Captive Prince

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Captive Prince is definitely not a book for everyone. It deals with being forced into slavery, into a (what I imagine is a Roman-inspired) culture where slaves are predominantly sex slaves. It's not a light-hearted book. There is rape. There is torture. There is abuse. I just want everyone to know all of that right off the bat. I understand a lot of people will have a problem with this book, and I don't begrudge them that at all. Despite that, I really liked this book. Does that sound odd? I'm sure it does. It all makes sense in the story, and doesn't feel particularly overdone in the setting.

Damen was the crown prince of Akielos, but once his brother kills their father, and seizes the thrown, well. Things don't go so well for him. He's given away to their country's biggest rival, Vere, and eventually given to the prince, Laurent.

They do not get along.

Ever.

Wheeeeew. Watching them butt heads was very entertaining. I kept reading, waiting for the next horrific thing to happen to Damen due to Laurent. Damen was quite obviously my favorite. He is — as far as we know at this point in the story — a decent person who only wants to help the other people from Akielos that were sent as slaves along with him. Laurent is a cold-hearted snake most of the book. I can't wait to find out how he shifts as the story goes on.

I do wish there had been slightly more world-building in the book, but it is on the shorter side. I was much more interested in the characters, anyway. Here's hoping there's more in the next books? Which I will 100% be reading ASAP. I already have them checked out from the library.