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Xiveri Mates #9
Taken to Sky: A SciFi Alien Romance
The anticipated final, full-length installment in the Xiveri Mates saga awaits, along with the Eshmiri reaver you love to hate and the assassin her soul is bound to.
He’s been hunting me for rotations. Now, it’s time to return the favor.
I knows things have gone ecking south when the Sky sends its full army to hunt me down. Now, I'm stranded on an adorably violent little planet with only Jerrock to rely on — and he hates me.
Jerrock. Sky assassin. The Quadrants’ most renowned killer. He wasn't always, though. I remember who he used to be before and I want him to remember, too, but he wants eck all to do with me.
He thinks I'm just an addict, a fool, a reaver with no instincts for self preservation. He says that reavers like me can't be trusted. He says that assassins like him can’t love.
But as we crash through the cosmos together with an army on our trail, I'm going crack through his armored flesh if it kills me – and it just might – but I'll prove him wrong.
Ashmara, you really think I could forget? My soul remembers who you are.
__________
Taken to Sky is final full-length book 9 in the Xiveri Mates series and features two damaged antiheroes finding each other and their place in the cosmos. Look out for darker themes, including overcoming addiction, battles and spice as well as a dub/CNC scene. This book can be read as a standalone and will feature familiar faces from previous books before ending with an HEA.
He’s been hunting me for rotations. Now, it’s time to return the favor.
I knows things have gone ecking south when the Sky sends its full army to hunt me down. Now, I'm stranded on an adorably violent little planet with only Jerrock to rely on — and he hates me.
Jerrock. Sky assassin. The Quadrants’ most renowned killer. He wasn't always, though. I remember who he used to be before and I want him to remember, too, but he wants eck all to do with me.
He thinks I'm just an addict, a fool, a reaver with no instincts for self preservation. He says that reavers like me can't be trusted. He says that assassins like him can’t love.
But as we crash through the cosmos together with an army on our trail, I'm going crack through his armored flesh if it kills me – and it just might – but I'll prove him wrong.
Ashmara, you really think I could forget? My soul remembers who you are.
__________
Taken to Sky is final full-length book 9 in the Xiveri Mates series and features two damaged antiheroes finding each other and their place in the cosmos. Look out for darker themes, including overcoming addiction, battles and spice as well as a dub/CNC scene. This book can be read as a standalone and will feature familiar faces from previous books before ending with an HEA.
296 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 3, 2023
133 people are currently reading
398 people want to read
About the author
Elizabeth Stephens
76 books1,396 followersTop 10 USA Today Bestselling author Elizabeth Stephens writes books where beastly men—or sometimes just beasts—always get the girl.
A full-time hybrid indie and traditionally published author, Elizabeth is best known for her Supers in the City series (Montlake) and her indie works like The Bone King and the Starling and Dark City Omega. In all of her books, readers can expect diverse casts, epic world-building, quests with unexpected twists, and women of color being celebrated loudly, Black and biracial women in particular.
When she isn’t writing, you might find Elizabeth enjoying the outdoors of the Pacific Northwest or traveling and making adventures of her own with her husband, tiny humans, and doggo, King Louis.
A full-time hybrid indie and traditionally published author, Elizabeth is best known for her Supers in the City series (Montlake) and her indie works like The Bone King and the Starling and Dark City Omega. In all of her books, readers can expect diverse casts, epic world-building, quests with unexpected twists, and women of color being celebrated loudly, Black and biracial women in particular.
When she isn’t writing, you might find Elizabeth enjoying the outdoors of the Pacific Northwest or traveling and making adventures of her own with her husband, tiny humans, and doggo, King Louis.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews
March 9, 2023
4 1/2 "Friendship / Xiveri Mates" Stars!
Wow! What a fantastically wild ride to end this fantastically wild series. Jerrock and Ashmara were the perfect couple to bring the series to a close. I knew their story would fill my heart and I was not wrong. I was grateful to understand where Ashmara's addictive tendencies and reckless behavior stemmed from. I've always loved her. Now I absolutely love her even more. Jerrock! I love it when the villian gets the girl! When you know their story, you will understand some of his previous actions so much more too. Now don't be fooled, Jerrock was still an ass, but the, "Touch her and you die." vibes were strong with this one. I'm was here for it. I love them so much as a team.
The only reason this was a 4 star read and not 5 was chapter 14... I know lots of you won't have a problem with it, and that's perfectly fine too. But, it bugged me. Cryptic much? You have to read to find out what I'm talking about. Then come let me know what you think about it. Other than that, I'm so happy with Ashmara's and Jerrock's story. It was an angsty big adventure. Seeing so many characters from the previous books was a big bonus and helped to tie the series all together perfectly. I'm sad to see it come to an end, but this was a great way to go. I can't wait to read whatever new worlds and adventures Elizabeth Stephens' brilliant mind comes up with next. Happy reading!
CW:
Wow! What a fantastically wild ride to end this fantastically wild series. Jerrock and Ashmara were the perfect couple to bring the series to a close. I knew their story would fill my heart and I was not wrong. I was grateful to understand where Ashmara's addictive tendencies and reckless behavior stemmed from. I've always loved her. Now I absolutely love her even more. Jerrock! I love it when the villian gets the girl! When you know their story, you will understand some of his previous actions so much more too. Now don't be fooled, Jerrock was still an ass, but the, "Touch her and you die." vibes were strong with this one. I'm was here for it. I love them so much as a team.
The only reason this was a 4 star read and not 5 was chapter 14... I know lots of you won't have a problem with it, and that's perfectly fine too. But, it bugged me. Cryptic much? You have to read to find out what I'm talking about. Then come let me know what you think about it. Other than that, I'm so happy with Ashmara's and Jerrock's story. It was an angsty big adventure. Seeing so many characters from the previous books was a big bonus and helped to tie the series all together perfectly. I'm sad to see it come to an end, but this was a great way to go. I can't wait to read whatever new worlds and adventures Elizabeth Stephens' brilliant mind comes up with next. Happy reading!
CW:
March 28, 2023
I really wanted to like this book. I did. Except… there were some pretty shocking events.
Jerrock essentially rapes Ashmara. She goes to a pleasure house, to, well, have sex, and Jerrock, in a fit of jealousy, kills the prostitute, disguises himself as the dead prostitute and has sex with Ashmara. Now, that in itself is already questionable but it’s gets worse:
“Wait!” Did I voice my intention out loud? I did not, but I still wait, regardless.
I look up and her eyes flash pink and bright yellow and a deep, wanton purple. “Wait. I just…”
I thrust her knees up to her chest and I ignore whatever she was about to say next. Instead, I feel saliva pool in the back of my mouth and make a decision to end this. I drape my body over hers, grab a fistful of her white hair, yank her head back hard enough that she can no longer speak, and then I force my cock into her tight heat.”
Then:
““…oh eck, ecking eck. Eck…hey, this is…my first time… I like where your head’s at, but this hurts like an ecking… I’m on fire down there… Can we stop? You’ll still get your payment, but I can’t… This was a bad idea…” I blink many times. Over and over. Her core squeezes around my shaft and the pressure…”
After she asks him to stop:
“I saw my cock in and out of her roughly several more times. She tenses up, scrunches up her face and squeezes her eyes shut until water wets her lashes. My thoughts hitch and though I attempt to cling to awareness, my mind shorts. This time the moment lasts longer and, when I come to, I no longer have my hand wrapped around her neck. I pull out of her. She releases a pitiful little moan as I do and a single tear drips down her left cheek.”
He proceeds to give her oral sex, in which she orgasms 5 times. But then:
“Ow…hey…you’re…squeezing me… What are you doing down there? Comets…” My mind blanks. My arms are coiled around her and so are my legs. Her face is pressed to the furs and my tail is deep in her ass. The tight ring of muscle clenches around my tail and I shiver at the latent shock of pleasure that radiates from it.”
I don’t see Ashmara’s consent for anal sex.
To make matters worse he refers to her as an “unintelligent pebble in the shoes of greater beings — a nuisance” while having sex.
I don’t know about you, but that’s NOT sexy. None of this is.
Later on, when they actually have sex:
“Jerrock, wait! Wait, Jerrock, please wait…” He didn’t the last time. When he was him, I begged him to wait, wanting to back out of the moment. After the fact, I was glad I didn’t, but this time I want things to be different.”
I don’t care if she orgasmed a thousand times and later feels okay with it. I don’t care if she’s happy to find out it was him all along. The fact is, when she asked him, no BEGGED him, to stop, he didn’t. He didn’t. He kept going. AND he lied about who he was. Imagine you consent to have sex with someone. And later find out that that person switched places with their identical twin. You gave consent to one person, not the other. This is similar, except Jerrock killed an innocent and proceeded to rape Ashmara WITH THE DEAD BODY UNDER THE BED. How romantic.
Rape is not okay. Ever. And to romanticize it and excuse it because Jerrock has extreme trauma? Unacceptable. Absolutely unacceptable.
The final thing that bothered me what Jerrock’s hypocrisy. It’s not okay for Ashmara to have sex but it’s okay for Jerrock? 👎
Other than that the book was very, very good. I devoured this series in a week and please, please don’t let this one book colour your opinion on the rest of the series. Usually, when a scene like this happens I immediately DNF a book, but the world building, language, characters *chef’s kiss*. The series is truly phenomenal. The above is my hard limit and I put a lot of weight into how sexual abuse is handled or even if scenes like this are present. For me, personally, the good did not out weigh this one bad.
Jerrock essentially rapes Ashmara. She goes to a pleasure house, to, well, have sex, and Jerrock, in a fit of jealousy, kills the prostitute, disguises himself as the dead prostitute and has sex with Ashmara. Now, that in itself is already questionable but it’s gets worse:
“Wait!” Did I voice my intention out loud? I did not, but I still wait, regardless.
I look up and her eyes flash pink and bright yellow and a deep, wanton purple. “Wait. I just…”
I thrust her knees up to her chest and I ignore whatever she was about to say next. Instead, I feel saliva pool in the back of my mouth and make a decision to end this. I drape my body over hers, grab a fistful of her white hair, yank her head back hard enough that she can no longer speak, and then I force my cock into her tight heat.”
Then:
““…oh eck, ecking eck. Eck…hey, this is…my first time… I like where your head’s at, but this hurts like an ecking… I’m on fire down there… Can we stop? You’ll still get your payment, but I can’t… This was a bad idea…” I blink many times. Over and over. Her core squeezes around my shaft and the pressure…”
After she asks him to stop:
“I saw my cock in and out of her roughly several more times. She tenses up, scrunches up her face and squeezes her eyes shut until water wets her lashes. My thoughts hitch and though I attempt to cling to awareness, my mind shorts. This time the moment lasts longer and, when I come to, I no longer have my hand wrapped around her neck. I pull out of her. She releases a pitiful little moan as I do and a single tear drips down her left cheek.”
He proceeds to give her oral sex, in which she orgasms 5 times. But then:
“Ow…hey…you’re…squeezing me… What are you doing down there? Comets…” My mind blanks. My arms are coiled around her and so are my legs. Her face is pressed to the furs and my tail is deep in her ass. The tight ring of muscle clenches around my tail and I shiver at the latent shock of pleasure that radiates from it.”
I don’t see Ashmara’s consent for anal sex.
To make matters worse he refers to her as an “unintelligent pebble in the shoes of greater beings — a nuisance” while having sex.
I don’t know about you, but that’s NOT sexy. None of this is.
Later on, when they actually have sex:
“Jerrock, wait! Wait, Jerrock, please wait…” He didn’t the last time. When he was him, I begged him to wait, wanting to back out of the moment. After the fact, I was glad I didn’t, but this time I want things to be different.”
I don’t care if she orgasmed a thousand times and later feels okay with it. I don’t care if she’s happy to find out it was him all along. The fact is, when she asked him, no BEGGED him, to stop, he didn’t. He didn’t. He kept going. AND he lied about who he was. Imagine you consent to have sex with someone. And later find out that that person switched places with their identical twin. You gave consent to one person, not the other. This is similar, except Jerrock killed an innocent and proceeded to rape Ashmara WITH THE DEAD BODY UNDER THE BED. How romantic.
Rape is not okay. Ever. And to romanticize it and excuse it because Jerrock has extreme trauma? Unacceptable. Absolutely unacceptable.
The final thing that bothered me what Jerrock’s hypocrisy. It’s not okay for Ashmara to have sex but it’s okay for Jerrock? 👎
Other than that the book was very, very good. I devoured this series in a week and please, please don’t let this one book colour your opinion on the rest of the series. Usually, when a scene like this happens I immediately DNF a book, but the world building, language, characters *chef’s kiss*. The series is truly phenomenal. The above is my hard limit and I put a lot of weight into how sexual abuse is handled or even if scenes like this are present. For me, personally, the good did not out weigh this one bad.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 24, 2023
This is it. It's all over but the crying! The final (and most anticipated) installment of the Xiveri Mates series. Not only do we get closure on the series on the whole but the author saved the best for last! We finally get Ashmara and Jerrock - two of the most intriguing characters that have popped up throughout the series.
Jerrock is a deadly Sky assassin who is more machine than person and he holds the contract on Ashmara's life. Yet despite being one of the most proficient assassins The Sky has ever created, he can't seem to take her down. Of course we know why! (Hint: Fated Mates!). Ashmara is a drug-addicted Reaver/Space Pirate and in between righting various wrongs according to her own moral code, she's been just as fixated on Jerrock and freeing him from The Sky Assassins.We finally get some long awaited history on these two and how they were connected and my heart - JUST BREAK IT WHY DON'T YOU?!?!
This book has some stark depictions of drug use and drug withdrawal. The author did not treat Ashmara's addiction as a moral failing but presented it with nuance and great care for the complex medical and psychological condition it is.
Now, we gotta talk about Chapter 14. Without giving too much away there's a flashback of some dubious consent (and I'm being generous calling it dubious).
Jerrock is very much morally gray and in his re-created state as a Sky Assassin he was not as in touch with his 'personhood' as he should've been. That said, THAT JOKER KNEW BETTER AND I WANT TO WHOOP HIS ***!!!!! I just wanna run him through a rapier! I wouldn't get a single swing off because hello, he's an assassin and I've been known to throw my back out just bending over the sink to brush my teeth. But I stand by my decision to break out the broad sword on general principle and I'd take the L. The characters have a conversation around it in the present, but I wish Jerrock hadn't done what he did. Picture me screaming at him like Tyra - "We were rooting for you, we were all rooting for you!".
We get an epic battle, with guest appearances of series faves and we get to see how much Ashmara is loved, not just by Jerrock, but her community & found family as a whole. I've loved my time in this complex, expansive world that Elizabeth Stephens has created. While I hope that she'll return to it with more stories, I GUESS I'm ok hat it's over (I'm not). t
However, this was a touching and fitting end to the series*. The author and I are mutuals on Social Media. I received an ARC due to my love of all the Xiveri Mates things.Heed the content warnings, take care with Chapter 14 and say a fond farewell to our faves!
4.5 stars
Jerrock is a deadly Sky assassin who is more machine than person and he holds the contract on Ashmara's life. Yet despite being one of the most proficient assassins The Sky has ever created, he can't seem to take her down. Of course we know why! (Hint: Fated Mates!). Ashmara is a drug-addicted Reaver/Space Pirate and in between righting various wrongs according to her own moral code, she's been just as fixated on Jerrock and freeing him from The Sky Assassins.We finally get some long awaited history on these two and how they were connected and my heart - JUST BREAK IT WHY DON'T YOU?!?!
This book has some stark depictions of drug use and drug withdrawal. The author did not treat Ashmara's addiction as a moral failing but presented it with nuance and great care for the complex medical and psychological condition it is.
Now, we gotta talk about Chapter 14. Without giving too much away there's a flashback of some dubious consent (and I'm being generous calling it dubious).
Jerrock is very much morally gray and in his re-created state as a Sky Assassin he was not as in touch with his 'personhood' as he should've been. That said, THAT JOKER KNEW BETTER AND I WANT TO WHOOP HIS ***!!!!! I just wanna run him through a rapier! I wouldn't get a single swing off because hello, he's an assassin and I've been known to throw my back out just bending over the sink to brush my teeth. But I stand by my decision to break out the broad sword on general principle and I'd take the L. The characters have a conversation around it in the present, but I wish Jerrock hadn't done what he did. Picture me screaming at him like Tyra - "We were rooting for you, we were all rooting for you!".
We get an epic battle, with guest appearances of series faves and we get to see how much Ashmara is loved, not just by Jerrock, but her community & found family as a whole. I've loved my time in this complex, expansive world that Elizabeth Stephens has created. While I hope that she'll return to it with more stories, I GUESS I'm ok hat it's over (I'm not). t
However, this was a touching and fitting end to the series*. The author and I are mutuals on Social Media. I received an ARC due to my love of all the Xiveri Mates things.Heed the content warnings, take care with Chapter 14 and say a fond farewell to our faves!
4.5 stars
March 24, 2023
This is the conclusion to my beloved Xiveri Mates series…I’m going to go cry after I write this.
As a romance between two antiheroes, it makes this one a little more gritty than I was expecting, but it still has all the elements of the other books, including a very angsty romance and lots of spice.
As always, check the TW’s, this has many darker themes. In particular, this one deal with substance abuse and Ashmara working to get clean.
I love that everyone knows Ashmara as wild and reckless but she opens for Jerrock and only shows him her soft side. I love how their lives are so tangled up together.
Jerrock, a highly trained and skilled assassin, has been sent to kill Ashmara and failed time and time again and he cannot figure out how she keeps evading him. He is stubborn and broody, but those are the best ones when they finally break. Then they’re possessive and protective in the way only mates can be 😜
I loved the cameos of characters from past books and I love how the author always allows the women to kick ass in their own individual ways. I can’t wait to see what Elizabeth has in store for us next 🥰
*arc provided by author, opinions are my own*
As a romance between two antiheroes, it makes this one a little more gritty than I was expecting, but it still has all the elements of the other books, including a very angsty romance and lots of spice.
As always, check the TW’s, this has many darker themes. In particular, this one deal with substance abuse and Ashmara working to get clean.
I love that everyone knows Ashmara as wild and reckless but she opens for Jerrock and only shows him her soft side. I love how their lives are so tangled up together.
Jerrock, a highly trained and skilled assassin, has been sent to kill Ashmara and failed time and time again and he cannot figure out how she keeps evading him. He is stubborn and broody, but those are the best ones when they finally break. Then they’re possessive and protective in the way only mates can be 😜
I loved the cameos of characters from past books and I love how the author always allows the women to kick ass in their own individual ways. I can’t wait to see what Elizabeth has in store for us next 🥰
*arc provided by author, opinions are my own*
March 23, 2023
4.5⭐ rounded up
Happy release day!!
4.5 ⭐
Series Overview: Taken to Sky is the 9th and final book in Stephen's Xiveri Mates alien romance series. It is recommended to read the series in order to best enjoy the storyline (because it’s insane!).
One of the things I love most about the series is how the author has created an entire universe with varying species that are not just background characters (to a singular race that is the focus.) Our FMCs end up with alien men from lots of difference species which makes for new and exciting interactions every time.
Plot Overview: The renowned Sky Assassin, Jerrock, has been hunting the pirate, Ashmara, for years and now she is finally turning the tables. There is a history between these two that runs far deeper than any bounty related run-in they’ve had over the years and Ashmara is determined to make him remember. They just have to make it out alive with the whole of the Sky assassin army hunting them down across the quadrants.
This is the story of two damaged antiheroes finding each other and their place in the cosmos.
Thoughts: I am just so sad that the series is over! But WOW, what a ride it has been. We’ve been building up to Ashmara and Jerrock’s story since Book 4 (I think?) and these two are nothing but chaos and violence! Their story was dark but so heartfelt.
TWs: Violence, Death, Overcoming addiction.
I received an e-ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Happy release day!!
4.5 ⭐
Series Overview: Taken to Sky is the 9th and final book in Stephen's Xiveri Mates alien romance series. It is recommended to read the series in order to best enjoy the storyline (because it’s insane!).
One of the things I love most about the series is how the author has created an entire universe with varying species that are not just background characters (to a singular race that is the focus.) Our FMCs end up with alien men from lots of difference species which makes for new and exciting interactions every time.
Plot Overview: The renowned Sky Assassin, Jerrock, has been hunting the pirate, Ashmara, for years and now she is finally turning the tables. There is a history between these two that runs far deeper than any bounty related run-in they’ve had over the years and Ashmara is determined to make him remember. They just have to make it out alive with the whole of the Sky assassin army hunting them down across the quadrants.
This is the story of two damaged antiheroes finding each other and their place in the cosmos.
Thoughts: I am just so sad that the series is over! But WOW, what a ride it has been. We’ve been building up to Ashmara and Jerrock’s story since Book 4 (I think?) and these two are nothing but chaos and violence! Their story was dark but so heartfelt.
TWs: Violence, Death, Overcoming addiction.
I received an e-ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.
March 7, 2023
This is such a great sci fi romance series. Every book is better than the last. I love the world.
April 2, 2023
The end
First of all how dare you!
Second, this book was a trippy trip if I ever read one.
Third, this was a satisfying end to this series even though I skipped around. Don't judge me.
My bookish friends warned me about chapter14 but I think it really is a combo of chapter 13 and 14. Ashamara and Jerrock was a hard won HEA with an epic pirate adventure. Girl you did not have one second to breathe everybody was trying to fight and survive simultaneously. In my defense space does not sound fun when framed as either be eaten or used for breathing no thank you. But I digress. Before these two can see the inevitable they have to first let go of the shame of the past and the guilt associated it. Was this the alien version of version of the miscommunication trope, with all the advancements no one thought to have a heart to heart. Anyway what I loved about this ending is all these human women and hybrids that have been peppered around the galaxy had a hand in bringing down the threat to this couple's HEA. I got the same feeling as Taken to Nobu (finish him)! Yeah this was an absolute emotional rollercoaster.
CN: slave trade, kidnapping, dubious consent (chapter 13 and 14), torture, lots of violence, drug use and withdrawal
First of all how dare you!
Second, this book was a trippy trip if I ever read one.
Third, this was a satisfying end to this series even though I skipped around. Don't judge me.
My bookish friends warned me about chapter14 but I think it really is a combo of chapter 13 and 14. Ashamara and Jerrock was a hard won HEA with an epic pirate adventure. Girl you did not have one second to breathe everybody was trying to fight and survive simultaneously. In my defense space does not sound fun when framed as either be eaten or used for breathing no thank you. But I digress. Before these two can see the inevitable they have to first let go of the shame of the past and the guilt associated it. Was this the alien version of version of the miscommunication trope, with all the advancements no one thought to have a heart to heart. Anyway what I loved about this ending is all these human women and hybrids that have been peppered around the galaxy had a hand in bringing down the threat to this couple's HEA. I got the same feeling as Taken to Nobu (finish him)! Yeah this was an absolute emotional rollercoaster.
CN: slave trade, kidnapping, dubious consent (chapter 13 and 14), torture, lots of violence, drug use and withdrawal
March 24, 2023
“Actually, do you even know what fun is?”
“The only fun I’ve ever had is you.”
-Alien SciFi Romance
-Alien Assassin Hero
-Hybrid Human Heroine
-Cyborg Assassins!
-Fated Mates
-Hurt/Comfort
-Antiheroes
-Battling Addiction
-Touch Her And You Die
-I’ve Loved You For So Long
-Possessive MMC
-Angst
-Dual POV
-Spice
Cut my heart open why don’t you 😭😭
Our Crazy Eshmiri reaver Ashmara and the widely feared Assassin who’s hunting her, Jerrock, have been reoccurring characters in the Xiveri Mates series and they’ve finally get their HEA.
I’ve been greatly anticipating them since I’ve started this series because all the snippets you get with them have left me wanting more. And still, this book was so unexpected. The history these two have, the emotions, the angst 😩😩😩 the beginning gutted me and then I was left bleeding for the rest of the book until I got to that perfect ending 😭
Taken to Sky is the perfect blend of angst, tension, journeying across different planets while trying to stay alive.
I cried a few times, they had me emotional 🥹 I loved Taken to Sky so much and I really really loved this series. What a perfect ending 🧡
Thank you sooo much to the author for giving me an ARC for an honest review ✨
“The only fun I’ve ever had is you.”
-Alien SciFi Romance
-Alien Assassin Hero
-Hybrid Human Heroine
-Cyborg Assassins!
-Fated Mates
-Hurt/Comfort
-Antiheroes
-Battling Addiction
-Touch Her And You Die
-I’ve Loved You For So Long
-Possessive MMC
-Angst
-Dual POV
-Spice
Cut my heart open why don’t you 😭😭
Our Crazy Eshmiri reaver Ashmara and the widely feared Assassin who’s hunting her, Jerrock, have been reoccurring characters in the Xiveri Mates series and they’ve finally get their HEA.
I’ve been greatly anticipating them since I’ve started this series because all the snippets you get with them have left me wanting more. And still, this book was so unexpected. The history these two have, the emotions, the angst 😩😩😩 the beginning gutted me and then I was left bleeding for the rest of the book until I got to that perfect ending 😭
Taken to Sky is the perfect blend of angst, tension, journeying across different planets while trying to stay alive.
I cried a few times, they had me emotional 🥹 I loved Taken to Sky so much and I really really loved this series. What a perfect ending 🧡
Thank you sooo much to the author for giving me an ARC for an honest review ✨
March 24, 2023
I was lucky enough to receive an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you, Elizabeth, for the opportunity to read your art.
WOW. I absolutely loved this read! Action? Check. Romance? Check. Spice? Check. A dark romance that will take you by the throat and make you beg? Check. This was definitely a dark romance so please check the trigger warnings before delving into this read but I had an absolute blast. The longing, the yearning, the no one can hurt you but me, the mates, the friendship, the love. Ugh! It was so fun and surprisingly refreshing for such a dark book? I also love a good HEA swoooooon. I definitely recommend this book!
WOW. I absolutely loved this read! Action? Check. Romance? Check. Spice? Check. A dark romance that will take you by the throat and make you beg? Check. This was definitely a dark romance so please check the trigger warnings before delving into this read but I had an absolute blast. The longing, the yearning, the no one can hurt you but me, the mates, the friendship, the love. Ugh! It was so fun and surprisingly refreshing for such a dark book? I also love a good HEA swoooooon. I definitely recommend this book!
March 26, 2023
Oh my gosh, I loved this. I love the characters and character development. I loved the story line. I loved the writing (as usual). It was such a great end. I’m not gonna lie, I was worried. I reeeeally didn’t like the last one. But this was back to everything I love about Elizabeth Stephens stories, characters, and writing. I’m sad this series is over but it’s definitely one I’ll revisit.
April 7, 2023
Moving story
This book had highs and lows for me. The beginning was a bit strange with all the name changing. Some parts were confusing. Other parts dragged and seemed nonsensical. However, most of the book was quite enjoyable. There was no question that the mc’s loved each other even if they did not know how to express it. I loved how all the different races were represented in this book. Usually, the end of a series is a rushed, clumsy affair but in this book it was a joyful finale and I am not lacking closure.
This book had highs and lows for me. The beginning was a bit strange with all the name changing. Some parts were confusing. Other parts dragged and seemed nonsensical. However, most of the book was quite enjoyable. There was no question that the mc’s loved each other even if they did not know how to express it. I loved how all the different races were represented in this book. Usually, the end of a series is a rushed, clumsy affair but in this book it was a joyful finale and I am not lacking closure.
March 28, 2023
This is the final book in the Xiveri Mates series, and I can't believe it's come to an end already. I still remember reading Voraxia for the first time and being so blown away. It was an incredible inspiration to the Alien Overlords series by Taylor Vaughn (a series I found to be lacking in some areas), but Voraxia expanded on world-building and character development to the point where I now consider this series, as a whole, to be the spiritual successor to Alien Overlords. I have been a huge fan of the Xiveri Mates series since the beginning, and watching it grow and amass the fan base it has now has been nothing short of amazing! It should go without saying that since this is the series finale, you shouldn't read this until you've read all the other books in the series with the exception of the stand-alones, which are always listed at the end of every book in the author's note.
The h is Ashmara, the most infamous Eshmiri reaver in all the Quadrants of known space, though you wouldn't know it by looking at her. Ashmara's physical appearance resembles the human-Drakesh hybrids we saw in Voraxia and beyond (although I've always pictured her looking like Storm from the X-Men comics with shoulder-length, kinky white hair). While not her real name , Ashmara has made appearances in the series many, many times, often helping the h's in the other books. Reckless, fearless, and loyal to a fault to her reaver family, Ashmara's notoriety and reputation are well-earned. When it was revealed that she freed numerous slaves throughout the Quadrants over the years, the natural assumption was chattel slavery of specific races. Sky introduces us to an even worse kind of slavery , and Ashmara is responsible for freeing many of its victims . It's an impressive feat when you consider she's had a vicious addiction to muuir (pronounced moo-EAR), an extremely potent substance that comes in many forms and is equivalent to opium, for many years. And admittedly, at times in the series and in this book, it can be hard to relate to Ashamara, given her addiction and reckless tendencies that she's all too happy to repeat. But there is a tragic and heartbreaking reason for her addiction and her actions. Coincidentally, he's also the reason she's been freeing so many slaves...
And that reason is the H, Jerrock. Sky's most successful, proficient and cold-blooded assassin. Like Ashmara, Jerrock has also made several appearances in the series, and his look is unmistakable (think this specific outfit of Bucky Barnes from The Winter Soldier, but with red skin exposed on the other side of the bionic arm, the metal of his arm extending to the back of his head, and bone-straight white hair down his back). And like Ashmara, Jerrock is also not his real name . But unlike Ashmara, Jerrock's cameos don't involve saving or helping people. With him, it's quite the opposite. Widely feared throughout the Quadrants and considered to be "Sky's prodigal son" , Jerrock has carried out every contract given to him with ruthless efficiency and without failure. However, he has held one outstanding contract for years and has refused to relinquish it to other assassins: Ashmara. And she represents his one and only failure . Jerrock has had numerous opportunities throughout the series to execute her, but has routinely failed to do so, even when it should have been a clean and easy kill. And this inability to perform his duty nags at him incessantly. Because there's something tugging at him from his subconscious mind, physically forbidding him from taking her life. That same tug requires and urges him to spare Ashmara time and time again. He tries not to dwell on it, until he's physically unable to . And what follows is the start of a quest, years in the making, to avenge not one life lost, but two...
First, I was really impressed with how Jerrock was written. He was abducted when he was young and turned into a Sky assassin, likely surviving something others before him had not. And for the remainder of his life until the events of this book, he knew no other way of life. He had all but forgotten his past , yet his connection to the Sky planet prevented him from connecting the dots on his own. He's cold and calculated, focused entirely on his mission. And the concept of being sidetracked by anything at all does not exist in his world. At least, not unless Ashmara is involved. It isn't until he's freed of his mental chains that things become much clearer for him, and the memories that had been forcibly suppressed all came rushing back. And the shift in his personality is very noticeable almost immediately . He learns Ashmara being his most outstanding contract, and his only "failure", is no coincidence , but in the beginning it confuses him greatly why certain aspects of his prime and only target bother him. Namely, Ashmara's addiction, which was always a point of severe agitation for him. As if all things Ashmara weren't frustrating enough for him, her addiction is a glaring and very exploitable weakness for him to capitalize on, and he can't take advantage of it no matter the circumstances. She is as elusive on muuir as she is sober , but it all serves as a calculated ruse to eventually lure Jerrock into her trap.
Addiction aside, there's another reason it can be hard to relate to Ashmara. While she's no stranger to the series, we've been given scant clues about her background before Sky. From her first appearance in Heimo, to her cameos in Kor, Lemora and Evernor, Ashmara and her origins remained a mystery to us. But as we learn in Sky, her fearlessness and bravado mask a mountain of painful memories, and her addiction is the coping mechanism she uses to keep them at bay. Because for all Ashmara does, she can't forget what happened that fateful day all those years ago . However, she doesn't let these weaknesses hold her back or lose her sense of purpose. And to be fair to her character, the addiction doesn't change her personality much either. Ashmara also experiences a shift in her personality much in the same way Jerrock does after he's freed . She is her own character outside of her past , she has forged her own name, her own reputation, and her own path in the stars as an Eshmiri reaver. And even though she sees Jerrock's existence as a personal fault, she aims to rectify this herself . Unbeknownst to her, she isn't the only one to have come up with this plan. For all of Ashmara's calculations and craftiness, Jerrock has mastered it all and more. And Ashmara soon learns the lives she saved over the years are indebted to her and are willing to risk their own to save her.
Ashmara had questionable responses to Jerrock about halfway through the story, but this was a reasonable response to the circumstances she found herself in. First, it should be worth noting that although her plan to free Jerrock was incredibly risky despite being successful, she had a clear end goal in mind. She hoped that being free from the reprogramming would mentally "snap" Jerrock out of his Sky mentality, that he would remember who he used to be and he would remember her too . He would go back to being Azza. She wanted this to be the start of a new life for them both, free from the trauma of their past. But Ashmara's dreams are short-lived; Jerrock is able to simultaneously process and reconcile both of his identities - - after he is freed. And initially, he's hostile to Ashmara's attempts at jogging his past memory. Not long into the story, Ashmara begins lying to Jerrock, even after they've reconciled their past lives with their present lives. And the reason for this is very simple. Ashmara found herself having to meet Azza as the worst possible version of himself: Jerrock. It's a moment that makes the reader wonder: who could they have been if things had been different? If the Sky assassins never raided their ship? Where could they have gone or what could they have done with their lives? Ashmara eventually admits that Jerrock scares her, and because of this fear, there's a part of her that doesn't trust him. And how can you trust someone you fear with the truth?
The central theme of Taken to Sky is one of personal sacrifice, and Stephens masterfully weaves it into every aspect of the story. Azza sacrifices himself to spare Rook when the Sky assassins board the ship they were on and kill everyone in sight . Ashmara sacrifices herself to save her Eshmiri family . She makes another sacrifice when they're temporarily safe from harm's way . And Ashmara sacrifices herself for a final time, but this time for Jerrock's sake .
But personal sacrifice comes from love, another theme of the story and something Ashmara reminds Jerrock of time and time again. Azza loved Rook enough to be abducted in her place, so she would be spared the horrors awaiting them at the hands of the Sky planet. Ashmara loves her Eshmiri family enough to endanger herself, simultaneously ensuring their safety. Jerrock loved Ashmara enough to be willing to sacrifice himself to take vengeance on the Sky planet for destroying both of their lives. Ashmara loved Jerrock enough to willingly subject herself to an agonizingly painful ordeal for his sake, and enough to spare his life and be abducted by the Sky planet , much in the same way that he had done for her years earlier. But Jerrock being, well, Jerrock, took longer to understand this concept. What he went through after being abducted all but distorted his moral compass. Love was a foreign concept that took him much of the book to fully understand, considering his past. But even if he didn't understand what it was at the time, it was this same love that kept Jerrock tethered to her. It made him go back for her with the force of all the Quadrants to her aid, with her Eshmiri reavers at the front lines . Although, what's done is done. Jerrock is still Jerrock, will remain Jerrock and always spoke of Azza in the past tense , and the same is said of Ashmara and Rook. But what they both go through and experience in the story speaks to an underlying truth about love - to be loved is to be changed.
It's still hard for me to believe that the series has officially ended. This series breathed new life into the sci-fi romance genre. The originality is so refreshing and it still feels like there's a lot of life left in the universe that Stephens built. Along with the love and diversity given to all the main characters, I can see this series being an indie author classic within the genre (assuming it doesn't have that title already!). This conclusion to a much beloved series is a definite 5/5 stars from me. Ashmara and Jerrock, both broken in different ways, found and mended pieces of themselves within each other and were more than deserving of their HEA. If you like your romances with a diverse cast of characters, including flawed and believable heroes, rich in world-building, character depth and development, do yourself the biggest favor and start reading this series immediately . I promise you will not regret it!!
The h is Ashmara, the most infamous Eshmiri reaver in all the Quadrants of known space, though you wouldn't know it by looking at her. Ashmara's physical appearance resembles the human-Drakesh hybrids we saw in Voraxia and beyond (although I've always pictured her looking like Storm from the X-Men comics with shoulder-length, kinky white hair). While not her real name , Ashmara has made appearances in the series many, many times, often helping the h's in the other books. Reckless, fearless, and loyal to a fault to her reaver family, Ashmara's notoriety and reputation are well-earned. When it was revealed that she freed numerous slaves throughout the Quadrants over the years, the natural assumption was chattel slavery of specific races. Sky introduces us to an even worse kind of slavery , and Ashmara is responsible for freeing many of its victims . It's an impressive feat when you consider she's had a vicious addiction to muuir (pronounced moo-EAR), an extremely potent substance that comes in many forms and is equivalent to opium, for many years. And admittedly, at times in the series and in this book, it can be hard to relate to Ashamara, given her addiction and reckless tendencies that she's all too happy to repeat. But there is a tragic and heartbreaking reason for her addiction and her actions. Coincidentally, he's also the reason she's been freeing so many slaves...
And that reason is the H, Jerrock. Sky's most successful, proficient and cold-blooded assassin. Like Ashmara, Jerrock has also made several appearances in the series, and his look is unmistakable (think this specific outfit of Bucky Barnes from The Winter Soldier, but with red skin exposed on the other side of the bionic arm, the metal of his arm extending to the back of his head, and bone-straight white hair down his back). And like Ashmara, Jerrock is also not his real name . But unlike Ashmara, Jerrock's cameos don't involve saving or helping people. With him, it's quite the opposite. Widely feared throughout the Quadrants and considered to be "Sky's prodigal son" , Jerrock has carried out every contract given to him with ruthless efficiency and without failure. However, he has held one outstanding contract for years and has refused to relinquish it to other assassins: Ashmara. And she represents his one and only failure . Jerrock has had numerous opportunities throughout the series to execute her, but has routinely failed to do so, even when it should have been a clean and easy kill. And this inability to perform his duty nags at him incessantly. Because there's something tugging at him from his subconscious mind, physically forbidding him from taking her life. That same tug requires and urges him to spare Ashmara time and time again. He tries not to dwell on it, until he's physically unable to . And what follows is the start of a quest, years in the making, to avenge not one life lost, but two...
First, I was really impressed with how Jerrock was written. He was abducted when he was young and turned into a Sky assassin, likely surviving something others before him had not. And for the remainder of his life until the events of this book, he knew no other way of life. He had all but forgotten his past , yet his connection to the Sky planet prevented him from connecting the dots on his own. He's cold and calculated, focused entirely on his mission. And the concept of being sidetracked by anything at all does not exist in his world. At least, not unless Ashmara is involved. It isn't until he's freed of his mental chains that things become much clearer for him, and the memories that had been forcibly suppressed all came rushing back. And the shift in his personality is very noticeable almost immediately . He learns Ashmara being his most outstanding contract, and his only "failure", is no coincidence , but in the beginning it confuses him greatly why certain aspects of his prime and only target bother him. Namely, Ashmara's addiction, which was always a point of severe agitation for him. As if all things Ashmara weren't frustrating enough for him, her addiction is a glaring and very exploitable weakness for him to capitalize on, and he can't take advantage of it no matter the circumstances. She is as elusive on muuir as she is sober , but it all serves as a calculated ruse to eventually lure Jerrock into her trap.
Addiction aside, there's another reason it can be hard to relate to Ashmara. While she's no stranger to the series, we've been given scant clues about her background before Sky. From her first appearance in Heimo, to her cameos in Kor, Lemora and Evernor, Ashmara and her origins remained a mystery to us. But as we learn in Sky, her fearlessness and bravado mask a mountain of painful memories, and her addiction is the coping mechanism she uses to keep them at bay. Because for all Ashmara does, she can't forget what happened that fateful day all those years ago . However, she doesn't let these weaknesses hold her back or lose her sense of purpose. And to be fair to her character, the addiction doesn't change her personality much either. Ashmara also experiences a shift in her personality much in the same way Jerrock does after he's freed . She is her own character outside of her past , she has forged her own name, her own reputation, and her own path in the stars as an Eshmiri reaver. And even though she sees Jerrock's existence as a personal fault, she aims to rectify this herself . Unbeknownst to her, she isn't the only one to have come up with this plan. For all of Ashmara's calculations and craftiness, Jerrock has mastered it all and more. And Ashmara soon learns the lives she saved over the years are indebted to her and are willing to risk their own to save her.
Ashmara had questionable responses to Jerrock about halfway through the story, but this was a reasonable response to the circumstances she found herself in. First, it should be worth noting that although her plan to free Jerrock was incredibly risky despite being successful, she had a clear end goal in mind. She hoped that being free from the reprogramming would mentally "snap" Jerrock out of his Sky mentality, that he would remember who he used to be and he would remember her too . He would go back to being Azza. She wanted this to be the start of a new life for them both, free from the trauma of their past. But Ashmara's dreams are short-lived; Jerrock is able to simultaneously process and reconcile both of his identities - - after he is freed. And initially, he's hostile to Ashmara's attempts at jogging his past memory. Not long into the story, Ashmara begins lying to Jerrock, even after they've reconciled their past lives with their present lives. And the reason for this is very simple. Ashmara found herself having to meet Azza as the worst possible version of himself: Jerrock. It's a moment that makes the reader wonder: who could they have been if things had been different? If the Sky assassins never raided their ship? Where could they have gone or what could they have done with their lives? Ashmara eventually admits that Jerrock scares her, and because of this fear, there's a part of her that doesn't trust him. And how can you trust someone you fear with the truth?
The central theme of Taken to Sky is one of personal sacrifice, and Stephens masterfully weaves it into every aspect of the story. Azza sacrifices himself to spare Rook when the Sky assassins board the ship they were on and kill everyone in sight . Ashmara sacrifices herself to save her Eshmiri family . She makes another sacrifice when they're temporarily safe from harm's way . And Ashmara sacrifices herself for a final time, but this time for Jerrock's sake .
But personal sacrifice comes from love, another theme of the story and something Ashmara reminds Jerrock of time and time again. Azza loved Rook enough to be abducted in her place, so she would be spared the horrors awaiting them at the hands of the Sky planet. Ashmara loves her Eshmiri family enough to endanger herself, simultaneously ensuring their safety. Jerrock loved Ashmara enough to be willing to sacrifice himself to take vengeance on the Sky planet for destroying both of their lives. Ashmara loved Jerrock enough to willingly subject herself to an agonizingly painful ordeal for his sake, and enough to spare his life and be abducted by the Sky planet , much in the same way that he had done for her years earlier. But Jerrock being, well, Jerrock, took longer to understand this concept. What he went through after being abducted all but distorted his moral compass. Love was a foreign concept that took him much of the book to fully understand, considering his past. But even if he didn't understand what it was at the time, it was this same love that kept Jerrock tethered to her. It made him go back for her with the force of all the Quadrants to her aid, with her Eshmiri reavers at the front lines . Although, what's done is done. Jerrock is still Jerrock, will remain Jerrock and always spoke of Azza in the past tense , and the same is said of Ashmara and Rook. But what they both go through and experience in the story speaks to an underlying truth about love - to be loved is to be changed.
It's still hard for me to believe that the series has officially ended. This series breathed new life into the sci-fi romance genre. The originality is so refreshing and it still feels like there's a lot of life left in the universe that Stephens built. Along with the love and diversity given to all the main characters, I can see this series being an indie author classic within the genre (assuming it doesn't have that title already!). This conclusion to a much beloved series is a definite 5/5 stars from me. Ashmara and Jerrock, both broken in different ways, found and mended pieces of themselves within each other and were more than deserving of their HEA. If you like your romances with a diverse cast of characters, including flawed and believable heroes, rich in world-building, character depth and development, do yourself the biggest favor and start reading this series immediately . I promise you will not regret it!!
April 2, 2023
What a beautiful ending
I won’t pretend I’m happy about the end of the Xiveri Mate series. Because I am most certainly NOT. I haven’t been this enrapt in a series as I was with this one, and I am sad it’s at its end. But it was a fun, emotional ride.
From the moment we met Ashmara and, shortly after, met Jerrock, I knew I couldn’t wait to read their story. Taken to Nobu is my freaking favorite of the series, but I anticipated this one even more than that. And it did not disappoint. Their love/bond transcended time and trauma and was beyond touching. The multiple battles they had to fight to be together were finally worth it. To see this softer side of Ashmara and the more human side of Jerrock was something extraordinary. Though at times I didn’t like HOW soft Ashmara was becoming, she still had her reaver ways, just in a gentler, less inebriated fashion.
I did wish to get to know a little more about the Architects. They have been talked up as nightmare fuel, and I was a little disappointed we didn’t get a little more from them. They were a cliff note in the rescue mission, and I needed a little more. But that’s just me nitpicking because I live for the drama of a villain fight 😜
TLDR - this was a great book in an excellent series. And I can’t flippin wait for the next adventure.
I won’t pretend I’m happy about the end of the Xiveri Mate series. Because I am most certainly NOT. I haven’t been this enrapt in a series as I was with this one, and I am sad it’s at its end. But it was a fun, emotional ride.
From the moment we met Ashmara and, shortly after, met Jerrock, I knew I couldn’t wait to read their story. Taken to Nobu is my freaking favorite of the series, but I anticipated this one even more than that. And it did not disappoint. Their love/bond transcended time and trauma and was beyond touching. The multiple battles they had to fight to be together were finally worth it. To see this softer side of Ashmara and the more human side of Jerrock was something extraordinary. Though at times I didn’t like HOW soft Ashmara was becoming, she still had her reaver ways, just in a gentler, less inebriated fashion.
I did wish to get to know a little more about the Architects. They have been talked up as nightmare fuel, and I was a little disappointed we didn’t get a little more from them. They were a cliff note in the rescue mission, and I needed a little more. But that’s just me nitpicking because I live for the drama of a villain fight 😜
TLDR - this was a great book in an excellent series. And I can’t flippin wait for the next adventure.
June 18, 2025
I really wanted to like this but the flashback to her first time ruined the story. She said no multiple times, took back consent and was obviously uncomfortable/in pain. He kept going. I do understand his goal in this scene; he’s there to kill her and ends up killing the guy she hired to sleep with her instead, so he takes over. I don’t care that he’s still thinking about his mission while fucking her – rape is rape. The love interest raped his fated mated :)
January 1, 2026
prefacing this with: yes, i know this is my particular cup of tea. but this book GENUINELY made me tweak out
1. avengers endgame-esque final-boss fight: everyone in the universe comes together to fight the #1 big bad that we've been building up to over the past nine books + manages to tie up all the loose strings in a way that is satisfying but remains open
2. ties together the entire 9 book narrative arc with a (kinda corny, but whatever) throughline about the role of the human race in this multi-species universe and what separates the human experience from others (i loved this a lot)
3. we've been riding along with FL for so long, and she's so so lovable. then we get this awesome backstory to ML that builds so much lore to a fight that's been protracted over the last four novels. then they have a ridiculously awesome love story. (ML is SUPER morally gray, which....i like...)
4. the found family of it all made me genuinely crash out and stare at the wall
there are books out there that are touted as good-literature books that end up not having so much substance. then there are books (admittedly less frequently) that are branded as chick-lit based on their subject matter but end up being more rich than one might expect. this is an example of the latter.
clearly, the range of this entire series shows off ms. stephen's writing chops - from the light-hearted to the incredibly dark, she covers all kinds of romance, explores a variety of philosophical space-related topics, and crafts characters that are both distinct yet harmonious.
-1 star unfortunately for some pacing issues in this particular book, but my enjoyment was 15/10
i'm so sad this series is over...
1. avengers endgame-esque final-boss fight: everyone in the universe comes together to fight the #1 big bad that we've been building up to over the past nine books + manages to tie up all the loose strings in a way that is satisfying but remains open
2. ties together the entire 9 book narrative arc with a (kinda corny, but whatever) throughline about the role of the human race in this multi-species universe and what separates the human experience from others (i loved this a lot)
3. we've been riding along with FL for so long, and she's so so lovable. then we get this awesome backstory to ML that builds so much lore to a fight that's been protracted over the last four novels. then they have a ridiculously awesome love story. (ML is SUPER morally gray, which....i like...)
4. the found family of it all made me genuinely crash out and stare at the wall
there are books out there that are touted as good-literature books that end up not having so much substance. then there are books (admittedly less frequently) that are branded as chick-lit based on their subject matter but end up being more rich than one might expect. this is an example of the latter.
clearly, the range of this entire series shows off ms. stephen's writing chops - from the light-hearted to the incredibly dark, she covers all kinds of romance, explores a variety of philosophical space-related topics, and crafts characters that are both distinct yet harmonious.
-1 star unfortunately for some pacing issues in this particular book, but my enjoyment was 15/10
i'm so sad this series is over...
March 20, 2023
It’s the couple we’ve all been “patiently” waiting for…and they did not disappoint. I have been waiting for this book FOREVER….and it was totally worth the wait. The top Sky assassin nemesis and his giggly wiley over-the-top target that is the darling of the skies….so you see how that works, 1 adored and 1…not so much.
These two get up to so much shit and shenanigans…it’s a wild ride from the start to the end. She did the series so much justice with this fantastic final book aka the final shitstorm of Ashmara and Jerrock.
Safe read, with the couple we’ve all been “patiently” waiting for. Fantastic series finale, to an equally fantastic series. We get to see all of our favorites from the series, and I just loved how she wrapped it up. It was the perfect end to one of my favorite series. I’m not crying..,you are…ok, I am sobbing like the baby I am. I am going to miss this series so much, because it’s like a family to me. Thank you Elizabeth Stephens for taking me on this journey with you and all of your amazing characters. They will be truly missed. Probably need to get a Xiveri Mates support group together, at least I need the support. I will always want more of this series, and more in this universe (hint, hint….subtle like a Mack truck).
These two get up to so much shit and shenanigans…it’s a wild ride from the start to the end. She did the series so much justice with this fantastic final book aka the final shitstorm of Ashmara and Jerrock.
Safe read, with the couple we’ve all been “patiently” waiting for. Fantastic series finale, to an equally fantastic series. We get to see all of our favorites from the series, and I just loved how she wrapped it up. It was the perfect end to one of my favorite series. I’m not crying..,you are…ok, I am sobbing like the baby I am. I am going to miss this series so much, because it’s like a family to me. Thank you Elizabeth Stephens for taking me on this journey with you and all of your amazing characters. They will be truly missed. Probably need to get a Xiveri Mates support group together, at least I need the support. I will always want more of this series, and more in this universe (hint, hint….subtle like a Mack truck).
April 5, 2023
3.5/4 ⭐️ Rounded to 4.
There are things I loved about this book and things I did not like as much.
We get to see Ashmara struggle with her addiction and recognizing Jerrock is not the same kit she remembers. I found the journey of Ashmara getting clean and Jerrock being there for her something that made my heart warm. To see her determination and his love really made me like this couple.
I don’t like the trope of friends to lovers but in this case it was friends to enemies to lovers. That helped a lot and the fact that what we had for them so far was Jerrock hunting Ashmara.
My BIG issue was the way she lost her virginity. Sure, if she knew that the man she was being intimate with was Jerrock she would have jumped for it but she didn’t know. And by him doing that while in disguise of someone else feels wrong. It’s very much dubious, which I don’t mind sometimes in books but when it comes up to mates, it just seems odd. I just feel as if Ashmara should have not accepted the fact so soon.
HOWEVER, it all worked out in the end and I loved the Avengers type ending where everyone comes together! Happy to see the other couples!
There are things I loved about this book and things I did not like as much.
We get to see Ashmara struggle with her addiction and recognizing Jerrock is not the same kit she remembers. I found the journey of Ashmara getting clean and Jerrock being there for her something that made my heart warm. To see her determination and his love really made me like this couple.
I don’t like the trope of friends to lovers but in this case it was friends to enemies to lovers. That helped a lot and the fact that what we had for them so far was Jerrock hunting Ashmara.
My BIG issue was the way she lost her virginity. Sure, if she knew that the man she was being intimate with was Jerrock she would have jumped for it but she didn’t know. And by him doing that while in disguise of someone else feels wrong. It’s very much dubious, which I don’t mind sometimes in books but when it comes up to mates, it just seems odd. I just feel as if Ashmara should have not accepted the fact so soon.
HOWEVER, it all worked out in the end and I loved the Avengers type ending where everyone comes together! Happy to see the other couples!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 28, 2023
****ARC***ARC***ARC****
“That is what I give you,” he whispers as he crawls towards me, “and that is what you will give me.”
I wanted to take my time. I wanted to cherish every damn sentence for it is the last Book in the series. But no. NOT WITH ELISABETH! She must have mixed chocolate with in her words because this book sucked me in. Power couple and the hottest in this universe is an understatement. Ashmara and Jerrock are spice lava and you need fire proof gloves when reading this book! (and do not forget to hydrate!) The Action makes you want to participate beside the fact that you may die if really there. This SciFi Dark Romance will hold you on a chokehold and you will like it very much. It is a bittersweet feeling reading the last book in the series but it did not disappoint and now I am left to ask once again what is the meaning of life after such a glorious read! Thank you Elisabeth Stephens for the Xiveri Mate Series. I am so grateful experiencing your journey from Book one till now and it has been a privilege to do so.
****ARC***ARC***ARC****
“That is what I give you,” he whispers as he crawls towards me, “and that is what you will give me.”
I wanted to take my time. I wanted to cherish every damn sentence for it is the last Book in the series. But no. NOT WITH ELISABETH! She must have mixed chocolate with in her words because this book sucked me in. Power couple and the hottest in this universe is an understatement. Ashmara and Jerrock are spice lava and you need fire proof gloves when reading this book! (and do not forget to hydrate!) The Action makes you want to participate beside the fact that you may die if really there. This SciFi Dark Romance will hold you on a chokehold and you will like it very much. It is a bittersweet feeling reading the last book in the series but it did not disappoint and now I am left to ask once again what is the meaning of life after such a glorious read! Thank you Elisabeth Stephens for the Xiveri Mate Series. I am so grateful experiencing your journey from Book one till now and it has been a privilege to do so.
****ARC***ARC***ARC****
August 18, 2025
No. Absolutely not.
1) Literally some of the most annoying audiobook narration in the entire series. Did it switch midway? Idk what happened but I could not STAND MMC's voice. At all. Drove me insane.
2) Uhm...yeah, I don't care if the MMC is a fucking cyborg, you will never convince me that fated mates will Chapter 14 each other. There. That's your spoiler protection. (And then when FMC finds out about it and confronts MMC, he has the audacity to CHASTISE HER INSTEAD?? WTF AM I READING RN???)
3) are we actually approaching a 'now that I’m in love I won’t be an addict' plot line? rly? this is not how any of this works...this is the direction we're heading in? Up til now, the addiction plot line was the most realistic thing this book had going for it! ughhhh
4) "this talk of genocide is making me hot"
I'm...I beg your finest croissant chewing pardon...let me just play that back for a sec-
yup, yup that is a direct quote. that's gonna be a no from me dawg.
1) Literally some of the most annoying audiobook narration in the entire series. Did it switch midway? Idk what happened but I could not STAND MMC's voice. At all. Drove me insane.
2) Uhm...yeah, I don't care if the MMC is a fucking cyborg, you will never convince me that fated mates will Chapter 14 each other. There. That's your spoiler protection. (And then when FMC finds out about it and confronts MMC, he has the audacity to CHASTISE HER INSTEAD?? WTF AM I READING RN???)
3) are we actually approaching a 'now that I’m in love I won’t be an addict' plot line? rly? this is not how any of this works...this is the direction we're heading in? Up til now, the addiction plot line was the most realistic thing this book had going for it! ughhhh
4) "this talk of genocide is making me hot"
I'm...I beg your finest croissant chewing pardon...let me just play that back for a sec-
yup, yup that is a direct quote. that's gonna be a no from me dawg.
April 5, 2023
[GASP ] Its the end........!!!!😪😪😪😪
Awww,its the ECKING end , and , although thus book was magnificent, ......its the END !!!!!!!
Ashmara , the Eshmiri reaver , has her chance at HEA, and its a fight every step of the way !!!
Mostly because her childhood, " friend " , is now a Sky assassin. And he is after Her !!!!
Jerrock is soooo confused. He is an assassin , who has the contract on Ashmara, but he can't seem to actually kill her. His one failure......
But no one else will kill her as long as he is alive.
But Ashmara , somehow , manages to completely "F" , up his plans !!!!
This book was one wild ride that I Never want to get off of !!! Now I am gonna need some book therapy , because this is It !!!!!
Soooo glad I picked this series up !!!! I will be re reading these books. Often....
Awww,its the ECKING end , and , although thus book was magnificent, ......its the END !!!!!!!
Ashmara , the Eshmiri reaver , has her chance at HEA, and its a fight every step of the way !!!
Mostly because her childhood, " friend " , is now a Sky assassin. And he is after Her !!!!
Jerrock is soooo confused. He is an assassin , who has the contract on Ashmara, but he can't seem to actually kill her. His one failure......
But no one else will kill her as long as he is alive.
But Ashmara , somehow , manages to completely "F" , up his plans !!!!
This book was one wild ride that I Never want to get off of !!! Now I am gonna need some book therapy , because this is It !!!!!
Soooo glad I picked this series up !!!! I will be re reading these books. Often....
September 3, 2025
I said it and I will say it again. PLEASE USE TRIGGER WARNINGS!! Chapter 14 made me so uncomfortable with the r*pe… She withdrew her consent, asked him to stop multiple times.. so disgusting and is not at all okay just because he is an assassin and fking traumatised.
Oh and he didn‘t feel really guilty for it and didn‘t grovel at all and she just accepted it after a bit of anger. Like a doormat…
The 180 turn of Jerrock after her withdrawal gave me the creeps.. Suddenly she is his Xiveri mate??? HUHH?? Where did he get that from? Did I skip something??
I was expecting so much with this one. Still enjoyed some of it, but the Non consent made everything have an aftertaste that I did not enjoy.
Oh and he didn‘t feel really guilty for it and didn‘t grovel at all and she just accepted it after a bit of anger. Like a doormat…
The 180 turn of Jerrock after her withdrawal gave me the creeps.. Suddenly she is his Xiveri mate??? HUHH?? Where did he get that from? Did I skip something??
I was expecting so much with this one. Still enjoyed some of it, but the Non consent made everything have an aftertaste that I did not enjoy.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 23, 2023
4.5⭐️
thank you elizabeth for sending me an arc!! so proud of you for this one <3
WOW WHAT AN ENDING!!!!! i’m both sad that the series is over and so grateful to how elizabeth ended it. like literally the ending was PERFECT!! we got to see so many familiar faces & hear about familiar planets and my heart was so happy 😌 now this book put me THROUGH it omfg. i was crying from the first chapter and all that happened and that just kept happening throughout whenever it was referenced. ashmara&jerrock are definitely a great couple - they didn’t make my top fave of the list but i still loved them. i loved them more towards the end of the book - in the beginning and the middle, i was just so torn on what to feel for either of them because my heart was just hurting so much. all-in-all, this was a solid book!! i honestly wish we had gotten to see more of them as kids, although i don’t think my heart could have taken it lol
⚠️: addiction, drug abuse, drug use, mc detoxing, violence, death, kidnapping, genocide, war, mutilation, body horror, dub con
thank you elizabeth for sending me an arc!! so proud of you for this one <3
WOW WHAT AN ENDING!!!!! i’m both sad that the series is over and so grateful to how elizabeth ended it. like literally the ending was PERFECT!! we got to see so many familiar faces & hear about familiar planets and my heart was so happy 😌 now this book put me THROUGH it omfg. i was crying from the first chapter and all that happened and that just kept happening throughout whenever it was referenced. ashmara&jerrock are definitely a great couple - they didn’t make my top fave of the list but i still loved them. i loved them more towards the end of the book - in the beginning and the middle, i was just so torn on what to feel for either of them because my heart was just hurting so much. all-in-all, this was a solid book!! i honestly wish we had gotten to see more of them as kids, although i don’t think my heart could have taken it lol
⚠️: addiction, drug abuse, drug use, mc detoxing, violence, death, kidnapping, genocide, war, mutilation, body horror, dub con
February 22, 2024
Coming off of Drugs
SPOILER ALERT: Wow, this book was an awesome ride. It began with kitlings torn from each other, reunited in the future, torn from each other once again and finally reunited with each other to live HEA we all dream of. The intermediate step was the not to be forgotten detox scenes of both the hero and heroine and once sober, the battle between the muuir induced state of normalcy and the current state of sobriety. All of this happened against the backdrop of Jerrock's totally devoid understanding of the complexities of friendship (which he overcame at the end).
SPOILER ALERT: Wow, this book was an awesome ride. It began with kitlings torn from each other, reunited in the future, torn from each other once again and finally reunited with each other to live HEA we all dream of. The intermediate step was the not to be forgotten detox scenes of both the hero and heroine and once sober, the battle between the muuir induced state of normalcy and the current state of sobriety. All of this happened against the backdrop of Jerrock's totally devoid understanding of the complexities of friendship (which he overcame at the end).
March 28, 2023
Hmmmmmm. I dunno. This had a lot of unexpected twists and turns but something felt like it was missing. Maybe knowing this is the last in the series I expected like a chapter for each of the couples to like close them out?? Idk.
There was something so lovely about Jerrock and Ashmara finally coming together after the cat and mouse game for so long. It was surprising what was revealed.
The spice was ok. I would’ve loved a little more lovey dovey shit considering everything.
I personally think Jerrock had the most growth, we love to see it.
There was something so lovely about Jerrock and Ashmara finally coming together after the cat and mouse game for so long. It was surprising what was revealed.
The spice was ok. I would’ve loved a little more lovey dovey shit considering everything.
I personally think Jerrock had the most growth, we love to see it.
September 4, 2024
Loved everything about this book except the fact Jerrock impersonates a prostitute and rapes Ashamara. He even moved when she asks him to slow down, sawing in and out of her and not giving a shit when she cries. And even when they have sex for the first time, he ignored her yelling wait and for him to stop, all because he “has no restraint”. He also is incredibly angry and jealous over the idea of her having sex meanwhile he acknowledges he was skilled in the art of seduction and obviously sees no issue with his hypocrisy.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 26, 2023
Wow what a ride!!! I've been looking forward to Jerrock and Ashmaras story for so long and I can definitely say it didn't at all dissapoint.
I'm not going to say anything else about their story, other than I highly recommend it.
I have absolutely loved this series and gutted that it's finished, so will just have plenty re-reads in the future.
I'm so happy that I stumbled upon this author.
I'm not going to say anything else about their story, other than I highly recommend it.
I have absolutely loved this series and gutted that it's finished, so will just have plenty re-reads in the future.
I'm so happy that I stumbled upon this author.
April 11, 2023
I was dying to finally read Ashmara and Jerrock story and let me tell you it didn't disappoint!!! Their Xiveri bond is, dare I say, the strongest one yet and boy each an every one of the ups and downs in their love story has left mea crying, breathless, an swooning mess.
The fact that all the known universe has rally behind them to finally put an end to the most horrible beings and practices is the icing on the cake.
Absolutely stunning book and an even more stunning series!
The fact that all the known universe has rally behind them to finally put an end to the most horrible beings and practices is the icing on the cake.
Absolutely stunning book and an even more stunning series!
April 25, 2023
Complex characters and delicious angst. Lots of good quotes too. Really liked Jerrock’s character development. His pov was cool to read and I liked how he thought and talked. Thought it was cool how he forced himself to smile and laugh just because he could finally feel. It felt more of a complex human reaction to the trauma he went though and was more balanced than just being the silent broody type.
March 27, 2023
I have been waiting for the final books in this series, and they did not disappoint.
Jerrock is an alien hybrid assassin.
Ashmara is the Reaver, drug addict who keeps getting away.
They are both on a mission of redemption. Willing to make sacrifices along the way.
This book details what it means to have family, to have friends, and what it means to be loved.
Take a Ways
*Azza always lets Rook win.
*Black human hybrid
In Taken to Sky (Book 9) and Taken to Revatu ( Book 10), everything is wrapped up in a nice little bow.
Jerrock is an alien hybrid assassin.
Ashmara is the Reaver, drug addict who keeps getting away.
They are both on a mission of redemption. Willing to make sacrifices along the way.
This book details what it means to have family, to have friends, and what it means to be loved.
Take a Ways
*Azza always lets Rook win.
*Black human hybrid
In Taken to Sky (Book 9) and Taken to Revatu ( Book 10), everything is wrapped up in a nice little bow.
April 9, 2023
she’s done it again!!
Once again, Elizabeth, Stephens has made another of my favorite books. For so much of the series we see the back-and-forth between the two main characters of this book. Now we get to see how it started and how it was meant to come together. It’s truly beautiful through both main characters struggles and pains.
Once again, Elizabeth, Stephens has made another of my favorite books. For so much of the series we see the back-and-forth between the two main characters of this book. Now we get to see how it started and how it was meant to come together. It’s truly beautiful through both main characters struggles and pains.
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