Review: Interstellar Angel

Interstellar Angel by Laura Navarre
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Space Opera and reverse harem intrigue me.  I picked up the first two books when the 3rd one was offered as a review.  Suffice to say, the blurb and the high ratings on Goodreads didn't work well for me.  I'm mixed about this book.  It is taking me longer to read because there is so much bitterness, hate, and sexual dysfunction that I can only read so much at one time.  My hope is this first book sets up all the conflict and gets all the nasty stuff out of the way so we can read about smexy times.

This book started out well with Zorin tortured for an act that seems at first criminal but as the story unfolds, probably more heroic.  Zorin is not the main character.  It is Kaia who will be auctioned off per her father's race's proclivities.  This is where it pretty much goes downhill for me.

First, for those who think this is kinky BDSM; it is not.  Unless we are looking perhaps from a non-con point of view.  In a BDSM Hostile perspective, Ms. Navarre throws up all over kink by making it revolting and humiliating for women. This immediately drops the ratings down for me.  Anything with Kink Shaming is a star rating killer.

Second, the disgust and hate on men and men sex yet still glorifying in mm orgies is fucked up and dysfunctional.  I don't think Ms. Navarre could paint a better picture of self-hatred and sexual hang-ups.  It does detract from the story and makes me like this book even less.

Third, WHERE IS THE SEXY TIMES?  This is a slow-burn book.  There is a lot of talk and cock teasing.  Or maybe it is all coitus interruptus.  Regardless, at 50% of the book, I'm experiencing bangxiety.  Finally, there is a bit of sexy time.  I guess this book is to set the stage and have the different characters boiling over in hormonal lust.  

Fourth, there is random jargon thrown in the book that is supposed to mean something to readers.  I'm a decently heavy reader.  I read a lot of fantasy, sci-fi, and space opera.  For some reason, the works Ms. Navarre uses in here are annoying and a bit jarring.  It is as if they are forced in for the sake of being "Different" or to show this isn't your mother's space opera.  If I read another "punk" again, I'm going to slap the heroine upside the head.  Then again, maybe this vernacular is standard for a younger generation that I well past.  Either way, it detracted from the story instead of enhanced it.  

I am going to gird my loins and read the second book in hopes that the book which really caught my attention will be better.  Based on my experience, this book is recommended only to readers who are looking to reading more of the series.

* I received a copy for an honest review.