The Gods We Obey by Auryn Hadley

3 Stars

As priests, we are meant to obey - but our duties are to our gods, not mere men.

Zeal is back, and he's seen by more people every day. The God of Temptation grows stronger, but High Priest Kinen has found the one thing that can stop a god: disbelief. The return of our gods means an end to his power.

And Kinen isn't ready to lose.

Over time, the priests of our temple have surrendered their power in the name of our god. We're trained to obey, to help, and to be Zeal's tools when he cannot help himself - and now that has become a problem.

Because power is given, never taken, and we have surrendered far too much. It's time for things to change, before our complacency destroys our gods. And yet, habits are such hard things to break.

What we need is a rebellion - and I'm going to start it.

Our gods never expected blind obedience, so it's time to give into the temptation to fight back. But will the price for this be more than I can pay? I just can't believe this is what my path was meant for - or is this all just a game between gods and men? Because we, the Priests of Temptation, have been betrayed.

I have prayed.

I have obeyed.

Now I'm doing it my way.

Too many pointless things in this book. Giving a 3 for overall series not for this book. This one does wrap everything up nicely but it takes forever to get there. It got very preachy ny the end of the series and I got bored. Overall if trimmed down it would be a good series but as is it is too long.

Book 6 The Path of Temptation

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The Prayers We Pray by Auryn Hadley

2 Stars

Be careful what you pray for - because even gods can be tempted.

The Temple of Temptation is broken. The system is failing the priests who serve faithfully, but Zeal isn't missing. He's simply powerless - or was.

As more priests believe in our god, the balance of power has been shifting. Temptation is thriving. Miracles are happening. The High Priest is struggling. In his attempts to control me, he's making it almost impossible to help the other gods.

Something has to give, and I'm worried it might be me.

With the last semester of my initiate training underway, things are supposed to be looking up. I finally have instructors who are grading me fairly. I no longer feel like a failure. However, my ties to the nobility of our barony have drawn just a little too much attention. The wrong kind.

The High Priest wants to get rid of me. My enemies want to destroy me out of jealousy. The nobility wants to put me in my place. My lovers want to protect me at all costs because things are starting to get dangerous.

None of that will stop me because gods aren't the only ones to answer prayers.

I am the voice of Zeal. I walk with the Blade, the Shield, the Temptation, and the Shadow. We are the devoted, five priests determined to serve our gods in any way they demand - but the divine holds no power over men who don't believe. Faith offers little to those who think they are the ones who should be worshipped.

Gods want love. Men want power. Everyone knows temptation.

To save Zeal, I'm tempted to destroy everything...

Even our traditions.

I am determined to finish this series because I need to know how the series ends but I think 6 books is way too many books for the storyline. This one has the same issues as the past couple of books. No movement and repetitive throughout the book. Only one more to go.

Book 5 The Path of Temptation

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The Ways We Betray by Auryn Hadley

3 Stars

To protect those who matter most, we will betray others in ways we never expected.

This is supposed to be a good year. With a new set of instructors - and ones I know well - I'm sure it will be. For once, things are finally starting to go my way. My mentors are proud, my family is closer than ever before, and I am happy.

Unfortunately, the gods are tired of waiting. Every day, Zeal grows stronger, but Ambition, Inspiration, Perception, Compassion, and Intuition don't. They're fading, with no hope in sight.

Except me.

Piece by piece, my god has built me up, given me "weapons" to use, and made me into the kind of woman I can be proud of. He calls me his partner and that isn't an empty title. It means more than just serving him. I can tell by the longing in his divine eyes.

My success doesn't go unnoticed, though. My haters want to destroy me, but let them try. Petty bullying is too childish for me to worry about. With so many priests able to see the God of Temptation now, I no longer care who likes me and who doesn't.

And that's my biggest mistake.

Because my god doesn't run this temple. He doesn't make the rules. With a single signed paper, I'm no longer as safe as I thought. Friends are going to be betrayed. Lovers will suffer. Somehow, I have to fix this.

I am the Priestess of Temptation, Zeal's chosen.

Someone is going to be punished.

I almost hope it's me.

Just like the last one this book dragged on because of the repetitiveness. The story is just plodding along with no new conflict. Nari was just trying to get people to remember what they are there for. Something new or different would be nice.

Book 4 The Path of Temptation

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Games We Play by Auryn Hadley

3 Stars

We're tempted to play games, thinking they will give us more power - but that only works if we win.

After spending the holidays with my guardian's family, it seems that everyone in the temple has the wrong idea. The Baron isn't my patron. He's not even a friend. In truth, I hate the man.

But the rumor mill is strong, and jealousy is running rampant.

This is all just one more excuse for my instructors to hold me back, lower my grades, and try to force me to choose one path. I can't! My god needs me to save him, and the Path of Temptation gives me the power to do that.

Except that I'm drowning in the pressure, feeling like I'm failing my god. I need to make people believe in him, but how can I do that when I can't believe in myself? All these mind games are starting to pile up, and it's tearing me apart.

But Zeal is getting stronger.

That's enough to keep me going. No matter how hard they try to push me down, I'll just keep fighting back, learning to play this game better each time. I will not become the victim here, because I'm not doing this alone. My lovers will always stand with me.

But this is not a game.

If we fail, we'll lose everything -

Including each other.

This one continues where the last ended and the story progresses but not quickly. One of the biggest issues I had was the repetitive conversations that were had plus the inner dialogue which slowed the story down drastically. It was still good but needs work.

Book 3 The Path of Temptation

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Paths We Lay by Auryn Hadley

3 Stars

To find temptation, we must lay our own path.

For the last ten years, I thought I was nothing special. I was just another priestess in the Temple of Temptation. One of many. Little did I know that my god has plans for me. He intends to make me powerful.

But what I will become is up to me.

For centuries, things here have always been done the same way - and the gods are now paying for it. Somehow, I'm expected to revive the faith. I'm their last hope, but no one is quite sure how I'm supposed to do that.

That means I'm making this up as I go. My god is begging me to become something new. My temple wants me to respect traditions. My instructors want to force me to follow their rules.

I just want to save my god.

With my three men, I know I'll figure it out. That is not the same as this being easy, though. Even worse, being "special" makes those around me jealous, and giving in to temptation is a part of our nature. When my guardian's family gets involved, things get infinitely more complicated.

The temple wants to break me.

My success or failure depends on the path I choose.

I just hope I find the right one.

The big reveal was big, and Nari has a lot to do and defend in this book. Some of the relationship stuff frustrated me in this one but it was minor. It wasn’t as good as book one but still good. Wished it would move a bit faster.

Book 2 The Path of Temptation

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Price We Pay by Auryn Hadley

4 Stars

Everyone wants to give in to temptation, but no one wants to pay the price.

I was a child when my father surrendered me to the Temple of All Gods. No one gave me a choice. No one even bothered to explain. I was simply tossed aside, unwanted.

That was the day the God of Temptation claimed me as his.

Now, I'm studying how to become the perfect priestess. Life in the temple means embracing my emotions and learning to harness each type of desire. Power, fear, lust, and rage are the most common, but not the only ones. Each has a power. Each has its place. I just have to figure out which kind of priestess I'll become.

Before I decide, I have questions - yet no one seems willing to give me answers. My only option is to leave it in my god's hands. This won't be easy, and my instructors think I'm a fool, but Temptation has been listening. Asking. Offering it all.

In exchange, he intends to use me.

I have demands. The priest and priestess who took me in have become my family. The guys? They taught me to love. How am I supposed to give this up? Why should I? Not even a god can make me walk away from them! All I have to do is stand my ground.

In this temple, there's always a temptation.

The question is if I'm stubborn enough to resist...

Or brave enough to pay a god's price.

Very very spicy read and it’s different. I love Nari and how strong she is and how willing she is to follow her own path. Even when theis means problems for her. There is a lot of things going on in this book but it works for me. Ends on a cliffhanger ending so you will need to read on.

Book 1 The Path of Temptation

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