Review: Trickery (Curse of the Gods #1) by Jaymin Eve & Jane Washington

Title: Trickery

Series: Curse of the Gods #1
Author: Jaymin Eve, Jane Washington
Publisher: Jaymin Eve, Jane Washington
Published: February 28, 2017
Pages: 376
Genres: Fantasy, New Adult, Paranormal, Romance, Reverse Harem
Source: Kindle Unlimited
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Willa Knight: Dweller. Slave. Non-magical being. 

In Minatsol, being a dweller means that you are literally no better than dirt. In fact, dirt might actually be more useful than Willa. Her life will be one of servitude to the sols, the magic-blessed beings who could one day be chosen to become gods. 

At least her outer village is far removed from the cities of the sols, and she won’t ever be forced to present herself to them... Until one small mistake changes everything, and Willa is awarded a position to serve at Blesswood, the top sol academy in the world—a position that she definitely did not earn. 

Under the sudden, watchful eye of the gods, she will be tasked to serve the Abcurse brothers, five sols built of arrogance, perfection and power. They are almost gods themselves, and under their service she is either going to end up sentenced to death, or else they are going to ruin her so badly that she will wish for it. 

Either way, she is in trouble.

Goodreads / Amazon

MY REVIEW

DISCLAIMER: This review MAY contain spoilers. 

This is my first experience with reading a book authored by Jaymin Eve or Jane Washington. I didn't really have any expectations going into this book, but I am impressed nonetheless. This is also my very first foray into the enigma that is the reverse harem genre. I was always leery of trying it because I didn't know if it was really for me or not. I honestly thought that I wouldn't care for it, but this book was delightful. 

The writing itself was quite enjoyable. I really love discovering independent authors with impeccable writing skills. A lot of books that I read by indie authors have an amateur feel to them because of the writing, but this book did not fall into that category at all. While some indie authors writing is very stiff and bare-bones, this book was fluid and did not feel lacking in any way. 

The world-building in this book is very good. There are world-specific terms for things like the passage of time and different beasts. There was a basic foundation for understanding the way that this world operates. I felt that it wasn't all it could have been, but there was definitely enough to satisfy and not feel terribly lacking. I would have just preferred more details. 

I feel like the plot will gain momentum as more books in the series come along. This plot wasn't terrible flimsy, but it didn't feel like it had a large scope. It didn't feel too particularly involved. Entertaining, yes. The plot did feel like it was manufactured solely for the reverse harem aspect, but that fact didn't really take away from my enjoyment of reading it. 

I did like the characters. I really adored Willa's character and I could relate to her in a lot of ways. The five Abcurse brothers were hard for me to differentiate for at least half of the book though. I felt that they could have used a bit more scrutiny in their character development in the beginning. Though, after I had them all down in my mind I enjoyed their characters as well. There was a very good chemistry going on between the six of them, though I would certainly hope so in a reverse harem. 

The romance so far is a slow-burn thing. There were a few kisses, but they were more playful and teasing, not romantic. The romantic/sexual tension is definitely there between her and each of the Abcurse brothers though. I enjoyed reading their interactions and dialogues. I am not sure how I will feel later in the series when things get heavier with more than one brother, but so far I am liking things. 

Overall, this was a delightful book that really dazzled me. If you are unsure about the reverse harem genre and are thinking of trying it then I would recommend this book because the romance is a slow-burn and you can really ease into things. I loved the premise of this story and I am eager to find out what happens next. If you like spunky, opinionated female protagonists then you'll love this book. Willa's character is a delight and I am very much enjoying her journey. Not to mention the five hot gods that she hangs with. Just saying. I would definitely give this one a try.

This is my first time reading a Reverse Harem book. What are your thoughts about the Reverse Harem genre? Love it or hate it? What is the last read book that you added to your TBR?