When Charlie gets recruited to an elite government think tank, she’s more than ready to tackle any challenge that comes her way. But when black envelopes start showing up filled with cryptic messages, she isn’t sure what to think. Enter the Ethos Society.Charlie finds herself deeply entangled in a dark web of rites meant to test her in ways she never imagined. With new twists at every turn, … at every turn, she’ll have to learn who to trust, or face the consequences.
bonum commune hominis
The Rites is the first book in a medium-burn reverse harem series geared towards readers 18+.
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Charlie is pretty awesome. I like that she is smart, and while she is tough, she isn’t great at everything. She works hard and is focused. I did think that she accepted things pretty quickly and without real question considering her background. It the world that is being set up is intriguing and original, and I’m downloading book 2 immediately.
I was thrilled with the first book in this series. Full of action with an increasingly mysterious storyline.
The story that develops between the characters is very intriguing. It is a different RH than usual, with characters that have many facets. What I really appreciated is that for once the story unfolds and never gets boring. I don’t often read the whole book without interruption without wanting to skip the pages that I consider to be more boring or repetitive.
I will quickly move on to the second book in the series, with the happy knowledge that the series is now complete.
What I liked the most about this book was how the author did research on how a trained government official would react and dissect difficult situations. This book wasn’t just thrown together like so many nowadays. She took her time explaining the situation and how her characters react in them. I loved that!
I really like Charlie, the FMC. She’s smart, strong willed but kind. She truly cares for those she’s come to love and will even make certain sacrifices for them.
The sexy scenes are passionate without being crass. I thought there was a good amount of sexy times without it seeming gratuitous.
The last test, or Rite, is emotionally brutal. I really felt Charlie’s pain and conflicting emotions. The author does an outstanding job of describing all the emotions going through the main character.
It ends properly, with enough mystery to get you saying, “hmm! What’s next?” But it’s not really considered a cliffhanger, so don’t say it is! Lol. I hate that; people claiming it’s a cliffhanger when it’s not a TRUE one.
Anyway, REALLY well done and I look forward to future books on Charlie and her growing harem…
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In “The Rights: Ethos Society Part One,” author Chloe Gunter gives us a world that on the surface seems completely normal…until it isn’t. Told in first person narrative, we follow the main female character in learning what exactly is behind the world of GRAVITAS, that secret government agency that is only whispered about. Charlie Dewitt is a badass female who can hold her own in a male dominated world, which is always a bonus to read. She doesn’t need a man to get by…but it sure doesn’t hurt to have one, or in this case a harem, in her corner.
*Gunter’s characters are three-dimensional with backstories of their own that I can’t wait to learn about. Rather than having bland, boring run of the mill badasses, she has clearly defined each character through their mannerisms, reactions, and thoughts. Charlie has a skillset that sets her apart and often on the outside looking in. Gunter paired her with the perfect guys to help her navigate this new world she is finding herself in. From the twins *hell yes!* Gavin and Gage, the Assistant Director Ridley (Who I seriously need way more of!), and the established couple Reed and Ramsey. It is going to be so fun to see who this strong capable female character ends up with!
*There are moments of humor throughout that had me snickering. My favorite was:
“You’re officially on my list.”
“And what list would that be, my dear profiler?” Oh yeah, he had me pegged. It must have been the reading I gave him on the field. Internally cursing myself, I made a personal vow to not give away my skills so freely again.
“One, The Trash Panda List. And two, I’m not your dear, darling.”
“So you wont be my dear, but I can be our darling?” I nodded my head, enjoying the banter. “Well, at least you find me cute and dangerous.” His smile brightened, making his cheekbones more defined.
“Yep, just like a trash panda. You think they’re all cuddly like some cartoon racoon, until they gouge your eyes out. I’m definitely not signed up for that.”
***I LOVE TRASH PANDAS and seriously, how accurate was this? Pretty sure we all have had a Trash Panda List at some point in time.
*The plot for the book kept me turning the page. There was no unnecessary information that was info dropped. It was woven seamlessly into the narrative and kept the book flowing. Rather than the book being all about the love-interests, it held my attention with the world that Gunter built. There was a nice mix of both and I can’t wait to read the next installment to find out more of the world that Charlie finds herself in.
*Overall, I really enjoyed reading The Rites: Ethos Society Part One. Chloe Gunter has done a wonderful job starting off this new series and it was an attention grabber, especially if you like a bit of intrigue, mystery, and of course some hot RH thrown in just to keep things fresh. Learning more about GRAVITAS and the world that Chloe has now found herself in is going to be an interesting ride.
I won an ARC of this book and am offering my fair and honest opinion of this book. Make sure you grab it! It is seriously a good read!
Mystery. Intrigue. Deception.
I absolutely LOVED this book. I’m not normally taken by mystery novels, but this one had so many twist and turns that never led to an obvious answer.
Focusing it’s attentions around Charlie being inducted into a secret society, we follow along as she’s put to the ultimate test of physical and mental extremes. I absolutely love all the little nuances that Charlie’s personality & background picks up on, that a normal person wouldn’t. This book is very detailed, and it needs to be to be able to portray Charlie’s personality properly.
This story is all about the survival of the fittest, and how even knowing how to read other people you still can’t judge a person by their outward mannerisms. Friendships may have been forged in The Rites (The Ethos Society #1), but will they be lost?
**I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author for review consideration**