Review: Reaper (Secret of Alba Book 1) by Lindsey Winsemius
Title: Reaper
Author: Lindsey Winsemius
Series: Secrets of Alba #1
Publication: July 27th 2015
Genres: Dystopian, Romance
Summary: He is responsible for the security of the state. She is a risk, to his job. And his heart.
She wants to belong. As an outcast to her class, will she find her place with him, a Reaper?
Nearly 100 years after the Global War devastated the world, Aerina has only known peace. Raised a Patrician in the strictly segregated Alban Republic, she lacks for nothing. Nothing except knowledge of the world outside, and the attention of the man she desires most.
Marcus is a Reaper, responsible for the state’s security. He is a leader, an elite fighter, and sometimes, an executioner. Raised as a Man of Death, he has never known true peace.
While masquerading as a Plebeian, Aerina unknowingly is part of an assassination attempt on the Consul. Nearly executed, she becomes an outcast to her own class, and her life is now endangered by a traitor who thinks she knows too much. She turns to the most unlikely source for help – her almost-executioner, Marcus.
As the pair closes in on traitor, they uncover a far greater threat. Devastation is coming to their shores, lured by an Alban secret kept hidden since the Global War. Can Marcus and Aerina overcome their differences to save their world? And will they find in one another what they each desire most?
What a fantastic book! I loved reading about Marcus and Aerina and the Virmortus. I loved practically everything about this book. This is such an underrated book that more people NEED to check out.
Be prepared, because the story starts with a bang. You jump right into the action from the very first page. This is a fast-paced story that never had a dull moment. I didn't even realize I had reached the end until I flipped the last page on my kindle.
The story is told in third person and set in a dystopian world. Our main characters, Aerina and Marcus, must discover the truth about Alba before it is too late. The romance, mystery, and action was executed flawlessly and I am very impressed.
"Nothing matters but your job"
Marcus is the deadly Alpha Virmortus, who is a combination of an assassin a, a commander, and the police. He likes to be in control of everything-the Virmortus, his emotions, and even Aerina. But he is not your typical "I am male, hear-me-roar" alpha. He doesn't try to control everything about Aerina, just when it comes to her safety. In other words, he doesn't suffocate her, just protects her. Marcus is actually a vulnerable guy. He doesn’t feel worthy of love and Aerina, because of his past. He struggles with his loyalty to the Consul and Alba and his need to protect Aerina. Marcus is a very complex character and he felt very real to me.
"This is all your fault"
It is very difficult to find a female lead that is strong and smart, but doesn’t come off as stubborn and naive. Aerina is that type of character. She doesn’t cower and hide from the truth, but she tries to unravel it. She is independent and fights for what she thinks is right even when others disagree, but isn't afraid to ask for help when she needs it. One of my favorite things about this book is that Aerina does not hide her feelings about Marcus. From the very beginning, she admits to herself and him, that she likes him and pursues him, even after he rejects her. There aren't many female leads that actually go after the guy instead of have the guy come after her. Her relationship was Marcus was so delightful to read. She also doesn't hide anything from Marcus, which is nice relief. I know they have past, so I hope we get to read more it in the future.
I picked this book when I was browsing through Amazon and it sounded interesting and it was free so I thought I would give it a chance. Boy, am I glad I did, because this is a great dystopian story that I think does not get enough attention. I can't wait for the next book!
