Challenge Corner discussion

THE CHOSEN ONE

I vow. You vow. We vow.

Barrington University is home of the Lords, a secret society that requires their blood in payment. They are above all—the most powerful men in the world. They devote their lives to violence in exchange for power. And during their senior year, they are offered a chosen one.

People think growing up with money is freeing, but I promise you, it’s not. My entire life has been planned out for me. I never got the chance to do what I wanted until Ryat Alexander Archer came along and gave me an option for a better life. He offered me what no one else ever had—freedom.

I chose to be his. He made me believe that anyway, but it was just another lie. A way that the Lords manipulate you into doing what they want.

After being sucked into the dark, twisted world of the Lords, I embraced my new role and allowed Ryat to parade me around like the trophy I was to him. But like all things, what started out as a game soon became a fight for survival. And the only way out was death.

This book can be read as a standalone but the timeline of the Lords books is as follows:
The Ritual
The Sinner
The Sacrifice
Sabotage (the H isn't a Lord but he works for a Lord)

Shoot, these books are HUGE!

What is book 4 exactly? It seems too short compared (224 pages)
and I am not sure what H in the abbreviations in the blurb means.

Also, it looks like there're book 5 and 6 that you did not add in the description in message 1 Jamie
and

(as I am looking it seems you took that from the blurb of book 1)

Grace, I only add what's in the blurb of the first book of the series. The author hasn't updated it. It's not updated on Amazon either. I almost left it off because I knew it might cause confusion, but the order is in the series section, so I left it so it matched the true description of the book on GR.

The H is the MMC. I believe it stands for Hero. is basically a novella, though. I've read that one. It was a really long time ago and I don't remember much about it.

But that is why the author is telling you he isn't an actual LORD because all the MMC's in the rest of the books are part of the LORDS secret society.

Oh fun!!! Just saw this thread posted. I think I'll jump in when you read .

And yes Grace! The books are huge haha. Longer than you would expect for this genre in my opinion. Looking forward to joining you guys on this one!

I started

=> Chp 10
(view spoiler)[Off the bat I actually like Ryat and Blakey.
I like Ryat's discipline and Blakey's determination.
Of course Matt will be a problem, just wondering what kind of a problem he will be and what Ryat will have to do.
And it does look like the "oath - restraint- Ryat is looking for is not what he will get.

I wonder what it takes for someone to be on the list of getting "chosen".
Do her parents have anything to do with this? (hide spoiler)]

I can't wait to jump back into this series. I love Ryat!!

=> chp 14
(view spoiler)[I expected a bit more preparation before they get together, maybe 1 or 2 other encounters?
That was fast.
But I guess the story is in the middle then? (hide spoiler)]

Wondering...
In chp 5 (view spoiler)[ Ryat meets with a Lord, but he doesn't name him
I'm wondering if he is related to Blakey, or maybe her dad.
“She doesn’t belong to me.”
“She does … for now.”

Sounds a bit personal.

Also wondering if the chosen ones, especially that list, and what they're trying to teach them... are they like mmm grooming them? To be wives of other lords? Is that why they have to be chosen specifically?
And since Blakey was already going to marry one, and I'm imagining she is from a family of lords, then maybe that's it? (hide spoiler)]

=> chp 22
(view spoiler)[
I think women have bigger roles....
The woman Matt tried to rape and killed
They said she was very important
But then didn't mention anything about her

I went back to what lords meant to make sure that none of the terms is inherently manly or male terminology without being possibly used in the feminine too (hide spoiler)]

Chp 30
(view spoiler)[Omg I knew it was her father who ordered him to make her his chosen!
The question is why.

Also is he hacking her phone and doing something to it? (hide spoiler)]

Finished

(view spoiler)[when I started reading I felt that this will make it to my top dark books, but alas, it did not.
I couldn't connect to Ryat and Blakely. I love them as MCs and like their personal qualities.
I just couldn't feel them fall in love or feel the romance in their story.

I absolutely loved the tenderness and roughness contrast.
I loved how they united and how she was able to look past some of her emotions when time needed it.

I loved seeing them as parents in the end, probably one of my best chapters in the book (epilogue 2).

The twists were somehow predictable.
That's not to say I didn't enjoy them, they just didn't take me by surprise and the romance + twists were undermined by the smut.

I wanted more from LeAnne. I don't think we've seen enough of her even in epilogue 1 where she was the real twist. I don't know how to feel about her.

But, I am soooo excited to continue the series and read the remaining books! (hide spoiler)]

Chapters 1-15 => (view spoiler)[This is my third time through this book. I've read it every year since 2022. I'm still loving it, though.

I love how possessive Ryat is with Blakely. I forgot how much of an asshole Matt is.

I'm excited to be back in this world! (hide spoiler)]

Chapters 16-30 => (view spoiler)[ This is when I love seeing their feelings change. While Ryat never really comes out and says it, it's obvious he's got feelings for her. I just think he doesn't realize it.

They have arranged marriages in this world, and I don't think he fully realizes that he cares for her.

When he's in jail, he's thinking of her. He wants to be with her. He's drawn to her. And he wants to protect her. I don't think it has anything to do with the oath. I do think a lot of it is because he hates Mat, but I think it's more that he knows what an asshole he is.

But when he goes to her dad to tell him he wants to marry her??? I love him even more. (hide spoiler)]

Chapters 31-45 => (view spoiler)[Yep, this is why Ryat made my top 5 book boyfriends list. I love his jealous, possessive, touch-her-and-die attitude.

I love that Blakely is finally starting to get it and is sticking up for herself.

I forgot what her test is, though.

I still love this book! (hide spoiler)]

Chapters 46-end => (view spoiler)[I forgot the extent of the Valerie/Mat connection.

I loved how these two really came together towards the end. I do love Blakely's dad. I did think her real mom LeeAnne was a little bit of a bitch. I would've liked to see her and Blakely have some sort of relationship because based on he epilogues it doesn' feel like they did.

But the epilogue's were perfect. Loved getting to see into their lives 18 years in the future. These two are one of my favorite book couples! (hide spoiler)]

so interesting seeing this from your perspective Jamie as a 3rd time reading it !

It's been almost 2 years since I've read it last, but I still really loved this. It will be hard to take Ryat out of his spot on my top 5 book boyfriends, lol

is there someone else from this series in your top list?

just starting this one. not sure why i decided i would end the year with tomes but apparently that's the theme lol

Grace wrote: "is there someone else from this series in your top list?"

Not from this series. I've only read The Sinner & Sabatoge so far. I didn't like The Sinner, but that was because of the FMC so you might like that one more. I've heard people that don't care for The Ritual really love The Sinner.

I'm going to reread it though and see if maybe it was my mood or if something has changed. I read it back in Jan 2023 and honestly, I don't remember much.

I'm going into the Zodiac Academy cave for the foreseeable future
I'll see you guys on this thread probably early 2025

Grace wrote: "I'm going into the Zodiac Academy cave for the foreseeable future
I'll see you guys on this thread probably early 2025"

good luck and enjoy :)

Can't wait to hear what you think of this one Kim!

Jamie wrote: "Can't wait to hear what you think of this one Kim!"

i'm definitely intrigued by these first few chapters! also love a book that has a spotify playlist :)

Ch.1-15 (view spoiler)[ i love the secret society aspect of this, i hope we get to see the inner workings more than we did of the society in . Blakely seems like an ordinary FMC, although i'm not usually a fan of virgin to bondage. just seems a little unrealistic to me but hey you do you girl! Ryat is an interesting MMC. i can't tell if it's a front that he won't be gentle with her, like he keeps telling himself. Matt is a total tool and Sarah seems like a fun but dangerous bestie. let's see where this goes! (view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

you know in my head I also compared the secret society in this one to the one of Nocticadia for some reason

I haven't read Nocticadia so I didn't have any comparison to that. But now maybe I need to, because I do like the secret society aspect in most of the books I've read.

Ch.16-50 (view spoiler)[ so much has happened! this is a lot more smut than i expected but the story behind it is good so far. i don't understand what Matt's problem is and why he's gone all psycho. i still feel kind of confused if he is still in jail because Ryat killed the guy or if they were both released. he's been pretty MIA. the fact that they torture Cindy to get all the deets is awesome but i still feel like there are a ton of holes in Matt's reasoning. (view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

Ch.51-60 holy smokes, super spoiler alert (view spoiler)[ she gets her face smashed, he gets shot, her crazy mom threatens to cut her baby out of her, her ex chases her around the house likes a 90’s slasher flick, he comes back to life and saves her, her birth mother is alive and then she kills her mom?!?!!! How many times can your mind be blown in 10 chapters?!?! (view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

Finished and I don't know how I feel haha. (view spoiler)[ I got real worried at one point thinking that Tyson was a bad guy and I'm glad he wasn't. I am curious as the revenge he wants to get. I thought it was on Matt but by the end that didn't seem to be it, maybe more the Lords as a whole? I feel bad the Blakely's dad got spat on by her so much; like the dude didn't tell you about your mom but aren't you glad it wasn't V? Not that LeAnne seems to be better. How does she have so much power over the Lords? also, how did she have an assignment that major? but also not so major that she could put a hit on him? Lots of questions in the end but nothing that would've changed the ending. I kind of liked the second epilogue but it feels like a big jump. (view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

Jamie wrote: "
Chapters 46-end => I forgot the extent of the Valerie/Mat connection.

I loved how these two really came together towards the end. I do love Blakely's dad. I did th..."

(view spoiler)[ I agree, I want her to have a relationship with her mom but LeAnne also seems like a not nice person that might be hard to bond with? as for the second epilogue, i think the thing i disliked was their kids names and it tainted it for me haha. (view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

Anyone starting soon?

This thread needs to be reactivated as well if anyone is continuing.