h was not that great, she should have been a little more savvy if she was supposedly that experience, but nope, she was kind of an idiot sometimes... Girl, use your brain matter sometimes, it would have given you a more mature character that what you showed.
The story: it started quite good, a little slow and many unnecesary scenes wih the h's crew, and you have a past trauma which is never fully disclosed that makes the h react this way or another. But my major problem is the pacing. The romance was progressing well, then, from one moment to the other, LOVE! no, no no, love is not like that, you build it, you nurture it. Another awful negligence is the lack of inner talk from the H, man, you scarcely knew what he was feeling or why he was acting this way or another...
All in all, it had all the ingredients for a good novel, but it lacked a well-rounded resolution.
I hope the next book has this issued resolved. That's the last chance I'm giving this series.
April 10, 2022
5 stars ⭐️
This is such a great series, the intrigue of where this storyline is going to end up. The characters are endearing, trapping you in their adventures. How this series will end I have no idea, but I am enjoying the trip.
This is such a great series, the intrigue of where this storyline is going to end up. The characters are endearing, trapping you in their adventures. How this series will end I have no idea, but I am enjoying the trip.
November 15, 2025
2.5 star
I'm going to start with being a nit-picking jerk for a bit but I think these books have started to loose track of significant things very quickly in an attempt to make the story easier. Well I guess they might not be important to some but to me, very. So anyway how does every planet the humans/aliens go to, not have gravity or oxygen issues? There are 15 different species from probably 15 different planets but I will be generous and say some could have lived together so let's narrow it down to 8 planets. Out of these 8 places they all have the same air and gravitational force? Yes I went into this wanting a romance but I also wanted a probable story too.
There is too much missing at all times even from a descriptive point of view. Just one example 'Neza's spines tingled.' OK are they on his head? Back? Arms? Does he have two spines/backs? Just one or two more words in this sentence and voila no confusion but I guess you do find out 100 pages later so maybe it's ok (question mark). The weapons were especially interesting to me. The action scenes felt a bit like a video game with the technology and I enjoyed that.
The characters should have been more flushed out. The two protagonist even sit up a few nights and talk about things but you don't get to hear much of it. Also I did feel their chemistry but it didn't grip me in anyway. I blew thru these pages though honestly because I wanted to get it over with. The story was slow story bit repetitive. The human girl always getting hurt then they shack up for a few days with nothing happening (repeat 3 to 4 times). I liked parts of the story I didn't love any of it. Just wish the structure of the world and characters would have been more thought out.
I'm going to start with being a nit-picking jerk for a bit but I think these books have started to loose track of significant things very quickly in an attempt to make the story easier. Well I guess they might not be important to some but to me, very. So anyway how does every planet the humans/aliens go to, not have gravity or oxygen issues? There are 15 different species from probably 15 different planets but I will be generous and say some could have lived together so let's narrow it down to 8 planets. Out of these 8 places they all have the same air and gravitational force? Yes I went into this wanting a romance but I also wanted a probable story too.
There is too much missing at all times even from a descriptive point of view. Just one example 'Neza's spines tingled.' OK are they on his head? Back? Arms? Does he have two spines/backs? Just one or two more words in this sentence and voila no confusion but I guess you do find out 100 pages later so maybe it's ok (question mark). The weapons were especially interesting to me. The action scenes felt a bit like a video game with the technology and I enjoyed that.
The characters should have been more flushed out. The two protagonist even sit up a few nights and talk about things but you don't get to hear much of it. Also I did feel their chemistry but it didn't grip me in anyway. I blew thru these pages though honestly because I wanted to get it over with. The story was slow story bit repetitive. The human girl always getting hurt then they shack up for a few days with nothing happening (repeat 3 to 4 times). I liked parts of the story I didn't love any of it. Just wish the structure of the world and characters would have been more thought out.
April 30, 2021
Usually I am not into alien romance and that sort but I loved loved this one. It had everything I needed. The action, romance. Enemies to lovers, tension, unconditional love and loyalty. Plus I really loved the heroine, she was such a badass and he was amazing because he was strong and almost indestructible. It was just sweet, hot and everything honestly. I wouldn't mind rereading this one over and over again.
PS:totally fell in love with the characters, what can I say, I love a strong, assured, confident alpha man and it doesnt matter what species he is apparently.
PS:totally fell in love with the characters, what can I say, I love a strong, assured, confident alpha man and it doesnt matter what species he is apparently.
November 15, 2024
DNF @ 65%
This story started out interesting. But here it is, over the halfway mark in the book, and not only is the slow burn not burning for me, it’s actually regressing. It’s to the point I don’t want them to get together anymore.
The chemistry between the two mc’s is off. They could be battle buddies, sure, but we don’t get a whole lot of info from the mmc’s POV other than he wants to sleep with a human to check it off his list, and that he sort of has a deep dark feeling about her but he doesn’t want to think about it.
Which I guess jives with his character, as he’s not a good guy. And that’s cool for that, but why would I want the fmc to get with him then? All this is while he plans on selling her to a slaver. So again, there isn’t enough light to balance the dark for this gray character.
He doesn’t give in to his lust for her. He doesn’t feel so attracted that he can’t help but fall to his knees and worship her body even if he regrets it in the morning. There’s no passionate push/ pull. It’s all business, which is realistic??? But not fun for the type of romance I go for. Having the strong characters break and go weak for each other is what spice is all about. It’s what makes a morally gray character interesting when they start to show cracks in their armor, which the mmc here doesn’t.
The vibes in these books, environments, antagonists, all that is great. But the romance is anemic.
This story started out interesting. But here it is, over the halfway mark in the book, and not only is the slow burn not burning for me, it’s actually regressing. It’s to the point I don’t want them to get together anymore.
The chemistry between the two mc’s is off. They could be battle buddies, sure, but we don’t get a whole lot of info from the mmc’s POV other than he wants to sleep with a human to check it off his list, and that he sort of has a deep dark feeling about her but he doesn’t want to think about it.
Which I guess jives with his character, as he’s not a good guy. And that’s cool for that, but why would I want the fmc to get with him then? All this is while he plans on selling her to a slaver. So again, there isn’t enough light to balance the dark for this gray character.
He doesn’t give in to his lust for her. He doesn’t feel so attracted that he can’t help but fall to his knees and worship her body even if he regrets it in the morning. There’s no passionate push/ pull. It’s all business, which is realistic??? But not fun for the type of romance I go for. Having the strong characters break and go weak for each other is what spice is all about. It’s what makes a morally gray character interesting when they start to show cracks in their armor, which the mmc here doesn’t.
The vibes in these books, environments, antagonists, all that is great. But the romance is anemic.
September 19, 2021
3.5 stars ⭐⭐⭐
ok tbh... it was great up until the 70-ish% mark. the pacing was just super off. their relationship had been slowburn EXCELLENCE up until that point, and then it speeds up like crazy and feels totally rushed. it's super disappointing.
also the sex scene did NOT serve excellence after nearly 70% of the book being their sexual/emotional buildup. it all just fell flat.
ok tbh... it was great up until the 70-ish% mark. the pacing was just super off. their relationship had been slowburn EXCELLENCE up until that point, and then it speeds up like crazy and feels totally rushed. it's super disappointing.
also the sex scene did NOT serve excellence after nearly 70% of the book being their sexual/emotional buildup. it all just fell flat.
March 13, 2021
3.5 star ⭐️ enjoyed this
March 8, 2021
Another great one!
I’m always sitting on the edge of my seat waiting for the next release from this author, and Shadow’s Chosen was no different.
While my favorite novel is the first in the series, this one was really good, too. The tension between Nezka and Elise was almost palpable. And that Nezka sure had some smooth lines, such as, “In fact, I’d say I enjoy life even more. Especially the ritual of creating it.”
Looking forward to more!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I’m always sitting on the edge of my seat waiting for the next release from this author, and Shadow’s Chosen was no different.
While my favorite novel is the first in the series, this one was really good, too. The tension between Nezka and Elise was almost palpable. And that Nezka sure had some smooth lines, such as, “In fact, I’d say I enjoy life even more. Especially the ritual of creating it.”
Looking forward to more!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
September 8, 2025
4.5
I LOVED THIS
Surprisingly but also not.
Not, because I already loved book one in the series and every Olivia Riley book since.
The surprising part was that this has my one big trigger in it and it can quickly ruin a read for me. Even if I know, there are good reasons and all will be well.
Still, this was such a great book and I love the dynamic of these two.
One minor wish I might have had was with the epilogue: It made sense and I loved it and, yeah, I can connect the dots. But just one sentence or two would have been great to explain what had caused the hold up.
I LOVED THIS
Surprisingly but also not.
Not, because I already loved book one in the series and every Olivia Riley book since.
The surprising part was that this has my one big trigger in it and it can quickly ruin a read for me. Even if I know, there are good reasons and all will be well.
Still, this was such a great book and I love the dynamic of these two.
One minor wish I might have had was with the epilogue: It made sense and I loved it and, yeah, I can connect the dots. But just one sentence or two would have been great to explain what had caused the hold up.
March 10, 2021
Strong female with excellent Butt kickery
Just finished. Took about 30 kindle pages to find its rhythm. Action packed with plenty of butt kickery (poor Elise)
If we're comparing books I would rate this higher than book 2 for my own selfish reasons. That being said it deserves to stand on its own feet with a 78/100 personal score. The storyline is wonderfully captivating with new aliens and some familiar ones too. I really appreciate these books because its well balanced with enough schmexy time to make it worth your time without it being utter smut (hey, dont get me wrong i love me some smut)
Yes Olivia go forth and further expand thine universe. You are on 🔥 🔥 🔥
Just finished. Took about 30 kindle pages to find its rhythm. Action packed with plenty of butt kickery (poor Elise)
If we're comparing books I would rate this higher than book 2 for my own selfish reasons. That being said it deserves to stand on its own feet with a 78/100 personal score. The storyline is wonderfully captivating with new aliens and some familiar ones too. I really appreciate these books because its well balanced with enough schmexy time to make it worth your time without it being utter smut (hey, dont get me wrong i love me some smut)
Yes Olivia go forth and further expand thine universe. You are on 🔥 🔥 🔥
October 11, 2023
Yes!
Wasn’t sure how I’d like a non-vrisha story but fell in love with Nezka. I am hoping the vrisha somehow survived and Olivia will give us a story about him. I do love a villain getting a happy ending. :)
Wasn’t sure how I’d like a non-vrisha story but fell in love with Nezka. I am hoping the vrisha somehow survived and Olivia will give us a story about him. I do love a villain getting a happy ending. :)
June 11, 2023
A fricking master piece!!! From start to finish. Loved ever second of it
November 20, 2023
3.5 stars
Read
August 30, 2025Dnf @ 69% this is so boring oh my god
May 25, 2024
In genre populated by smug assholes this guy just went one smirk too far. I definitely wanted him knocked down a peg or five but sadly this didn’t happen.
I always get excited at heroines who are soldiers or survivalists or mechanics or have some concrete useful skill in an alien world scenario. In this case, unfortunately, the heroine’s competency as a soldier is mainly used to early on establish how much a badass the “hero” is.
Obviously the overall quality was still decent just because the author is a good writer overall, but I really couldn’t get on with these characters. If you have a higher tolerance for smugness than I you might enjoy.
I always get excited at heroines who are soldiers or survivalists or mechanics or have some concrete useful skill in an alien world scenario. In this case, unfortunately, the heroine’s competency as a soldier is mainly used to early on establish how much a badass the “hero” is.
Obviously the overall quality was still decent just because the author is a good writer overall, but I really couldn’t get on with these characters. If you have a higher tolerance for smugness than I you might enjoy.
March 19, 2021
My favorite of the Dark World mates so far 💖😍😘
There is something slightly sinister , something s!lightly beautiful and so so addicting about these stories. The male alien lead is scary, sexy and enticing all at the same time. There is an air of mystery that surround him is Nezka the only one of his mind are there more? Everything about him is lethal . He's also erotic and extremely sensual and enjoys the company of so.eh when he has time. He's on a mission to find the humans recapture them for his master so they can be sold. He is very ready to do that I too he meets and clashes with human woman Elise a highly trained determined soldier sent on a mission to rescued other missing humans. When they first meet his arrogance and her need to prove her abilities made me want to knock both their heads together. But as the mission to rescue/ recapture the humans becomes deadly and they are forced to rely on each other completed. This does is not easy but it is necessary . They begin to respect and understand one another, their attraction become overwhelmingly intense the more time they sped together. But danger, lies and other enemies want to see they're relationship ail. Will they be able to trust each other when the lies are finally revealed? Will their love be torn apart before it truly begins to flourish or will love conquer all no matter how real, scary and also it might be?! Absolutely read to find out. The characters are so compelling , the world building rich and the M&F leads are fantastic the witty banter, the sparks that fly between them and the storyline in general were fabulous high!y recommend💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖🎅🎅🎅
There is something slightly sinister , something s!lightly beautiful and so so addicting about these stories. The male alien lead is scary, sexy and enticing all at the same time. There is an air of mystery that surround him is Nezka the only one of his mind are there more? Everything about him is lethal . He's also erotic and extremely sensual and enjoys the company of so.eh when he has time. He's on a mission to find the humans recapture them for his master so they can be sold. He is very ready to do that I too he meets and clashes with human woman Elise a highly trained determined soldier sent on a mission to rescued other missing humans. When they first meet his arrogance and her need to prove her abilities made me want to knock both their heads together. But as the mission to rescue/ recapture the humans becomes deadly and they are forced to rely on each other completed. This does is not easy but it is necessary . They begin to respect and understand one another, their attraction become overwhelmingly intense the more time they sped together. But danger, lies and other enemies want to see they're relationship ail. Will they be able to trust each other when the lies are finally revealed? Will their love be torn apart before it truly begins to flourish or will love conquer all no matter how real, scary and also it might be?! Absolutely read to find out. The characters are so compelling , the world building rich and the M&F leads are fantastic the witty banter, the sparks that fly between them and the storyline in general were fabulous high!y recommend💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖🎅🎅🎅
March 7, 2021
This author can surely light up a page with her excellent story telling skills!
The third entry in the Dark World Mates series is no exception.
A team of Earth operatives has been hired to find and retrieve a group of missing human expedition members who have disappeared after entering the underground level of the city Tyrminis on planet Irosa. This is gonna be one complicated mission for the Earth team featuring a gamut of what can go wrong and does. One of those complications for Earth team member Elise turns out to be the unexpected addition to the mission of bounty hunter Nezka and his crew of miscreants.
Nezka though has his own sinister objectives for being there as we soon discover.
Loads of adventure and thrilling action keeps the story rushing forward like the proverbial freight train. World building is fantastic; characters are crafted so well you’ll love'em or definitely hate'em.
Nezka and Elise’s burgeoning relationship develops slowly from antagonists to downright going down as smooth as a glass of chardonnay.
Fasten your seat belts and hold on for this over the top awesome read!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
The third entry in the Dark World Mates series is no exception.
A team of Earth operatives has been hired to find and retrieve a group of missing human expedition members who have disappeared after entering the underground level of the city Tyrminis on planet Irosa. This is gonna be one complicated mission for the Earth team featuring a gamut of what can go wrong and does. One of those complications for Earth team member Elise turns out to be the unexpected addition to the mission of bounty hunter Nezka and his crew of miscreants.
Nezka though has his own sinister objectives for being there as we soon discover.
Loads of adventure and thrilling action keeps the story rushing forward like the proverbial freight train. World building is fantastic; characters are crafted so well you’ll love'em or definitely hate'em.
Nezka and Elise’s burgeoning relationship develops slowly from antagonists to downright going down as smooth as a glass of chardonnay.
Fasten your seat belts and hold on for this over the top awesome read!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
March 23, 2021
I liked this book more than Dark's Savior, the second in the series, but not as much as Heart's Prisoner, the first. On paper, this book had all the elements I love in action/ alien romances: slow-burn reluctant allies-to-lovers with a strong, predatory MMC who has to team up with a bad-ass, combat-trained FMC to accomplish a mission. However, it fell short on a few counts which prevented it from being a 5-star read for me: 1) for how much we hear that the FMC is a badass, she has to get saved quite a bit by the MMC and never vice versa (once in a rather deus ex machina way which could have easily been set up such that the FMC "saves" the MMC and evens the score), 2) I felt like the emotional side of the romance was more told than shown, and 3) some of the decisions of the MMC towards the end of the book made no sense to me . I think a few more tender/ romantic scenes between the MCs or even a proper epilogue would have gone a long way towards solidifying the romance.
July 11, 2024
3.5
This would have been a 4 for me even despite the 'extra strong warrior FMC that needs to be saved every 5 minutes but still thinks she can do everything' until the last chapters.
Then it just... Ends.
Do we meet more of the MMCs species or learn about it?
No.
Do we learn how he survived the unsurvivable?
No, conveniently he'll tell her later. Apparently the author didn't have a good answer.
Do we learn what happened to the big bads of the story?
No.
Do we get to see even a moment of their love actually existing after they realize it?
No. They have a few smexy encounters on the run, then he references in his head some kind of dark primal mating bond one single time with no follow up, then he shows up on the last 3 pages and they fly off into the sunset.
Has he mentioned the mating bond to her?
No.
Has it been explained to the reader?
No.
Have they exchanged words of love?
No.
It just ends. It's like the author didn't feel like telling it anymore.
This would have been a 4 for me even despite the 'extra strong warrior FMC that needs to be saved every 5 minutes but still thinks she can do everything' until the last chapters.
Then it just... Ends.
Do we meet more of the MMCs species or learn about it?
No.
Do we learn how he survived the unsurvivable?
No, conveniently he'll tell her later. Apparently the author didn't have a good answer.
Do we learn what happened to the big bads of the story?
No.
Do we get to see even a moment of their love actually existing after they realize it?
No. They have a few smexy encounters on the run, then he references in his head some kind of dark primal mating bond one single time with no follow up, then he shows up on the last 3 pages and they fly off into the sunset.
Has he mentioned the mating bond to her?
No.
Has it been explained to the reader?
No.
Have they exchanged words of love?
No.
It just ends. It's like the author didn't feel like telling it anymore.
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