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Rise of the Iliri #1
BloodLust
It’s a treacherous road to belonging—and once you find it, you could lose everything.
In an exotic world caught in the throes of a seemingly endless war, a nation of terrorists under the thumb of an evil Emperor has set out to systematically destroy every race but their own. And they’re just about to succeed. Lauded fantasy author Auryn Hadley (The Demons’ Muse romantic fantasy series) compellingly blends heart-stopping action-adventure, heart-breaking ethics, and toe-curling sensuality, all through the lens of a Daenerys Targaryen-esque lead—the likes of which the fantasy genre hasn’t yet seen.
When you were once a slave, freed only to become a ruthless warrior, "belonging" seems a trite concept. A pipe dream, the stuff of naive fairy tales. But not for Salryc Luxx. Private Luxx—Sal for short—is iliri, a member of an untamable race surreptitiously dubbed "their kind" by humans and bred thousands of years ago to protect them. Humans consider them expendable, barely more than animals. Freaks. But in a karmic twist of fate, they’re also one of mankind’s most feared predators. Abused and enslaved, the only control Sal has over her life is what military unit she serves with – if she's good enough to be accepted – and the only one to consider her is the best in the land, the Black Blades.
Everyone has secrets, and the Blades are no different. But acceptance into the Blades gives Sal something she never expected—the family she’s never had, and with it, the undying protection of seven of the greatest warriors the world has ever seen. It also gifts her a devoted line of potential mates. Many of her fellow warriors will submit to the bloodlust that overtakes her in the heat of battle and can only be quenched by rough, passionate lovemaking (making way for the steamiest of love scenes). Though it’s not all war and sex. Sal very gradually cultivates deeply loving, evolving relationships with each of the Black Blades, which morphs as a unit into a reverse harem as sweet as it is fierce, and as protective as it is impassioned.
But belonging has its own price. Each of the Blades would die to protect Sal. And it’s only a matter of time before the enemy moves to use this against her.Author Hadley has crafted a unique epic fantasy—and an absolute roller coaster of emotions. Her heroine, Sal, is as loving as she is ferocious, and the demons she battles—and the way she beats them—underlie a delicate exploration of the ethical and political battles we face in every war we fight. Hadley’s clever takes on racial prejudice are subtle, yet damning—and her idea of sexual politics is a rip-roaring turn-on. Every female reader will want to be Sal… and every male, like the guys in the book, will fall for her.
The first book in the Rise of the Iliri series. BloodLust does not end with a cliffhanger. It does contain adult themes, thus may not be suitable for younger readers.
In an exotic world caught in the throes of a seemingly endless war, a nation of terrorists under the thumb of an evil Emperor has set out to systematically destroy every race but their own. And they’re just about to succeed. Lauded fantasy author Auryn Hadley (The Demons’ Muse romantic fantasy series) compellingly blends heart-stopping action-adventure, heart-breaking ethics, and toe-curling sensuality, all through the lens of a Daenerys Targaryen-esque lead—the likes of which the fantasy genre hasn’t yet seen.
When you were once a slave, freed only to become a ruthless warrior, "belonging" seems a trite concept. A pipe dream, the stuff of naive fairy tales. But not for Salryc Luxx. Private Luxx—Sal for short—is iliri, a member of an untamable race surreptitiously dubbed "their kind" by humans and bred thousands of years ago to protect them. Humans consider them expendable, barely more than animals. Freaks. But in a karmic twist of fate, they’re also one of mankind’s most feared predators. Abused and enslaved, the only control Sal has over her life is what military unit she serves with – if she's good enough to be accepted – and the only one to consider her is the best in the land, the Black Blades.
Everyone has secrets, and the Blades are no different. But acceptance into the Blades gives Sal something she never expected—the family she’s never had, and with it, the undying protection of seven of the greatest warriors the world has ever seen. It also gifts her a devoted line of potential mates. Many of her fellow warriors will submit to the bloodlust that overtakes her in the heat of battle and can only be quenched by rough, passionate lovemaking (making way for the steamiest of love scenes). Though it’s not all war and sex. Sal very gradually cultivates deeply loving, evolving relationships with each of the Black Blades, which morphs as a unit into a reverse harem as sweet as it is fierce, and as protective as it is impassioned.
But belonging has its own price. Each of the Blades would die to protect Sal. And it’s only a matter of time before the enemy moves to use this against her.Author Hadley has crafted a unique epic fantasy—and an absolute roller coaster of emotions. Her heroine, Sal, is as loving as she is ferocious, and the demons she battles—and the way she beats them—underlie a delicate exploration of the ethical and political battles we face in every war we fight. Hadley’s clever takes on racial prejudice are subtle, yet damning—and her idea of sexual politics is a rip-roaring turn-on. Every female reader will want to be Sal… and every male, like the guys in the book, will fall for her.
The first book in the Rise of the Iliri series. BloodLust does not end with a cliffhanger. It does contain adult themes, thus may not be suitable for younger readers.
393 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 2, 2016
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August 29, 2017
Full review to follow, but, in short, I am heavily on the fence with this one.
29/08/2017
Ok , now , let me explain the "on the fence" thing.
This is a list of things that irritated me in this book- some are minor and some are not:
• It really annoyed me how often everyone giggles, and that includes men (alternatives: sneer, titter, snort, guffaw, snigger, chuckle – pick one or all , but please stop men from giggling)
• The vagueness and scarceness of the world-building and historic background - there is just not enough of cohesive information to have a clear picture of geographic, political and socio-economic structure of this particular world. This is exacerbated by author’s “stylising” - we have carriages for transportation, mounted soldiers, short skirts with bustles, stockings, leather corsets and make-up for women but we also have resin, ceramic and acrylic (which is a petro – chemical product that requires and extensive and sophisticated manufacturing process - so where is the industry? ) weapons. Some of those combinations, at least for me were too bizzare to work.
• How stupid or blind the military have to be not to know that majority of Black Blades, the elite unit, are at least part Iliri? LT, who is half Iliri, kept saying that if military finds out, the Black Blades will be disbanded. Does not anyone do a background check? There is absolutely no logic in all that.
• The hardest thing for me to swallow was dynamics between Sal and both Black Blades as a unit and LT in particular. This was such a case of “insta- acceptance-friend - lover” that it had me going:”No way!” My acquired over the year’s touch of cynicism could not accept that “Snow White and 7 dwarves” syndrome, especially if all the dwarves had hots for Snow White but decided that it was ok with them as she is shtumping Doc (and Dopy and Grumpy later on, or maybe they were waiting/hoping for their turn, but then Doc gets pissy). I am not that gullible. Iliri or not – testosterone will get in the way and no effective military unit can function in such environment. I won’t even mention Sal’s “ability” (hint - in very popular comics it is considered to be a mutation). Even in the fantasy there should be certain logic that makes what is happening if not totally believable than at least acceptable.
Finding a new author is a lot like moving in with a new boyfriend– after the first giddiness and excitement dissipates, the reality of living with someone sets in and you start noticing the quirks that might not be that endearing. The length of relationship, at least partially, will depend on how many and what kind of those quirks you can live with or willing to overlook. This is a third book by Aurun Headly that I have read and first in a new series. I really enjoyed The Wolf of Oberhame series and looking forward to the third book. I am also fining story arc of this series interesting, so let’s just say that I am still willing to pick up used towels from the bathroom floor and put them in to the laundry basket, at least for the next book. After that –we shall see.
PS. Whoever writes the blurbs for theese books comparing them to particular authors or some of the most iconoc works should really take heed and dampen down the rethorics - it does not always do the author a favor by setting the expectations extremely high.
29/08/2017
Ok , now , let me explain the "on the fence" thing.
This is a list of things that irritated me in this book- some are minor and some are not:
• It really annoyed me how often everyone giggles, and that includes men (alternatives: sneer, titter, snort, guffaw, snigger, chuckle – pick one or all , but please stop men from giggling)
• The vagueness and scarceness of the world-building and historic background - there is just not enough of cohesive information to have a clear picture of geographic, political and socio-economic structure of this particular world. This is exacerbated by author’s “stylising” - we have carriages for transportation, mounted soldiers, short skirts with bustles, stockings, leather corsets and make-up for women but we also have resin, ceramic and acrylic (which is a petro – chemical product that requires and extensive and sophisticated manufacturing process - so where is the industry? ) weapons. Some of those combinations, at least for me were too bizzare to work.
• How stupid or blind the military have to be not to know that majority of Black Blades, the elite unit, are at least part Iliri? LT, who is half Iliri, kept saying that if military finds out, the Black Blades will be disbanded. Does not anyone do a background check? There is absolutely no logic in all that.
• The hardest thing for me to swallow was dynamics between Sal and both Black Blades as a unit and LT in particular. This was such a case of “insta- acceptance-friend - lover” that it had me going:”No way!” My acquired over the year’s touch of cynicism could not accept that “Snow White and 7 dwarves” syndrome, especially if all the dwarves had hots for Snow White but decided that it was ok with them as she is shtumping Doc (and Dopy and Grumpy later on, or maybe they were waiting/hoping for their turn, but then Doc gets pissy). I am not that gullible. Iliri or not – testosterone will get in the way and no effective military unit can function in such environment. I won’t even mention Sal’s “ability” (hint - in very popular comics it is considered to be a mutation). Even in the fantasy there should be certain logic that makes what is happening if not totally believable than at least acceptable.
Finding a new author is a lot like moving in with a new boyfriend– after the first giddiness and excitement dissipates, the reality of living with someone sets in and you start noticing the quirks that might not be that endearing. The length of relationship, at least partially, will depend on how many and what kind of those quirks you can live with or willing to overlook. This is a third book by Aurun Headly that I have read and first in a new series. I really enjoyed The Wolf of Oberhame series and looking forward to the third book. I am also fining story arc of this series interesting, so let’s just say that I am still willing to pick up used towels from the bathroom floor and put them in to the laundry basket, at least for the next book. After that –we shall see.
PS. Whoever writes the blurbs for theese books comparing them to particular authors or some of the most iconoc works should really take heed and dampen down the rethorics - it does not always do the author a favor by setting the expectations extremely high.
December 8, 2020
1.5 Why did you have to be a bad read?! WHY!!!
I fell in love with the idea of this series as soon as I read the blurb and saw that there are so many books out, with so many pages each. What more can you want, right?
And then I started reading.
The first 30% were pretty good, they felt promising, but then Sal's trials ended and we got the actual beginning of the story.
Everything felt so rushed and not natural. I felt like I skipped a few (hundred) pages.
Sal did some things that were definitely not ok from my point of view . Ok, I got over it, it makes sense in a strategic kind of way, and I won't blame someone for a good strategy.
But then, he got over it like nothing happened. And that felt a bit forced...
Then, she keeps complaining to everyone that she's Iliri, and oh no, poor me, I've suffered so much because of it, but she ends up embracing her nature in less than 10 pages. It was definitely rushed.
And although she grew up 100% human, she has no problem with doing Iliri things. Yes, she feels bad afterward, but it makes no sense.
The whole book felt rushed. She was sent on a solo mission as soon as she learned how to ride a horse. And she is better than all of them at everything, even though the guys have tens of years behind them in experience. If they're considered the best, how can she become better than all of them (even their leader) in less than a few weeks? It makes no sense
Oh, and she can
And also annoying: the lack of world builder. I wanted a lot more. The first book in a series should make me fall in love with the world as well, shouldn't it?
And a lot of other things, some smaller than others, and I kept trying to go on. To get over them, because I love the idea of this story.
All in all, as much as I wanted to love this series, I just couldn't. And believe me, I really, really tried. This series isn't worth investing a lot of time into and I couldn't help but be frustrated for about 50% of the book. I wouldn't recommend it.
I fell in love with the idea of this series as soon as I read the blurb and saw that there are so many books out, with so many pages each. What more can you want, right?
And then I started reading.
The first 30% were pretty good, they felt promising, but then Sal's trials ended and we got the actual beginning of the story.
Everything felt so rushed and not natural. I felt like I skipped a few (hundred) pages.
Sal did some things that were definitely not ok from my point of view . Ok, I got over it, it makes sense in a strategic kind of way, and I won't blame someone for a good strategy.
But then, he got over it like nothing happened. And that felt a bit forced...
Then, she keeps complaining to everyone that she's Iliri, and oh no, poor me, I've suffered so much because of it, but she ends up embracing her nature in less than 10 pages. It was definitely rushed.
And although she grew up 100% human, she has no problem with doing Iliri things. Yes, she feels bad afterward, but it makes no sense.
The whole book felt rushed. She was sent on a solo mission as soon as she learned how to ride a horse. And she is better than all of them at everything, even though the guys have tens of years behind them in experience. If they're considered the best, how can she become better than all of them (even their leader) in less than a few weeks? It makes no sense
Oh, and she can
And also annoying: the lack of world builder. I wanted a lot more. The first book in a series should make me fall in love with the world as well, shouldn't it?
And a lot of other things, some smaller than others, and I kept trying to go on. To get over them, because I love the idea of this story.
All in all, as much as I wanted to love this series, I just couldn't. And believe me, I really, really tried. This series isn't worth investing a lot of time into and I couldn't help but be frustrated for about 50% of the book. I wouldn't recommend it.
Shelved as 'did-not-finish'
September 13, 2022DNF @ 40%
Salryc is so smart and amazing at everything, even though she's an Iliri and a woman. Except she acts like an inept teenager who only thinks she's smart because people keep telling her she is.
The Blades are supposed to be an elite military squad. They act more like frat boys, especially when they constantly dress Salryc up in ultra feminine, revealing clothing, ogle the crap out of her, and hit on her relentlessly.
Every Iliri has a special power. Salryc just so happens to figure out and master hers in a day. She can shape shift. What does she do with this power? Manipulates the trial she's supposed to pass to become a member of the Blades, seduces the Lieutenant of the Blades, and has non-consensual sex with him (yes, it's non-consensual. He wouldn't have had sex with her if he knew she was Salryc, not the human woman she pretended to be. You can't consent to deception). And instead of banning her from the Blades when he finds out, he praises her for how clever and ingenious she was to manipulate him. Are you kidding me?
Intentional or not, having only black humans come to Ogun and enslaving a species of snow white aliens just so Salryc can make racial slurs against them and have all the Blades wish they weren't humans (AKA they want to be white, not black) leaves a bad taste in my mouth.
Finally, I basically didn't like any of the characters. They were flat. Bland. Completely uninteresting.
I thought I could finish this, but I don't think it's worth it to me.
Salryc is so smart and amazing at everything, even though she's an Iliri and a woman. Except she acts like an inept teenager who only thinks she's smart because people keep telling her she is.
The Blades are supposed to be an elite military squad. They act more like frat boys, especially when they constantly dress Salryc up in ultra feminine, revealing clothing, ogle the crap out of her, and hit on her relentlessly.
Every Iliri has a special power. Salryc just so happens to figure out and master hers in a day. She can shape shift. What does she do with this power? Manipulates the trial she's supposed to pass to become a member of the Blades, seduces the Lieutenant of the Blades, and has non-consensual sex with him (yes, it's non-consensual. He wouldn't have had sex with her if he knew she was Salryc, not the human woman she pretended to be. You can't consent to deception). And instead of banning her from the Blades when he finds out, he praises her for how clever and ingenious she was to manipulate him. Are you kidding me?
Intentional or not, having only black humans come to Ogun and enslaving a species of snow white aliens just so Salryc can make racial slurs against them and have all the Blades wish they weren't humans (AKA they want to be white, not black) leaves a bad taste in my mouth.
Finally, I basically didn't like any of the characters. They were flat. Bland. Completely uninteresting.
I thought I could finish this, but I don't think it's worth it to me.
November 7, 2017
I've been on something of an Auryn Hadley kick lately as some of her books just really hit the spot for me. This one was odd because it felt a lot less mature than the others I've read and yet it is published more recently than they were. I wonder if this was pulled out of hiding and polished up and published? Pure speculation, but I'm having a hard time reconciling that less-mature feeling.
The biggest weakness is that I had to stuff a lot of things under my "give a story its premise" umbrella. The Iliri are the biggest beneficiary of that policy. They're an engineered race, though it sounds like human was used as a base with something native to the world thrown in for leavening (it sounds like the world is some 3,000 years post-invasion). The Iliri are a slave race and are considered bestial—with some justification. I won't go into detail, but a lot of things fit under this basic premise (including magic powers and social/cultural constructs like polyandry and something akin to "pack" dominance dynamics). Indeed, Sal feels like a very special girl to start, though as the story progresses that feeling faded.
Some of my qualms had less to do with the premise and more to do with simple shortcuts in storytelling. This includes travel time manipulation and the ease of crossing "defended" borders and a mish-mash of fashions and accommodations that draw from widely diverse Earth eras. That last would seem more reasonable if at least some of them didn't also include assumptions about industrialization and transportation capacity. So the world doesn't survive close scrutiny, is all I'm saying.
All that said, why do I still have the high rating? Well, because this still has all the things I love in Hadley's stories. The pace is outstanding. The action is beautifully, even brilliantly, written. And I get drawn into these characters and their interpersonal dynamics. The Iliri have some fascinating quirks that play into the personal relationships of its members. The "magic" (which is more psionic than traditional magic), while wildly unrealistic and a touch inconsistent, adds to those relationship dynamics in fascinating ways. And that's before you get to the sex (see below).
So I ended up enjoying this a whole lot, even as I know I can't really recommend it to others. If you are willing to grant the premise, and in this case that's a huge grant, and want a strong action tale with some interesting societal and cultural interplay, then you might like this story, too. If those aren't enough to overcome some hand waving, then probably not so much. At any rate, this is a decent four-star rating for me, but that's largely based on being thoroughly entertained and is probably less generalizable than my usual.
A note about Steamy: There are three or four explicit sex scenes depicted and more that Hadley skips over. The ones that are depicted have aspects influenced by the Iliri bestial heritage and the bloodlust of the title. So there are power dynamics and violence. Interestingly, Hadley steers clear of consent problems entirely (on screen, that is. We're reminded at least once that Iliri are a slave race and it's clear that this includes forced sex, though not in the story). So consensually violent sex? Yeah, that. Anyway, this is the middle of my steam tolerance, but may be beyond the pale for others.
The biggest weakness is that I had to stuff a lot of things under my "give a story its premise" umbrella. The Iliri are the biggest beneficiary of that policy. They're an engineered race, though it sounds like human was used as a base with something native to the world thrown in for leavening (it sounds like the world is some 3,000 years post-invasion). The Iliri are a slave race and are considered bestial—with some justification. I won't go into detail, but a lot of things fit under this basic premise (including magic powers and social/cultural constructs like polyandry and something akin to "pack" dominance dynamics). Indeed, Sal feels like a very special girl to start, though as the story progresses that feeling faded.
Some of my qualms had less to do with the premise and more to do with simple shortcuts in storytelling. This includes travel time manipulation and the ease of crossing "defended" borders and a mish-mash of fashions and accommodations that draw from widely diverse Earth eras. That last would seem more reasonable if at least some of them didn't also include assumptions about industrialization and transportation capacity. So the world doesn't survive close scrutiny, is all I'm saying.
All that said, why do I still have the high rating? Well, because this still has all the things I love in Hadley's stories. The pace is outstanding. The action is beautifully, even brilliantly, written. And I get drawn into these characters and their interpersonal dynamics. The Iliri have some fascinating quirks that play into the personal relationships of its members. The "magic" (which is more psionic than traditional magic), while wildly unrealistic and a touch inconsistent, adds to those relationship dynamics in fascinating ways. And that's before you get to the sex (see below).
So I ended up enjoying this a whole lot, even as I know I can't really recommend it to others. If you are willing to grant the premise, and in this case that's a huge grant, and want a strong action tale with some interesting societal and cultural interplay, then you might like this story, too. If those aren't enough to overcome some hand waving, then probably not so much. At any rate, this is a decent four-star rating for me, but that's largely based on being thoroughly entertained and is probably less generalizable than my usual.
A note about Steamy: There are three or four explicit sex scenes depicted and more that Hadley skips over. The ones that are depicted have aspects influenced by the Iliri bestial heritage and the bloodlust of the title. So there are power dynamics and violence. Interestingly, Hadley steers clear of consent problems entirely (on screen, that is. We're reminded at least once that Iliri are a slave race and it's clear that this includes forced sex, though not in the story). So consensually violent sex? Yeah, that. Anyway, this is the middle of my steam tolerance, but may be beyond the pale for others.
April 14, 2022
Why write a story with no character development? What is the use of that? There is no fun in starting a story where the main character is instantly good at everything, and that's what Sal is. She is challenged to a sparing match by the WEAPONS MASTER of the black blades, the one only their commanding officer can beat in a fight... and she WINS. She discovers her shapeshifting power late in the evening by herself in her room and MASTERS it that night, able to even hold a shape while sleeping. She is also apparently a mastermind at watching and mimicking peoples body language to blend in, noticing/doing things a complete novice in disguises would NEVER take note of on their FIRST TIME. She has never been in a relationship, only a few one night stands, and has never felt wanted and yet she is perfectly seductive and says all the right things to a man to get him in bed. She's always been a low ranking soldier or a slave, and yet she falls easily into a leadership role without blinking and with all the confidence in the world. She has never killed anyone before, but as soon as she's sent on a mission she instantly becomes a trusted assassin, able to keep up with someone who has been doing it for YEARS.
Everything she does she excels at. She never internally struggles with learning anything except for one thing... mounting a horse. Yes you heard me. What's this heroins one weakness? Mounting a horse. Wowwww how relatable! She's imperfect, just like me! I feel so connected to this character now that I know she struggles. Augh. What horrible and boring writing. I can't believe I spent so much of my day reading this.
Everything she does she excels at. She never internally struggles with learning anything except for one thing... mounting a horse. Yes you heard me. What's this heroins one weakness? Mounting a horse. Wowwww how relatable! She's imperfect, just like me! I feel so connected to this character now that I know she struggles. Augh. What horrible and boring writing. I can't believe I spent so much of my day reading this.
September 11, 2021
Omg! what a ride could not put this book down, absolutely loved everything about it.
Happy Reading 📚📚📗📙📒📘📕📚
Happy Reading 📚📚📗📙📒📘📕📚
January 13, 2018
I'm confused ....
.....as to what everyone else read because the main character seemed to not necessarily have a personality, but instead was a surrogate to further the action in the book, which I found myself not caring about because I had a hard time caring about the main character. ALSO I feel like I was maybe not living for the book because it seemed like in order to lift up the very white protagonist, who was oppressed in a large part because of her skin color. But the language to contrast her to her darker skinned peers was really strange and tone deaf to our own culture, calling the people making fun of her "dark-skinned apes" at one point, which absolutely did not endear me to the book. It took me out of the action and the relationships between the characters because instead of thinking about them I was thinking about the author and wondering if their gross statements about dark skinned people were indicative of their thoughts about our own world or simply them just not connecting the dots to how the world they constructed imitates our own. Reading it just made me feel gross and that's that.
.....as to what everyone else read because the main character seemed to not necessarily have a personality, but instead was a surrogate to further the action in the book, which I found myself not caring about because I had a hard time caring about the main character. ALSO I feel like I was maybe not living for the book because it seemed like in order to lift up the very white protagonist, who was oppressed in a large part because of her skin color. But the language to contrast her to her darker skinned peers was really strange and tone deaf to our own culture, calling the people making fun of her "dark-skinned apes" at one point, which absolutely did not endear me to the book. It took me out of the action and the relationships between the characters because instead of thinking about them I was thinking about the author and wondering if their gross statements about dark skinned people were indicative of their thoughts about our own world or simply them just not connecting the dots to how the world they constructed imitates our own. Reading it just made me feel gross and that's that.
July 18, 2022
REREAD: JULY 2022
Rise of the Iliri is one of my favourite series, and I couldn’t resist doing a reread after spotting that the author has released updated and extended editions of all the books.
Rise of the Iliri is an epic high fantasy story that features Salryc Luxx, a rare pure breed Iliri, former slave and army conscript as the main character. Sal has signed herself up for trials to join the Black Blades - an elite special ops unit for the Conglomerate of Free Citizens.
I still think this is a great first book for an epic fantasy story - there’s the right amount of romance, world building, political backstory and action, and it feels like the beginning of a long journey.
The world and characters have so much potential, and it all feels unique. This book is full of those moments where the fmc is grossly underestimated but comes out on top - and, I eat that shit up. Anyone looking for high fantasy RH should pick this up and read it immediately!
I’ve not done much research into what changes the author made - but for me, the writing feels cleaner, and I swear there was more spice?!! It’s been a few years since the first time I read these books but I thought they started out fade to black? I didn’t mind that but I can’t be mad at the Cyno/Jase goodness! I can't wait to read the rest.
OG REVIEW
Bloodlust is a really promising start to the Rise of the Iliri series. The story starts with Sal, a rare female pure breed Iliri and army conscript, having her shot of joining an elite operations unit - the Black Blades.
Sal is an amazing badass mc, and I can't wait to see more of where this story will take her and the Black Blades. There's a lot of detail and world-building to get your head around - a new species, pieces of a different language etc., so be prepared to settle in.
Rise of the Iliri is one of my favourite series, and I couldn’t resist doing a reread after spotting that the author has released updated and extended editions of all the books.
Rise of the Iliri is an epic high fantasy story that features Salryc Luxx, a rare pure breed Iliri, former slave and army conscript as the main character. Sal has signed herself up for trials to join the Black Blades - an elite special ops unit for the Conglomerate of Free Citizens.
I still think this is a great first book for an epic fantasy story - there’s the right amount of romance, world building, political backstory and action, and it feels like the beginning of a long journey.
The world and characters have so much potential, and it all feels unique. This book is full of those moments where the fmc is grossly underestimated but comes out on top - and, I eat that shit up. Anyone looking for high fantasy RH should pick this up and read it immediately!
I’ve not done much research into what changes the author made - but for me, the writing feels cleaner, and I swear there was more spice?!! It’s been a few years since the first time I read these books but I thought they started out fade to black? I didn’t mind that but I can’t be mad at the Cyno/Jase goodness! I can't wait to read the rest.
OG REVIEW
Bloodlust is a really promising start to the Rise of the Iliri series. The story starts with Sal, a rare female pure breed Iliri and army conscript, having her shot of joining an elite operations unit - the Black Blades.
Sal is an amazing badass mc, and I can't wait to see more of where this story will take her and the Black Blades. There's a lot of detail and world-building to get your head around - a new species, pieces of a different language etc., so be prepared to settle in.
June 27, 2023
Reread number 18 or so ...
although I can't bring myself to finish the series (I hate the plot towards the end...) I still can't help reading the first books over and over. I love Sal and Jase. 😍
Sal, kick-as heroine, only the kick-ass comes later. At first she is reserved and tries not to get too close to the humans on her planet. Not to attract attention is the motto. But she is looking for a place in this world where she can have something like freedom and respect. She joins the Black Blades, an elite military unit, and through her brothers learns the ways of her own race. She gradually accepts her own nature, which is frowned upon by humans as animalistic and untrustworthy.
Jase, oh my Jase, through him she learns what it means to be truly iliri.
This is a slow burn reverse harem story. Sal first falls in love with Blaec, for whatever reason. Well, yes the why is explained and I can accept it, but I never liked him. I read this series, over and over on repeat, because of Sal's relationship with Jase and the characters that come along later.
Jase ... just as he bites into Sal, he has bitten into my heart. I can't get enough of him...
Cyno [Jase] slowly unbuttoned his shirt, peeled it off, and carefully hung it on the edge of the weapon rack. Tattoos covered his chest. Black designs swirled and wove their way across his body to disappear beneath the waistband of his pants, heavier on his left, leaving the right bare. They did nothing to hide the ripcord of muscles that covered his lean frame. Dark stubble shadowed his head and made the vivid blue of his eyes startling, yet his cold gaze seemed to look right through them all. […] When her inspection reached his face, she realized his eyes were waiting, and she struggled to keep her expression neutral. Their gazes danced for a few seconds before a smile crept to his lips, flaunting his sharp incisors and double canines – just like her own. He nodded at her before glancing at the First Sergeant. Cyno wants me to tell you he'll teach you, Arctic's voice said in her head. He figures that's what your inspection meant at any rate. It is! Please let him know I've never seen anything like that, he moves like perfection, she thought back. […] Thank ya fer the compliment. Never been called perfection b'fore …
swooning … be still my heart …
I think the unfolding of the relationship of these two is what is the essence of this series. Both characters slowly evolve into fascinating personalities that will decide the fate of the entire planet.
although I can't bring myself to finish the series (I hate the plot towards the end...) I still can't help reading the first books over and over. I love Sal and Jase. 😍
Sal, kick-as heroine, only the kick-ass comes later. At first she is reserved and tries not to get too close to the humans on her planet. Not to attract attention is the motto. But she is looking for a place in this world where she can have something like freedom and respect. She joins the Black Blades, an elite military unit, and through her brothers learns the ways of her own race. She gradually accepts her own nature, which is frowned upon by humans as animalistic and untrustworthy.
Jase, oh my Jase, through him she learns what it means to be truly iliri.
This is a slow burn reverse harem story. Sal first falls in love with Blaec, for whatever reason. Well, yes the why is explained and I can accept it, but I never liked him. I read this series, over and over on repeat, because of Sal's relationship with Jase and the characters that come along later.
Jase ... just as he bites into Sal, he has bitten into my heart. I can't get enough of him...
Cyno [Jase] slowly unbuttoned his shirt, peeled it off, and carefully hung it on the edge of the weapon rack. Tattoos covered his chest. Black designs swirled and wove their way across his body to disappear beneath the waistband of his pants, heavier on his left, leaving the right bare. They did nothing to hide the ripcord of muscles that covered his lean frame. Dark stubble shadowed his head and made the vivid blue of his eyes startling, yet his cold gaze seemed to look right through them all. […] When her inspection reached his face, she realized his eyes were waiting, and she struggled to keep her expression neutral. Their gazes danced for a few seconds before a smile crept to his lips, flaunting his sharp incisors and double canines – just like her own. He nodded at her before glancing at the First Sergeant. Cyno wants me to tell you he'll teach you, Arctic's voice said in her head. He figures that's what your inspection meant at any rate. It is! Please let him know I've never seen anything like that, he moves like perfection, she thought back. […] Thank ya fer the compliment. Never been called perfection b'fore …
swooning … be still my heart …
I think the unfolding of the relationship of these two is what is the essence of this series. Both characters slowly evolve into fascinating personalities that will decide the fate of the entire planet.
July 23, 2019
I know people read reviews to see if they should read the book so here's mine and I hope it convinces you. Yes this is an RH book, but it's majorly slow burn and it worms it's way into your to the point you are thinking like an Iliri and believe it's natural (plus the guys are amazing). There is some sex in it but it's not like "Oh I'm gonna stop everything I am doing no matter how important and go have crazy sex". The sex scenes are also not detailed the way some other books detail the sex scenes, but it's also not like "he slid inside me....I woke up the next morning feeling sore and refreshed" Hadley doesn't skip over it like that. There is a lot of action (the violent kind) lol I feel like after reading this series that I should go join the military and would be able to hold my own , that's how detailed all the fighting is. There are a lot of twists and turns that really will catch you off guard, many of them are really hard to predict unlike some other books. So even if you are like me and able to properly guess how things will play out you will still be surprised at the things you just couldn't of expected. Hadley is planning on doing 10 books, so far there are 7 so I suggest you read the first 3 before you decide if you are don't really like it. There are no major cliff hangers that piss you off and make you want to throw a tantrum, it's a semi smooth transition from book to book and she offers epilogues also that help. And then it gets picked up right after the previous book. The books are in third person (I am not a big fan of third person but Hadley really pulled it off) and the POV does swap but it doesn't do so early on. She lets you get to know each character in a seamless way so when going back to the other character it's not like whiplash. You are mostly reading as Sal though, the other POV only assist in showing you the full picture. The books touch on many things that people deem to be too touchy of a topic to speak out loud, but she doesn't go overboard with those topics and try to shove her point of view down your throat. Make sure you read each introduction because it's the same in each book but it gets added on to for each book and it's really nice to read lol. ALSO make sure to clear your damn schedule cause you are going to either be fully sucked in and every spare second will be reading or you are going to just simply not want to read it. This is one of those series that you either love from the first page or you don't. But it's worth the sleep deprivation I can assure ya.
EDIT: On my second read getting ready for book 8!!!!! It's like meeting up with old friends.
EDIT: On my second read getting ready for book 8!!!!! It's like meeting up with old friends.
July 31, 2017
Bloodlust is a fascinating book; part sci-fi, part fantasy, part political expose'. Sal is a rarity, a pure Iliri. The humans have taken over the planet in their quest for metals. They have cross-bred the Iliri making them pets and using them for their own purposes. They are treated worse than animals. Sal as a purebred can never fit in with humans. She stands out with her white skin, ears located more on the top of her had, as well as razor like teeth. She doesn't act quite human either, her senses are better and she has an animal like streak. She's has always been a slave, but has a chance at a better life in the military, especially if she is chosen to be a member of the Black Blades, an elite force. The Blades consist of their Lieutenant Blaec, his First Officer Arctic, Shift, Razor, Zep, and the assassin Cyno. The Blades are an elite force with a secret; they all have Iliri blood. And they have found their Kaisae, a female to rule their pack.
This is a coming of age book of sorts. Sal has no knowledge of the Iliri and has always tried to be as human as possible. Blaec looks human and while he takes advantage of his Iliri traits, he has hidden his heritage. Cyno's Iliri side has left him nearly a wildman. Sal brings the group closer while also presenting new problems. She has personal relations with more than one of the men and a couple more seem interested. This is a reverse harem, so she will end up with several of the men. She makes the group stronger, better, but may end up destroying them if not careful.
I loved the world building and the history introduced into the story. The characters are complex, conflicted. Sal and Blaec most of all. It was frustrating, yet understandable. The dynamics, the warring instincts, the struggle for dominance, the fear over acceptance, the love; all of these issues balanced with military tactics and battles as well as the everyday discrimination struggles Sal faced made for a very entertaining book. The suspense near the end kept me up reading late into the night. I loved the book and look forward to more with Sal, Blaec, and the rest of the Blades.
This is a coming of age book of sorts. Sal has no knowledge of the Iliri and has always tried to be as human as possible. Blaec looks human and while he takes advantage of his Iliri traits, he has hidden his heritage. Cyno's Iliri side has left him nearly a wildman. Sal brings the group closer while also presenting new problems. She has personal relations with more than one of the men and a couple more seem interested. This is a reverse harem, so she will end up with several of the men. She makes the group stronger, better, but may end up destroying them if not careful.
I loved the world building and the history introduced into the story. The characters are complex, conflicted. Sal and Blaec most of all. It was frustrating, yet understandable. The dynamics, the warring instincts, the struggle for dominance, the fear over acceptance, the love; all of these issues balanced with military tactics and battles as well as the everyday discrimination struggles Sal faced made for a very entertaining book. The suspense near the end kept me up reading late into the night. I loved the book and look forward to more with Sal, Blaec, and the rest of the Blades.
January 8, 2024
This book was sooo good. I absolutely loved Sal and really enjoyed the black blades. I like how dark this book was. The plot was good and can't wait to read the next book!!
December 31, 2017
Book 1 in series. First read by this author
Well I stumbled across this book being discussed in one of my book groups on face book and all I can say is
I didn’t have a clue what this was about so went into reading it completely blind other than having a quick look at the cover.
I was not expecting a total kick ass heroine in sal
A bunch of pretty cool dudes aka the black blades
My love for Blanc to grow and almost be smooshed out by his stupidity
My love for jace from the moment we meet him and the pain I felt for him each time Sal declaired her love for the obviously sometime oxygen deprived blanc.... ( it’s ok jase, she don’t get you like I got you babe)
So much action and sword fighting and blood, it made me want to go and swashbuckle my way through an army ( ok I went and got snacks from the kitchen instead )
And a total kick ass story to boot!!!
Yeah I wasn’t expecting any of that.... which was fantastic because this book is fantastic and it made my inner book worm totally happy dance ( and a little blood thirsty )
I will defiantly be reading more from this series and this author.
Well I stumbled across this book being discussed in one of my book groups on face book and all I can say is
I didn’t have a clue what this was about so went into reading it completely blind other than having a quick look at the cover.
I was not expecting a total kick ass heroine in sal
A bunch of pretty cool dudes aka the black blades
My love for Blanc to grow and almost be smooshed out by his stupidity
My love for jace from the moment we meet him and the pain I felt for him each time Sal declaired her love for the obviously sometime oxygen deprived blanc.... ( it’s ok jase, she don’t get you like I got you babe)
So much action and sword fighting and blood, it made me want to go and swashbuckle my way through an army ( ok I went and got snacks from the kitchen instead )
And a total kick ass story to boot!!!
Yeah I wasn’t expecting any of that.... which was fantastic because this book is fantastic and it made my inner book worm totally happy dance ( and a little blood thirsty )
I will defiantly be reading more from this series and this author.
October 2, 2019
Different! Would be a good word to best describe this series so far. However, I can say with much excitement that I loved that the heroine is a bad ass. That will always earn a book at least 3/stars up front in my opinion but the storyline and the author's flow will have to earn the rest. However the author fell short with the book flow. There was just to many slow moments in this book and she (author) was very stingy with the sex scenes... I mean really Auryn this is a RH book " supposedly " how the hell you don't go into vivid details on the sex scenes? (Eye roll)
Any way I did enjoyed this characters especially the heroes. ( well the ones that she took the time to really introduce us too.)
I think what really bothers me most with this book was the prejudices between the races.. I mean with our current political atmosphere with racism it was a hard pill to swallow with some of her written words and descriptions in certain parts of this book. Like salt on a seeping wound.
Any way... Overall rating:
4*~A Good Read
Any way I did enjoyed this characters especially the heroes. ( well the ones that she took the time to really introduce us too.)
I think what really bothers me most with this book was the prejudices between the races.. I mean with our current political atmosphere with racism it was a hard pill to swallow with some of her written words and descriptions in certain parts of this book. Like salt on a seeping wound.
Any way... Overall rating:
4*~A Good Read
November 2, 2019
Utterly dumbfounded, wouldn’t continue after page 64.
After several hints in the very beginning of the book I decided to give it a shot anyway and see where it lead. I don’t know how it made it past both the author and editor, unless it was intentional, but I could not and would not read past the someone being described as a “dark-skinned ape.” I understand that the book is science fiction based and that humans are the villains but to describe someone in that way (especially when dealing with the subject of slavery) leaves me completely aghast and frankly speechless. I can’t help but to wonder if it was ignorance on the authors behalf or an intentional racist barb.
After several hints in the very beginning of the book I decided to give it a shot anyway and see where it lead. I don’t know how it made it past both the author and editor, unless it was intentional, but I could not and would not read past the someone being described as a “dark-skinned ape.” I understand that the book is science fiction based and that humans are the villains but to describe someone in that way (especially when dealing with the subject of slavery) leaves me completely aghast and frankly speechless. I can’t help but to wonder if it was ignorance on the authors behalf or an intentional racist barb.
Read
September 30, 2019DNF about 30% in. Too many racial overtones poorly navigated. At one point the author calls someone “dark skinned (and) ape-like.” I get this was seen through Sal’s eyes (who is described as beautiful and white...seeing the problem here?), but it struck a TONE.
January 2, 2021
This was an okay read, I guess. More of a 2.5 stars, when I think about it tbh.
It’s just ... for a first book in a series it just wasn’t enough. There was no real world building, which normally happens a lot in the first book in fantasy stories, since they introduce you to a new world.
Considering the fact, that that the culture of the illiri is kinda lost, it makes a little sense and hints at further revelations throughout the next books. The thing is, if you don’t do world building, you have to build something else. Like characters and / or relationships. And that doesn’t happen nearly enough for me.
It just felt like a lot of missed opportunities for me. You have a whole bunch of men, that were partly raised by purebred illiri, if I remember rightly and NO ONE bothers to teach the new illiri, former slave, that knows basically nothing, just a little bit of her culture?
I get that training comes first, because mission and blah, but seriously, what the hell?
I know, that the LT doesn’t really want that and she is just coming to terms with her nature, but she has to a least be curious. Cyno for example would have been the best bet here, and to develop a little more than a fuck buddy relationship, because that’s all there is to it, even though we get hints he wants more.
That leads to the next part I didn’t enjoy - I didn’t feel any chemistry at all. The LT, let’s be honest Fell in love Siana, the human girl Sal morphed into to get information and then struggled through the whole book with the female she really is, it was just too much for me. And with Cyno there is no connection but a forced bloodthirst fucking, that has to happen because of their frenzy. Throw in a confusing third kiss/bite and the chaos is perfect. Yeah, I didn’t feel it.
What I really, really liked were the platonic relationships, especially in RH those are often neglected.
For characterization I can’t say too much good things either. Our Heroine is absolutely torn between her desire to fit in and be normal and the fact she just isn’t, the whole thing is enhanced by LTs ego and stupidity. She is neither here nor there and her development was meager IMO, there would have been room for way more growth.
Plot wise there isn’t much to say, since it was rather obvious and predictable, but okay, just a little mediocre.
What really bothered me above all else, was how the discrimination trope is handled. How all illiri are so much better, smarter and simply way cooler than those puny humans and almost all humans are evil and nasty and kill worthy. The illiri look down on them, but still are controlled by forces, to me unknown? I don’t really get why they don’t fight more, when they are so much better.
So all in all it was an okay read, but was also disappointing on a few levels, and I don’t know if it managed to grip me enough to even continue. Motivation just after finishing is rather low, although I am curious about further development.
It’s just ... for a first book in a series it just wasn’t enough. There was no real world building, which normally happens a lot in the first book in fantasy stories, since they introduce you to a new world.
Considering the fact, that that the culture of the illiri is kinda lost, it makes a little sense and hints at further revelations throughout the next books. The thing is, if you don’t do world building, you have to build something else. Like characters and / or relationships. And that doesn’t happen nearly enough for me.
It just felt like a lot of missed opportunities for me. You have a whole bunch of men, that were partly raised by purebred illiri, if I remember rightly and NO ONE bothers to teach the new illiri, former slave, that knows basically nothing, just a little bit of her culture?
I get that training comes first, because mission and blah, but seriously, what the hell?
I know, that the LT doesn’t really want that and she is just coming to terms with her nature, but she has to a least be curious. Cyno for example would have been the best bet here, and to develop a little more than a fuck buddy relationship, because that’s all there is to it, even though we get hints he wants more.
That leads to the next part I didn’t enjoy - I didn’t feel any chemistry at all. The LT, let’s be honest Fell in love Siana, the human girl Sal morphed into to get information and then struggled through the whole book with the female she really is, it was just too much for me. And with Cyno there is no connection but a forced bloodthirst fucking, that has to happen because of their frenzy. Throw in a confusing third kiss/bite and the chaos is perfect. Yeah, I didn’t feel it.
What I really, really liked were the platonic relationships, especially in RH those are often neglected.
For characterization I can’t say too much good things either. Our Heroine is absolutely torn between her desire to fit in and be normal and the fact she just isn’t, the whole thing is enhanced by LTs ego and stupidity. She is neither here nor there and her development was meager IMO, there would have been room for way more growth.
Plot wise there isn’t much to say, since it was rather obvious and predictable, but okay, just a little mediocre.
What really bothered me above all else, was how the discrimination trope is handled. How all illiri are so much better, smarter and simply way cooler than those puny humans and almost all humans are evil and nasty and kill worthy. The illiri look down on them, but still are controlled by forces, to me unknown? I don’t really get why they don’t fight more, when they are so much better.
So all in all it was an okay read, but was also disappointing on a few levels, and I don’t know if it managed to grip me enough to even continue. Motivation just after finishing is rather low, although I am curious about further development.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Want to read
July 21, 2019🎁 FREE on Amazon today (7/21/2019)! 🎁
March 29, 2020
Alright, so I definitely started reading this book back in 2018 and I abandoned it because I couldn’t stand how the relationships were being handled.
Let’s be honest, the writing isn’t great. It’s a weird mix of different styles/vibes, and it’s like the author couldn’t decide who she wanted her characters to be, which ended up causing an absolute mess.
I didn’t believe the romance. I’m honestly pissed off about how the heroine got together with the first guy, and I couldn’t stand how the vibe switched from an alpha male and a heroine looking to kick some ass to...a blushing wimp and a bland seductress? It was so far from believable to me that this is where I abandoned the book when I first tried reading it.
I know the rules of the trials were “by any means necessary”, but I lost so much respect for Sal when she did what she did to win. That wasn’t even the part that made me mad though, it was the lack of well built romance.
This book felt more like a checklist.
-Get girl and 1 guy together.
-Have a super dramatic fight and break up.
-Have both Sal and Blaec be freaking hypocrites (AGAIN).
-Get back together.
-Have another dramatic fight.
-Rinse and repeat.
I don’t know how to put my thoughts into words, but the romance in this book felt like it was written decades ago...and it was trying to match other writing that was a little more modern??
I don’t need lovers quarrels to make sense all of the time, but I need them to be believable. Some of the characters are so beyond stupid that it just ended up being annoying to read.
And I felt like there were so many explanations missing, yet the book gave me the feel of “you should know it already” because of what we saw happening, instead of “I’ll fill you in later.” But there’s literally know way for us to know how this Iliri stuff works unless you SHOW us. Or at least make it seem like we aren’t supposed to know yet. I kept feeling like a missed a chapter or something.
The dialogue was weird. Characters kept flipping back and forth just to prove a point, and I wanted to stab myself in the eye when Sal told the Ahn Tilso guy:
“It's your life, Ahn. You can't be someone you're not. You can't hide it forever and live a lie."
...That passage was such overkill that I almost screamed. Yes, obviously that is exactly what Sal needed to tell herself (which her buddy quickly points out and then she spends a bunch of paragraphs thinking about it and coming to an “epiphany”), but honestly that was such bullshit. If you want to make it believable as an author, just pick one of those lines. Or un-cheese it a bit. We just spent a whole book reading about Sal and her inner battles. I don’t care what kind of psychology you might throw around about things like “it’s harder to see the issues in yourself than it is to see in others”, because that line was way too clear and “wise” for the Sal we just spent a whole book reading about. Maybe if she’s just said “It’s your life, Ahn. Not theirs.” Or “You’d be living a lie.” Or NOTHING AT ALL BECAUSE WHO ARE YOU TO GIVE ADVICE WHEN YOU CAN’T TAKE IT?
That was a big pet peeve.
I feel like some bits of dialogue were added in just for the sake of getting to the dialogue the author wanted, and it just didn’t mesh well. It didn’t flow. GAH.
Anyways, I’m done ranting. Now I’m mad at myself because I didn’t leave a review after I abandoned this book in 2018, and I could’ve spared myself the second dosing of pain.
Edit after making it to book 3 and finally abandoning the series:
Alright, I give up.
I can't read this series anymore. Rise of the Iliri is constantly recommended on the Reverse Harem pages/groups I'm in, and I thought there had to be a good reason for it. There had to be! I mean, just look all those raving reviews....
I tried the first book a couple years ago, but it wasn't my cup of tea.
I guess something about it being the year 2020 and my city making everyone self-isolate because of the coronavirus, along with KU giving out a free month to everyone, made me want to give this puppy another try because I love a nice long series. So many books to devour. What could be better?
I hated it.
We're on book three and I'm still not buying into the romance. The writing makes me want to pull my hair out. The lack of sense is driving me insane.
Then we start off with a freaking time skip.
And you really expect me to believe they had nothing to talk about for that long...? That Sal always backed down from asking Jase about it? Bullshit.
Anytime a male is seemingly accepted, there's some stupid reason (or NO reason) for them to be apart again. It's not even "drama for the sake of drama". It's so much worse.
I despise how Sal's harem is currently being formed, and I can already tell it's just going to get worse going forward.
So I'm throwing in the towel. There's no point in wasting time reading something you don't enjoy just because you're holding onto hope that it'll get better.
I loved the potential with this type of story and the world it lives in, which I think is what made it so painful when I didn't like the actual writing.
Let’s be honest, the writing isn’t great. It’s a weird mix of different styles/vibes, and it’s like the author couldn’t decide who she wanted her characters to be, which ended up causing an absolute mess.
I didn’t believe the romance. I’m honestly pissed off about how the heroine got together with the first guy, and I couldn’t stand how the vibe switched from an alpha male and a heroine looking to kick some ass to...a blushing wimp and a bland seductress? It was so far from believable to me that this is where I abandoned the book when I first tried reading it.
I know the rules of the trials were “by any means necessary”, but I lost so much respect for Sal when she did what she did to win. That wasn’t even the part that made me mad though, it was the lack of well built romance.
This book felt more like a checklist.
-Get girl and 1 guy together.
-Have a super dramatic fight and break up.
-Have both Sal and Blaec be freaking hypocrites (AGAIN).
-Get back together.
-Have another dramatic fight.
-Rinse and repeat.
I don’t know how to put my thoughts into words, but the romance in this book felt like it was written decades ago...and it was trying to match other writing that was a little more modern??
I don’t need lovers quarrels to make sense all of the time, but I need them to be believable. Some of the characters are so beyond stupid that it just ended up being annoying to read.
And I felt like there were so many explanations missing, yet the book gave me the feel of “you should know it already” because of what we saw happening, instead of “I’ll fill you in later.” But there’s literally know way for us to know how this Iliri stuff works unless you SHOW us. Or at least make it seem like we aren’t supposed to know yet. I kept feeling like a missed a chapter or something.
The dialogue was weird. Characters kept flipping back and forth just to prove a point, and I wanted to stab myself in the eye when Sal told the Ahn Tilso guy:
“It's your life, Ahn. You can't be someone you're not. You can't hide it forever and live a lie."
...That passage was such overkill that I almost screamed. Yes, obviously that is exactly what Sal needed to tell herself (which her buddy quickly points out and then she spends a bunch of paragraphs thinking about it and coming to an “epiphany”), but honestly that was such bullshit. If you want to make it believable as an author, just pick one of those lines. Or un-cheese it a bit. We just spent a whole book reading about Sal and her inner battles. I don’t care what kind of psychology you might throw around about things like “it’s harder to see the issues in yourself than it is to see in others”, because that line was way too clear and “wise” for the Sal we just spent a whole book reading about. Maybe if she’s just said “It’s your life, Ahn. Not theirs.” Or “You’d be living a lie.” Or NOTHING AT ALL BECAUSE WHO ARE YOU TO GIVE ADVICE WHEN YOU CAN’T TAKE IT?
That was a big pet peeve.
I feel like some bits of dialogue were added in just for the sake of getting to the dialogue the author wanted, and it just didn’t mesh well. It didn’t flow. GAH.
Anyways, I’m done ranting. Now I’m mad at myself because I didn’t leave a review after I abandoned this book in 2018, and I could’ve spared myself the second dosing of pain.
Edit after making it to book 3 and finally abandoning the series:
Alright, I give up.
I can't read this series anymore. Rise of the Iliri is constantly recommended on the Reverse Harem pages/groups I'm in, and I thought there had to be a good reason for it. There had to be! I mean, just look all those raving reviews....
I tried the first book a couple years ago, but it wasn't my cup of tea.
I guess something about it being the year 2020 and my city making everyone self-isolate because of the coronavirus, along with KU giving out a free month to everyone, made me want to give this puppy another try because I love a nice long series. So many books to devour. What could be better?
I hated it.
We're on book three and I'm still not buying into the romance. The writing makes me want to pull my hair out. The lack of sense is driving me insane.
Then we start off with a freaking time skip.
And you really expect me to believe they had nothing to talk about for that long...? That Sal always backed down from asking Jase about it? Bullshit.
Anytime a male is seemingly accepted, there's some stupid reason (or NO reason) for them to be apart again. It's not even "drama for the sake of drama". It's so much worse.
I despise how Sal's harem is currently being formed, and I can already tell it's just going to get worse going forward.
So I'm throwing in the towel. There's no point in wasting time reading something you don't enjoy just because you're holding onto hope that it'll get better.
I loved the potential with this type of story and the world it lives in, which I think is what made it so painful when I didn't like the actual writing.
October 27, 2018
I was expecting Bloodlust to lean a bit more on the epic side. I wanted Sal to be that type of character that had that glorious moment of clarity. Sad to say, the story fell a bit flat for me.
Don't get me wrong, it was still a good book! There were these moments (2 of them to be exact) when it was so good I wanted to slap that 5 star on the cover. And then Zep would talk. And talk. And talk.
All the talk about feelings and personal situations. The giggling *gah! Oh, and how to mount a horse (very detailed... and long). And poor LT never got his sex scene. His just faded out. All these things made the story fall flat. I wanted more missions, world building, and character building (because honestly everyone acted/talked like a girl).I have several books of this series and I plan on continuing. Hopefully, Hadley's writing style improves. She's got something really good there!
April 1, 2021
Yes there are some flaws in this book but I felt some type of vulnerability from the author and it made me feel like this is a special series that will stick with me for a while. (Maybe I’m just emotional and sappy today. I don’t know)
So lately I have been taking a step back from RH books for many reasons. Mostly because I’ve switched up my styles and would rather a series that focus’s on the plot more than the relationships. WHICH I GET IT. Usually there’s 5 relationships off the bat, that’s really hard to balance, I know.
I gave it a shot bc I’ve heard amazing things and ACTUALLY REALLY LIKED THIS ONE.
The beginning of the book starts with the author acknowledging the shit world we live in when regarding inequality, racism, and discrimination. She essentially said, the world is a giant double standard, the villains don’t think what they’re doing is wrong and the good guys aren’t always good.
SUCH A GREAT WAY TO START WITH THE BOOK. It really stuck with me throughout reading the entire thing.
Pros:
I Loved the way a RH was integrated. Usually it’s just like “oh my god, super rare bond that makes magic and libidos stronger.” Okay that’s great and all but it’s been done SOOO MANY TIMES
- the illri are a matriarchal species?culture? Not sure what to call them. The females in this species are super rare and the alpha females are warriors and even more special/almost extinct. Moral of the story, the males in this species expect the women to chose who and how many lovers they have. Out of respect and not wanting to treat them as possessions/objects.
I DON’T KNOW ABOUT YOU GUYS BUT I LOVE THAT CONCEPT FOR REVERSE HAREM.
- there’s only 2 men in the harem(right now) and everything with the relationship makes logical sense. It really allowed there to be clear character development and focused on the plot.
-the conflict was great.
-personally loved the stance the book is taking
-lots of action
-sal is just really great. I actually felt strong emotions throughout the book.
-it’s the first book and there were already like 4 missions and it didn’t feel rushed. Something was always happening.
Cons:
-this sounds weird but everything about the book is great, but I found myself feeling that it was written with a Y.A dialogue at points.
- I really had a hard time with this book bc I honestly don’t know what anyone other than sal and a couple other characters look like ?? I read this on kindle and had to go back and search names try to find some description of them bc knowing who is more iliri than others is not just a given.
Kind of boring review? Can’t figure out how to add gifs. Sorry friends):
I really liked it, it got me out of my rut. Already downloaded the second. Give it a shot!
So lately I have been taking a step back from RH books for many reasons. Mostly because I’ve switched up my styles and would rather a series that focus’s on the plot more than the relationships. WHICH I GET IT. Usually there’s 5 relationships off the bat, that’s really hard to balance, I know.
I gave it a shot bc I’ve heard amazing things and ACTUALLY REALLY LIKED THIS ONE.
The beginning of the book starts with the author acknowledging the shit world we live in when regarding inequality, racism, and discrimination. She essentially said, the world is a giant double standard, the villains don’t think what they’re doing is wrong and the good guys aren’t always good.
SUCH A GREAT WAY TO START WITH THE BOOK. It really stuck with me throughout reading the entire thing.
Pros:
I Loved the way a RH was integrated. Usually it’s just like “oh my god, super rare bond that makes magic and libidos stronger.” Okay that’s great and all but it’s been done SOOO MANY TIMES
- the illri are a matriarchal species?culture? Not sure what to call them. The females in this species are super rare and the alpha females are warriors and even more special/almost extinct. Moral of the story, the males in this species expect the women to chose who and how many lovers they have. Out of respect and not wanting to treat them as possessions/objects.
I DON’T KNOW ABOUT YOU GUYS BUT I LOVE THAT CONCEPT FOR REVERSE HAREM.
- there’s only 2 men in the harem(right now) and everything with the relationship makes logical sense. It really allowed there to be clear character development and focused on the plot.
-the conflict was great.
-personally loved the stance the book is taking
-lots of action
-sal is just really great. I actually felt strong emotions throughout the book.
-it’s the first book and there were already like 4 missions and it didn’t feel rushed. Something was always happening.
Cons:
-this sounds weird but everything about the book is great, but I found myself feeling that it was written with a Y.A dialogue at points.
- I really had a hard time with this book bc I honestly don’t know what anyone other than sal and a couple other characters look like ?? I read this on kindle and had to go back and search names try to find some description of them bc knowing who is more iliri than others is not just a given.
Kind of boring review? Can’t figure out how to add gifs. Sorry friends):
I really liked it, it got me out of my rut. Already downloaded the second. Give it a shot!
May 15, 2017
Loved it!!!
Loved it !!! Not a reverse Harem,not yet anyways but loved it.. complex abs layered and fun and interesting ❣️❣️❣️❣️
For she's what I want my heroines to strong but ,tough,intelligent and kind, flawed and imperfect but having a good dose of common sense ...
Loved it !!! Not a reverse Harem,not yet anyways but loved it.. complex abs layered and fun and interesting ❣️❣️❣️❣️
For she's what I want my heroines to strong but ,tough,intelligent and kind, flawed and imperfect but having a good dose of common sense ...
January 4, 2019
So... it's about white genocide and black supremacy? That's what I got from it... no white humans, ony blacks, and they all hate pale skin. >.>
Dry, tiring narrative.
Dry, tiring narrative.
October 17, 2018
Wow, wow, wow.
A series I wouldn’t have even thought to pick up if it hadn’t been recommended by a friend but I loved it!
A series I wouldn’t have even thought to pick up if it hadn’t been recommended by a friend but I loved it!
August 10, 2020
3-3.5 ish stars. Super interesting and unique story setting. Love the in depth word build and the fact that its more ongoing than just a fact dump. Also love how the author took the time to really develop the characters. I feel like they are super fleshed out we get to know not only the main character but all of her team a lot more in depth by the end of the book. The FMC, however seems to be the least
"fleshed" out character. I'm not sure what it is but Sal just comes off as super flat character wise. I think its because the author is trying so hard to paint the picture of her kind and maybe they just don't have a huge scope of emotion or something. And to be fair, she is learning about herself as the story goes on so we are seeing more and more as we continue.
The first book in the series follows the progress of Sal as she tries out for the Black Blades, a sort of special ops military unit. Little does she know that they are all pretty much half breeds and she fits right in. From there the story basically follows the group through missions etc as we watch Sal and the team deal with their true natures and stop trying to hide who they really are.
I'm not really sure where this is headed in the long run but I love the chemistry between the characters. I'm definitely down to see where this is going.
"fleshed" out character. I'm not sure what it is but Sal just comes off as super flat character wise. I think its because the author is trying so hard to paint the picture of her kind and maybe they just don't have a huge scope of emotion or something. And to be fair, she is learning about herself as the story goes on so we are seeing more and more as we continue.
The first book in the series follows the progress of Sal as she tries out for the Black Blades, a sort of special ops military unit. Little does she know that they are all pretty much half breeds and she fits right in. From there the story basically follows the group through missions etc as we watch Sal and the team deal with their true natures and stop trying to hide who they really are.
I'm not really sure where this is headed in the long run but I love the chemistry between the characters. I'm definitely down to see where this is going.
September 25, 2019
What a journey! I am so glad I found this series. I literally read them back to back, without taking a breather and getting burned out as I do with most series.
This review is for the entire series...
I read so many reviews trying to find out who ended up in Sal's harem and never could find anything that told me so if you want to know keep reading. If not, skip the ending if this review.
There is just nothing else like this. One of the very few series that is worth the time to re-read.
The world building is phenomenal. The plots are intricate and woven together in such a way that left me speechless, since I don't even know how to sum it all up into a review that could do it justice. The characters are compelling and so complex, yet flawed and able to grow with the series.
There's blood, sex, violence, hate, and inequality. The series is reverse harem, but it is very slow building and not pages of hardcore sex scenes that make up the bulk of each book.
Sal's harem - Jace/Cyno, Zep, Syric/Kolt, Razor/Gage, Blaz, and Tyr.
#whychoose indeed?
This review is for the entire series...
I read so many reviews trying to find out who ended up in Sal's harem and never could find anything that told me so if you want to know keep reading. If not, skip the ending if this review.
There is just nothing else like this. One of the very few series that is worth the time to re-read.
The world building is phenomenal. The plots are intricate and woven together in such a way that left me speechless, since I don't even know how to sum it all up into a review that could do it justice. The characters are compelling and so complex, yet flawed and able to grow with the series.
There's blood, sex, violence, hate, and inequality. The series is reverse harem, but it is very slow building and not pages of hardcore sex scenes that make up the bulk of each book.
Sal's harem - Jace/Cyno, Zep, Syric/Kolt, Razor/Gage, Blaz, and Tyr.
#whychoose indeed?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Read
March 29, 2020DNF
November 22, 2018
Sal is a pure iliri, and because of this she is treated as less than human. She knows she will die young so she wants to become a Black Bade to make that happen in an honorable way. However, that seems to be more trouble than she thought. As she tries to become a Black Blade, things are getting harder and harder for her at camp, and even though she's doing better than most that may not be what it takes to become a Black Blade. But, Sal is different, and she's not going to give up.
This book opened your eyes to a new world where things are not always fair, and sometimes people will do everything they can to make sure they get what they really want. I thought this book was very interesting, and a great start to this series, but it wasn't great. I liked it, but I felt like it could have been more.
This book opened your eyes to a new world where things are not always fair, and sometimes people will do everything they can to make sure they get what they really want. I thought this book was very interesting, and a great start to this series, but it wasn't great. I liked it, but I felt like it could have been more.
September 5, 2018
I thought that I would like this one more than I did. Bloodlust, the first book in the Rise of the Iliri series, is a science fiction fantasy romance that has oodles of action, some aspects of feminism, love, and features an alien race called the Iliri.
This is the kind of book that will divide readers. It won't be regarded the same way by all.
Let me say that although this book has some obvious flaws, it is a book that provides lots to talk about, and that is a plus!
It is also very well copyedited.
But this book may not be for you if you're not looking for political comment. Indeed, it still may not be for you even if you are. More …
This is the kind of book that will divide readers. It won't be regarded the same way by all.
Let me say that although this book has some obvious flaws, it is a book that provides lots to talk about, and that is a plus!
It is also very well copyedited.
But this book may not be for you if you're not looking for political comment. Indeed, it still may not be for you even if you are. More …
July 13, 2018
I didn't quite know what to expect when I started this book...it's been recommended to me multiple times by multiple people. But every time I read the synopsis I was still hesitant. It's not that I don't like scifi books but I'm very particular about them. I finally put it on my tbr list and then I finally got to read it.
It's a great book. The world building is thought out and intriguing . You can tell that Auryn took her time building this world. I also enjoy the Iliri. The story is very authentic.
It's a great first book. I'm going to read the rest of the series. I hope it adds a bit more steam but the action is fantastic!
Overall: 5/5
It's a great book. The world building is thought out and intriguing . You can tell that Auryn took her time building this world. I also enjoy the Iliri. The story is very authentic.
It's a great first book. I'm going to read the rest of the series. I hope it adds a bit more steam but the action is fantastic!
Overall: 5/5
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