9780062345769
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Exquisite Captive audiobook

  • By: Heather Demetrios
  • Narrator: Erin Mallon
  • Length: 13 hours 43 minutes
  • Publisher: Balzer + Bray
  • Publish date: October 07, 2014
  • Language: English
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(4060 ratings)
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Exquisite Captive Audiobook Summary

For fans of Laini Taylor’s Daughter of Smoke and Bone series and Leigh Bardugo’s Grisha Trilogy comes the first book in the Dark Caravan Cycle, a modern fantasy-adventure trilogy about a gorgeous, fierce eighteen-year-old jinni who is pitted against two magnetic adversaries, both of whom want her–and need her–to make their wishes come true.

Nalia is a jinni of tremendous ancient power, the only survivor of a coup that killed nearly everyone she loved. Now in hiding on the dark caravan–the lucrative jinni slave trade between Arjinna and Earth, where jinn are forced to grant wishes and obey their human masters’ every command–she’d give almost anything to be free of the golden shackles that bind her to Malek, her handsome, cruel master, and his lavish Hollywood lifestyle. Enter Raif, the enigmatic leader of Arjinna’s revolution and Nalia’s sworn enemy. He promises to release Nalia from her master so she can return to her ravaged homeland and free her imprisoned brother. There’s just one catch: for Raif’s unbinding magic to work, Nalia must gain possession of her bottle . . . and convince the dangerously persuasive Malek that she truly loves him.

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Exquisite Captive Audiobook Narrator

Erin Mallon is the narrator of Exquisite Captive audiobook that was written by Heather Demetrios

When Heather Demetrios isn’t traipsing around the world or spending time in imaginary places, she lives with her husband in New York City. Originally from Los Angeles, she now calls the East Coast home. Heather received her MFA in writing for children and young adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts and is a recipient of the PEN New England Susan P. Bloom Discovery Award for her debut young adult novel, Something Real. She is the founder of Live Your What, an organization dedicated to fostering

About the Author(s) of Exquisite Captive

Heather Demetrios is the author of Exquisite Captive

Exquisite Captive Full Details

Narrator Erin Mallon
Length 13 hours 43 minutes
Author Heather Demetrios
Publisher Balzer + Bray
Release date October 07, 2014
ISBN 9780062345769

Additional info

The publisher of the Exquisite Captive is Balzer + Bray. The imprint is Balzer + Bray. It is supplied by Balzer + Bray. The ISBN-13 is 9780062345769.

Global Availability

This book is only available in the United States.

Goodreads Reviews

☘Misericordia☘

July 28, 2019

All the Stockholm Syndrome mixed with the coming of age angst and PTSD/dormitorium/lack of familial anything issuesmade for an interesting story to read. Even with all the uneven story-telling.An intricate social structure, these jinn seem to have:Q:THE GHAN AISOURI: Once the highest caste and beloved of the gods. All but annihilated, the members of this female race have violet eyes and smoke. They are the only jinn who can access the power of all four elements: air, earth, water, and fire.THE SHAITAN: The Shaitan gain power from air and have golden eyes and smoke. They are scholars, mages, artists, and the overlords who once controlled the provinces.THE DJAN: The largest caste and the peasant serfs of Arjinna’s valleys. They have emerald eyes and smoke, and their power comes from earth—the sacred soil of Arjinnan land. They are manual laborers, denied education or advancement.THE MARID: Caretakers of the Arjinnan Sea and fishing folk, these serfs draw their power from water. Their eyes and smoke are blue. They are the peasants of the coast, as uneducated as the Djan and subjected to equally brutal labor.THE IFRIT: Long despised throughout the realm, the Ifrit have crimson eyes and smoke. Their power comes from fire, and they use its energy for dark magic. They are soldiers and sorcerers. (c)QHer brother’s face. The peaks of the Qaf Mountains at sunset. Her mother’s approving smile when Nalia had manifested something for the first time. She flipped through these few happy memories, grounding herself. (c) Q:He had been sitting at his desk, near the window that overlooked the rose garden, sipping his absinthe with that faraway look in his eye—like he was examining the fabric of the universe, peeking through holes the gods had forgotten to sew up. (c)QNalia did her best not to glare at the client as he outlined his absurd request.What is with these humans? (c)QGranting was a science, an art of exactitude. Earth was a glass sphere balancing on the point of a needle, and one errant wish could shatter it against the cold hardness of the universe. (c)QThe whole city was a prison, built on shattered dreams and lost souls. (с)QHe said not to take it personally.”“No,” she said. “You should definitely take it personally.” (c)QSo casual. He spoke as though her stolen childhood and the years of training to grant, to manifest, to coax wishes out of the universe’s tightly closed fist was the equivalent of flipping a burger. All that pain, sacrifice, and loss—gods, so much loss—it all came down to one man-boy’s whim. (c)Q“You’d be a great dominatrix, you know that?”He was making it far too easy to ruin his life. (c)QHis home was something of a legend, a story shared in halls of power, in the backs of limousines. The people who passed through the tall, wrought-iron gate that surrounded the property were the fault lines of society—the movers and shakers of the world. Foreign dignitaries. Journalists. CEOs and scientists. Black-market specialists and the kings of Earth’s underworld. (c)QWaking up in the morning without a master to serve—priceless. (c)QShe waited until she felt herself reflected in the still center of the dancing flames, then thrust both hands into the fireplace. (c)QShe’d been taught how to fight to the death, not how to lay down her sword. There was no honor in this, no fearsome nobility. Just a flicker of hope in the darkness. (с)QShe grasped at the inner calm that had been battered into her throughout her childhood. It had come so easily to her mother, to the other Ghan Aisouri. But it had always been hard work for Nalia. (c)QIt was the time of the Santa Anas—the strong gusts that blew through Los Angeles every year, carrying mysteries of other worlds and filling Nalia with power. Even on Earth, it seemed, the wind goddess Grathali reigned supreme. (c)Q...until the smoke unraveled her, throwing her into the night sky in a burst of perfumed evanescence. She was cloud and wind and moon, fragmented, yet suddenly whole. For just that brief moment, all she knew was the feel of the cool night on her skin and the closeness of the stars. Then she was gone. (с)QGusts of wind swirled around her, and Nalia opened her mouth to taste its salt and melancholy, swallowing the listless dreams of humans from across the sea and drinking in the vast emptiness that throbbed against the shore. She shivered in the chill morning air as the wind held her in its salt-tinged embrace. A cleansing breeze from the south whipped by her and peeled away the long sleepless night, and the next wave that crashed on the shore sent its spray to wash Malek’s scent off her skin.“Shundai,” she whispered to Grathali, goddess of the wind, and Lathor, goddess of water. Thank you. …These mornings spent greeting the dawn replenished that energy. (с)Q:His was a magic of mismatched patches, sewn together with hope and desperation. (c)Q:Nalia sat on her knees and bowed low to the ground, pressing her forehead to the sand. She whispered her thanks to Tirgan, god of earth. Then she walked down to the water, setting her palms on the ocean’s frothy surface. Where her hands rested, the water lay still and silent. Again, she murmured words of gratitude, this time to Lathor, goddess of water. Then she lifted her palms to the sky, closing her eyes as the wind swirled around her. She once again honored Grathali, goddess of the wind. Finally, she walked to the far end of the beach and set a dry piece of driftwood in the sand, like a totem pole. She held her hands over the wood and chiaan burst from her fingers, a lightning bolt. The dry tinder turned blood red as the flames licked its surface. She gazed into the flames, chanting a last sadr—one of the hundreds of prayers in the Halamsa, the jinn holy book. This time the words were for Ravnir, god of fire. …willing herself to evanesce. Moments later, all that was left of her on the beach was the burning piece of driftwood and a few small footprints in the sand. Then a wave crashed on the shore, hungrily claiming even those remnants of the jinni’s presence. (c)Q:these human books were illusions in paper and ink, just as powerful as the kind Nalia could manifest out of thin air. Lost in the magic of story, Nalia had begun to understand what it meant to be human, to burn so brightly for such a short time, just a tenth of a jinni’s lifespan. (c)Q:He looked at her, and in the fraction of a second before he shuttered his eyes, she saw the depth of the despair he’d been carrying with him for decades. (с)Q:Strange, that discovering a murderer was after you could feel so invigorating. But it did. (c)Q:The stars above them seemed to fall like sparkling rain, and she saw, in the folds of the magic, the sigil ring itself, glowing on an altar in the middle of a rocky fortress. (c)Q:Sailors would look on her with longing, and lightning would strike through her heart, causing no pain, when storms raged above the sea. ...She was the current that carried boats on its back and the foam that slept on sandcastles. She was the roar and the whisper and the stillness.She was nothing.She was everything. (c)Q:She knew that from now on, visitors to the gardens would feel an inexplicable peace as they gazed upon the blossoms, and worries they had would vanish. Their day would be full of luck and they would look back on those moments in the garden as a turning point in their lives. (c)Q:She realized that there had been meaningful moments peppered throughout her time on Earth. Willingly or not, she had become a part of this planet, though as temporary as a shooting star. Nalia drank in the balmy, fragrant air and allowed her awareness to dim as she basked in the comforting ebb and flow of her chiaan. (c)Q:Faqua celique, she thought, forcing herself to stand. Only the stars know. In human terms: get over it. (c)Q:Anytime someone tries to do the right thing, it’s a terrible strategy. (c)Q:I was miserable—the kind of mood that makes you start a world war. (c)

Wendy Darling

February 16, 2016

I haven't read a YA paranormal romance that I enjoyed in awhile, but this one was excellent. Nice worldbuilding, magic, and characters who all have agency, and a sort of love triangle that I didn't mind at all. (view spoiler)[Mostly because it's clear where she's going to end up, and you understand her feelings/attraction for both. (hide spoiler)] Quibbles--there were a few too many flashbacks/cutting to the villain POV for my taste, to the point where it interrupted the flow of the story. I think the ending could have been smoothed out, too. There are also definite triggers because there's an imbalance of power in the master/slave relationship, and there's some possible Stockholm syndrome stuff happening with it, so your mileage may vary depending on how much that upsets you. (view spoiler)[I suppose this felt more like mature YA/nearly NA romance to me, so that didn't raise the usual flags for YA. I do understand the criticisms about the abusive love interest. (hide spoiler)] But I quite enjoyed this overall, and totally recommend it if you're curious. I think it would have been really interesting if this story had been written as a New Adult title, by the way. There are some nicely sparky scenes between our heroine and the two guys, and that could have been taken even further for an older age group.

Alyssa

October 07, 2014

***Review posted on The (YA) Bookcase! blog******Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog***Exquisite Captive by Heather DemetriosBook One of the Dark Caravan CyclePublisher: Balzer+BrayPublication Date: October 7, 2014Rating: 4 starsSource: ARC sent by the publisher/The (YA) BookcaseSummary (from Goodreads):Forced to obey her master.Compelled to help her enemy.Determined to free herself. Nalia is a jinni of tremendous ancient power, the only survivor of a coup that killed nearly everyone she loved. Stuffed into a bottle and sold by a slave trader, she’s now in hiding on the dark caravan, the lucrative jinni slave trade between Arjinna and Earth, where jinn are forced to grant wishes and obey their human masters’ every command. She’d give almost anything to be free of the golden shackles that bind her to Malek, her handsome, cruel master, and his lavish Hollywood lifestyle.Enter Raif, the enigmatic leader of Arjinna’s revolution and Nalia’s sworn enemy. He promises to free Nalia from her master so that she can return to her ravaged homeland and free her imprisoned brother—all for an unbearably high price. Nalia’s not sure she can trust him, but Raif’s her only hope of escape. With her enemies on the hunt, Earth has become more perilous than ever for Nalia. There’s just one catch: for Raif’s unbinding magic to work, Nalia must gain possession of her bottle…and convince the dangerously persuasive Malek that she truly loves him. Battling a dark past and harboring a terrible secret, Nalia soon realizes her freedom may come at a price too terrible to pay: but how far is she willing to go for it?Inspired by Arabian Nights, EXQUISITE CAPTIVE brings to life a deliciously seductive world where a wish can be a curse and shadows are sometimes safer than the light.What I LikedAhhhh, jinni-related books are totally awesome, in my opinion. There aren't too many in YA literature, but in general. I LOVE them. The Fire Wish by Amber Lough came out earlier this year and I LOVED it. I mentioned this book in that review, so it's only fair that I mention The Fire Wish in this review. I'm so glad that I enjoyed both books! Especially since I saw a particularly negative review for this book (very professional, but not positive at all), which turned me off a little. Still, I read this one and really liked it!Nalia, the last Ghan Aisouri, is an enslaved jinn. Her master, the cruel but persuasive and wickedly handsome Malek, has asked for two wishes, and is holding on to his third wish. Meanwhile, Nalia's homeland is in the midst of the aftermath of a war and the continuation of a rebellion and power struggle. Nalia's kind, the Ghan Aisouri, have been destroyed (except her) - but they were the royalty. When a Djan, an enemy of the Ghan Aisouri, seeks out Nalia for help, Nalia can't refuse. But is the price of her freedom enslavement by another?In the very beginning of this book, I was iffy. I already had low expectations because of that Goodreads review, though I was still excited about a jinni-related book. But I immediately didn't like Malek, or even Nalia, though I felt sooooo bad for her. When Raif showed up at the party, then I started to feel more for Nalia. Him being there... I felt like I understood Nalia more, perhaps because she had to reveal more to Raif. I don't like Malek, won't like Malek, and will never hope for redemption for him. He's messed up, and totally out of chances, in my opinion. He hurt Nalia many times (mostly mentally, but physically too, by stuffing her in the iron jinni bottle, and grabbing her too hard). He thinks he's being merciful or whatever by not forcing himself on her. I hate him and his role in this book, though he is a totally necessary, well-developed character. Basically, Demetrios did a very good job of making me hate him (which was her goal, I'm sure).I loveeeee Raif. He sees things very black-and-white, until he has to tangle with Nalia (he needs someone as powerful as a Ghan Aisouri for something very specific to help with the rebellion). They're enemies, their races of the jinni (Djan are serf, Ghan Aisouri are royalty), but he's totally smitten, by the end of the book. Raif is hardcore, but so sweet. He doesn't trust Nalia, but he falls for her.Nalia... I like her. My heart aches for her, and the decisions that she had to make. I get it, even if I hate it. She IS brave, braver than I could be, in that regard. I love that she gets someone to love and someone to love her back, by the end of this book. She deserves it.I LOVE THE ROMANCE. Okay, I hate the insinuated love triangle. I hate that Nalia has to do certain things with and to Malek (it never goes that far, trust me), and she basically has to deceive him to make him think she loves him. BUT. The real romance? The true pair? Love it. Love them. Raif and Nalia are a great forbidden romance pair.There is so much history to this book. A huge part of the world-building is the amount of history and customs and prejudices and things of the jinni world. Nalia's kind, the Ghan Aisouri, were slaughtered, and the Djan are leading a rebellion. By historic and modern means, Nalia and Raif hate each other. Or they should. They're on opposite sides. But their budding relationship is symbolism, I suppose.This book is completely in third person (yay!), but it is not just Nalia's third-person limited perspective. We also get Raif's third-person limited perspective, and isolated chapters following someone else (see the next paragraph).I love the rising action building towards the climax. There are chapters/scenes that break from Nalia's or Raif third-person perspectives - these chapters/scenes that are different are set in different countries, and follow this sinister ghoul who is preying on jinni females... looking for Nalia. This leads up to the climax - which is epic, by the way.I really, really enjoyed this book! I'm really excited to see where the next book takes us. There are so many things to be solved/explored... the sigil, the dark caravan, Nalia and Raif's relationship... let's go, Blood Passage, I'm ready for you!What I Did Not LikeObviously, I didn't like Malek and his relationship with Nalia and how Nalia had to convince him that she loved him. It was borderline sickening... but I suppose that goes to show how well Demetrios set up this part of the story. It will break your heart though, or piss you off. Just be warned.Also, I think think this book could have been cut down some. It didn't need to be as long as it did - I hear some people saying that they're losing interest and might not finish. Well, personally, I think you SHOULD finish, but I understand what you're saying. It gets REALLY good in the second half though...Would I Recommend ItIn my very honest opinion... YES! Of course! I love fantasy, I love jinni-related books, I love book with Arab influence, and I love a good forbidden romance. The romance in this book really is seductive and thrilling! Once you realize that there really is no love triangle. I repeat, there really is no love triangle. Says the queen of I-hate-love-triangles-they-can-go-die.

TJ

April 08, 2016

THE REVIEWWhy this book?I heard about it from Angel ErinWhat I thoughtI'm a huge fan of jinn stories and this one was awesome! This book was filled with magic, terrific world building and amazing characters. Nalia is a great proganoist she was feisty, strong and determined . There's sorta a love triangle in this book but then again kinda not. This book was highly entertaining and there was never a dull moment. With that said, can I say how much I love Raif he is just plain Swoonworthy!

Keertana

July 03, 2014

Where Heather Demetrios's Something Real battered its fists on my radar for weeks--the media onslaught of this novel breaking through the tiniest of crevices--Exquisite Captive practically slipped under my notice entirely. Something Real failed to entice me with its reality television plot line--likely because my idea of television is the Food Network--but Exquisite Captive captured my imagination from its cover and title alone. The Arabian Nights and other Middle Eastern legends have gone unexplored for too long, so for Demetrios to break down that barrier and weave a fantastical tale of her own, drawing from ancient lore and myth, was to break down the barrier into my heart as well. While Exquisite Captive is certainly not without its flaws, its original storyline, complex characterization, and truly exquisite world-building allow this novel to transcend its limitations.Exquisite Captive is told primarily from the third-person perspective of Nalia, a young jinni princess who has been captured and sold into slavery. Malek, her ruthless master, uses Nalia to further his large clientele, all the while holding her freedom out of reach as he refuses to make his third--and final--wish. In her homeland, Arjinna, Nalia is the last of her kind--a jinni race who can control all four elements--and thus the rightful heir to the throne. After witnessing the dark fire jinn slaughter her family and take over the crown, Nalia barely escaped with her life only to be shackled to the dark caravan where thousands of jinn are sold to human masters, serving their lords on Earth. Nalia would do anything to regain her freedom and return to Arjinna--not to reclaim her throne but to find her younger brother who she loves dearly. Anything, including seducing her master, Malek, and striking a bargain with Raif, the leader of the Arjinnian revolution. Raif represents the castes of other jinn in Arjinna--jinn whose magic only extends over one element. For years, Nalia's kind has ruled, withholding valuable training from the other jinn in Arjinna and looking down upon all those not royalty. Thus, the last thing Raif wants is to see the throne reclaimed but he needs Nalia's help--and can secure Nalia's freedom if she wrests her bottle away from her master. With the rumors of a live Arjinnian princess, an assassin is painstakingly hunting for Nalia across the Earth and the clock is ticking. Now, the only question left is who will kill Nalia first: the assassin, or Malek when he discovers her betrayal?Demetrios has created such a rich, tangible world in Exquisite Captive. What I appreciated about her prose is the fact that she never resorts to info-dumping. Instead, with short, selective flashbacks and believable dialogue she creates Arjinna, a fictional realm which feels all too real. Yet, more than the complex backstory of a coup, social injustice, and violence Demetrios also discusses the dark caravan. Nalia, as a victim of the dark caravan, yearns for her freedom with an aching pain that is all to sharp. It is impossible not to pity her, empower her, and watch as she struggles to break from the chains of slavery that hold her back from her true destiny. With such a compelling background itself, it becomes impossible not to dive into this novel with our hearts in our throats, waiting to see if Nalia can overcome the odds stacked against her. As a heroine, Nalia is impeccably written. On one hand, she's fiercely loyal to her younger brother--her only remaining family--and though we only know of him through brief flashbacks, the love she feels for him bleeds through the page. It is his face that keeps her enduring the tough situations she finds herself in and her courage, bravery, and strength are all admirable. Of course she is immensely powerful and her magic is a tool, but it is her inner-strength that this story allows us to see and it is that which makes her such an endearing protagonist. We know she isn't perfect--we've seen her perform unspeakable acts--but the double-edged sword of morality with which she does them cast her character in a different light. With all the blacks and whites swirling together to create so many shades of gray, it's impossible to wholly love or despise any one character in this tale, which I love. Malek is, hands down, one of the most intriguing characters I've come across in fiction. In many ways, he reminds me of Javier Bernal from Karina Halle's The Artist Trilogy. As a master, Malek has tortured Nalia and been cruel to her, but he has also never forced himself upon her and she lives a lavish Hollywood lifestyle with him by her side. Moreover, Malek is slowly changing in his attentions towards Nalia; from master to lover. As he displays a tender, sweeter side to Nalia, she is all the more confused by her master's behavior. No matter what Malek may believe, Nalia is still forced to be subservient to him; obeying his orders, working with his clients, and chained to his side. Yet, as Nalia discovers more and more about who Malek is, what his motivations are, and everything that drives him, both she and the reader cannot help but become more sympathetic towards this "villain." With his drop-dead good looks, charisma, and not-quite-a-villain personality, Malek is a force to be reckoned with both on the page and in our hearts. I could not bring myself to hate him, though I could not love him either. Nevertheless, his presence throughout the novel is unpredictable and keeps us on our toes, which I love. Out of all the characters I am most eager to re-visit in the sequels, Malek makes the top of that list--easily. When Raif first burst onto the page, I stiffened up in alarm. After all, the presence of two handsome men usually screams "love triangle" in blaring neon lights. Yet, it quickly became apparent that the focus of Exquisite Captive was not on the romance, but rather the countless political issues plaguing these characters. Raif dislikes Nalia on sight as her claim to the throne represents everything he's been fighting, but he needs her help--desperately--and a bargain is struck between the two. Neither Nalia nor Raif trust one another but, as they grow to understand each other better, they cannot help but dissolve their first impressions. For me, Raif felt similar to a typical male protagonist in the sense that he's caring, his motives are largely selfless, and he forces the protagonist to witness her life through a new lens. Yet, it is the swirling darkness in Raif that sets him apart as, at a young age, he is carrying the hopes and dreams of an entire nation on his shoulders. It is practically impossible to dislike Raif, what with him being such a likable hero and all, but his presence in the story thankfully transcends that of a mere romantic interest. Granted, there is a love triangle of sorts at play here but, because of the manner of Nalia's relationships with these two men, we know exactly which love story is doomed from the start. It's still a treat to watch everything play out, but it becomes clear just who Nalia wants by the end of this novel. If it's going to work out in the future is still largely unclear, but who Nalia's heart belongs to isn't murky in the least. Nevertheless, I do feel as if the main romance arc played out a liiiitle too quickly for my liking; at least in the sense that it jumped from "like" to "love" really fast. Another quibble came from the perspectives of the assassin sent after Nalia--after a point, each chapter featuring the assassin's hunt for Nalia across Earth began to read a bit too similar. Moreover, the jarring presence of these chapters interrupted the flow of the story, at times, which was a bit disappointing. With those exceptions, however, Exquisite Captive contains a fascinating growth arc, even more intriguing characters, and a world heavy in darkness but not without hope. I, for one, cannot wait to see where this story continues in the sequel and its unpredictability is an aspect I've really enjoyed of it. I will say, however, that this is a tale where emotional connection is key. Having been emotionally embroiled in this novel, I found it impossible to set down and my heart bled for each of these characters; for the loss they'd sustained from the past and for the loss they'd continue to sustain in the future. It straddles the line between young adult and new adult (though I'd have loved for this to be more strongly new adult, in some departments) and, as such, the growth is so relevant and realistically drawn. Without a doubt, Exquisite Captive is one of the more surprising reads of the year and Something Real cannot fall into my hands fast enough; if it has even a quarter of the heart and soul that Exquisite Captive contained, I know I'll fall in love.

Dana

August 07, 2017

Micro Review (courtesy of my two year old.) Despite the title awkwardly sounding like a very erotic romance book, I quite enjoyed this novel. The story centers around Nalia, a powerful Jinni trapped in servitude to a cruel and mysterious master. When she finally gets a chance at freedom its only through a tense alliance with an enemy. I loved the story, I was on the edge of my seat for much of it. The relationships were my favourite part. They were so well done, the relationship between Nalia and her master felt very realistically complicated. The sequel looks good too but for some reason I'm not in a rush to read it. Probably just due to my huge tbr pile.Buy, Borrow or Bin Verdict: BuyCheck out more of my reviews here

Erin

April 07, 2016

http://angelerin.blogspot.com/2016/04...First of all thank you to the author for providing me with a copy of Exquisite Captive that I won in a giveaway. This in no way influenced my opinion on the book. Also, I can't recall where I won the book from (sorry :x), but thank you to whoever hosted the giveaway!While I haven't read many books with Jinn characters, I am really intrigued by stories involving Jinn. So I was really excited to read Exquisite Captive, but I wasn't 100% sure what to expect. When I first started reading this book I had fallen into a small reading slump and thankfully this book helped pull me out of it. Thank goodness this novel was so good otherwise I would have fallen into a big reading slump! EEK!I am really pleased with how original the story felt, but it kept some great tropes that I just love. I am always happy when a book can blend something unique with a few loved tropes. The whole tone and mood of Exquisite Captive was just on point. This book has a captivating blend of fantasy, mythology, magic, Jinn, and rebellion.Okay, I have to say it... I kind of like Malek. Not at the beginning of the book, but then he grew on me. I got a bit of Stockholm syndrome on Nalia's behalf for Malek for a bit. However, I LOVED Raif!! LOVE, LOVE, LOVE. I can't wait to see what will happen with Nalia and Raif in the next books. I also can't wait to find out what will happen with the Jinn homeland, Arjinna. I would like to know more about Arjinna in general. The parts where we learned a little about Arjinna were very intriguing to me.Overall Exquisite Captive is very well done. Everything from the world building and mythology to the story and the characters are just perfect. The whole book is exquisite! I do have to say that there were a few slower parts that you may have to push through, but those parts are valuable to the overall story. It's totally worth it, I promise!I recommend Exquisite Captive to anyone interested in books about Jinn.

Elena

June 22, 2019

Who was the lucky girl that got to read this book early? ME! The only problem with reading it early is that now I have to wait even LONGER for the next book!! As I think the description pretty much covers the synopsis, I will just give some impressions. * I liked the amount of humor in the book. There are a lot of dark themes going on and I thought the humor was well placed and not overdone. * I really enjoyed the characterization. I felt that the characters were multidimensional and INTERESTING. * I thought the relationships between the characters were strong and believable. * The emotional and sexual tension between certain characters = HOT HOT HOT. * I enjoy fantasy, but tend to get overwhelmed and frustrated quickly if things aren't explained to me or if there is an overabundance of information right away. I feel this book balanced my frustrations quite nicely. It didn't explain everything right away, but came in soon enough to curb my frustrations. * The girl character is not whiny, not clumsy, not awkward, is strong and vulnerable and amazing and and and YES. I will be handing this book to my book club girls when it comes out. I can't recommend it enough!First read January 18th, 2014Second reading June 2014Third reading April 29th, 2015

Elena

April 07, 2015

I am so happy right now. Exquisite Captive easily became one of my new favourites! Maybe I'm in the minority when it comes to this book, because other people had quite some issues with the pacing , but I truly adored this book! I was engrossed right from the first page on and the only reason it took me a few days to finish this was, that I actually put it off, because I didn't want it to end. This is something that shows me I not only loved a book, but I was very invested. Also, all the time I wasn't reading it, I couldn't stop thinking about it! I was expecting to like this book, because...duuuh it is about Jinnis! Enough said.''Nalia kept her eyes on him until the smoke unraveled her, throwing her into the night sky in a burst of perfumed evanescence. She was cloud and wind and moon, fragmented, yet suddenly whole. For just that brief moment, al she knew was the feel of the cool night on her skin and the closeness of the stars. Then she was gone.''That's right. Our main protagonist can evanesce. HOW. FREAKING. COOL. IS. THAT?!The whole world Heather Demetrios created in this book was simply fantastic. I loved everything about the different types of Jinnis, about their world and especially about their powers. ''She was the current that had carried boats on its back and the foam that slept on sandcastles. She was the roar and the whisper and the stillness. She was nothing. She was everything.''Our main protagonist Nalia had a lot of different abilities and it was so much fun to discover more about her, her past and abilities! As a character I found her to be very interesting and different. She belongs to the most powerful caste of the Jinnis, so she is definitely no damsel. Which I loved. She was feisty, strong and hilarious. I simply adored her as a main character.Unfortunately this story contains a love triangle. But, at least for me, even that was a somehow different experience. I loved both of those guys for entirely different reasons! I have two kinds of love interest I always root for. This is the first book that had both of these kinds as love interests. You see my desperation? :'D''He cupped her face with his hands. 'If he'd killed you... I think I would have burned the whole world down.'''On one hand we have Malek. The not so nice guy, which suddenly is nice, but somehow isn't and you can't decide whether to love him or just spit in his face. Seems confusing, right? It is. He is definitely the most complex character in this book. You just don't know how to feel about him. In some way you love him, but you know that is just wrong. Well, I'm a sucker for characters like this. (*cough* Warner.)Then there is Raif. He's a Jinni as well, not implicitly as powerful as Naila, which was very refreshing to read about, and he is a complete asshole. Naila and Raif fight all the time, especially because they are supposed to be enemies. But...you know what fights like these lead to. :P Like I said, he is mean, but in the course of this book, we get to see another side of him. I'm a sucker for characters like this as well. Nice. :'D ''Nalia's eyes, filling.(...)Her heart, crumbling.(...) Her hate, stirring.''I can't express how much I loved this book. The writing style was captivating, amazing and easy to follow. Even though there is a lot to take in about this whole world, I felt like Heather Demetrios was able to visualize everything without boring me. I'm HIGHLY recommending this!

nick (the infinite limits of love)

September 29, 2014

The first time I read Exquisite Captive, I shut the book and decided that I didn't have very good feelings about it. After I calmed down, stalked the author's Twitter page for updates, I decided to give it a second shot and my opinion of the book definitely improved. Exquisite Captive is undoubtedly not going to be the book for everyone, mostly because of the love triangle, but it is a book that also attempts to send out a social message, which I have come to expect from every Heather Demetrios book.As I mentioned, my relationship with this book was shaky at best in the beginning. I was utterly confused and I had no clue as to what was going on, mostly because of all the different jini species and their special abilities. Once I decided to screeshot the glossary, I had a better hang of it. The world building progressively got better as I became more and more involved in the book and by the end, I was absolutely fascinated. Heather Demetrios definitely created a fantasy world, but she tackled themes such as slavery and discrimination in a tactful way. I was a teensy bit disappointed that the book didn't have more of a Middle-Eastern desert setting (it's set in LA), but I think the next book will have us traveling to different places. That doesn't mean Exquisite Captive was devoid of any Middle-Eastern culture though. It was the complete opposite. I loved how the book was brimming with culture. I'm in interested to see where the world building is heading to in the next installment.As far as the main character, Nalia, went she was the kind of character who slowly grew on me. I wasn't convinced with her character at first because of the way she allowed her master Malek to treat her so disrespectfully, but it soon became clear that she was suffering from Stockholm Syndrome. I was frustrated by many of her actions throughout the book, but I understood where she was coming from, and by the end, I loved how badass she had become. She has the potential to became a fabulous character throughout the series and I'm excited for the prospect. The romance was very complicated, or so it appeared at first. I was convinced that this would wind up being a frustrating love triangle where the girl fell for the abusive master, but while Nalia definitely leads Malek on, she had her reasons which became clear as the story progressed. I personally don't think that Malek will ever be a contender for Nalia's heart and the author has confirmed this on Twitter (if I read into her Tweets well). I personally thought she was trying to make a point by depicting Nalia and Malek's relationship : the cycle of abuse and how difficult it is for victims to break away from that cycle. The real love interest, Raif was a sweetheart. He was rough around the edges, but he was devoted to his clan and to his sister. While many readers found him to be boring, I found him to be the opposite of that. She was swoony, enigmatic and absolutely a good guy (which is HOT in my opinion). I did think the "I love yous" in their relationship came a little too fast, but it didn't bother me as much because their chemistry was smoldering.Heather Demetrios is one talented author. There is an addictive quality to her writing that sucked me in from the first page and reading the book the second time around just proved further about how gorgeous writing is. Like I said, Exquisite Captive isn't going to be a series for everyone, but it's worth a try. It's rich, romantic and beautifully written! I can't wait for the second book!

Nara

January 25, 2015

When a book about an unconventional creature is released (here: genies/jinnies), you know I'm going to jump on it as soon as possible. There's something about interesting creatures that really captures my attention- maybe the fact that it's a fresh idea, maybe the fact that I just like them better than the conventional vampire or angel. In any case, Exquisite Captive turned out to be quite a good read, with an unorthodox romance and an exciting plot.That being said, I can definitely understand why some people might dislike it- especially because there's this weird love triangle where one side of the triangle is an abusive, terrible relationship. While initially, you're not too sure whether this side is viable, I'm going to tell you now in case you're worried: this relationship is not romanticised. She hates it, you hate it, everyone hates it.Exquisite Captive is also quite a long book, but I feel that it's not too long. You're always caught by some mystery or another, so you don't get bored (although the first section is perhaps a little bit slow), and there's no lack of action and magic. I do have to admit, I was expecting a high fantasy, and was pretty surprised when the book turned out to be more of a paranormal/portal fantasy. Not that this was a bad thing- now there are two worlds for the author and characters to move through.I'm quite looking forward to seeing where Demetrios will be taking the characters next, and I recommend this book for a fresh take on the paranormal genre.RatingsOverall: 7/10Plot: 4/5Romance: 3/5Writing: 3.5/5World Building: 2.5/5Characters: 4/5Cover: 2/5

Brittany

December 08, 2015

This was such a dark and sexy read. I really haven't read that many jinni books. But I think Exquisite Captive will be a hard one to beat. The mythology and fantasy world was on point. Although it took me a while to get names and the language straight that didn't take away from my enjoyment of the story or world building. The concept of jinni's being sold into slavery on earth was really quite relevant and sad. Nalia's imprisonment to Malek was a real emotional journey. I knew I should never ever feel an ounce for Malek or want to see him happy with Nalia in the future, but I may have failed a bit there. It was hard, okay. Nalia is a real feisty girl. Really, really loved her POV. The civil war and revolution in the jinni world was quite fascinating. It brought Raif to find Nalia, and their banter/fighting was on point. I had a small grievance with the quick romance, but nothing to detour me or my confusion on which ship I want to follow. Exquisite Captive left off on the perfect mark. Not a cliffy, but definitely makes you want the sequel. So obviously I cannot wait.

Frequently asked questions

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