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sarafaulkner's review
4.0
This book is an amazing build up for what I assume is going to be a great series. The chance to get to know the men in the harem long before they ever become a harem isn’t something that happens often but I have a feeling that this is just going to make the moments when they do mate even better! The back and forth between the present and the past was an interesting way to view things. I look forward to reading the rest of the books!
nikkieliz13's review
3.0
Series Rating: 3.25 Stars
Cecily’s (FMC) body has been frozen in a magical stasis for the past five-hundred-years, after she was betrayed by her fated mate. Existing in what she calls her “soul form,” Cecily’s time is split between witnessing the world around her change century after century, and watching the increasingly horrific “tests” her physical form is subjected to by a group of scientists. Enter
Marcus, Alex, Derrick, and Klaus, our MMCs, and heirs to the North, East, South, and West packs respectively. For reasons unknown to them, the Fates’ guide their group to a secret underground facility where they rescue a mysterious comatose woman, who they all feel an instant connection to. Steele keeps her readers in suspense, alternating between the past and present, as she slowly reveals more questions than answers. At the top of the list: Why doesn’t Marcus remember the existence of the very mate he betrayed five-hundred-years ago?
I read a lot of books, and the more I read, the pickier I get. I depend on both Amazon and Goodreads, for their ratings and reviews, when I’m trying to decide if I should give a book a try. However, in this case, I threw my system out the window after reading the synopsis. I was too intrigued to not give it a shot.
Book one was rough. The writing was awkward and repetitive, and the characters’ inner dialogues contained too many unnecessary details and descriptions. I almost gave up early on for these very reasons, but—again—I was intrigued by the synopsis; I wanted to see how everything played out. So I made a concession to speed read/skim the parts that dragged out.
I noticed Steele’s writing grew in strength the further into the story I got. By the time I made it to the end of book one, I had too many questions that were left unanswered. My curiosity is stronger than my willpower more often than not, and I wanted those answers. So—with the hope that Steele’s writing would continue to grow as it had in the first book—I downloaded and read book two, and when I finished that one as well, I immediately began the third and final book.
My Thoughts, Feelings, & Observations:
➸ This is the author’s first series, which I didn’t find out until I finished it. My immediate reaction upon learning this? I was impressed. Steele created a story compelling enough for me to continue to read in spite of my problems with the writing.
➸ I’m glad I gave this series and author a chance. Steele shows a lot of promise as a writer; the majority of my critiques are on issues that one can expect from a first time author. As such, I expect to see them less and less as she writes more and develops her skill.
➸ The magic present is dangerously close to being omnipotent. ”We are only limited by our lack of imagination when utilizing our magic.” It enabled the use of the dreaded “plot convenience”.
➸ This was very main character oriented. Whilst there were a few secondary characters that held some importance, we were not given the opportunity to connect with them. They felt more like tools the author used, than actual fleshed-out characters.
Title:[b: Precarious Shifters by Leah Steele]
POV(s): Multiple—First Person
Interconnected Series: N/A
Standalone: No
Cliffhanger:
• Book One: Yes
• Book Two: Yes
• Book Three: No
HEA:
Spoiler
By the end of book threeGenre(s): Paranormal Romance
Triggers: Yes
Spoiler
Abuse, Captivity, GriefTags/Tropes:
❖ Amnesia-Missing-Memories
❖ Evil-Scientists
❖ Fated-Mates
❖ Missing-Royalty
❖ Past-and-Present (500 years)
❖ Power-Hungry-Villain
❖ Prophecy
❖ Reverse-Harem
❖ Sleeping-Beauty-Stasis/Magical-Coma
❖ Unbalanced-Magic
marisakucha's review
4.0
A different take on our usual shifter trope. I think I read this book so fast because I couldn’t wait to see what was going to happen and I’m not sure if the ending left me with more questions than answers. It was an interesting read because it was a mix of the past and future storytelling and obviously the reader knows a bit more than the males versus the female main character. We’re left with an over arching mystery even though we know of the past. Or a bit of the past. I need to know what happened.
I really enjoyed this use of past and present to tell the story I always find it really interesting if it’s done well, and this was done well in this book. I think we learned a lot about the characters and it will be interesting to see how this dynamic changes and shifts in book 2. Especially since the female main character was unconscious/asleep for 99% of this book. I know I know, what? But I swear it works. Looking forward to book 2 for sure.
I really enjoyed this use of past and present to tell the story I always find it really interesting if it’s done well, and this was done well in this book. I think we learned a lot about the characters and it will be interesting to see how this dynamic changes and shifts in book 2. Especially since the female main character was unconscious/asleep for 99% of this book. I know I know, what? But I swear it works. Looking forward to book 2 for sure.
onepageatatime's review
5.0
This book was intense. I thought it was going to be told from our Cecily's perspective and that we would get to read all the anger and confusion about her betrayal and her new relationships. Well...that is not what happened. Instead we got Cecily's past explained through her eyes and her present told in the POV of the lead guys, Marcus, Alex, Klaus, and Derrick since Cecily is in a coma and has been for 500 years. While it definitely was different from what I expected and I loved that! I read a lot of rejected mate books and I love them but the different POV and the fact that it was told in the past and the present made it soooo much better. I was able to fall in love wit the guys and their quirks without it being tampered with Cecily's anger over the past and I got to see how much they cared about her which will definitely make me enjoy the next books in the series. I can't wait for book two.
bookishgirlshq's review against another edition
3.0
DNF - I really thought this was going to be a great book but for me there was too much detail which made it
unnecessarily long and slow. The time jumps also didn’t do it for me.
unnecessarily long and slow. The time jumps also didn’t do it for me.
ccoleman813's review against another edition
1.0
DNF -- all the time hops and multiple pov's are irritating.
manda24176's review against another edition
5.0
***Author*** ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Leah Steele is a brand new author I was lucky to come across in a FB group of another brand new author. Let me just say these ladies that are new to writing are killing it. I've read a ton of books in my time, and some of those seasoned authors still don't put out great books...or it takes them a few books to really get in the grove of being good at their story telling. I can confidently say Leah hit the ground running with Nefarious Betrayal. September 2nd can't get here soon enough for the release of Erased Certainty.
***Book***⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Nefarious Betrayal sets the tone of Cecily's current situation by giving us flashbacks to her past from 500 years ago while we are in present day. In between those moments from her past we are given introduction to 4 guys...Alex, Klaus, Derrick, and Marcus. 4 Alpha shifters, best friends, who are meeting up for their yearly "vacation" together. Along their way to meet up with each other, they all find themselves drawn to this undeniable need to search out and protect. Alex is the first to arrive to this drive that was pulling them, and he finds a hidden bunker. Once the other 3 guys arrive they find that Alex has found a female that's unconscious. All 4 guys have this extreme need to protect her at all costs. From there the guys do everything to get her to safety, and have to put up quite the fight to make that happen, and they do. With the past POV from Cecily we learn so much about her situation with her fated mate, who just happens to be one of the 4 alphas who rescued her. He thinks he's just meeting her for the first time in his life. He doesn't even know that he has a past life with her from 500 yrs ago, much less that he's existed that long. He can feel that they are mates, but he has no clue about any of it. Let me just say the ending is a cliffy, and a good one that has me dying to read book 2 already. Book one is a slow burn on the spice level, but it's super sweet, and well written. Book 2 has all the promises of turning that spice level up,and I can't wait
Leah Steele is a brand new author I was lucky to come across in a FB group of another brand new author. Let me just say these ladies that are new to writing are killing it. I've read a ton of books in my time, and some of those seasoned authors still don't put out great books...or it takes them a few books to really get in the grove of being good at their story telling. I can confidently say Leah hit the ground running with Nefarious Betrayal. September 2nd can't get here soon enough for the release of Erased Certainty.
***Book***⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Nefarious Betrayal sets the tone of Cecily's current situation by giving us flashbacks to her past from 500 years ago while we are in present day. In between those moments from her past we are given introduction to 4 guys...Alex, Klaus, Derrick, and Marcus. 4 Alpha shifters, best friends, who are meeting up for their yearly "vacation" together. Along their way to meet up with each other, they all find themselves drawn to this undeniable need to search out and protect. Alex is the first to arrive to this drive that was pulling them, and he finds a hidden bunker. Once the other 3 guys arrive they find that Alex has found a female that's unconscious. All 4 guys have this extreme need to protect her at all costs. From there the guys do everything to get her to safety, and have to put up quite the fight to make that happen, and they do. With the past POV from Cecily we learn so much about her situation with her fated mate, who just happens to be one of the 4 alphas who rescued her. He thinks he's just meeting her for the first time in his life. He doesn't even know that he has a past life with her from 500 yrs ago, much less that he's existed that long. He can feel that they are mates, but he has no clue about any of it. Let me just say the ending is a cliffy, and a good one that has me dying to read book 2 already. Book one is a slow burn on the spice level, but it's super sweet, and well written. Book 2 has all the promises of turning that spice level up,and I can't wait
worldsonthebookshelf's review against another edition
2.0
It was just so slow and the time jumps killed me. Great concept not so great execution.
honyombooks's review
Got a bit bored but honestly could be that I’m reading too many books with more or less the same premise