Owned

The Faeborne Brides #1

by Siren Crow

Starting over was supposed to be easy. I was almost there until some hotshot weapon’dealer whisks me away from my job, kidnaps me and tells me he owns me.

Aranzeiros Faeborne wasn’t just one of the wealthiest men in the country, he’s the Prince Regent to a fantastical world I never even knew existed. In his world, the only way he can become the true king is if he takes a bride.

There's just one problem with that. Through the promise of a treaty, the Elven Prince has the right to any human mate. Don't see the problem? Prince Aranzeiros wants me as his bride. Why would he want plain ole me?

As his queen, he promises me a life I can only dream of but only after giving him my full submission. With invading forces threatening to expose and invade his mystical homeland, I have no choice but to be the first piece of the Faeborne Brother's intricate puzzle.

Why am I falling for his mysterious darkness? And why am I so determined to feed his obsession of owning me?

Owned is a Hades and Persephone retelling and book one in the Faeborne Brides series. It's approximately 115,000k words. Each book focuses on a different brother(and a different retelling)as they come into power once they take a bride. If you like captive romances, forced marriages, arrogant Elven heroes, and feisty Black heroines who can tame any man, with a sprinkle of Dominance and submission, you've come to the right place!

These books should be read in order for full enjoyment as details from previous books are necessary for full comprehension.

Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Paranormal, Fae, Dark Romance, Retellings, Ebooks

408 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 27, 2022

About the author

Siren Crow is a proud New Englander but her true calling is far off in another realm or a magical castle. She writes scorching fantasy and paranormal romance that's both darker and otherworldly. Alpha heroes is her specialty and the heroines that love them are her passion.

Reviews

[Alexandria Woods · Rating 2 out of 5]

Fae Makes for Interesting Just Not for Me

*****Spoilers*****

Aranzeiros and Paige. He's a fae king, their kind in hiding from humans and she's a struggling waitress, two weeks from getting evicted from her apartment if she can't make rent. Paige moved to New York from Kansas to make her way and has no other family. Aranzeiros has six brothers and has had very little interaction with the human realm. They meet when he scents her on the air, which leads to a compulsion for him to nab Paige and take her back to the fae realm. She fights him but after a while she decides to stay. The rest of the book is Paige learning how to navigate the life of a royal, the two building a meaningful relationship, learning about the fae, and a plot where a human faction hate the fae and have been killing them and halflings.

I couldn't really connect with the characters or the story even though I really wanted to like it. Certain things the author didn't consider. Such as when Paige pepper sprays Aranzeiros in the limo they're riding in and she doesn't get the blow back or start coughing or anything for having presumably inhaled the fumes due to her proximity. Or even the fact that she actually pepper sprayed him in the first place. The book skips details, events, and knowledge and the reader is left to catch up and figure it out along the way which can be distracting. More separation of thoughts and action I think would help as would better word choice. When describing a tone of voice for instance, descriptors are used that are off. The dialogue wasn't engaging, the emotions were confusing because there wasn't enough in the way of understanding the characters to give them feeling.

[Vickie · Rating 2 out of 5]

????!!!!!

So many confusing things. It seemed every time something occurred we jumped to the end without full explanation of just enough BS to be cryptic as hell. This was all over the place. Kidnapped, escaped, deciding to stay for No reason, suddenly in love (lust), unexpected BDSM interlude, getting powers that are dangerous, kidnapped, saved, deciding to save your would be killer with your new powers, then gaining more powers, a King from a magic world allowing himself to go to trial and 'afraid' he will be found guilty for killing a terrorist who bombed a public place... All over the place, confusing and nonsensical sometimes. I just barely made it to the end. Then the proliferation of grammatical errors!!!!!!!

[Tonee · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF - I struggled through 26% of the book and I had to stop. So much wasted potential! A Fae World existing alongside the human, helping humans not destroy themselves and the planet. The assassination of a popular Fae king who is succeeded by his oldest Elvin son with dark magic. Elvin brothers of different heritage who are determined to stay together, support one another and take care of their kingdom. A Black female lead. All of these elements should have made an amazing tale. But, alas, the writing was horrible.

I wish I could have finished it. I wish I could have read a whole series about each brother. Heavy sigh. How did this get past an editor? I wish I could have edited it for content and style. Sad waste of imagination.

[Bryckk Wilkes-DuBois · Rating 5 out of 5]

Aranzeiros & Paige: Fated Mates Who Were the Answer To Each Other's Ails

This is my first time reading a book authored by Siren Crow. I was pleasantly delighted by the experience.

In OWNED, we meet Aranzeiros Faeborne, a royal Fae prince who grieves his father, King Tarron, alongside his six brothers, fellow Princes born to different mothers but sharing the same father. King Tarron was killed in an accident while in the human realm conducting official business.

Being the legitimate heir, Aranzeiros assumes his father’s duties as King of Esterbrooke and representative of his Fae realm of among a Council with the human world. Under a glamour, Aranzeiros and his brothers are known in the human world as a very elite, successful family of individuals who specialize in high level government projects and other worthwhile ventures. To maintain peace between the realms and to strengthen relations between the species, Aranzeiros and his brothers make a motion to reinstate an old ritual that had long since been abolished between the humans and Fae: The Faeborne Princes would be allowed to take Human wives. The operative word here being “TAKE.” The Faeborne brothers are allowed to kidnap their chosen human brides without any interference from the government, giving the Fae realm an upper hand in numbers when it comes down to votes on political matters.

Enter: Paige Anderson, a server in a diner who lives a modest, mundane, and ordinary life with little to no familial connections. Her situation makes her the perfect candidate for Aranzeiros. Not only because of her lack of social presence but because she is the fated mate of Aranzeiros.
Paige is then snatched, taken back to the Fae realm, wed to Aranzeiros and reluctantly assumes her role as the new Queen of Esterbrooke.

As Paige and Aranzeiros begin their lives together, a new threat to their blossoming relationship is on the horizon. Will Aranzeiros and Paige maintain the connection they both worked hard to forge with one another or will fate decide for them?

I love it when I discover a new author! Author Siren Crow does an excellent job creating characters that are relatable, resonate, and whose actions and decisions you can see yourself mirroring. The character development throughout this novel was spot-on. You will connect and cheer for Paige and Aranzeiros, as both were forced into the peculiar situation of being attracted to a virtual stranger while trying to build a stable foundation to support their marriage. In addition to the unbridled heat the two felt for each other, past trauma was also a common denominator as both were once victims of people that were supposed to love and care for them. Aranzeiros and Paige were the remedy of each other’s past trauma of physical abuse and issues of abandonment. Both being survivors of horrible pasts, it was beautiful to their love for their love for each other unfold.

Aranzeiros helped Paige in the development of her self-esteem. OMG... I love when an MMC promotes body positivity in his woman and makes her feel like the most beautiful woman in the world! At the beginning of the book, Paige did not start out this way. So, it was beautiful to watch her transform through Aranzeiros' beautiful words and lovingly forced affirmations on Paige, demanding her to see the beauty in herself that he sees. This made me swoon for The King of Esterbrooke even more.

OWNED was such a diverse novel and the representation was top shelf. I was proud of how bravely Crow bravely tackled the tough topic of race and nationality in this book, and I was extremely impressed with the style in which it was managed. I loved the inclusion and the diversity among the Faeborne brothers, and I LOVED that Aranzeiros could not fathom why nationality and race was so relevant in the human realm.

Oh, Aranzeiros… if only we could all live with you and Paige in Esterbrooke.

The spice is excellent and Aranzeiros has such a filthy mouth for a royal! LOL He and Paige do get a little naughty in this one so be sure to check the triggers! The added spice, the intrigue, and the fascinating characters that are the Faebornes made OWNED an excellent start to a wonderful series. I have no doubt that once you read OWNED you will want to continue the series.

Because those Faeborne brothers… *insert chef’s kiss here!*

Bravo, Siren Crow. Well done! I cannot wait to move on to PURCHSED and see Lianthore meet his Faeborne Bride!

Side note: As a native New Yorker from Brooklyn, the backdrop of New York City as Paige’s city of residence spoke to my heart. Thank you for the trip back home, Siren Crow.

Happy reading!

[Nelly · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book began on a promising note, with an engaging narrative that captured the reader's attention. The initial chapters were filled with suspense and intrigue, leaving readers eager to uncover the secrets that lay hidden within the story. However, as the plot developed and the story progressed, it became evident that the book failed to live up to its promising start.

Somewhere along the way, the plot lost its momentum, and the once-engaging story began to falter. The characters, Paige and Aranzeiros initially developed and relatable, started to feel flat and one-dimensional. The conflicts that arose within the story lacked depth and failed to evoke any emotional response from the reader. What had the potential to be a captivating tale turned out to be a disappointment.

The pacing of the book also contributed to its downfall. The slow progression of the plot made it difficult to maintain interest, and the lack of significant twists or turns left readers longing for more. It became increasingly challenging to stay engaged with the story as it failed to deliver on the initial promise it had shown.

Furthermore, the writing style of the author did not do justice to the plot. The prose lacked the necessary finesse to effectively convey the emotions and experiences of the characters. The dialogue felt stilted and unnatural, hindering the reader's ability to connect with the story on a deeper level.

In conclusion, while the book began with promise and engaged readers from the start, it ultimately fell flat as the story progressed. The lackluster character development, slow pacing, and inadequate writing style all contributed to the book's disappointing outcome. Despite its initial potential, the story failed to deliver a satisfying reading experience.

[Nicki ⍣ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mmm... This is a tricky one guys. You know me, I love a good fantasy and I crave more adult fantasies with Black women as the lead. I will chalk up all of my disappointments and less than stellar feelings about this one to it being the first in a series.

What I Liked
- THE COVER
- General idea of this world where Faes exists but with also a counter personality in the human world.
- Exploring the different races amongst the fae (minotaurs, demons, elven) and the magic they possess.
- Smut scenes.

What I Didn't Like
- Very draggy and somehow able to have both over and under explanations of the world? A whole lot of nothing happened in this book. NOTHING.
- THE COUPLE; They were giving me nothing!! I couldn't bring myself to care about anything where they were concerned. I thought the whole fated mate thing didn't really click? It seemed so very one sided and I know that it was supposed to go in tune with the kidnapping but idk just didn't work for me at all.

With that being said, we have six more brothers to get through and I am certain that there will be ONE there that I love. I will continue to read this series and it is why I am leaving a review because I want more and I want to show support to the author(s).

[Angela Plumeria · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’d give this a 3.4. The story was great- original, well thought out and good set up for the series. I liked the King of Darkness and that the story was unpredictable from the usual kidnapping trope. The heroine was ok. I did like how she used vernacular that reminded me of my friends from the Midwest. Besides her painful past though, she didn’t have much personality and zero character arc. It was also unbelievable that she’d automatically be great at diplomacy, lawmaking and being the CEO for a multi-million dollar enterprise based on her waitress skills. The main issue that I have with a lot of these insta-love books is that she never had to earn anything, not a single thing.

The main reason for not giving this a better rating was that the editing was nonexistent. So many missing words, misplaced quotation marks or missing ones that made it hard to tell if characters were thinking or talking aloud, incorrect tenses and just poorly worded lines. I found myself editing in my head so that I could understand enough to get through it. The originality was there but even just having a friend proofread could have done wonders.

The other issue I have with this is that the submission aspects of this were marketed but were pretty mild and didn’t deliver to the level I was hoping. I also thought the King and his power over darkness were underutilized. I liked how he admitted he was powerless over his attraction to her but felt like it could have been better if it would’ve been pushed a little farther when it was her turn to submit. He definitely didn’t break her as promised. In fact, her lack of resistance to the whole kidnapping/submission request and easy surrender made it more disappointing than most books with S&M elements.

[N · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved the world building in this. I do feel like it was a little slow in the beginning and I still have a lot of questions but it was a great book.

[Britany Barkley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. It has so many of the things I thoroughly enjoy in a quick romantasy, while also being a little different! I went into this book blind and definitely was not expecting the modern-day setting but found it laid the groundwork for a lot of funny banter. There was way too many grammatical errors (which I took off a star for). Overall, I would still recommend this book to anyone who is a romantasy lover and wants a quick, light, funny read.

[Tabitha · Rating 2 out of 5]

Neglected as a child and abused or ignored in all her adult relationships, a woman from Kansas moves to the Big Apple for a fresh start, but is unfortunately dragged (literally) kicking and screaming (fig. 1) into yet another toxic relationship, but this time it’s with her fated mate, the fae king, and there will be no escape. He threatens her (figs. 2-3), gaslights her (fig. 2 & 4), and is constantly moving the goalposts (fig. 4, 5) and making her feel crazy in addition to the physical abuse (fig. 5) and the consent issue with their forced marriage. Knowing nothing else, she accepts his horrible treatment and is forced to marry him, even though it uproots and endangers her life.

Figure 1:

[“N]o one would miss you. It makes it so much easier to do what I am about to do...” I stood to my feet, her wide-eyed curiosity shifting into a state of confusion when I ripped her from her seat at the booth and threw her over my shoulder.

“What the hell are you doing?” she questioned, her tone riddled with fear and anger.

“I’m fulfilling my obligation as Prince Regent of Esterbrooke.” And gone was her sweet demeanor, only to be replaced with a hysterical madwoman hell-bent on fighting me off.

“You’re crazy! Put me down, NOW!” It was finally setting in when we exited the diner’s door that this was not a prank, a game, or a foolish lapse in judgment. “Someone help me! He’s trying to hurt me,” she screamed at a sightless audience of people walking by.

“They can’t see you. All that kicking, and all that battering, I’m afraid, will go unnoticed,” I explained, wading through the mob of bystanders who fell victim to the Veil’s influence.

“Please, don’t do this! I don’t know what you want from me, but I don’t have it.” She cried as Vestan opened the door and she thrashed and kicked, her unanswered screams growing louder and more frantic.

Figure 2:

[The guard] clawed at my black wire, begging for mercy, as his face purpled under my savage assault. With a clench of my fists, the life in his eyes dimmed and his motions ceased, until finally, I released him, letting his large, stiff body descend to the floor. “Well, don’t all volunteer at once. Clean this up. And make sure you use lavender-infused cleaning agents. The last thing I need is for my dressing room to reek of death,” I said, wiping my hands of any residue left behind from the conjuring. […]”It would please me if you joined me for a late dinner. The staff is preparing something you might find…familiar. In the meantime, I would like it if you would accompany me on a brief tour of Regalhelm Palace,” I said with a light kiss on the back of her hand. Her posture straightened as she fixed her earthly gaze to meet mine.

“That depends. Will I suffer the same fate as that guard if I refuse?” […]

“Now Paige Anderson, when will you learn I would never willfully bring harm to you?[…] Listen to me, Paige Anderson. You may be the future queen of Esterbrooke, but I want you to know something. If you ever speak to me in that condescending tone in front of servants again, I will personally see to it that you are punished in all ways imaginable.” She swallowed a gulp and took a deep breath before speaking her next words.

“What happened to all that stuff about you saying no one will bring harm to me?” she questioned, invoking a series of laughs from me. How silly of her to assume that I was talking about pain. There was more than one way to torture a woman. And she would find out soon enough.

“I am your king and I will do what I want with you. Am I making myself clear?”

“Crystal!”

Figure 3:

“Look, you sadistic prince. There’s nothing important to know about me. Maybe you just made a mistake by kidnapping me. Do you want to know the most exciting thing that’s ever happened to me? Moving to New York!” I said, with a little too much fire to burn out. “But even that was something you took away from me,” I fumed, hands balled into fists, trying to keep my beating heart composed. 

Despite his power and privilege, he was a calm creature, which was what made the next thing he said to me even more frightening. “I think I preferred you when you were sleeping and suffering,” he said with a next to no emotion in his eyes. 

“And you should watch the way you speak to me. In a matter of seconds, I could force you to your knees and watch you choke on my cock,” towering eerily close to me. If he could hear how fast my heart was beating, he would have steered clear, because this fist-sized instrument of beating muscle was bound to hurt someone as furious as it was throbbing in my chest. 

“The reality is, I could do it right here, and no one would say a word. No one will question my actions. No one will come to your aid. And you know why that is, Paige Anderson?” he asked with a scary calmness. I huffed, knowing the answer, but not in a rush to give him the pleasure.

“Because…” I said, against gritted teeth. “You are to be king.” 

Which prompted a nod and an arrogant furrow to his brow. “Precisely. So, I advise you to reassess that attitude before I exercise my right to give you a lesson in manners.” 

Figure 4:

“Aranzeiros, I’m trying. It’s just you’re so confusing. I thought that by being your fated mate, I would always know where I stood with you. But one minute you’re methodical. Focused on nothing but being a king, which I completely understand. But the next minute you’re all over me like a dog in heat. I just never know what to expect from you. What makes it worse are the times we don’t see each other. You test me, and you test me, and you test me. I don’t know if I’m passing or failing.”

He leaned up interlocking his fingers, as the life returned to his onyx eyes. “I test you because I want you to stand your ground. You think an outsider will handle you with the delicacy that I do? You, Paige, are going to have to build a thicker skin because if simple things like me taking my duty to the realm seriously as king bothers you, you won’t be prepared for what the future has in store.” He seethed.

“There you go with the gaslighting. You say that we’re the same, equal. But then you speak to me like that.”

“Then challenge me!” he interrupted. “And not just when you have an audience. You see yourself as easy and compromising, but truthfully, you are neither. All while being indecisive and divergent. I have been exceedingly patient with you. Doing everything in my power to make your stay comfortable. Giving you all the things a female could want. Trying to make you happy.” I released a deep breath, followed by a theatrical groan.

“Yeah, but I didn’t ask for any of those things. Spending time with your brothers, they didn’t assume things about me, they asked me. I know you’ve been on this planet a whole three hundred years longer than me, but you don’t know what’s better for me than I do. Don’t assume, just ask.”

Figure 5:

“Paige, I am dealing with fae business, and that is all I intend to share.” He gently nudged me out of the way.

I was his wife. Human or not, Esterbrooke was my home now. If it was something concerning fae, surely it was my business, too. “Am I not the Queen of Esterbrooke?” I shrugged, sarcasm laced in my tone. “By extension, how is fae business not my business?” 

“It is not your business when I say it is not your business.” He spoke through a clenched jaw, but he was always expecting me to challenge him, so I couldn’t see this being any different.

“Well, as your queen, I'm asserting my right to respectfully disagree⁠—” 

Aranzeiros grabbed me by both sides, aggressively shaking me to his wit’s end. “I am your husband, your King, your keeper. When I ask something of you, I expect you to do it,” he interrupted in a state of controlled rage.

“When I tell you to stop asking questions, I expect you to listen,” he continued, grabbing my chin to face him. 

Something was off. It was like Aranzeiros had become a ticking time bomb and I suddenly became the recipient of his frustration. “Tell me you understand.” He spoke bitterly and coldly, and he wouldn’t let go until I nodded yes.

I should’ve stopped reading after the first threat, but I thought the author might turn it around. They never did. The writing was also mediocre, peppered with grammatical errors and strange/misheard idioms and phrases such as “jagged-teeth knife” instead of “serrated”, “thorn in my spine” instead of “side,” “thousandth-year history” instead of “thousand”, and an accidental switcharoo of the “fool me once” saying.

[Salimah · Rating 2 out of 5]

I feel like the world and characters needed to be developed a little more before diving into the issues and conflict. It was very insta love between the main characters considering how they start out. I feel like the way their story started the author should’ve dived into their character development a lot more. It went really fast and I feel like things could’ve been explained better to give the audience a better understanding of the world. For Paige to be 37, I feel like some of her decisions and actions were very immature which I feel like didn’t fit with her having to grow up fast with her upbringing. I felt like I missed a lot while reading every page. The characters and world felt very unfamiliar even at the end of the book. I wasn’t able to connect and immerse myself in the story. Their story could’ve been maybe two books to best set up this universe. I really wanted more from it.

[SheReadsALot · Rating 3 out of 5]

On one hand, it's not easy to find a black lead fantasy romance with an interesting plot without it being weight down by excessive erotica or bad dialogue (or both). But on the other hand, rushing and not explaining important parts can make or break a book.

But the plot took some dips. For a long read, it didn't read as such...BUT the author(s) rushed important parts and missed key points that if expanded on, would have made this a winner. Like the epilogue? :/ I was disappointed in the heroine and how she was written.

The overall arc is interesting. I'm curious about the other brothers and their heroines. 3.75 stars rounded down

[Daphne · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think I like the theory of the book more then the actual book. I appreciate the way the two main characters challenged each other sometimes. I can see the bigger picture of the world the author is creating about minorities and discrimination. I was good with the level of spice as well, but the writing fell short for me personally. Don’t see myself reading the rest of the series.

[cianne roberts · Rating 2 out of 5]

The idea was better than the book

I started off really good, but then it took a turn. The spice was good and some spice was to late. It got a little predictable and I had to make myself finish.

[Kelsey Is Reading Again · Rating 4 out of 5]

- Is it a fun story?
Yes, it was so much fun to imagine what you would do if you were Paige, our human FMC who is snatched from the human world by her soon to be Elven/fae husband. I like to think of this book as a more cohesive ACOTAR if it were set in a modern world, and the FMC was a black 37 year old woman with a fully developed brain (and her choices through the series reflect that in the most satisfying ways). The brothers and other side characters were so likable - I want all of them to be in the next books including the random gnomes and housemaids. Every character in this book was lovable.

- Is it a good book?
Yes, it’s a fast read and has decent world building that was deep enough to feel realistic but didn’t give so much info I got lost in the details. All the characters had depth, even in passing, which made me buy into the story.

- Did it make me cry?
No, but jt did make me gasp a couple times with some of the plot twists that I did not see coming.

- Did it make me laugh?
Yes, quite a few times due to the cultural/social missteps between the humans and the fantasy creatures while they try to learn each other’s customs and norms. It gave the MMC an innocent (without being stupid) quality that was very endearing.

- Were there editing issues?
Yes there were quite a few which was so disappointing because this book was GOOD. Every now and then a word would be missing from a sentence or there would be an extra word or letter added in. You could almost see the old sentence and how it was changed due to not everything being fully deleted. (An example: “At least four members were in flat out in opposition, but should we have a preparation period, many were open to the idea”.) With an editor this book would get alllll the stars because it was such a fun read.

- Did I get sucked in, 5 senses-style?
Sometimes, there were so many cool environments from food trucks in NYC to castles to fantasy lakes and forests, to the homes of different fantasy creatures. It all felt familiar but not in a “I’ve read this before” but moreso “I’ve been to this place before”, like remembering a childhood home. It felt nostalgic almost and I really enjoyed that.

- Did I want to put it down?
No, the only time I put the book down was when I sensed a big battle approaching and it was too late at night to read through it to the end. Then I finished it all the next morning.

- Was I happy with the ending as a stand-alone novel?
Yes. I loved the cute surprise at the end and it had me cheesin’ reading how our main characters were doing. The author didn’t sugarcoat the fall-out from the main plot (without ruining the book - the main battle?) BUT we also got a bit of a happily ever after anyways. The extended epilogue brings us into the next oldest brother’s POV which kicks off what I believe is the next book about his life. I loved the whole family album excited to keep reading this series!


My very picky and subjective dislikes:
- The editing mistakes were aplenty. If this had a good editor I would have been so much more immersed in the story.
- I thought the MMC was black until like half way through the book since his dad was black, and it wasn’t until I saw the authors character pictures on TikTok that I realized he wasn’t. That might just be a me problem! When they said he was pale I thought like lighter brown skin, not like white people Elmer’s glue level white.
- Some scenes jumped SO FAST onto the next thing. I almost wish the book was longer so we could sit with those moments a bit more. For example, when she tells him she’s pregnant, like 5 sentences later we are on to the next thing. Or when she first shoots light through a door we don’t come back to it for chapter after chapters like it never happened. I don’t know about you but I wouldn’t be able to get that off my mind at all!
- The bad guy was a little confusing. Idk how he was able to send memories or block their magic. Maybe it was supposed to be confusing because the main characters also don’t know at this moment? We may find out more in other books.

[Jaquilla · Rating 3 out of 5]

I give this a 2.5 honestly. Rounded it up to 3

I haven't quite finished it yet (I will probably come back and edit when I do) but I'm like at the half way mark or more and I got some thoughts.

First of all:

I like the story premise and ideas going on here. The Worldbuilding is interesting and it feels like an actual society. A lot of the character responses feel genuine to me. I particularly enjoy some sections with the siblings and the little heart to heart moments. (look my ultimate favorite part is them playing Uno.)

That said, the book needs a second or third pair of eyes because some of the dialogue and such doesn't really make sense to me? Words are missing or missed used or mistaken for one that seems similar so it makes the story sounds a little incoherent at times.

Other things that took me out is honestly the politics. Which is usually my favorite thing but it is really hard to understand what's going on or even why things are going on or why some characters are upset and others aren't. It feels like a lack of information isn't being given somehow or something. I just can't put my finger on it other than it's my least favorite part so far.
(Particularly in the beginning because, honestly, Aranzerios sounded outright like a complete fool for not cultivating his father's previous connections (at the time I'm reading this). The deals don't necessarily sound even good?? but like whatever gets the plot going.)

Like, every time there's a council meeting I keep wondering " do we have to do this?"

Also, there's a whole lot of telling in some ways. like glossing over some actions or people explaining things. I don't know, it feels a little meh? I don't know what word I could use for this.

the Couple:

They're ok. I like their heart to heart moments and moments where they are trying to get to know each other feels pretty great, but over all, I'm not obsessed or even that deeply invested in them. I just think they're neat and that's about it.

Overall: I'm still reading and having a bit of fun with it. Even though the politics I severely do not get because I can't really imagine it well enough. (and I love me some royal political intrigue ).
I probably would ask a friend to read it just to have someone help me catch the bits I didn't understand well.

[hobbit_tomes · Rating 3 out of 5]

Owned is a dual pov dark fantasy romance following Paige, a human who has been kidnapped by the new fae king Aranzeiros, to be his bride and improve human/fae relations.

I feel like this book had a lot of potential but fell flat. In the beginning we learn that the former king has been murdered, leading into lots of exposition about the accords between fae and humans, how fae have helped the human realm, the difficulty of the fae being outnumbered on the council, and the rise of violence against those with fae ancestry. The brothers decide that taking human wives will allow them to have a better chance of their ideas being accepted going forward as their wives will then be part of the council and they won’t be outnumbered.

However, once our two main characters meet, the story just becomes kind of boring. The mystery of who killed the king is not addressed again until the last 15% of the book and we hardly get any scenes of Paige actually partaking in the politics of the realms. She attends one council meeting when the brothers decide it’s time and that’s it. The story even sets up that there will be a royal tour to show off Paige as queen and the brothers are educating her on the fae realm, but we only get once scene of her interacting with the fae nobility on this tour. The majority of this book just kind of felt like nothing was happening. I liked the relationship between the two main characters, until a little past the halfway point, where it felt like they were rehashing the same argument over and over. The politics in this story are really interesting, but I think the pacing needs to be improved, and Paige, as queen, should’ve been more involved.

I do want to read the second book to see if the quality improves and partially because I do want to see where the overarching story goes.

CW/TW: Abandonment, Child Abuse (mentioned), Death of a Parent, Kidnapping, Murder, Sexual Content (open door)

[Booksnstories 4u · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was very excited to read this book. There was fae, a black female main character, magic, and fated mates. However, I had to DNF 52% in.

Characters:

Starting off with the characters. I think Aranzeiros character was someone who had a distinct personality. He was the eldest son, therefore, he was more of a leader, more dominant and commanding. I felt like I knew and understood his character the most.

As for Paige. There was a lot going on. I think the author tried to start off with Paige having this inner turmoil between accepting her new life as fae Queen and trying to escape, but it didn’t feel executed well. It felt unauthentic and rushed.

I also wanted to see more of how Paige performed in her Queen role instead of it being brushed over. I also wanted to see how more people would react to her being a human queen of fae. Maybe the author goes into it more but 50% in, I was expecting that detail.

Paige and Aranzerios relationship together just didn’t seem to go well for me. I could understand why Aranzerios was quick to be with Paige but I couldn’t see how Paige grew to connect with him after only a short time of resistance. I wish there was more of a time stretch between her resisting being with Aranzeiros versus accepting that she’s his.

Now as for Aranzeiros brothers, i feel like it was hard to distinct who from who personality wise.



For some other notes:

I do think the fae world and human world dynamic is interesting as well as some of the history behind the relationship between the two.

The spice scenes were top tier. Amazingly executed.

Closing:
While I didn’t finish this book. I did enjoy Aranzerios character along with this new world being introduced. I wish I could identify more with Paige’s character and follow her more closely in her journey to being queen. Overall I gave it a 3.5 stars.

[De Wills · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to like this book more than I did. I love seeing black women (women of color period truly) represented in fantasy. But I was over it at like 25% and then pushed through a good bit by reading just the dialogue because nothing seemed of any importance. And then it got kinda interesting again around 85%. I think it could have been great. Writing wasn’t the best, needed more editing. I was already put off by the whole kidnapping thing. Romanticizing falling in love with your captor ain’t really my vibe. If they would have proceeded on a normal path of dating, cool. Twas a retelling of hades and Persephone. Eh. The FMC read younger than her age in the book. But I was also glad she was older because normally books like this are “I just turned 21…”kinda deals. But her being almost 40 and so sheltered was unfortunate and likely why she acted younger. I’m always hesitant to write reviews that lean negative because someone worked hard on this body of work. And most times if I start and feel that way I’ll come to good reads and check other reviews to see if it’s just me and I did the same here. So I really appreciate reviews even if I don’t consistently write them. I was more interested in some of the other brothers stories. Namely the one who’s the demyn with the dead wife. And of course his story is not the other available book or the one publishing in 2025. Do I think the issues here would carry over? Absolutely. But his backstory seemed the most interesting. What I do like? In the snippet of the follow up: The second brother who tried to kidnap his mate after f**king two women back to back, got his ass kicked and she escaped. Huzzah!

[IRLover · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Fae King and his Human wife🤴🏻💞👸🏾

This is Siren Crow’s first book and what a great book of fantasy with a strong black woman and a handsome smitten King🥰.

Paige and Aranzeiros were def meant to be together but the way it all started was definitely not the norm with scary and hilarious moments🤣. Taking a human wife was a requirement to be the King and although he dismissed his brother of what it would feel like once he experienced it there was no turning back😍. Both Aranzeiros and Paige had a tough upbringing that are shared throughout the book and I feel that it helped in bringing them closer and working through some of the trauma. Paige had some apprehension of her new role, environment and power in the realm but I appreciated that she stayed true to her human and humble tendencies. I enjoyed the way Aranzeiros introduced her to his world, customs, creatures and in all the ways he loved to enjoy time with Paige🥵😈🥵. I loved that the brothers all took to having a sister quickly and was protective of her.

I loved the world the story takes place in, the relationship between the Fae’s and Humans. It had magic, suspense, mystery, action, humor, romance and there are more books to come featuring the brothers and I’m totally stoked about that👍🏾. If you enjoy paranormal romance I def recommend this book.

[Latoya Hicks · Rating 2 out of 5]

"Owned" by Siren Crow is a dark fae romance that attempts to dive into a story of control and power dynamics but unfortunately falters due to issues with character development, grammar, and spelling. While the premise of the book might appeal to fans of the genre, these recurring problems seriously detract from its overall impact.

Grammar and Spelling Issues:
The book is plagued by numerous grammar and spelling errors that severely hinder the reading experience. Misplaced punctuation, awkward sentence structures, and frequent misspellings break the flow of the narrative, making it difficult to stay immersed in the story. For example, "there" is repeatedly used instead of "their," and several paragraphs feature incomplete thoughts, making the dialogue and internal monologues confusing at times. It’s clear that "Owned" could have benefited from a more thorough editing process to address these issues.

Final Thoughts:
"Owned" had the potential to be a gripping dark romance, but it struggles under the weight of its underdeveloped characters and the abundance of technical errors. Fans of the genre may still find moments of intrigue, but the lack of character depth and constant disruptions from grammatical issues make this book a frustrating read. It’s a story that, with some heavy editing and more attention to character development, could have been much stronger.

[Cameron Lindsay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Many thoughts about the book

Let me start by saying the beginning of the book has the content warnings and I applaud any author who takes the time out to do that. Now, about the book:

This book was a fantastic. It was a great opening to a series that I’ve been hearing about on TikTok for months. The exposition was great, and the world building was done in a way that you don’t feel overwhelmed about all the new information. It’s like you’re learning with the heroine about the mythical realm.

Speaking of the heroine, I love the fact that she wasn’t 18-20 years old. She was a grown woman, with grown woman problems, and grown woman solutions. It is also a reminder that one’s greatest life adventure doesn’t always need to happen in your teens or your twenties.

As for the hero. He’s flawed. But that’s what makes him feel real. There were many times I thought the hero was wildin and Paige needs to run, but I think that’s part of what makes him so compelling. While he is an asshole, he honestly cares for his “creatures” and wants a better future for them, and the humans. You could also tell he loves Paige DOWN. He’s not the greatest guy, but I still found myself rooting for him, and rooting for them to workout.

I look forward to reading the rest of the series!

[Damilola · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this book. Looking forward to the rest of the series.

I will say that I enjoyed Aranzeiros POV more than Paige’s but they were a likeable couple but together & apart even though Aranzeiros said some questionable things in the beginning he was willing to want to learn how to better understand Paige.

Paige was sweet, sometimes a bit naive lol but a healthy sort of naiveness. I liked the fact that she was in her late 30’s, a small but enjoyable feature as most romance novels center around people in their late 20’s/early 30’s.

I think this book was a really solid start to the rest of the series; also be forewarned the spice in here is very spicy 🥵 but done with care & consent from both characters, so loved that. Also love that the spice scenes were equally balanced with the plot/pacing of the book. Never felt like it was too much or too little! Again, I enjoyed it !!

[Tori Moore · Rating 5 out of 5]

In love with the series already!

I loved everything! Period. It was clear enough that even with the loads of names and characters to remember, you didnt get lost. The evolution of A (my nickname for the king) was really lovely. His humility over time was so refreshing for an Alpha like that. I enjoyed the unique description of the Fae world and creatures. The settings were beautifully written. My favorite of everything in this story was going from being completely heart broken over Paige's past to being overwhelmed with happiness due to her finally getting the love, family, support, respect and security she deserved. I can't write how much I enjoyed this story and how sad I am that book 2 isn't out yet but also how crazy excited I am for it. Thank you to the author's for sharing this wonderful world. I was in desperate need of a refreshing and new paranormal series to get lost in. So happy I found the Faebornes!

[Amber · Rating 2 out of 5]

I liked that the main character was a PoC and in her mid-thirties. That's about it. For a grown-up woman, I'd expected not the behavior of a teen first time in love.
Az is either a psychopath or super cheesy. I don't know what's worse...
There are so many things that don't make sense. She hates him at first and wants to get away from him, but after they consummate their marriage (his 'come' is glitter - seriously?) all she is doing is waiting for him to spend time with her. Why all of a sudden? What has changed?
It's described that he shouldn't be able to stay away from her because of the mating bond. But he seems to have no problem doing that.
None of his brothers make an appearance after the wedding, despite swearing their support to her. And so on....
The writing style feels strange to me. There are a lot of sentences like: "Despite offering me a smile." Where is the second half of the sentence?

[Laísa Aliandro · Rating 3 out of 5]

*3,25
Talvez eu tenha sido influenciada pelos comentários negativos que vi faltando uns 15% pra acabar.

De modo geral, eu gostei do livro, afinal tenho um fraco por recontos de Hades e Perséfone e o trope do sequestro, quando bem feito, é muito bom. Sim, eu tenho noção do quão creep é essa fala
Concordo com algumas reviews que vi de que a Paige é meio sem sal e não tem muita evolução ao longo da história. Em compensação, eu amei que o Aranzeiros, apesar de agora ser casado com uma humana, não passou a amar e defender esse povo.

Side note: o epílogo estendido me surpreendeu tanto com o comportamento do Lianthorne... não esperava esse fogo todo dele (pun intended). Mas estou intrigada com a história dele, vamos ver se esse reconto de Rapunzel vai ser bom.

[Kira · Rating 1 out of 5]

I finally put this down around 60%, which was longer than I probably should have pushed myself. The concept was fun and interesting, and there were things about the book that I thought were done well, but I just couldn't connect with the characters at all, and on top of that, the non-existing editing was what finally made me give up. I can overlook some editing issues here and there, especially if the story is engaging, but this was too much. I had to reread sentences and paragraphs to understand what was trying to be said, the way tenses were used was inconsistent, and it was just overall poorly done. I think it has potential if literally anyone had done a quick read through to check for issues before it was published.

[Lane · Rating 2 out of 5]

Loved the idea of this story but

I was intrigued by the synopsis of this book. I liked the idea but the like of editing caused confusion and necessary rereading. Missing words and wrong words frequently took away from a great story. The story is told in dual point of view. This story would easily be a 3 or 4star if the editing had been better. Hopefully the next books are better. The world building and character development had missed moments that left me to fill in the blanks. The story was steamy, but doesn't really add to the meat of the story. I could also see the resemblance to Persephone's story. I enjoyed the diversity and may try a different book from this author with hopes of better edits. 2.5 stars

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great retelling!!

I really enjoyed this book. I love hades and Persephone retelling and this one was amazing! I loved how it was inspired by hades and Persephone and wasn’t just copy of the story with spice added in.
I love the character development and how they grew to love each other and it wasn’t instalove. You can tell from the beginning that Paige is a strong independent woman that doesn’t put up with anyone’s bs. I really felt like she turned into a badass and look forward to hopefully seeing more of her in the series. Aranzerios did have some development and learned to see the human world in a different light because of Paige.
I look forward to continuing the series and 10/10 recommend to anyone that is looking for a good fantasy with fae.

[Tracy - loves to read · Rating 5 out of 5]

The kings light

A woman with a broken past who leads a mundane life is taken by a dark elf prince as his fated mated. He is thrust into a leadership role as the oldest heir of a murdered King. All of the sons must take a human bride to appease and appeal to human fae relations.
They get off to a rocky start, but they find that love and light can tame darkness. They are united and hopeful that their union can usher in a new era of harmony between species. Unfortunately there is an evolving movement of human hate against the fae that is reminiscent of the racism that has plagued the human realm for ages.
This was a wonderful first read by this author for me and I look forward to reading the next book in the series.