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Brides for the Houses of Fate #1
Sacrifice
As a prisoner in the arena, my greatest battle won’t be for my life.
It’ll be for the heart of a woman.
Once I scented the human, she was mine.
Every part of me hungered for her.
To touch.
To taste.
To take.
But she belongs to my enemy.
Claiming her will cost me.
I may sacrifice everything.
My revenge.
My life.
My very soul.
It’ll be for the heart of a woman.
Once I scented the human, she was mine.
Every part of me hungered for her.
To touch.
To taste.
To take.
But she belongs to my enemy.
Claiming her will cost me.
I may sacrifice everything.
My revenge.
My life.
My very soul.
210 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 18, 2022
1050 people are currently reading
961 people want to read
About the author
Miranda Bridges
55 books597 followersMiranda Bridges began sneaking romance novels as a teenager and did not confess to reading them until she became a legal adult. After years and years as a voracious reader she woke up one day with a story in mind. She decided to write it down in order to silence her imaginary friends, but they’ve grown in number and have gotten louder. When she is not reading, writing, or drinking coffee she is taking care of two princesses who are of a reading age. Needless to say Miranda is still hiding romance books around the house, but now some of them have her name on the cover.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 163 reviews
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February 20, 2022This one was fun! I enjoyed the set-up and how the heroine kept acknowledging that she needed to shut her mouth (and never did, heh).
February 19, 2022
Ember.. say “and not the fun kind” one more time.. I dare you. Holy shit that was obnoxious.
November 12, 2022
1.5/5 stars**
DNF 55%
This is my second attempt at reading books from this author and I've now come to the conclusion that she isn't for me. Her concepts and ideas seem to have potential but the way she writes them feel very drafty to me. Everything is so clunky and all over the place. The transitions between scenes weren't smooth and even the dialogues didn't flow well.
There is a big issue with the plot; it's that we are thrown into the story without much explanation. As a matter of fact, the main heroine, Ember, woke up on this alien planet and becomes a slave. She doesn't know what happened, where she is, how she got there and doesn't really question anything. She wasn't even freaked out by the whole part of being abducted and how she was somewhere unknown with non-human creatures. She just went along with it, accepted her situation as it was and it wasn't realistic. She had no survival instinct, always making stupid comments that were either vulgar, stupid or irrelevant. I kept wishing she would just sh*t up, especially with her constant comparisons and references. Her inner monologues were immature and insignificant...I just really didn't like her.
As for Rylen, I didn't like him either. We get more chapters from the Ember's perspective so it's hard to really grasp his character. His attraction to her didn't really make sense to me. There was no depth to it, no passion, no tension. The thing is, he had a nice subplot going on with his planning on a revenge to save himself and his other brethren held captive in the prison/gladiator place or whatever (still unclear). It's just too bad that it took the backseat to rush an unsubstantial 'romance' with a human he'd only just met. Wouldn't it have been better to make him resist his attraction for her longer but make him feel truly conflicted instead? I mean, the title of this book is literally Sacrifice and definitely refers (as mentioned by Rylen) to the choice between focusing on his revenge and the female he suddenly feels he can't live without. It just seems weird to me that he would make a big deal about this supposed sacrifice during his inner monologue to just throw it all out a couple chapters later.
As for the chemistry, there was none. They met once and then they were hot for each other but only, it was cringy because of the lack of development and romance. Also, the paragraphs of devotion from Rylen really felt too much. They happened too often and were out of place, in my opinion. Really bad timing. It didn't make sense that he would say thing like that when he only barely knew Ember and hadn't even made the move to learn more about her. She wasn't any better, mind you. It just didn't work for me at all.
Here are a few quotes that either made me cringe or just plainly annoyed me:
SAFETY UP UNTIL 55%
✔️Dual POV
✔️Protective/Possessive H
✔️Annoying/TSTL h
✔️No cheating
✔️No OW/OM
🔥 Steam level: -1/5
⚡Content warning
Overall, I found this story very disjointed. Certain passages I would've liked more details, and others should've been cut short (the inner monologues mostly). I have a feeling this heroine was supposed to appear fun and cheeky but only really came off immature and unlikable. I couldn't connect to her or her situation, and the other girls held captive with her didn't seem very bright either. Therefore, I will not continue this series and most likely won't read from this author again. Her style isn't for me. I somewhat feel bad for leaving a bad review, as I know there is a lot of work put into the making of a book but I just feel irritated by what I've read.
It is what it is...
DNF 55%
This is my second attempt at reading books from this author and I've now come to the conclusion that she isn't for me. Her concepts and ideas seem to have potential but the way she writes them feel very drafty to me. Everything is so clunky and all over the place. The transitions between scenes weren't smooth and even the dialogues didn't flow well.
There is a big issue with the plot; it's that we are thrown into the story without much explanation. As a matter of fact, the main heroine, Ember, woke up on this alien planet and becomes a slave. She doesn't know what happened, where she is, how she got there and doesn't really question anything. She wasn't even freaked out by the whole part of being abducted and how she was somewhere unknown with non-human creatures. She just went along with it, accepted her situation as it was and it wasn't realistic. She had no survival instinct, always making stupid comments that were either vulgar, stupid or irrelevant. I kept wishing she would just sh*t up, especially with her constant comparisons and references. Her inner monologues were immature and insignificant...I just really didn't like her.
As for Rylen, I didn't like him either. We get more chapters from the Ember's perspective so it's hard to really grasp his character. His attraction to her didn't really make sense to me. There was no depth to it, no passion, no tension. The thing is, he had a nice subplot going on with his planning on a revenge to save himself and his other brethren held captive in the prison/gladiator place or whatever (still unclear). It's just too bad that it took the backseat to rush an unsubstantial 'romance' with a human he'd only just met. Wouldn't it have been better to make him resist his attraction for her longer but make him feel truly conflicted instead? I mean, the title of this book is literally Sacrifice and definitely refers (as mentioned by Rylen) to the choice between focusing on his revenge and the female he suddenly feels he can't live without. It just seems weird to me that he would make a big deal about this supposed sacrifice during his inner monologue to just throw it all out a couple chapters later.
As for the chemistry, there was none. They met once and then they were hot for each other but only, it was cringy because of the lack of development and romance. Also, the paragraphs of devotion from Rylen really felt too much. They happened too often and were out of place, in my opinion. Really bad timing. It didn't make sense that he would say thing like that when he only barely knew Ember and hadn't even made the move to learn more about her. She wasn't any better, mind you. It just didn't work for me at all.
Here are a few quotes that either made me cringe or just plainly annoyed me:
SAFETY UP UNTIL 55%
✔️Dual POV
✔️Protective/Possessive H
✔️Annoying/TSTL h
✔️No cheating
✔️No OW/OM
🔥 Steam level: -1/5
⚡Content warning
Overall, I found this story very disjointed. Certain passages I would've liked more details, and others should've been cut short (the inner monologues mostly). I have a feeling this heroine was supposed to appear fun and cheeky but only really came off immature and unlikable. I couldn't connect to her or her situation, and the other girls held captive with her didn't seem very bright either. Therefore, I will not continue this series and most likely won't read from this author again. Her style isn't for me. I somewhat feel bad for leaving a bad review, as I know there is a lot of work put into the making of a book but I just feel irritated by what I've read.
It is what it is...
February 24, 2022
This was a nice little surprise for me!
Great world build. Easy to decipher what is happening in this world, who are the bad guys, good guys and of course you got to have some ify guys....are they good????or bad???
Storyline is typical for alienish reads where the humans wake up to an unknown world but that is where it on the typical scale. The gladiator vibe was interesting and gave the book a punch of action. The Morja's immediate sense of there fated one is sexy and the way Bridges draws it out just enough I enjoyed.
Ember is a smart mouthed FMC and you know I love me some sarcasm. Even her inner dialogue was entertaining. This is a character with a lot of spunk, courage, and loyalty to her friends. I enjoyed Ember.
Rylen is a powerful Morja that has been laying in wait for an opportunity to kill his brothers murder. But when he catches Ember's scent he can no longer stay at the bottom of the fighting ranks. He has to rise to claim her before someone else does.
Now, where I had a tad bit of a teeny issue was with Rylen's true form which is basically half shifted. Like legs and all are covered in hair. Thank heavens no mention as to what his feet look like. I have to say though when that started to be described I plugged my ears and sang lalalalalala I can't hear you....just pretended it was not there. You know like the mature woman I am 🤷🏼♀️
So excited for book 2 to come out!!
Happy reading,
DD 🥂
Great world build. Easy to decipher what is happening in this world, who are the bad guys, good guys and of course you got to have some ify guys....are they good????or bad???
Storyline is typical for alienish reads where the humans wake up to an unknown world but that is where it on the typical scale. The gladiator vibe was interesting and gave the book a punch of action. The Morja's immediate sense of there fated one is sexy and the way Bridges draws it out just enough I enjoyed.
Ember is a smart mouthed FMC and you know I love me some sarcasm. Even her inner dialogue was entertaining. This is a character with a lot of spunk, courage, and loyalty to her friends. I enjoyed Ember.
Rylen is a powerful Morja that has been laying in wait for an opportunity to kill his brothers murder. But when he catches Ember's scent he can no longer stay at the bottom of the fighting ranks. He has to rise to claim her before someone else does.
Now, where I had a tad bit of a teeny issue was with Rylen's true form which is basically half shifted. Like legs and all are covered in hair. Thank heavens no mention as to what his feet look like. I have to say though when that started to be described I plugged my ears and sang lalalalalala I can't hear you....just pretended it was not there. You know like the mature woman I am 🤷🏼♀️
So excited for book 2 to come out!!
Happy reading,
DD 🥂
March 1, 2022
I was wondering why I picked this up in the first place then I noticed Dixon's review for this. She recommended this on her fb page and I believed her. Don't get me wrong, she is an amazing author herself but her recommendation could be better.
I didn't find anything worth noting in this book. the story was meh, heroin was irritating, hell I will throw hero as well, he was irritating as well. Apart from the novelty of being a griffin, there wasn't anything likable about him. It's all one-dimensional cardboard cutout characters. meh...I have had better...
I didn't find anything worth noting in this book. the story was meh, heroin was irritating, hell I will throw hero as well, he was irritating as well. Apart from the novelty of being a griffin, there wasn't anything likable about him. It's all one-dimensional cardboard cutout characters. meh...I have had better...
February 26, 2022
I didn't care for how nonchalant and casual these female characters were about their enslavement. Ember had zero sense of self-preservation and mouthed off constantly. That, combined with her absolutely immature inner monologue was completely obnoxious. There was no romance between her and Rylen. They spent most of their time together fighting (mostly about Ember's shit attitude). Story ends abruptly, with set up for the next book in the series. I won't be following it.
July 14, 2022
DNF at about 20%
This was my first book by this author, and I promise I went in with an open mind. However, this book took a pretty deep nose dive right off the bat. You have some alien races being held prisoners as some type of gladiators, that is clear enough, mind you, just that one bit. Enter the humans who have been in cryo stasis for who knows how long, behaving as if it’s not a big deal. At all. They’re making jokes, acting like they’re stuck at camp being forced to wake up early or something. Now had the author included more details when it came to them being abducted and waking up and such, I may have added an extra star. Basically the world building up that point is non existent, and when you write an alien book, that is a critical mistake.
I know lots of people are all about R. Dixon and the blue aliens, I am not one of them. I read up to book eight and 1/2 back in 2017 and stopped. They got boring, predictable, too much of the same. Therefore quoting her books in this one was not going to win you points. Follow that with some Harry Potter stuff and that was it, I was done for. If you can’t make it past 20% of YOUR book without bringing in other books, then I have zero faith that the rest will be worth it. So DNF, this author’s work is not for me.
This was my first book by this author, and I promise I went in with an open mind. However, this book took a pretty deep nose dive right off the bat. You have some alien races being held prisoners as some type of gladiators, that is clear enough, mind you, just that one bit. Enter the humans who have been in cryo stasis for who knows how long, behaving as if it’s not a big deal. At all. They’re making jokes, acting like they’re stuck at camp being forced to wake up early or something. Now had the author included more details when it came to them being abducted and waking up and such, I may have added an extra star. Basically the world building up that point is non existent, and when you write an alien book, that is a critical mistake.
I know lots of people are all about R. Dixon and the blue aliens, I am not one of them. I read up to book eight and 1/2 back in 2017 and stopped. They got boring, predictable, too much of the same. Therefore quoting her books in this one was not going to win you points. Follow that with some Harry Potter stuff and that was it, I was done for. If you can’t make it past 20% of YOUR book without bringing in other books, then I have zero faith that the rest will be worth it. So DNF, this author’s work is not for me.
February 23, 2022
I'll be honest, this one was a weird one for me. I enjoyed very little of it. It was strange to me. Hard to explain, but I'll try
See, I've read most if not all of MB's books so her writing style wasn't a surprise to me. But either it's been a while or this one was in fact different. I think the first thing that threw me was how we opened the story. Yes, the prologue in the hero's POV was fine. Set the tone. But then chapter one begins in the heroines POV and let me tell you I was a little confused.
From the first word from her we have no idea what her name is. In fact, we find out her name pages later only after we learn the names of the other two humans captured with her. And only when one of them actually said her name. This right here I found odd.
But okay that wasn't a big deal, right? Right. So off we go reading chapter after chapter and I dunno.. it just felt off to me.
My best guess was because the author chose to open the story right when the humans are being assigned to warriors. The way it's presented and explained is a bit too vague and obscure for my taste. I especially didn't enjoy all the past tense references to how they were woken from cryo sleep. Maybe if we'd experienced that event and their emotions it might have given a little more life or depth to the story from the jump. I felt their captivity was handled a little too lightly between the three of them. Like, I understand the need to crack jokes and make light of serious and scary situations to cope with them. I get it. But it just felt unrealistic that these women weren't more upset or freaking out or immediately trying to escape as in other alien capture books.
Obviously it was the authors choice to go the lighter route but if maybe she had began the journey differently with a more realistic response to their captivity and (hello!) finding themselves on an alien planet with actual alien creatures then I might have bought they could crack some jokes. Especially if they had been held captive for longer than they were and come to terms a bit on their situation. It felt like they didn't take their situation seriously.
Which brings me to the heroine. Yeah, no surprise to find I once again did not enjoy another heroine. Alas they are the bane of my existence it seems. 😆
So, yeah. The heroine Ember was annoying. Usually I'd find her take what the world dishes out and keep fighting attitude admirable but that was not the case. I wasn't a fan of her brand of humor. I didn't find the little sexual remarks or otherwise funny. They felt like the author tried too hard to make her witty and outspoken.
I won't even go into her thoughts after having sex with Rylen. Major cringe. Remarks about his dick being a Goodyear blimp (uh how is that funny??) And how did she NOT ask more questions about having sex with a goddamn alien?!?! Like, hello! Excuse me sir you're hot and all but maybe explain to me what being your mate means. Do you have venom? Will the bite you give me to mark me hurt? I haven't really examined your cock but does it have barbs or ridges or gee maybe a knot that swells?? Oh and maybe don't cum in me because like, this is super scary already and we're both being held captive as is and we just met a week ago so maybe we can create little furry babies later??
I was legit laughing during and after the sex scene. It wasn't sexy but it was hilarious to me. She never asked any of those important questions, and he didn't exactly offer up information either other than he'd bite her. Very important details, people! Especially because apparently his cock kept swelling and supposedly elongating during sex (I mean honestly how much bigger can it grow inside a tiny vagina?!) And so when it was over she had to stay on his lap and sit on his dick because he couldn't pull out without hurting her. Did he have a knot?! No idea! Just apparently he swelled so much he couldn't remove himself. Hm, whatever.
Her also making continuous references to Harry Potter because of the similarities between the aliens from Four Houses and the hero Rylen who was a Griffin was tiresome. I know, everyone loves HP (except me. never seen, read or been interested by it) but it felt like one or two references at the start were enough. Maybe another "Potter head" who reads this would love them, I know I didn't.
Overall it wasn't a bad book. Particularly the way the whole "I've been captured by aliens" aspect was disappointing for all the reasons I explained above. I do wish that had been different. And just how the aliens handled their "captivity" business and how they treated everyone felt vague and lacking detail even though the author provided *some* but not enough. But the story was interesting enough to finish but not to remember later.
I did like the hero Rylen though. Maybe the next one will be better or maybe I'll just pass. 🤷🏻♀️
See, I've read most if not all of MB's books so her writing style wasn't a surprise to me. But either it's been a while or this one was in fact different. I think the first thing that threw me was how we opened the story. Yes, the prologue in the hero's POV was fine. Set the tone. But then chapter one begins in the heroines POV and let me tell you I was a little confused.
From the first word from her we have no idea what her name is. In fact, we find out her name pages later only after we learn the names of the other two humans captured with her. And only when one of them actually said her name. This right here I found odd.
But okay that wasn't a big deal, right? Right. So off we go reading chapter after chapter and I dunno.. it just felt off to me.
My best guess was because the author chose to open the story right when the humans are being assigned to warriors. The way it's presented and explained is a bit too vague and obscure for my taste. I especially didn't enjoy all the past tense references to how they were woken from cryo sleep. Maybe if we'd experienced that event and their emotions it might have given a little more life or depth to the story from the jump. I felt their captivity was handled a little too lightly between the three of them. Like, I understand the need to crack jokes and make light of serious and scary situations to cope with them. I get it. But it just felt unrealistic that these women weren't more upset or freaking out or immediately trying to escape as in other alien capture books.
Obviously it was the authors choice to go the lighter route but if maybe she had began the journey differently with a more realistic response to their captivity and (hello!) finding themselves on an alien planet with actual alien creatures then I might have bought they could crack some jokes. Especially if they had been held captive for longer than they were and come to terms a bit on their situation. It felt like they didn't take their situation seriously.
Which brings me to the heroine. Yeah, no surprise to find I once again did not enjoy another heroine. Alas they are the bane of my existence it seems. 😆
So, yeah. The heroine Ember was annoying. Usually I'd find her take what the world dishes out and keep fighting attitude admirable but that was not the case. I wasn't a fan of her brand of humor. I didn't find the little sexual remarks or otherwise funny. They felt like the author tried too hard to make her witty and outspoken.
I won't even go into her thoughts after having sex with Rylen. Major cringe. Remarks about his dick being a Goodyear blimp (uh how is that funny??) And how did she NOT ask more questions about having sex with a goddamn alien?!?! Like, hello! Excuse me sir you're hot and all but maybe explain to me what being your mate means. Do you have venom? Will the bite you give me to mark me hurt? I haven't really examined your cock but does it have barbs or ridges or gee maybe a knot that swells?? Oh and maybe don't cum in me because like, this is super scary already and we're both being held captive as is and we just met a week ago so maybe we can create little furry babies later??
I was legit laughing during and after the sex scene. It wasn't sexy but it was hilarious to me. She never asked any of those important questions, and he didn't exactly offer up information either other than he'd bite her. Very important details, people! Especially because apparently his cock kept swelling and supposedly elongating during sex (I mean honestly how much bigger can it grow inside a tiny vagina?!) And so when it was over she had to stay on his lap and sit on his dick because he couldn't pull out without hurting her. Did he have a knot?! No idea! Just apparently he swelled so much he couldn't remove himself. Hm, whatever.
Her also making continuous references to Harry Potter because of the similarities between the aliens from Four Houses and the hero Rylen who was a Griffin was tiresome. I know, everyone loves HP (except me. never seen, read or been interested by it) but it felt like one or two references at the start were enough. Maybe another "Potter head" who reads this would love them, I know I didn't.
Overall it wasn't a bad book. Particularly the way the whole "I've been captured by aliens" aspect was disappointing for all the reasons I explained above. I do wish that had been different. And just how the aliens handled their "captivity" business and how they treated everyone felt vague and lacking detail even though the author provided *some* but not enough. But the story was interesting enough to finish but not to remember later.
I did like the hero Rylen though. Maybe the next one will be better or maybe I'll just pass. 🤷🏻♀️
Read
June 11, 2022Picture this: You're doing your normal everyday shit and then you wake up to aliens. You're their slave now. You're suddenly responsible for the care and feeding of a vicious animal-alien gladiator who you can't communicate with. The aliens who enslaved you will beat you with electric prods if you step out of line.
Question: In response to these conditions, do you openly discuss escape, respond passive aggressively to your captors, and crack inappropriate jokes in the face of torture? Y / N
If you answered in the affirmative, your answer is wrong and you're the female main character of this book.
Bottom line: Blatantly unrealistic character behavior yanks me out of the story. If I'm yanked out of the story repeatedly, I realize that I'm reading a book that I can put down. When I'm considering putting a book down, I begin thinking of all the other stuff I could be doing, like eating spaghetti, watching Asian dramas, and cuddling my chihuahuas and suddenly that sounds more fun than reading. Hence, the DNF.
Question: In response to these conditions, do you openly discuss escape, respond passive aggressively to your captors, and crack inappropriate jokes in the face of torture? Y / N
If you answered in the affirmative, your answer is wrong and you're the female main character of this book.
Bottom line: Blatantly unrealistic character behavior yanks me out of the story. If I'm yanked out of the story repeatedly, I realize that I'm reading a book that I can put down. When I'm considering putting a book down, I begin thinking of all the other stuff I could be doing, like eating spaghetti, watching Asian dramas, and cuddling my chihuahuas and suddenly that sounds more fun than reading. Hence, the DNF.
April 24, 2022
2 stars
Very Ruby Dixon wannabe.
I have to say I was bored. The plot, I’ve seen in so many book before I literal knew what they were gonna do and say before they did. My biggest emotion - boredom.
Very Ruby Dixon wannabe.
I have to say I was bored. The plot, I’ve seen in so many book before I literal knew what they were gonna do and say before they did. My biggest emotion - boredom.
November 26, 2025
Space Orcs, Fated Mates, and Questionable Life Choices
The following ratings are out of 5:
Romance: 💙💜💚
Heat/Steam: 🔥🔥🔥
Chemistry: 🧪🧪🧪🧪
Story/Plot: 📕📗📘
World building: 🌏🌍
Character development: 😋😀
Narration: 🎙🎙🎙🎙🎙
Narration Type: Dual Narration
🎧 Audiobook Review: Sacrifice (Brides for the Houses of Fate, #1)
Author: Miranda Bridges
Genre: Science Fiction Romance
Narrators: Mia Madison and Oliver Highpoint
🦸🏼♀️ The Heroine: Ember
Ember is a human woman abducted from Earth with no memory of how she ended up light-years from home. One moment she was living an ordinary life; the next, she was jolted out of cryosleep by terrifying, orc-like aliens. These captors force her and other human women into servitude within a brutal arena compound where four alien species are imprisoned, trained, and pitted against one another in violent combat. Each woman is assigned to a male fighter as a “prize”—responsible for feeding him, tending his wounds, and fulfilling whatever needs he may have.
🦸🏻♂️ The Hero: Rylen
Rylen is a Morja—half humanoid, half griffin—with wings, a leonine tail, and fur-covered legs reminiscent of a lion. Once a leader of one of four powerful houses on his home planet, he and his men have been enslaved since their world fell to invaders. Driven by grief and fury, Rylen lives for the moment he can kill the warrior from Silas’s house who murdered his brother. Escape is part of his long-term plan, but revenge must come first.
📚 The Plot
Rylen is instantly captivated when he catches the scent of a newly arrived human female—Ember—and realizes she is his fated mate. Unfortunately, fate seems to have a cruel sense of humor: Ember has been assigned to a hostile Morja from Rylen’s own house, a male who has despised Rylen for years. Determined to reclaim the woman who destiny has tied to him, Rylen seeks opportunities to protect Ember and earn her trust.
Ember’s initial impression of the Morja is far from positive—her assigned male is harsh, cold, and openly disdainful. But Rylen is nothing like him. As they spend more time together, Ember finds herself disarmed by his gentleness, surprised by his honor… and unsettled by her growing attraction to him despite their dire circumstances.
🌟 What Worked
• I genuinely liked both main characters. Ember is brave and outspoken—sometimes to her detriment, especially when facing cruel captors—but her spirit makes her easy to root for.
• The setting and overall premise are imaginative and engaging. The arena structure, alien factions, and forced alliances create a tense, intriguing environment.
💔 What Fell Short
• I wanted deeper character development for both Ember and Rylen. More backstory and emotional complexity would have strengthened the stakes.
• Rylen’s motivations weren’t always clear, especially regarding why he intentionally held back in battles early on.
• The story ends abruptly, without an escape or satisfying resolution—so it doesn’t deliver a true HEA, which felt disappointing.
🎙️ Narration
The audiobook uses dual POV and dual narration, performed by Mia Madison and Oliver Highpoint. Mia’s voice is on the deeper side for a female narrator, but it suits Ember well—natural, grounded, and age-appropriate. Oliver’s deep yet gentle tone complements hers, and his performance captures the quieter strength of Rylen effectively.
💬 Final Thoughts
An imaginative world, engaging protagonists, and a compelling setup make this an intriguing listen. However, the limited character depth, unclear motivations, and sudden ending kept it from reaching its full potential. Still, the narration is strong, and fans of alien-arena romance may find plenty to enjoy.
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The following ratings are out of 5:
Romance: 💙💜💚
Heat/Steam: 🔥🔥🔥
Chemistry: 🧪🧪🧪🧪
Story/Plot: 📕📗📘
World building: 🌏🌍
Character development: 😋😀
Narration: 🎙🎙🎙🎙🎙
Narration Type: Dual Narration
🎧 Audiobook Review: Sacrifice (Brides for the Houses of Fate, #1)
Author: Miranda Bridges
Genre: Science Fiction Romance
Narrators: Mia Madison and Oliver Highpoint
🦸🏼♀️ The Heroine: Ember
Ember is a human woman abducted from Earth with no memory of how she ended up light-years from home. One moment she was living an ordinary life; the next, she was jolted out of cryosleep by terrifying, orc-like aliens. These captors force her and other human women into servitude within a brutal arena compound where four alien species are imprisoned, trained, and pitted against one another in violent combat. Each woman is assigned to a male fighter as a “prize”—responsible for feeding him, tending his wounds, and fulfilling whatever needs he may have.
🦸🏻♂️ The Hero: Rylen
Rylen is a Morja—half humanoid, half griffin—with wings, a leonine tail, and fur-covered legs reminiscent of a lion. Once a leader of one of four powerful houses on his home planet, he and his men have been enslaved since their world fell to invaders. Driven by grief and fury, Rylen lives for the moment he can kill the warrior from Silas’s house who murdered his brother. Escape is part of his long-term plan, but revenge must come first.
📚 The Plot
Rylen is instantly captivated when he catches the scent of a newly arrived human female—Ember—and realizes she is his fated mate. Unfortunately, fate seems to have a cruel sense of humor: Ember has been assigned to a hostile Morja from Rylen’s own house, a male who has despised Rylen for years. Determined to reclaim the woman who destiny has tied to him, Rylen seeks opportunities to protect Ember and earn her trust.
Ember’s initial impression of the Morja is far from positive—her assigned male is harsh, cold, and openly disdainful. But Rylen is nothing like him. As they spend more time together, Ember finds herself disarmed by his gentleness, surprised by his honor… and unsettled by her growing attraction to him despite their dire circumstances.
🌟 What Worked
• I genuinely liked both main characters. Ember is brave and outspoken—sometimes to her detriment, especially when facing cruel captors—but her spirit makes her easy to root for.
• The setting and overall premise are imaginative and engaging. The arena structure, alien factions, and forced alliances create a tense, intriguing environment.
💔 What Fell Short
• I wanted deeper character development for both Ember and Rylen. More backstory and emotional complexity would have strengthened the stakes.
• Rylen’s motivations weren’t always clear, especially regarding why he intentionally held back in battles early on.
• The story ends abruptly, without an escape or satisfying resolution—so it doesn’t deliver a true HEA, which felt disappointing.
🎙️ Narration
The audiobook uses dual POV and dual narration, performed by Mia Madison and Oliver Highpoint. Mia’s voice is on the deeper side for a female narrator, but it suits Ember well—natural, grounded, and age-appropriate. Oliver’s deep yet gentle tone complements hers, and his performance captures the quieter strength of Rylen effectively.
💬 Final Thoughts
An imaginative world, engaging protagonists, and a compelling setup make this an intriguing listen. However, the limited character depth, unclear motivations, and sudden ending kept it from reaching its full potential. Still, the narration is strong, and fans of alien-arena romance may find plenty to enjoy.
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February 22, 2022
5 stars
Yes, another great story, a fantastic start to a new series from Miranda Bridges. I can’t wait to keep reading more, as the action hots up.
Yes, another great story, a fantastic start to a new series from Miranda Bridges. I can’t wait to keep reading more, as the action hots up.
February 26, 2022
What a great read. Morja are an awesome species. This story has it all: love, conflict, excitement and all the feels.
February 20, 2022
ok
It was ok. Kinda slow. But got the point of the story. The h was a bit ridiculous in the situation. I realize it’s fiction but come on let’s make it semi believable. I ending up giving up at like 80 bored.
It was ok. Kinda slow. But got the point of the story. The h was a bit ridiculous in the situation. I realize it’s fiction but come on let’s make it semi believable. I ending up giving up at like 80 bored.
May 28, 2023
Brides for the Houses of Fate, buen inicio de serie.
•Mi opinión puede contener Spoilers.
•Esta destinada a ser un descargo personal no para que alguien más lea pero si lo haces y te ofende, me disculpo porque sé lo que es que te guste un libro y otros lo critiquen.
Sacrifice de Miranda Bridges serie Brides for the Houses of Fate libro 1
Argumento:
Como prisionero en la arena, mi mayor batalla no será por mi vida.
Será para el corazón de una mujer.
Una vez que olfateé a la humana, ella era mía.
Cada parte de mí tenía hambre de ella.
Tocar.
Probar.
Tomar.
Pero ella pertenece a mi enemigo.
Reclamarla me costará.
Puedo sacrificar todo.
Mi venganza.
Mi vida.
Mi alma.
Mi humilde opinión:
Sacrifice es un romance de ciencia ficción ambientado en un arena al estilo romano en un planeta dónde los gladiadores son diferentes criaturas pertenecientes a las Houses Of Fate, Casas del Destino. Cada casa tiene una diferente: Morja de los grifos, Silas de las serpientes, Vulari de los cuervos y Akal de las bestias. Estos pueden cambiar su forma a humanoide.
Esta es la del general Rylen, un grifo que quiere vengar la muerte de su hermano pero encuentra a su pareja destinada en una humana esclava y sus planes cambian.
La idea de las casas y las criaturas gladiadores era imaginativa. El grifo me pareció poderoso y hermoso. El romance picante y había suficiente acción pero...
Hay un mundo y personajes que pintan interesantes pero no hay mucha construcción del mundo o sobre ellos. Era todo explicado muy por encima.
Sobretodo sentía curiosidad por los grifos y los otros guerreros. Cómo todos ellos terminaron luchando en una arena y ya no eran aliados? Hay una historia detrás que no se contaba. Después se unieron y parecía que había un plan de escape y yo no me enteré. Me hubiera gustado que me hicieran más parte de la revolución que planeaban.
Esperaba una reacción realista de las mujeres secuestradas de la tierra. Ellas despertaron recientemente del crioestasis y no se estaban volviendo locas al encontrarse en otro planeta rodeada de aliens. Me sorprendió su tranquilidad y aceptación cuando las pusieron a servir como esclavas. Se adaptaron a su trabajo fácilmente como sirvientas o acompañantes de las criaturas como si no fuera algo aterrador.
En cuanto a la historia de amor en medio. Es sobre parejas destinadas pero.. todo fue rápido, pura lujuria y no me emocionó.
Lamentablemente la heroína no me cayó bien. Ember llegó a ser un poco insoportable. No me parecieron graciosas sus referencias a películas. Su actitud rebelde y respondona no era de admirar estando en una situación donde podrían lastimarla o matarla. Era de idiota y no de inteligente. Cómo cuando saltó a la arena para ayudar a Rylen como si ella tuviera la fuerza para ayudarlo a luchar!
Rylen fue feroz en sus enfrentamientos en la arena. Sin embargo con su compañera podía ser un bruto. No me cayó nada bien que exigiera sexo Ember cuando ella no quería o no estaba segura. No me gustó su actitud de dom y que utilizara la coerción para lograr lo que quería. Se relaja un poco después, muestra ser protector y adorable con Ember.
No amé este libro pero tampoco lo detesté. Termina con un cliffhanger. Y me picó la curiosidad por saber qué pasó con el hermano de Rylen y cómo avanza esta historia. Dentro de todo es un prometedor inicio de serie.
January 19, 2024
Cat-like aliens are not my thing. I have learned that now.
March 25, 2022
I stumbled upon this book. Otherwise, I wouldn't have known about it.
Rylen is a captive on a planet. He is used for fighting. If he wins, he lives and mayhap earn a female. Only he scents the female that is destined to be his. She is in this prison as well. He must find her and get her to agree to be his and only his. He doesn't want to share. Ember is his mate and his alone. Rylen just needs to get her away from the other Morja. Will she agree to being his mate? Will he survive her as his mate?
Scared and alone, Ember runs her mouth one too many times to the warden and the officers. Then she is given to a Morja warrior as his attendant. That doesn't last long when she innocently gives another Morja a lock of her hair. The new Morja swears to protect her with his life. When push comes to shove, Rylen does. Then he takes her as his mate. Can they survive all this?
This is a quick story that took me 4 hours to read. Not a lunch break quickie, but still pretty quick. It's fast paced and steamy. I enjoyed most of it. What I didn't like was Ember and her mouth. She needed to learn when to shut up.
Rylen is a captive on a planet. He is used for fighting. If he wins, he lives and mayhap earn a female. Only he scents the female that is destined to be his. She is in this prison as well. He must find her and get her to agree to be his and only his. He doesn't want to share. Ember is his mate and his alone. Rylen just needs to get her away from the other Morja. Will she agree to being his mate? Will he survive her as his mate?
Scared and alone, Ember runs her mouth one too many times to the warden and the officers. Then she is given to a Morja warrior as his attendant. That doesn't last long when she innocently gives another Morja a lock of her hair. The new Morja swears to protect her with his life. When push comes to shove, Rylen does. Then he takes her as his mate. Can they survive all this?
This is a quick story that took me 4 hours to read. Not a lunch break quickie, but still pretty quick. It's fast paced and steamy. I enjoyed most of it. What I didn't like was Ember and her mouth. She needed to learn when to shut up.
February 21, 2022
RATING: 1.5 HEARTS!
I gave this a fair shot, and while the idea behind this story is spectacular, the execution is lacking for plot, romance, and character development. All the missing fleshed-out elements definitely took away from my enjoyment. This is my humble opinion, there are lots of other fantastic reviews that have loved this, so form your own opinion by giving it a try!
I gave this a fair shot, and while the idea behind this story is spectacular, the execution is lacking for plot, romance, and character development. All the missing fleshed-out elements definitely took away from my enjoyment. This is my humble opinion, there are lots of other fantastic reviews that have loved this, so form your own opinion by giving it a try!
March 10, 2022
gladiator aliens
I really enjoyed this world. The H was alpha, possessive, and obsessed with the h (just like I like em) And the h was sassy, brave, and loyal.
Small cliffy at the end which sets up the next book - not mad about it.
5 stars for entertaining and 🔥 escapism
I really enjoyed this world. The H was alpha, possessive, and obsessed with the h (just like I like em) And the h was sassy, brave, and loyal.
Small cliffy at the end which sets up the next book - not mad about it.
5 stars for entertaining and 🔥 escapism
March 4, 2022
⭐⭐⭐
Hot alien griffins? Yes, please! This was a delightful story with fun characters and it is a series I will definitely continue reading.
Hot alien griffins? Yes, please! This was a delightful story with fun characters and it is a series I will definitely continue reading.
August 12, 2022
bizarro
February 15, 2022
This is a great alien romance! Steamy, spicy, and very enjoyable reading..
April 17, 2022
That work is definitely not worthy of a book.
Where is the plot? Did it fall off the pages somehow?
To fall in love is not a plot lol
The world building and characters are all nice and cozy despite the latter being very superficial but without an interesting story accompanying it, it is not worthy of anyones time.
The past of both characters were very murky.
The only thing described in more detail is the current situation of both main characters, but the future is only a possibility, a seed the author plants, I doubt even the next instalment is delivering.
This hint of a book is a farce.
Where is the plot? Did it fall off the pages somehow?
To fall in love is not a plot lol
The world building and characters are all nice and cozy despite the latter being very superficial but without an interesting story accompanying it, it is not worthy of anyones time.
The past of both characters were very murky.
The only thing described in more detail is the current situation of both main characters, but the future is only a possibility, a seed the author plants, I doubt even the next instalment is delivering.
This hint of a book is a farce.
March 16, 2022
DNF - quit at 22%
This is very disjointed, felt like a rough draft still being put together. The POV jumping around was part of the problem, because I didn’t get a complete picture of a scene before it changes to a whole other scene -not even related to the first POV before switching. There aren’t any smooth transitions from character to character, or even introductions other than the warden saying names & names next to chapters to designate a POV change. I thought the first Morja she was “assigned” to was the MMC until later & had to go back after his POV came up to try to figure out what happened. The world building isn’t there in the first 22%. There’s also a jump in logic/plot, is it a “prison of war” or a gladiator prison? The discrepancy makes a difference, as the description swings from one end to the other in attitudes among all the “prisoners” as well as the guards. There’s no set up of how the human women are there or how they are all so accepting in an attitude & not freaking out or whatever if they had just been awoken from the cryo or whatever. I just couldn’t process this and want to continue let alone waste time backtracking to sort out what I read to begin with.
At my age (60), life is way too short & my time is too important to force myself to read a book I'm not enjoying, especially when there are so many other books out there waiting to be read.
This is very disjointed, felt like a rough draft still being put together. The POV jumping around was part of the problem, because I didn’t get a complete picture of a scene before it changes to a whole other scene -not even related to the first POV before switching. There aren’t any smooth transitions from character to character, or even introductions other than the warden saying names & names next to chapters to designate a POV change. I thought the first Morja she was “assigned” to was the MMC until later & had to go back after his POV came up to try to figure out what happened. The world building isn’t there in the first 22%. There’s also a jump in logic/plot, is it a “prison of war” or a gladiator prison? The discrepancy makes a difference, as the description swings from one end to the other in attitudes among all the “prisoners” as well as the guards. There’s no set up of how the human women are there or how they are all so accepting in an attitude & not freaking out or whatever if they had just been awoken from the cryo or whatever. I just couldn’t process this and want to continue let alone waste time backtracking to sort out what I read to begin with.
At my age (60), life is way too short & my time is too important to force myself to read a book I'm not enjoying, especially when there are so many other books out there waiting to be read.
January 29, 2023
Written by Miranda Bridges this Brides for the Houses of Fate series follows aliens and their human female mates. The planet is called Serissa, the territory is called Livardia, which was previously owned by the Four Houses of Fate. The 4 Houses of Fate are the morja, silas, akal, and vulari. The Tulgans look like orcs and are the bad guys, but even they answer to a group who holds power over their own people known as the Atori. The Four Houses fell, and those left alive became prisoners. The Atori ruled all and had claimed Livardia territory. Now, the houses play in gladiator games to survive. Until they find their opportunity to escape and band together to fight against their captors. Females were abducted from Earth and sold to the Atori as slaves. Their slave duties took place in Livardia, where they were expected to attend to the winning alien gladiators. The enslaved alien warriors fall in love with their female human mates along the way to finding their freedom and revenge.
Written in first person, Sacrifice is book 1 in the series and follows commander Rylen of the morja house and his human mate Ember. Ember was studying to become an archeologist before she was abducted from Earth by the mazzah and given to the Atori. Rylen was a commander of the Morja house, which is a griffin species of the planet Serissa. The Morja are humanoid, with lion features that include fur and a tail. When they shift, they transform into a creature part lion, part eagle, that can fly. When the enemy first arrived on the planet, Rylen was one chose to trust the Atori, which resulted in betrayal. His entire focus was to find and kill the silas traitor Elyon, who he believed was responsible for the death of his brother Rixan. Until he smelled his mate outside his cell one day, and it changed everything.
Ember was first assigned to a Morja named Aleksi, until Rixan kicked his ass and took his place in the ranks for nearly killing Ember.
While the buildup was balanced and kept the reader hooked, it took way too long to get to the filthy good stuff, which is the entire reason I read romance novels. The couple had their first intercourse in chapter 14, at the 71% mark. I was particularly drawn to the Morja purring for their mate. Simple, yet romantic. The Morja bite their mates to mark them, like vampires. Since I’m all for the vampire fantasy, I’m on board for the Morja bite as well. If that wasn’t enough, their cock swells until they are stuck inside their mate after climax. Forced cuddling, yay! After the official claiming, they became a mated pair and lived happily ever after.
So far, this series is okay. It’s a little complicated and confusing with certain aspects, such as the Atori and tulgans. I think the tulgans are the orcs. I still have no idea who or what the Atori are, just that they’re in control of everyone and everything, including the orc/tulgans and the mazzah. I know that the Morja are the griffins. I still don’t quite understand the dynamics of the other three houses: silas, akal, and vulari. I know that one (the Silas I think?) is a snake-like alien. After Rixan started calling Ember “Kindra” I was super confused. Then I went back and realized that “Kindra” was his word for “flame.” It was supposed to be an endearment, but only wound up sounding like he forgot his mate’s name. I think the author added unnecessary elements that dirtied the plot and confused the reader. I will still read the remaining books in the series in hopes that things begin to make more sense. At least the raunch was entertaining enough.
Written in first person, Sacrifice is book 1 in the series and follows commander Rylen of the morja house and his human mate Ember. Ember was studying to become an archeologist before she was abducted from Earth by the mazzah and given to the Atori. Rylen was a commander of the Morja house, which is a griffin species of the planet Serissa. The Morja are humanoid, with lion features that include fur and a tail. When they shift, they transform into a creature part lion, part eagle, that can fly. When the enemy first arrived on the planet, Rylen was one chose to trust the Atori, which resulted in betrayal. His entire focus was to find and kill the silas traitor Elyon, who he believed was responsible for the death of his brother Rixan. Until he smelled his mate outside his cell one day, and it changed everything.
Ember was first assigned to a Morja named Aleksi, until Rixan kicked his ass and took his place in the ranks for nearly killing Ember.
While the buildup was balanced and kept the reader hooked, it took way too long to get to the filthy good stuff, which is the entire reason I read romance novels. The couple had their first intercourse in chapter 14, at the 71% mark. I was particularly drawn to the Morja purring for their mate. Simple, yet romantic. The Morja bite their mates to mark them, like vampires. Since I’m all for the vampire fantasy, I’m on board for the Morja bite as well. If that wasn’t enough, their cock swells until they are stuck inside their mate after climax. Forced cuddling, yay! After the official claiming, they became a mated pair and lived happily ever after.
So far, this series is okay. It’s a little complicated and confusing with certain aspects, such as the Atori and tulgans. I think the tulgans are the orcs. I still have no idea who or what the Atori are, just that they’re in control of everyone and everything, including the orc/tulgans and the mazzah. I know that the Morja are the griffins. I still don’t quite understand the dynamics of the other three houses: silas, akal, and vulari. I know that one (the Silas I think?) is a snake-like alien. After Rixan started calling Ember “Kindra” I was super confused. Then I went back and realized that “Kindra” was his word for “flame.” It was supposed to be an endearment, but only wound up sounding like he forgot his mate’s name. I think the author added unnecessary elements that dirtied the plot and confused the reader. I will still read the remaining books in the series in hopes that things begin to make more sense. At least the raunch was entertaining enough.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 22, 2022
Am I in love? YES! Best scifi I've read since Ruby Dixon. 5+ Stars! Scifi Harry Potter meets Gladiator meets Spartacus
Holy shit balls Batman what did I just get myself into?! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 🌶🌶🌶.5/5
There are very few books that I want to give more than 5 stars and add them to my hall of fame favorites to where they're getting a place of honor on my book shelves with hard copies but THIS, THIS masterpiece had made the cut.
I am in love, obsessed, and undone (and no, it's not because Gladiator is one of my all time favorite movies and so of course there's references to it) by this author and her writing.
The main character, Ember's, humor is my favorite thing ever next to our leading man's protective devotion and HOT sexy behaviors. If you love fantasy, scifi, romance, action, humor, low key fated mates, action, fast paced, good banter,strong (sexy af) over protective and destroy everyone but her vibes this book has it all!
This book is leaving me with all the good and happy feels I need in life as someone who loves hard core action and war movies because I totally got Spartacus vibes from this story and loved every second of it. The story begins with our human girls already stuck on this new planet and in this servant situation and Ember is immediately getting herself into trouble with her sassy mouth (which is absolutely amazing and funny as hell), and Rylen (our mmc) is already obsessed and fallen for her just by her scent even before laying eyes on her. This first book focuses on how their relationship begins and blossoms into something that will ignite an epic rebellion for the sake of freedom.
I don't care if you're not into scifi romance or anything crazy, you MUST read this if you like anything to do with romance and good feels. This book ends on a cliffhanger and I am desperate to jump into the next one so stop wasting my time by making me tell you to read this if you want your life to change and GO READ THIS NOW so I can start on book 2 in a minute!
Holy shit balls Batman what did I just get myself into?! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 🌶🌶🌶.5/5
There are very few books that I want to give more than 5 stars and add them to my hall of fame favorites to where they're getting a place of honor on my book shelves with hard copies but THIS, THIS masterpiece had made the cut.
I am in love, obsessed, and undone (and no, it's not because Gladiator is one of my all time favorite movies and so of course there's references to it) by this author and her writing.
The main character, Ember's, humor is my favorite thing ever next to our leading man's protective devotion and HOT sexy behaviors. If you love fantasy, scifi, romance, action, humor, low key fated mates, action, fast paced, good banter,strong (sexy af) over protective and destroy everyone but her vibes this book has it all!
This book is leaving me with all the good and happy feels I need in life as someone who loves hard core action and war movies because I totally got Spartacus vibes from this story and loved every second of it. The story begins with our human girls already stuck on this new planet and in this servant situation and Ember is immediately getting herself into trouble with her sassy mouth (which is absolutely amazing and funny as hell), and Rylen (our mmc) is already obsessed and fallen for her just by her scent even before laying eyes on her. This first book focuses on how their relationship begins and blossoms into something that will ignite an epic rebellion for the sake of freedom.
I don't care if you're not into scifi romance or anything crazy, you MUST read this if you like anything to do with romance and good feels. This book ends on a cliffhanger and I am desperate to jump into the next one so stop wasting my time by making me tell you to read this if you want your life to change and GO READ THIS NOW so I can start on book 2 in a minute!
Read
February 18, 2022Wow what an exciting start to Miranda Bridges next series. The Four Houses of the Fates - Morja, Silas, Vulari and Akal - have been subjugated by the Tulgan Atori, a consortium that is similar to a mafia within the Tulgan to fight in gladiatorial battles against each other and even others within their own houses. This book starts years after their defeat and with the new introduction of human females to serve as attendants to the warrior elite.
I enjoyed this book but maybe because it's been a while since i’ve read the first book in one of her series but it felt a little rushed. This isn’t a bad thing, sometimes it is great getting into the swing of it. I love how sassy Ember is and how from the very beginning she shows that although she is a slave that does not mean she will not stand up for what is right. Her snarky comments and overall audacious attitude, contradicted with her protectiveness over others - even those she doesn’t actually know - have made her one of my all time favorite characters. Rylen on the other hand, good goddess, is the most romantic, sweetest, most adoring alpha male I have read about. Everytime he said something swoon worthy I had to take a moment to take in all that sweet goodness. I also loved all the interactions between the different houses and characters and the way in which the humans added references to earth sayings and pop culture which we love but confused the aliens.
I am enthusiastically waiting for the next in the series which should shed more light on the events of their defeat and hopefully we will see more of different characters introduced to us in Sacrifice. Hopefully we will see more of the other houses as well because I love me some hot warrior with an inner sweetness to give me literary diabetes.
I was given an ARC of this book and willingly leave this review
I enjoyed this book but maybe because it's been a while since i’ve read the first book in one of her series but it felt a little rushed. This isn’t a bad thing, sometimes it is great getting into the swing of it. I love how sassy Ember is and how from the very beginning she shows that although she is a slave that does not mean she will not stand up for what is right. Her snarky comments and overall audacious attitude, contradicted with her protectiveness over others - even those she doesn’t actually know - have made her one of my all time favorite characters. Rylen on the other hand, good goddess, is the most romantic, sweetest, most adoring alpha male I have read about. Everytime he said something swoon worthy I had to take a moment to take in all that sweet goodness. I also loved all the interactions between the different houses and characters and the way in which the humans added references to earth sayings and pop culture which we love but confused the aliens.
I am enthusiastically waiting for the next in the series which should shed more light on the events of their defeat and hopefully we will see more of different characters introduced to us in Sacrifice. Hopefully we will see more of the other houses as well because I love me some hot warrior with an inner sweetness to give me literary diabetes.
I was given an ARC of this book and willingly leave this review
January 14, 2024
Gaaaahhh! That ending!! I'm so glad the second book is out or I would probably lose it over the cliffhanger!
That being said, there was so much I loved about this book! I went into it thinking it would be an alien/sci-fi romance, but was pleasantly surprised that it was a little bit of a mashup with monster romance too. The author did such a great job of blending those two genres together. Beyond that, I loved that this book had high stakes and danger at every corner. It really had me rooting for the main love interests, Rylen and Ember.
Rylen is a Griffin and everything that's swoon worthy. Ember is just a hoot and a half, but I also love that she has a fierce and loving spirit. While this book takes on the alien gladiator theme, the author cleverly included some Russel Crowe shout-outs as well as many Harry Potter references that just worked so well for this book!
One last thing I have to add that I absolutely loved about this book, is that in the past few series I've read from Miranda Bridges, she includes other languages with footnotes on what the character is actually saying. Her MMC's are always so tough and hardened but have the gooey-est, warm center. I absolutely just love this aspect of her writing!
Overall, I definitely recommend this! I have yet to find a book of hers that I don't like! They are all excellent!
That being said, there was so much I loved about this book! I went into it thinking it would be an alien/sci-fi romance, but was pleasantly surprised that it was a little bit of a mashup with monster romance too. The author did such a great job of blending those two genres together. Beyond that, I loved that this book had high stakes and danger at every corner. It really had me rooting for the main love interests, Rylen and Ember.
Rylen is a Griffin and everything that's swoon worthy. Ember is just a hoot and a half, but I also love that she has a fierce and loving spirit. While this book takes on the alien gladiator theme, the author cleverly included some Russel Crowe shout-outs as well as many Harry Potter references that just worked so well for this book!
One last thing I have to add that I absolutely loved about this book, is that in the past few series I've read from Miranda Bridges, she includes other languages with footnotes on what the character is actually saying. Her MMC's are always so tough and hardened but have the gooey-est, warm center. I absolutely just love this aspect of her writing!
Overall, I definitely recommend this! I have yet to find a book of hers that I don't like! They are all excellent!
February 25, 2022
Good start to a new series 💖
We pretty much meet the main characters at what feels like a quarter of the way through the story, even though it's at the very beginning. Ember and two others are dressed and told they will be serving as attendants to the fighters. The only things any of the girls knows is that they were home or doing errands one minute and the next being woken up from a cryo sleep. There is no real back story no in depth world building. We meet a few of the male characters that end up being alien versions of Griffins, snake\lizard like creatures and a raven type creature. They are great warriors that have been enslaved by a sort of alien orc cartel that is forcing them to fight in gladiator type games. Rylen is a Morja a Griffin alien and he scents Ember well before he actually sees her and knows somehow deep in his soul that she belongs to him. Every more he makes from that moment on is to find away to claim the female that he believes belongs to him. There is series attraction, and interesting story and solid characters. I just wish there was a bit more world building and character development. Overall entertaining read and I do believe I'll read the next in the series.💖💖🔥🔥💖💖🔥💖🔥🔥💖🔥💖💖🔥💖🔥💖🔥💖🔥💖💖🔥🔥💖🔥💖🔥💖💖🔥🔥
We pretty much meet the main characters at what feels like a quarter of the way through the story, even though it's at the very beginning. Ember and two others are dressed and told they will be serving as attendants to the fighters. The only things any of the girls knows is that they were home or doing errands one minute and the next being woken up from a cryo sleep. There is no real back story no in depth world building. We meet a few of the male characters that end up being alien versions of Griffins, snake\lizard like creatures and a raven type creature. They are great warriors that have been enslaved by a sort of alien orc cartel that is forcing them to fight in gladiator type games. Rylen is a Morja a Griffin alien and he scents Ember well before he actually sees her and knows somehow deep in his soul that she belongs to him. Every more he makes from that moment on is to find away to claim the female that he believes belongs to him. There is series attraction, and interesting story and solid characters. I just wish there was a bit more world building and character development. Overall entertaining read and I do believe I'll read the next in the series.💖💖🔥🔥💖💖🔥💖🔥🔥💖🔥💖💖🔥💖🔥💖🔥💖🔥💖💖🔥🔥💖🔥💖🔥💖💖🔥🔥
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