Rebel Bitten

Blood Alliance, Book 4

By: Lexi C. Foss

Narrated by: Sarah Puckett, Kale Williams

Once upon a time, humankind ruled the world while lycans and vampires lived in secret.

This is no longer that time.

Willow

Run, run, run!

They're chasing me, even into my dreams. And when I awake, I see him. Striking blue eyes with a hint of the devil inside. He's my savior and my worst nightmare combined. Because he owns me. He found me. He saved me.

But I don't want to be owned. I want to be free. Even if it kills me.

Ryder

I needed a diversion, a plaything, something to distract me from this perpetual boredom. And she appeared as if the Almighty above had heard my prayers. Or, more accurately, the devil. Because I'm not a good man. Humanity died inside me long ago. It was what I needed to survive.

But she's such a pretty little thing. I think I'll keep her and make her mine. At least for a little while. Humans are so fragile, after all.

Welcome to Ryder Region.

It might not be mine yet, but it will be soon.

For I haven't lived this long by playing nice.

I prefer to bite.

©2020 Lexi C. Foss (P)2020 Lexi C. Foss

Action packed and scorching hot!

Rebel indeed! Ryder and Willow are a force to be reckoned with, for each other, and for those who come after them. After she escapes a brutal breeding camp barely alive, Ryder decides to help Willow when her fighting spirit intrigues him. Ryder is not your typical vampire royal. He essentially despises this new world order created by Lilith, and has spent the last century as a recluse, avoiding the outside world as much as possible. Willow, as a human, had hoped to become a vigil, but is sent instead to the breeding camps, where she fought daily for her life. The relationship between them at first is very much a master/plaything type dynamic, as they tiptoe around each other trying to figure out what’s between them. As things progress, sparks ignite, and the passion is infernal. Ryder finds himself wanting something he never thought he would and Willow finds herself wanting something she never thought she should.

The story here is full of action. Ryder has piqued the ire of Lilith by claiming territory and not bothering to follow her rules, and the other royals are out for his blood because they want the territory he claimed. Ryder is one of the oldest vampires alive, and has the battle and strategic prowess to match. His best friend, and only progeny, Damien, is his perfect compliment. Their camaraderie is fantastic, the back and forth jabs and snark, as well as the respect and consideration for each other is fantastic. As the female lead, Willow isn’t a shrinking violet. She can pack a serious punch and stands her own ground as she finds her feet in their dynamic relationship. A force to be reckoned with, especially towards the final climactic confrontation.

There are so many other aspects that make this story fantastic, and they are often the little touches. Ryder’s interactions with the AI are hysterical, and his conversations and attitude with Lilith are priceless. These little things pull the story together so much better and make it that much more fun to indulge.

And the narrators! Oh my goodness, the narrators. They are fantastic. Sarah has essentially become the brand female voice for this author, and Kale is quickly becoming my favorite male voice in her stories. They bring these stories to a whole new level with life and emotion, and make the book that much more enjoyable.

Who doesn’t love a rebel

Another one bites the dust…. No pun intended for all the biting and the smell of death in the air with this book.

I could listen to Kale williams narrate his grocery list 😂 as he is incredibly talented managing the multiple accents.

A few plot holes/things I would have loved addressed further which caused the 4 star rating over 5 but still an amazing addition the series and ahhhh King Jace is next!!!

Ryder & Willow have my heart

I’ll admit Ryder immediately captured my attention at the end of the last book. And the intro to this one?! It completely set the tone for the novel and was amazing. Truly. Also, Willow’s fighter spirit was one of my absolute favorite things throughout the book. The plot 10/10, characters 10/10, narrators 10/10. So far this has been my favorite in the series hands down!

Lovedddd It!!

Ok, Hands down this is my favorite of the series! I loved Ryder and Willow. Not only for their intense chemistry from the start, but a lot happens in this book that makes it the turning point for the series. We get to see other characters from previous books as well, which I love. Kale and Sarah do an amazing job narrating. If you haven’t started this series yet, WTF are you waiting for, do it now! Have fun!

If Batman was a Vampire

The voice mixed with the words all cocky and powerful. He said "Maybe you'll figure me out one day" That's when I decided he was Batman. Lol

Lexi, you are the queen!! So much talent!

Rebel Bitten is the fourth installment in the Blood Alliance series. Let me just say that if you haven’t read the previous books in this series, do that now so that you can enjoy this book to its full extent.

Ryder- an ancient royal who doesn’t fall in line with the Blood Alliance societal rules and Willow, a mortal who was placed in a breeder camp at the last Blood Day meet in a twist of fate. Put the two of these characters together and not only do you have steamy romance but they are a force to be reckoned with. There are some major turning points within this book that’s has me anticipating the next book with pure excitement to see where this society is heading.

The narrators Kale and Sarah did an amazing job at bringing these characters and their stories to life! You could feel the emotion with their readings and can’t wait to hear upcoming stories in the future. Lexi is such a talented writer that never disappoints!

Lexi, Kale and Sarah at their absolute best

Welcome back to the Blood Alliance where vampires are Kings, Lycans dominate, and humans are chattel and cattle. Be careful: everyone bites.

This novel has absolutely everything that I could ask for in a dark dystopian future: heartbreak, pain, bad ass alphas, with females that bite back, not to mention a real level of sensuality that makes the entire tale all the sweeter. With that said: Ryder offers warnings up front and I sincerely hope that people read those with caution. There are plenty of triggers here, but Lexi is able to weave them in in such a way that they do not detract from the story or linger in the minds of the reader.

This story truly revolves are our hero: Ryder. With a name like this, you just know he is going to be a powerful force of reckoning, and he absolutely does not disappoint. He is unapologetically ruthless, a mastermind for innovation, and a master of conscience. He is never afraid to make his positions known, and is very much an ends justify the means kind of character, which is where our Heroine, Willow, briefly mentioned in previous novels comes into play. Rather than become a weakness, he crafts Willow into being his greatest strength.

Willow is from the first scene a woman who knows she is destined for more. She would rather die in a fight than live in a world where she is less than she should be, and it truly shows. She is one of those characters that you cannot help routing for, and Ryder's perfect compliment in every single way. While she arguably goes through the biggest set of changes in the story, she is truly a supporting character to Ryder's epic undertaking, which makes this all the more amazing.

I've said this in previous reviews, but this series truly revolves around its males despite having seriously amazing females to accompany. However, Lexi is able to navigate this dynamic without making anything every feel truly patronizing and domineering (well, except the bedroom, wink wink nudge nudge). It's a tight rope to walk having the main storyline hinge predominantly on the actions of the heroes without making the heroines seem weak or somehow secondary, which is far from the case in this one. Willow is in every way Ryder's equal, and it shows, giving us some of the sensual and real moments the series has delivered to date.

Lexi also takes the time to give us a real secondary relationship that blows me out of the water. The relationship between Ryder and Damien is entirely real, bringing some of the much needed comedy to an otherwise dark tale. I think of all the scenes I highlighted on my kindle, their banter is probably the most prevalent. Like Willow, Damien is a critical counter balance to Ryder and is an absolute force that is needed throughout. Really, this relationship makes much of the book, and I cannot imagine Ryder without Damien.

Now I cannot end this review without discussing the audio book: which is one heckuva ride. Kale and Sarah absolutely do it again, and in the most dynamic way so far.

Kale Williams is an amazing addition to any story: having a wide range of vocal talents that make every single character unique and their voices believable. There are no accents that make me cringe, or charcters that sound alike. Even without the text to mention who is speaking, you can always tell who it is, and also what they're trying to express. Beyond just a vocal range there is an emotional range that is so incredibly rare in audio book narration that truly makes you feel like the character is narrating to you in real time. Without spoiling anything, there is a scene in here where Kale truly makes you feel like the character is suffering: not just through words but through their actual speech and thoughts, adding much needed pauses and breaks as if the character were actually thinking the story. With potentially the exception of Kale's performance as Issac Wakefield in Angel Bonds (another Lexi C. Foss title from the Immortal Curse series), this is truly the greatest performance I have heard from him to date, moments bringing me to actual tears.

Sarah Puckett is an absolute staple in paranormal series. I find myself missing her when I listen to a series where the heroine is in a certain age group (20s-30s) because she truly bring the characters to life with voices that just make sense. She makes every female character different, and can pull off the full gamut of emotions that come through her voice beautifully. The way she can make her voice quiver when there is suffering, and make her characters truly come alive during the uh...more sensual moments truly shows her range. There is also nothing cringeworthy about her performance during the more sensual scenes, making the emersion in the fantasy complete.

The production value on this is absolutely spot on, with no noticeable guffaws in editing or errors in reading. Lexi's team has done an amazing job at making sure that Kale and Sarah truly shine in this one, and that the characters come to life and bring the listener into the world of the Blood Alliance. Everything about this book is a 5/5.

**I received a complimentary copy of the audio book only in exchange for a completely honest review. All views on this book and the accompanying audiobook are entirely my own.**

Howling Bloody Good Read!

I couldn't resist 🙈 the pun
I previously read this but listening to it?
this is one of this series that contains all the ingredients necessary to craft a memorable paranormal experience
You will lol - I'm not kidding
you will experience anger, frustration, fear, hope and love
You will be a part of their story not just an observer watching it unfold
great narrator's
solid storyline
and a collection of characters that will stay with you looking past the closing credits

on my phone full review to follow

I can not get enough of this author.

This book and character throughout the series is so good! anything she writes is worth every penny and I am here for it. the plots ate good. Intriguing every step. Kale Williams does a fantastic job. The spice is phenomenal. every single time!

Amazing story as always with Lexi C. Foss's books!

I love Ryder *sigh*...he is one of my favorites. I love does he is the rule breaker who does not fall in line with society. Willow is an amazing character too. All her life she fought and she does not stop no matter what she goes through. I am never disappointed with Lexi's. I get suck into the book and never what to leave. The characters are always so strong and lovable. I cant say enough about Sarah and Kale. They are fabulous narrators! They bring such heart, personality, and love to the characters. I could listen to them all day!