Photo credits: Ivo Zahradníček
Edited by Vaishali
Title: ‘Fighting Destiny'
Author: Amelia Hutchins Series: (The Fae Chronicles #1) Genre: Fantasy, Adult fiction,New Adult, Paranormal romance, Erotica, Fairies Publisher: Amelia Hutchins Year of Publication: 2013 Version: Paperback ISBN: 9780991190911
WARNING: Some quotations from 'Fighting Destiny' will contain swearing and adult content.
R E V I E W...
“She was a victim,” Zahruk said softly.
“I am. Not. A. Victim!” I growled low and clearly pronouncing each word. “No? Then what are you?” he asked, angered by my words. “I’m a survivor.”
Amelia Hutchins writes fast paced, heart stopping, jaw dropping, gritty, dark urban paranormal fantasies with action and suspense in abundance. Her stories are packed full of every emotion you want to feel and every one you’d hate to feel. Her plot building is intricately woven into this beautiful, wild fantasy with fairies, witches, vampires and humans alike. Her stories are sensually rich, deliciously fierce, and vibrate with magic so electric you can feel it. Her characters are raw, brutal, strong and broken. Her worlds are full of conflict, loss, bloodshed, death, redemption, overcoming, perverse natures, torture, battles, secrets, passions, and a wealth of raw animal carnal pleasures.
The romance in 'Fighting Destiny' is steamy, evocative, provocative, amorous and hot in all senses of the word. Amelia Hutchins is what happens when fairy tales are turned into rogue shamelessly erotic nightmares. Amelia Hutchins does not dip her tales in honey; she coats them in the powerful, drug-like wines of the Gods and makes them drip with heartless carnage.
Amelia Hutchins wasn’t the type of woman you walked away from. You crawled on your hands and knees; trying to remember who you had been before her touch corrupted you.
I am a die hard, avid lover, enthusiast and devotee of all things Fae so I purchased this series knowing it would be right up my alley, and I now want to live in that alley…forever. My gosh 'Fighting Destiny' is addictive and sexy, stimulating in all kinds of ways, and Amelia Hutchins just has a way of telling a story without overproduction and fanfare that is enticing within its absolute core.
30 years prior, the lethal, dark Fae made apparent their presence on Earth, altering dynamics of the world, including its manoeuvrings and politics. The Fae are powerful, immortal, highly sexual, sensual, merciless, unnaturally beautiful, ageless creatures. They are now top of the food chain and subject to split opinion among humans, some who worship the ground they walk on and some who fear their very existence, but all agree that they are the dominant species on Earth. Synthia Raine Mckenna is a high ranking, highly trained enforcer and an assassin for the Spokane Witches Guild. She is coven leader to her two best friends (who are more like family) Adam and Larissa, but even among the witches, Syn and Adam are both somewhat anomalies.
After her parents were callously murdered by the hands of the ferocious Fae at the age of 6, Syn grew up to loathe and fear the Fae to no end with scorn in her heart, desiring reprrisal and using it as an undercurrent to fuel her goal. Synthia’s ultimate ambition In life is to keep the world safe and free from the evil, cruel hands of the Fae who prey on all humans for nourishment, feeding off of their life source. Syn enforces the laws, exacting justice to any and all of the creatures who shattered her life the moment they entered it.
“Destiny doesn’t ask you if you want it, Syn; it just forces it into your lap, and you deal with it.”
The Fae are a secretive, enigmatic kind, their natures being that of discretion until Syn is forced to work with possibly the darkest of them. Syn comes face to face with the most gorgeous male she has ever set eyes on, with eyes as richly gold as the molten core of the earth itself. Tall, dark and breathtakingly sexy, Syn meets the Dark Prince of the Fae…Ryder. Her choices taken away from her, Syn has to work with her lifelong enemies. The Fae cannot lie but that makes them master manipulators of the game and how much they love games and schemes, no one more than Ryder, who has an abundance of secrets, namely that of his identity.
While Syn has always been confident, independent, astute and intelligent, she finds herself faltering and losing all rationality when it comes to this beastly, animalistic man intent on governing her. Competitors though they are, Syn and Ryder’s connection is instant, and passions are ardently searing from their very first meeting. Syn hates herself for fraternising with the enemy but she can’t forget the Dark Prince’s blistering touch, the feel of his scorching lips and the long-dead spark he kindles in her – something she hasn’t felt in years since her first and only love died. Synthia’s subservience is her worst nightmare but Ryder’s greatest desire.
“I was sex – starved, and he was sex incarnate.”
Ryder's character has to be taken with a pinch of salt, and one must hold out hope that he is the kind of character that is going to go through the most development and evolution because he direly needs it. Ryder is anything but charming and human, and as soon as you apprehend that the better. Ryder is an alpha to his muscly core, masculine, primal, overbearing as all hell, self-assured, self-satisfied, dominant, cocky but deadly above all else, with unlimited power pulsing from him in unending waves. He is a predator who emits sex-vibes hotter than the sun and inhales them like oxygen. The passion between him and Syn is molten, liquifying and red-hot, but feeling something and submitting to her feelings are two different things for Syn because taking that step to burning her barriers and shredding her prejudices might be too big for her.
“She’s quicksand, and I am treading into it quickly.”
“He was quicksand, and I was sinking.”
Ryder’s chapters: Ryder speaks from the narrative of a caveman at times, primitive, voracious and beastly. His hunting ground observations of Synthia examine her like prey, and the most prized, glorious creature he has ever seen. In his few chapters, the way in which he scrutinises Synthia is somewhat anthropological, like studying an unknown species whilst being every bit the primordial predator. Ryder's narrative is hazy and vague in its detail, and it's obvious that he is hiding his own motivations for being on Earth, and we can sense that his intentions are deadly and much bigger than he expresses to Synthia and the Guild. Ryder is intriguing and compelling as much as he is a conflicting and infuriating character to read!
“I don’t make excuses for what I am, or what I do. I play hard. I love hard, and I fuck even harder, Syn. I am what I am. So if you play games with me, keep in mind, I will be more than happy playing them with you – and I always win.”
Syn can't stand being or feeling vulnerable, weak, scared and disposed to helplessness. In fact, she has spent her entire life conditioning herself to become anything but because of that terrible night that damaged her soul. But over a decade of barriers start to fall as soon as the Dark Prince’s path intertwines with hers and he now owns her body and soul - disobeying and rejecting the legally binding blood oath that exists between them will only lead to death or worse for Synthia. As much as Ryder lusts after Syn, he easily has the capacity to kill her. Ryder is equally preoccupied and infatuated by Synthia, sensing her hatred for his persuasion, he sees her denial as a challenge. There is this constant power play between Ryder and Synthia, both hating the deeply intrinsic yearning they provoke in each other and Synthia wants to run as far as she can from acquiescesing to their chemistry. Synthia always finds herself at Ryder’s mercy and is losing herself and everything she stands for despite the assurances of focus she gives herself on what truly matters. The longer he owns her though, the more she wonders just what she has signed away.
“Ryder wasn’t the type of man you walked away from. You crawled on your hands and knees; trying to remember who you had been before his touch corrupted you.”
Syn is a loyal warrior to the Guild, she serves them without fault. She is a proud, hard, strong woman without being overbearing and invincible in her badassery, which makes her very relatable and very human. Syn is incredibly stubborn and hard-willed, something she has in common with Ryder, but I would expect nothing less from a woman who has had a hard life and was raised from loss and death. But Syn is spirited, tenacious, dedicated and nothing less than a survivor, always standing concretely on her feet when her life is crumbling beneath her…however, Syn’s heart has never fully healed from her fractured past, she cannot let go of her grievances, guilt and sorrow for the people she has lost and the self-imposed blame she claims for the scars of their deaths. She carries her losses and stores them in her heart. Syn has a dark soul but she is a feisty, hilarious protagonist under almost any circumstance. She is a rule breaker not a rule follower without being unruly for the sake of rebellion, and always has her reasons for doing so. Synthia is an honourable woman, she defends her dignity and refuses to be anything less than what she is.
“I don’t need any handouts, and I will not leave here owing you a damn thing. I don’t need to be kept, and I’m not some fucking plaything you can dress up and show off, Ryder. I’m a damn good enforcer – top of my class at the Guild. Show me someone who needs to die, and I will make it happen - I’ll bury the fucker six feet deep and know one will know the why or who of it. But I am not arm candy!” I was shouting with my fist balled up on my hips when I finished.’
Beyond the ravenous hunger and lust-addled encounters though, a thrilling, murder mystery with a twist is at play because Fae women and witches are being mutilated and killed for parts. Ryder and his men team up with Syn and her coven to undercover the killers taking down their people and strange, unforeseen connections are being made….and everything seems to be leading back to Synthia and her past - which only becomes more questionable with every revelation. There is more to Synthia than she ever knew, her life and identity only becoming more foreign, the past she spent years buried in whilst running away from is now chasing back.
“No, Syn, you’re a beautifully skilled killer. One who shows no emotion, and yet, you wear you bleeding heart on your sleeve. Everyone else just failed to see it. But I do. I see you.”
'Fighting Destiny' is a deliciously riveting tale of a girl who stopped living and the man who arouses her frozen desires. I can already tell this series is a new favourite.
“Fuck Destiny. I decide my own destiny, Ryder. Not some fucking preordained bullshit.”
“Fighting destiny…Every time I think you can’t become more of a puzzle, Syn – you throw in a new piece.” I gave this book 5 stars -
C O N T E N T W A R N I N G: Attempted rape, explicit language and detailed, descriptive sex scenes not for the faint hearted or those with sensitive sensibilities.
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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: 'Taunting Destiny' by Amelia Hutchins ● Book Review: 'Escaping Destiny' by Amelia Hutchins ● Book Review: 'Seducing Destiny' by Amelia Hutchins ● Book Review: 'Unraveling Destiny' by Amelia Hutchins ________________________________________________________
THIS NEXT SECTION CONTAINS SPOILERS !!
C O N C E R N S / F R U S T R A T I O N S:
1) Where do I even start with Ryder – I have never read such an incensing, riling man. 2) Ryder’s sense of entitlement towards Syn -in every sense. 3) Ryder using his fae-seduction powers on Syn to implement his control 4) Ryder claiming he doesn’t play games when he is the biggest game player and secret keeper of all. 5) Ryder claiming ownership of Syn in some way, trapping her into serving him and as much as I loved Synthia for her defiance and challenge, I hated every time she allowed herself to succumb to him by making careless decisions and leaving herself vulnerable to him. She barely had the upper hand in most situations. 6) Ryder talks about Syn like she is already his without knowing it. He doesn’t talk about her like a person, but like an egg to crack, a project to dominate and Syn deserves more than that. But he has these startlingly obscure moments of gentleness and only rarely does he let his mask slip, so we barely see another side to him – I want to see more of that Ryder – if only so it would stop me from pulling my hair out because he is making it remarkably difficult to like him. 7) I understand that Ryder is an Otherworld creature, but I can’t seem to accept his actions and treatment of Synthia because its not at all in keeping with the world Syn and ‘we’ (the readers) live in. But I think that is where the problem lies, I think I need to accept that he isn’t human, that his species are vastly different and so probably was his upbringing. 8) The contract scene – Syn is a smart woman so why would she blindly sign a contract without reading it!? Even though she realises Ryder has secrets and there is much more to this agreement than she first thought, she still forsakes all reason. I understand that her career, loyalty to the Guild and her friend’s lives are on the line but she didn’t approach the situation with a rational mind at all – and though I know Ryder also manipulated her and would have found a way to trap her at all costs, Syn still plays into his hands. 9) There were so many moments where I just wanted Syn to play Ryder at his own game just as boldly despite their attraction to each other weakening her. I wanted her to trick him, deceive him, play him just as much as he did her. 10) Ryder’s claims to protect Syn when he is the one who is destroying her. 11) When Ryder brands Syn. 12) For all my complaints and criticisms of Ryder’s character, all it takes is for him to show a moment of uncharacteristic softness toward Syn and then I’m putty in his hands, but only because I can see his potential. I was ripping out my hair trying to figure out this exasperating man! 13) Ryder of course was my biggest frustration but I still gave this story 5 stars because it was nothing but gripping with an unceasingly engaging plot and characters that had real life and spirit in them.
F A V O U R I T E Q U O T E S:
“Keep lipping off, and I’ll find a use for that tongue.” “Keep dreaming, man-whore.” “You just fucked with my head! What do you expect me to do? Kiss your fucking boots, Fairy? Wrong. Fucking. Girl!” “You’re looking at me like I’m a freaking Scooby Snack.” His lips twitched as he held in a laugh. “Love is more than just feeling something, it’s the connection of two souls that intertwine and cannot be without the other. It’s not just saying you love someone – it’s showing them with every fucking breath you take, every look. It just is, simple as that. That kind of love doesn’t die. It withers the soul without the other to keep it alive. Eventually, it turns you bitter and cynical.” “Money made the human world spin. Always had, and would continue to do so, until someone decided they weren’t worth keeping around any longer.” “I’ll be strong for you, Syn…if you need it. You don’t always have to be the strong one. I’ll be your glue if you want to crumble. I’ll hold you together.” “And what if you’re what’s making me crumble, Ryder? What then?” “Then I’ll put you back together. I will never tear you down, Syn. I will always protect you from anything and anything that would. I’ve yet to find anything in this world, or any other, who can take me on – keep that in mind.” “Nah, you have balls, Syn, you might just have enough to give Ryder a run for his money.” “A few things go through your mind when you do something stupid. Like, oh hell this was stupid, along with that moment of perfect clarity that this might be the last stupid thing you ever do.” “So help me, if you turned me into a fucking vampire, I’ll bite your dick off!” “Thanks for that, by the way, not bad for a fucking Fairy –“I laughed-“ get it? Fucking Fairy?” “I get it.” He growled.” “I’m strong, because you showed me how to be. I’m faster, because you made sure I knew what could happen if I wasn’t fast enough. I’m me, because you raised me, Alden. You raised us all, and maybe you rubbing off on us wasn’t a bad thing. Hard lessons aren’t easy to teach children. We’re stronger, because you made us into what we needed to be.” I love interacting with fellow readers, reviewers, bloggers and writers. Hearing about reader opinion is the fuel to my reader appetite, so get in touch and comment below! SHARE ON FACEBOOK L E A V E A C O M M E N T A N D L E T' S T A L K A B O U T
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