Sarah Coomes

Listened to the audio narrated really well by a full cast: Liz Thompson, Dina Pearlman, Stella Bloom, Joniece Abbott Pratt, Esther Wane, Gemma Dawson, Robin Miles, Clara Francesca, Lance Greenfield, Jakobi Diem, Ralph Lister, John Hartley, Rupert Channing, Sarah Coomes. I normally dislike multiple narrators but they really helped with the multitude of viewpoints bringing to life each character with their unique sounds.

The Beginning of Everything' is part one of four in 'The Rising' series. This series is about four couples who need to marry and fall in love to fulfill a prophesy to save their world. This first book is the beginning of each couples story, filled with the tons of world building as we learn about the prophesy, the four kingdoms of Triton and their conflicts, the priests trying to raise a monster and tying in characters from the 'Fantasyland' series. Each couple faces challenges and culture clashes as they work towards building a relationship that can find the coming rising.

King Mars of Firenze ascended the throne after his father's assassination. Firenze is the richest nation in Triton as they specialize in jewels and silk and are considered barbaric by the other kingdoms. They are open and free in their sexuality, with married couples inviting other lovers to share their bed.

Countess Silence of the Dellish, comes from the kingdom of Wodell, she's known as the countess of the Arbor. She's quiet and prefers the company of books over people and has the ability to disappear into shadows.

These two are almost complete opposites, when they first meet there are many misunderstandings, but when they start talking to each other you can feel their bound forming. Silence doesn't always understand Mars way but she is determined to learn their culture and ways to be accepted as Queen of the Firenze. But she's unprepared for some of their ways and the culture shocks she experience work to undermine their budding romance.

King Aramus of Mar-el, is the protector of the seas and known as the Pirate king, a fisherman and a keeps a secret passed down since the first rising.

Queen Ha-Lah of Mar-el is part mermaid. She was taken from her sea side village to marry the king and has refused to consummate their marriage until he stops killing the sentient creatures of the sea. She's stubborn and prideful but will do anything for her beliefs.

Theirs is a troubled marriage and to fulfill the prophesy they must mend their relationship and consummate their marriage. They come to realize they know little of each other and are only now starting to understand each other.

Prince Cassius of Eren was the second son but after his older brother died he is now heir to the kingdom. He's a widow who still mourns his wife, who died after giving birth to their daughter. He detests his father and how he rules and is determined to make changes for his people. The Erens are known for the leather and weapons, wine and olives and their terrible treatment of women.

Princess Elena of the Nadirri, Princess of the Sisterhood is the second daughter of Ophelia and a powerful witch and warrior. Her people have created a safe haven for abused women and trains them to be powerful witches and warriors.

Elena cannot stand how Cassius' people treats women and is willing only to marry and provide an heir and live separately from her husband. Cassius may not want to marry another but he is determined that why will live together as true husband and wife. He's also determined not to lose another wife and tries to limit Elena's warrior ways making for a rough beginning. Their relationship is not helped by a Elena's spiteful older sister and Cassius' way to avenge Elena may not go over well once Elena finds out.

Prince True of Wodell, Prince of the Dellish is heir to the throne and believe to be in love with
Princess Elena of the Nadiri but he will do his duty and marry Farah. He's been forced by his king to war with their neighbors and struggles with the loss of his men. Wodell is known for their crops and sheep as well as their fields and orchards.

Farah of the Firenze is the daughter of a traitor and was exiled for her father's crimes, even though she was innocent of the conspiracy. King Mars returns her to the kingdom in order to fulfill the prophesy and wed Prince True.

Farah knows True loves another but when they meet they agree to work together and grow closer until tragedy strikes and ill words are spoken.

The Go'Doan Order is a place of religion, teaching and healing but they have an ugly underbelly. A select group is determined to raise the Beast and have been sacrificing to him by raping and killing for hundreds of years. The Beast is finally rising and this group is determined to stop the four couples from fulfilling the prophecy to stop the Beast.

There is a LOT going on in this book and a multitude of viewpoints. I started by reading the book and then switched to the audio book read by a full cast and it made it a lot easier to follow the changes. This isn't a straight forward romance, no couple is the same with their emotional entanglements nor their sexual practices and the cruelty of evil men acting out evil deeds.

Overall I liked the story once I got used to the transitions but was frustrated with some of the couples that seemed to make great strides then digress. I'm looking forward to seeing how things progress in the next installment.

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… (mehr)

I am not a fan of audible but as this book is not in print until summer 2020 I used my Amazon free trial to try this out.
This series is linked to the Fantasyland series but takes place 25 years later across the sea.
Some characters from the Fantasyland series appear.
One of my issues with KA is her long descriptions, deco, clothes etc and it's difficult to skip in audible definitely not as easy as a book.
The start is pretty gruesome with virgin sacrifice and m/m sex. Gave me thoughts of 'Free' please no.
The scene really is gross, post gang rape and stabbing.
If you struggled with Dax Lahn you may want to be prepared for this one.
The scene is set with the foreboding of 'the beast' rising.
Four princes need to marry four witches to save the world.
It's a whole new world building with new customs and cultures and conflict within the different areas.
Plus family discord.

There is also some descriptive violence.

The issue I had with audible is the names are unfamiliar so I forgot who was who.
In the audible version each character has a different accent to differentiate them.
In this book the race the Hero and the race the heroine is from have lots of preconceived ideas about each other.
Also it seems that although the four marriages are needed for the good of all the four couples are less than happy.

I am also not keen on a reluctant Hero. This book has a such a Hero, he is hung on his deceased wife, who died in childbirth.
Another couple the heroine thinks she's in love with someone else.

At the first scene with our 'Hero' he is having sex with a maid at the palace.

A second Hero, Aramus has been married for 6 months but he and his wife are not getting along.
It seems fidelity is not uncommon in these lands.
Although the main four Hero's have no scenes with any other women after meeting their intended.


The cold warrior Cassius and the fiery witch Elena.
The steadfast soldier True and the banished beauty Farah.
The pirate king Aramus and the mysterious queen Ha-Lah.
The quiet maiden Silence and the savage king Mars.

They seem quite interesting characters except for True, who although seems noble at the moment he is a bit blah...

It seems the book will deal with more than one couple per book.
It is multiple POV. Each chapter changes POV.
Some are m/m. Detailed scenes.
It feels to me that KA is determined to introduce us to aspects of the Honey series she wrote whether we like it or not.
Almost every enemy chapter contains this type of sex.
It didn't need it. One chapter was just basically a whole m/m scene.
I ended up skipping the enemy chapters as other than sex I couldn't see much relevance to the plot.


It's not until chapter 10 that any of the couples meet since the announcements of the arranged marriages.

There is a lot of world building and history explained.

Events leading to book 2. Some events are set up ready to happen and relationships although in progress have much work to do to get to their HEA.

It has touches of KA beauty though the Honey series and Free touches linger and to me seem unnecessary.

Despite the couples initial differences each couple have met and had a conversation where you can see they could work things out.

The change of POV every chapter works, we are given the setting and person at the introduction of the chapter.

I M hoping that KA is not going to introduce the same sex scenes in every book she writes, not everyone was interested in the Honey series but it seems she has to put it in every book now.

I may alter my star rating depending on how the themes of the series are developed.… (mehr)

This book is much better than book 1.

I think part of it is the introducing of the new world is already set up from book 1, that's always a difficult balance to make sure the reader has enough understanding of the new culture, world, language, customs plus the new characters with their history and relationship dynamic with the actual plot.

It still deals with the four couples at once and I still get a bit confused who is with who.

In the audible version, each chapter is preceded with a clear description of whose POV, location and setting.

Multiple POV including enemy. Different voices with different accents to convey the various cultures.

None of the couples are getting on at all during the first quarter of the book.

This is something I feel KA excels at, to me she is at her best writing male/female conflict.
As an example, one couple haven't spoken for days due to an action one of them made. He's avoiding her. She is ready to sort things out. He comes in late, she tries he shuts her down. She leaves for a bit, he has time to think, she spends time with a friend who says he's being an idiot. When she returns he accepts her apology which she now wants to withdraw as she now feels she shouldn't have apologized in the first place.
He thinks they have made up and she wonders if they are having the same conversation as each other.

Some parts between the couples are hilarious.

Some are very touching and some hurtful.

The Hero and heroines are not perfect. As a reader you can see both sides.

Some conversations you really wanted to happen from situations book 1 happen others are shelved, with such a long series some things will have to be held back for a later time.

The enemy threat builds. There is some violence, some detail, including one with an axe.. ew.... The enemies seem to relish in it and some scenes are gruesome.
Possible triggers with those depending on your level of sensitivity.
There are also references to m/m and ménage but the scenes come later in the book this time in the second half of the book.

Most of the relationship dynamic and even conversations or phrases used have appeared in KA's previous work if you are a fan but i enjoyed though I haven't reread her work in some time.

In many ways it feels slow burn between the couples, we have the old Rock Chick maneuver where the Hero has a reason to sleep in the same bed as the heroine though there are various situations as to why they are not having sex yet.
There are is some intimacy, eventually sexual scenes for the couples.

True to me is developing as backbone but it may be a journey we take with him as he seems a bit of a wimp at times though under the title of a 'gentleman'. I am hoping to see him develop during the rest of the series as he has some good qualities and his role is yet to be.

I have found the name of some of the characters don't work for audible, for example True and Silence.
When the character Silence is said it's hard to work out for a minute if someone is asking for the room to be quiet or calling one of the heroines. Same with True, are they talking to him, about him or proclaiming a statement is accurate. To me not the best choice considering this is primarily an audible project.

I have enjoyed this as an audible, which I am new to but I do think it may not have been the best choice of books to introduce as an audible first as the sheer immense number of characters involved can make it a challenge for the listener

We also see odd scenes here and there from the other four couples from the original Fantasyland series, as if the original four couples weren't enough to get your head around.

As well as developing the couples relationships or not as in the case of some we are also introduced to more of the magic of the land as the couples travel and visit various areas.
Gnomes, pixies, mermaids and some that are from the authors imagination.

There are a few references to the ménage relationship, redemption for one man involved in that which is a bit bizarre as it seems his bad family background is going to excuse him for his involvement in the Rising.

Serena situation is a bit bizarre too. She is quite the b**** at times but the treatment of her in putting her in her place shows a very unpleasant side to the Heroes who either know about it or have organised it.

Cassius and Aramus can be particularly unpleasant and cruel at times, sometimes it goes a bit too far to be forgiven and Mars I felt played games a bit with Silence over sex. She is naive and innocent and he is widely experienced but although he eventually sorts things out he flirts with others at times when if she had played games like that he would not have stood for it.
But this can be typical KA character Hero behaviour at times.


Ends on a cliffhanger as it's part of a four part book series.


Tbc… (mehr)

The story continues.

After the last books cliffhanger, this one starts with Prince True dealing with those involved in the attack.

The issue was he went to see a man and I couldn't remember who he was for a bit. It was a month since the last book was released and with no book to refer back to, it's difficult to remember the secondary characters and the secondary secondary characters.

There are soooo many people.
I really think this will be a good series to listen to AFTER reading the book, personally I feel it was the wrong book to release on audible first, simply as there is too many people to keep track of.

The names 'Silence' and 'True' still irritate me as in audible it's difficult to work out if they are calling for quiet or stating an accuracy of a statement at times or talking to the characters.

There were a few voices that I didn't like in this one but generally I like the cast.

There are a few scenes of m/m no as much detail as previous books.

Other woman drama for Cassius as he returns home with his woman, forget her name, which was bound to be an issue as his scene at the start was with a maid.


Triggers for m/m, hints of voyerism, rapey type scene and degrading, humiliation scenes.

When KA deals with relationship dynamic it's her at her best but the other stuff is just too much and has to be in every book she writes these days it seems.


Continues in next book.… (mehr)