Crossing Nüwa: Book Two With the help of technomage and hacker Theo, rare snake shifter Robbie escaped his mother and clan, who planned to use him as breeding stock. While still working to break through the conditioning and mind control of his past, Robbie is enjoying exploring a new relationship with the worldlier Theo. But their fight isn’t over yet. A trip to his aunt’s house for Thanksgiving … trip to his aunt’s house for Thanksgiving is highjacked by political intrigue, leaving the couple wondering who their friends really are. They cannot help but be drawn into larger plots while trying to find justice for Robbie at his mother’s trial. When clan rivalries turn deadly, they’ll need their allies–and each other–more than ever.
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If you thought your family brought out their dysfunctional best around the holidays, try spending time with arguing clans of Nuwa. This rare, but strong shifter species is female dominant and as such the females make the rules that govern the Nuwa.
Robbie, a rare male Nuwa, and his technomage boyfriend, Theo have gone to visit some of Robbie’s family for Thanksgiving and to be a part of the Nuwa trial and sentencing of Robbie’s mother and aunt who abused and neglected Robbie for most of his life.
Things, unfortunately, don’t go as planned…
What transpires is an action-packed snake shifter sci-fi fantasy fest filled with more fight to the death scenes, angsty guilt fueled moments, and sMMexy goodness than a dessert table is filled with pies at your Granny’s Thanksgiving dinner.
Trials definitely seemed to have more action scenes in it than book one did. However, I think they were needed to counterbalance the emotional side of the story. The character of Robbie has gone through so much in his life, both emotionally and physically. Even though Robbie escaped his prison in the first book, he is still a prisoner in his mind. Some days are better than others, however, he still battles his demons and having to face his captors again in this book along with everything else that happens, Robbie retreats back into himself.
This story pulled me in the way the first one did. Trials is not a typical shifter romance, even though there is romance in it. This series is a full-on sci-fi fantasy drama that gives the reader an inside look into what PTSD from past abuse and neglect looks like from the survivor’s point of view and from those around the survivor who love and live life with them daily.
While you can read this as a stand-alone, I would recommend reading book one first, just so you get the full relationship dynamic between Robbie and his mother and aunt.
I highly recommend for anyone who loves unique shifter stories and believes that love can heal, as does time.
4.50 techno-shifting-stars •
I received a complimentary copy of this book in return for an unbiased opinion.
First, it would be a good idea to read the first one in the series first or you might not understand all the things. Second, I swear this world just keeps getting better. Theo and Robbie continue to grow, not only as individuals but also as a couple. This is a definite must read.
In this second book in the series, the story of Robbie and Theo continues. As they kept evolving as a couple overcoming their fears to be together, around them the danger is growing and the politics and evilness threatened to destroy them and those they loved. Intense and emotional, full of action, danger and intrigue, the story kept me at edge throughout the book until the very end. I can’t wait for more adventures in this amazing world the authors built for us.
I received this book as an ARC and this is my honest opinion.
It was nice seeing Theo and Robbie settling into their life as a couple, making a home together. They absolutely adore each other, Theo learning to take joy from the smallest things alongside Robbie. They’re so cute, all lovey-dovey, and they seem to have found some kind of domestic routine…until everything comes crushing down.
Because Robbie’s mother and aunt have to stand trial, with him as a witness. After Escape, I’d hoped that the suffering would end for Robbie. The poor young man has been through so much, with enough battle ahead of him trying to erase years of odious mental conditioning. I feared that facing the two women would be devastating and a major setback.
Not only that, he also finds himself in the middle of political turmoil between clans, which soon turns violent. He has allies and he doesn’t face it alone,and I found Theo an absolute delight through all of it. Overprotective and supportive, ingenious with his gizmos and uses of technomagic.
This has been precisely a story of , literally and figuratively. Mostly trials for Robbie’s psych, which he seemed powerless to overcome. It was emotional to read through, and I was always cheering and hoping that Robbie and Theo would come out of their troubles stronger than before.