Book Review: Instinctual

• Book Blurb

  EVERY MAN WANTS HER. MANY WANT TO KILL HER.

  Good luck to them….

  For the first time in her life, Sal has a place to belong, and it feels so right.

  The iliri live in packs.
  The Black Blades is hers.

  But humans see them only as a military unit, and one with a little too much influence. To keep the “scrubbers” from gaining an advantage, humans will do anything – and none of it good. The only people they can trust are themselves.

  But this time, they need help. Eight elite soldiers aren’t enough to stop the bride headed to Anglia. If that country get two thousand kilos of steel, it’ll change the tide of war, and the Conglomerate of Free Citizens will be caught in the middle.

  The Black Blades have to trust someone, but their only options are humans. Hopefully, their “friends” aren’t as dangerous as the enemy.

  Like all the books in this series, Rise of the Iliri is a complete epic science-fantasy novel, without a cliffhanger. The female lead has multiple consensual romantic relationships as well as fulfilling friendships that matter to the storyline. Because the iliri have insatiable and exotic sexual instincts, the smoking hot sex may make it unsuitable for humans under 18.

  EVERY MAN WANTS HER. MANY WANT TO KILL HER.

  Good luck to them….

  For the first time in her life, Sal has a place to belong, and it feels so right.

  The iliri live in packs.
  The Black Blades is hers.

  But humans see them only as a military unit, and one with a little too much influence. To keep the “scrubbers” from gaining an advantage, humans will do anything – and none of it good. The only people they can trust are themselves.

  But this time, they need help. Eight elite soldiers aren’t enough to stop the bride headed to Anglia. If that country get two thousand kilos of steel, it’ll change the tide of war, and the Conglomerate of Free Citizens will be caught in the middle.

  The Black Blades have to trust someone, but their only options are humans. Hopefully, their “friends” aren’t as dangerous as the enemy.

  Like all the books in this series, Rise of the Iliri is a complete epic science-fantasy novel, without a cliffhanger. The female lead has multiple consensual romantic relationships as well as fulfilling friendships that matter to the storyline. Because the iliri have insatiable and exotic sexual instincts, the smoking hot sex may make it unsuitable for humans under 18.

• My review

  Writing reviews for this series is tricky because it’s nearly impossible to talk about the romance without spoiling who’s part of the harem at each stage.

  I’ll keep this one focused on the pacing, plot, and vibe to avoid spoilers.

  This book is a seamless continuation of BloodLust. You can’t start here—the series really is one giant story split into ten books, so reading in order is essential.

  If you’ve read book one, you already know what to expect: layered worldbuilding, military intrigue, character growth, and Sal carving out her place in a hostile world.

  Plot & Worldbuilding

  Instinctual raises the stakes with more epic battle scenes, political maneuvering, and the ongoing tension between humans and iliri. We also meet new characters and learn more about Iliri culture, which kept me hooked.

  The war themes and intrigue remain sharp, and the pacing is consistent with book one.

  That said, with each book, the cast expands, and it can get challenging to keep track of who’s who. Personally, I keep notes on my phone to help me remember the side characters and details—highly recommend doing the same.

  Romance & Spice

  I won’t spoil the specifics, but know this: the romance pacing, level of steam, and frequency of spicy scenes stay very consistent across the series.

  Relationships get more layered and complex—sometimes romantically, sometimes just emotionally—but the “reverse harem” isn’t fully formed yet. And, as someone who already read the series, let me tell you: it’s impossible to predict who will ultimately make it into Sal’s harem.

  Final Thoughts

  Instinctual is just as good as BloodLust. The pacing doesn’t falter, the stakes stay high, and the balance of action, intrigue, and romance keeps you glued to the page. I highly recommend continuing the series—it only gets better from here.

  Writing reviews for this series is tricky because it’s nearly impossible to talk about the romance without spoiling who’s part of the harem at each stage.

  I’ll keep this one focused on the pacing, plot, and vibe to avoid spoilers.

  This book is a seamless continuation of BloodLust. You can’t start here—the series really is one giant story split into ten books, so reading in order is essential.

  If you’ve read book one, you already know what to expect: layered worldbuilding, military intrigue, character growth, and Sal carving out her place in a hostile world.

  Plot & Worldbuilding

  Instinctual raises the stakes with more epic battle scenes, political maneuvering, and the ongoing tension between humans and iliri. We also meet new characters and learn more about Iliri culture, which kept me hooked.

  The war themes and intrigue remain sharp, and the pacing is consistent with book one.

  That said, with each book, the cast expands, and it can get challenging to keep track of who’s who. Personally, I keep notes on my phone to help me remember the side characters and details—highly recommend doing the same.

  Romance & Spice

  I won’t spoil the specifics, but know this: the romance pacing, level of steam, and frequency of spicy scenes stay very consistent across the series.

  Relationships get more layered and complex—sometimes romantically, sometimes just emotionally—but the “reverse harem” isn’t fully formed yet. And, as someone who already read the series, let me tell you: it’s impossible to predict who will ultimately make it into Sal’s harem.

  Final Thoughts

  Instinctual is just as good as BloodLust. The pacing doesn’t falter, the stakes stay high, and the balance of action, intrigue, and romance keeps you glued to the page. I highly recommend continuing the series—it only gets better from here.

Character & romance details

Who will love this book

Ooops, no similar books have been added to the blog yet!