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yodamom's review
4.0
I was on the edge of my seat through most of this action based mystery. The story follows a Naitive American lawyer who was raised in camp after being taken from his family. He travels to the wilds and meets woman who brings out the magic hidden in him. His path leads him to stories of magic/native histories/danger/love and one great adventure. His eyes open to shifters/ witches/and anicent beings.
It reminded me a lot of The Tarin Soul series. It had the same feeling in the action/romance/magical/adventure.
It reminded me a lot of The Tarin Soul series. It had the same feeling in the action/romance/magical/adventure.
katyanaish's review
4.0
This was yet another fun installment in this series. And I have to tell you, I am chomping at the bit for book 4, Catullus Graves's story. Mmmmm.
Rebel was pretty different in tone and texture than the previous 2 in the series. Firstly, there was significantly less humor. In fact, I can't really think of any at all. Secondly, there was far fewer nifty steampunk inventions. That's particularly odd to me, since Catullus Graves (the inventor) actually plays a major role in this one. And I would be lying to say that I didn't miss it - something about the tech vs magic in this series is really a lot of fun to me.
We have heard bits and pieces about Astrid Bramfield in the previous books. We know that her husband Michael was killed in Africa, we know that they were doing something with the Primal Source, and we know that the Heirs now have this Primal Source. We know, from the end of book 2, that in the wake of her husband's death, Astrid has entirely withdrawn from the world - she fled to the wilds of Canada to live alone. This basically gives you the tone for this book: Astrid is a wounded woman, her life shattered. She considers herself a husk - she is determined NOT to live without Michael. She's not suicidal, but she considers her life over - joy died with Michael.
Nathan is equally wounded. He's a Native American who was raised by white people. He belongs nowhere - he's not accepted in white society, and the tribes consider him more of a white man than one of them. Nathan lives his life as if it is him against the world, and up until now, it has been.
So Rebel is mostly the story of two wounded, lonely people finding each other. I'll admit that, without the humor (like the previous 2 books) breaking up the drama, the Disney-esque love story got a little anvil-to-the-head for me. I get it, y'all are madly, deeply in love. His love saved her; her love saved him. But this thought is repeated a LOT. Like, a LOT. I still loved the book, but just... fair warning.
This book also does a lot of setting up, and in that respect, it feels like a bridging story. We get some light thrown on the overall plot regarding the Primal Source, and the battle lines for endgame feel drawn by the end of the book. In addition, this book really spends a lot of time setting up Catullus's story in book 4. We get to hear how lonely he is, and we meet Gemma Murphy, the heroine of his book. Honestly, between the overall story arc and Catullus, I am dang excited for Stranger.
Rebel was pretty different in tone and texture than the previous 2 in the series. Firstly, there was significantly less humor. In fact, I can't really think of any at all. Secondly, there was far fewer nifty steampunk inventions. That's particularly odd to me, since Catullus Graves (the inventor) actually plays a major role in this one. And I would be lying to say that I didn't miss it - something about the tech vs magic in this series is really a lot of fun to me.
We have heard bits and pieces about Astrid Bramfield in the previous books. We know that her husband Michael was killed in Africa, we know that they were doing something with the Primal Source, and we know that the Heirs now have this Primal Source. We know, from the end of book 2, that in the wake of her husband's death, Astrid has entirely withdrawn from the world - she fled to the wilds of Canada to live alone. This basically gives you the tone for this book: Astrid is a wounded woman, her life shattered. She considers herself a husk - she is determined NOT to live without Michael. She's not suicidal, but she considers her life over - joy died with Michael.
Nathan is equally wounded. He's a Native American who was raised by white people. He belongs nowhere - he's not accepted in white society, and the tribes consider him more of a white man than one of them. Nathan lives his life as if it is him against the world, and up until now, it has been.
So Rebel is mostly the story of two wounded, lonely people finding each other. I'll admit that, without the humor (like the previous 2 books) breaking up the drama, the Disney-esque love story got a little anvil-to-the-head for me. I get it, y'all are madly, deeply in love. His love saved her; her love saved him. But this thought is repeated a LOT. Like, a LOT. I still loved the book, but just... fair warning.
This book also does a lot of setting up, and in that respect, it feels like a bridging story. We get some light thrown on the overall plot regarding the Primal Source, and the battle lines for endgame feel drawn by the end of the book. In addition, this book really spends a lot of time setting up Catullus's story in book 4. We get to hear how lonely he is, and we meet Gemma Murphy, the heroine of his book. Honestly, between the overall story arc and Catullus, I am dang excited for Stranger.
adelie_wants_books_and_snacks's review
3.0
Ok so there are parts of this book I really enjoyed but also so many that left me struggling and taking ages to finish it.
I loved the main characters and the romance. I soooo relate to Astrid. And Nathan’s patience and consistency had me getting really emotional at times. It was such a beautiful romance.
Now the thing that absolutely disappointed me. The plot has literally the same frame as the previous books: There’s a Source. The Blades look for it. The Heirs chase the Blades. Big battle at the end. Not much was different from the previous two which made it incredibly boring despite the abundance of action and adventure. I felt like i was reading the same story but with different characters and a different country. To the point that I was so over it by the end.
The humour that was present in the previous books is absent in this one which was also a little bit disappointing.
I don’t think the book is bad. It had some things I really enjoyed like I said but compared to the previous two it was pretty average.
I felt uncertain about wether or not I wanted to read the next book so I had a look at the reviews for the next one and it sounds like it’s the same complaints with the final book. So I decided to not read the next one.
I loved the main characters and the romance. I soooo relate to Astrid. And Nathan’s patience and consistency had me getting really emotional at times. It was such a beautiful romance.
Now the thing that absolutely disappointed me. The plot has literally the same frame as the previous books: There’s a Source. The Blades look for it. The Heirs chase the Blades. Big battle at the end. Not much was different from the previous two which made it incredibly boring despite the abundance of action and adventure. I felt like i was reading the same story but with different characters and a different country. To the point that I was so over it by the end.
The humour that was present in the previous books is absent in this one which was also a little bit disappointing.
I don’t think the book is bad. It had some things I really enjoyed like I said but compared to the previous two it was pretty average.
I felt uncertain about wether or not I wanted to read the next book so I had a look at the reviews for the next one and it sounds like it’s the same complaints with the final book. So I decided to not read the next one.
sherrill's review
2.0
I just couldn't come to terms with this book. I have no clue as to why. Maybe due to being book three of a series and I had not read the first two?
Neither here nor there, most people found the story enjoyable and you might enjoy it too.
Neither here nor there, most people found the story enjoyable and you might enjoy it too.
rcstewa's review
4.0
3.5 stars. This is the third book in the Blades of the Rose series.
I found Rebel to be, overall, weaker than the previous book, [b:Scoundrel|7242960|Scoundrel (The Blades of the Rose, #2)|Zoe Archer|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1284422136s/7242960.jpg|8203701]. I think Archer's biggest problem is that she, unfortunately, doesn't know how to write a compelling romance. She seem to have struck lightning once with Scoundrel, but was unable to replicate it here. Archer insists on describing every single lustful thought that the characters have for each other. Every time Astrid speaks, Nathan pops a boner. Every time Astrid looks at Nathan, we have to hear about his sculpted abs and his chiseled cheekbones and on and on and on. No one thinks that way in real life. And to me, that's what makes a successful romance: one who's story is something that people can relate to. Something that the reader could really feel about someone they love.
That said, the adventure parts of the story are wonderful. There are plenty of exciting battles, and Catullus Graves (a supporting character) turned out to be way more interesting than Nathan. I am very excited to read the last book in the series, and see him be the Hero. Unfortunately, as soon as the adventure/fantasy story takes a backseat and the romance becomes the focus, the book drags.
I hope that, in the future, Archer decides to write an adventure/fantasy story with a romance (as opposed to the other way around), because I think she has a real talent for it.
I found Rebel to be, overall, weaker than the previous book, [b:Scoundrel|7242960|Scoundrel (The Blades of the Rose, #2)|Zoe Archer|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1284422136s/7242960.jpg|8203701]. I think Archer's biggest problem is that she, unfortunately, doesn't know how to write a compelling romance. She seem to have struck lightning once with Scoundrel, but was unable to replicate it here. Archer insists on describing every single lustful thought that the characters have for each other. Every time Astrid speaks, Nathan pops a boner. Every time Astrid looks at Nathan, we have to hear about his sculpted abs and his chiseled cheekbones and on and on and on. No one thinks that way in real life. And to me, that's what makes a successful romance: one who's story is something that people can relate to. Something that the reader could really feel about someone they love.
That said, the adventure parts of the story are wonderful. There are plenty of exciting battles, and Catullus Graves (a supporting character) turned out to be way more interesting than Nathan. I am very excited to read the last book in the series, and see him be the Hero. Unfortunately, as soon as the adventure/fantasy story takes a backseat and the romance becomes the focus, the book drags.
I hope that, in the future, Archer decides to write an adventure/fantasy story with a romance (as opposed to the other way around), because I think she has a real talent for it.
jaga119's review
3.0
I didn't like this one as much as the first two books in the series. No particular reason - or maybe just because the relationship between Astrid and Nathan went too smoothly. But it wasn't bad. I'm curious about Catullus's story though.
mariathelibrarian's review
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
moviemavengal's review
3.0
Not my favorite of the Blade series. It was slow going for me to get into the story. I admire Zoe Archer's action writing, but the repetitive way she described the H and h's inner dialogue drove me up the wall. All right already! She's afraid to love again. We GET it. I felt it was a lot of telling rather than showing.
With all that, I will continue with the series, but I wish Catullus was the next one.
With all that, I will continue with the series, but I wish Catullus was the next one.
ria_mhrj's review
3.0
Rebel was a little bit disappointing, after Scoundrel - Astrid and Nathan are quite an uninspiring pair, I always struggle to engage with "I've looked at you and I now KNOW YOU and LOVE YOU" starts to romances. And Nathan's growling was oh so very irritating. However, the book picked up considerably when the rather serious lovers were joined by other Blades and this book won its third star from me purely because of Catullus Graves. I'm hopeful his book will be suitably epic, particularly with the threat to the Primal Source. Maybe this series is like the Star Trek movies - only the even numbers are great!