REVIEW FOR ENTIRE SERIES (Phases of the Moon) 🌖🌕🌔🌛🌜🌝🌗🌓🌚🌙🌒🌑
•Overall rating: 4/5. Ok so I shall start with a disclaimer, this was the third series I read for the DIA chronicles and did so immediately after The Creatures we Crave series.
THE 4TH BOOK COMES OUT IN 7 MONTHS... I am so upset as the 3rd ended on a cliff hanger... so clearly I like this series haha
The last 2 series are written by M.Sinclair but continues on with Caulders other DIA novels; The worlds within this series are derivative but in a good way - I wasnt craving a new author's spin on the classical monsters ie: vampires, witches, wolves and ghouls, I mean, if it aint broke ya know? That being said RL did a great job at being traditional with these witches but adding her own tid bits in there too.
The series was easy to read, was quick about world building but detailed enough that I could see everywhere and also scattered Easter eggs & references to her other books in here that kept me wondering (pre-emptively getting me hooked on all the series... well played Sinclair). The idea is that there's different realms for different monsters and what ties them all together for the sake of this plot is an academy that students (21+ so we keep is saucy not icky) can attend to hone their skills... yet they seem to bone more than hone in my opinion *gasps and clutches pearls* 😲
This series, covered the Witch sector and follows Deva/Ayla (ps loved that name since Clan of the Cave Bear) and her FIVE mates (my ranking):
1. Grimshaw/Grim: Shadow Daddy witch
2. Osborn/Oz: Serial Killer unblessed or nature witch
3. Lazaro/Laz: Stoic and Dom Daddy Lunar witch
4. Micajah/Cage: Nutcase and Freak-a-leek Blood witch
5. Aleksander/Alek: Swoll, russian gangster thug mutant mutant witch
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• Favourite character: Loved her friends in this series however they quickly became not important once they all got mated up... which I didn't care for. In the other 2 DOA stories the girls stayed closer to their friends but I guess Deva had more mates to manage haha. Deva was also this kick ass assassin who was confident in her abilities however still had some trauma to overcome plus body issues - RELATABLE MUCH? I think she did a great job at managing her many mates as well as pushing for answers and vengeance - total bad ass... no wonder she got 5 witch zaddys! 🥵
OMG THE FAMILIARS/ANIMAL COMPANIONS WERE TOO CUTE. They matched the personalities so well and when they all had cuddle puddles together 🥺 I love spiders so having one in the mix really hit for me 🕷
This series dove into the character development more so with the mates which I really enjoyed and added a layer of complexity to the bond. That being said the book kept telling us how terrifying and powerful these males were and yet... ain't no murdering or major spells - just bravado and reputation. Like is it too much to ask for a cheeky follow through on "touch her and you will be slaughtered"...??? DO I ASK TOO MUCH? 🤔
• Hated character: Emily played the perfect villan and her distain for Deva wasn't giving woman banding together... ick. That was a basic answer but there you have it, no one else really sparked intense reactions and I think that's due to having 6 main characters - tough work to juggle multiple POV and the story line. CAN I JUST SAY that one thing I did hate was the sleep to sex ratios? I don't mean to come across thirsty but like 1-2 (IF that) steamy moments from a lady with 5 hot mates? CAP CAP CAP! 🧢🧢🧢 Plus every dam chapter she's having a nap, I don't know if it is a writing tool to help manage the passing of time and/or to emphasize her power resources but dayum - Deva was tucked up for naps more than a dam cat hehehe witch pun.
• Smut vs Plot: 60/40 leaning more towards plot but I was here for it. The first book wasn't so much smut or plot but rather romance so if you are keen on possessive MMC thirsting over a FMC and giving "mine" public displays of affection - you'll be stoked with book 1. Book 2 and 3 dives more into the smut which I enjoyed - the writing was very intense in the best way.
• Spice rating (1-5): 🌶🌶 🌶.5
• Reminds me of: hmmmmm it was giving dark HP if you ask me. Liked spells and magic rulings as well as the different witch types too.
• Re-read: 💯 and will do so in October before the final book is out! YES I PREORDERED!
• Trope: Reverse Harem & Mated bonds. All males total obsessed and express it differently, hitting all tropes in the right way! 😜
• Pet names:
Deva: Ayla/My obsession/little Siren/little jaguar 🐆/Zaya (bunny)🐇, little thief and starlight ⭐
• Smut energy: OK the series isn't over but again, the smut ... I expected smuttier given SHE HAS 5 MATES! There was 1 threesome and like sorry but barely! Also the inner poly me hates that she hasn't slept with all 5 yet... in fact she's only penny p with 3... poor Cage and Alek 😔
Note: all virgins at the start which yall know I don't care for 🙄 also some blood play due to a few blood witches in the mix
• Favourite dynamic: I did love that Laz and her did an enemies to lovers thing because he was such a dick to her at the start - pushing her away. Also loved her and Ozs backstory and how she fell for him first and they took each others V plates... plus who doesn't love a serial killer who has an exception... her hehehehhe 🖤🔪 👸
• Favourite quotes/Bants:
"I wanted to bury my nose against her neck and allow the perfume to seep into my senses until I had it memorized. I nearly shook my head at that—I’d already memorized it."
"I swear to fuck, I’d been damn near hard as I watched her create lunar globes to connect all of our magics. And when her power had risen up?"
"As I stood in the doorway, I breathed out in relief at the sight of Deva surrounded by blankets and sleeping peacefully."
"How I wanted to hear her say my fucking name a million other ways."
"Fuck. This woman’s heart beat for me—literally beat for me—and I couldn’t do anything to help her right now."
"Large fingers combed through my hair as I lay curled up against a warm, solid chest. I knew that it was one of my men, but I couldn’t focus enough to tell which one."
"“She’s nearly awake!” Cage groaned. His impatience was honestly pretty funny—Osborn didn’t agree, though, if the tension running through his body was anything to go by. Cage continued, “Come on, Deva, show him.” I had to force myself not to smile."
"The man looking down at me as I lay on his chest was lethal. That was the simplest way to describe him, and the way he studied me sometimes, clinical and dark, turned me on a ridiculous fucking amount."
"No part of me should have found his desire for violence or his serial-killer tendencies as attractive as I did, especially when he’d mentioned that he’d once wanted to cut me open to see what I looked like on the inside. But the reason he’d wanted to was ridiculously romantic! He hadn’t believed I could be made of what everyone else was."
"Color infused my cheeks at the intensity he drew from me, and a small bit of amusement paired with heat joined the crowd of emotions in his gaze. He knew—he completely knew—the effect he had on my body."
"“Better?” I asked softly. “Much.” Thank the fates. “Does anyone else need one?” “Nah,” Cage answered. “Everyone else isn’t a total bitc—fuck!” A shadow slammed into Cage, courtesy of Grimshaw, and I let out a rare giggle."
"“Oz…” “Now, starlight.” I dipped further under the water, moving my hand away. “It’s my scars—shit.” Oz pulled me from the water so fast I barely had time to process it before I was being pressed against the bathroom wall. He had me lifted to his height as he seared his lips to mine, a small moan leaving my mouth at the possessive and demanding action."
“You are fucking perfection, Deva. Don’t ever think anything different.”"
“You never have to thank me for telling the truth.”
“You never need to thank me for taking care of you—it’s an honor.”
“Damnit,” he grunted. “How the fuck am I supposed to let you go now?” “No one said you had to,” I said breathlessly.
“Plus, the compulsion to bury myself inside of you until you’re wearing my cum is so fucking unhealthy. I need to work on some restraint.” I didn’t like the sound of that at all.
“Okay, well I just thought you should know that I’m on protection.” His gaze darted over my shoulder as he murmured to himself, “I’m not going to examine why that frustrates me.”
"Come again? Okay, well maybe not literally."
"But as sweet as that was, I hated the idea of him getting hurt. “I don’t want you to be in any pain at all.” “Then you wouldn’t wear that damn skirt,” he rumbled, narrowing his eyes at the offending garment."
“But if you really need it spelled out, Deva. Is. With. Us.”
"“I sort of like it,” I teased, making him groan and step back. I frowned, not liking the distance between us. “I need to get out of here before I fuck you on the floor. I love you.” Then he was gone."
"“Cage—” “I know, little siren, but she wouldn’t leave, and I want everyone to know that you’re with us.” “Low. Key.” I hissed. “Low freakin’ key!” “We don’t do low key,” Grimshaw pointed out."
"“No way, Alek. If you start kissing me, we’re never getting out of here.” That was entirely factual, and I saw no problem with that."
"No one talked about Deva—especially like that."
“You’re upset.” I frowned. “I don’t like that.”
"I snapped my gaze down as he offered me a dark, heated look. “I want you to watch me while I lick you.” Holy fuck."
"I turned around, grabbed her wrist, and snapped it hard. Her eyes widened as she let out a scream of pain and tried to tug out of my grasp. “You fucking bitch! What the hell is wrong with you?”
"I kept my hold on her as I raised my glass and took another long sip, her efforts to pull out of my grasp useless. I leaned down and spoke against her ear. “You ever touch me again, I will remove your hand.”
“Fuck. You taste so sweet, every part of you.” He groaned, biting down on my lip before moving down the column of my neck. “Your lips, your blood—I bet your pussy tastes even better.”
“Deva—eyes on me.”
"Deva belonged to us, and no one fucking else."
“That wasn’t a request, starlight—I will slaughter the boy.”