Photo credits: David Garry
Edited by Vaishali
Title: ‘Escaping Destiny'
Author: Amelia Hutchins Series: (The Fae Chronicles #3) Publisher: Amelia Hutchins Year of Publication: 2014 Format: Paperback ISBN: 9780991190935 Genre/s Fantasy, Adult fiction,New Adult, Paranormal romance, Erotica, Fairies
WARNING: If you have not read the first two books in this series (Fighting Destiny and Taunting Destiny) this review will contain spoilers, so be warned! Some quotes from the book will contain swearing and adult content.
R E V I E W...
“Fate pushed us together, but destiny knew we belonged together. Now you just have to accept it.”
“Every beauty needed a beast, and he was mine.”
Syn’s life was signed away before she was even born for reasons she doesn’t completely understand, destined to belong to the Big Bad Horde King and serve as his concubine. First born Princess of the Blood realm, Synthia is stuck in the realm of the most pernicious caste of the Fae, bound by a blood oath to the king who demands Synthia’s acquiescence and subservience, and nothing less. Not even the man who holds Syn’s heart can break her out of this binding agreement, and pregnant with Ryder’s child eclipses its own set of challenges in this very new, very dangerous environment.
“Destiny has a way of finding you, even if you’ve been hiding from it.”
Though Syn is no longer realised to be the Light Heir, she comes to learn how vital her own role is in this curative fight for Faery. However, Syn just feels like another piece in a larger puzzle, without the choice and the will to fix a world that isn’t even her own. Exhausted of being little more than a solution to Faery’s problems, Syn suffers from a lack of purpose and freedom and pure right - to be taken from again and again, forced to be a passive bystander in her own life.
“Life is funny like that, I guess. One minute you know what needs to be done, and the next you are fighting against things you never saw coming.
The first half of 'Escaping Destiny' is slower in pace in comparison to the first two books in the 'Fae Chronicles' series as Syn devolves from mortal warrior to immortal prisoner, her life a sprint, while her will jogs to catch up, thereby leaving Syn in the most emotionally vulnerable place she has been in so far. Syn spends majority of this book struggling to escape the life that has been panned out for her. She feels the most unlike herself, lost and worried, internally inharmonious and emotionally unstable with not only her resolve and wishes being compromised, but her body evolving with an infant growing inside of her day by day.
“You choose what you can handle and what you can’t. You choose which path you take to get to end."
Syn drops deeper into that liminal place between adaptation and belonging, and the Horde are anything but modern-day folk with contemporary notions. Old fashioned customs and ancient cultural acceptances, Syn is farther away from normalcy and home than she wishes, rejecting and refusing not only her new life but the impending destiny thrust upon her by the intrusive and meddlesome Gods.
“From death comes rebirth, from fire comes reshaping and reseeding. Fire shapes and moulds in the forge. What are trials in life but fire? They shape and mould.”
Though acclimation proves difficult enough for Syn and in a place and status of little to no control, she is terrified of relinquishing any lasting piece of control she may possess - if she has any left at all, always on uneven footing with those she encounters as well as the man she desires. Syn has no friends or allies in this kingdom of deceit, the most obvious threats gunning for her head while other menaces are more invisible.
“I can fight for love, Demon. I just won’t compete for it. I shouldn’t have to.”
As well as Syn, Ryder has a great deal of adjusting to do and is pressured just as equally in the role of leadership. He is much more protective of Syn given the context of their situation and will do anything, even against her wishes to safeguard her wellbeing and that of his child from his own deadly people. Ryder’s past finally comes to light and his relationship with Syn unfolds with even more emotional angst, and they have to find new ways and dynamics to associate on foreign troubled turf. Syn is determined to fight for Ryder, make him love her even though she comes to terms with the fact that he had an unprecedented and principal part to play in how her life played out and the fact that she was robbed of it by his own hand.
“Never will I concede to death when she’s in my grasp. This beautiful creature is my match.” – Ryder
“I don’t want to be your world; I just want to be your favourite part of it.” - Syn
For reasons I won’t disclose as it would give too much away Ristan’s character becomes a much needed, much loved role for Syn (and me!). He is the voice of understanding and reason. He is the buffer between Ryder and Syn. I love his frank honesty and counsel and the friend he becomes to Synthia when she needs it the most. His saucy innuendos never cease to amuse, and this series just would not be the same without my Demon!
“Now, Flower, no more chasing off the boys with tears; at least send ‘em running from punches.”
Overall i felt that 'Escaping Destiny' lacked action, and the momentum faltered at points what with the pacing being different from the previous two books because of the circumstances that arise – and the only real action we get is compressed within the last 20% of the book. I missed confident warrior Syn and though her spirit was somewhat reduced, I understood the direction in which her character was taken. I also felt that certain themes and actions were perpetuated from this book’s predecessor which dragged the story down a little hence why my rating is lower. On the other hand though, there were many shocks and gut-wrenching phenomena, I bawled my eyes out at one particular scene, and laughed a great deal with the constant banter.
“I’m the fucking Horde King, I don’t woo.”
“Woo her.” “I don’t woo.” “Woo.” “I’m not the kind of man to woo anyone. I can make her scream my name to the rafters, isn’t that enough wooing?” “Woo.” I grind out on an exhale. “Yes, woo,” he says, already turning to walk away. I watch his shoulders quake with laughter. “Woo,” I growl. “Woo!” he calls over his shaking shoulder. “Fuck me,” I shake my head. “No thanks, not my type…now go woo your princess."
Just like 'Fighting Destiny' and 'Taunting Destiny', this instalment doesn’t lack at all in the bedroom scenes department – there is plenty of it and this series is heavily comprised of dominant/submissive intimacy but both main characters enjoy their roles, both consenting to their actions. The bedroom scenes are very descriptive and thorough, leaving one all hot and heady in the most embarrassing yet delicious ways. Ryder is the ultimate alpha male, and if you have read thus far into this series you know just how dominantly arrogant he can be. If you love dark, primal aplha's with no hesitations Ryder is definitely your man.
“With one kiss, I was helpless to pull away. With one kiss, I was a boneless mess, and with one kiss, I was his.”
There are those books that aren’t incredibly well-edited, but they have the basic raw material to be more than what they turn out to be – this book is like that in that the components are present but what's missing is some refinement in the editing department. 'Escaping Destiny' lacked because of those untouched and unfurnished accents but saying that, I do love this series and all that it encompasses. ‘Escaping destiny’ is ambiguous in that Syn attempts to escape many things, her destiny being the pinnacle, but she's steel in heart and mind and I will always be invested in her story.
“We choose life, Synthia. Some things are worth fighting our way through.”
I gave this book 3 stars -
C O N T E N T W A R N I N G: Explicit language and detailed, descriptive sex scenes not for the faint hearted or those with sensitive sensibilities.
--------------------------------------- M Y R A T I N G S Y S T E M: ★ - 1 star: I did not like the book ★★ - 2 stars: The book was okay ★★★ - 3 stars: It was a good, solid read ★★★★ - 4 stars: A great book ★★★★★ - 5: A phenomenal read ---------------------------------------
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R E L A T E D P O S T S: ● Book Review: 'Fighting Destiny' by Amelia Hutchins ● Book Review: 'Taunting Destiny' by Amelia Hutchins ● Book Review: 'Seducing Destiny' by Amelia Hutchins ● Book Review: 'Unraveling Destiny' by Amelia Hutchins ________________________________________________________
THIS PART MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS!
Favourite Parts/Things I liked:
1) Learning more about and meeting Ryder’s beast. 2) Ryder’s protectiveness over the wee little beasties. 3) Darynda high on caffeine. 4) Ristan and Syn banter. 5) Ristan’s characteristic innuendos. 6) Ryder trying to be romantic on their dinner date. 7) Ryder taking Syn to OPI headquarters. 8) ‘Fae-per-view’ 9) For someone who has such accuracy with a sword, Ristan sure is a poor nail technician. 10) When Syn comes into her own powers. 11) Syn’s badass fighting at Ryder’s coronation. 12) Ryder and Syn having twins! 13) I cried so hard when I thought Ristan died! – I love Eliran to the moon and back just for bringing Ristan back
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