Blood Bonds (The Bonds That Tie, #3) (2024)

North Draven. North Draven. North Draven. North Draven. North Draven. North Draven. ❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥

Idk about y'all but North is perfect. The man is not boyfriend material, he's husband material 😍 The guy is the definition of "hate the world but love her" and it gets even better, the guy was ready to burn the world for her 😌 Such a good transition from being grumpy towards her to falling head over heels for her😩 I want a North😭

Now that I'm done with fangirling over him, I'll start with the review. The chemistry between the characters continues to be amazing. The plotline is moving slow but steady. There's a lot of potential and the build is brilliant. The spice is SO SO HOT 🥵🥵 it's going to make you swoon. We're talking 4.5/5 🌶️

This is multi POV and it's execution is done pretty well. The personalities are distinguished and one can easily read it without getting confused. But I do think Oli's bond is really creepy and the fact it got its own chapter didn't help lol.

I would've given the book four stars but I'm bumping it to five cause of North. I'm biased and I know it. Don't come at me for that 👀🙈

The big reveal aka the cliffhanger was jaw dropping. But I did suspect it. The twist was so good. However I do think Sage must have a reason behind it.

Overall, an enjoyable read.

These books are getting a bit too repetitive - I feel like 80% of this could have been skipped and it wouldn’t have had much of a negative impact to the overall story.

❌ IT SEEMS LIKE WE’VE lost the overarching goal or purpose of the story. Other than Oli moping around being bored, I feel like barely anything happened in this book. There needs to be a new plot line or purpose introduced in the next book because the plot right now has become so repetitive and boring

✅ I LIKED SEEING THE the transformation of some of her Bonds and love interests. We’re starting to get some steamier pieces so I have hope that the next book will be even better in this regard 💕

🆗 ON ONE HAND I LIKE the slow burn she has with her Bonds and that she isn’t giving into all of them too quickly (especially given how mean some of them were). But on the other hand, I kind of just her to Bond with them all and get it over with so we can move on to the next stage of whatever is supposed to happen

❌ I DID NOT REALIZE that this is supposed to be a six book series and there are only three books currently published 😭 I did not sign up for having to wait like this!

I don’t want it to sound like I hated this book because I did still enjoy it - I just really think if this series is going to last for six books then there needs to be new conflicts, drama or something introduced to keep it interesting. I’m definitely going to continue because that cliff-hanger was so rude and I need to find out how it resolves!!

2.5 stars
The main character at one point complains about being bored and I was like “girl, same”. The first 25% or so was interesting but after that it all went downhill. Also, this is the third book where they are fighting against “the Resistance” and they have yet to even try to explain who they are or why they are fighting them. Then of course the book ends in a ridiculous cliffhanger. I’m going to stop reading this series at this point.

Reread:5/8/23
THIS BOOK IS HANDS DOWN MY FAVOURITE OUT OF THE SERIES!!!
10000/5 STARS

As I am writing this review I honestly don’t know where to start to unpack my thoughts. The moment I saw the ARC copy on my kindle, I was beyond excited to start the book. Obviously, I had to read it in one go. There was too much action not to finish it straight away.

First things first. Oli’s character progression really shines through in this book. It’s so spectacular seeing the way she grows to become more comfortable with her bond. I found myself laughing out loud many times when the side characters became wary of her and her void eyes.

North’s treatment of Oli really took a turn in this book. In the first book, I was really sympathetic towards Oli and the way her bonded treated her. It was heartbreaking! Seeing how they treat her now that they understand what she has been through… ugh…. Gryphon is still my favourite though.
I’m not going to lie, reading all the Atlas theories on Facebook got me. I liked how things turned out in the end.

BUT CAN WE TALK ABOUT THE LAST CHAPTER, SPECIFICALLY THE LAST PAGE!!!!! I DON’T KNOW HOW I’M GOING TO WAIT TILL MARCH!!! I don’t know how Oli is going to react to the implications of what happened, but I did not see that coming.

All in all, I see myself rereading this series multiple times to tide me till March.

I went ahead and laid in bed and finished it.

Am I the problem or is it just....The Bonds That Tie....me to this whole series????!!!

2 STARS because I'm generous andimrootingforeveryonetodieintheend

It was boring and the only reason i am continuing this series is cuz the covers are pretty 😭 idk how this series has such high rating when literary all 3 books just keeps dragging the same sh*t.

4.5/5 ⭐
3.5/5 🌶️

OMG can I please have book 4 right now!! Why didn’t I order all 5!! Ugh Per usual with this series, I devoured this book in one day. That last couple of sentences sent me spiraling. What the actual f*ck. NOOOOOO f*cking no. She can’t betray Oli.

#1 Broken Bonds: ★★★★★ | 5 stars
#2 Savage Bonds: ★★★★ | 4.5 stars
#3 Blood Bonds: ★★★★ | 4.5 stars

Quotes:
“Mine. You’re mine. No one will hurt you again. Not me, not the others, not anyone. The shadows cannot harm you, they belong to you, as I do. We all do.”

“What use are morals to a God of Death? Nothing.”

“You went after my sister for me, and I can both love you for it and be f*cking furious at you for doing it. I’m never leaving you behind again. I’m never trusting anyone, not even our own Bond Group, to watch you ever again.”

...

These books have been juvenile from the start, but now they’re getting long, too. There’s no excuse for this being 540 pages, none. The story isn’t nearly compelling enough.

4.5 Void Eye Stars ⭐
Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️/5

These books are becoming too serious, we only had 260 f*cks...where are the 466 like Book 1???

This book and its brilliance can be summarised into 3 words... North "f*ckING" Draven!!!!

There is something about a domineering, possessive, rich, gorgeous, overprotective, sophisticated asshole that my brain just turns into mushy peas. EVEN when the man does absolutely nothing extraordinary. JUST OH MY GOD were my insides squealing and squirming every time that man came on page! He could literally say the most unflattering and unsexiest thing alive and I'd still have hearts in my eyes.

So I am not going to repeat my complaints about these books, because I was vocal about them in my previous reviews -

The main issue I have with this book is the story is starting to feel quite repetitive. It seems to have lost "something" as everything that caused angst, drama or shocks almost seems to have happened in some shape or form in book 1/2 and we are following the same rinse-and-repeat shampoo and conditioner cycle. A LOT of this book could have been skipped or skimmed and you wouldn't miss much...The ending cliffhanger though - that's still a

I don't want it to seem like I was super annoyed with the book as there were aspects I loved... North Draven, North Draven, North Draven, North "f*ckING" Draven!!!!BUT we see a little bit more into the bond system and how sentient the "bonds" actually are, especially for some people. There is a little bit more added to the dynamic of bonds and bonded people and there is a lot of character development that happens. Except for Nox...He is still a sexy enigma. The men also now know almost everything that happened with Oli and her motivation for her choices in the past and this does change how some of them act towards her.

I also enjoyed that we do get a couple more POVs added into the story. We have some chapters from the men's point of view, which was a nice touch to be out of Oli's head all the time, and we finally meet the monster bond...

Overall this was still an enjoyable read. I loved this and I inhaled it because it's literary crack...

Also North Draven has also introduced my new favourite trope that I didn't know I needed in my life. Shadow Bondage...now that I have discovered how my brain melts for it...I NEED IT WITH RABID URGENCY! If you know about any books where you know shadows are used as restraints... Hook a girl up cause apparently my brain can't get enough...

Day Three, Book Three. I have a serious problem. Also, look who is on the cover of this one?!!!! North Draven my new love!

This story begins right where the cliffhanger in book 2 left off. With Oli being horrifically tortured and cut up. Her “Bond takes over” so she doesn’t feel the pain. It was hilarious that the bad guy just happens to leave at the right time. This author has a knack of writing a dark story that feels almost light and fluffy.

Honestly, I was bored. Maybe I shouldn’t have read these books back to back. I’m not even sure what the resistance is at this point or what they stand for. Everything seems to be feeling super vague, including all of the characters. Everyone was crabby, moping, or rehashing all of the issues from the previous two books, and nothing else seem to be happening.

The angst and the teenager-like drama is just too much. The only time the book picked up pace is when the Bonds took over and left the humans behind. I really enjoy those moments when the Bonds are talking together and the humans are sleeping.

Why is Nox such a jerk? Like constantly.

There was one really fun threesome, but other than that, the RH aspect felt underutilized.

Where are all the non-gifted humans in this book? Isn’t that the entire point of all this fighting? The resistance wants to take over the world from the regular humans?

There are just over 1,300 pages between books one through three, and we still have no clear answers about the world or even the specific gifted. There are Technos, Renders, DeathDealers, Shifters, Neuros (just to mention a few) but we have no real idea of what they each do.

I still cannot wrap my mind around the idea that she was brutally tortured for two years, (age 14-16) and the resistance was just trying to get the names of her bonded? But weren’t their names already listed in the registry?? This is how Atlas knew who she was when he was 16, supposedly out having sex with a ton of ow because he was upset that she “abandoned” him? The plot holes here are gigantic, and the manwhor* hero trope is gross.

Despite the cliffhanger, not sure if I want to continue the series.

✅✅ Addictiveness
✅ Gorgeous cover
✅ Characters
✅ Multiple POVs
✅ Reverse harem
✅ More smut
✅ Powers
✅ Action
✅ Pace and plot
✅ Found family
❗️❗️Cliffhanger
❗️❗️Trigger warning: abduction, mentions of murder and past torture, torture, death of children, terrorism

4.5 stars

And she does it again: super addictive, with a killer cliffhanger.

This book picks up right where Broken Bonds ends, with Oli and Kieran being held by the Resistance, and Oli knowing what torture is awaiting them. Oli’s Bonds are losing their sh*t, trying to find her with the help of Sawyer, but they are out of luck as Oli keeps her Bond firmly under control to keep her men safe. By taking Oli, again, the Resistance has declared war against the Draven Bond Group, and it becomes a race against the clock to keep the Gifted community safe, find the Resistance members among them, and eradicate them before they retaliate yet again and kill more innocents.

We learn more about the Resistance and their goals in this book, and it reminded me of the whole X-Men politics, with a group of Gifted wanting to take over the country because they are powerful and tired of compromising to live in harmony with giftless humans.

Kieran becomes more important, and I have to admit that I like him now. He grew on me, and the author made a good decision to have him stuck with Oli for the first part of the book. It allowed them to build a stronger connection, I might even say friendship, and it made me like him, despite his rudeness and coldness in the first book.

“I did break. I let my bond take the pain for me. I let it become the monster instead of me.”

We also discover more about Oli’s dark past in this book, as she is back in the hands of the Resistance, and they are once again torturing her in the hopes of learning the names of her Bonds and being able to use them to force her to cooperate. It broke my heart to see all she had to endure as a young teenager, and the strength she had, all because she wanted to keep her Bonds safe.

There is one thing that I don’t get though…
➡️The Resistance knows Oli’s name
➡️They have spies/agents among the council and students attending Draven’s University
➡️Every member of the Council and student know who Oli’s Bonds are
➡️So how come the Resistance still needs to torture Oli to get her to reveal her Bonds’ names? It was explained as “one specific person trying to protect one of her Bonds and doing everything to keep the information and Oli hidden”, but it doesn’t make sense to me. How come that one person, who seems like a meek and powerless character, can prevent all students and council members from spreading the information about the identity of Oli’s Bonds?

Besides that detail, everything else was awesome. The pace gets a little slower near the middle, and I feel that there was a part where not much happened even though they were pretty much at war with the Resistance, but it didn’t prevent me from inhaling this book in a day. There was also a little issue with the timeline, or maybe that's just me, but it is said at one point that Oli spent weeks in the Resistance camp when it felt more like a few days only..? I am also curious about her periods, she had them in the first book (which was actually nice, because FMC never get their period in books) and then she never got them again.

I love that there are multiple POVs in this book, it allows us to get a different perspective on some characters, and to get more insight into their thoughts. I have to say that it made Nox more tolerable to me to know what he was going through.

Nox is so intense, and his hatred toward Oli clearly hides something. He is trying to protect himself, and he is dealing with past trauma, but all I can think about when I see him being so snarky with her is how hot and intense it will be when these two finally fall into bed together. I am so intrigued by him, I need to know more, and I need more chapters in his POV.

North looks over at me and I know that it’s game over for him. That’s the last puzzle piece in the mystery that is his Bond. Now he knows everything he ever needed to know about her. He’s done for; hook, line, and sinker. He belongs to her now, whether he’s admitting it to himself yet or not.

North Draven stole the show. I said in my reviews of the first two books that even though he wasn’t the nicest, I couldn’t resist his confident, refined, and strong aura, and he finally proved me right in this book. His meticulously cultivated image unraveled and came completely undone under the influence of Oli’s bond, and seeing him allow himself to be soft with her was everything. Also, the man is HOT in the bedroom. 🥵 A part of me felt a little self-conscious previously about saying that I loved him a lot, but not anymore. I am not ashamed to say that he is probably my favorite Bond for the moment.

“You’re my Bond. If you get stronger and burn the whole world to the ground, then I’ll be there at your side, watching it burn. I’m not the good guy, Oli. I’m not one of the Dravens or Shores of the world. It’s you and me, and nothing else matters to me.”

Atlas had some work to do to gain back the guys’ trust, but he delivered, as usual. He is as loyal to Oli as ever, willing to do anything to help and protect her. I was shocked to learn about his past and the secrets he’d been keeping, but I didn’t think for one second that he meant Oli any harm. He is still the steady, supportive protector Oli needs by her side.

Gabe is still the warm, funny, and softer Bond, and he is such a sweetheart. He is so different than Gryphon, North, and Nox, and it’s a welcome relief to have him spend some time with Oli too. It allows her to get her mind off her problems for a while, and to just enjoy the present moment with her cuddly Bond. I really like him, and I hope Oli will bond with him soon because the poor guy deserves it. He was a jerk in the first book, but he’s been nothing but supportive and amazing since then.

Gryphon is still a mix of brooding and sweet caring. He is a badass TacTeam leader, and very protective of Oli, so he keeps his gruff side out in front of others, but he also has a kind side that comes out when he cares for Oli. He also likes to tease her, especially now that he can access her thoughts through their bond, and it was nice to see another dimension of him.

Oli, have you ever considered that maybe your bond won’t grow in power because it’s already at full capacity?”

There might be a solution here to the whole angsty “want to bond but no can do” problem, and I really hope that Oli will at least give it some thought. Especially now that the guys (minus Nox) all showed that they were all in, that they were not afraid of her powers, and that they would follow her and fight for her, so there is no way she can leave again, and keeping them at arm's length will not work long term for sure. Already, there is a heap-ton of sexual tension between her and the guys, and there is also more smut in this book, as Oli continues to solidify and create new bonds.

Overall, this was another highly addictive book in this series, and objectively, I would give it 4 stars I think… But I must add an extra .5 star for North because I am obsessed with him. I want one.

Broken Bonds ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
Savage Bonds ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

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For some reason I thought this was a trilogy, and was extremely concerned at first by how rapidly the end was approaching without any sign of closure...

Another solid instalment in the series, with some more relationship progression. This is a 3.5 star read for me - I can't quite bring myself to round it up to 4, because I find the non-relationship plot stuff quite boring and skimmable. No clue what the Resistance is doing, what they're resisting, or why they want Oli - I'm just here for the Bond stuff, which makes for a great world.

(Sorry Ann and Harriet but my rating still stands 😅)

!!!SPOILERS AHEAD!!!!

WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE
* The whining - The sheer number of times I resisted throwing my phone to the wall after she called herself a monster!!!! Good LORD!!! That sh*t got really repetitive and tiring. I understand that there's some trauma there but she'd make some progress and then quickly go back to being disgusted by herself - and then I would be subjected to people reassuring her over and over again (somebody SAVE ME!!! (think Smallville's theme song)

* Nox - Are we really surprised? We all knew that this was coming. I've hated him since book 1 as he's been a rapist and an ass and continues to be an ass.
The fact that he seems to have some sort of traumatizing past does not excuse his behaviour. We also got his POV and I'm pretty sure that the author was using it to try and endear us to him. I refuse to be endeared.
He needs to get over himself and find ways to fix himself without using the poor girl as his punching bag.

* A lot happened but also nothing happened...? - The first 46% was great. Story started off with a bang, things were moving quickly and we were getting answers. But after this, things just fell flat. The story dragged and dragged with the same issues brought up over and over again with no real solution to them.
Also the fact that Oli really had nothing to do other that stay in bed could have contributed to this

* The weird bonding - It wasn't bad just....very sudden. Like it came out of nowhere. I just don't understand how she bonded with North and Atlas - especially with North. I would have appreciated a little more groveling on his part, especially with how he'd treated her in book 1.
Also with Atlas.... she legit bonded with this man BECAUSE he took her out of town and told her some sweet nothings - AFTER TELLING US HOW SHE DOESN'T WANT TO BOOST HER POWER OVER AND OVER AGAIN?!?!?!🤣🤣🤣🤣🤦🏾‍♀️ somebody please explain.

WHAT I LIKED
*More sex scenes - I'm basically talking about that threesome scene. You know the one😉😏😜

* The bonds are fascinating They seem like a completely different entity. What the heck are they exactly? Is Oli's bond really a god or does it have a really big ego? I also loved how everyone kept freaking out whenever her bond took over. Especially all the "tough macho men" who'd looked down on her. Every time someone gulped, I'd giggle

* How protective the bond is over her - The bond loves Oli in its own way. I wish that the two could understand each other and get to a place where Oli isn't scared of it and can control its blood lust

* THAT ENDING!!!! - 🙆🏾‍♀️There must be a good explanation. There must be! I refuse to think otherwise😭😭

I’ve reached the point where I’ve had enough. Not much happens aside from everybody being obsessed with Oli for all kinds of reasons. She’s the strongest, best, bravest, most amazing girl in the literary universe who has zero flaws and is adored by all. You want to worship the ground she walks on, she is just that great. Yeah, no thanks.

The first 50% of the book she spends most of her time lying in bed and the side characters I like so much are almost forgotten. It got so dull and repetitive. We get it, she’s god’s gift to mankind.

Neither of the 5 guys have a personality of their own and everything they do or even think is just all Oli this and Oli that. She probably even can’t take a dump without all her bonds yelling into her mind ARE YOU ALRIGHT MY QUEEN, WHO DO I NEED TO KILL??!!!!?? It’s been 3 books and she hasn’t even boinked all 5 guys and we still know almost nothing about them. And don’t get me started on how “he murmered” is used every other sentence. I could take a shot every time and be dead by alcohol poisoning by chapter 5.

I might return to this series when it’s complete and if my annoyance died down enough to tolerate more of The Amazing Oleander.

December cannot come soon enough! Blood Bonds is going to be EPIC 💥

Well I just completed blood bonds and it was a roller coaster ride.
If I am to describe the series plot wise then it is very much character driven rather than plot driven.

This was a relationship building book. Oli and most of her bonds grew a lot together and their relationship as a unit also strengthened. I was really impressed with how J Bree dealt with certain situations. The cliffhanger of the second book was very shocking but it was solved convincingly in this book although I was a bit underwhelmed by the reasoning. The book is not very long so I finished it in two sittings and it was interesting enough to keep my focus throughout.
I also liked that this book included multiple point of views and how the bonds within the characters have sort of their own independent identity.

All the misunderstanding are cleared pretty much early in the book and we get to see how this relationship blossoms without the barrier of of any miscommunication. North underwent great changes and he is a delight to watch. He is very possessive of Oleander and I liked that a lot.

The author has created a great cast of side characters and Kieran is is one of my favorite side characters now. Sage is present in this book but she was not given much page time and the story focused a lot more on oleander and her bonds.
The cliffhanger at the end of this book was very confusing for me and I am really intrigued that how the saga will continue. I just hope that they all get a happy ending and J Bree please give us more Nox crumbs. I was really feeling bad for him in this book because he seems very confused. It seems like his lashing out is a coping mechanism to hide his vulnerability.

Overall this was a great addition in the series and I would recommend it to all. Although it ends on a cliffhanger, I would suggest people to read it rather than waiting for the whole series because this book is basically character driven and after three books I feel like I intimately know these characters. Whatever stakes are there in future they get all the more higher when you feel connected to the characters.

Great book!

Desperately waiting for Forced bonds!

3/5

It was the third book from the series, and I start getting slightly bored with it. The plot in each book is basically = 80% nothing interesting happens, and then the last 10-20% BOOM some action. Only in this book, the action was still in the first few chapters. I'm halfway through and I already think six books are unnecessary.

The heroine finally starts to get involved with 2 more of her bonds, and I have a feeling Gryphon, North and Nox are author's favourites. My kinda too. North Draven gives "I hate everyone in the world but you", so it's hard not to like him. Gabe and Atlas start to look more and more like side characters.. sorry but it’s true.

There is a lot of things unresolved from last books, and I think there will be even more.

You if you are going to read this series for spicy scenes, in the first three books there is not a lot of them. This book has the most, so probably the next books will be spicier.

One of the best things about the series are the covers. You have to admit they are gorgeous.

Apparently, I'm reading one of these per day. I literally cannot stop listening to these audiobooks.

Here's the deal: the worldbuilding is messy, and while the books are fast-paced, there are some pacing inconsistencies. But I am 100% entertained.

I'd certainly recommend this series to anyone trying to get out of a reading slump.

This series keeps getting better and better.

⤏ What to expect:
∘ New Adult Paranormal Romance
∘ Reverse Harem — 5 powerful bonds: Gabe, Gryphon, Atlas, North & Nox
∘ Kick-ass heroine
∘ People with special powers
∘ Great worldbuilding
∘ Addictive & Fast reading — great pacing
∘ Rebellion - Kindnapping
∘ Mystery
⤏ Tropes:
∘ Slowburn
∘ Fated Mates
∘ Hate to Love
∘ Touch her and you die
∘ Forced Proximity — the sexual tension 🔥
∘ Found Family
⇢ Trigger Warnings: torture, kidnapping, suicide idealization, explicit sexual content, violence and death, physical abuse

⤏

⤏

⤏

- North is finally letting his walls down, realizing he was in the wrong, and proves to be a good man for Oli: caring, protective ~ swoon
To be honest, I always liked him a little more than the others — maybe I'm just attracted to a-holes?
- Well, Atlas , turns out I was right not to trust you from the beginning. He is slowly earning my trust, but I still like him the least ... and I don't agree with Oli's decision regarding him.
- I'd say Gryphon is my second favorite and damn, what a dirty mouth he has.
- I feel like Gabe was left behind, and I don't like it ... He deserves more attention than Atlas.
- Nox is still Nox, but I'm waiting for him to snap ~ heh.

⤏

«⋯

3,0 ✨✨✨

(Audiobook)

"My bond has always been stronger than anyone will ever comprehend, and no one threatens me without facing the dark god living inside me."

I survived 2 years of this BS.
And I will kill everyone here before I let that happen again.
But if that's what I have to do to save my Bonds?
Bring it on.

"I did break. I let my bond take the pain for me. I let it become the monster instead of me."

I mean. I mean. I mean.

Ok, ok, ok.

First off, let's give credit where credit is f*cking do ok?
And no one deserves more of the spotlight in this book than North Draven.
I didn't think my crush on him could get bigger (newsflash, I lied)

"She's out there in my blood and the deepest, darkest corners of my soul."

I mean, we really did want to know how many weapons you can have under a Tom Ford suit didn't we?
And I am just saying that this man did not disappoint in this book.

"You think we've been monsters so far? You haven't seen what we're truly capable of yet… but now you will."

The protectiveness over Oli in this book even though they met her bond and she is a legit full-on human grenade will never not give me feels honestly.

"Mine. You're mine. No one will hurt you again. Not me, not the others, not anyone. The shadows cannot harm you, they belong to you, as I do. We all do."

And the filling up the plate!!!! The way that he did it this whole time!!

"Whatever it is, you're sure it can't wait? I'm not entirely above begging, Bond."

And come on that scene with Gryphon… I am not complaining one bit 🥵🥵🥵

"You wanna be watched? You want him seeing you come all over my co*ck, gushing down my legs and screaming my name, baby? I thought I was pushing your boundaries here, but you need it… Don't you, Bonded?"

Ok, ok. Moving on moving on.

We meet Oli's bond in this book. And I am in love.
As if I needed more reasons to love Oli. She is a walking deadly badass and she owns it I can tell you that.

"What use are morals to a God of Death. Nothing. They are nothing to me or mine."

Silas deserves just the wost of everything. I don't even have the words to explain. But yeah, he can go die.

Gryphon was being his usual Gryphon self. As in the hot protective bodyguard role (they all are but I can just imagine Gryphon as a bodyguard). And going to work with what he did…

"If I put on a savage enough scowl on my face, everyone will steer clear of me. I'll get to wallow in her all day, and that might just get me through until she's back in my bed, soaking my sheets and coming like a good girl for me."

Then Gabe. Gabe is equal to a golden retriever and I have no complaints. The way the scenes with him and Oli make me feel like I'm reading a contemporary romance book in the middle of this war centred
book is everything!

"This life of knowing we're all in danger is a million times better than the life without you."

Then, Nox.
Nox is still being his usual drunk, annoying self. But, we do get a glimpse (however small) into maybe having a reason why he is acting the way he is acting. And he has a quote in this book that actually sounded kind of like a compliment… maybe…

"Why is everyone so single-mindedly focused on getting her out when she's strong enough to hold her own here?"

But I'm not giving him too much credit in this book.

And then we have Atlas.
Atlas who will do anything for Oli and to prove his loyalty to her.
I love Atlas. He was always there by her side and this book is no different.

"Not having you and your trust isn't an option for me, Bond. It's not an option."

And of course, how can we forget about the desert. I know that scene is just in a loop in my head.

"Don't tease, Sweetness. Now when there's a whole f*cking horde of Tac operatives out there listening, because I'll do a helluva lot worse than Shore ever did. f*ck, the thought of them all out there listening to me Bond with you, it's too tempting."

"You're my Bond. If you get stronger and burn the whole world to the ground, then I'll be there at your side, watching it burn."

"The road to hell for me is paved with everything I would do for you, and that list never f*cking ends."

Also, I want to give a little shoutout to Kiernan in this book, because the playing along with everything, I did cackle at some inappropriate moments, not gonna lie. But yeah, props.

Oh and also,

If you think I wasn't gonna talk about the ending,

Well…

WHAT IN THE REESE'S PEANUT BUTTER f*ck IS GOING ON HERE?

Is Gryphon using his gift on me? Because this series is all I can think about

“The road to hell for me is paved with everything I would do for you, and that list never f*cking ends.”

Plot
10/10, super fast paced, action and romance packed
UGH! Blood Bonds literally starts with a heart breaking prologue about how Oli's parents died. We already kind of knew what happened but it was sad regardless. BUT THEN we get a pov from daddy North. The bonds are at a resistance camp, being sexy murderers when Gryphon isn't able to get a hold of Oli or Kieran.

We then get a first glimpse into how Oli was tortured and how she managed to manipulate everyone around her into surviving and escaping the resistance camp. The bonds also learn what the resistance wants from her and what she refused to give up, even under literal torture. Once this knowledge is shared, there is a major shift in the bonded group but very much North.

Having the pov of the guys while Oli was missing and tortured will be engrained in my mind. It gave us so much more perspective and really filled in needed gaps with how each bond really feels about Oli.

“North looks over at me and I know that it’s game over for him. That’s the last puzzle piece in the mystery that is his Bond. Now he knows everything he ever needed to know about her. He’s done for; hook, line, and sinker. He belongs to her now, whether he’s admitting it to himself yet or not.”

Characters
Oli - 10/10 character development! You get so much more information about her past, why she pushed the guys away and why she was on the run. Oli is able to relax a little about putting up an act around some of her bonds which is a game changer for everyone since they know about her history with the resistance.

North - YAY!! It was North's time to f*cking shine! and shine he f*cking did. He was literally given proof that Oli did not reject him, she did not run away while giving him the answers he desperately needed from her. North is the epitome of 'touch her and die' and is so ready to burn the world for her. All the guys are but its so different with North. His attitude flipped and became the perfect bonded Oli needed. North is a 9/10 now, he still needs to do more grovelling

Gryphon - daddy gryphon. still perfection. Seeing him feel Oli's pain through their bonded connection was gut wrenching. Gryphon is the only one I never really doubted from the beginning? He kind of just kept quiet most of the time, took her pain away, gave her money when she needed it. I'm still super happy he was her first Bonded. 11/10 for daddy dirty mouth gryphon

Atlas - i kneeeeewwwww he was sus. No one is that nice. I 100% fell for it at the beginning, Oli really needed one of them to not hate her. But he didn't hate her (at least when he spoke to her) because he knew everything the resistance did because his family is shady af. BUT he did choose her above all else. This is a great side to Atlas though, it give him a lot of depth and different background to the rest of the bonded group. 6.5/10 for the lies.

Gabe - i love him. His devotion to Oli and the group is amazing. But there isn't much of him to go off. I want more Gabe and less Atlas!!!!! Justice for Gabe. I wish he was bonded before Atlas. Still a 10/10.

Nox - His pov has won me over. i still don't like him. But there is something there that is just ready for him to rival my #1 position with Gryphon. i am obsessed with him. How he lets his bond out to JUST TALK to hers is so cute. The bonds both respect Nox to not push it and its lovely. 5/10! loving the development.

Sage - she is everything. we love her. lmao but do we? 10/10

CLIFFHANGER - BROOOOOOOOO. That entire last chapter, BUT THE LAST PAGE MAKES ME WANT TO THROW UP. I felt the betrayal in my f*cking bones.

5/5 ⭐
3.5/5 🌶️

“because there’s nothing quite like rich men being on their high horses about unimportant things while there’s an actual crisis going on.”

1st read: 12/08/2022 (kindle)
2nd read: 07/12/2022 (paperback)
3rd read: 10/01/2023 (audio)
4th read: 14/02/2023 (audio)
5th read: 28/02/2023 (audio)

Misnomer

I am having a hard time understanding what the author is trying to accomplish with this story.

First, the protagonist was 14 years old when she was paired with multiple adult men for a sexual relationship. The author goes out of her way to claim that the men would have treated her well had she not run away as a traumatised child, but since they had to be without her for 5 years, they are now free to abuse her as they see fit - and only deign to stop when she has sex with them. The author doesn’t quite bother explaining what the alternative to running way was, though. Were they planning to keep her as a pet until she grew up or is the author trying to soft pedal the idea that 14 year old children are sexually mature enough to participate in orgiastic sex with three adult men and two teenage boys? Oleander is still a barely of-age traumatized and abused teenager, which is far less “sexy” than the author likely imagines as she describes the men’s attraction to her in terms of how she is small, fragile, and childlike.

Second, the tragic backstory of both the protagonist and Nox includes graphic torture and sad*stic abuse. It was particularly gross that Nox molested Oleander in Book 1 and here, in this book, she does it to him.

Third, the central point of the AU plot features “The Resistance”. Calling this fascistic terrorist organisation “The Resistance” is reminiscent of the propaganda that Orwell used in his seminal work 1984; War is Peace, Freedom is Slavery, Ignorance is Strength.

What “The Resistance” is ‘resisting’ is the rights of non- or lesser-powered people to live freely. Their goal is to topple the world governments, ushering in an authoritarian global regime and enact world domination where the people with the most power keep everyone else as slaves. They literally round up “undesirable” people and put them in concentration camps where they are raped, tortured, and killed. The Resistance wants Oleander because they can use her to cause mass casualty events.

If a group’s goal is to oppress other people, they are still oppressors, even if they are in the minority and calling them “The Resistance” because they are against democracy and freedom is a perverse misnomer.

4.25 ⭐️

Even though I don’t think this series is perfect and I keep having things I want to complain about - I have to point out how addicting it is. I haven’t had the feeling of not being able to read quick enough and wanting to run through a book this fast in a very long time.

I’m really liking the general idea of the story and I do appreciate that we started to get a ton more information in this book (like how old her bonds actually are and a bit more about Oli and her bonds pasts)… but I still think the writing is a bit mediocre overall. I’m starting to notice some plot holes… and the general arc of each book is starting to feel repetitive. There’s only a small handful of things actually going on and they keep just getting circled around - the only difference is that we are slowly getting more important information about everyone, and the relationship between each of her bonds keep developing. — I’m also not a huge fan of books that leave the reader in the dark… when the person your seeing out of knows things and just doesn’t share it with you… it’s not my favorite type of way to build up a story in general and that’s what this story is.

Oli has grown on me more though… I still don’t love her and she still feels a bit young and childish to me, but she wasn’t as annoying in this book. Maybe it’s that she’s finally getting some action so she’s not as much of a crazy horny teenager anymore - or it’s that we get to see more of her bond now which I’m really liking… or it could be that the writings getting a smidge better… maybe it’s all three... idk.

And even though I’m starting to get a bit bored with the circles we keep going in with basically the same few things happening over and over… I will say that I did not see that ending coming and I was very shocked. So on to book four I go 🏃‍♀️

This book was trash, and not even the good kind. Reading this was like dragging my face through mud. My teeth are broken, I have crap in my mouth and all I can smell is the smoke from this dumpster fire of a story.

In the first book, we started out with a strong premise, and a flawed and haunted protagonist. She was real, relatable and had personality. The male characters in her life were twisted and mean, and yet there was a mystery to each of them that had me invested.

Now, three books into this series, I’m getting the same repetitive plot (if there is any) played out over and over again like some recurring nightmare. It begins where the protagonist, Oli, is in a dire situation, held as a prisoner for the bad guys- which she kills, very suddenly and with no consequence. She is rescued by her friends, and then nothing happens for the entire middle portion of this book. Oli complains about her homework, she does her homework, she trains with her friends and male love interests. She occasionally sleeps with her love interests. Oli hates on seemingly every single woman in this book other than her best friend. Then something goes wrong and she has to save the day. Only to end up in the clutches of the enemies again. Which she kills because she’s the most powerful being in this book.

Tell me, where is the tension? Where is the character arc? Every single character hated her in the first book and now they bend over backwards for her. Oli is a Mary Sue; she is the same regurgitated female stereotype I see again and again in books, where the woman MC has to be strong and powerful and she kicks ass. She has no faults, everyone loves her. She wants to protect her friends, she’s got a great sense of humour, and a good comeback to everything. Where does she fail? Where does she screwup? Where are her negative qualities- and I’m not talking about the cringe worthy jealously she has for every woman that comes into contact with her love interests, because that doesn’t seem to impact the story, nor does it facilitate any meaningful conversations.

I’m thankful this book is over, and I will not be continuing the rest in the series. In the wise words of Gemma Collins; “It’s hell in there.”

J BREE continues to deliver on the best series of the year. I JUST CAN NOT GET ENOUGH! Hands down my favorite J Bree series to date. This is so fresh, so delicious. This series is seriously the revelation of 2021- I CAN NOT GET ENOUGH OF IT! I AM RAVENOUS FOR MORE! Reverse harem, paranormal, academy vibes with all sorts of yumminess- enemies to lovers, age gap, loads of secret society things, bad-a heroine, super alpha and possessive bonds, magic, EEK- it just can’t be defined. But it’s an addiction- all the grit and sizzle of a J Bree story, but with a whole new vibe.

I was so excited for this one because not only have things been progressing, but delicious North is on the cover, and in this book, North is perfection. He’s my favorite of the guys, and I fell even more in love with him in this story. He’s made mistakes, he’s got edgy and gravitas, but swoony North is a sight to behold. Book 3 brings a whole new dynamic, and one emotionally poignant and consuming. Now that some secrets are out and some bonding has opened, our characters have their most complicated challenge yet- figuring out how to open their hearts to each other. And wow, this is where J Bree shines- with complicated, intense, soul-searing, earth shattering character connections. The epic soulmate connections, but connections that are mired in mistakes, misunderstandings, epic missteps, and past pain. Book 3 opens the door to SOME of these characters figuring out how to flip the switch- from distrust to trust, from anger to love, from love-soaked bitterness to open affection and care. And none of them know how to do that- to be openly vulnerable, to lean on each other, to let go of baggage. And I loved every moment watching them figure it out…well, some of them that is. We still have a few relationship tensions to resolve, and we all know who the hold out is going to be.

On top of that, the Resistance action dials up hardcore, we have tons of action and danger, MORE secrets, and HOLY MOLY LOTS OF STEAM. J Bree is making up for that slow burn of a beginning- and let’s just say, even though North is still my favorite (and how J Bree had his powers play out…meow…..), but can I also get an AMEN for alpha Grpyhon. MEOW.

That cliffhanger though- well, let’s just say I AM GUTTED. Worst cliffy yet- because of just how BAD the implications may be. I have tons of theories, but at this point, I’m just going along with the ride. EPIC STORYTELLING at its finest!

Hands down the series of the year- thank you J Bree for reigniting my love for PNR story telling. You make it look easy, and I’m addicted to every last word.

4th Reread: 14/2/24

3rd Reread (Audiobook): 16/11/22
3 times in one year. I feel like an obsessed teenager again about this series. The audiobooks are just as good as reading it.

2nd Read: 10/8/22
Okay .... I caved. And started reading them again almost 2 months before the final book is due out. I have to keep going. Even if I'm going to suffer another 6 weeks waiting for the last one. This series is *chefs kiss* pure perfection ♡

1st Read: 19/3/22
Oh man, these cliffhangers are brutal and I'm not finishing the series until the rest of the books are out because I just cannot handle it. I'm too in love with this series and Oli and her boys and don't think I'm capable of surviving another cliffhanger.

ببخشید اما بزارین یبار فقط یبار بی ادب باشم اما
فاک فاک فاک فااااک چی شد یهوووو؟ چرا اخه چرا اخه اصلا.... یعنی چی؟😱
ریویو؟ عمرا که بتونم بنویسم چون بدجور شوکم باید برم سراغ جلد ۴ 😳

پ.ن: چقدر باند اُلی وحشیه نمیدونم ازش خوشم بیاد یا بترسم😂

Honestly this series has been amazing I am hooked

Awesome! I am so happy I discovered this series.