Daggermouth by. H.M. Wolfe | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice: 🌶️🌶️

Title: Daggermouth (#1)

Author: H.M. Wolfe

Format: ebook (kindle unlimited)

Pages: 566

Publication Date: 12/5/25

Categories: Dark Dystopia, Dark Romance

He Is Her Ruin. She Is His Rebellion.
The first thing you’ll learn in New Found Haven is mercy no longer exists. Showing mercy is a weakness, and weakness will get you killed.

The second thing is this—the Veyra are always watching. From the highest glass atrium in the Heart to the windowless slum dens of the Boundary, no movement goes unseen.

The last lesson is the hardest, but you must remember it.
Love outside of your ring is a death sentence.

The city is carved into rings of privilege and poverty, ruled by the masked elite who will do whatever it takes to hold onto power.

Obedience is demanded. Rebellion is crushed.

Greyson Serel has spent his life caught between two worlds. Publicly, he’s the flawless heir to the presidency. Privately, he’s entangled in secrets that could topple the regime. But when he’s forced into a political marriage meant to bind him tighter to the governments brutal laws, he finds himself shackled to a bride who is as lethal as she is unwilling.

Shadera is a mercenary raised to kill, not to wed. Yet when her bullet misses its mark, survival leaves her bound to the very man she was sent to eliminate. Trapped inside the corrupt heart of the city, she becomes both prisoner and wife, her every step watched, her every move tested.

Their union is no love story—It’s a battlefield. As secrets come to light and betrayals fester within the walls of power, Greyson and Shadera must decide between annihilating one another or burning the city to the ground together.

In a world where passion sparks rebellion and loyalty is paid for in blood, their forced bond may be the spark that ignites a revolution. Or the fire that consumes them both.

DAGGERMOUTH is a dark dystopian romance perfect for readers who love true enemies to lovers, The Hunger Games, marriage of inconvenience, The Handmaid’s Tale, rise of the oppressed, and political intrigue that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

DAGGERMOUTH is book one of a duology.

Content Warning: death, violence, torture, abuse, misogyny, mentions of rape

Interestingly enough I saw this book cover on Kindle Unlimited and it caught my eye because I didn’t quite like it lol…but I was intrigued? And it had high reviews so my curiosity won out. I’m so glad I got this book!

+ The world building is very interesting, this city is run by the elite that live in the Heart, with outer rings like the Boundary and the Cardinal. Cardinals live to serve the elites in the Heart and the Boundary is considered the trash of society. As Maximus Serel, the President of the Heart, squeezes resources going to the Boundary, there are many people who want to take him down. Shadera, who is an assassin, part of the Daggermouths, takes a contract to kill Maximus’ heir and executioner, Greysen. When things take a turn, this story took me on a very tense journey.

+ The twist and turns in this book, especially in the second half is diabolical! And the ending made me silent scream/gasp (it was late at night and people were sleeping) because I was not expecting it. And then I had to wake up in the morning and read that ending again to make sure I didn’t dream it! 😅 I was speechless. There are so many secrets, and betrayals, I loved it. I also love how this story explored complicated (really messed up) family dynamics.

+ This is told in third person, with multiple POVs. Each character has an important part to play. And even though it’s a big cast, I actually enjoyed getting to know everyone. Every single character in this book was flawed and made me eager to know them. I know Shadera and Greysen are the main characters, but so many others like Lisa and Callum, have meaningful stories and journeys too!

+ There are a lot of dark topics in this book like abuse and oppression – it is violent. It is a story about rebellion. At some points I felt as hopeless as the characters who were fighting against Maximus. He is SO evil. I think he might be the character I hate the most in all the books I’ve read in 2025 – I wanted him GONE. Shadera and Greysen have so much trauma, so many scars, emotional and physical. They thrive and survive on pain. It’s a heavy story, so check the triggers.

+ There is romance – Shadera and Greysen are enemies to lovers, and forced into an engagement. For the most part, until maybe the end there is attraction, but things are complicated and they stay mostly enemies, but come to an understanding. There is more of an emotional connection growing at the end so it will be interesting to see how that plays out in book two. But Lira and Callum, their second chance romance in the ugly world they live in was beautiful and devastating. There is some spice and one scene takes place after a very interesting, chaotic scene!

~ There were some typos but I didn’t mind it too much. This whole story takes place in like a week, which is crazy! Yes, there is groundwork done by Maximus, terrorizing people in New Found Haven, so we come into the story when people are fed up and trying to dismantle his reign of terror. It starts when it’s all staring to unravel and the rebellion is about to go down. We learn who is in on it, but there are some people who didn’t get enough book time that I wanted to know more about. I hope we get to explore more of these characters in book two.

~ I’m hoping there is no love triangle. Shadera does have someone she is close to in the beginning but she’s someone who doesn’t let anyone in close emotionally. I am team Greysen right now, because I want to see their relationship grow, they’ve been through a lot of chaos and trauma together, in one crazy week. So I feel like there needs to be more time between them.

Final Thoughts:

I could not put this book down and I was stunned by the end of this book. This story started off tense and then it ended in a way that left me flabbergasted. I literally had to cover my mouth and let out a soft gasp/silent scream at the end of this book (people were asleep in my house). I even woke up in the morning the next day and reread that ending to make sure I wasn’t dreaming. 😂 My heart was broken, but also I was shocked and I feel like with all the books I read, that’s hard to do to me. 😅 I was highly entertained and I cannot wait for book two.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Your Knife, My Heart by. K.M. Moronova | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️

Title: Your Knife, My Heart (Dark Forces, #1)

Author: K.M. Moronova

Format: ebook (kindle unlimited)

Pages: 304

Publication Date: 11/11/25

Categories: Dark Romance

Dark. Deadly. Irresistible.

Cameron Mortem has a problem―he can’t stop killing his partners. Officially labeled clinically insane, he’s also one of the most lethal assets in the Dark Forces, a brutal underground military operation built on obedience, survival, and silence. But an experimental drug has fractured his control, making him a liability whenever someone else is on the field. As punishment, he’s thrown back into the Under Trials―a merciless boot camp designed to break the weak and sharpen the ruthless.

His one directive? Don’t kill the new girl.

Emery Maves narrowly escapes a death sentence after her own brutal crimes, only to find herself forced into the same violent world. Assigned to Cameron, she’s expected to survive the Trials and her partner’s unstable nature. But Emery quickly realizes there’s more to Cameron than bloodlust and body counts. Beneath the madness lies a terrifying allure―and a strange, dangerous tenderness.

As the Trials push them to their limits, Emery must navigate the brutal demands of the Dark Forces while resisting the pull of a man who could just as easily kill her as protect her. And Cameron must fight the one urge he’s never been able to overcome.

Their bond is intoxicating, chaotic, and born of violence. And if it doesn’t destroy them both, it might just save them.

Content Warning: violence, gore, bullying

+ Two things come to mind when I think about this book: violence and sex. Cameron “Mori”, is a part of the military special forces or dark forces as they call it – dark? Because they are ruthless killers, especially Mori. His problem? He can’t stop killing his partners. He is also the military’s test subject on all kinds of drugs. The one he is addicted to prevents him from feeling pain, but they have taken the drugs to the next level and now Cameron is wondering if the addiction to them will kill him. But he’s been given another chance, they paired him up with Emery and his objective? Not to kill her. Cameron is a walking red flag, with a British accent and, he’s hot.

+ Emery has a past of her own. Daughter of a powerful, wealthy man, she grew up being his trained assassin until she got caught and was supposed to go to jail. But she gets a second chance too – pass the deadly trials the dark forces have set up for recruits, not die at Cameron’s hands, and she will be part of his unit, Fury. I found Emery very interesting – she’s a reluctant killer, but when she did kill for her father she positioned the bodies in artistic ways in protest to her father. So, does she like killing? No. But she does it well, and she does it to survive.

+ The romance is insta-lust, due to the forced proximity put upon them. It’s very physical, definitely a release from the high stress they are all under in that facility, sometimes it was even happening after some violent scene. It’s very spicy. And basically Cameron is the red flag that Emery wants to help change. Her humanity, and caring for others (even though it’s a kill or be killed kind of environment), really opens Cameron’s eyes to the possibility that maybe someone could really care for him. It’s a lot of pushing and pulling on his part though, so it was normal that she get frustrated with that.

+ Most of the story is about training, Cameron and his downward spiral, and then the deadly trials. I think with how it ended, we’ll be getting to know more about Emery’s past in book two since now the two sides will intertwine.

~ Although I loved the chaos, and mayhem of Cameron and Emery’s relationship. I wanted a little more than the spice and more of an emotional connection but it was almost impossible since Cameron has a lot of attachment issues. I’m hoping this guy breaks open in book two, just to win Emery over.

~ Emery has a reputation but I thought it was interesting that in this group of killers she is one of the weakest of them all. She has a specialty for guns, but we don’t even get to see her using it. I guess it was for the purpose of her learning and growing, but I wanted her to at least shine using her strength. She kicked some ass, but Cameron was basically her shield most of the time.

Final Thoughts:

This was a quick, binge-able read and I was highly entertained with Cameron’s crazy. I will definitely be reading book two after how things ended, I need to see what happens with Emery and how her past and family comes up to catch up with her!

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Alchemised by. SenLinYu | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice: 🌶️

Title: Alchemised

Author: SenLinYu

Format: ebook (borrowed)

Pages: 1040

Publication Date: 9/23/25

Categories: Dark Fantasy, War, Romance

In this riveting dark fantasy debut, a woman with missing memories fights to survive a war-torn world of necromancy and alchemy—and the man tasked with unearthing the deepest secrets of her past.

“What is it you think you’re protecting in that brain of yours? The war is over. Holdfast is dead. The Eternal Flame extinguished. There’s no one left for you to save.”

Once a promising alchemist, Helena Marino is now a prisoner—of war and of her own mind. Her Resistance friends and allies have been brutally murdered, her abilities suppressed, and the world she knew destroyed.

In the aftermath of a long war, Paladia’s new ruling class of corrupt guild families and depraved necromancers, whose vile undead creatures helped bring about their victory, holds Helena captive.

According to Resistance records, she was a healer of little importance within their ranks. But Helena has inexplicable memory loss of the months leading up to her capture, making her enemies wonder: Is she truly as insignificant as she appears, or are her lost memories hiding some vital piece of the Resistance’s final gambit?

To uncover the memories buried deep within her mind, Helena is sent to the High Reeve, one of the most powerful and ruthless necromancers in this new world. Trapped on his crumbling estate, Helena’s fight—to protect her lost history and to preserve the last remaining shreds of her former self—is just beginning. For her prison and captor have secrets of their own . . . secrets Helena must unearth, whatever the cost.

Content Warning: violence, war, religious trauma, gore, rape, torture, drug use, death, suicidal ideation

This book has been everywhere on my socials, and let me just say I never read Manacled – the fanfic that was written before Alchemised and I’m not that knowledgable about the Dramione fanfic world that this is inspired by. That being said, I had a chance to borrow this one and wanted to see what they hype was all about.

+ I’ll get straight to what was my favorite part of this story – the love story. And when I say love, it’s not the pretty, sweet, happy, kind of love that people think about. Yes it’s a dark fantasy and dark romance story, it’s a captor/captive romance, and not for everyone. But these characters are stuck in a war that’s gone on too long, there is so much death, so much darkness, it’s all they know now: torture, blood, guts, gore, and zombies. Helena and Kaine, fall in love with one another during this very dark time. Kaine is a very red flag, but there is one thing he cares for in this hellhole of a world – Helena. His words to her are cruel, but he takes care of her. His actions spoke way louder than his words. As for Helena, she’s naturally caring because she’s a healer and she starts to see his actions beneath the mask of his words. And she’s lonely, they both are and that’s why they fall for one another. She saw him underneath all of the growling, cruelty and coldness. And no one has taken care of him like Helena has. Their love story is messy, scary, at times unforgivable, but the love or obsession between them really conquers all. Basically they are ride or die for one another and to hell with everyone else (even us reading the book! lol). Their story is emotional, heartbreaking, and I was hoping they were either going to get their happily ever after OR die together. 😅

+~ The world building is extensive and detailed. There was a lot to learn and a glossary would have helped because I felt like I was thrown into it and I was lost or my brain was not open to receiving this education in alchemy. I was like nope, I need it at beginner level please lol. But I definitely could envision this dark world embroiled in war. There is political intrigue, betrayals, and secrets. As far as the war, none of the sides sounded good to me. The Eternal Flame was so righteous in their cause and the Necromancers were so cruel and evil. The Eternal Flame seemed like the lesser of both evils. Also I think I was confused with the world-building of the Gods and such – maybe I would need to re-read it to understand it. The depiction of all the ugliness of war is done well in this story. It’s dark, it’s tragic, it’s like there is no way out of the constant killing and death. The story shows how high the cost of war is, and even I was tired of the war at the end of book.

~ I did have some issues with this book. First, the length. It is told in three parts and I actually had to push through Part One because it felt like it was moving too slow. There was a lot of info-dumping. I understand it’s setting the stage, but it was slow and I almost DNF’ed until a friend told me it gets better. The story did get better but then there would be other spots where again, too much info-dumping so I skimmed some of it. The pacing was not the best for me. I felt like there was a lot of repetition that could have been cut out. I think this would have been better for me as a series.

~ I had QUESTIONS: why was Helena so loyal to Luc and the Eternal Flame? I get that he befriended her in school and she was lonely, but that much loyalty to him? I needed to see how that friendship built. Also, how and when did Kaine get so obsessed with Helena? I wanted to see some moments in school where Kaine interacted with her or thought about her, because there’s a moment where Helena remembers how they were rivals in school but they never talked because he was a guild student and she was a scholarship student. So when did his obsession with her begin?

~ Helena and Kaine, kept going in a circle of don’t you dare die, no don’t YOU die and/or I’m going to save you, NO I’m going to save YOU. 😅. It was dramatic and I love angst, but I think it being so repetitive took out the emotional impact for me. Speaking of circle? This book is written in a way where you will want to go back to the beginning and see what you missed.

Final Thoughts:

I’d say my thoughts on this book are mixed, maybe because of the hype? But I did go into this without expectations. I think the love story between Helena and Kaine is what kept me in the story, I needed to see if they would make it out alive! The world building is dense, sometimes confusing, many things were repetitive and the pace was too slow for me. The story is long. The story is dark (check the triggers), but I like dark stories so I didn’t mind that. I liked that in the darkness of this story, came the tiniest spark of hope – and that hope was two people who did anything and everything to save one another. Two imperfect, misunderstood, broken, used, traumatized people found love, where love was hard to find and I thought that was pretty epic. I can see how people will either love this story and be devastated by it or dislike this book because it’s dark, and it’s triggering, but I’m glad I pushed through it and got to experience it.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

The Death-Made Prince by. Lisette Marshall | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice: 🌶️🌶️

Title: The Death-Made Prince (Runewitch Saga, #1)

Author: Lisette Marshall

Format: ebook (kindle unlimited)

Pages: 547

Publication Date: 10/21/25

Categories: Fantasy, Dark Romance, Enemies to Lovers

A runewitch on the run has only one option join forces with the sarcastic, unpleasantly gorgeous necromancer she loathes

The man Thraga loved is dead, and her future is in shambles. When she’s sentenced to the gallows for killing her lover’s murderers, it’s a relief more than anything… until, the night before her execution, a necromancer is thrown into her cell.

Escaping with him is her only chance to bring Lark back to life – and also the start of all her troubles.

Because her new almost-ally is not just any man returned from death. Fire mage, rogue prince, and son of the man who killed her mother, sharp-tongued Durlain Averre is everything Thraga hates. Worse, he won’t revive her lover unless she joins him on a mission of his own first, using her forbidden rune magic to free his sister from the dungeons of an enemy king.

But their quest turns into a deadly chase when Thraga’s violent past catches up with her. And as the net of court intrigue and old fears closes around them, she begins to find out Lark was not at all the man she thought he was…

And neither is Durlain.

The Death-Made Prince is the first book of the Runewitch Saga, an epic enemies to lovers fantasy romance featuring two morally grey leads, OCD rep, and a Norse mythology-inspired world. While it is a slow burn romance, the first book does contain spicy content intended for 18+ readers.

Content Warning: violence, death, sexual assault, torture

+ I don’t really know what I expected from this book but I could not put it down. Thraga is in a prison cell when a man is thrown into the cell and her life changes forever.

+ The world-building is great because our characters Thraga and Durlain are on the run and also searching out information so that Durlain can save his sister. He needs Thraga because she is a runewitch – but runewitches are reviled in this world, so she has to keep it secret or she will be killed or worse, taken prisoner again and used. So we get to see a whole lot of this world as Thraga and Durlain are traveling thrown different towns and terrains. I love how that gave me a better sense of the world. It is a Norse-mythology inspired world, hence the runewitch but there is also necromancy. There is political intrigue, secrets and betrayals that added a lot to the story and made the stakes higher. There is violence, battles, and mentions of torture.

+ Thraga is a powerful runewitch and she is mourning the loss of her loved one, Lark. She decides to help Durlain because he agrees he could bring him back from the dead. She was with him for four years but we learn through her memories of him that what she thought was safety and protection was actually him placing her in a cage and making her think less of herself. I was so mad on her behalf and was really rooting for her to break from the memories and grow. Thraga is neurodivergent and also has OCD, and it’s represented really well in this story where even her thoughts started making me anxious. She really is a character who is finding her strength and I love that about this story. But there is a lot we still don’t know about her, especially after that ending!

+ Durlain, the MMC, is a prince and he’s already died once. He is a firemage and he has horns! Honestly I’ve read so many romantasy books where the MMC is downright gorgeous and I have been really, really craving an MMC that isn’t gorgeous but interesting and compelling. Durlain is that guy! He’s scarred (internally and externally), and he wears an eye-patch. He is flawed, sharp edges and angles, witty, cunning and intense – not gorgeous but he’s riveting. He’s everything I’ve been craving for lately! It’s like this author read my mind 😅. He’s doing all of this to find his sister, who loves dearly. He’s morally grey. He’s been tortured and killed and back for revenge and I was all for it!

+ The romance is a slow burn and enemies to lovers. Durlain’s people hate runewitches, and vice versa, so there is a lot of animosity there, but they are companions on this crazy journey and there is a lot of forced proximity. Durlain has a sharp tongue but Thraga gave back as good as he gave, which I loved for her because she was conditioned not to fight. I loved their interactions and verbal sparring! It’s a slow burn but eventually there is spice. But their situation is a challenging one because Durlain is used to pushing people away, he’s been through hell, literally, but Thraga has gotten under his skin. But I need book two because of what happened at the end!

~ I’m not usually one to like books where the characters go on a long journey. There is a lot of hopping around from place to place but in this story I didn’t mind it too much because we got the lay of the land as they traveled plus we meet some interesting people that are important to Thraga and Durlain’s goals.

~ There are a lot of characters they meet along the way and I did get confused at times who Durlain was impersonating, especially if it was one of his family members!

Final Thoughts:

I loved this one. Loved the enemies to lovers romance, loved the characters who are complex, and that ending…I need book two asap! Also, I’ve had one of her books, Court of Blood and Bindings on my Goodreads TBR list so maybe I’ll just jump into this series while I wait for book two.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Burning Daylight by. Emily McIntire | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice: 🌶️🌶️

Title: Burning Daylight (Defying the Stars, #1)

Author: Emily McIntire

Format: ebook (Kindle Unlimited)

Pages: 526

Publication Date: 9/30/25

Categories: Romance, Romeo and Juliet Retelling

Juliette Calloway lives in a world of luxury, legacies, and lies. The daughter of Rosebrook Falls’ most powerful family, her life is a carefully crafted performance, and she’s tired of being polished to perfection.

Roman Montgomery doesn’t exist. Not officially, anyway. He’s a shadow, a hidden weapon, the secret heir to an empire soaked in danger and a generations-old feud.

When their paths cross, sparks fly.
No names.
No pasts.

Just reckless smiles and an undeniable chemistry neither of them can shake.

Roman is charming. Mysterious. Infuriatingly flirty.

And Juliette? She’s simply…his.

When Roman is called back to claim his place as heir to the Montgomery empire, the truth crashes down: Their families are sworn enemies, and Roman’s very existence is a threat. Their love isn’t just forbidden, it’s impossible.

Now, every kiss feels like a betrayal. Every stolen moment a risk. And in a town built on secrets and blood, their passion might just be the most dangerous thing of all.

Content Warning: violence, parent with drug problem, parental pressures

+ This is a Romeo and Juliet retelling and I thought it did a pretty good job with doing that.

+ I liked some of the secondary characters like Juliette’s bestie, Felicity. She was fun! And Juliette has a bunch of brothers, all very different and interesting, I want to know more about them and wonder if the next books in the series will be about them?

+ Juliette is the only daughter of the Calloways and always falls in line, until she meets Roman. Roman/Ryder has had a challenging life so far – he’s dealing with so much, a mom who is drug addict, a sister who is constantly ill, and a dad who stays out of his life to keep him “safe”. I was really invested in Roman and rooting for him.

+ The focus of this story is the star-crossed, forbidden romance between Juliette and Roman. I thought the two of them were made for one another. Roman is obsessed with Juliette from the start, he brings the longing and yearning. Whereas Juliette is the princess of the Conway family, she’s ready to obey her family (even though she doesn’t want to), but when she meets Roman, he’s the only one she wants. I thought they were cute together and clearly he is down bad for her! And of course there is some good steamy scenes between them.

+ There are a few betrayals in this story and a few twists at the end. There are people who get away so I’m sure this will carry into the next book.

~ Because the focus was on the forbidden romance, I wanted more about the families and what made them dangerous. We are told the Calloways are basically the most powerful family in town but I wanted to see that power. I thought the betrayals and the twist was good but I just wanted to see the families exerting their power.

Final Thoughts:

I thought this was a pretty good Romeo and Juliet retelling! I loved the romance, that was my favorite part. I would love more family drama and politics – would love to see what makes the Calloways dangerous. Juliette’s brothers were interesting, so I’m wondering if the next book will be about one of them? I look forward to seeing what happens next in the series.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Eldritch by. Keri Lake | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice: 🌶️🌶️

Title: Eldritch (The Eating Woods, #2)

Author: Keri Lake

Format: ebook (Kindle Unlimited)

Pages: 766

Publication Date: 9/9/25

Categories: Dark Romance, Dark Fantasy, Horror

In the grimly captivating sequel to Anathema, Maevyth and Zevander must navigate the perilous mortal lands to deliver Zevander from the clutches of an ancient, malevolent power that threatens to shatter both worlds.
An eldritch magic has awakened, turning the mortal world darker. Colder. Famished. With flesh-eating monsters and a sinister curse spreading like a plague, the last glimmer of humanity in Foxglove Parish has long-since faded.

For Maevyth and Zevander, the only chance of escape is through The Eating Woods. But fate has woven a new web, tangling the threads of destiny, and crossing the mystical boundary to Aethyria might not be so simple.

As the bones of Maevyth’s past are unearthed, and truths unravel with unsettling clarity, the possibility of never leaving Mortasia is becoming more of a reality. Unfortunately for Zevander, time is running out. The longer he stays in the mortal lands, deprived of essential vivicantem, the more he succumbs to the encroaching specter of madness.

Or maybe those chasing shadows are someone hunting him. A wretched evil closing in, threatening to pull him into the darkest corners of his mind.

Only, this time, Maevyth may not have the power to save him.

Eldritch is a full-length, gothic dark fantasy, the second book in The Eating Woods trilogy. Perfect for readers who enjoy a character-driven and atmospheric story with a unique magic system, a slow-burn romance and a touch of horror.

Content Warning: violence, physical-emotional-sexual abuse, slavery, torture, death, trauma

+ Anathema was the first book I read from this author and I gave it a 3.5 rating because as much as I loved the slow burn romance, it was too long of a book and a little too dark for me. I wanted to read this sequel though because I am invested in Maevyth and Zevander’s beautiful and tragic romance.

+ The atmosphere in Eldritch is continued from Anathema. It’s dark, it’s mysterious and filled with worshipping Gods, people in fear of magic and witches, a portal to a different world, scary creatures and the spiders! Ugh, the spiders are something. The story is told in two timelines, past and present and focuses mostly on Zevander’s past. There is also a different place he goes to, Caligorya – a place in his mind that he can go to escape the torture and abuses happening to him under General Loyce.

+ This is Zevander’s story and though we get hints of what happened to him while reading Anathema – in Eldritch, we see his past in full light and the torture he’s been put through by General Loyce. It’s heavy and dark and at times, my heart just broke for him. All this history fleshes him out more as a character and we get to see him in all his complicated, broken self.

+ Maevyth grows as a character in Eldritch. She is still compassionate but this time she needs to learn to fight because people she love are in grave danger. We get to see her love for her family very strongly in this one. And when it comes to Zevander, she is beautifully patient and kind to him.

+ My favorite thing about this whole story is the romance and it’s why I read Eldritch. Their love is so beautiful even though they are both broke, Zevander being the most broken of the two of them. But Maevyth is steadfast, strong and the perfect partner for him.

+ I liked the second half when there are more characters added to Maevyth and Zevander’s group – there was actually humor from Aleysia and I appreciated that a lot!

~ This book is 766 pages long. It is too long again, longer even than the first book. I love Kazhimyr and his side quest but I think having his POV chapters were unnecessary unless he plays a big part in book three. I found myself skimming some of his chapters because I wanted to get back to Zevander and Maevyth.

~ The story only really moves forward in the last part of the book, so most of the book is Zevander’s history. And the slow burn love story was beautiful but I did wish they kind of got right to working things out between them in the beginning. It takes a few chapters for them to address their sexual relationship and I know it’s because Zevander respected her wishes, but Aleysia was knocked out and healing so I think there was time for them there to move things along in their relationship.

~ There is another cliffhanger in this story.

Final Thoughts:

I think this is a solid sequel to Anathem with all the same dark elements, if not more. I was mostly in it for the romance between Zevander and Maevyth and that didn’t disappoint. I do think the book is too long with most of the story moving quicker in the second half. This sequel is mostly about getting to know Zevander and I think the story did the job. I’d like to read book three but also hope it’s not a long book again.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read From This Author:

Anathema by. Keri Lake | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

What Fury Brings by. Tricia Levenseller | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️🌶️

Title: What Fury Brings (Wrath and Fury, #1)

Author: Tricia Levenseller

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 368

Publication Date: 9/23/25

Publisher: FEIWEL

Categories: Fantasy, Dark Romance, Revenge Fantasy

Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

Thank you to FEIWEL for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

There’s a shortage of men in the kingdom of Amarra. After a failed rebellion against the matriarchy, most noblemen in the country are dead. Now the women of Amarra must obtain their husbands (should they want one) by kidnapping them from other kingdoms.

Olerra, a warrior princess vying for the throne, is determined to prove her worth by kidnapping a husband. And not just any husband. To outmaneuver her treacherous cousin, she needs the best. Fortunately, the second-born prince of their greatest enemy is widely known for both his looks and his sweet, docile temperament. He’s the perfect choice to secure her claim to the throne.

Sanos, heir to the Kingdom of Brutus, has nothing but contempt for the idea of a society run by women. Trained from birth to fight, lead, and follow in his father’s overbearing footsteps, his path has always been set. Until he takes his younger brother’s place in a drunken prank and finds himself kidnapped, carted off to the Amarran Palace, and informed that he is to become the husband of Queen Potential Olerra. Sanos needs to escape before anyone learns his real identity, but the more he gets to know his captor, the less sure he is of what he truly wants.

Content Warning: violence, physical abuse, mentions of sexual assault, kidnapping, dubious consent, auctioning/selling men/children, mentions of grooming and underage sexual partners, animal death, penis guillotine

+ I went into this arc, seeing the reviews for it online being very polarizing. People either love it or hate it and it made me very curious as to why. The world building is different – especially for a romantasy. We hear romantasy and think certain tropes, but this is most definitely a reversal of the gender roles and this is a dark romantasy. Olerra is from the kingdom of Amarra where the women are in power. And I don’t mean they just are the rulers of this place, oh no, they housebreak their men – yes, that’s what the call it. Men are the subordinate, they are the househusband, they are used for breeding, they are punished if out of line, they are the whores, and they are the ones being bought. Personally, I thought it was very eye opening and I wanted to see how this story played out.

+ Olerra, as a character, she’s powerful. She fights with men, wins against them, she’s a commander of the military, she’s a big woman and she’s ambitious. I kind of got a kick out of her husband-hunting/kidnapping and being the one to save him in the end. Is she perfect? No. Because she does punish Sanos, put him on display, plays on his lust for her – but this is a role reversal, this is how Olerra has been raised. Readers of dark romance have seen similar scenarios take place in the traditional roles of men and women. The man doing the kidnapping, displaying the woman, etc…so it was really fascinating to see Olerra do all of this to Sanos, who is not a weak man himself. He’s a warrior and fighter just like her, and she emasculates him so she can be viewed as powerful among her people.

+ I like how this book bent my brain because I’m so used to the usual gender roles in all the romantasy I read – and I read a LOT of them. So this book was so good at challenging my thoughts on what I’m used to reading, things I just readily accept about female and male characters. I thought Amarra being a mirror to the Brutes was interesting. The society in Amarra is the result of men doing what they do to women – but instead of flourishing as an open society (which they do – they accept different sexualities), they treat the men as women have been treated. They treat criminals like an eye for an eye – male rapists get their privates removed. The women don’t seem to have evolved but are carrying out revenge. Instead of Amarra’s women taking the high road and saying, this won’t happen here – they do it full force, exactly what’s been done to them, because that’s “what fury brings“. But not going to lie, I was kind of scared for these men!

+~ There is spicy scenes and one that includes bondage. So it’s spicy but might also make some readers uncomfortable because of dubious consent.

~ This is marketed as a romantasy but I felt like the romance was under-developed. It’s enemies to lovers, clearly – the enemies being very obvious, Sanos has been kidnapped and is being forced to marry Olerra. It’s definitely Stockholm Syndrome but again…I’ve read this in regular romance and didn’t mind it. He eventually has feelings for her but I felt like it was all lust. Would have loved to see some tender moments between them, that shows that feelings, more than lust, were growing.

~ Please heed the trigger warnings – this is a dark romance. Stockholm syndrome anyone? There are mentions of grooming, buying young boys and it’s gross and uncomfortable.

~ I kind of wanted to see at the end how Olerra and Sanos would rule Amarra and Brutish because they both win their crowns so would book two show progress as Sanos points out things Olerra can change in Amarra and vice versa? I’m very curious! I did feel Olerra did exactly say all the things she would change as Queen, she mentioned not being as cruel as her cousin. But that doesn’t mean much. Would also like to see Sanos change some things in Brute.

Final Thoughts:

This is a dark romance fantasy where the gender roles have swapped in Amarra and women in take their revenge on men. I like that it was like holding up a mirror to how men treat women but it doesn’t mean what they are doing in Amarra is right. Men sell young women in many dark books – well the Amarran women sell young boys in this book. It’s ugly, but I think that is the point of the mirror. Men do it…but women could do it too. Sanos basically falls for his kidnapper – but we’re not new to stories like this, are we? Nope. Just new to who does the kidnapping and who is doling out punishment in this book. Either way, it’s wrong to live like this or behave this way and I think that’s what I got out of this story. Now there were many uncomfortable moments in this story but I also found it a quick read and there were even some funny moments. So I think you have to read this one at your own risk, read some reviews on this one, and definitely check out the trigger list before going into it. Overall, I found it a fascinating read but did want more out of the romance and maybe see both main characters commit to doing more to change how their kingdoms treat people.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read From this Author:

The Darkness Within Us by. Tricia Levenseller | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Blade of Secrets by. Tricia Levenseller | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

The Shadows Between Us | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Daughter of the Pirate King – ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Daughter of the Siren King – ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Warrior of the Wild – ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Endless Anger by. Sav R. Miller | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️

Title: Endless Anger (Monsters Within, #1)

Author: Sav R. Miller

Format: ebook (Kindle Unlimited)

Pages: 452

Publication Date: 8/19/25

Categories: New Adult, Dark Romance, Dark Academia, Childhood Friends to Lovers

Sometimes the pomegranate doesn’t fall far from the tree…

Asher Anderson is angry―at the world, at himself, at the way his best friend Lucy Wolfe seems determined to tune out this buzzing connection between them. He doesn’t mean to solve all his problems with violence, but maybe he has too much of his father in him. That’s why the faculty at Avernia College hates him, right? Because of the “evil” blood in his veins?

He should know better than to darken the old, ivy-covered university’s door, but it’s practically a law of the universe: wherever Lucy goes, Asher follows. Even if that means entering a twisting labyrinth of secret societies, human sacrifices, and a very personal history soaked in blood.

Lucy is used to being an outcast. She’s even used to Asher being her dark, brooding shadow. What she isn’t used to is him shattering her resolve by taking her up against library bookshelves as she desperately pretends her heart hasn’t always been his. She should know better than to play with fire, but with unexplained deaths and pointed threats ripping apart the university’s fabric, Asher and Lucy soon find themselves at the center of the turmoil…where they’ll have to confront their feelings or die trying.

Content Warning: violence, death, sexual assault, torture

+ I think the book started off strong and intriguing. Asher is in love with Lucy and I love how they knew each other since kids. He’s protective of her and they know the best and worst of each other. There’s a lot of no communication between them which was a bit frustrating, lots of angst but everyone knows they want each other and basically waiting for them to get together.

+ Their parents all know each other and I also liked the other characters in their friend/family group like Foxe and Aurora. Overall, I could tell this was a tight knit group.

+ If you want smut, it’s there but it comes in the second half of this book. So it’s a bit of a slow burn until then, but it is spicy! There is a lot of pent up longing and desire between these two.

+~ The premise of this one caught my eye and I saw it on booktok. I do wish I knew that this was a spinoff because I could tell while reading this I was missing something that regarded the parents of these kids in the book.

~ I was lost. Probably because I didn’t read the previous series that came before this book. I was missing the connection between the parents who all know one another. I didn’t know what was up with this college and what was so bad about it, even though everyone kept saying it was bad. It took so long for the story about the “bad things” at the college to develop. Like what was this curse? While the relationship between Lucy and Asher kept me invested, the plot was lacking and made me lose interest.

~ Book was too long for a story where not a lot was explained or happening.

Final Thoughts:

Read the series, Monsters & Muses before reading this book or else you might be as lost as I was. My favorite thing about this story was the childhood romance between Lucy and Asher – it’s full of longing and desire but also my least favorite trope -no communication, which was their only downfall really but still frustrating. There’s a lot of spice between them once they cave into their feelings for one another. The rest of the story has potential but I just needed more. Overall, just an okay read for me.