Get Your Hands On Destined (Arcanus, #1) Penned By Catriana Sommers Presented In Brochure

I had this really awesome and yes, long review already written but wouldn't you know, I accidentally refreshed the page and poof! No more review.
sigh

Anyways, the blurb is pretty detailed on what happens in the story, Almost exactly, in fact. I'm actually glad I didn't read the blurb before I started the book or else I might have been annoyed with that, Either way, I think this book would have benefited better if it were separated into two books instead of just one, The first book possibly about Sarna and Nal finally pursuing a relationship and the injury Nal obtains and how he copes with that, The second book, I felt, should have been about the arranged marriage Nal went through because of his sense of duty and the toll it takes on Nal and Sarna as well as anything that happened during Nal's time in marriage and afterward.
As it was, everything is just in one book and because of that, I felt like the story wasn't as complete as I would have liked it to be especially since it covered over a century and more of Nal and Sarna's lives.


For one, something really terrible happens to Nal, It's not as bad as the blurb makes it sound and I was actually kind of disappointed in that because it had such a huge impact on Nal and because it had such a huge impact, I was hoping to experience the trials he went through in trying to heal.
I would have liked to read about the PTSD he had afterward, to know how he overcame the shame, selfloathing and selfhatred he had and how exactly Sarna was able to help him through it.
Unfortunately, we don't get that type of information,

Most of the book roughly revolves around what Sarna and Nal go through to finally be together when they are still young in their twenties.
Maybe fifteen percent of the book is dedicated to Nal, his arranged marriage with Maya and the hurt and pain Sarna causes Nal because of Nal's obligationMaybeyears after Sarna and Nal become lovers.
During the time Nal finds out his bride has been born is when he breaks off his intimate relatioinship with Sarna, Sarna, being his bastard self, decides to hurt Nal in the most painful way by blatantly displaying his fuckbuddy relationship with another elf, Tyrnus, Sarna rubbed it in Nal's face for seventeen years that he had another lover and really hurt Nal during that time making Nal feel extremely depressed and alone.
While Nal and Sarna are technically broken up, this still felt like cheating to me on Sarna's part, Mainly because Sarna and Nal made kind of this whole production about only being with each other with the exception of Maya and Sarna apparently didn't give a shit about that even though he knew how much it pissed Nal off when Sarna had been with someone else before Nal.
It's not cheating but it felt like cheating to me, I could forgive Nal having to marry Maya but I couldn't forgive Sarna for sleeping with Tyrnus for seventeen years all just so Sarna could hurt Nal.
I didn't like that part and it made me not like Sarna all that much after that either, The last ten percent of the book is like an epilogue, It shows Nal and Sarna after Maya's death, a little more thanyears after the arranged marriage started, and how their lives are happy now that they are truly together for good.


I enjoyed the characters because together they are like one person, Where Sarna is angry, mean and uncaring, Nal is the exact opposite, He's calm, in control and polite, What Sarna lacks, Nal has and what Nal lacks, Sarna makes up for, The world intrigued me. There was all these different words and things that I found fascinating and wanted to know more of especially the elements their powers revolved around, I've always loved Elemental books,

While I enjoyed it, though, I felt it lacked a lot of things, The world was interesting, there's no doubt that, but it wasn't as developed for someone like me who thrives on fantasy worldbuilding, I wanted more descriptions on things instead of the vague information given, I wanted to know everything about these elves, How their powers worked, what their cultures were like, more information on social standings and true mates.
I had a lot of questions that unfortunately were never answered, I wanted to experience the hardship Nal goes through after a power hungry elf icewhips him and tries to rape him, I wanted to understand Maya more and how Nal was able to live with Maya's infidelity and the constant reminder that he raised a child that wasn't his and I especially wanted to see the 'discussion' him and Maya had about seeing other lovers and how an immature, bratty, seventeen year old Maya took that news.
.

Overall, the biggest fault with this book is the lack of depth and development with certain issues, The world and characters are fascinating, It held my attention through most of the book, although there were a few parts that dragged, I wanted more, though, especially when he came to Nal's healing, I still liked it and I'll continue reading the series as it progresses unless there's girly bits, I do have to ask, what does Arcanus mean That is the series name but I have no idea what it means and it bugged me a bit through the whole book because I couldn't find the connection between the story and the series name.
Lol I was lucky enough to get a copy of DESTINED The Arcanus series in a giveaway and I thoroughly enjoyed it, Catriana Sommers blended fantasy and love in an intriguing and unique story, I love the characters of Sarnaiel and Naliel, They're like two halves of a whole and they go through hell to be together, The world building is welldone and I'm looking forward to learning more about it in book two, .stars

There were portions of the book that had me on edge and wanting more but also parts that made me dislike the story and want to put it down.
I liked it well enough/ths of the way in and the rest of the way I just didn't care for, There were a a couple of questions the book didn't answer and I'm not so sure I'll be continuing the series, There was good world and character development, not to mention the cover art is really pretty, This book was amazing, I read it several times, I love stories that bring the characters to life and Catriana does just that, I can't wait for her next book, Raised together, Sarnaiel and Naliel are as close as brothers could be, until the dark elf Sarnaiel decides he wants them to be something more, Only after he reveals his intentions does he learn of an arranged marriage that stands between them and their happiness, Unable to stand the idea of the one he loves with another, he vanishes, leaving Naliel alone, . . or so he thought.

But someone has been watching the young half elf from the shadows, and without Sarnaiel's presence he makes his move in the most brutal of ways.
Naliel survives, but his mind and body are broken, Sarnaiel returns to pick up the pieces, mending and nurturing and rebuilding their bond, but once again their relationship is thwarted by the birth of Naliel's bride.


Once the source of his greatest joy, Sarnaiel becomes Naliel's torment, For Sarnaiel, when hurt, strikes back twice as hard and viciously, It doesnt matter who it is, He almost goes too far and through that, finally learns what should be truly important to him, The oath they make that day is

what seals their already unbreakable bond, and the two grow older, and wiser, together, For no matter what happens, no matter what they face, even if it's their own kin, they live by their promise:

"It was us from the beginning, and it'll be us until the end.
"

Content concerns: This book contains near rape, questionable consent, and moderate violence, .