Review: You Are Mine by Janeal Falor


You Are Mine

Author: Janeal Falor
Series: Mine, #1
Serena knows a few simple things. She will always be owned by a warlock. She will never have freedom. She will always do what her warlock wishes, regardless of how inane, frivolous, or cruel it is. And if she doesn’t follow the rules, she will be tarnished. Spelled to be bald, inked, and barren for the rest of her life—worth less than the shadow she casts.

Then her ownership is won by a barbarian from another country. With the uncertainty that comes from belonging to a new warlock, Serena questions if being tarnished is really worse than being owned by a barbarian, and tempts fate by breaking the rules. When he looks the other way instead of punishing her, she discovers a new world. The more she ventures into the forbidden, the more she learns of love and a freedom just out of reach. Serena longs for both. But in a society where women are only ever property, hoping for more could be deadly.
*a copy was provided through NetGalley for review purposes*


 Serena has always been owned. She doesn't have a Father--she has a Master. One mess up and she can be punished severely. But if she's lucky (in her Father's eyes that is) she has a large amount of magic in her blood and will be sold to a powerful warlock. This is Serena's life. A continuation of ownership, which can be transferred when she reaches the age of 17 or when her husband dies in a tournament by the hands of another. Or she could be tarnished, living a life worse and less than ownership.

Serena soon finds her ownership transferred to the barbaric Envadi who she has grown up to fear. When the man who is to be her Master tells her to explore the grounds as she pleases, she finds herself at a sudden loss of what to do. But the more freedom he allows her, the more she wants to test the rules she's been brought up under in the strict house of her Father.

You Are Mine was such a pleasant surprise. I didn't really have any expectations as to whether or not it was going to be good, but from the premise it sounded like something I could get into. And boy did I. The entire structure of society in Serena's world is completely insane. Warlocks rule over all, including women. Women are basically slaves who have absolutely no rights whatsoever. If they don't do what their owners tell them, they can be tarnished or worse, killed. They can be punished at will and instead of being defended, they are laughed at. I had such a hard time with the way that the women were treated in their society. They were sacrificed, thrown around like they were nothing. They weren't even allowed to look anyone, especially a warlock, in the eye. They were used and abused. They were property and nothing more. The only thing the men thought them good for was breeding, but if you didn't produce a male warlock you weren't good for anything.

I was most disgusted with the way Serena's Father treated her, her sister and mother. He was the most despicable man and I detested him throughout the entire book. All he cared about was his title, reputation and how much he would gain from his daughters after they were sold. Any step that Serena took at having any kind of freedom, he was there to make sure she or her new owner Zade ended up paying the price for it. Even something as simple as Serena wearing less face paint than usual. That man sure knew how to bring out the anger in me and I couldn't imagine being in Serena's shoes and feeling completely helpless, knowing that her Father had every right to treat her family the way he did and no one could or even would do anything about it.

I loved every minute of watching Serena slowly gain more and more independence, knowing that the fight for it was in her all along even if she was too afraid to show it or do anything about it at first. The more freedom Zade allowed her to have, the more she pushed for it and it was so refreshing to see it happen. Even if at times things didn't go as planned for her and sometimes even backfired in the worse kind of way.

After reading and living in this universe so long, I really don't want to leave it. I want to read more about about Serena and her life after the ending. I want to know what happens to her and her family and Zade. I'm definitely adding the sequel to my TBR list and picking it up as soon as it's available. The Mine series is just too good not to continue reading. Janeal Falor is one of those authors that you need to keep an eye out for. I certainly will. I highly recommend You Are Mine to those who are lovers of magic and freedom.


I rate this book:





About Janeal Falor
Janeal Falor lives in Utah where she’s finally managed to live in the same house for more than five years without moving. In her spare time she reads books like they’re nuts covered in caramel and chocolate, cooks whatever strikes her fancy, and enjoys the outdoors. Her husband and three children try to keep up with her overactive imagination. Usually they settle for having dinner on the table, even if she’s still going on about the voices in her head.
Author Links: Website | Twitter | Goodreads 



Comments

  1. So glad you loved this one! I adore it, and I can't wait to learn more about Zade! The book was a pleasant surprise for me too :)

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