Warrior's Curse

With a description given is the synopsis I was expecting something better...<br /><br />It's not bad, but there were moments that I wanted to screem at the heroine and the hero both!<br /><br />The premise of a world where the male and female live separate, at the point of being identified as separate people: Sharona and Lahon, was very intriguing. I would have liked if the reason for that separation was explained better, but it was still interesting.<br /><br />The heroine, Reena's illness was a filmsy at best! Why nobody, not even her mother, asked itself why a normal, healthy girl just waste away after a cold? And nobody suspects a poisoning? Nobody check what kind of herbs are in her tonic? Mah... to me it was unbelievable...<br /><br />But, as soon as the Lahon's healer takes a look at her he finds it out immediately? Really???!!!<br /><br />And Reena's unwillingness to accept the truth of who tried to kill her, even when presented with proof? What about that? She's so pure of heart that she cannot accept that evel exists? Filmsy excuse....<br /><br />The hero, Garat, was also strange: he knows that he must secure the water supply for his people, but as soon as he recognize the portrait of the woman who birthed and killed his son, he acts in way that is sure to make the negotiation go to hell. And why? Because he hates her and wants vengeance!<br /><br />What about the needs of his people???!!! Is it OK to make them suffer because of his desire for rvenge???!!<br /><br />For the good part, the way love developed between Reena and Garat was nicely done and tender and hot too. <br /><br />Also the secondary characters of Lahon's healer, Meloni and the queen of the Sharona, Ellynna were much better and more interesting than the main characters!<br /><br />The idea of jewels, with which all the Sharona are born, to determine the time when the mating must be done and inducing the mating lust that force the woman to serch and mate with Lahon men, by changing color is very, very clever and it remebered me of an old movie "Logan's Run" (there the jewels determined when people should die, but the idea is very similar!)!<br /><br />So, as you see I have a mixed feeling... this is not a 5 stars book, but it has enough interesting elements to merit a read, especially since it is the first in the series.<br /><br />Im intrigued enough to read the next one, hoping that the negative things have been overcome!

Well talk about the battle of the sexes! In this new series males and females live completely separately and have formed their own tribes. So how does that work as far as procreation goes you may ask yourself. Clearly there has to be some type of interaction otherwise their species will die out. Ok both male and female on this planet worship and follow the teachings of the same Goddess and it just so happens that when the time is right the females ( Sharona ) experience a desperate rise in libido needing them to find a suitable male (Lahon ) or two! The Lahon males are considered to be barbaric by the slightly more refined women but nature will always find a way!<br />This was a quick easy read for me and my afternoon just flew by. Essentially it's about Reena, the Princess of the Sharona discovering there's more to life than she thought. I quite liked her as in spite of her privileged lifestyle she felt grounded and had compassion. She knows she is dying but is desperate to experience even if somewhat vicariously , what life and living is all about.<br />Step forward Garat, a man with little reason to trust the Sharona females but he needs their help if his people are to survive . He happens upon Reena when she is in dire need of help but his plan to hold her hostage for ransom pretty soon deteriorates into something with very far reaching consequences!<br />So a very easy premise to follow and maybe just a tad predictable , or at least as to where the real danger might be coming from. I found the ideas here as to who brings up which baby kind of sad especially when the author explained what the Sharona females did with any male offspring. I was quite perplexed as to how this all began but then towards the end it became pretty obvious that this way of life might not always have been just so , which piqued my curiosity no end ! <br />If you enjoy a romance that's almost a coming of age in some respects than this fits quite nicely as Reena has her rosy coloured spectacles well and truly ripped away and smashed into little pieces! Obviously Garat has a lot to do with that but there's something pulling them together that's a lot more complicated than the usual hot chemistry. I couldn't help but wonder just how this story could end as there's just too much that needs to change but luckily the author has clearly not quite finished with this world she has created . Sexy, interesting and with one or two surprises and a series worth pursuing if you enjoy reading about hot alpha guys paired with courageous , loyal females . <br />I was gifted a copy via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

4 1/2 stars, this was a great summer read. It was different from many books I read and that's one reason I loved it so much another besides the story was the characters. I loved both Reena and Garat. This was a great book and I hope there is more in the series.

<b>Women are from Venus and Men are from Mars</b><br />Battle of the sexes may sound a little extreme, but when it is critical to survival, it may not sound as crazy. Sharona are a group of selfish women living in the lap of luxury. Lahon are a group men rationing water in order to survive. Whenever members of the two groups meet, it becomes a story of he said/she said.<br /><br />In this goddess magic filled world, men and women are separated for some unknown reason. When they come together, it is because a woman goes in heat and needs her itch scratched. This blessing or cursed condition is called the libidinal fever. Every woman in this world is born with a crystal embedded on their body. When the crystal turns colours, that is when a woman knows it's time to find a shack in the woods and get some loving.<br /><br />From a world building perspective, this story is fine. It's a bit simplistic which is good for romance lovers who aren't fans of anything remotely fantasy/sci-fi. The segregation by sexes and how the babies are raised is disturbing. How male babies are returned to their fathers is deplorable because it kind of feels like they are being thrown out like trash. They are unwanted and unloved. The disparity between the males and females in this world makes me wonder why any male would want to anything to do with these shallow females living in lush privilege. Personally, I'd recommend the Lahon men to keep the females prisoner after mating to see if they are pregnant. Only after it's deemed the female is not pregnant, is she free to go. If the Sharona woman is pregnant then the two have to stay together until the child is born and then they can separate. Still, from a conflict perspective, the way this book is set up, it makes sense and it encourages the readers to cheer for the Lahon because many of the Sharonan are crazy.<br /><br />Character wise, this is my love hate relationship with Ms. Bristol. When I see her name, I can't help but want to read her books. She creates great male leads. This is what I love about her books. Many times her females are so disgraceful that I'm embarrassed to be a female. They embody the worst traits. Or I should say traits that I despise: shallowness, stupidity, overly emotional and pettiness. The villain in this story is pure evil. There is nothing redeeming about them. From the start, it is easy to figure out the plot and who is the one causing the problem and why. <br /><br />Reena isn't too stupid to live. She's blinded by her emotions which makes her use crazy angry woman logic. This is a pet peeve of mine and a reader preference. I think less of her and don't have much respect for her. To be fair, she does grow up a bit in the story so she does get better. Garat on the other hand is a man I can respect. He cares for his people. He's suffered a terrible loss. He doesn’t use that loss against Reena. He uses facts and logic which is refreshing. He's not flawless because he does have problems communicating at times and he's a stubborn ox. This helps keep the male character from being too perfect. <br /><br />The romance of the story is sweet. It is about finding that one person who sings to the heart of another. Garat and Reena's rollercoaster relationship is fun to watch. It is a funny example of Women are from Venus and Men are from Mars. The sex between them is cute as they learn about each other. It's is similar to virgins finding out about carnal pleasures and now they are hooked. Orgasms are a gift and should be given often and freely! Overall, this is a sweet romance with a little intrigue and assassination thrown in. Recommended for paranormal romance lovers who love soulmate themes and white knights saving the day.<br /><br /><i>* provided by <a href="https://www.readingalley.com/" rel="nofollow noopener">Reading Alley</a></i>

I loved this book. The Sharona women are strong (think Xena Warrior Princess) but the one thing they need for their race to survive is men. Of course, only sparingly and only when they are overcome with libidinal fever, which is their strong urge to procreate. The men, the Lahon, have their village and the women have another and never the twain shall meet until an essential, life-sustaining element puts both their tribes at risk.<br /><br />Reena is a fantastically feisty heroine and the perfect counter-match for the hero, Garat. The push and pull of these two flawed humans and societies highlight the eternal battle between men and women.<br />As usual there was so much tension, I might have skipped ahead to find out what was going to happen!<br /><br />Oh and there is a deliciously evil villain who will surprise you for sure.<br /><br />I can’t wait for the next book in this trilogy.<br /><br />I highly recommend this book!

I was so excited to read the first story in Cara Bristol’s newest series. I loved her Breeder series, and knew this one was going to be a winner. And I was not disappointed!<br /><br />Combine Cara’s impeccable writing with a fantastic, “draw you in and make you want to stay up all night reading” kind of plot, along with awesome characters, and you have a story that you can’t put down.<br /><br />I loved the whole premise of women (Sharona) on one side versus men (Lahon); it kind of reminded me of Xena. <br /><br />Reena, the Queen’s daughter, was an amazing, strong character I absolutely had to root for! I loved her!<br /><br />And Garat, the leader of the Lahon was so hot, strong, alpha male; an awesome depiction of man at his best. I adored him.<br /><br />But my biggest reaction came from watching the bad guy (I won’t say who it is, so I don’t spoil any early reading). This was a bad guy that I LOVED to hate! <br /><br />I poured through this story as fast as I could, while also going slow enough to not miss anything. <br />It was such a thrilling ride, filled with awesome romance, hot sex, a great plot with lots of twists and turns, truly good “good guys”, and reeeeeeeally bad “bad guys”.<br /><br />I cannot wait to read the next book when it comes out.

4.5 stars. Loved this book, great storyline. She’s the princess that is slowly dying, he’s the leader of his people. The women come to find the men when they need to mate, if they have girls they raise them, if they have boys they send them to their fathers. It’s a little odd, but I still loved the book. Garat had been with someone when he was young, about 10 years prior. He woke up and was already tied down by the woman, I’m gonna be honest, I really felt he was forced by her, so in my world she is null and void. There was not a lot of details, thankfully, but that was not cool. Long story short, she left his son in a basket in the woods with no blanket to keep him warm in the winter and he died....wth...see null and void. So, Garat has been looking for her to take his revenge...agreed. He figures out who she is, he takes her sick cousin instead, the princess. <br /><br />These two are actually heartmates in their world and they cannot keep their hands off each other. I absolutely loved this story. She finds out that she’s been poisoned all this time and his healer saves her. This was a great book, I could not put it down. It takes you through their relationship, then they are trying to save her mom, the queen, when they figure out who the traitor is. This was a safe read, with a lot of heat and heart mates. No ow or om drama, just book drama. No epilogue and just an hfn. But I floved this book and storyline....next book please?.

“EVIL DOES NOT SURRENDER—IT MUST BE DESTROYED”<br /><br />I am so glad that Ms. Cara Bristol has resurrected this paranormal romance from 2015, formerly known as The Goddess’s Curse, and updated the ending. The story is a page-turning enemies-to-lovers tale that has a touch of greed, betrayal, deceit by one power-hungry individual who is determined to destroy the Queen and Princess to gain power. In this good versus evil tale, it will bring several things to light, two groups of people, and maybe a change for the future.<br /><br />The men and women are separated, considered enemies, but for procreating, the females have wrist crystals that will change to blue to indicate mating fever. When the women of Sharona go into mating fever, they will leave the protection of their home and travel into the woods where there are mating cabins. They will mate with men from Lahon until their wrist crystals are no longer blue. If they give birth to a female child, it remains with them, but if it is a male, it will be returned to the father in Lahon.<br /><br />Princess Reena has been gravely ill and seems to be growing weaker by the day. She is under the care of her cousin, Honna, who is the healer. Honna’s wrist crystal has once again turned blue she must go out and mate and convinces her Aunt, the Shara to allow Reena to accompany her since she will never experience this herself. What happens when Lahon leader, Garat, is called to an area and feels a need to protect Reena? Left for dead, Garat must find the Lahon healer and try to save Reena.<br /><br />“Be warned. This is not at an end. When the one who did this discovers she was unsuccessful, she will try again. Evil never rests.”<br /><br />As Reena recovers from her ordeal, she will discover that she is held captive by Garat. The plan is to use Reena as collateral for an aqueduct to get water to his people. What neither Garat nor Reena count on was the chemistry that draws them together, and they seem to have no control over it.<br /><br />“You tempt. You beguile. You enchant.” “Joining with her was like coming alive, being born into bliss.”<br /><br />“He wages a battle, but not with you—with himself. He is torn between choosing what is right for his people and serving his own needs. We require water, that is true. However, Garat needs his heartmate. And that is you.”<br /><br />“The truth cannot be denied because one does not want to hear it. It is written that each Lahon and Sharona have a heartmate—the one he or she is supposed to be with for eternity. When two heartmates join, the fever cycle ceases, and the mates are drawn only to each other.”<br /><br />The story is a battle of good and evil, right and wrong, love and hate, but full of passion and desire, even if the two parties want to deny it or try and fight it. It is a tale of taking a stand, even if it could cost your life, and believing that good is stronger than evil.<br /><br />“She who is pure shall be hidden in clarity. While she who is evil shall be revealed by darkness. The one who is pure does not change, and her crystal shall remain true.”<br /><br />The story will have Garat and Reena at an impasse when they are together. No matter how much they believe they should not want each other, their desires take over. But their histories do not allow for men and women to stay together—what will their future hold? Are there really heartmates amongst their people? Could they belong to each other as heartmates?<br /><br />“It was always like this. Self-control was only the illusion that camouflaged their lust.”<br /><br />“Rejoice in what you have been given; do not covet what you cannot have.”<br /><br />“She who is pure of heart shall know the power of the Goddess,” Meloni murmured and stood up. “For the Goddess is within.”<br /><br />The story does have some explicit sex scenes between Garat and Reena.

Review originally posted at <a href="https://booksofmyheart.net/2019/09/11/warriors-curse-by-cara-bristol/" rel="nofollow noopener">BooksOfMyHeart.net</a>.<br /><br />Warrior’s Curse is a rerelease of The Goddess’s Curse with some updates. I never read The Goddess’s Curse, so I didn’t know much about this story going in. From what I can tell, it is a stand alone Fantasy Romance.<br /><br />The story takes place on a planet similar to Earth. There are two tribes, a tribe of women, the Sharona, and a tribe of men, the Lahon. The come together only for mating. If there is a male baby, it is given to Lahon and the Sharona keep the female babies. They really dislike and distrust each other, but breeding is a necessary evil.<br /><br />The princess of Sharona, Reena, is very ill with an incurable disease. Her best friend and cousin, Honna, is the healer that is caring for her. However, Honna must go visit the Lahon as she must at least attempt to produce female offspring. She offers to let Renna come along, because she will likely never reach that point in her life. Things don’t turn out as they would seem.<br /><br />This was another fun read by Cara Bristol. I had a great time with the characters that she created and being in the world she’s created. It is a great enemies-to-lovers story.<br /><br />**Book was provided to me by the author. This review is my opinion and was not requested or provoked in anyway by the author.

<br />I really enjoyed reading this fascinating book. Some form of spanking is usually found in the Cara Bristol books I have read but that was not an element in this story at all. This book had a mix of science fiction, romance, suspense and action with wonderful characters and an interesting world. <br /><br /><br />Reena is dying and decides to make the most of her remaining life despite what her best friend/cousin thinks or anyone else for that matter. She lives in a world separate from men (Lahon) and is very curious about this unknown species. When her cousin goes on a mating journey in search of a male, she goes along to get a look at this very mysterious creature. Garat and his village is running out of water. He is intent on running off the Sharona (women) and saving his people. He hates the Sharona because one murdered his newborn son and now he wants nothing more than to drive them away. Garat and Reena are complete opposites but their attraction is instant and explosive. <br /><br /><br />This is a well written and engrossing story that I read in one sitting. It has an interesting storyline with fascinating characters that I am hoping get their own stories (hint hint). I highly recommend this wonderful story to readers who love well-written romances!<br />