Once Bitten, Twice Burned

Phoenix Fire Series, Book 2

By: Cynthia Eden

Narrated by: Jillian Macie

Ryder Duncan keeps his secrets. With a twisted scientist starving him in a 10 by 12 cell, it's not easy to conceal the abilities that set him apart from other vampires, or his plans for escape. But survival - and revenge - are worth waiting for. Until the so-called doctor tempts his appetites with something special: a woman, with a soft Southern accent and a scent like flowers. Sabine.

Sabine Acadia didn't volunteer to be dinner. She was kidnapped and tossed into the cage of a monster. A monster with fierce green eyes, a body that speaks of ruthless power - but a touch gentle as a caress. Ryder knows things about her, secrets Sabine needs to learn fast. Because while they might soon escape this prison, she's fighting an urge to set all her desires free. Contains mature themes.

©2014 Cindy Roussos (P)2017 Tantor

Critic reviews

"Eden's outstanding talent is on full display in this engaging story about self-realization, acceptance and revenge." ( RT Book Reviews)

Good sequel

Almost as good as the first with more story less sexy time but there were a fewI roll moments shit

Once Bitten, Twice Burned Phoenix Fire Series, Book

The second book in the Phoenix Fire series is a riveting action packed read. Ryder Duncan is determined to escape the twisted scientist starving him and he’ll kill anyone who gets in his way, until the so-called doctor tempts his appetites with something special. Sabine Acadia was kidnapped and thrown into a cage with a monster – but one with a gentle touch. They need to escape he knows things about her, secrets that she needs to learn fast before she loses the fight to set all her urges free. The fast paced and smooth flowing plot keeps readers on the edge of their seat with lots of suspense, action, drama, betrayal, discovery and romance. The author paints the events and scenes with vibrant images and details that capture the imagination and the well orchestrated action scenes are believable and keep the adrenaline pumping throughout. The strong compelling characters are easily related to and with the spine tingling suspense of waiting to find out how the experimentation on Ryder and Sabine changes them the reader is drawn deeper and deeper into this fascinating world. The attraction between Sabine and Ryder explodes from the pages in a fiery inferno of passion and the sex scenes burn even hotter. Their relationship grows stronger as they fight their way free from Genesis and all their enemies and with everything they’ve gone through the reader can’t help but get emotionally involved in the story. Their pain grips the reader with its intensity as they fight to survive against emotional and physical betrayal and all the changes that happen to their bodies from the experiments. I was totally engrossed in this story from the very beginning, its gripping emotional drama and captivating characters drew me in from the very first page. The author kept me guessing with some surprising twists that I sure didn’t see coming and this fascinating world just keeps getting better. I loved the first one and this one is no different. I know that Cassie and Dante’s story is next and I can’t wait to read it, but I sure hope that Cynthia is planning on writing more in this riveting world because I want to know what happens with a certain werewolf, Rhett and a the newly made vampire Vaughn as well.

I can’t stand these women. It ruins the entire thing

The “heroines” in these books are so utterly ridiculous they become unlistenable. I can’t stand it.
So naive, whiny, irrational, delusional, and react to everything with denial.
I think we are supposed to admire their idealism and moral high ground, but it just makes them dumb.
“Nooo, please don’t hurt the people that are torturing us and killing us and countless others. Dont kill anyone so we can make our escape! We should just leave all these people alive so they can shoot us, stop us, and recapture us later! Oh! And especially bc they now know some incredibly important information that it’s really bad for the bad guys to know.
Don’t sink to their level! Promise me you won’t kill them or I…I…I won’t go with you! I’ll just stay here and be tortured and killed!”
<stomp feet tantrum>
“No! This person that betrayed me and my family, works for the people hunting and torturing us, and just tried to kill us: NO, He’s DYING!!! We have to save him!!!”
The consequences of their inane demands are not actual quotes but the inane demands actually are. And it’s not just once: like they start out naive and have their eyes opened. It’s worst in the first few hours but never really goes away. Sabine is even worse than the last chick. She’s alternatively weak, combative, indignant, simpering, judgemental, ungrateful, needy, and the worst kind of naive.
She seriously throws tantrums like a petulant child and the most absurd, life-threatening times.
She wants Ryder to keep come saving her and others but then gets all disgusted and judgy about how he does it. Just when you think she’s finally pulled her head out of her @$$, she’s back to “OMG! He’s a MONSTER!” Yeah, well, that monster just saved your life. Again.

I honestly could not take it.
It makes any attempted romance unpalatable bc the female half is so annoying
If you need your characters to behave rationally and not repeatedly thwart the efforts of those trying to help her so she can have emotional outbursts, this isn’t the series for you.
I would have hoped a female writer would create female characters that didn’t represent us so poorly

Weak females

It’s a good story but this author seems to write females as weak and stupid. I hate that. I have listened to 2.5 stories with the main women like this. No more for me