Warrior Fae Trapped

“Well, didn’t you find yourself a handsome young man? Congratulations. Just remember, they don’t come trained. You have to do that yourself.”

Macy stepped up next to Charity. “How are you doing?” “If I said ‘fine,’ would you believe me?” “If I said ‘yes,’ would you believe me?”

(Warrior Fae 1) Warrior Fae Trapped by K. F. Breene Review

My thoughts on Review spoilers, and ratings may be relevant before you venture below the spoiler line. Click the [Back] button there to return here if you take a look. Review 1200± words.

My Rating:

Recommend this 4.5 star paranormal fantasy romance novel primarily about Charity, our protagonist, a girl from the under belly of Chicago. Raised by a violent alcoholic father, and mother who abandoned her when she was 16. Determined, Charity not only survives but wins a scholarship to UC of Santa Cruz where we eventually meet our co-protagonist Devon, who had a workaholic father, and mother who rejected him as her own blood in his hour of need.

This is the 7th book in the Demon Days, Vampire Nights (DDVN) world, and the first book focusing on this set of characters, Warrior Fae 1? K. F. Breene has not disappointed. Once I finished the "Fire and Ice" Trilogy focused on Reagan Somerset, I doubted Ms. Breene could equal that literary work in her "Magical Mayhem" Trilogy that focused on Penny Bristol. In this first book about Fae in the DDVN World, K. F. Breene reached new depths of connecting readers with her co-protagonists.

After finishing this book in under 24 hours, I've struggled with the decision to wait, or immediately re-read the entire series.

Generally: --- Possible Spoiler Line ---
Sam, who took in Charity as one of her pet projects is one of the rich beautiful people on campus. Unlike her rich beautiful friend, Charity wasn't in college to party and have a good time. Her full scholarship was her ticket to a life unlike her childhood.

Charity learned to survive and thrive amid gang wars and the lawless brutality of anarchy and worse. Her life living in the underbelly of Chicago slums didn't prepare her for the nightmares of the ultra-exclusive college party crowd near the University of California at Santa Cruz, California.

After Sam's other "good-time-loving-rich-and-invited" friend fell ill to food poison hours before the exclusive party a sudden invitation was extended to Charity. No way was Sam going to let Charity sit home and study. Sam used every lever in her manipulation arsenal to convince Charity to go with her to a party so exclusive only those with handwritten & snail mailed invitations were welcome.

Charity had no delusions about life, the nature of most people, and she knew where she stood. She had never fit anywhere, but she had breaks in her life that allowed her glimpses of a hopeful future. She was street smart, well-trained in martial arts, and intelligent enough to earn a full scholarship. Nor would she even drink after seeing alcoholism up close and personal.

Charity didn't have shoes without holes and all her clothes were thread bare. Sam wasn't going to take no.

A beautiful dress flew into Charity's bedroom. Charity didn't want to disappoint but had no interest. Sam brought out the big guns like paint pealing dorm rooms. Charity continued to resist. Sam was her friend, but Charity didn't even take drugs, how boring could this party be for her?

Charity's resistance crumbled when Sam assured her crush "Donnie" would be there.

My Notable Notes:
I didn't catch Charity or Devon's last names. A quick ebook search didn't reveal them either, so I suspect I've actually missed the last names.

After the first draft of this review, I scanned a few other reviews. One caught my attention. "No hot sex in this book." This raving-5-star-review person did not read the book. I suppose it's possible their definition of hot sex is so far off my scale of hot sex that I'd like a hands-on education from them.

Likes and Dislikes:
I'm glad when even minor characters from previous books in the series make appearances or play more significant roles in a story. It's the same with me no matter the series. When I do read a series that doesn't have characters from previous books, I'm usually a bit miffed. Issac Asimov was the first who irritated me with this troublesome quirk.

K. F. Breene is consistent in providing this "cameo appearance" pleasure, even when she entirely changes focus. This is the 3rd change in this "DDVN world".

My disappointment with Ms. Breene are her antagonists. It's actually a minor thing that I know could be better. In every book I've read by her (15 books, 6 read twice, so far), more attention to her antagonists could massively improve her reader's craving for more. Alternately, since I appear entirely addicted to her writing, it's certain she doesn't lack antagonists.

In this book, we know the antagonist well from earlier books and understand how dangerous the antagonist is. While we understand who the primary antagonist is, there's always an amorphous conglomeration of "them", antagonists as well.

The Technical: About the writing critique?
Ms. Breene is a pretty courageous writer. I remember advice from Dean Koontz, the most courageous author I've encountered (that I can remember). His writer's advice: "Always kill your babies" (paraphrased, I suspect).

Some authors can do it, some can do it occasionally, weak authors can not do it and are usually boring. Scary courageous authors can and will kill their protagonist. Spooky courageous authors easily kill their co-protagonists or major loved characters.

In this novel Katie came so close to spooky courageous, I almost believed she would do it. She went a different direction in the end, which was also courageous. Unfortunately it changed the book from PG13 to X-rated. Had she done what I feared she might do, it would have changed it from PG13 to R rated.

Conclusion
I've actually said almost nothing about this novel. So, in conclusion let me say, Ms. Breene does what she does, again, only this time she grabs the reader's heart and manipulates emotions like a maestro, bringing out tears or laughter with a flick of her wrist.

Charity is the kind of character so vulnerable you want to crawl into the book and protect her yourself. But the reader is never in doubt that Charity always has... and will always take care of herself. Also, when a push or fright comes Chairity's inclination is flight. Get out, go!

Alternately, if push comes to shove, when you'd think she'd be run, run, run, "flight on steroids", she instantly turns into the lioness who just saw you kick her cubs and now doesn't want you scared away, she'd rather have you dead, mutilated, and desecrated, in no particular order as long as all of it is done viciously.

I think it is always fun when Katie lets her bad girl protagonist come out to play.

Read on: Mar 29 & 30, 2021
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Links:
Author: K. F. Breene Website
 Narrator: Nicole Poole, Narrator Website
 E-book Retailer: Warrior Fae Trapped Retailer Links 45 Chapters, Print length : 438 pages.
Audiobook Retailer: Warrior Fae Trapped Retailer Links
Audiobook Runtime: 09:22:12