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Allegiance #3
Dissociate
Amidst the turmoil caused by Smyth's arrest, Celeste is stuck in limbo, stripped of her citizenship, with no choice but to flee to a peaceful Kyraenean hideaway with the tumultuous Amaya Mason.
When bounty hunters threaten the local orphanage, Celeste and Amaya must work together and fight. Even if it means risking what they cherish the most.
Torrance is good at lying, and even better at hiding his pain, but is he strong enough to deal with the consequences of betraying his own family?
When bounty hunters threaten the local orphanage, Celeste and Amaya must work together and fight. Even if it means risking what they cherish the most.
Torrance is good at lying, and even better at hiding his pain, but is he strong enough to deal with the consequences of betraying his own family?
332 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 1, 2019
16 people are currently reading
89 people want to read
About the author
Sarah Addison-Fox
17 books459 followersSarah Addison-Fox is a misfit from New Zealand who writes YA dystopian with a smattering of punch-ups and mega amounts of romance.
Mum to two awesome neurodivergent kids, Sarah is also an 'MS warrior' and has a husband who, after 30 years, can still make her toes curl.
Mum to two awesome neurodivergent kids, Sarah is also an 'MS warrior' and has a husband who, after 30 years, can still make her toes curl.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
May 10, 2018
This was such a good book. I've loved the other two books in the Allegiance series (Disowned and Dissemble) so much that I knew this one would be amazing (and look at that cover!!! It's so beautiful <3) And this one did not for one second disappoint!
Sarah Addison-Fox's world has grown so believable in the time I've spent there. The first book, I was a little incredulous of the fantasy element in a world that felt so...real, and modern, but having read three of the books now I agree that it's pretty awesome that the setting is the way it is. I love the mix of electricity and modern appliances with old-fashioned dressmaking and swinging swords. Characters get to use knives and guns, and it's pretty awesome if you ask me.
These characters, too. My goodness. Celeste's character arc up to this point has been so amazing, and Dissociate only continues to send it down a path of growth and maturity. This is a heroine who's been through a lot, but now is willing to move on and try to make a better world for those who will follow her. She's a wonderfully kick-butt heroine, without having to try too hard; I found all the time she spent fighting utterly believable.
Mick, too. His character arc, going from a selfish soldier who took his family for granted and kind of seemed to the world in book 1, to now, when he's so incredibly strong and manly and kind to the girl he loves...I LOOOOOOVED him. He wasn't my favorite in the first book, and he grew on me in book two. But now I would be happy to say that he is among my favorites of this series. <3
Amaya and Torrance's characters broke my heart, especially Torrance. Amaya was a tough girl because she had to be, and I loved her softer heart underneath. Torrance was so preciously broken even as he tried to get better. Poor guy :(
And the Haynes family! I'm eager to spend more time with them in book 4, since Mick and Celeste are closer to them now....so much love for that family. Let's just have a whole series about them. And yes, I want to see Sadie marry Jude....please. XD
One of the highlights of the book for me was the writing on the quilt (if you've read the book, you'll know what I'm talking about, and if you haven't read it, you'll have to go find out what I'm talking about! XD) I laughed so hard at the whole thing.
CONTENT:
-Some kissing, some of which is a /little/ heavy, but not bad at all. (And all the kissing made me happy....so.) There's a pretty prominent romance subplot, but it stays clean.
-A little bit of language. A couple "bloody"s, a d-word....I don't remember much more than that, but it was nowhere near enough to bother me.
-Someone commits suicide--it's not shown, only mentioned, but it does happen.
-Some drinking, not portrayed in a good light.
Overall? 4.5 stars! This series just keeps getting better with every book, and I can't wait to see where Sarah Addison-Fox takes book 4. :)
Sarah Addison-Fox's world has grown so believable in the time I've spent there. The first book, I was a little incredulous of the fantasy element in a world that felt so...real, and modern, but having read three of the books now I agree that it's pretty awesome that the setting is the way it is. I love the mix of electricity and modern appliances with old-fashioned dressmaking and swinging swords. Characters get to use knives and guns, and it's pretty awesome if you ask me.
These characters, too. My goodness. Celeste's character arc up to this point has been so amazing, and Dissociate only continues to send it down a path of growth and maturity. This is a heroine who's been through a lot, but now is willing to move on and try to make a better world for those who will follow her. She's a wonderfully kick-butt heroine, without having to try too hard; I found all the time she spent fighting utterly believable.
Mick, too. His character arc, going from a selfish soldier who took his family for granted and kind of seemed to the world in book 1, to now, when he's so incredibly strong and manly and kind to the girl he loves...I LOOOOOOVED him. He wasn't my favorite in the first book, and he grew on me in book two. But now I would be happy to say that he is among my favorites of this series. <3
Amaya and Torrance's characters broke my heart, especially Torrance. Amaya was a tough girl because she had to be, and I loved her softer heart underneath. Torrance was so preciously broken even as he tried to get better. Poor guy :(
And the Haynes family! I'm eager to spend more time with them in book 4, since Mick and Celeste are closer to them now....so much love for that family. Let's just have a whole series about them. And yes, I want to see Sadie marry Jude....please. XD
One of the highlights of the book for me was the writing on the quilt (if you've read the book, you'll know what I'm talking about, and if you haven't read it, you'll have to go find out what I'm talking about! XD) I laughed so hard at the whole thing.
CONTENT:
-Some kissing, some of which is a /little/ heavy, but not bad at all. (And all the kissing made me happy....so.) There's a pretty prominent romance subplot, but it stays clean.
-A little bit of language. A couple "bloody"s, a d-word....I don't remember much more than that, but it was nowhere near enough to bother me.
-Someone commits suicide--it's not shown, only mentioned, but it does happen.
-Some drinking, not portrayed in a good light.
Overall? 4.5 stars! This series just keeps getting better with every book, and I can't wait to see where Sarah Addison-Fox takes book 4. :)
March 12, 2018
I can die happy now. *sappy grin*
RtC after publication
RtC after publication
May 18, 2018
Well... this book was tense, I'm not even going to lie. I don't even think it has as much action as the second book did, but the emotional tension, wow, I nearly chewed all of my fingernails off.
The characters were once again fantastic. I loved all of the relationships and somehow I ended up liking Torrance and Amaya at least as much as Mick and Celeste.
Torrance, you scare me a little bit. I love you anyway, but you scare me.
I'm glad that Celeste finally got around to gathering her senses and realizing just what a great catch Mick was! I wanted to slap her from first book on for being so clearly blind.
Though out of all of the shipable romances and adorable family dynamics, I would have to say that probably my favorite relationship was the friendship between Mick and Torrance (throw Asher in there and I was having a grand ol' time). They were just so funny together and even if they tried not to show it, you could tell that they cared deeply for each other.
Many thanks to the author for the copy which she provided. I received a complimentary copy of this novel. I was not required to post a positive review and all views and opinions are my own.
The characters were once again fantastic. I loved all of the relationships and somehow I ended up liking Torrance and Amaya at least as much as Mick and Celeste.
Torrance, you scare me a little bit. I love you anyway, but you scare me.
I'm glad that Celeste finally got around to gathering her senses and realizing just what a great catch Mick was! I wanted to slap her from first book on for being so clearly blind.
Though out of all of the shipable romances and adorable family dynamics, I would have to say that probably my favorite relationship was the friendship between Mick and Torrance (throw Asher in there and I was having a grand ol' time). They were just so funny together and even if they tried not to show it, you could tell that they cared deeply for each other.
Many thanks to the author for the copy which she provided. I received a complimentary copy of this novel. I was not required to post a positive review and all views and opinions are my own.
May 30, 2018
4.5 stars!
The Allegiance series has so far been a wild ride of action, heartbreak, and romance. Dissociate is no exception. Throughout the book, I was pretty much either fangirl-giggling uncontrollably or taking deep breaths to calm the painful ache of emotion in my chest.
These characters, tho. <3 They are the highlight of this series and the lifebreath of this book. I’m telling ya, character-driven stories are the ones I fall in love with. The Haynes family, the Kyle family, and all their darling friends are like one big, happy, broken family that I feel a part of somehow. They squeeeeeeze my heart.
ONE DISLIKE:
I take off half a star because of some minor curse words thrown in. I personally don't approve of Christian authors using actual curse words in their writing. Terms like "he swore/cursed"? Sure! But actual foul words... :/ Idk, it's my preference, I guess. And the characters who used them weren't followers of Etra (the God figure in this fantasy world), so it makes sense. I've just... never liked it.
Now, onto the good stuff! *squeals*
5 TOP FAVORITES:
- Celeste. Her arc for each book has just been so well-done. She’s changed A LOT since the beginning of Disowned, and I especially loved how Etra touched her life in this one. <3
- Torrance Kyle. Okay, so this guy has problems. I won't deny that he grated on my nerves a few times, and outright scared me at others. But at the same time he’s complex. Deep. Broken. Somehow you just have to root for him with every fiber of your being, you know??
- Mick. The precious boy is learning and growing. :’) I love him. Especially him + Celeste, not going to lie. Which leads me to...
- The romance. Swoon-worthy and wonderful, both Torraya and Mickeste. Like I said earlier, they had me giggling at times and aching at others.
- The twists and turns. The plot perhaps wasn’t as solid as Dissemble’s, but there were an abundance of excellent twists and jerks in the storyline nevertheless that had me on the edge of my seat. O_o It also had its very stabby moments, so points for that!
I can't wait for the next book, eeeeeeek! (For some reason I used to think it was a trilogy, but I recently realized I was wrong. No idea why I came to that assumption, but hey... I ain't complainin'. CAN'T WAIT FOR BOOK FOUR!!!)
*I received a free ARC of this book for promotional purposes. All opinions expressed are my own.
----
I'm SO in love with these characters. So. In. Love. They feel like a second family or something. :')
They really stole the show and utterly ate up my heart in this one. Full review to come! <3
The Allegiance series has so far been a wild ride of action, heartbreak, and romance. Dissociate is no exception. Throughout the book, I was pretty much either fangirl-giggling uncontrollably or taking deep breaths to calm the painful ache of emotion in my chest.
These characters, tho. <3 They are the highlight of this series and the lifebreath of this book. I’m telling ya, character-driven stories are the ones I fall in love with. The Haynes family, the Kyle family, and all their darling friends are like one big, happy, broken family that I feel a part of somehow. They squeeeeeeze my heart.
ONE DISLIKE:
I take off half a star because of some minor curse words thrown in. I personally don't approve of Christian authors using actual curse words in their writing. Terms like "he swore/cursed"? Sure! But actual foul words... :/ Idk, it's my preference, I guess. And the characters who used them weren't followers of Etra (the God figure in this fantasy world), so it makes sense. I've just... never liked it.
Now, onto the good stuff! *squeals*
5 TOP FAVORITES:
- Celeste. Her arc for each book has just been so well-done. She’s changed A LOT since the beginning of Disowned, and I especially loved how Etra touched her life in this one. <3
- Torrance Kyle. Okay, so this guy has problems. I won't deny that he grated on my nerves a few times, and outright scared me at others. But at the same time he’s complex. Deep. Broken. Somehow you just have to root for him with every fiber of your being, you know??
- Mick. The precious boy is learning and growing. :’) I love him. Especially him + Celeste, not going to lie. Which leads me to...
- The romance. Swoon-worthy and wonderful, both Torraya and Mickeste. Like I said earlier, they had me giggling at times and aching at others.
- The twists and turns. The plot perhaps wasn’t as solid as Dissemble’s, but there were an abundance of excellent twists and jerks in the storyline nevertheless that had me on the edge of my seat. O_o It also had its very stabby moments, so points for that!
I can't wait for the next book, eeeeeeek! (For some reason I used to think it was a trilogy, but I recently realized I was wrong. No idea why I came to that assumption, but hey... I ain't complainin'. CAN'T WAIT FOR BOOK FOUR!!!)
*I received a free ARC of this book for promotional purposes. All opinions expressed are my own.
----
I'm SO in love with these characters. So. In. Love. They feel like a second family or something. :')
They really stole the show and utterly ate up my heart in this one. Full review to come! <3
May 14, 2018
~ I received a free ARC in exchange for an honest review ~
Disowned was quiet and home-like, Dissemble was action-packed and intense, and Dissociate struck a nice balance between the two. It was less politically driven than Dissemble, (although the undercurrent of world happenings was still there), but I find myself favoring the “small stuff”—the things that mean a lot to the MCs but maybe have no far-reaching consequences—and there was plenty of that. It reminded me a lot more of Disowned, in fact, which I love.
One of my favorite things about the book was that the relationship we’ve been rooting for concerning certain characters was finally made official. Both of them stopped denying what the rest of the world could see already, and acknowledged their love for each other. (That’s not to say their relationship was not without bumps, however!) There were plenty of obstacles thrown into each character’s way, and there were several times I had to put my Kindle down and grin like a maniac, take a deep breath, or simply stare into space, because Sarah—how could you do such a thing??
As for characters, Mick is still the rather morally upright character I grew to know him as in the previous book, Celeste is learning that people really are capable of loving her, Torrance is on a difficult path to restoration as well, and Amaya grew leaps and bounds in my estimation with this book. Being pregnant suits her. xD Plus, I mean, you have to love a woman who will go full Enjolras and build a barricade while her husband is gone in order to protect orphans. I mean really.
The only thing craft-wise that I didn’t care for in Dissociate is that this is one of those books that just jumps in without any refresher at all, and while I admit that I probably have the worst memory of anyone of my age, I was a little confused sometimes. Also, Mick didn’t seem to know anything. xD I found myself thinking, several times during the first third of the book: “Wait… Mick doesn’t know that yet??” This probably wouldn’t bother me if I could remember what Mick did or didn’t know from the last book, so a quick sentence or two of explanation at critical moments would help tremendously. (But then again, none of this would be a problem for people that get to read all three right through, so this is mostly a personal gripe. *shrugs*)
Content comes in slightly increased swearing, drinking, getting very drunk, mentions of childhood abuse, an “off-screen” suicide, and quite a bit of sexual innuendo… although it was more of the kind concerned with staying pure before marriage and being faithful afterwards, so I personally found that less uncomfortable than the last book. There was also a whole lot of kissing (I lost count of instances early on, quite honestly), so if that bothers you, you’ve been warned.
Altogether, I enjoyed Dissociate a lot! The characters are all growing, and not staying stagnant. Mick, alone, is someone I’ve enjoyed watching mature throughout the series. There’s always a certain warmth to these books that I enjoy, and I think it comes from the family values portrayed within. The Haynes family has issues like any other, but they're courageous enough to love the ones that the world has rejected. And that’s something I think the real world needs a lot more of.
Disowned was quiet and home-like, Dissemble was action-packed and intense, and Dissociate struck a nice balance between the two. It was less politically driven than Dissemble, (although the undercurrent of world happenings was still there), but I find myself favoring the “small stuff”—the things that mean a lot to the MCs but maybe have no far-reaching consequences—and there was plenty of that. It reminded me a lot more of Disowned, in fact, which I love.
One of my favorite things about the book was that the relationship we’ve been rooting for concerning certain characters was finally made official. Both of them stopped denying what the rest of the world could see already, and acknowledged their love for each other. (That’s not to say their relationship was not without bumps, however!) There were plenty of obstacles thrown into each character’s way, and there were several times I had to put my Kindle down and grin like a maniac, take a deep breath, or simply stare into space, because Sarah—how could you do such a thing??
As for characters, Mick is still the rather morally upright character I grew to know him as in the previous book, Celeste is learning that people really are capable of loving her, Torrance is on a difficult path to restoration as well, and Amaya grew leaps and bounds in my estimation with this book. Being pregnant suits her. xD Plus, I mean, you have to love a woman who will go full Enjolras and build a barricade while her husband is gone in order to protect orphans. I mean really.
The only thing craft-wise that I didn’t care for in Dissociate is that this is one of those books that just jumps in without any refresher at all, and while I admit that I probably have the worst memory of anyone of my age, I was a little confused sometimes. Also, Mick didn’t seem to know anything. xD I found myself thinking, several times during the first third of the book: “Wait… Mick doesn’t know that yet??” This probably wouldn’t bother me if I could remember what Mick did or didn’t know from the last book, so a quick sentence or two of explanation at critical moments would help tremendously. (But then again, none of this would be a problem for people that get to read all three right through, so this is mostly a personal gripe. *shrugs*)
Content comes in slightly increased swearing, drinking, getting very drunk, mentions of childhood abuse, an “off-screen” suicide, and quite a bit of sexual innuendo… although it was more of the kind concerned with staying pure before marriage and being faithful afterwards, so I personally found that less uncomfortable than the last book. There was also a whole lot of kissing (I lost count of instances early on, quite honestly), so if that bothers you, you’ve been warned.
Altogether, I enjoyed Dissociate a lot! The characters are all growing, and not staying stagnant. Mick, alone, is someone I’ve enjoyed watching mature throughout the series. There’s always a certain warmth to these books that I enjoy, and I think it comes from the family values portrayed within. The Haynes family has issues like any other, but they're courageous enough to love the ones that the world has rejected. And that’s something I think the real world needs a lot more of.
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July 1, 2018I received the first three books of this series as a gift. I was not required to give a positive review. These are my honest opinions.
I have reviewed the first two books briefly and you can go read those reviews. This review will be a review of the series thus far, so it’ll contain things from all three books, and be lengthy. This review will contain spoilers! Many of them!
Book One, Disowned -- It started with a gripping plot idea, offered vivid characters, and relatable experiences and reactions. It was a promising first book, all in all, though it had it’s obvious flaws: such as the unneeded and annoying ‘villain spills his guts and gives whole backstory just before his impending doom’ -- this scene especially was a fill in. What true bad guy is going to tell all like that? No one. It was a shoved in plot device.
Speaking of things shoved in, we have the trope of ‘I have to find my long lost parent no matter what, even though I have a pre-existing parent/person who loves me’. It’s a trope I personally find irritating.This motivation drives Celeste through the series. However, to begin with, it shows how poor Celeste’s drive is. To me, it seems she chose her long lost father over the family who loved her.
Flaw two: Mick’s marriage proposal to Celeste. Simply put, if she married him, she would have legal citizenship and be able to move back to his family (who she ‘supposedly’ loves dearly) with him. Simple, yes? And through book one, we are shown how obviously Mick and Celeste love each other. They bond through training, living together with Mick’s family, and they begin to trust one another. It is a main theme that these two love each other, did I mention that? And they trust each other? Toward the end of book one, Celeste refuses Mick’s proposal. She suddenly ‘knows nothing about him’ -- though it is VERY obvious he cares about her and her safety. Out of nowhere, Celeste acts like a five year old child throwing tantrums over having something (Mick) and then not having him drives her nuts, too (chapter 13, y’all).
Book Two, Dissemble -- The melodrama continues into book two. The first chapter of Dissemble made me wanna headdesk till I got a bruise. In book one, the Celeste we see is a woman who learns self-defense to protect herself, not to go be some wonder woman. Celeste also focuses on nursing and healing others, which is a thing not seen much in books nowadays. Female characters have to whip butt to mean anything. In Disowned, I was excited to see Celeste breaking that mold -- and, oh, wait, no. Book two comes along, and any gentle/nursing traits Celeste had are tossed aside. Now, we have Spy Celeste, who isn’t actually good at being a spy, but for the sake of the plot, she’s allowed to slip by. The first chapter is actually pointless -- why would Smyth ‘test’ Celeste at all? It was a drab reason for Smyth to void their contract. It was just more rather pointless drama/action.
Another huge annoyance: all. Of. The. Lies. And. Secrets. For Celeste to be so worried about protecting her family, did she never think, ‘hey, lying is only making things worse’? With her backstory in life, you think such a thought would be certain. It wasn’t. So much in Dissemble could have been avoided if these characters knew a thing about communications and not making bigger problems out of things (like maybe explaining your fiasco to begin with, Celeste, so you didn’t lead Mick on like a rat).
Here’s some more flaws for Dissemble: the insanity that is Torrance and Amaya, two new characters. One scene that made me wanna vomit was when Torrance and Celeste are on their spy job. They’re pretending to be married, their lives count on their con abilities, etc. Our first impression of Torrance is that he is a total jerk: surely, he has a reason, right? And then, we see him purposefully getting Celeste drunk (though, again, she’s not smart and totally decides that she can drink just to defy him). And he gets inappropriate -- for no reason. In a logical point of view, getting someone drunk and forcing yourself on them will not sell a con. It will not make physical touch look less forced later on. Shortly after this scene, we realize Torrance is married to Amaya. Not that I cared much at that point, but let’s bear with. So, suddenly, Torrance is a jerk but he cares about Amaya! Totally! And, to make it worse, y’all, we see Torrance later taking serious note of how nice looking Celeste is. (And, sure, a married man might see a fine lady at some point -- but you know what a MAN does? He looks away and focuses back on his wife and thanks God for HIS WIFE.) Torrance shows no remorse for such actions or thoughts -- he chalks it up to the ‘job’ of being a spy. Barf.
And, finally, Celeste is freed (though, again, they didn’t kill Carmel? What? Sure, having mercy and freeing slaves is great! But wasn’t it common sense to see that he wouldn’t change? He’ll probably just go get more victims?). The plot of Dissemble was quite confusing -- towards the end, I’ll be honest, I didn’t have much clue what was going on. Or what mattered. But, on the final pages, we see STRONGLY that Mick and Celeste love each other!
Book three, Dissociate -- I begin with high hopes things’ll get better and make sense. They don’t. Straight off, things are still confusing plot wise (from a series stand point, it wasn’t the most natural flowing spot to end and begin another book). And Celeste and Mick have become infuriating. Celeste cannot make up her mind at all. One moment, she doubts Mick and doesn’t trust him -- the next moment, a kiss solves all!
As the chapters go on, Celeste panics. And I’m gonna ramble a bit here, folks. First: “ “She didn’t want to marry him -- not like this -- married by some old fogey while Smyth sneered at them in the background. How could this be alright with Mick? Did he really think so little of her?” (pg 32). UH, WHAT? Ya know that saying ‘I’d marry you in a brown paper bag’, etc? I never thought anyone WOULDN’T have that mindset. Who cares where you get married? At this point, why isn’t Celeste joyful? From what I see, Mick is doing this to give her citizinationship -- that’s what she wanted and she loves Mick, yes? So why in the name of daffodils is she acting like a thirteen year old? And, wait, we’re not done with this scene...
“If she married Mick, would he control her, too? Make her decisions for her? Like every other man she’d known. No matter how much she loved him, she couldn’t allow him to do that. She’d only had a taste of freedom -- could she really part with it so suddenly?” (page 32-33) Excuse me? What? Even for a sex slave, this is ridiculous. We’ve had two books of Mick showing how much he cares for her, and we’ve seen how much she trusts him. And suddenly, all progress that was made is nonexistent. Suddenly, Celeste is fleeing from the altar because of fears she hasn’t bothered to deal with before. And let’s just acknowledge another thing: Celeste should know that marriage is a bond, not a chain. She’s seen Ethan and Maggie, yes? Sees their love? Does she honestly think Mick is the kind of man to use her? Because if so, what was the purpose of the past two books? If I had just been freed, I would be ECSTATIC at getting married to the man I loved, not seeing it as parting with freedom!
And now, we come to the big plot point of Dissociate. Amaya and Celeste have to stay behind -- for some reason, because the plot is still rather unclear. Also, Mick and Torrance have to go do something together, leaving their girls behind. Did I mention that this chaos could have been simply avoided if Celeste had married Mick? Which is obviously gonna happen at some point, but for the sake of ‘character development’ (even though these characters have stopped being steady and realistic since book two) let’s have Celeste keep fighting things blindly. We have Amaya telling Mick ‘don’t rush Celeste’... what? Celeste has demons and a past to face, YES, but I’m fairly certain things might be less monstrous to handle if she actually trusted Mick (which she’s done before. She only won’t trust him now because things need heated drama) and married him. Will her scars leave? No! But she isn’t learning or healing now, either, by fighting him. In fact, if anything, she’s really done nothing to build a character arc. Her focuses are weak as far as finding her father goes. And once she became free, she didn’t let her goals go to ‘OK, I’ll go home and fix things with the Haynes family’. Nope. She remains wishy washy.
GOOD THINGS! This series is promising and the author put a lot of work into this series. I have lots of respect for that! And I'm not trying to trash this series. As in my previous reviews for the books, I'll include good things from the series, too:
-- Asher. Very nice dude.
-- Haynes family was great! Worth the reading.
-- Etra (God, basically) wasn't mentioned a whole lot but could've had potential if the Word of Etra had been more involved.
-- Humor. The characters could be witty!
-- Settings could be pretty cool, even if I wasn't sure what was going on.
-- THE SERGEANT IN BOOK ONE! I wanted more of him, he was great!
-- Intriguing, mostly, until book 3.
-- The topics of trafficking, war, fantasy and all was neato.
-- The series had good points! And strong characters at first. And promising plot lines that would've been EPIC, had things been a bit more solidly explained.
I did not finish at Dissociate (page 50) because I was no longer interested in where the plot went or what the characters did. The characters stopped being themselves, doing things that just didn’t fit. The plot and setting was often confusing (I… still have no idea what the wars were about, actually). I'm not trashing this series, but these are my thoughts, and I am in no way trying to attack the author (I wish her the best!). This series isn't for everyone, just like every other book, so I hope my reviews might give others insights on whether or not it is the series for them.
Content advisory -- Swearing (bl**dy, h***, d***, and some more I’m forgetting). Enough sexual innuendos and inappropriateness to be in an actual romance novel. Action but it never got too graphic. And, on the note of, yes, this series deals with human trafficking so ‘surely it will be gritty’ -- I suggest the movie Priceless. That handled the topic wonderfully and didn’t belittle anything, but didn’t have to make things dirty to show truth.
I have reviewed the first two books briefly and you can go read those reviews. This review will be a review of the series thus far, so it’ll contain things from all three books, and be lengthy. This review will contain spoilers! Many of them!
Book One, Disowned -- It started with a gripping plot idea, offered vivid characters, and relatable experiences and reactions. It was a promising first book, all in all, though it had it’s obvious flaws: such as the unneeded and annoying ‘villain spills his guts and gives whole backstory just before his impending doom’ -- this scene especially was a fill in. What true bad guy is going to tell all like that? No one. It was a shoved in plot device.
Speaking of things shoved in, we have the trope of ‘I have to find my long lost parent no matter what, even though I have a pre-existing parent/person who loves me’. It’s a trope I personally find irritating.This motivation drives Celeste through the series. However, to begin with, it shows how poor Celeste’s drive is. To me, it seems she chose her long lost father over the family who loved her.
Flaw two: Mick’s marriage proposal to Celeste. Simply put, if she married him, she would have legal citizenship and be able to move back to his family (who she ‘supposedly’ loves dearly) with him. Simple, yes? And through book one, we are shown how obviously Mick and Celeste love each other. They bond through training, living together with Mick’s family, and they begin to trust one another. It is a main theme that these two love each other, did I mention that? And they trust each other? Toward the end of book one, Celeste refuses Mick’s proposal. She suddenly ‘knows nothing about him’ -- though it is VERY obvious he cares about her and her safety. Out of nowhere, Celeste acts like a five year old child throwing tantrums over having something (Mick) and then not having him drives her nuts, too (chapter 13, y’all).
Book Two, Dissemble -- The melodrama continues into book two. The first chapter of Dissemble made me wanna headdesk till I got a bruise. In book one, the Celeste we see is a woman who learns self-defense to protect herself, not to go be some wonder woman. Celeste also focuses on nursing and healing others, which is a thing not seen much in books nowadays. Female characters have to whip butt to mean anything. In Disowned, I was excited to see Celeste breaking that mold -- and, oh, wait, no. Book two comes along, and any gentle/nursing traits Celeste had are tossed aside. Now, we have Spy Celeste, who isn’t actually good at being a spy, but for the sake of the plot, she’s allowed to slip by. The first chapter is actually pointless -- why would Smyth ‘test’ Celeste at all? It was a drab reason for Smyth to void their contract. It was just more rather pointless drama/action.
Another huge annoyance: all. Of. The. Lies. And. Secrets. For Celeste to be so worried about protecting her family, did she never think, ‘hey, lying is only making things worse’? With her backstory in life, you think such a thought would be certain. It wasn’t. So much in Dissemble could have been avoided if these characters knew a thing about communications and not making bigger problems out of things (like maybe explaining your fiasco to begin with, Celeste, so you didn’t lead Mick on like a rat).
Here’s some more flaws for Dissemble: the insanity that is Torrance and Amaya, two new characters. One scene that made me wanna vomit was when Torrance and Celeste are on their spy job. They’re pretending to be married, their lives count on their con abilities, etc. Our first impression of Torrance is that he is a total jerk: surely, he has a reason, right? And then, we see him purposefully getting Celeste drunk (though, again, she’s not smart and totally decides that she can drink just to defy him). And he gets inappropriate -- for no reason. In a logical point of view, getting someone drunk and forcing yourself on them will not sell a con. It will not make physical touch look less forced later on. Shortly after this scene, we realize Torrance is married to Amaya. Not that I cared much at that point, but let’s bear with. So, suddenly, Torrance is a jerk but he cares about Amaya! Totally! And, to make it worse, y’all, we see Torrance later taking serious note of how nice looking Celeste is. (And, sure, a married man might see a fine lady at some point -- but you know what a MAN does? He looks away and focuses back on his wife and thanks God for HIS WIFE.) Torrance shows no remorse for such actions or thoughts -- he chalks it up to the ‘job’ of being a spy. Barf.
And, finally, Celeste is freed (though, again, they didn’t kill Carmel? What? Sure, having mercy and freeing slaves is great! But wasn’t it common sense to see that he wouldn’t change? He’ll probably just go get more victims?). The plot of Dissemble was quite confusing -- towards the end, I’ll be honest, I didn’t have much clue what was going on. Or what mattered. But, on the final pages, we see STRONGLY that Mick and Celeste love each other!
Book three, Dissociate -- I begin with high hopes things’ll get better and make sense. They don’t. Straight off, things are still confusing plot wise (from a series stand point, it wasn’t the most natural flowing spot to end and begin another book). And Celeste and Mick have become infuriating. Celeste cannot make up her mind at all. One moment, she doubts Mick and doesn’t trust him -- the next moment, a kiss solves all!
As the chapters go on, Celeste panics. And I’m gonna ramble a bit here, folks. First: “ “She didn’t want to marry him -- not like this -- married by some old fogey while Smyth sneered at them in the background. How could this be alright with Mick? Did he really think so little of her?” (pg 32). UH, WHAT? Ya know that saying ‘I’d marry you in a brown paper bag’, etc? I never thought anyone WOULDN’T have that mindset. Who cares where you get married? At this point, why isn’t Celeste joyful? From what I see, Mick is doing this to give her citizinationship -- that’s what she wanted and she loves Mick, yes? So why in the name of daffodils is she acting like a thirteen year old? And, wait, we’re not done with this scene...
“If she married Mick, would he control her, too? Make her decisions for her? Like every other man she’d known. No matter how much she loved him, she couldn’t allow him to do that. She’d only had a taste of freedom -- could she really part with it so suddenly?” (page 32-33) Excuse me? What? Even for a sex slave, this is ridiculous. We’ve had two books of Mick showing how much he cares for her, and we’ve seen how much she trusts him. And suddenly, all progress that was made is nonexistent. Suddenly, Celeste is fleeing from the altar because of fears she hasn’t bothered to deal with before. And let’s just acknowledge another thing: Celeste should know that marriage is a bond, not a chain. She’s seen Ethan and Maggie, yes? Sees their love? Does she honestly think Mick is the kind of man to use her? Because if so, what was the purpose of the past two books? If I had just been freed, I would be ECSTATIC at getting married to the man I loved, not seeing it as parting with freedom!
And now, we come to the big plot point of Dissociate. Amaya and Celeste have to stay behind -- for some reason, because the plot is still rather unclear. Also, Mick and Torrance have to go do something together, leaving their girls behind. Did I mention that this chaos could have been simply avoided if Celeste had married Mick? Which is obviously gonna happen at some point, but for the sake of ‘character development’ (even though these characters have stopped being steady and realistic since book two) let’s have Celeste keep fighting things blindly. We have Amaya telling Mick ‘don’t rush Celeste’... what? Celeste has demons and a past to face, YES, but I’m fairly certain things might be less monstrous to handle if she actually trusted Mick (which she’s done before. She only won’t trust him now because things need heated drama) and married him. Will her scars leave? No! But she isn’t learning or healing now, either, by fighting him. In fact, if anything, she’s really done nothing to build a character arc. Her focuses are weak as far as finding her father goes. And once she became free, she didn’t let her goals go to ‘OK, I’ll go home and fix things with the Haynes family’. Nope. She remains wishy washy.
GOOD THINGS! This series is promising and the author put a lot of work into this series. I have lots of respect for that! And I'm not trying to trash this series. As in my previous reviews for the books, I'll include good things from the series, too:
-- Asher. Very nice dude.
-- Haynes family was great! Worth the reading.
-- Etra (God, basically) wasn't mentioned a whole lot but could've had potential if the Word of Etra had been more involved.
-- Humor. The characters could be witty!
-- Settings could be pretty cool, even if I wasn't sure what was going on.
-- THE SERGEANT IN BOOK ONE! I wanted more of him, he was great!
-- Intriguing, mostly, until book 3.
-- The topics of trafficking, war, fantasy and all was neato.
-- The series had good points! And strong characters at first. And promising plot lines that would've been EPIC, had things been a bit more solidly explained.
I did not finish at Dissociate (page 50) because I was no longer interested in where the plot went or what the characters did. The characters stopped being themselves, doing things that just didn’t fit. The plot and setting was often confusing (I… still have no idea what the wars were about, actually). I'm not trashing this series, but these are my thoughts, and I am in no way trying to attack the author (I wish her the best!). This series isn't for everyone, just like every other book, so I hope my reviews might give others insights on whether or not it is the series for them.
Content advisory -- Swearing (bl**dy, h***, d***, and some more I’m forgetting). Enough sexual innuendos and inappropriateness to be in an actual romance novel. Action but it never got too graphic. And, on the note of, yes, this series deals with human trafficking so ‘surely it will be gritty’ -- I suggest the movie Priceless. That handled the topic wonderfully and didn’t belittle anything, but didn’t have to make things dirty to show truth.
January 24, 2019
Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh!!!!!! *fangirls and jump around the room like a maniac* THIS ENDING Y'ALL HAD MY HEART SO HAPPY!!!!! *dreamily sighs*
Y'all, Sarah is one of the best authors I have very read. Her books get better and better. As much as I love the first and second one, this one was even better. Well it did help that we had the but still this book had me flipping page after page non stop. My dad thought I was dying in the car while reading it on my way home from Kentucky. Yes, I am a dinosaur when I fangirl and I am not ashamed of it. XD
But seriously how could you not fangirl over Mick. My little cinnamon roll. Celeste and him are just so beautiful together and *sighs* they just warm my heart so much with their romance.
Y'all you seriously need to read this series if you haven't. It is the best series you will ever read!!!!!!!
Y'all, Sarah is one of the best authors I have very read. Her books get better and better. As much as I love the first and second one, this one was even better. Well it did help that we had the but still this book had me flipping page after page non stop. My dad thought I was dying in the car while reading it on my way home from Kentucky. Yes, I am a dinosaur when I fangirl and I am not ashamed of it. XD
But seriously how could you not fangirl over Mick. My little cinnamon roll. Celeste and him are just so beautiful together and *sighs* they just warm my heart so much with their romance.
Y'all you seriously need to read this series if you haven't. It is the best series you will ever read!!!!!!!
May 24, 2018
What a gorgeous cover! This is the third book in the series and it was like revisiting old friends. Celeste and Mick are finally together but Celeste struggles with the whole notion of marriage, of losing her freedom when she’s only just stopped being a slave. I really got her struggle and as much as I think Mick is an awesome, great guy, I found myself unexpectedly agreeing that Celeste shouldn’t rush into anything, that she needs time to become used to her new life and to have the chance to understand herself as a person (not just a slave or an agent).
Torrance is back and Amaya and they both have an interesting complexity that surrounds them and their relationship. Torrance in particular is an unsettling character who is very unpredictable. On the one hand he adores his wife and gives Mick sage advice and on the other he has dark thoughts fostered by his abusive childhood that translate into disturbing actions. Torrance is the character whose development I am most interested in.
There is violence in this, but it is not anywhere near as graphic as it could be and in the background as always is Mick’s family who continue to be lovely caring people and a model of a happy, loving family.
Thank you to the author for allowing me to read this. All these mulled over thoughts are my own.
Torrance is back and Amaya and they both have an interesting complexity that surrounds them and their relationship. Torrance in particular is an unsettling character who is very unpredictable. On the one hand he adores his wife and gives Mick sage advice and on the other he has dark thoughts fostered by his abusive childhood that translate into disturbing actions. Torrance is the character whose development I am most interested in.
There is violence in this, but it is not anywhere near as graphic as it could be and in the background as always is Mick’s family who continue to be lovely caring people and a model of a happy, loving family.
Thank you to the author for allowing me to read this. All these mulled over thoughts are my own.
June 12, 2018
These books just keep getting better and better! While the plot in this one isn't as linear or as tense as Dissemble, the character tension more than makes up for it! I was on the edge of my seat biting my nails that certain characters would get their heads straightened out and start making good decisions finally.
And the ending...*sigh* so sweet. And so worth it after all the trouble the poor characters have gone through. Now I'm just really, really worried about the characters since this isn't the last book!
And the ending...*sigh* so sweet. And so worth it after all the trouble the poor characters have gone through. Now I'm just really, really worried about the characters since this isn't the last book!
December 20, 2018
Another awesome installment in the series! As like the last one, I wasn't able to put it down! I read it in three days wihich is a bit of a record for me lately! I have been having trouble with books keeping my interest lately, and this one did not have that problem at all!
The continuation of the story was harrowing at times in such a good way. I was rooting for the characters and constantly turning pages to see what happened next. Torrance's struggles were especially nail biting and made me nervous as I kept waiting to see what would happen next.
The character deepening continued as each of them struggled with their own inner turmoil and the positions that life has put them in. The ending was incredibly satisfactory, but I will say no more due to not wanting to spoil the book.
Content:
The continuation of the story was harrowing at times in such a good way. I was rooting for the characters and constantly turning pages to see what happened next. Torrance's struggles were especially nail biting and made me nervous as I kept waiting to see what would happen next.
The character deepening continued as each of them struggled with their own inner turmoil and the positions that life has put them in. The ending was incredibly satisfactory, but I will say no more due to not wanting to spoil the book.
Content:
Want to read
January 22, 2019🎁 FREE on Amazon today (1/22/2019)! 🎁
Blurb:
Freedom begins with finding the truth.
Amidst the turmoil caused by Smyth’s arrest, Celeste is stuck in limbo, stripped of her citizenship, with no choice but to flee to a peaceful Kyraenean hideaway with the tumultuous Amaya Mason.
When bounty hunters threaten the local orphanage, Celeste and Amaya must work together and fight. Even if it means risking what they cherish the most.
Torrance is good at lying, and even better at hiding his pain, but is he strong enough to deal with the consequences of betraying his own father?
Blurb:
Freedom begins with finding the truth.
Amidst the turmoil caused by Smyth’s arrest, Celeste is stuck in limbo, stripped of her citizenship, with no choice but to flee to a peaceful Kyraenean hideaway with the tumultuous Amaya Mason.
When bounty hunters threaten the local orphanage, Celeste and Amaya must work together and fight. Even if it means risking what they cherish the most.
Torrance is good at lying, and even better at hiding his pain, but is he strong enough to deal with the consequences of betraying his own father?
August 3, 2018
This one was a bit /too/ melodramatic at the beginning for my taste, which is weird because I love drama. While I could totally understand Celeste's fears about the marriage, it just seemed a bit ridiculous and whiney in some scenes.
Besides that, this was great! That ending... *sighs* adored it. And may we take a minute to admire that cover? All of her covers have been gorgeous, but this one has to be my favorite.
Besides that, this was great! That ending... *sighs* adored it. And may we take a minute to admire that cover? All of her covers have been gorgeous, but this one has to be my favorite.
June 12, 2018
reviewed by bookwolf4
For some reason I thought this was the last book in the series. It’s not. I really need book 4 now!! But for now. Dissociate. Wow. I can’t find the exact words to describe it. Dissociate is by far the best book in the series. (Yes, Discerned, you have a lot to live up to.) The characters struggles are so real, and portrayed so beautifully. And for some reason, I just really connected with this third book more than the other two.
Dissociate handles multiple different issues with grace. Celeste had no control over her life when she was a slave, and she is afraid that marrying Mick will once again take any amount of control she has away. Another large part of this story is about Torrance. We get to see a lot of his childhood and how his father abused him, physically and psychologically. It is emotional and humbling seeing the strength required as Torrance struggles with who history dictates he should be and who he can become with the encouragement of those who believe in him.
What I Liked
EVERYTHING
The romance is really non-physical. The characters are first and foremost concerned with the other person’s character.
In this book there is so much more of Torrance and Amaya. They are officially my most favourite characters EVER.
Torrance apologising to Mick was, seriously, the best part in the whole book. Now you have to read it and find out what I’m talking about. Along the same lines, Rachel was hilarious.
What I Didn’t Like
Nothing
Other
This book has a lot more spiritual content than the other two, mainly because the main characters begin to search for themselves. A real turning point for Celeste is when a gun misfires, saving Mick’s life. Celeste asks the question, was it a coincidence? I can’t wait to see more of their journeys, Torrance in particular.
We get to see Amaya’s soft side – can you call it soft? I’m calling it soft – in this book. Her gruffness is mainly a front for her fear, I think.
Quotes
“Don’t even think about running because I will never stop chasing you.” – Mick
Smyth had taught them well enough. Taught them that every man had his breaking point and that their job was to apply pressure until the cracks began to show.
“Thinking you’re not worth it – that’s a lie – just because you’ve been told something you whole life doesn’t make it true.” – Amaya
“Think of everything Etra has done for you. Think of the times He’s shown you He is real. Concentrate on that. Trust, Celeste, trust that Etra loves you and counts your prayers worthy,” – Emerson
Even as sleep pulled him under, he issued the words he’d promised to speak each night from the time they’d married. “Night, sweetheart.” – Torrance
“I don’t want your money. I want you.” – Amaya
“Where did Mick learn to dance?” Ethan gave her a broader smile. “Not from me, that’s for certain. Maggie and Grace Jenkins insisted he learn. You’ll find Asher quite the mover too.” Celeste laughed. “So, they danced with their mothers?” Ethan waggled his eyebrows. “And each other, when they were younger.” Celeste laughed at the mental image.
I received this book free from the author for promotional purposes. No reviews, positive or otherwise, were required. All opinions expressed are purely my own.
For some reason I thought this was the last book in the series. It’s not. I really need book 4 now!! But for now. Dissociate. Wow. I can’t find the exact words to describe it. Dissociate is by far the best book in the series. (Yes, Discerned, you have a lot to live up to.) The characters struggles are so real, and portrayed so beautifully. And for some reason, I just really connected with this third book more than the other two.
Dissociate handles multiple different issues with grace. Celeste had no control over her life when she was a slave, and she is afraid that marrying Mick will once again take any amount of control she has away. Another large part of this story is about Torrance. We get to see a lot of his childhood and how his father abused him, physically and psychologically. It is emotional and humbling seeing the strength required as Torrance struggles with who history dictates he should be and who he can become with the encouragement of those who believe in him.
What I Liked
EVERYTHING
The romance is really non-physical. The characters are first and foremost concerned with the other person’s character.
In this book there is so much more of Torrance and Amaya. They are officially my most favourite characters EVER.
Torrance apologising to Mick was, seriously, the best part in the whole book. Now you have to read it and find out what I’m talking about. Along the same lines, Rachel was hilarious.
What I Didn’t Like
Nothing
Other
This book has a lot more spiritual content than the other two, mainly because the main characters begin to search for themselves. A real turning point for Celeste is when a gun misfires, saving Mick’s life. Celeste asks the question, was it a coincidence? I can’t wait to see more of their journeys, Torrance in particular.
We get to see Amaya’s soft side – can you call it soft? I’m calling it soft – in this book. Her gruffness is mainly a front for her fear, I think.
Quotes
“Don’t even think about running because I will never stop chasing you.” – Mick
Smyth had taught them well enough. Taught them that every man had his breaking point and that their job was to apply pressure until the cracks began to show.
“Thinking you’re not worth it – that’s a lie – just because you’ve been told something you whole life doesn’t make it true.” – Amaya
“Think of everything Etra has done for you. Think of the times He’s shown you He is real. Concentrate on that. Trust, Celeste, trust that Etra loves you and counts your prayers worthy,” – Emerson
Even as sleep pulled him under, he issued the words he’d promised to speak each night from the time they’d married. “Night, sweetheart.” – Torrance
“I don’t want your money. I want you.” – Amaya
“Where did Mick learn to dance?” Ethan gave her a broader smile. “Not from me, that’s for certain. Maggie and Grace Jenkins insisted he learn. You’ll find Asher quite the mover too.” Celeste laughed. “So, they danced with their mothers?” Ethan waggled his eyebrows. “And each other, when they were younger.” Celeste laughed at the mental image.
I received this book free from the author for promotional purposes. No reviews, positive or otherwise, were required. All opinions expressed are purely my own.
August 26, 2018
I started this immediately after I finished book 2, and pretty much didn't move except to get more cookies.
This book was soo much fun! We get more of mah boy Torrance. He's got so much going on and I'm so glad he has Amaya to call him out on his actions, as well as Mick and Celeste looking after him.
Celeste really blossoms in this book, although it's almost a book more about Mick and Torrance than about her. But she really comes into her own and I loved seeing her stand up for herself and what she wants/needs, and finally be really happy. Also her and Mick. Ah-dorable.
Also, I want a mountain cottage.
The plot meanders a little more in this one, but its not so much high action as book 2, as more intrigue and spy things which are also cool. There were plenty of parts where we slowed down and everything just made my heart happy. Mick is still a giant dork and I hope he never ever changes. I want Ethan and Maggie to adopt all of the children. The themes of faith and trust are still present and really well woven in, surfacing more prominently at just the right times.
The ending is adorable, but I'm super glad we get a book 4 because there's too much character development left for everyone for this to be the last book. ;)
If you need me, I'll be getting book 4 and more cookies.
This book was soo much fun! We get more of mah boy Torrance. He's got so much going on and I'm so glad he has Amaya to call him out on his actions, as well as Mick and Celeste looking after him.
Celeste really blossoms in this book, although it's almost a book more about Mick and Torrance than about her. But she really comes into her own and I loved seeing her stand up for herself and what she wants/needs, and finally be really happy. Also her and Mick. Ah-dorable.
Also, I want a mountain cottage.
The plot meanders a little more in this one, but its not so much high action as book 2, as more intrigue and spy things which are also cool. There were plenty of parts where we slowed down and everything just made my heart happy. Mick is still a giant dork and I hope he never ever changes. I want Ethan and Maggie to adopt all of the children. The themes of faith and trust are still present and really well woven in, surfacing more prominently at just the right times.
The ending is adorable, but I'm super glad we get a book 4 because there's too much character development left for everyone for this to be the last book. ;)
If you need me, I'll be getting book 4 and more cookies.
Read
July 24, 2018Permission to speak freely? So, to my surprise, I actually didn't dislike this book as much as I was expecting. Which sounds really harsh, I know, and I'm sorry. I hate giving less than glowing reviews. Book 1 was a disappointment to my tastes as I'd seen the book advertised as "clean" "Christian" and "fantasy", and it didn't quite meet my expectations in those areas (i.e. language and drunkenness). But it wasn't bad and it left you on somewhat of a cliffhanger, so I decided to go ahead and try book 2, hoping it would be better... after all, so many people were giving this whole series such positive reviews. Book 2 made me feel sick to my stomach at some points (see my review there), and I liked it even less. *cringes from how negative this is sounding* So, going into book 3, I had learned what to expect content-wise, and honestly didn't have high expectations. I was pleasantly surprised! I read it all in one sitting (couldn't sleep ;) ), and am actually planning to read book 4 as soon as it comes out.
The character development in book 3 for all 4 of the main characters was really strong. Each of them went on their own journeys and felt more real and understandable than they had in previous books. Celeste transformed in such beautiful ways, and her pursuit of Etra was nice, I've been waiting for that for a while! :) Mick had perhaps the least drastic change, but still, his learning how to love and understand Celeste (with help from an unexpected source) was neat to watch. It was also nice to get to see more development in his friendships with Torrance and Asher. Amaya's trials in this book were so perfectly out of her comfort zone, I really appreciated getting to see more of her vulnerability. I wanted to hug her multiple times, but I don't think she'd have appreciated it. And Torrance. Oh, Torrance. His character development was intense and painful and messy (not messy writing, just messy because he is a hurt, broken human). I didn't like him in book 2. But I found myself liking him as a character in this book... despite his violence and anger and immorality. Poor, scary Torrance.
Be warned, though, this book is intense and violent. I was just pleased that some of the stuff that was in book 2 wasn't as bad as to make me uncomfortable in this one (though there was a fair bit of kissing)
The character development in book 3 for all 4 of the main characters was really strong. Each of them went on their own journeys and felt more real and understandable than they had in previous books. Celeste transformed in such beautiful ways, and her pursuit of Etra was nice, I've been waiting for that for a while! :) Mick had perhaps the least drastic change, but still, his learning how to love and understand Celeste (with help from an unexpected source) was neat to watch. It was also nice to get to see more development in his friendships with Torrance and Asher. Amaya's trials in this book were so perfectly out of her comfort zone, I really appreciated getting to see more of her vulnerability. I wanted to hug her multiple times, but I don't think she'd have appreciated it. And Torrance. Oh, Torrance. His character development was intense and painful and messy (not messy writing, just messy because he is a hurt, broken human). I didn't like him in book 2. But I found myself liking him as a character in this book... despite his violence and anger and immorality. Poor, scary Torrance.
Be warned, though, this book is intense and violent. I was just pleased that some of the stuff that was in book 2 wasn't as bad as to make me uncomfortable in this one (though there was a fair bit of kissing)
June 5, 2018
Overall Reaction:
This book is such an amazing conclusion to an overarching struggle for the main character, Celeste. Even though I know Sarah Addison-Fox is going to write more novels where there will be more adventures, I felt like this book brought Celeste full circle as a character while introducing the struggles of other characters. I was very satisfied with this novel, and even though it contained little action compared to the other two stories, it was still a compelling story. I loved the deep psycho-analysis of the characters’ personal struggles and triumphs as they fought the lies that kept them from moving forward. A well done, well written story.
Characters:
Celeste has the normal reactions of anyone who has been a slave her entire life. Unconfident and unsure through most of the books in this series, it was awesome to see her grow from fear to courage and finally leave her past behind. Even though some questions remain regarding her origin, she finds the peace that surpasses all understanding in this book. Her fledgling faith is an encouragement to me as I struggle to find peace in the midst of financial loss, so I really enjoyed reading her character arc.
Mick Haynes reminds me a little of myself. He tries to fix all of Celeste’s problems instead of taking time to understand them, and rushes to take action before thinking of the consequences. I do these things, and so I can relate to Mick immensely. Even though he is gruff, he is as straight as an arrow, hardworking and honest. I only hope the same can be said of me.
Torrance Kyle struggles with his past, especially since his father is almost a literal ghost upon his life. His anger and desire for vengeance fuel his actions, to the distress of his wife and friends. Yet, his guilt and struggle to do right make him a relatable character as well. His journey is one that I feel is incomplete, ripe for conclusion in Sarah’s next novels.
Amaya Mason is the independent and pregnant agent and ex-slave any woman can relate to. With her hormones changing and her stubborn resilience, her humor brought a lightness to otherwise complicated situations. And her speech at the end to Torrance is one of the best ones on marriage I have ever read.
There are other great characters: Asher, Mick’s best friend; Agent Higgs, the mysterious new agent; Emerson, the compassionate mentor; Ethan, Maggie, Sadie and the rest of the Haynes family that tug at my heart strings. Sarah Addison-Fox creates a great cast of characters who I enjoy reading. Each one brings their own part to the story, even the villains.
Plot:
As I mentioned above, this book is more a man vs. self-story than a man v. man story. For those of you who didn’t take as many English classes as I did (I say it not to brag but to say that it’s hard to un-train myself!), that basically means this story is more about the inner struggles of the characters rather than the outer struggles of the characters. Some stories combine both plot and character growth, others focus on plot, and still others focus on character. Dissociate focused on character, and I didn’t miss the lack of “plot.” The plot was a series of events that affected how the characters grew and developed, and I never felt like putting the book down. If anything, the insider view of characters made me continue reading until the very end.
Setting:
This book, although fantasy, is very different than any other fantasy novel I have read. First, this is not a medieval setting and is more a World War I setting (based on the use of machine guns and trenches in Dissemble). Second, there are no magical creatures or even hints about anything mythological (curses, powers, etc). Third, there are only two countries that I know of: Etraea and Kyraenea. This doesn’t mean it can’t be a fantasy novel; in fact, I believe Sarah labels it as such. I am just letting fantasy readers know that this isn’t as “fantastical” as they may have wanted in a book. Still, the differences between Etraea and Kyraenea are clearly described, their cultures and attitudes distinct from one another, creating an elegant backsplash to the novel itself.
Disclaimer: I received this book free from the author for promotional purposes. No reviews, positive or otherwise, were required. All opinions expressed are purely my own.
This book is such an amazing conclusion to an overarching struggle for the main character, Celeste. Even though I know Sarah Addison-Fox is going to write more novels where there will be more adventures, I felt like this book brought Celeste full circle as a character while introducing the struggles of other characters. I was very satisfied with this novel, and even though it contained little action compared to the other two stories, it was still a compelling story. I loved the deep psycho-analysis of the characters’ personal struggles and triumphs as they fought the lies that kept them from moving forward. A well done, well written story.
Characters:
Celeste has the normal reactions of anyone who has been a slave her entire life. Unconfident and unsure through most of the books in this series, it was awesome to see her grow from fear to courage and finally leave her past behind. Even though some questions remain regarding her origin, she finds the peace that surpasses all understanding in this book. Her fledgling faith is an encouragement to me as I struggle to find peace in the midst of financial loss, so I really enjoyed reading her character arc.
Mick Haynes reminds me a little of myself. He tries to fix all of Celeste’s problems instead of taking time to understand them, and rushes to take action before thinking of the consequences. I do these things, and so I can relate to Mick immensely. Even though he is gruff, he is as straight as an arrow, hardworking and honest. I only hope the same can be said of me.
Torrance Kyle struggles with his past, especially since his father is almost a literal ghost upon his life. His anger and desire for vengeance fuel his actions, to the distress of his wife and friends. Yet, his guilt and struggle to do right make him a relatable character as well. His journey is one that I feel is incomplete, ripe for conclusion in Sarah’s next novels.
Amaya Mason is the independent and pregnant agent and ex-slave any woman can relate to. With her hormones changing and her stubborn resilience, her humor brought a lightness to otherwise complicated situations. And her speech at the end to Torrance is one of the best ones on marriage I have ever read.
There are other great characters: Asher, Mick’s best friend; Agent Higgs, the mysterious new agent; Emerson, the compassionate mentor; Ethan, Maggie, Sadie and the rest of the Haynes family that tug at my heart strings. Sarah Addison-Fox creates a great cast of characters who I enjoy reading. Each one brings their own part to the story, even the villains.
Plot:
As I mentioned above, this book is more a man vs. self-story than a man v. man story. For those of you who didn’t take as many English classes as I did (I say it not to brag but to say that it’s hard to un-train myself!), that basically means this story is more about the inner struggles of the characters rather than the outer struggles of the characters. Some stories combine both plot and character growth, others focus on plot, and still others focus on character. Dissociate focused on character, and I didn’t miss the lack of “plot.” The plot was a series of events that affected how the characters grew and developed, and I never felt like putting the book down. If anything, the insider view of characters made me continue reading until the very end.
Setting:
This book, although fantasy, is very different than any other fantasy novel I have read. First, this is not a medieval setting and is more a World War I setting (based on the use of machine guns and trenches in Dissemble). Second, there are no magical creatures or even hints about anything mythological (curses, powers, etc). Third, there are only two countries that I know of: Etraea and Kyraenea. This doesn’t mean it can’t be a fantasy novel; in fact, I believe Sarah labels it as such. I am just letting fantasy readers know that this isn’t as “fantastical” as they may have wanted in a book. Still, the differences between Etraea and Kyraenea are clearly described, their cultures and attitudes distinct from one another, creating an elegant backsplash to the novel itself.
Disclaimer: I received this book free from the author for promotional purposes. No reviews, positive or otherwise, were required. All opinions expressed are purely my own.
August 22, 2018
I never posted a review for this? whoops. I mean I did post one on my blog but still. what kind of fan am I? xD
This book's honest title would be "The Adventures of Muscles, Broody, Princess, Grumpy, and Goose." And I would probably still have read it, lol.
Here's a bit from my blog review ( https://novelsdragonsandwardrobedoors... )
I know this story isn't over (because there are definitely adventures to be had!) but I also feel like an arc has come to a wonderful close, and I'm feeling a weird mix of really happy and sad. I'm not going to spoil anything for those of you who haven't read it, but if you've read books 1 and 2 and aren't sure about book 3 READ BOOK 3.
And that's really all I have to say on the matter.
Read this series. And if you want to, you can listen to my playlist for it. https://open.spotify.com/user/mylittl...
Yeah. 4.5 stars.
**I was sent a copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review**
This book's honest title would be "The Adventures of Muscles, Broody, Princess, Grumpy, and Goose." And I would probably still have read it, lol.
Here's a bit from my blog review ( https://novelsdragonsandwardrobedoors... )
I know this story isn't over (because there are definitely adventures to be had!) but I also feel like an arc has come to a wonderful close, and I'm feeling a weird mix of really happy and sad. I'm not going to spoil anything for those of you who haven't read it, but if you've read books 1 and 2 and aren't sure about book 3 READ BOOK 3.
And that's really all I have to say on the matter.
Read this series. And if you want to, you can listen to my playlist for it. https://open.spotify.com/user/mylittl...
Yeah. 4.5 stars.
**I was sent a copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review**
September 19, 2018
As I promised! Here is my review!
Wow.... wowwowowowowowowow!
Who writes like this? I mean seriously, so CAPTIVATING!! And amazing adventure!
Tears were pouring down my face.... a lot and I found my cheeks hurt from smiling to long. It was incredible! I was laughing at the end and couldn't help but cry a little. So beautiful.
The description as always was perfect! I couldn't find a single thing I disagreed with in this one.... although I did look because I do need to say sometimes what I disliked. Nothing stood out to me, so Walla, perfect!!
The action was less in this book, but the beautiful scenes made up for that and Cesele needed a Happily ever after.... for now at least. Mick was definitely a good boy in this one and I appreciated that! ;)
Now for the characters!! .....................
Cesele : I found myself connecting with her even more so in this adventure and she has grown so much from book one. And she accepted Etra!! Yes!! Beautiful.
Mick : Oh man.... you better catch up to her cause she seems to trust Etra a lot more than you.... and your kinda supposed to be the spiritual leader in the home....
Asher : YES!! He. Came. Back. So happy for that.... now only if he would stop smoking, find a better horse, and get married.
Torrance : This guy is so upsetting, but I understand him.... to a point. Lost his drunk father and everything....
Amaya : She is definitely growing on me and she has come so far from the first time I met her. Can't wait for her and Torrance's relationship to come together.
Sadie : Oh I love this girly!!
I could go on and on about these characters.... but frankly I don't have enough time right now... so I will add more another time! ;) Beautiful book!
Note : I received this book in exchange for an honest review, thanks to the author for my chance.
Wow.... wowwowowowowowowow!
Who writes like this? I mean seriously, so CAPTIVATING!! And amazing adventure!
Tears were pouring down my face.... a lot and I found my cheeks hurt from smiling to long. It was incredible! I was laughing at the end and couldn't help but cry a little. So beautiful.
The description as always was perfect! I couldn't find a single thing I disagreed with in this one.... although I did look because I do need to say sometimes what I disliked. Nothing stood out to me, so Walla, perfect!!
The action was less in this book, but the beautiful scenes made up for that and Cesele needed a Happily ever after.... for now at least. Mick was definitely a good boy in this one and I appreciated that! ;)
Now for the characters!! .....................
Cesele : I found myself connecting with her even more so in this adventure and she has grown so much from book one. And she accepted Etra!! Yes!! Beautiful.
Mick : Oh man.... you better catch up to her cause she seems to trust Etra a lot more than you.... and your kinda supposed to be the spiritual leader in the home....
Asher : YES!! He. Came. Back. So happy for that.... now only if he would stop smoking, find a better horse, and get married.
Torrance : This guy is so upsetting, but I understand him.... to a point. Lost his drunk father and everything....
Amaya : She is definitely growing on me and she has come so far from the first time I met her. Can't wait for her and Torrance's relationship to come together.
Sadie : Oh I love this girly!!
I could go on and on about these characters.... but frankly I don't have enough time right now... so I will add more another time! ;) Beautiful book!
Note : I received this book in exchange for an honest review, thanks to the author for my chance.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 26, 2018
Great Story!
This series gets better with each book! I love following these characters on their journeys- excellent character development and engaging story! Can’t wait to read the next book!
This series gets better with each book! I love following these characters on their journeys- excellent character development and engaging story! Can’t wait to read the next book!
December 31, 2018
I loved how we got to see Celeste bloom, Mick grow up, and Torrence start to fall apart. Amaya really showed her stuff in this book, too! The characters really drove this book and part of the story and it definitely makes you eager for the next book!
May 23, 2018
Oh. my. word. WOW! Somehow 5 stars don't seem like enough? I wish I could give it more stars because that's how much I loved this book! <3
So Disowned was actually slower than books two and three, and it set everything up really nicely. Dissemble was definitely more fast-paced and had a lot of action. Dissociate didn't have quite as much action, but it made me feel so many things!
This one seemed like it was more about the characters. And wow, everyone is dealing with so many emotions and difficult decisions. The characters (mainly Celeste, Torrance, Amaya, and Mick) have also changed in some way since the time you first meet them.
Celeste I think has definitely changed the most. She is very different from the person she was in book one. She's come so far and it's just beautiful and amazing the person she is becoming.
Torrance. Okay, I will admit I was kinda on the fence about him for awhile. Like, I didn't really like him at first, but he slowly started to grow on me. I know so much more about him than I did, and very little of it is all sunshine and rainbows, but I don't care. He seems more human now, and I love his character.
Amaya is one I don't think I would mess with at all, I don't care if she's small. And I loved seeing more of a feminine/emotional side of her in this book.
Mick hasn't changed as much as the others. He's pretty much still Mick, but what I think has changed is his way of thinking.
If you haven't started reading the Allegiance series yet, you really should because you have no idea what you're missing. :D
*I received a free copy of this book for promotional purposes. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*
So Disowned was actually slower than books two and three, and it set everything up really nicely. Dissemble was definitely more fast-paced and had a lot of action. Dissociate didn't have quite as much action, but it made me feel so many things!
This one seemed like it was more about the characters. And wow, everyone is dealing with so many emotions and difficult decisions. The characters (mainly Celeste, Torrance, Amaya, and Mick) have also changed in some way since the time you first meet them.
Celeste I think has definitely changed the most. She is very different from the person she was in book one. She's come so far and it's just beautiful and amazing the person she is becoming.
Torrance. Okay, I will admit I was kinda on the fence about him for awhile. Like, I didn't really like him at first, but he slowly started to grow on me. I know so much more about him than I did, and very little of it is all sunshine and rainbows, but I don't care. He seems more human now, and I love his character.
Amaya is one I don't think I would mess with at all, I don't care if she's small. And I loved seeing more of a feminine/emotional side of her in this book.
Mick hasn't changed as much as the others. He's pretty much still Mick, but what I think has changed is his way of thinking.
If you haven't started reading the Allegiance series yet, you really should because you have no idea what you're missing. :D
*I received a free copy of this book for promotional purposes. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*
September 30, 2018
If the last installment of this series was a saloon-door-banging romp, book 3 is a turn down a small, dark alley with only a pinprick of light at the end to show you the way out.
Similar to the way book 1 felt like a slow set up for book 2, Dissociate feels like the backstory and set up for book 4. This story really belongs to Torrance, a side character from the previous book that fascinated me deeply.
The believable edginess (totally made that word up, but go with me here) of the previous book has been discarded here, for a much more internal threat of letting the past define who we are. Torrance struggles with his upbringing and his expectations for himself more than any of us realized from the previous book. More than once I found myself tempted to shake him, Amaya-style, and tell him to get his head out of his behind.
While I still enjoyed the story, I found myself mired down in the heavy-handed Christian allegory. I say this as a Christian, btw. I didn't mind-- even enjoyed--the allegory in the previous books, but here it felt like there was a quota to be filled in order to be counted as Christian Fiction.
I know there are a lot of Christians out there who will appreciate this style, but I think it will turn off and away a lot of secular readers. Whereas the gentle way it was handled in the first two books is a lot more likely to attract all readers.
On the plus side, Addison-Fox is a good writer who sets scenes very well. The next book is sure to be a fantastic adventure, considering the setup at the end of this book.
Similar to the way book 1 felt like a slow set up for book 2, Dissociate feels like the backstory and set up for book 4. This story really belongs to Torrance, a side character from the previous book that fascinated me deeply.
The believable edginess (totally made that word up, but go with me here) of the previous book has been discarded here, for a much more internal threat of letting the past define who we are. Torrance struggles with his upbringing and his expectations for himself more than any of us realized from the previous book. More than once I found myself tempted to shake him, Amaya-style, and tell him to get his head out of his behind.
While I still enjoyed the story, I found myself mired down in the heavy-handed Christian allegory. I say this as a Christian, btw. I didn't mind-- even enjoyed--the allegory in the previous books, but here it felt like there was a quota to be filled in order to be counted as Christian Fiction.
I know there are a lot of Christians out there who will appreciate this style, but I think it will turn off and away a lot of secular readers. Whereas the gentle way it was handled in the first two books is a lot more likely to attract all readers.
On the plus side, Addison-Fox is a good writer who sets scenes very well. The next book is sure to be a fantastic adventure, considering the setup at the end of this book.
March 12, 2019
The journey continues
Celeste is now a physically and mentally strong character. Nick is now letting Celeste have her freedom to determine the path she wants to take in life. Torrance seems to have control of his anger. But, has he dealt with his inner demons? This book is clean with no sex or swear words, which I appreciate. When reading, I felt as if I was in the world of Etraea. The book was well written except for some minor editing mistakes. These do not bother me. The story was interesting and I can't wait to read the next book.
Celeste is now a physically and mentally strong character. Nick is now letting Celeste have her freedom to determine the path she wants to take in life. Torrance seems to have control of his anger. But, has he dealt with his inner demons? This book is clean with no sex or swear words, which I appreciate. When reading, I felt as if I was in the world of Etraea. The book was well written except for some minor editing mistakes. These do not bother me. The story was interesting and I can't wait to read the next book.
November 23, 2019
I liked this one even more than the previous book. Each of the characters continues to grow, and I've loved seeing more of this story world, but especially the food was interesting to me. Celeste continues to grow in confidence, and it's really sweet. I do not normally read romance, but the romance is clean and tame in here and there is plenty of action and tension to keep it interesting. The plot moves quick and it has a satisfying ending. Amaya keeps me constantly amused as well.
July 21, 2018
Best of the three so far! Loved the deeper exploration of the characters, and the honest portrayal of Celeste's and Torrance's struggles, and how the characters were patient with them and helped them instead of rushing them. Beautiful.
July 16, 2018
Brilliant
Can’t wait for the next book in this series, such a cliff hanger. Sad when I finished it. Enjoyed it immensely.
Can’t wait for the next book in this series, such a cliff hanger. Sad when I finished it. Enjoyed it immensely.
March 5, 2019
Fantastic series. This is one of those books that you want to read the ending to see if it turns out but yet you don't want to spoil the surprise,
June 21, 2019
This book continues the story of Celeste and Mick and dives into the story of their new friends, Torrance and Amaya. This was another quick-read in the Allegiance Series. The story is fast-paced and action-packed from the beginning. I wanted to continue reading the next book in the series immediately after finishing this one.
July 14, 2019
Another great installment in the series. I'm really enjoying the bantering. Looking forward to reading the conclusion to this series!
March 4, 2020
Really good
This is a really good book and series. The only thing keeping me from giving it five stars is the fact that it needs better editing.
This is a really good book and series. The only thing keeping me from giving it five stars is the fact that it needs better editing.
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