DNF.

Not for the faint of heart .

Not quite sure yet what I think of the first book in the acquisition series, it was well written and a page turner but I found the violence of the ball a hard pill to stomach, I will read most things and not get upset but I found the whipping to an extent that it took weeks to heal and that Stella was permanently scarred very disturbing it was not consensual and was more a form of torture , I also can't suss out Lucius is he a sleaze or genuinely liking Stella and don't get me started on Sin Mr multiple personality , I realise there is some deep dark reason pushing him to compete for sovereign, but that he could stand there and also permanently scar Stella for this astounds me, am so not warming to him and can't get my head round how Stella is, he also had the nerve to ask her at the ball if his brother had hurt her when he knew what was in store for her. I'm in shock, and its only gonna get worse, i will read the next book because I want to see what happens with Stella and in my opinion she should have thrown her dad to the wolves, still should she needs to run fast and far from these psycho's. ( )

Not for the faint of heart .

Not quite sure yet what I think of the first book in the acquisition series, it was well written and a page turner but I found the violence of the ball a hard pill to stomach, I will read most things and not get upset but I found the whipping to an extent that it took weeks to heal and that Stella was permanently scarred very disturbing it was not consensual and was more a form of torture , I also can't suss out Lucius is he a sleaze or genuinely liking Stella and don't get me started on Sin Mr multiple personality , I realise there is some deep dark reason pushing him to compete for sovereign, but that he could stand there and also permanently scar Stella for this astounds me, am so not warming to him and can't get my head round how Stella is, he also had the nerve to ask her at the ball if his brother had hurt her when he knew what was in store for her. I'm in shock, and its only gonna get worse, i will read the next book because I want to see what happens with Stella and in my opinion she should have thrown her dad to the wolves, still should she needs to run fast and far from these psycho's. ( )

Add me to the list of girls who love Sinclair Vinemont.
ARC provided via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
For more of my reviews visit Carlene Corrupted.

Stella Rousseau would do anything for her father, anything to keep him from prison for crimes he didn't commit. Sinclair Vinemont is up for the Acquisition, a tournament held every 10 years by the wealthy and elite of Louisiana. Vinemont will do anything to become the next Sovereign to rule them all, even enslave Stella. One thing is clear, the Acquisition always ends in bloodshed and Stella refuses to be dragged down easily.

I read Counsellor in one sitting and by the next day I had already purchased book two in the Acquisition series by Celia Aaron. With incredible writing and graphic detail Aaron brings to life a powerful and dark tradition in the beautiful scenery of Louisiana. My favorite thing about Counsellor wasn't the characters, though they were fantastic, it was the detail into how the Acquisition trials worked and how the character thought processes worked through it all. The scenery was beautiful, easy to imagine, even during the horrific times when hundreds came together in a game of blood and kink. I felt the heavy stares of outsiders and the terrifying horror as the main characters watch the ball turn into a whipping ground.

My emotions sat heavy on my chest through out the entire book, with twists and turns heightening my fear for Stella and pulling me between hatred and lust for Vinemont. Aaron makes the reader feel the anticipation Stella is going through as she wonders what is to become of her and what the Acquisition really is. On top of that, the ever shifting mood of Sinclair Vinemont left me wondering what was true and what wasn't and how evil he truly could be. I definitely found myself rooting for Stella, for her to keep herself out of the darkness and see it through the end, even when the hits kept coming. While Vinemont should own the asshole alpha title, I found myself liking him as glimpses of his hidden self came out. The two characters, and even the secondary, make this fictional novel feel so realistic and shows that even in horrors a romance can blossom.

Counsellor is a very dark and erotic fiction, it contains slavery, BDSM, and violence, however it is a stellar novel. Though it is a work of fiction, Celia Aaron makes the traditional Louisiana wealth and Acquisition come to life, pulling you into a realistic story that you won't want to put down. Counsellor is book one in the Acquisition series and does end in a cliffhanger. Book two, Magnate, available for purchase now and both novels are highly recommended. ( )

This book is nothing short of disturbing, barbaric, and absolutely mind-boggling.

In this story you meet Stella, a woman who would do anything to take care of her remaining family.
You also meet Sinclair, a man who would do anything to rise to the top of the aristocracy.

This story was written in a way that it all feel very real, like this sort of thing happens...and that is terrifying. After starting and finishing this book within a matter of hours, I am questioning my sanity and respect for human nature because I desperately want the next book. I don't know what that says about me, and I can't say I care! I just couldn't put this book down. The only reason it didn't receive a full 5 star review is because I wanted Stella's' character to have more realistic reactions to her circumstances.

I would definitely recommend this book, if you like a page turned that leaves you loving and hating characters all at the same time. This is definitely not for the easily offended or faint hearted. ( )