Superbia

Shades of Sin #2

by Colette Rhodes

Astrid is the kind of Hunter that all Hunters aspire to be.

Lethal. Focused. Ambidextrous.

In contrast to her disgraced sister, Astrid has done everything right. And now, she’s coming to realize that everything she’s ever known is wrong.

Soren wants to be the kind of Shade that all Shades aspire to be.

Brave. Decisive. Powerful.

But his disgraced sister is determined to ruin him, and now there’s a deadly Hunter in his realm, smelling like the most delicious thing he’d ever taste.

And the king wants them to work together.

Can they hold the enemy line with each other? Or will the thin line between love and hate be their undoing?

Superbia is the second book in the Shades of Sin series, featuring humans and their not-quite-so-human partners. For readers 18+

Author’s note: Each book is a standalone, but I recommend you read them in order of release for the best experience. Book one is Luxuria.

Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Enemies To Lovers, Monsters, Monster Romance, Paranormal, Paranormal Romance

265 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 1, 2023

About the author

Colette Rhodes is a paranormal romance author from New Zealand. She loves to write about love in all its forms, and adores imperfect heroes and heroines who find perfection in each other. You’ll often find her trying to justify her degree by including ancient history and mythological influences in her work.

If she’s not writing, then you’re almost certain to find her reading—ideally with a cup of tea in hand and a scented candle burning to match the mood.

Keep up with Colette here:

Website: coletterhodes.com
Instagram: @coletterhodes_author

Reviews

[DIVINITY🌙 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Superbia is a great continuation of the series. I’m so obsessed why did it take me so long to start this series?! This is a true ENEMIES TO LOVERS this ain’t no YA cute fantasy enemies to lovers oh no no no no baby. Astrid and Soren LOATHE each other!!! She has killed many shades and he is the captain of the army in charge of keeping the kingdom and people safe. The tension was killing me I almost did not survive. The banter between them was unmatched..I was sitting back 🍿🥤 entertained watching them go at each other.

”Everything about Captain Soren was dangerous, but nothing was more dangerous than the way he made me forget myself.” 🫠

Tropes
🖤ENEMIES TO LOVERS 🔪
🖤grumpyXgrumpy
🖤Monster romance
🖤fated mates

”Maybe I hated Astrid, but I couldn’t deny that there was something about her that felt like I was looking in a mirror, one stubborn soul to another.” 🩶🩶

I understood Soren’s hesitation to Astrid however the feminist in me is pissed. When he stood her up in the garden!! how dare he?!! 🤬 Even how he wouldn’t defend her in the beginning and didn’t claim her just doesn’t sit right in my romantic heart. I wanted him to beg and grovel for his actions..this book seriously could have been better if we had groveling. However you can’t argue these two were made for each other. They are so similar and do a great job at knowing what the other needs in a crisis. I LIVED to see their sweet moments 🥹and when they showed glimpses of their vulnerability. I felt super bad for Ophelia she is strong but also sensitive. The treatment of the shades and Soren’s actions upset her.

The spice was SPICING. Every interaction with them is almost a competition and a push/pull. When they were sparring you can feel the tension radiating off the pages. The sex was filled with hate. omg it was intense and so so hot 🥵 I loved how they rotated dominance..our girl Astrid wasn’t an immediate monster f*ucker but when the time came she was grabbing the horns and gripping tongues 😈

”More than that, I needed him not to go easy on me. There was no room here for tenderness. This was about fucking the incessant need out of each other, and the more Soren reminded me that he hated me, the better off I’d be.”

Overall thoughts: I seriously love this series so much!! I’m so ready for more books and hope all the side characters get their own book..cough cough Damen. Also I loved how Ophelia and Allerick are still apart of the story..a lot of times the characters in the first book disappear from the next book almost completely but it was nice to still have mentions of their life ♥️

[Angie · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 ⭐️ A true enemies-to-lovers romance 👏

"Harder," I hissed. "We're never doing this again. Fuck me like you mean it." 🥵


WHAT TO EXPECT:
✨ monster romance
✨ enemies-to-lovers
✨ strong, lethal, damaged ex-Huntress
✨ honorable, brave, serious Shade
✨ one-night stand
✨ hate sex
✨ knotting and biting
✨ both MCs are switches
✨ denial of feelings
✨ 'fuck you' banter
✨ fated mates
✨ healing/growth journey
✨ dual pov


My Thoughts:

Honestly, I had a great time with this story! Soren and Astrid are the ultimate enemies-to-lovers / hate-to-love romance. I enjoyed watching the characters grow and accept themselves and their desires.

Astrid's character growth was particularly emotional. Watching her deal with the consequences of her past actions as a hunter and trying to prove herself was really moving. She struggles with so much guilt and remorse, and sadly she does this alone. But Astrid is strong, and eventually, she's able to heal by accepting the support/affection of Ophelia, the other ex-hunters, and Soren. I think it's pretty realistic that in the end, no one can really forget what she did, but they recognize she's changed and will honor that.

But at the same time, I didn’t quite connect to the romance. Astrid and Soren's romance was very hate and lust heavy, so when they finally realized they loved each other, I was sort of wondering why. What did they really bond over? Maybe it was their mutual respect? I guess I just wanted a bit more.

Also, one of the things I loved about Luxuria was how Ophelia spoke. It was so hilarious and crass. But also, in this book, Astrid and most of the other FMCs spoke so similarly that it no longer felt special to Ophelia’s character. It felt odd having Astrid speak in a similar way as Ophelia when she’s much more uptight. I just wish the character’s prose were more individualized.

I also hoped we'd get more world-building about the shade realm, so fingers crossed that happens in the next book.


Regardless, I really enjoy this series and saw in the acknowledgments that there will be SEVEN BOOKS in total! I can’t wait!


-

Shades of Sin Series + Ratings:

1. Luxuria: 5 ⭐️
2. Superbia: 3 ⭐️
3. Gula: 3 ⭐️
3.5. Tristitia: 4 ⭐️
4. Avaritia: 4 ⭐️
5. Invidia: 3.5 ⭐️
6. Ira: 3 ⭐️
7. Acedia: 4 ⭐️

-

[Rae (semi-hiatus) · Rating 5 out of 5]

RTC

———

OMG It’s a “grumpy/grumpy, enemies-to-lovers, forbidden romance”
That has to mean Astrid and Sorren right???

[RLbooks (in and out) · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars rounded up

I’m one of those that falls in the category of not loving the enemies to lovers trope. I figured if someone was going to make me eat it up, it’d probably be this author since I love her character arcs and their growth. I loved Superbia even with the angst. Astrid was amazing as an FMC and Soren had to grow on me as her hero, but he did. He absolutely had more of the growing to do in this story too. By the end, I was super satisfied with how these two got from their rocky start of distrust and ingrained hate with a side of unwilling attraction to genuinely loving and respecting the heck out of each other. Written in first person, dual POV. No ow/om drama and neither are virgins (not much history given).

This book stands alone from book 1 (although if you haven’t, I recommend reading it because it’s awesome), but does pick up where the events of book 1 ended, with a bit of a prologue for context of Astrid starting to work with the Shades, but also showing how she’s not trusted. Because Astrid was the best of the Hunters and responsible for many Shade deaths. Except now she knows that Shades aren’t the monsters she was raised to believe since her younger sister is married to their king. And it turns out the Hunters are the bad guys so Astrid (along with some other ex-Hunters) are now in the shadow realm. Where no one wants Astrid because of her history, including Soren as the Captain of the Guard, except Soren also can’t stay away from her.

My heart hurt a lot for Astrid and her loneliness. She was very self-aware, but was also selling herself short while struggling with guilt and her identity. She was far more caring and compassionate than I thought she would be and than she considered herself. Soren was so stoic with his rigid focus on how he thought he should act and how he viewed Astrid. He’s conflicted about his attraction to her esp since his family has an awful recent turn towards rebellion and Soren was a little too focused at first on others’ perceptions so it held him back (and made him a jerk at times). I wanted to shake him a lot, but then he’d question how he was acting and I just hoped he’d turn it around. Sometimes he’s cruel but then others he’s caring.

There’s a lot of internal conflict with both of them as they interact, but like this author’s other books, there’s plenty of humor too. This story had so much friction and banter, but also packed in a lot of feels. Astrid and Soren’s interactions also trigger instincts and wants for both of them, like to claim and be claimed. There’s hate sex but then their relationship dynamic sllllloooowwwwllllyyyy changes. Although they still have time for more steaminess, there’s a shift to more emotions being on the line. There’s a bit of breeding kink that happens too for those that feel a certain way, for or against, it.

A plot line is continued from book 1 regarding rebels trying to unseat the king (and Astrid’s sister) led by Soren’s sister (who’s in prison). I loved how this was resolved and that while an aspect of this threat became an important plot line, that the focus of this book is primarily on Astrid and Soren and their development. Astrid was also spending time with her sister and the other ex-Hunters too.

I have to shout out to the side characters because I am so psyched to see several of these other characters get their own HEAs. I loved the other ex-Hunters and how they tried to draw Astrid into their group. I loved the moments with Ophelia and Allerick. We didn’t get as much Damen as I wanted (because he’s a favorite of mine and I won’t be happy til I have his book). Other Shades also make appearances (some good, some bad, and some uncertain) and we get some brief confrontation with the Hunters.

This story ends on a HFN/HEA, they're mated and happy and in love. There's an epilogue with a sweet scene and breadcrumbs for a future character. Overall, I am so thrilled with this book and can’t wait to continue the series.

[readabookonce · Rating 5 out of 5]

Astrid really is a main character because if someone were mean to me, I’d simply cry.

MAIN CHARACTER NAMES AND AGES
Astrid Bishop (26) | Soren (early 30s)

FEATURES
∘ fantasy romance (Shade mmc)
∘ distrust/dislike to lovers
∘ she saves his life, befuddling him
∘ physically tough fmc
∘ hate sex
∘ mate bond

REVIEW
I am wholly invested in the rigid guard and outcast Hunter dynamic. I never knew who I was rooting for to get a one-up on the other, but I loved their battles no matter who “won.”

The first time they had sex was abrupt, but their hookups after that flowed more naturally. I giggled every time Soren would insist he hated Astrid, only to get jealous at the thought of her being attracted to someone else.

While I wish the book was longer and we got to see them be more vulnerable with each other, it not only lived up to my unrealistically high expectations after reading Luxuria, it EXCEEDED them. I will be impatiently waiting for future books of the series to be released.

OW/OM DRAMA none
CHEATING none
THIRD ACT BREAKUP yes — they’re not together and spent most of the novel actively fighting their attraction to each other, but there is still a separation
ENDING HEA — some months later epilogue

POV dual / first person
SPICE LEVEL 4 / 5
RATING 5 / 5

[Elena Rodríguez · Rating 2 out of 5]

Este segundo libro, no sé, me ha parecido que tiene una mejor historia, pero basta. Apenas avanza nada la historia, los personajes demasiado planos y casi todo es erótico. Ha habido escenas que son poco creíbles.

Sigo pensando que tengo que mirar un libro de anatomía porque esto es surrealista y las escenas eróticas me han dado incluso un poco de asco. No creo que hubiese necesidad de ciertas cosas.

En fin.

[Shruti (Hiatus) · Rating 1 out of 5]

3 stars for Astrid because she's cool but I absolutely HATE the guy and their "romance" NO ASTRID, YOU DESERVE BETTER and this book was a complete disappointment.

RTC ugh

[dee. · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 ★ stars.

You know the feeling when you get your hands on a book you're so sure would be amazing, with characters worth pining for and anticipate a quite interesting storyline based on the hints you picked up in the previous book, then the characters you trusted with making worth of your time do something incredibly stupid that it makes you want to just facepalm. That's what reading Superbia felt like. A perfectly entertaining book ruined by the idiocy of its characters.

❥ 🕊•───• Giving it 4 stars was a tough decision cause there were many parts that were so annoying, I'd rather unread, but I caved in anyway; it's not always you find a book that promises enemies to lovers and delivers it so well. It actually went from 'I'm disgusted by you' to 'I love you so much, I can't breathe when you're not near'.
Tell me about the grumpy x grumpy enemies with benefits trope where they want to kill each other and also want to kill themselves for having thoughts of the other running in their minds 24/7. I don't even need convincing; I'm all in.

Sypnosis: Astrid Bishop spent her whole life hunting down shades with ruthless expertise, crowned with the title of best among the best in the hunters community. Her carefully built life fell apart from the moment she learned the secret motives of her superiors; she helped her sister escape their clutches and turned her back on her own people. Now being forced to reside in the shadow realm where everyone despises her and views her as a threat, including Soren, the captain of the guard, she does what she always does best, burying her feelings under her hatred and using it as a shield, but even the strongest of sheilds are capable of breaking when sparring against the right opponent and unfortunately, the captain of the guard is one hell of a good opponent.

Tropes:-
• Grumpy x grumpy
• Aggressive flirting
• Enemies with benefits
• I'm supposed to hate everything about you
• Our kinds are enemies
• I hate you but I'll kill whoever hurts you and maybe catch a knife for you too
• Forbidden romance
• I'll always choose you above everything else
• Mates by choice

Spice rating:- ✯✯✯✯½
♫ Into you by Ariana Grande



╰┈➤ Astrid.

➴ That’s what I do. That’s who I am. I’m the one who’s always fine. You don’t need to worry about me, Cap.

➴ Well, I guess I’ll consider myself lucky then. Maybe, just maybe, you don’t hate me as much as you think you do, Captain.

➴ Women—sorry, females—in power really do it for me, you know?

➴ No promises, Captain. Irritating you is one of the few things in life that brings me joy right now.

➴ I wasn’t a romantic by nature, but with him… It felt like we were two halves of the same whole.

➴ I don’t have a head injury. I’m just in love with you. Though maybe that is a sign my head isn’t quite right.

-No, because women who are best friends with violence and love language is insults, would show allergic reactions if someone called them nice such as Astrid, are always on the top of my 'I don't know if I want to be them or be with them' list. Astrid might have gone from being a reputated hunter to an exiled traitor but she singlehandedly managed to maintain her level of badass energy while balancing the weight of her inner conflicts in her head. When I said singlehandedly, I meant it literally; my girl plucked a knife straight out of the air aimed for Soren, her very favorite enemy who she thinks about killing or kissing to death only to revive him again so she can do it all over, every once in a while; dream girl material. If we're getting a MMC who's going to bark, bite and growl, we need the FMC to bark, bite and growl right back; Astrid is exactly that and a lot more.

-I liked her coming out of her shell around the other ex-hunters in the shade realm and taunting Soren into madness every chance she got. Astrid killing a powerful shade warrior with a hairpin she stole from one of the servers at the royal party will never fail to impress me. My favorite moment is probably
--->when soren carried her back from the human realm after a direct confrontation with her parents (yes, those infamous ghost parents finally made an appearance, how fun!) that left her gravely injured, she had a silver knife deadly for any shade stuck in her hand. the other guards near the portal stopped them cause she was forbidden anywhere near weapons. astrid in her pain-laced delirious state, stepped out of soren's arms, pulled the knife out of her hand and threw it at their feet, leaving them all gaping<---


╰┈➤ Soren.

➴ It’s cute you think you could get away from me.

➴ You’re really rather pretty, when you aren’t hissing and snapping like a feral beast.

➴ You’re beautiful and deadly—an elegant silver blade pressed right above my heart. I should do more than just let you go, Astra. I should kill you while I have the chance.

➴ If snapping at me brought her some level of reassurance, I wasn’t going to stop her. I’d hang around and let her snipe at me all she liked.

➴ Maybe Astrid even enjoyed being a little bit mine. I was hazy and vulnerable enough to admit in my own head that I liked her being a little bit mine.

➴ If she wants to go back to the human realm, she should be talking to me. So I could say no and give her a million reasons to stay.

-I dislike him a little less than Allerick who was the textbook definition of stupidity but honestly, I expected Soren to do better. All those back and forth insults he threw at Astrid, I was okay with it; he had reasons to hate the notorious assassin of the hunter community who had killed his people since she could walk but some of his verbal jabs were personal as hell. I could have done with him not actually hurting her feelings even if he did it unknowingly sometimes, most of the time he was being a jerk to her and he knew it. He made her feel like he was ashamed to be seen with her in public or show her a bit of compassion when other shades talked shit about her infront of him, he just stood by silently and was so damn oblivious to see her falling apart. I know it was hard for Astrid to tell him about her feelings, she was used to having them locked up so deep but she still tried to tell him in her own way; exactly how clueless can he be?! He was too good to treat her the way she deserved to before he found her packing her bag and having a major breakdown, then he was begging her to stay and all that. Astrid should have made him grovel within an inch of his immortal life.

-He had his moments though, like when he called her Astra, which is a rare, beautiful poisonous flower in their realm and wouldn't stop questioning her, who's shadows she wore at the royal ball, kind of stalked her everywhere with the excuse that she was too great a threat to his people to be left alone and who would have guessed he doesn't know how to kiss?!


❥ 🕊•───• The tension was so thick when they were in the same room or even so much as locked eyes that you could slice through it with a knife but still it felt like it wasn't enough, in a 'this! whatever this is, I need more of this' kind of way. The smut was weird because of the differences in their anatomy and some certain sexual perks the shades have that are so different from human ways but the element of surprise was gone after the first book and I found that I didn't quite mind it this time around. Soren and Astrid just made it work with the intense hate sex they were delivering. Their physical intimacy mostly started out of curiosity and in hopes of burning the attraction off, before they realized it, they were far too tangled to go back ignoring each other's existence.


More quotes:

“I’m disarmed and totally harmless. Satisfied?”
“You’ve never been harmless a day in your life”

“None of your fucking business, Captain.”
“Everything about you is my business, Hunter.”

“I know I’ve built it up in my head, and the reality will be a disappointment. So hurry up and disappoint me, Captain.”

“My god, if there’s one thing obnoxious males have, Shade or Hunter, it’s the fucking audacity.”

“What do you want from me?”
“Things that I shouldn’t, mostly. Not from you.”

“Shall I insult you?”
“Excuse me?”
“I don’t like when you’re all… sad. I want to make you feel not sad.”

[31/10/23]

[Andrea ☾ [is inconsistently consistant] · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️ I don't know how I feel about this one.

Soren was an infuriating hero and I kind of hated him until the 75% mark, and although Astrid was a total BAMF and I loved that for her, the constant self-flagelation was a bit much.

Full RTC!



--------------------
OMG THIS BOOK IS OUT NOW!!! WHATTTTTT
--------------------
This book doesn't come out until May 9th, 2023, and I find myself constantly checking if they've decided to move the publication date up. They, in fact, have not. May 2023 is over half a year away... *pining sigh *

[Natalie ~ The Biblioholic · Rating 4 out of 5]

After falling positively in love with Ophelia and Allerick, I knew that I had to continue the series. So here I am, at the end of this book, and I can safely conclude that this series is a must-read. If you’re down with some monster loving, you NEED to read these books!

Astrid and Soren hated each other, and for good reason. She was a Hunter, known for killing tons of Shades. And as the Shade’s Captain of the Guard, Soren was sworn to protect the citizens of his world, so of course he would take offense from her actions. But all of that hate was hiding something else…

In the last book, Astrid finally figured out that everything she knew or had come to believe about the fight she waged against Shades was wrong. She abandoned her false life, took other ex-Hunters with her, and prepared to start a new life in a new world. Too bad she was surrounded by the very people she once hunted. She doesn’t fit and apart from her sister and her new ex-hunter friends, no one has made her feel welcome.

Soren knows he should hate Astrid, but she keeps doing things that show him how much she’s changing. How can he keep his hate game strong when she keeps giving him so much to love?

I really enjoyed the acrimonious nature of this relationship. These characters sniped and growled and fought so hard against the inevitable. Astrid had finally found her person, the one who would understand her even when she couldn’t truly articulate herself. The one person who would always have her back. And Soren found the same.

While reading the acknowledgments, I found out that the author intends to write seven books for this series and that they tackle the seven deadly sins. Book one, Luxuria, was lust and Superbia is all about pride. This fact has given me a new appreciation for what I’ve read so far and I’m really excited to continue this series.

Find more here: Superbia

[Inna · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars. I started this and then had to stop to reread book 1. So glad I did - I loved both of them and rereading book 1 was no hardship.

This story is definitely less “upbeat” than the first book of the series. That one was pretty light and full of hot monster sex. This book actually made me tear up a few times because of how poorly the heroine was treated. Still, the writing was excellent and the story was very enjoyable. I already can’t wait for more!!

Safe
Heroine not a virgin
Hero not made out to be a manwhore
No om/ow drama
No scenes with om/ow
No cheating

[Rachael · Rating 5 out of 5]

Damnit do I love me a good enemies to lovers. Even more so I love me some great hate sex. And when they’re both grumpy as fuck it’s just *chefs kiss*. 😮‍💨

So there’s Soren, who is a Shade (monster) and the kings right hand man. Then there’s Astrid, who is an ex-Hunter and ex-killer of Shades. She now resides with the Shades in their realm. To say that most Shades hate is her is an understatement.

She’s assigned to start training with the guards and guess who she’s assigned to be with??? You already know. Soren baby. What is it about training and sparring and fighting with each other in fantasy books that gets me so hot?! 🥵

I loved Astrid and Soren so much. Dare to say I loved them more than Opehlia and Allerick???

I want to give a special shout-out to a secondary character, Verity. This girl wants to fuck a Shade that has tentacles so bad and I hope she gets to live out her fantasy. She had me cracking up.


*This is book 2 in the series and although it follows a different couple, you’ll miss a hell of a lot of you skip the first book.

[juli✨ · Rating 3 out of 5]

“I’m not going to kill you,” Soren rasped, definitely injured, though I couldn’t see where. “You are my canary. I’m going to keep you alive, and you are going to sing.”

superbia is an interesting case, because on the one hand i really loved our heroine Astrid. i felt like she was the correct balance of being down to hop on that good good monster dick, while also being an actual character. watching her come to terms with the fact that she was basically part of a genocidal cult was compelling.


i think my problem with the first one was, well, the way it was too self-aware. idk, i think i prefer my monster/alien romances to be a bit more grounded. i'm not a fan of when the heroine is in on the, for lack of a better word, joke. which, i know, i know, sounds like the most random nitpick 🤪


despite having such a great heroine in astrid, soren, our resident monster-dick-haver, was … less than stellar.


my main issue with him was that he refused to defend astrid to literally ANYONE until way to late. my mans was really out here allowing his friends to trash talk her in front of him. moreover, he was STILL conflicted about her until a good eighty-percent or so. honestly, i just wanted soren to stick up for astrid at some point before the love confession … was that too much to ask?!


all in all, superbia was a solid read. i'm actually really excited for the future installments and i'm hoping we have more heroines like astrid to look forward to.

[Rayne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this series! They’re so fun and have the perfect amount of angst and monster smut. This book had a little more angst than the last one and I ate it all up. This book had grumpy x grumpy, slow burn, enemies to lovers, no strings attached, and of course, knotting.

Unlike Ophelia, Astrid had no romantic fantasies about the Shades. She was trained her whole life to hate and kill them so, it was all the more exciting when Soren slipped through her walls. Astrid was a very well developed character. Although we didn’t deep dive into all her issues or her past, there were so many complex emotions running through her. She had murdered countless shades in the past but didn’t see them as real living beings before so it was a lot to come to terms with. She was so different from Ophelia but I liked reading about them both.

I read this book in one sitting late last night and I have zero regrets. The angst and tension between the two was just too good to put down, I had to see what happened next. I also liked all the little moments we got to see of Ophelia and Allerick. They’re so cute but I can’t decide which couple I like more. I wonder if the next book will be about Austin or Iris. I thought it would be Austin but then Iris came in so now I’m not sure!

[mica · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5⭐️

estoy enojada porque el primer libro me re gusto y espere que este sea igual de bueno y fue... meh?? tipo el protagonista masculino es un pelotudo durante 80% del libro, seguía insultando a la protagonista y tratandola re mal LA CONCHA DE TU MADRE PONETE UN POQUITO EN SU LUGAR IDIOTA, la protagonista me gusto pero fue también todo muy meh

[Kate V · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 - 4.25 stars - Superbia was superbly intoxicating!

This is the second book in the Shades of Sin series and could be read as a standalone but you'll get more enjoyment out of it if you read the first. Superbia follows Astrid the Hunter and Soren the Captain of the Guard. Following the events from book one, Astrid is in Shade territory now and deeply disliked for her past transgressions against Shades. However, Astrid is a changed woman and sees the errors of her ways and the brainwashing she was exposed to at the hands of her parents.

Astrid knows she has her work cut out for her to gain trust and acceptance even though her sister is married to the King of Shades. But things are much harder than she thought. Not only does everyone around her look at her like a traitor and a nuisance but she also harbors a lot of self hatred, guilt, and loneliness. Quite honestly, it was heartbreaking to be in her head. Astrid also hates the attraction she feels for Soren who takes every second to make her feel less than. Even when she saves his life!

Soren doesn't like or trust Astrid but wants her on a primal level. He has a very difficult time reconciling all the feelings and their growing connection. I wanted to hate Soren. I really did. He was such a dick and I LOATHED the way he treated Astrid and let others treat her. However, I was thoroughly impressed with the growth of his character. Their enemies-to-lovers was really well done.

I find that the enemies-to-lovers trope is not executed well all the time but Colette did a really great job and the progression from hate sex to more was moving. Their intimate moments were primal and dirty but gradually took on a more passionate and loving feel that I really appreciated reading.

I'm not gonna lie...this book made me tear up. While reading I wanted to chuck my Kindle because I really felt like Astrid was treated so horribly and NO ONE was truly on her side in a way that mattered (at least until Soren got his head out of his ass). It hurt. But that's how you know it was a good book I suppose. I would have liked a much larger/longer grovel on Soren's end - Astrid deserved it. This ended with a really nice HFN/HEA with bread crumbs for the future. Overall, a super well done read that I both loved and hated lol.

"I was a Shade, and Astrid was my Hunted. I wanted to fuck her and knot her and mark her, fill her with so much cum her belly would be round with it.

[Meghan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I absolutely loved the first book, so I was expecting this to be another 5 star read. Unfortunately, it did not deliver the same level of swoonworthy romance. It went HARD on enemies to lovers, in a way that just became way too much for my personal enjoyment. They spent 80% of the book having hate sex, with the hero treating the heroine like absolute crap in private and in public, and he said multiple times how ashamed he was to be having sex with her at all. He even thinks it from his POV during one of the sex scenes. She is clearly hurting, is not the terrible person he thinks she is, saves his life...twice, and it's not until the very end that he suddenly does a 180 and says he loves her. There wasn't really a build-up to this, he just went from one chapter hating her to the next loving her. In enemies to lovers, I really need to see the relationship grow from enemies to lovers. Give me a reason to believe they're in love. Instead, I saw a hero who didn't deserve her and a heroine who gave up all of her self-respect to keep giving to a man who thought she was dirt beneath his feet. He didn't work to earn her love, he metaphorically spat on her for most of the book, and used her for sex. There was one scene that particularly made me grimace, where she just overheard him say awful things to another Shade about her. He doesn't know and goes running to find her, so he can have a "power up" through their sexual shenanigans. She is clearly upset and sad, and she immediately is like "I know why you're here" and drops her clothes. It felt so transactional, and even though he gets her consent, it felt so icky to me. And this was towards the end, when we should start seeing them show love towards each other.

The three stars is mainly for the steam and Astrid's character development. The way she wrote Astrid was well done, as I could see the reason behind most of her actions, and I really felt connected to her as a character. She deserved a better hero. The sex scenes were also well written, definitely drawing the reader in and showing how much their physical attraction was. Even when I was mad about how Astrid was being treated, I still read through to the end because the steam was so powerful. I think this book could work for some people, but I just need a little more love in my enemies to lovers books.

**I received a free copy from the author and this is my honest review.**

[Kaity · Rating 4 out of 5]

Audio:
4.5 stars for Rachel Leblang
4.5 stars for Will Throne

Book: 3.5-4 stars

This book was good, not as good as book 1, but still enjoyed it! I think that the ending was a tad rushed but overall a great addition to the series!

Now on to book 3!

[book bruin · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 - 4 stars

Superbia was just as fun and sexy as the previous book, but the enemies to lovers vibe was even more delicious. Soren and Astrid had such scorching hate sex and I loved how two people who are so similar and well suited for each other, could be so blind to what was right in front of them. I could understand the hesitation though, given their histories. Seeing both of these emotionally constipated characters let down their walls and open up their hearts was really satisfying. Unfortunately, the 3rd act conflict wasn't my favorite and the ending wrapped up very quickly, which was a bit of a let down after all that build up. The epilogue introduced some interesting new characters though and I'm excited to see what's next!

Note: I didn't realize the books were titled (in Latin) for the 7 deadly sins! Book 1 was lust and book 2 was pride. Book 3 will be gluttony.

CW: violence, death, knife injuries, grief, breeding kink, knotting

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this so much. It broke my heart and made me fall in love with these two lovely, but broken people.

This falls within the type of story I call enemies with benefits. This is something I adore, but you have to do it right. It has to be two people who are caring and considerate in the midst of their hate f***. And these two are, even while they’re still so distrustful and grumpy towards each other.

Soren held onto his prejudice for a long time, in a way that broke Astrid’s heart, and mine. But he redeemed himself and when he finally stands up for her, I was so happy.

This is an incredibly fun series and I cannot wait to see what happens next and how the Shades and Hunted work together to change the worlds for the better.

[Mary Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was so excited to get back into the world of shadows because I loved Ophelia's story in the first installment. Astrid's story is just as good with a wallop of additional drama. Astrid is tough...because she's had to be. She grew up indoctrinated in the Hunters that Shades were the enemy, ruthlessly tracking and feeding from humans. She learns after Ophelia's struggles how wrong her upbringing has been, and she immediately turns her back on EVERYTHING she's ever known, including her parents, risking her life in order to help her sister and other ostracized Hunters escape to live without fear in the Shade realm. Unfortunately for her, this paints a huge target on her back, as the Shades see her as the epitome of their Hunter enemy. She bears the brunt of anger for an entire group, and even though they don't dare physically harm her due to her relationship to the Queen, they do their very best to make sure she feels it with the cold shoulder and harsh words. Astrid is used to solitude so she tends to isolate herself away anyway, but she also internalizes all their blame and tries to carry it alone.

I wanted to hate Soren, yet I couldn't. He struggled to resist the temptation to mate with Astrid because he had just cause to see her as an enemy. Seeing her for who she was, not what she had been in the past before her eyes were opened to the truth, was a hardship for him. And he allowed the other Shades to throw their nasty comments around because he wanted to believe she deserved it. BUT as she proved time and again that she was no longer that Hunter with the deadly reputation, his walls came down.

I really loved watching the two of them stumble around their feelings for each other as their bodies knew exactly what to do. There's a ton of wit thrown in here to enjoy, and once the two get past their pasts, their future is bright with a HEA.

Really looking forward to future stories. One word: tentacles! 😉😍

[Poppy || Monster Lover · Rating 4 out of 5]

Soren and Astrid had all the hate chemistry going on and I was kinda here for it. Soren was unyielding, loyal, and had a filthy mouth. Astrid was fierce, devoted to her sister, and wracked with guilt. I shed some tears for her struggles. She and Soren had every reason to despise the other and it was lovely to see them work through their issues.

Spice: 4/5

Triggers: lethal violence, blood, murder (past), death, discussion of abusive parents, discussion of cult like programming, grief (side character), stalking/spying, mentions of death penalty, imprisonment of side character

[Rachael*Caribbean*girl*bibliophile · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enemies to lovers....monster/hunter style. I loved it! I'm so mad there are no more books out in this series yet tho


ETA the mcs don't actually get together until the almost end

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I couldn't put this book down. I loved it even more than the first which is saying something because I loved the first so much. An amazing blend of humor, angst and smut. With amazing and complicated characters and a fully engrossing plot.

[Rachael · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just finished Luxuria, I am SO ready for this 🥰

[The Tunita · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars and all of them are for Astrid

This a re-read after the author released Avaritia, and I couldn't remember anything from the previous books.

This book was way better than Luxuria. The plot feels more thought out, and the chemistry between the couple was there.

Astrid has to be one of my favorite female characters. She's a badass with a heart. Constantly trying to act like she's not bothered by anything or anyone when she's more vulnerable than even her sister Ophelia when she opens herself up.

Her character growth was flawlessly done. I believed its progression and how it affected her emotionally once she realized what she had done.

I appreciated Astrid and Ophelia's scenes. The way Ophelia insisted on being closer to her and even becoming her shoulder to cry on when Astrid couldn't anymore with the guilt of the things that she did. I thought it was both heartwarming and heartbreaking.

I fell in love with Soren in the last couple of chapters in a way that I couldn't with Allerick (sorry, king, you read too boring😮‍💨). I wished we had seen more of this side of him. That's what Astrid deserved. Maybe not from the very beginning but a little past the 50% mark or even 60% mark.

So, let's get onto the things that lowered the rating🫠

They way Astrid was treated throughout the book. I clearly understood that many shades despised her because she had been part of an organization that had probably killed several of their loved ones. However, she was also indoctrinated since a very young age and was following orders. How could anyone in this forsaken world not have figured this out?😑 SHE TOOK A DAGGER TO HER HAND IN THE BEGINNING OF THE BOOK IN ORDER TO SAVE ONE OF THEM😡 Why was she constantly being bashed for the wrongdoings of her past if she had been clearly changing since the beginning of the book!

Soren's inability to grow a pair and defend Astrid a little sooner🤡

HE NEEDED TO GROVEL. Astrid was just too good for him. She saved him three times. THREE! Even when she didn't have any feelings for him. I needed more from him, though. He was in a comfortable position, not only being on his kingdom surrounded by all kinds of shades that admired and respected him. He clearly had the upper hand compared to Astrid, so when he realized Astrid was more than a mindless-killer, he should've said something about it and announced his feelings for her in front of everyone. Once again, he did all of this, but it needed to be done sooner, in my opinion🤬

I feel like there's a pattern with book one and two that hopefully won't affect the others for me and it's the female main characters being too forgiving to their main male characters when they act like smooth-brained idiots. I'm just crossing my fingers that this pattern doesn't repeat with the rest. If a male character does something cruel, I want him to pay!👹

📚BookTok Review:
https://www.tiktok.com/@the.tunita/vi...

[Kay H · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm in the middle of so many series and I try not to burn through a whole series back to back when they are interconnected standalones. They can sometimes feel repetitive and if I break it up, they feel fresh and new. Which means that sometimes, I kick myself for waiting so long to return to the series because the next book turns out to be a total banger.

This is that banger.

[Nunu · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hate sex 10/10

[Christy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maybe you decided you’d rather run than face the fact that you fucked a Shade and you liked it.”

I barked out a hollow laugh. “Do you really think your dick game is so good, I’d risk getting lost in the void forever just to get away from it? My god, if there’s one thing obnoxious males have, Shade or Hunter, it’s the fucking audacity.”

I have to admit that I did want Soren to grovel a little bit more but this series really has a strangle hold on me. Shades for the win 😩

[Grey Story]

Okay y'all I need some help on this one. I'm stuck at 29% and my frustration with it breaks my heart a little. Marking this as DNF would hurt!

I L O V E D Luxuria! It was one of the first indie monster romances I read on KU, bought a hardcover copy, I've recommended it numerous times, and was really looking forward to this one.

For transparency I'm going to copy my initial notes to myself below that I jotted down while reading but be forewarned they sound extra salty and bitter. That was months ago and I'm not so worked up about it today but I also haven't finished reading it.

Can anyone who's read Superbia let me know if they think I should push through it or if, based on my initial reaction, I'm unlikely to enjoy the rest of the story? 29% is when they're hooking up for the first time.

=== My initial, unedited notes ===

I was so disappointed and annoyed at the characterization. Soren didn't feel like the same Soren in Luxuria and I really liked that Soren. I was looking forward to that Soren.

This antagonistic petty asshat Soren sucked. Astrid I can't really speak to as well since she wasn't developed as much in book 1 but I got the impression that her interactions with Soren were not typical behavior for her either. It's like they both became shittier versions of themselves and I hated it.

THEN the two "hate fuck" which I personally really dislike. I can't relate to it, at all. I cannot fathom wanting someone I dislike anywhere around me let alone being vulnerable and intimate. It makes zero sense to me. I know some people like it but I, personally, just don't get it. In terms of how it fits in this book, it was further unrealistic characterization for both of them. It's like they completely turned into different people. Where's the professionalism? Where's the sense of duty? Where's the caution?

I get that the whole "not themselves" thing is meant to be a thing happening because of how they get under each other's skin and meant to be a sign they go together or whatever but that shit is DUMB. That's like the misogynist "he pulled your hair because he likes you" children bullshit. I get that this IS supposed to be their character development and I'm here to say that is stupid and it sucks.

I wanted to see character development happen between the Astrid and Soren of book 1, not some new petty asshole versions of them.