This short story gives some insight into Thomas' mind, and I would have loved to have this type of insight when I first read the first book of the serThis short story gives some insight into Thomas' mind, and I would have loved to have this type of insight when I first read the first book of the series.
We see the tense dynamic between Thomas and his father, as well as his passion for his studies and how intrigued he was by Audrey Rose when he first met her.
✅ Angst ✅ Sexual tension / Some smut ✅ Characters ✅ Multiple POVs ✅ Pace ✅ Overall addictiveness ✅ Plot ✅ Rejected mate vibe ❗️❗️ Cliffhanger ❗️❗️ Trigger war✅ Angst ✅ Sexual tension / Some smut ✅ Characters ✅ Multiple POVs ✅ Pace ✅ Overall addictiveness ✅ Plot ✅ Rejected mate vibe ❗️❗️ Cliffhanger ❗️❗️ Trigger warnings: reference to sexual assault and physical abuse (off-screen), coerced behavior via dark bond, bullying, self-harm (compelled by dark bond), manipulation and emotional abuse, brief suicidal ideation
Vex Eden found out a few months ago that she is Crimson Fury Pack's scent match, but the pack has made it clear time and time again that they want nothing to do with an omega. The problem is, that Vex is under the influence of a dark bond, a bond that allows her alpha to make her do anything he wants, and he wants her to pretend she’s a beta, and make them fall in love with her so he can have leverage over the Crimson Fury pack when he takes Vex back.
This book reminded me of the Pack Darling duology, while also being completely different in the execution and plot. There is a similar vibe to both books, with an omega having to hide some secrets about herself, and living with alphas that don’t exactly want her around. The end is also full of angst, and I am so glad that the second book of this duology is already out so I can start it right away. This book ranks right at the top of the ABO I’ve read next to Pack Darling… I couldn’t say which one I liked most.
The author also extended the usual ABO worldbuilding, adding the Gold Pack omegas; omegas that didn’t register with the government to get their injection, thus living outside of their protection (but that also means that they don't have the same restrictions when it comes to following bond/pack rules). There are also 3 types of bites/bonds in this series, the regular mate bond, the dark bond where the alpha has complete power over the omega, and the princess bond, where the omega is at the center of the bond and “rules” the pack.
Vex is strong, driven, and determined, and I love how resilient she is. She’s had a shitty life, and it only got worse in the past few months, but she still manages to get up every morning and try her best to enjoy her time with Drake and build bonds with the other alphas. She is quick and even snarky when dealing with the alphas, but that’s just what they need, and it shows that she still has spirit and spunk. She is also proud and impulsive when she’s emotional, which got her into trouble more than once, but it added even more angst to the book so I really can’t complain about that (#angstaddict).
Vex was a great main character, and all four of the alphas were very interesting as well, even if some were less likable. They all have depth and layers, and I loved how we discovered new facets of them throughout the book.
Dear Rook: You were supposed to be better.
Rook Harrison Playboy. Arrogant. Vain. Rook is not used to women not wanting to sleep with him, and he doesn’t like that Vex can resist him, even worse, that she threatened him and humiliated him in front of the other alphas. He starts as a rude alpha-jerk, and we can see that he loves to push others’ buttons, especially Ebony’s, but we can also see that his desire to get revenge on Vex for her rejection turns into an interest in her, and a desire to know her more and develop a saner relationship with her even.
Dear Love: The harder I try, the more I disgust you. I will never be enough.
Love Hightower Control. Leader. Sacrifice. Love is the pack leader, trying to hold his pack together, while also managing his brother Ebony’s psychopath tendencies. Love is used to his brother ruining everything meaningful, so he tries to stay away from Vex and ignore the attraction he feels for her because he knows that if he shows interest, his brother will destroy whatever they have, and most probably hurt Vex while doing so. Honestly, he was a little bland compared to the three other alphas, but that’s simply because the others are so intense, not because Love is boring. I am curious to see him lead the pack in the next book as they will need to grovel BIG TIME if they hope to get Vex back and earn her forgiveness.
Dear Ebony: I thought when I got here, I’d feel safe at last. But you make me afraid.
Ebony Starless Psychopath. Intense. Cunning. If you read the Pack Darling series, you could compare Ebony to Finn, except Ebony is even darker than Finn I think. Ebony is a diagnosed psychopath. He is cold, cunning, and does not feel emotions. For him, it’s all about winning or losing, and every once in a while about protecting what he considers “his”. He’s scary because he remains in total control of himself, and since there are chapters from his point of view, we can see how he mimics emotions to get what he wants. He says what he knows the others want to hear and pretends to feel, but truly he doesn’t feel much, and that is even scarier than an impulsive violent guy like Finn Wyvern. Despite his scary side, I like how he decided that Vex was “his” near the end and ended up wanting to keep her and protect her. It might not be because he feels any attachment to her, but at least he’s willing to fight for her, and she needs that.
Dear Drake: Please don’t leave me. I can’t do this without you.
Drake Jaccard Cinnamon roll with extra icing. Scarred. Sweet. OMG. I love Drake so much! He was the sweetest of them all, and he balanced the others’ shittiness and utterly despicable attitude. He needed Vex’s sweetness as much as she needed his, and it was wholesome to see them heal a little bit from their past trauma together. I liked all of the alphas because I do think that they will all be able to bring something to Vex eventually, but there is no competition as to who is my #1. Drake stole the spot from the very beginning. That being said, he might be my favorite, but I still think that Ebony is the more intriguing one, and I am really curious about his special bond with Drake.
“Let me be crystal clear, Vex,” he said, eyes icy. “I didn’t hire you because you were competent. I hired you because you’re unconventional, and that happens to be what Ebony needs. Don’t conflate my signature with interest. I find you nothing more than an eyesore and an annoyance.”
There is so much manipulation and lies in the Crimson Fury pack, it’s unbelievable. They are so dysfunctional. Add to that an omega pretending to be a beta, hellbent on seducing them even though they don’t ever want to form a bond with an omega, and it’s a winning recipe for a lot of explosive and angsty situations.
Seriously, I am obsessed with this book, and if it wasn't for my baby needing me to care for him, and me being horribly sleep-deprived for the past 6 months, I would have spent the whole night up reading the sequel. ...more
I received an audio copy of this book via NetGalley (thank you Dreamscape Media). All thoughts and opinions are my own.
✅ Found family ✅ Characters ✅ RomI received an audio copy of this book via NetGalley (thank you Dreamscape Media). All thoughts and opinions are my own.
✅ Found family ✅ Characters ✅ Romance and some smut ✅ Multiple POVs ✅ “Touch her and die”… But she will be the one to kill you because she’s a badass. ✅ Pace ✅ Plot ✅ Fighting and magic ✅ Good strategizing and politics ❗️❗️Killer cliffhanger (sorry for the wording, no pun intended… iykyk) ❗️❗️Trigger warnings: imprisonment, torture and deaths
UGH!!! The cliffhangers in this series are killing me. ...more
I received an audio copy of this book via NetGalley (thank you Dreamscape Media). All thoughts and opinions are my own.
✅ Multiple POVs ✅ Plot ✅ Pace ✅ PI received an audio copy of this book via NetGalley (thank you Dreamscape Media). All thoughts and opinions are my own.
✅ Multiple POVs ✅ Plot ✅ Pace ✅ Politics and scheming ✅ Characters ✅ Found family ✅ Romance and some smut ✅ Magic ❗️❗️Cliffhanger
4.5 stars
Nothing hardened a woman like betrayal from a man she’d trusted. And then men had the audacity to call us cold.
This book picks up right where the first book ended, with Prisca and the hybrids on the run. Prisca just discovered Lorian’s true identity, and while she would love to be able to hate him and never talk to him again, she knows that the hybrids need the help of the faes to survive, and she also can’t see herself being away from Lorian, even if a part of her hates him for what he did and the lies he told.
While it has a different vibe, this sequel was just as entertaining and engaging as the first book. The pace was good, but some parts of the book felt longer. Even though what Prisca and her group are doing is very important for the survival of the hybrid and eventually defeating the King, it also felt like the stakes were lower than in the first book. Still, a lot was going on in A Kingdom This Cursed & Empty as Prisca needed to find allies, lie and manipulate at times, keep the hybrids safe, and also locate the infamous hourglass that was gifted to the hybrids by the gods that would allow her to be much more powerful.
“It will take more than a few arrows to kill me.” “What would it take?” I asked, curious despite myself. “Given your wicked temper, I think I’ll keep that information to myself, wildcat.”
We see in this book how much Prisca has changed since the beginning of A Court This Cruel and Lovely, and how she struggles to reconcile what she wants with what she needs to do. She does not want to be the hybrid queen, but she wants to save them nonetheless and she knows they need her. Prisca needs to make many decisions in this book, and she constantly needs to think about the consequences of those decisions. I like that she took the time to consider the different paths and the outcomes, it was not simply a matter of saying yes or no. She also showed that she could be quite cunning and even ruthless when it came to getting support and helping the hybrid, and I love this fierce and protective side of her, that does not negate her thoughtfulness and gentleness.
There were a few flashbacks, but they were very short and well-integrated into the plot. As someone who is not usually a fan of flashbacks, I liked that they were concise and that they gave us a little more input on Lorian’s past. They also allowed us to see him in a different light at times, with what we discovered about him, which is good because I finished the first book wishing to have more backstory for Lorian, and we got it in this book. I also have to applaud how much he believes in Prisca and her abilities. He never tries to coddle her or diminish what she can do, he knows how strong she can be, and he is also confident enough about them not to be an overbearing and overprotective male.
“I’ll never be safe, Prisca. I’ll always be the monster who slaughters anyone who attempts to hurt you. I don’t know how to be anything else. My mistake was attempting to shield you from the sight of that monster.”
The romance between Prisca and Lorian is cute and slow, while also being very intense. They are not over the top, but their feelings for each other run deep, and even though their relationship is quite new, it is clear that they are not ready to give up on each other, even though people keep reminding them that they eventually will not be able to remain in a relationship because of who they are and their status. I am confident that they will ultimately be able to remain together, but I am eager to see how they will manage it, considering that they are both royalties from different races and that the Hybrids are not pleased at all with the idea of their future queen being friendly with the fae prince.
I love that Prisca spent more time with Lorian’s group, and we got more of the “found family” vibe that was building in the first book. I would still love more of them in the next book. Found family is a trope I adore, and this group of strong mercenaries that are big softies deep down is so easy to love! I am also very curious to see more of Madinia, especially after what happened in one of the Queen’s chapters. I am also curious about the Queen’s plan because she is definitely more aware of what the king is planning than it appeared in the first book, and I think she can and probably will surprise us before the end of this series.
Thankfully, the third book was released on the day I finished this amazing audiobook because it ends with a cruel cliffhanger and I can’t wait to see what will happen to Prisca and her group!
“No one gets to choose if you’re worthy of that crown except you.”
I received a sampler of this book via NetGalley (thank you St. Martin's Press). All thoughts and opinions are my own.
*This is a review for the 216-paI received a sampler of this book via NetGalley (thank you St. Martin's Press). All thoughts and opinions are my own.
*This is a review for the 216-page sampler, not the whole book*
✅ Great writing (it kind of reads like a screen adaptation, but it works!) ✅ Beautiful cover ✅ Cruel and vicious vampires ✅ Expansion of world-building ✅ Dark atmosphere ✅ Development of the characters ✅ Pace and action ❗️❗️ Just like the first book, this one is bloody, vulgar, and dark.
It took me a while to read this sample, simply because I was not in the mood for this type of book. That being said, the writing, descriptions, and dark vibe are very similar to what we saw in Empire of the Vampire, so if you enjoyed the first book, you will adore this sequel for sure (or at least the first part of it since I only received a sampler).
Gabriel is still held in the Chastain Fortress’ dungeon, and he continues to tell his tale to Jean-François, the Queen’s historian, in this deliciously dark sequel. His story picks up where it ended in the first book, right after he rescues Dior from being sacrificed, and escaped death at the hands of the Ordo Argent himself. Dior and Gabriel have to accept Celene’s help in this sequel, as they seek answers about the Holy Grail and how Dior could possibly be key to ending the end of the world.
There is less back and forth between the past and the present in this book, and it focuses more on Gabriel’s story. It set a more addictive pace, compared to the first one where the action often stopped just as it became more intense, so we could jump into the present for a few pages, before being plunged back into the past and the action.
There is a lot of character development in this first third, and I love that the author also took the time to develop and flesh out important secondary characters. We also get a better, deeper insight into the world-building and the history of the vampires’ rise to power, without having to go through unending descriptions. The author managed to keep a good pace and to build a story full of action, while also delving deeper into the Lore and the characters’ layers.
The last chapter also reveals that Celene is also a prisoner of the Chastain’s dungeon, and will also have to tell her tale to Jean-François, so I am very curious to see the new details and insight she will give to what Gabriel already revealed.
I might not pick up this book right away, because as I said, I am not in the mood for this type of heavier writing at the moment, but I will read it eventually so I know what happens next.
✅ Characters ✅ Found family / Hermione being adopted by the Slytherins ✅ Harry and Draco becoming friends ✅ Slowburn romance ✅ Some smut ✅ Plot ✅ Some angst✅ Characters ✅ Found family / Hermione being adopted by the Slytherins ✅ Harry and Draco becoming friends ✅ Slowburn romance ✅ Some smut ✅ Plot ✅ Some angst ✅(...more
✅ Multiple POVs ✅ Characters ✅ Prison setting ✅ Faes and magic ✅ Pace and plot ✅ Twists ✅ Reverse-harem ✅ Smut ❗️❗️Trigger warnings: time in isolation, beati✅ Multiple POVs ✅ Characters ✅ Prison setting ✅ Faes and magic ✅ Pace and plot ✅ Twists ✅ Reverse-harem ✅ Smut ❗️❗️Trigger warnings: time in isolation, beating up people, mild gore, and mentions of past child abuse ❗️❗️I recommend reading the Ruthless Boys of the Zodiac series before reading this one to have the background stories about the characters.
4.5 stars
Alpha Wolf picks up three months after the end of Caged Wolf. Rosalie has spent those three months locked in the hole, thanks to Cain, and now that she is finally out, she needs to move on with her escape plan as soon as possible. Because of the mayhem that happened with the Belorian at the end of the first book, new security measures have been and are also about to be implemented, meaning that Rosalie’s job got even harder, and she only has a few weeks before her plan is not possible anymore.
I should have expected this to happen really. Fate always had liked to kiss me on one cheek while slapping me on the other.
Even though I knew that Rosalie and her crew would not be able to escape the prison in this book, because there are at least 2 more books to this series, but mostly because by now, I am used to the Twisted Sisters’ twisted plot twists, I was still anxious to see how things would go for them. Sin is unpredictable and that makes him a liability at times, and Cain is also a wild card, he doesn’t want to hurt Rosalie, but he has such strong beliefs when it comes to the inmates, that there is no way he would let them escape. I am happy with the way things turned out. Sure, they are still stuck in Darkmore, but the dynamic changed so the next book with have a different pace and it shouldn’t be too repetitive.
Rosalie is still a great female lead, probably one of my favorites from the Solaria universe. She is strong, driven, resilient, and vindictive at times, but she always keeps her goal in mind and she knows when to fight and when to let it slide. I loved her when she was 14 in the Ruthless Boys series, and she keeps on showing how great of a character she is in this series.
Roary was a little disappointing in this book, mostly because I found him a little boring at times. His thoughts about Rosalie are running around in circles for most of the book, and it got repetitive quickly. Also, while I like his charisma and strong, quiet presence, he has almost no interaction with the other characters. One thing that I ADORED from the Ruthless Boys series is how the guys would interact together and slowly build bonds, I am missing this aspect here.
I saved his life. He left me to rot. And if I ever got out of this stinking hell and there was even the slightest part of me left able to fight then I would direct all of my hatred his way for what he'd done to me. Mason Cain was a dead man walking. He just didn't know it yet.
Although Sin is the crazy one, Cain is the wild card in this series. He is still attracted to Rosalie and he craves her blood, but he also doesn’t trust her and is very determined to figure out what she’s up to and make sure that no one escapes the prison. I am pretty sure that he will come around eventually and become a part of the reverse harem, but I am curious to see how things will play out between Rosalie and him, but also between him and the other members of the harem. He had his reason not to trust Rosalie and to want to get rid of her by sending her to the hole, but I don’t think he’s done enough groveling yet. He still has some work to do to earn Rosalie’s forgiveness, just as she still has work to do to earn back his trust.
Ignoring social customs was one of the biggest weapons against society I’d ever learned to wield. If people thought you were deranged, they stayed the fuck away. Being unpredictable made me terrifying, even to guys who were bigger and stronger than me.
Sin shows his unhinged side even more in this book, but he also shows a sweet side when he is with Rosalie. He stole the show, seriously. He made me smile so many times with his impulsive, reckless decisions that seemed to have no logic, but then you could see that he was trying to help in his weird way when you read his chapters. I also loved how he tries to interact with the other inmates, mostly Ethan, and how he seems to have no clue about social rules, or just doesn’t give a shit about it. The way he kept lying to Ethan to trick him into doing whatever he wanted was also pretty funny.
"Feel what?" I asked cruelly, the mask my papa had taught me to wear strapped tightly over my features. "The way you shunned me and the gift the moon offered us? The rejection of knowing my mate would rather let Sin make him into a little bitch and allow the entire prison to believe he mated a fucking Beta rather than stand up and claim me as his own? The hurt in my chest as you let that low ranking bitch paw at you and kiss you and fuck you and-" "I'm not fucking her," he snarled like the idea actually disgusted him. "I'm not fucking anyone but you."
Ethan had a tough time in this book. He was struggling at first with being forced apart from his mate, and when she was finally back from the hole, she gave him kind of an ultimatum: either he admitted to everyone that she was his mate, or he stayed away from her because she didn’t want to be his dirty secret. A part of me was disappointed by him at first, but at the same time, his situation added some angst to the book and I can’t complain about that. He came through in the end though, and I am eager to see him strengthen his bond with Rosalie in the next book. Also, I looooooove the way he calls her “love”. Nothing more to say about it.
I need to give a special mention to Busty Esme who’s a real trooper, willing to do anything for her alpha, to poor Hastings who’s going to end up stuck in the middle of this shit show even though he's a sweet sweet guy, and to plunger who is weirdly funny in his disgusting way, but he did make me smile.
I can’t wait to pick up the third book, and while I am really enjoying this addictive series, I know I will regret my decision to start it now when I reach the end of the third book and have to wait for the fourth one.
I received a copy of this book via NetGalley (thank you Berkley Publishing). All thoughts and opinions are my own.
✅ Expansion of the world-building ✅ CI received a copy of this book via NetGalley (thank you Berkley Publishing). All thoughts and opinions are my own.
✅ Expansion of the world-building ✅ Characters ✅ More backstory and relationship development ✅ "I will let everyone else die to save you" ✅ Romance / Angst ✅ Sexual tension and some smut ✅ Pace and action ✅ Plot ✅(...more
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