Blood Sugar

by Michaela Haze

They call my family a cult.

I'm not allowed to tell anyone what happens behind closed doors.

Father says that we'll be accepted in the new Gods.
"The people that can dance with the dead will make their homes with the Demons."

Father says that we have a benefactor.
We have to stay in the house and do as the Masters say.

But the new Gods have set their eye on my virtue.
There is one for each of the Seven Sins.
And I am theirs.

**Blood Sugar is a standalone, Reverse Harem, paranormal romance with dark themes.**
***Trigger Warning: contains scenes of sexual, mental and physical abuse as well as cult activity.***

Genres: Paranormal, Fantasy, Romance, Dark, Demons, Paranormal Romance, Dark Romance

444 pages, Paperback

Published October 21, 2020

About the author

Michaela Haze is a dog lover, mum of two, and a writer of paranormal, urban fantasy romance. In her spare time, she eats copious amounts of Japanese food.

Instagram: @michaelahaze
Facebook: www.facebook.com/theofficialmichaelahaze
Twitter: @michaelahaze
Website: www.michaelahaze.com

Reviews

[Cee · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little bit Alice in Wonderland with the going to another plane and having to do challenges. I really liked this one and thought the guys were interesting. I'm a fan of the seven deadly sins as characters, what can I say?
The unfortunately thing is I thought the ending was a little rushed. I'd love to get more from this world/characters!

[❀ Crystal ✿ - PEACE ☮ LOVE ♥ BOOKS · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a quick read that only took a few hours. The storyline was very fun and unique. I had no clue what was going to happen next. I think the author did a good job of individualizing each character especially given how short the whole book was. I also love just the dark twist at the end was when they all basically bring upon the apocalypse and relish in it. Hell it was what they all deserved after how they treated the heroine. Her mother especially, what a horrible human she was. Not only did she consider her own daughter a liar she honestly did not care what had happened to her. The only thing I’m confused about really is Pandora, she would pop in out of nowhere and then disappear as quick. Her character just felt so random at times and I’m still not sure what purpose she served 🤷🏼‍♀️ I was so worried when the men so easily let the heroine return home but damn was I glad when they showed up like a big surprise. I didn’t feel that much of a connection with them all, especially romantically between a few and the heroine. Then again they’ve had centuries of loss and brides who were (excuse me but) the old weathered cast out women of the village, that I think the men were mildly out of touch with modern women lol. It was a fun read especially as the heroine had to connect her coveted items to saving each man like a weird complicated puzzle. (But was it really that complicated when it all came down to that poem?) The end certainly made the book for me and I’m so happy the heroine went from being this broken down scared girl to a vigilante badass. Good fun read that took me by surprise.

[Tora · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars. I loved the cover of this book and the blurb pulled me in but I found myself not really vibing with this story. There were a few inconsistencies which distracted me from the story, for e.g when FMC is in the forest we're told repeatedly that time moves different here, that it's impossible to know how much time has passed, that the sun never rises, then at one point the FMC says she's been in the forest for 3 days! Huh?! How would she know that. Then when she leaves the forest she states she was in there 1 month. Again, how would she know that?! Also, when the FMC finds Lust trapped, she has 2 panic attacks and flashbacks of her abuse then next thing you know she's got her legs wrapped around Lust's waist getting all hot and bothered and sticking her tongue down his throat, and this isn't because of Lust's power because we've already been told he has no powers at this point as Pandora has taken them. So yeah, I couldn't really get a handle on what kind of person the FMC was, it felt like the authour couldn't decide, so chopped and changed the characteristics as and when so all the bases were covered. I felt the same way about the story also, the story could have gone in many different directions but it felt like the authour couldn't commit, so we got a story that started going in one direction for a short while, then got changed to a different direction for a little bit, then got changed again etc, ending up with quite a confusing, vague story overall. It felt like the bare bones of many of the authors different ideas of which none were filled out and instead all the ideas just got mashed together to make a longish book with no real depth or substance. Same can be said with the 7 male characters, the seven deadly sins, there was no real dimension to any of them and no character development, also not really any relationship development between them and the FMC, so it ended up feeling like the relationship was forced and unlikely. It's a shame because I loved the premise of this story and there were parts of if that I enjoyed, but it chopped and changed too much to really be able to get into it. Also, why was the word "pouch" highlighted every single time? Weird. I checked to make sure it wasn't something I'd accidently done either, which it wasn't. Some minor editing needed too.

[LolliMolly ⫷fiction addiction⫸ · Rating 3 out of 5]

The premise and first half were so, so good.
I feel like this book had two main acts, but it really needed three. The first half was so strong, but this book either needed to be given a sequel, or it needed to be longer because the ending felt really abrupt.
Regardless, I really enjoyed the story and it's definitely worth picking up.

[Natalie H · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m not one for cult stories as it’s usually a sick leader and life in a cage. Which is a little bit of the case for this one, mainly in part two. Part one felt like a demonised version of Alice in wonderland and I really liked it. Seven sins, seven curses. Set in the same universe as Mara and the balance. A couple of different POV’s thrown in. Gluttony, Sloth and Lust stood out the most for me. Deals with abuse quite a lot. Happy with the ending, everyone got what they deserved.

[Mummy's Naughty Corner · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well this had some good things but it was fantastic. I loved the idea that all the guys came from things within the forest. I liked the idea that someone had to marry the forest and then she had to stay alife for so long. I didn't like the villagers and how they wanted to blame everything on her. Judah needed a much worse death for what and who he was. I liked the necromancy feel to the story. Overall it wasn't bad.

[Bluebelle-the-Inquisitive (Catherine) · Rating 5 out of 5]

My viper had become a part of me, when I wasn’t paying attention, the part of me that I had tried to squash. The part that refused to back down had freed herself when I wasn’t watching. — Ophelia Love

Because I know this will be another super long review, I have thoughts. TL:DR This is a reverse harem unlike any I have ever read. Brilliant characters, an unusual use of the lust personification (for the genre), very little in the way of sex and a fully functioning plot. It moves fairly quickly and with direction. It does stand alone but it appears the author intends to build other stories into the wider world.

I have never before read such a well-written cast of men in a reverse harem. Some authors struggle to write three or four in a decent way somehow Michaela Haze has managed 7 distinct men and 2 distinct women for her main cast plus a decent support cast.  Some of the support characters are a little one dimensional but I can cope with that. There are some tropes in there but at least one, the stoic, is twisted up. This does spend some limited time looking at the idea of victim mentality, shackled power and the idea of sex and its relationship with power. Despite the genre and the topics covered this is absolutely plot and character-driven. Blood Sugar is actually kinda brutal in its plotline. It deals with abuse both psychological and sexual, torture and murder. It does use the children are innocent trope up to a point which is a pleasing thing. But that doesn't mean they are safe. Heed Michaela Haze's warning in the blurb "Blood Sugar is a standalone, Reverse Harem, paranormal romance with dark themes. Trigger Warning: contains scenes of sexual, mental and physical abuse as well as cult activity.". It isn't as dark as it could be but it's not joy either, the ending is grim despite being HEA.

This would be a halfway decent plot to an adventure story. Half set in their world the Never and half in hers. The tone and feel in the words are different. Ophelia is different and she is our eyes. Leave out the sex add some padding and gaps between the sins. It could work, or even leave the sex in (more on that later). Look I like it as framing ok. Believe it or not, I don't read reverse harem for the sex, it is a genre that deals with female power better than any other really. I picked this one up because it looked like it has a functional plot. And it really does. It's clever. A well-written story that doesn't rely on the reverse harem aspect to tell its story. It's there, but sex and that poly relationship aren't the be all and end all to the plot. Blood Sugar takes the quote "be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle" (Ian MacLaren) and works with it. There is actually an exchange between Liam and Ophelia that kind of aligns well with the MacLaren quote “We were all trapped in our own cages.”
“Maybe the Sect are trapped in their own cages as well.” All of them face fights in their own ways with the two most tragic stories belonging to Liam and Aiden.  Liam's is tied to his treatment under Pandora, Aiden's to Greed. Watching them own their pain (if that is the right phrase) are two of the strongest moments in the book for me. Even if they are tonally so different.

Ophelia
I was a fighter. As my father had always said; I would leave the world the way that I had entered it, screaming and covered in blood. Allegra might have been the favorite—the delicate flower, but I was the weed. Resilient.
Ophelia 'Fifi' Love is our leading lady. 21 years old and a rape survivor. Brutally raped by Judah, the village leaders beloved grandson, at 18 no one believed her when she reported it. Already an outsider due to her magical skills, or lack thereof this caused her further ostracised from her community. When her family tells her that she is to marry Judah she finds a way out becoming Dead-Wed. Marrying the old gods, leaving the compound for a lunar cycle and living in the Never Forest and if she makes it back living their mortal wife unable to be touched by mortal man. What I will say is pay attention to the preface, it actually helps understand her. Balance, Nova and Mara can help explain not only the situation Fifi is in but Fifi herself. The only person in her sect she has any care for is her sister Allegra. Everyone else has tormented her. She is a helper, she wants to help the men she runs into in the Never Forest. Then she wants to go home. She is a strong young woman and a healer, but is in pain and struggles with her past.
One of the more human parts of her character and the writing is that she favours and spends more time with some of the sins. Partially due to shared pasts, partially due to their natures. She doesn't force relationships that aren't there. Yes, it would have made writing a bit easier for Haze but it is still human. Ophelia gravitates towards Bodhi, Heath and Liam.

Bodhi is Gluttony
“I told you, Fifi,” he grinned. “Like most men, I’m just a pig.”
When we meet Bodhi he's a piglet freed from his animal form by an apple. All of the other sins continue to refer to him as piglet, especially Heath and Liam. Bodhi presents as himself as a bit stupid but happy go lucky. He is anything but stupid. He's the reason that some of the stories of the Never come through the bone wall. Bodhi is the one who protects Ophelia's innocence/ ignorance of the situation by using the names rather than the titles, which is how they often refer to each other. Bodhi is a highbred character of the intelligence and the comic relief. He is always eating or looking for food. He can be just as vicious as his kin but prefers not to be.

Heath is Pride
“People believe that Hell is a tragic place filled with pain and punishment, and it is, but it is also a place of rebirth. Every soul that goes through Hell is eventually recycled and is reborn anew. This keeps happening until that soul is virtuous enough to enter the Summerland... Heaven.”
Heath was the first of the sins trapped by a curse and the second freed by Ophelia using a mirror but not as simply as you would think. The issues that arise with Heath are largely ties to the sin he carries, pride. But pride also allows him to know what Ophelia is thinking, not saying and when she needs help.

Ezra is Envy
“Greed and gold go hand in hand, don’t you think?” [...] “Envy follows Greed because Greed accumulates much, and Envy desires more.” (first line is Ezra, second Aiden)
Aiden is Greed
"Every day I want to grab you, take you away, and have you all to myself. To sate my Greed and make you mine. I hold myself back for you. Because I know that happened the last time a man let his own Greed and Envy blind him to the fact that you are a person."
Aiden and Ezra are twins, Ophelia and readers meet them as a tree (which I do not understand). A tree that has taken Bohdi (who she has a fondness for at this point) hostage. Aiden and Ezra are physically identical but distinct in personality regardless Ophelia's bond to her men means she can tell them apart. As they are met Ezra is mischievous, Aiden is calm. The most important thing about Ezra and Aiden is that their relationship is dangerous to them, it's a delicate balance to maintain it. Erza is Aiden's most treasured thing, he will do nothing that to cause Ezra pain. Now realise the sins, Greed and Envy.
Aiden is something of an odd character. He's a protector towards her and that happens so quickly, he's also the stealth of the group. (another line I really like “One day, I will skin the person that stopped you from trusting the world.”) His cool demeanour is his way of handling his sin but that leads to all kinds of issues. Ezra's personality changes it becomes slightly standoffish among other things, he leads with his heart. Putting the twins together and in that feedback loop was a fantastic creative choice because their sins do feed off each other.

Christian is Sloth
“We are bound by our nature.”
Christian is the sin that the others have the strongest reaction to when they see him again. Awe and then frustration. They say it had been an age since the 4 of them were together. The test to reach and wake Christian is a claustrophobic nightmare. He is woken by a candle, but it's the funniest of the 6 situations. In all honesty, Christian feels a little like every trained soldier in the history of fiction. Don't touch him while he's seeping and constantly aware. But he just sleeps all the time. He's one of the two sins we spend the least time with. He's scary perceptive though and treats Ophelia like a goddess when given the opportunity. There isn't a lot on presentation in the modern world but  I really like his Christian, dressed unlike anyone I had ever seen in the Sect before. Leather trousers and a slouchy jumper with holes in the thumbs. it's so unlike his Never presentation.

Liam is Lust
“I recognize the ill effects of my own Sin,” he said, once my breathing had slowed. “I suspect that we have more in common than I had thought."
Liam is quite possibly the most astounding use of a Lust personification I have seen in any reverse haram, or indeed any romance novel. I would say Lust is usually used as a form of sexual awakening, we know lust can be for well anything but few pursue that route. Here Lust is a rape survivor, centuries of rape even if time passes differently in the Never. Interestingly that history may make sexual intimacy hardest with him. Ophelia essentially stumbles into him while he's smoking a blood-filled hookah "when the blood runs out, the monster comes in", the monster is his rapist Pandora. Liam cannot defend himself, thank Balance for that, but Ophelia can and so begins a beautiful friendship. Liam takes on the role of closest ally and confidant for Ophelia. He truly understands her through their shared history of rape and captivity. Even if there are some differences in the contexts.  He is the first to learn her whole truth, maybe the only one to hear it and tries to explain the others to her. He feels like a feminist in the best possible way. Honestly, I adore him. And as a cute little quirk... she wears his clothes.
I have a comparison for Liam. Liam reminds of Joss/ Pestilance from The Four Horsemen, I have mixed feelings about that series but not about Joss, never about him. I loved him from the second we met him. Pestilence he was gun shy with Vee but her confidant (and an empath that's closer to Christian here). Theirs is a complicated relationship. But when Vee and Joss finally acted it was fire, if unexpected. Joss was also always at her back. Even when shit went down and one bolted. That is Liam here. Ride or Die. I know it's in the description for them but it feels like he means it and would do it of his own volition.

Dax is Wrath
“Rage can be addictive, though it is nothing but a poison if you swallow it. Remember that.”
Dax is the other of the sins we spend the least time with. Again think military, usually off doing a perimeter check while the others are talking to Ophelia. He's a gentle giant until you piss him off. When Ophelia meets him he is under the thrall of Pandora, her puppet. He is the reason we learn a lot of things about the interpersonal relationships between the sins and the reason the plot is resolved in way. I don't hate that Ophelia spent less time with him but I do like that he was there dropping tid bits of information. It really does make sense in context to have an outer guard. And Wrath feels like the best fit.

Pandora
"Ophelia, tell your husbands to back down."
All right so the villain is Pandora. The Pandora. To a degree, I think it asks the question what if Pandora didn't open the box? Purely for the want of power not because of the good of the world. Yes, yes Pandora was a curious girl. This Pandora is not that. She is something of the personification of humanity I think the sum of sins. As a villain, she is a great choice. She plays the opposite to Ophelia well while there are still clear similarities. Her style is all flair and power. That power is feminine power with full respect for women and deference to them. Partially due to her status.

Okay on sex and intimacy in this for a reverse harem the is actually remarkably little sex. Six scenes, three are incomplete or attempted (all three are noncon) and three between Ophelia and her men in varying degrees of explicit. Quite a lot of the intimacy is between Liam and Ophelia. They have a lot of emotional intimacy and it fits them both. Who thought going in that is the role that lust would play? I'm totally fine with the choice to go no further with Dax and Christian we don't spend enough time with them. It would feel bellow Ophelia. Certainly with Dax. As for the twins, Aiden and Ezra, they are left in a position of pain. They both want her, crave her and would die for her. But to touch her, especially for Aiden, would be their undoing and they will not cause each other pain not deliberately.  That to me was perfection as a character choice. To not force their physical relationship. I know some people will hate it because some people want to get to the sexy times and don't see the point if rh doesn't go there at all with a combination but sometimes if you want HEA or HFN you waon't always get what  you expected going in.

I read this in a single day. I couldn't put it down the characters were enjoyable and diverse the plot unpredictable enough that I couldn't see the forest for the trees.  It ends in such a dramatic and striking place. Bookended by Balance and her vision of the world. This is the ending for Ophelia and her husbands, with all the story lines are tied up well enough. But according to the author note she plans to write more books set in this world (though not rh with this many men). I honestly think it's not just one for rh lovers as with 4 Horsemen this is one for all romance readers. Yes the two primary sex scenes are menage but they are easily skippable. This is more about Ophelia and her coming into her own, her empowerment. Her men are a bit of a sideshow to that. They are used to both trigger insecurities and bolster her actions. Remind her that this isn't normal you are stronger than this better than them, stronger than your doubts as well. This is quite possibly my fave reverse harem. Certainly in a long time. It plays with known themes and ideas but in slightly unexpected ways. I need to thank gr friend who read it and enjoyed it. Also, that cover art was more than enough to draw me in. Sorry this review is so disorganised.

Detached, I drifted above my body. A frail little girl sat alone with a book on her lap and the weight of an entire community’s hatred searing into her soul, bouncing off her armor but leaving dents and knicks on the metal. — Ophelia Love

A representative gif:

random comment: Someone needs to take kindle note and highlight privileges from me. This destroyed my previous record for annotations Vespertine and I honestly think as I write this review it isn't that cullable. The author writes that many good lines.

[Sadie Forsythe · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5

I went into this with pretty low expectations. It was an Amazon freebie, and let's be honest, those are pretty hit or miss. But Blood Sugar was a hit. I really enjoyed it. Now, admittedly, it wasn't at all what I expected. Don't—like me—go into this expecting steam and a bunch of growly alpha a-holes. That isn't what you'll find.

In fact, there is very little sex in the book, and what there is past the 75% mark and pretty mild. And while the Sin's might be a little stand-offish at times, they aren't a-holes. These men are broken and sweet, even if they don't always show it. Ophelia is the growly one, and I can't tell you how much I enjoyed that switch. She's also capable, loyal, and broken herself.

Now, fair warning, though there is no on-page rape, a TW for it is probably appropriate. It plays
a fairly large part in the plot. I probably wouldn't have read the book if I had known that, since I try to avoid rape in the books I read for fun. But in this case, I can honestly say it's incorporated into the plot, not a cheap device (which is one of my most common complaints when it is used in a book).

The book isn't perfect. It could use another editing pass, and there are several times that villains are defeated; all of them are anti-climactic. As was the ending, in that it just kind of ended with a bit of a bang but no wrap-up. Despite that, Haze just went on my author-to-watch list.

[Oh dear · Rating 1 out of 5]

Let me start by saying that I think there is actual incest in this book.

This main character is so stupid. She is literally sent into the forest and is told to give an object to each of the sins and when men show up and take her objects she’s like “who are these men” for several days.

Also, this author has never met an Irish person.

[Punkin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yassss

I loved the sins aspect and them being trapped and whatnot. It was an interesting tale. Severely sad, lots of possible triggers and I wish there was more action and interaction between the men themselves and the chickie. But I liked it.

[S. Morgenstern · Rating 2 out of 5]

Descripción breve: Interesante, confuso, mal llevado, me faltaba cosas, relaciones frias.
En fin, que este libro lo he leído rápido en estos días festivos porque algunas partes no se me hacían interesantes y no prestaba tanto atención.

[Malischa Nijenhuis · Rating 4 out of 5]

When you see the cover you think it looks a bit like coco. At least I thought so. However, it is more his alice in wonderland meet rapuzel. locked in a room. but in the meantime also be able to leave for other worlds.

[Brianna James211 · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my first book by this author and oh my gosh!!! I loved it, read it in a couple of hours!

I hope to read more of her work in the future.

Definitely a big fan!

(Also the biggest harem I’ve read so far 😚)

[Coco.V]

🎁 FREE on Amazon today (11/7/2020)! 🎁

[Saint Fitz]

DNF ☹️

[Zoe · Rating 4 out of 5]

HALLELUJAH...HALLELUJAH...HALLELUJAH HALLELUJAH HALLEEEEEEELUUUUUUUJAHHHHHH!!

Ladies and gentlemen it finally happened! After (almost) 2 long months of being in the worst book funk I have EVER experienced...I have managed to finally finish a book! Thank YOU Michaela Haze!!!

TLDR; The only really really super duper mega important thing from this review is that I do not believe this book is a standalone! I believe it is book 0.5 in a series of standalone's. Explained more in #3 below.

Now on to the book:
This book, while I enjoyed, left me feeling conflicted. I absolutely loved the idea of the book and thought it was an extremely creative take on the seven deadly sins and RH romance, but I found the execution lacking in some areas.
1. I wish we could had a better explanation of the world...I found myself confused at times because I didn't fully understand the world and its rules. I would have loved more information on the Sect and the Word and the current idea of who the Old Gods were. Don't get me wrong, I love how she introduced the Sins and how there was confusion and mystery in the book because the heroine was confused. However, I just felt like I was confused on background information, not things truly relevant to the plot.
2. The end of the book felt rushed. I felt like I didn't actually get to see the heroine and her hero's get their happily ever after. The author spent the entire first part building up the heroines relationship with each Sin and then in the second part we saw her embrace every Sin but Envy and Greed? I mean come on! For the rest of the Sins something sexual and trusting had to happen for their soul-bond to form, but for Envy and Greed it just happened? I want to know what happened!! How did Greed and Fifi work it out? Also, what actually happened to Pandora? I just thought it was very weird how she chose to gloss over that part, because it felt very important. It honestly felt like she got tired of writing and just wanted it to end.
3. I would not qualify this as a standalone. This book, to me, felt more like book 0.5 of a series of standalone books that all occur in the same universe. I mean come on, the epilogue didn't even have to do with the heroine and her hero's and the book ended with the words "The end...for now". I am just saying, I would have enjoyed the book much more if I knew it was something being built on.
4. I cannot begin to imagine how hard it must be to write a book with 8 fully developed characters, but I honestly felt like she could have given us more development a growth for Fifi. Forget the Sins, though I would have also liked more for them too, but I felt like Fifi's arc wasn't even fully completed by the end of the book.
5. There were grammatical errors that annoyed me enough to mention that there were errors.
6. This book does not contain a lot of sex, so if you are looking for a RH with sex...go somewhere else (KA Knight or Stephanie Brothers). This is not to say the book isn't worth it, because it is and the plot totally makes up for the lack of sex, but just know there isn't a lot of sex.

Overall, this book wasn't perfect, so I give it a solid 3.5 star rating. I still enjoyed it and would recommend it to anyone looking for a interesting and fun read!

[Kaylee · Rating 1 out of 5]

1.5 for what it could have been. I really wanted to like this story because I think it was an awesome premise, a completely new take on something that’s been done many times before. The first few chapters were very promising and I thought we would have a strong FMC on our hands but as soon as the MCs show up, she becomes the stupidest person in the world. Also, when she tells the men her nickname is ‘Fifi’ 🙄 #yerdone

We know these men are supposed to be the Sins and it would have been fine if ‘we’ knew and the FMC didn’t but the blatant ‘clues’ the men kept throwing around in front of her and her cluelessness was just plain insulting to her character. I can appreciate a single book, but this shoved too many plot points into one story. There were too many villains with no motivations and the same goes for the characters. If you wanted one book, make it longer. Each ‘twist’ or villain was written as if they could have had their own entire book with their conflict.

‘Fifi’ oscillated between stupid and full of rage and power. The men were useless. She gets locked up and one of them can float through the jailbars and then they angrily walk back down with her jailor like a day later. They followed her around like puppy dogs but with no bite or bark until they ‘needed’ to have magic for the plot.

There was also NO connection between any of the FMC and the MCs. The first two she decides to sleep with make no sense as they are the ones she has spent the least amount of time with. I feel like there were huge chunks of the story or dialog missing. The plot just did not make sense.

This read like fanfic and I just wish the author had taken the time to either completely flush out the story and characters in one book or split them into many, if the goal was really for that many villains.

[Chelsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good but a bit rushed

This was a really interesting premise. I don't think I've read anything quite like it and I was immediately sucked into the story. Unfortunately, it felt really rushed. The background story for the characters is hinted at but never really explained. I got that Ophelia has suffered some trauma but its wasn't real clear what had happened or why it would make her sacrifice herself as a deadwed to get away. We just jump right in with the Sect treating her horribly and then she's heading over the bone ward. I needed more background in the beginning. Then everything happened so fast with the 7 sins and pandora that I kept thinking I'd missed chapters. I wanted to like the 7 sins but they just came off as apathetic. They let her go back to the Sect without them, but then they change their minds I guess. Bottom line, this is a really unique story but it needed a second or even third book. There was way too much story to pack into a standalone. I love that the author is building an interconnected world here. I hope she continues it but stretches out each character's individual story more.

[aida · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved the concept of this book; it felt very original and not directly comparable to any other book I've read.
However, when you have 7 dudes, you gotta make this a LONG ASS book, or make it a series to make the romance successful along with ensuring the plot doesn't have holes or feel rushed. And that's exactly where this book failed.

We don't get enough time to get to know the guys well, so they're all superficial characters. We don't get enough time for the FMC to develop real relationships with the guys, so we struggle with the romance portion. We don't get enough time to properly round off the plot at the end with the apocalypse. I don't think we even get a satisfying exploration and resolution of the FMC's trauma and her dealing with the villain of the story.

For those simple reasons, this book is only 3/5 stars.
It was meh. It was okay. It needed more.

[Kathy L. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I could not get enough! This was a really good read, especially with halloween right around the corner.

The characters and the story were fascinating. I was on the edge of my seat throughout it all. And what an ending! I actually did not really expect it to turn out that way. But I would have liked a tad bit more for Ophelia and the guys. And maybe a bit more on what exactly happened with the fight between Ophelia and Pandora. This book could have honestly turned into a book series, though I am happy with it being a standalone.

Job well done. I honestly enjoyed this.

[Buksie · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF @ 51%

Trying to introduce 7 romantic interests in one standalone book is almost impossible to do correctly. The author made this harder for herself by having the FMC have to quest to find and break the curse for each of her harem.

The story took a nosedive at the introduction of the black widow. The FMC literally changed overnight waking super anger for no good reason.

There are too many antagonists for one book to have; Nova, Black Widow, Pandora, Judah.

[Jen · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5⭐️ This book is not good. I think I skipped more than I read. It was mentioned on a FB group because the author kept using the word “pouch” and it was highlighted. Me being curious I thought I would check out the book thinking it can’t be that bad. Well, it was. Thankfully it was free otherwise I would be returning to Amazon. Sorry ☹️

[Thandeka Carney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Totally worth the read

I simply could not out the book down are actually read it in one sitting. It was freaking amazeballs I loved every minute if it. I'm not one to leave details and destroy the book for another so just open and enjoy the journey to hell 🥰

[Heather · Rating 2 out of 5]

I give it a 2.5. It's not a bad book, it just mediocre.

[Katelyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good read

Good read not to bad but I felt like the relationships between characters was rushed and some didn't even develop at all and the spice level was level 1, 1/12

[Ashley · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ugh. Why did I even bother to finish this.

[Mari · Rating 3 out of 5]

I debated several times to DNF this book but it got halfway decent at the end. The story is not bad but the characters are boring and uninteresting. The first part is too long and boring as well.

[Steli · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the book, it had amazing writing with a nice story, but in the end, I felt underwhelmed. This book could've been a masterpiece, but it actually felt like something unfinished.

I loved the heroine, and I have to say she was really feministic, all strong and directed, trying to protect her sister. She definitely wasn't the typical-romance-book-heroine, who only cared about the Hero's (in this case Heroes') dick. Furthermore, I liked how her character was portrayed and the way it acted on the other hand, I felt absolutely outrageous by the way the Sect treated her, even though she returned from the other side, and she continued letting them treat her like shit.

The heroes: I just really have to insert here that I definitely have preferences, and really didn't agree with hers.

Bodhi this is my man, I honestly love him - he was fun and cute, Especially when he called Ophelia Fifi and perfect, and I expected a whole lot more from him, and I was so disappointed by his character arc, he had the potential to be the best Also one of my favorite quotes in the book is from him: And he just like the other men, was just a pig, or something similar. . His character was so well-developed in the first part but just left me wanting more in the second with the only exception being at the end, when he actually slept with her.

Heath - also one of my faves, because, in my opinion, his arc was the best one, and his character had the best development. We saw him as a bit of a cold asshole in the beginning, but in the end, he was so protective and really cared about Ophelia And while Bodhi's sin was always highlighted, Heath's was nonexistent. If it wasn't implied in the book, I would've never guessed

The twin Ezra and Aiden - I don't know how you fucked up their relationship with Ophelia I loved Ezra's humor and his sassy personality, but also how protective he was for his brother. I think Aiden had the most similar personality to Heath, And I felt really disappointed that Ophelia didn't realize how much Aiden cared for her, and the thing that really frustrated me was this imaginary lack of likeness that the brothers felt for her, which in the whole book I haven't sensed once

Christian was definitely the most disappointing character and I still can't believe she had a sexual act with him first . I felt that he didn't care for her at all, or at least he didn't show it His whole personality was the fact that he was lazy and loved sleeping, never protected Ophelia, and had like one conversation with her.

Liam was a sweetie and felt like the most realistic character from the brothers What happened between him and Pandora was heartbreaking, but the fact that Ophelia actually helped him was so sweet and heartwarming

And Dax I honestly can't describe how much I hate him. He was completely useless, and the only interaction he had with Ophelia was when he gave her head I can only describe as disappointing.

The story building was great, but the main and crucial moments, for which the author spend a lot of time creating tension and suspense, were underwhelming Like the way Dax and Christian gave her head, her sex scene with Liam, her threesome with Heath and Bodhi, and the scenes of the deaths of the fucking Prime's grandchild, Summer, and Pandora.

It was hugely (once again I say) disappointing the way Ophelia beat Pandoras so easily, while the villain was so hyped up and presented as unbeatable

But after all, I enjoyed the story, so hence the 4 stars.

[X RAY · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m honestly not to sure how I feel about this book. It’s well written, the characters easy to decipher and understand, and the premise of the book despite being complex as it’s a completely new world in itself socially was explained perfectly. However, I did find myself confused in how the author wanted us to view the world, and i think the building could be worked on. In the first part I pictured the world being set in the 1600s, with how they spoke and things were pictured. Selling homemade jams for an income etc. But later in the book televisions, phones are introduced? I was a little confused but took it as just me missing aspects.

But then the writing style seemed to change drastically, what went from a dystopian world with different gods and magic possessing humans turned into a modern age book but slightly backwards in how people live. Which is fine, if you want to have a mix of both that’s well done in plenty books, but it’s not really displayed well to the readers and left me a little lost.

Another issue I had was with the countless plots… The plots shown in this book very well could’ve been two books all together, and they all felt rushed to say the least. It’s a shame, because the idea itself is great, and so are the characters. For a book with 7 love interests, you could easily tell each one and they all had different characteristics despite other similar books where they all tend to blend into one character.

I think that’s why i’ve given it three stars, because the plots were interesting and did keep me hooked, and the writing - again - was great. But i did feel as if there could’ve been more.

[Jeannie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really tried with this one, honestly I did. But the writing was so poor I had to DNF. The comma splices, fragments, and numerous typos just took me out of the zone. They were so distracting that I could barely focus on the crappy plot. The author needs a good editor and a major re-write.

So, the plot. Yeah, that plot went nowhere. There was so much time given to random fragmented descriptors that the story barely moved. There are 7 guys, but the MC develops no relationships with any of them with over an hour left in the novel. As in there were no sexy times 3/4 of the way through the book. With 7 guys!!! Of course there's a major obstacle as she's supposed to be "Dead-Wed" and not allowed to have relations or kids with anyone after completing her challenge. That makes the whole living with 7 guys awkward, but still.

The MC is supposed to be this isolated "cult" maiden, but honestly, she's just an idiot. There's nothing likeable about her. She's pitiable because she was abused at some point in her past, but that just shows up as piecemeal flashbacks. She's not funny, or clever; her magic is never really explained- just that "it's different from everyone else's." Does this make her a pick-me?

The world building is subpar and none of the characters are even remotely interesting. The 7 "hot" males don't say anything remotely sexy, but somehow her "middle got warm." Um, ok. Oh, and the title made no sense by the time I was 75% done. That's practically criminal in my opinion. Don't waste your time on this.