Ecstasy Unbound Reviewed

a review of Ecstasy Unbound by Chapparita

3.5 star review (I liked it and would share it with others who have are great with details and have a good memory)

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from the author, in exchange for an honest review.

I would really like to give this book 4 stars, but my mind is still spinning, and while I'm sure I liked the book, I'm not sure I could easily tell you anything about it, at least, not with confidence.

I can tell you this much: This is an erotic paranormal romance set against a backdrop of gods, immortal beings, demon possessed mortals, and witches (called mageia), who live in various locations among the four realms (earth, heaven, hell, and teatros), and who all appear to be on some side of major conflict that's brewing as the result the evil doings initiated by some of the gods. I'm not exactly sure what the gods turned bad wanted, but they were experimenting on immortals and amassing armies of mageia to help in their efforts, all of which led to a great divide among their people, a mating curse being implemented, and the mandatory banning of immortals from the earth realm. There are a lot of characters to get to know and with whom one has to keep up, and there's a lot of "history" between the characters to get through and remember, and a lot rules to this world of four realms which need to be understood. Since we're introduced to this world from the perspectives of the two main characters, who've are centuries old, I often found myself playing catch up on key concepts, relationships, and plot twists.

The glossary helped to answer questions and navigate the plot, but since it was located at the end of the book and I didn't know of its existence until I'd finished reading the book, the help was a long time coming. Had there been some sort of family tree or schematic of the 4 realms in relation to one another at the beginning of the book (with short descriptions of each realm included), I'd have been less confused. It might also have been helpful to include the glossary at the end of Hidden Ecstasy (book 0.5 in the series) so that I could have prepared for what and were to come, or for Hidden Ecstasy to include more history of the secret lives of other guardians besides Brianne and Vane, especially since Brianne apparently wasn't the only guardian keeping a secret.

I have so many questions and, admittedly, my mind is still reeling. So, I'm not sure if my questions are a result of reader error (Did I overlook or misunderstand something?) or a confusing plot. But the truth of the matter is that I can't wait to read the rest of books in the series and get answers to all of my questions. At least, I'm hoping to get answers to all of my questions.

I don't want to give the impression that Jay isn't a good writer. That isn't the case. The writing was engaging enough to pull me into the plot and endear me to the characters. I was interested in characters, their connections to one another, and the outcomes of their decisions. I was interested in learning more about Sam and her connection to Erik. I was interested in understanding Gregoire's melancholy nature. I was interested in discovering all of the Guardians' gifts. I was interested in understanding all of the alliances among the Guardians, Immortals, Mageia, gods, etc., but it was just so darn hard to keep up with everything. Sometimes, I wasn't sure who was related to whom- siblings, cousins, etc. For example, I wasn't always sure if Alex had the same father as her twin brothers. I didn't understand why some immortals were mixed with animal breeds while others weren't. I didn't understand how rare it was for immortals for find a mate, or that they could only procreate with with their soul mate. Jay's writing is clear and creative, but the plot is just a bit complicated, and the reader is being introduced to so many things and people at once, and from two main characters' perspectives, without much history as a guide. I eventually got answers to the above questions, but I still have quite a few more, such as...

-spoilers insinuated-
Are demigods the children of a god mating with an immortal or a mageia? Are demigods considered to be immortals (some immortals are described as demigods, and some aren't)? Are guardians immortals who've just been given additional powers, such as the ability to leave the Tetartos Realm? Prior to the mating curse, could immortals mate among each other, and if so, were their children immortals? Why do immortals need to recharge in a cavern? Are they unable to do so in their home? If guardians can't hurt humans, including mageia, what, what happens to the possessed humans and dangerous mageia after the guardians capture them? Are they sent to the Hell Realm? What does it mean for Kane to be Elizabeth's keeper, especially if Cyril still sleeps with her? Since Elizabeth has her own powers, why does she submit to Cyril's wishes to sleep with Kane and Angus? Why did the creators have to leave, and why didn't they undo or fix the harms perpetuated by the gods? Why banish all immortals from the Earth Realm, instead of just banishing the bad ones? How do mortals become demon possessed? Are the demons beings with their own free will who are in cahoots with the bad immortals, or are they just a conceptual reference to the spirit of evil?

Since the writing is artistically strong, the characters are interesting enough, and the plot are engaging (albeit convoluted and confusing), I won't give up on this series. I just hope that as I continue to read, my understanding of this paranormal world is strengthened. I've already purchased book 2 in the series, and despite the late hour, I'm about to dive right in...

I'm intrigued...Keep it coming