Claire Annovazzi

I love mise en abyme

Reviewed: 02-04-24 Listener received this title free

Those Mate Games series are really great, and each of them has a different setting–a supernatural college, a strange small town… And now an asylum, which was unexpected and interesting. Especially with various fairytales woven into the story.

Imagine thinking you’re a regular human, but ending up in an asylum for paranormal creatures after a tragic event, and discovering that you aren’t that normal after all. That’s what happens to Dahlia. I thought there was too little scepticism. I mean, you’re supposed to be surrounded by crazy people, and the ones you meet tell you they are all monsters of some sort, you would think they’re all imagining things. And yes, that happens, but Dahlia is quickly convinced. And strangely not worried at all. Of course, a lot of unexplainable things happen early in the story.

Also, she’s a writer and writes paranormal reverse harem. Ring a bell? I love mise en abyme. I’m curious about the artist’s craft, always, so if they talk about it through their art, I’m happy to peek behind the curtain. Here, Dahlia is the conduit of not one, but two authors, which makes it even more interesting. As Dahlia seems to use writing as a way to cope with her tragic past, I wonder how much of themselves the co-writers put into the character. And since Dahlia also writes about her fantasies, and unknowingly about her inner hidden–even to herself–self, they probably hint at their writing process. All very interesting things to explore.

The mise en abyme doesn’t stop there, as very well known fairytales are used, sometimes as metaphors, sometimes as themes, sometimes as character development. One of those fairytales being Beauty and the Beast–see the title–and books playing a big part in that particular story, is there even a mise en abyme in the mise en abyme? But you’ll find Peter Pan’s story referenced too, as one of the male characters is Hook. And bits of other tales here and there.

This is a story about stories. The ones we tell others, the ones we tell ourselves, the ones others try to sell us. There’s even a scene where the characters are watching a movie adaptation of a famous novel. So it makes perfect sense to have all those elements included.

But it’s also a perfectly crafted explicit–sometimes gruesome–reverse harem paranormal romance. There are multiple fantastic creatures, and unexplained events. I kind of enjoyed the general atmosphere. Since the setting is an asylum, and there’s a serial killer lurking around, it was a bit darker than the previous series, but I’m here for it. It was heavy on the sexy too, more than on the romantism, as it’s the very beginning of the series, but it’s okay. I don’t expect a slow burn in that kind of book.

The usual female narrator is back to play the main character, and I felt she fit perfectly. She’s also seconded by one of my favorite female narrators whose energy is a good complement. As for the male narrators, it sounds like the characters were written for them. It’s a perfect cast all around.

There are a lot of mysteries to unfold, and I can’t wait for the next book.

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The audiobook wasn’t up to par

Reviewed: 12-31-23

(audiobook) I loved the story itself. The intergalactic plot from the previous books continues, with a couple of new interesting twists. We also learn a bit more about the Arrisan society as a whole. And, of course the love story is unique once again.

Lia and Atana were interesting characters together. They had a lot in common, as they were both passengers in their own life, as Lia says. But by the end of the story, and because they met each other, they take back control over their life. They find their place in the world. Lia is a betrayed politician’s wife–little more than a trophy wife–and Atana is a blade whose dreams have been crushed and who doesn’t believe in the Arrisan world anymore. They have little to no power, or so they think.

The main thing that separates them is how they connect love and intimacy. Lia has been infected by lusteal, so she has unnatural urges. Hence she totally dissociates love and s*x. Furthermore, she hasn’t experienced love from her husband. On the opposite, Atana knows neither love nor desire, but once he discovers the latter with Lia, Arrisan myths make him connect it with love and he’s trying to understand the feeling. Fun thing is, they’re both wrong, as they learn at the end of their journey. You can have intimacy without feelings, and love without intimacy, but they enhance each other.

The book is mostly about how they grow as an individual, and how they grow together–what they discover about themselves–punctuated with a few more violent scenes and hints at an intrigue. When they’re on the verge of becoming a real couple, action takes the front seat. It was even a bit confusing at times. I’m not sure the author is up for space opera. But the pace was good, with enough dangers and time-sensitive action to keep me on the edge of my seat.

Unfortunately, the audiobook wasn’t up to par. Both narrators were perfect for their character–I could hear Atana’s nonchalance and Lia’s discretion–but not so good with other characters. It took me out of the story a couple of times. It wasn’t totally bad though, as they’re both experienced storytellers. It just could have been better.

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A good sizzling gay romance

Reviewed: 12-10-23

Though it was too sweet for my taste at times, I really enjoyed this book. It hit a lot of my sweet spots: the discovery of feelings, a lot of steam, a switching gay couple. The characters were interesting–Deacon, the moody rough guy, and Julian, the sweet and generous guy. Opposites definitely attract. And yet, in that context, it’s the grumpy man who’s ready to chase his happiness. Deacon is a big teddy bear, and you’ll like him as much as I did.

Even the secondary characters were well fleshed out and brought something more to the story each time they appeared. I loved Wade, Deacon’s best friend, and the way he accepted Deacon’s newfound sexuality without blinking. And at the same time, Deacon’s mother and the way she treated her son were heartwrenching.

It was a good sizzling gay romance, and I can’t rec it enough.

Though the narrators are good, and my favorite, I felt one of them wasn’t as good as usual–sometimes the narration wasn’t as fluid. Still a good audiobook though, and a beautiful story.

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Sexy, entertaining paranormal romance

Reviewed: 12-10-23

I was wondering where the author would go next with this series. In my opinion, she did even better with Tiernan’s story than she did with Caiden.

After Caiden abdicated in the previous book, his younger brother Tiernan is supposed to be crowned. Which makes his relationship with Fiona, the half-human housekeeper, a forbidden one. At first, Fiona and Tier are mostly friends with benefits–without being really friends either. They even banter quite a lot. But it’s clear from the beginning that there’s a bit more than just attraction between them: there’s respect and admiration. And yeah, a lot of attraction. I found it very telling and sweet that the things Fiona was the most insecure about were also the things Tiernan liked the most. As a dominant lover, Tiernan was quite selfless and attentive. Even the scenes they both participated in were different than most BDSM scenes written in romance.

If Beauty and the Beast was in the background of the first book, this time the author references Little Red Riding Hood. But not a lot. The fact that Fiona has red hair explains her nickname, Little Red, and that’s pretty much it. Tiernan is far from a big bad wolf–though there are some in the story–and there’s no grand-mother in sight. There are patterns of concealing one’s identity, though.

The other recurring metaphore is chess, as seen on the cover, and I guess it sums up the story pretty well too.

Besides the romance, the story revolves once again around the rivalry between the Dark and the Light faes. But the author added another surprising element: a human faction fighting against the faes. The racist subtext behind their actions was obvious too.

Politics and diplomacy were also a big part of the story. It was an interesting element, as Tiernan is introduced as a rebel, and you’d imagine that negociation and following rules wouldn’t be among his skills.

I could complain that some decisions they make while looking for the bad guys don’t make a lot of sense, but they bring Tiernan and Fiona together. So in the end, I won’t complain. It’s a sexy, entertaining paranormal romance, and that’s already a lot.

I knew, diving into this audio, that I would enjoy the narration, and I was right. Both narrators are great, and are perfectly cast. Tiernan’s narrator was light and funny when needed, and more introspective and deep at other times, while Fiona’s narrator’s energy matched with the character, bold and stubborn. It was a great way to enjoy the book.

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A good addition to the series

Reviewed: 10-25-23 Listener received this title free

I’m still not completely sure about Stormy and Torin’s relationship–Torin is mostly obsessed and Stormy is in need of a protector, beyond that and a lot of attraction, I didn’t see a lot of feelings for a long time. BUT the whole theme of searching for a place to belong to, for a family of one’s own, spoke to me for whatever reason.

After her adoptive parents’ death, Stormy has lost her place in the world. Searching for her origins, she ends up under the thumb of a violent and manipulative man. After she escapes, she stays on the move, and that’s why she doesn’t make connections. But she misses it so much that she starts making friends and a home when she begins working at Moxy. Where she meets Torin, her grumpy boss. Who’s stalking her.

Torin is grumpy because he too doesn’t want to make connections. A terrible event in his past taught him not to trust people. And keeping them at bay is the best way to not get hurt. But he becomes obsessed with Stormy.

The author chose to give us details about Stormy’s past in flashback chapters, little by little, and that was a great idea. She even hides some information until later in the book–to us, but even more to Torin. Basically, Torin and Stormy both keep a lot of secrets, because trust, or the lack of it, is at the center of their love story.

Lots of triggers, be warned. I won’t say what Torin is hiding, but just know that it isn’t pretty. Thankfully, the author spares us the details. As for Stormy’s story, there are way more details, and it’s a story of abuse and manipulation. Though it can be difficult to read, it’s important to get the full extent of what she went through, so we understand why she compares Torin with the man from her past, and why she doesn’t fully trust him at first.

But her past catches up with Stormy, and Torin vows to protect her. That’s really when they start to connect, because they need to trust each other. And that’s also when they connect with other people, mostly Torin’s familly. I loved that aspect.

A good addition to the series all in all.

The narrators were perfectly cast. The female narrator’s southern drawl was endearing and spot on for Stormy, and the male narrator performs, with equal talent, both Torin’s ruthlessness and his caring nature. Great narration for a great book.

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1 person found this helpful

I guess sometimes, it’s a miss

Reviewed: 09-26-23 Listener received this title free

I guess sometimes, it’s a miss. I wasn’t swept away by the story nor the characters.

I love age gap romances. There’s something illicitly exciting about them. But there must be a connection between the characters, a reason why the age difference doesn’t count. I couldn’t find it here. River and Gray couldn’t be more different, plus they both know they shouldn’t start a relationship–on top of being older, Gray is River’s dad’s friend, talk about awkward. Yet they succumb. When I feel there’s nothing more between them than an unhealthy childhood crush and lust.

As for the characters and despite the title, there wasn’t much enticing about them. I understand River’s abandonment issues, but she acted so bratty I couldn’t empathize. She also was too aggressive in her seduction of Gray, bordering on harassment. Grayson’s hang ups were too farfetched. Refusing relationship because he’s afraid of dying young, really? And that made him unbearably grumpy. His only redeeming trait was the way he interacted with his siblings.

Okay, and his romantic gestures. There were a few really heartfelt moments, including before they enter a relationship. The problem was the hot and cold, because the next moment, he refused to even see River and reversed to his grumpy self.

Since it was most of the book, it stalled a lot and was way too long for a simple story. And the two dramas–make it three with the little thing with River’s stepmother–came almost out of nowhere and felt unnecessary. Too bad, because had they been introduced earlier and not just vaguely suggested, they would have been interesting plot points.

The narrators could barely save this book. They were perfectly cast, especially the male narrator who was great with Gray’s older grumpy character. But even they couldn’t keep me completely invested.

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Tropey, standard characters, overused situations

Reviewed: 09-02-23 Listener received this title free

It was just okay. I mean, there was nothing really wrong with this book. It was just average–tropey plot, standard characters, overused situations. The writing could have been better too.

But it was interesting to get the story of the less famous member of a famous family, and her bodyguard. Especially when it’s almost romcom at first, and then something darker happens. I liked how it escalated, with some violence happening around the main characters until it catches up with them.

The reason why it happened though? Let’s just say that was a bold move from the author. I admit it surprised me, in a good way. Sure, it was disturbing and maybe a bit dubious, but it was original. That was some twist.

I wasn’t much into the relationship. I’m not sure if it was because of the narration–it was a bit dull–or because of the writing itself, but I didn’t believe in their chemistry. The idea of them together was nice, the execution not so much.

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A pleasant listen all in all

Reviewed: 08-31-23 Listener received this title free

Though it wasn’t my favorite in the series, I was pleasantly charmed by this book. The characters were interesting, and they had good chemistry.

One of the aspects I enjoyed the most was how Jax was building a relationship with his daughter. It wasn’t easy–because of family drama that was a bit too much, the girl’s mother sure was something else. And I loved that Ari helped.

Ari was a great character, with ambition and a good head on her shoulders, but also with talent and creativity, and she’s overall good people. Which made some of her choices questionable. It takes some time for her to redefine her priorities. But that’s the character’s journey, and it was enjoyable to see her grow.

The banter was fun, there was a little bit of steam, and many characters from the series made cameos. What’s not to love?

The narrators did a good job with the characters. They played the characters’ strengths pretty well and gave them the right energy. The weak point was the other sex’s voices, but it wasn’t outrageous. It was a pleasant listen all in all.

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Two hours well spent

Reviewed: 08-05-23

It’s short, so you can’t expect much from it. But it works.

Both authors bring their own thing to this book: one is all about the banter and the tropes, the other knows baseball like the back of their hand. They mix well, making it a pleasant read. I felt the cameos from their series were little more than fanservice though, as they didn’t bring anything to the story.

As for the story itself, it’s pretty formulaic. Rivals to lovers, check. Flirty banter, check. Sexy situations, check. Grumpy/sunshine, check. In fact, this last trope is so prominent that the characters aren’t more defined than that. Even their backstories don’t add much to them.

And since it’s so short, there’s little to no angst, and nothing really threatens their relationship, there’s no conflict. They just need to come to terms with being together, which is the journey told in this story: how they become a couple. That’s it.

The narrators did their job. They were well cast for the characters, one acting like a cocky athlete, the other like a grumpy cinnamon roll, like they were born to do it. So even though they couldn’t bring all their talent to such a light story, they did well enough that it was two hours well spent.

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Happy with this romance with character in their 40

Reviewed: 07-18-23

For once, I didn’t have to read a story about 20yos discovering the love of their life almost at first try. I know there’s a lot of content about older people, but the authors I read don’t usually write about them. So I was quite happy with this romance with characters in their forties. Also, characters who have relationship experiences–though I felt theirs were a bit cliché.

I mean, I believe that there isn’t just one love for each of us and that you can fall in love a couple of times. But in this case, Hayden’s and Mack’s pasts are the reasons for their hangups. And the fact that they had both similar experiences–though not totally the same–connects them in a way. When your spouse thinks of you only as an accessory, or in terms of what you can bring to them, and forgets you are a real person with a bruising heart, it hurts. On top of that, Hayden’s changes in her body damaged her self-confidence. They come to this relationship as wounded people.

That’s why it starts as a one night stand. They right away decide that they don’t want another relationship, they just want to take back their life, if you will. And that’s where they almost lost me. Thankfully, the author writes several scenes where Mack and Hayden connect on another level, because I’d have had a hard time believing that you could fall in love with one night together. That’s basically what happens. Also, because they’ve had painful experiences before, it felt like they just got attached to the first person that treated them well. I was a little uncomfortable, to be honest.

But the author really develops their relationship. It’s still very fast, but that’s what suspension of disbelief exists for.

In the last stretch of the book, the author makes a 180 and the story turns into a romantic suspense. It came a bit out of nowhere–though she gives some hint along the way, the reader just hasn’t enough information to connect the dots. But it gives the story a little needed boost before it would become another instalove romance with a happy ending. It was surprising, but not unwelcome.

The narrators were really good. The slight accents were interesting too. The male narrator does a perfect broody older guy, and the female narrator offers the adequate energy to Hayden. They make the book better, in my opinion.

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