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Power of Lies

Book 1 in the series:The Dark Orchid

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In 'Power of Lies', author Auryn Hadley crafts a captivating tale of power, magic, and complex relationships in a world where mages derive their power from a single emotion. The story follows Jaeda, a black woman who is outcast for falling for a man's lies and now travels across lands claimed by conquering mages. When Jaeda is captured by a mage and becomes the Chosen, her life takes a drastic turn as she navigates a world of lust, power struggles, and intricate connections between characters.

The book is praised for its brilliant world-building, detailed magic system, and rich character development. Readers are drawn into a world where emotions fuel power, relationships are complex, and the boundaries between good and bad are blurred. The story unfolds with a mix of steamy scenes, intense action, and surprising twists that keep readers engaged from start to finish.

Characters:

Characters are multifaceted, with Jade as a strong female lead, and the male roles adding layers of complexity to the relationships.

Writing/Prose:

The writing style is immersive, blending steamy scenes with emotional depth, though some critique its contemporary dialogue.

Plot/Storyline:

The narrative follows Jade, an outcast who navigates complex themes of empowerment and sexual magic, leading to unexpected twists in her journey.

Setting:

The setting is a richly detailed magical world that explores themes of power, emotion, and social dynamics.

Pacing:

The pacing varies, starting slow but gaining intensity and engagement as the plot unfolds.
Magic hung in the air. It sparkled beneath the perfectly blue sky like glitter in the wind amidst the debris from the shattered walls and sundered buildings. The smell of it, bitter and a little too p...

Notes:

The protagonist, Jade, has darker skin tone and is a sex worker, making her stand out in a town where she doesn't belong.
The story is centered around mages who feed off specific emotions, with one called Lust feeding on sexual desire.
Jade is captured by a mage and imprisoned with other women, while men are separated and not killed.
The romance involves multiple characters including Treb, who is a former sex worker and power bank for the Lust mage.
Jade develops a relationship with Treb instead of the Lust mage, who is cursed and unable to connect intimately due to pain.
Jade discovers she is a mage with the power of compassion by the book's end.
The author explores complex relationships and character developments within a polyamorous framework.
The book features themes of empowerment and self-acceptance, particularly through Jade's character.
The portrayal of characters goes beyond traditional good and evil, providing depth and humanizing traits even to 'villains'.
There is a significant amount of explicit content, with sex scenes that are described as integral to the plot and character development.

Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings

Triggers include explicit sexual content, violence, and themes surrounding prostitution and emotional manipulation.

Has Romance?

The book contains a strong romantic subplot centered around polyamorous relationships.

From The Publisher:

Everyone lies. When working for a sex mage, it's the only way to stay safe.

That's the first thing Jaeda learns when she's named as the Chosen. The mage needs a sacrifice, and she's willing to give it. Maybe too willing. After all, this man is lust incarnate; a woman would have to be insane not to want him, even if he is dangerous.

But desiring someone's body is very different from falling in love. In her line of work, the two must never be confused. She doesn't even know his name! He's simply The Jackal, a terrifyingly powerful sex mage, and she's his altar. Her lust fuels him. He needs it.

And that puts her in control.

Now, she gets to spend her days with a mage who wields sex like a weapon and his assistant who's as irresistible as some long-lost god brought to life. The things they do to her body are amazing, and the rest? These men want to spoil her with the kind of riches she's always dreamed of. It's the best job she can imagine.

Unfortunately, it's never that easy. This is supposed to be about making magic - that's it. Feelings have no place in a mage's temple. Affection is a curse. But when the enemy decides she'll make the perfect weapon to steal the Jackal's power, what's she supposed to do? After all, she's just a stupid girl caught in the middle. Her job is to just lie back and take it.

Except, someone's been lying.

It might even be her.

The Dark Orchid series is intended for a mature audience due to the presence of consensual adult scenes, group adult scenes, M/M scenes, and plenty of vulgar language - as well as some potentially triggering violence - since the bad guys don't always play nice.

While this is a love story, it may not be right for all readers.

Ratings (16)

Incredible (3)
Loved It (8)
Liked It (2)
It Was OK (2)
Hated It (1)

Reader Stats (58):

Read It (17)
Want To Read (29)
Not Interested (12)
 
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