What’s my secret? That’s something I intend to take to the grave. When my best friend and the only person who knows who–and what–I really am gets selected for the Mating Games, I know the only way to save her is to try and win her for myself. All I need to do is navigate three trials while not letting anyone know I’m a woman, or, and this might be even more important, that I have magic. Easy, … magic.
Easy, right? Easier than slaving away for all hours of the day swinging an ax in the mines. Or so I thought.
I certainly didn’t count on the one man I’ve longed for, the one man who stirs feelings of femininity and desire within me, to enter the games as well. Every minute that I’m there I’m risking everything. If I’m discovered I’ll become nothing more than a broodmare, but I can’t abandon the woman who is like family to the fate that the Divine would deem she have.
I’ll do whatever it takes to save her from the desolate future of becoming nothing more than a prize for the victor of the games. The only question is, will my secret still be intact by the time the trials are over? Or will I have condemned us both to a fate worse than death?
This is a 18+ slow burn whychoose novel.
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Whose “Survival” Will She END Up Fight’n For!
It’s All about “Survival” IN the Mating Games…
For if you’re a ONE of the Hollowed “Survival” becomes your Middle Name;
Especially, if you’re Female & Fertile…
Then, the fight for “Survival” is ALL too REAL!
And NOW, She’s Tak’n the FIGHT for “Survival” STRAIGHT to the Mating Games,
As Her Friend was Selected,
Sooo, She’ll GO into the Mating Games UnderCover disguised as a Male,
And She’ll WIN Her Friend for Her OWN,
But She BEST be careful…
Lest it’s HER own “Survival” She’s Fight’n for,
As She’s a Fertile Female with Magic of Her OWN!
I was granted, via B00|{$P®0UT, an ARC of Ellabee Andrews & Helen Scott’s “Survival: A Reverse Harem Romance (The Hollow Book 1).” I recommend this book to others based upon its own merits. All opinions expressed within this review are uniquely my own & freely given!
Until next time… Happy Reading!
My Rating Sytem:
4: I like IT a lot. Great, Solid Story w/ few if any inconsistencies or errors. This is a HIGH Rating, & I rarely give OUT a Higher Rating.
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Survival by Helen Scott is an amazing story that I have had the privilege to read. This is book number one in this amazing start to a brand new series that I have fallen in love with and can not wait to get book number two. I highly recommend this story to everyone who loves reading about magic, fantasy and paranormal romances.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Story line is great and I loved the characters. I really enjoyed reading this book and I would recommend it! Unexpected twists and turns had me reading this book in one sitting. Great storyline and character development made this book a hot and enjoyable read!
This was a hard book to put down. I really enjoyed the storyline and characters. The authors did a wonderful job on the story. I’m looking forward to reading the next book. A great book and I recommend reading.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Fanatic read it was super intriguing I loved the whole ” woman pretending to be a man ” story. And the post-apocalyptic world where magic users reign supreme and dominate the world, the norm are treated like slaves and the hero is actually a heroine which makes for a helluva read. It does end on a semi-cliffhanger but that only makes me eager to see what else is in store for this series. Overall a enjoyable and entertaining read. I received a free copy via booksprout I voluntarily read and review this ARC no monetary compensation was received and the opinions I have expressed are my own.
It’s definitely a storyline I haven’t read before (and I’ve read a lot of books). To sum it up, everyone used to have magic that was strengthen by different types of gemstones, but not all magic types were considered equal. When jealousy amongst the groups became too much, a battle occurred. The fallout left people who no longer has magic (the Hollowed) and those whose magic was weaker (the Divines). However many years later the few Divines left use the Hollowed as slaves to mine the gemstones and breed, possibly, more Divines.
Okay so that the backstory. Cal is a female trying to pretend to be a man to hide her magic so she doesn’t have to be used as a broodmare in the Mating games. While Cal is safe, her best friend Izzy gets selected and now it’s up to Cal to enter to games (as a man!?) and try to win them to save Izzy.
The author’s tend to remind you quite often about how she has to bond her breasts (just in case you ever forget). I found Cal very lacking in personality and there really wasn’t anything that made me fight for her other than the situation she was in. It was more the story that kept me reading. I hope there is more growth for her in the next book. I think overall it’s really the storyline that drives this book from 3 stars to 4 stars. The dystopian, Hunger games-like setting but for adults, has you continuing to read and wondering what will happen next.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Engaging & intriguing plot, good world building and interesting character development really make this read. I really enjoyed the action and magic in this book. I am very excited for book 2.
I am voluntarily leaving an unbiased, honest review.
First book in the Hallow series kicking off with a bang! Reminiscent of the dystopian series the Hunger Game with a unique spin I really liked. This series feels darker than some of Helen Scott’s other series but no less exciting. Cal has hidden in the shadows and worked hard to not raise any suspicion or unwanted attention but that’s all about to change when Izzy gets selected for the Mating Games. No Cal must compete to keep Izzy safe and figure out a way to avoid becoming a broodmare. Such a great world and cast of characters to reel you into this brand new world. I cannot wait to see where the next book in the series takes us!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This book immediately pulls you in and will not let you go. You will laugh, cry and be on the edge of your seat with the action and adventure in the book. There is definitely a love story brewing between the different parties. I cannot wait to see where the next book will take us and where the series is going to go.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This was a clever story that is starting out well, intriguing enough that the reader will want to keep up with the series and see how it all plays out.
To keep it simple, the Hollows are those without magic. The Divines are those who have magic whose type depends on the gemstone line they were born into. Being in their clutches is not a good place to be.
Cal (Calypso) is actually a woman who has always pretended to be a man as her mother instructed for her protection. She is a fertile woman, which is rare in their society. She also has the ability to use magic, which she also must keep hidden! She has no idea where she received her magic abilities. Cal works in the mines where they look for magical stones. If they discover that she is a female, she would be forced into being a sex slave or experimented on by the Divines. But when her friend, Izzy, is forced to participate in the Mating Games, where the winner gets to try to make babies with her whether she likes it or not, Cal has to enter the competition to “win” her and save her from what promises to be a very uncomfortable life.
There is so much more in this book, but reading it will fill you in on the details rather than my trying to fit it all in here. The story line is fascinating, the characters are good and will be developed more as the books continue, and the pacing works well. Grab your copy and be drawn into this strange world as Cal fights to save Izzy from an unpleasant fate.
ONE MAGNIFICENT ADVENTURE!!!
Slamdunk! If you’re looking for a non-stop, action packed, hard hitting, pulse racing, heart pounding, adrenaline pumping, nailbiting, spine tingling, block busting bombshell. Congratulations my friends, you’ve hit the motherload. This talented dynamic duo drops the bomb, lowering the boom, throwing this baby into a tizzy, blasting it to life spectacularly. A swirling throng of surprising events and unexpected contingencies catapults those spinning emotions bursting into play. Bracing the drama, intrigue, secrets and soaring suspense while tension spirals, wielding this baby together seamlessly. Add distress and turmoil along with a boatload of trouble and you have the recipe for one prize winning, chart topping, mind-blowing experience. The characters are authentic and genuine with depth and qualities that blend into outstanding personalities. The characters and scenes are strikingly sharp with abundant details and descriptions creating a colorful backdrop that makes the storyline pop. Remarkable job guys, thanks for sharing this little treasure with us.
What a rush to amazing story. It is is packed with so much action, mystery, suspense, and drama. It has you reeling with how well developed the story and the characters are. It is bold and beautiful. The writing is unique and extremely well developed. It is a story has has you begging for more. Yes, it does end in a cliffhanger but lord is it good. I am super excited for the next in the series. The characters are amazingly developed with personalities that you can feel easily. The descriptions are vivid with the story drawing you into a world that is so originally created. It shows us how beautiful the minds of Helen Scott and Ellabee Andrews is. This is a must read for anyone wanting such an amazing story
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I don’t really have the ability or adiquate words to truly tell you how amazing this book was.
If you are looking for something new and completely unexpected, this book is for you. The authors have made this characters so realistic. I felt every emotion they felt. It was fairly intense.
I would love to tell more but I dont want to give too much away.
This was my first read from both of the authors and it was a great find. A slow burn story with a post-apocalyptic setting with a intriguing plot that got me hooked from the beginning. It has multiple POVs which i love in a story. The romance is very light in this book, not much is happening but we meet at least 3 potential love interests. Can’t wait to read the next book of this series.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am volontarily leaving a review.
Wow. I thought this book was amazing. I liked the blurb and thought it sounded good from a new author I found and I was not disappointed. It was an amazing story of a world that ended up bad due to a power hungry section of the population. It opens up after a great war that happened in the not too distant past and society is broken into the 2 – the haves and everyone else. It is the simple story of Cal and what happens when her best friend is forced into the mating games. I was hooked at the end of chapter 1 and had to keep reading to see if Cal would succeed and what would happen next. It was not too sexy in this book but I know it will be coming in the future books. The setup and bit of mystery is good and kept me guessing and reading. Especially liked that a few questions lingered so I really want the next one. Oh the hints of what could come kept me guessing too.
This book is so very unique. The story is so well pit together and just flows over the pages. The characters are great. Cal is so tough even though “he” has a lot of secrets to keep. It’s hard to review this one and not give away a ton of spoilers so I’ll just say there are surprises waiting for any reader that picks this one up. And the cliffhanger? Yeah, this book will have you asking question after question. I’m already looking forward to diving into the next book.
Our heroine enters the games to save a friend, but winning isn’t enough. She has to stay hidden while doing so.
This is a dystopian story kind of like the Hunger Games, but rather more intense. The story is very well written and draws you in from the start. You care for these characters as soon as you meet them, which is a rather impressive feat. Needless to say, they are well developed and have a depth to them that brings the story to life and makes you care. The plot has several twists and turns to it that keeps you guessing as to how it will end up, and that keeps you turning the pages. Overall, an excellent story and I am looking forward to the next book.
Highly recommended.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout for review purposes.
Book review of Survival by Helen Scott and Ellabee Andrews
This was well written and had great world building, this book just wasn’t my cup of tea. I did very much like Cal; she is smart and savvy; I mean she hid the fact that she was female her whole life!
Then her best friend Lizzy gets called to the Mating Games, what does Cal do? Join as a Male contender! She has enough trouble controlling the mafic she shouldn’t have, how on earth will she keep her gender a secret? Will she end up as the next “breeder”? Read it to find out.