Pretty Vicious: The Order by. Lexi Davis | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️

Title: Pretty Vicious (The Order, #1)

Author: Lexi Davis

Pages: 303

Format: ebook (kindle unlimited)

Publication Date: 1/13/26

Categories: Secret Societies, Dark Romance, New Adult, Series

Laurel just wanted to survive college, keep her father fed, and fly under the radar.

Delivering pizzas was supposed to be the safe kind of side hustle, until the night she witnesses a murder at Ashford House, the most elite and secretive fraternity on campus.

Now she’s a prisoner of The Order, a blood-bound society that controls everything from politics to police. They rule with ritual, obedience, and violence, and they’ve decided Laurel doesn’t get to leave.

At the center of it all is Carrson Ashford, heir to the powerful Ashford legacy.
Cold. Commanding. Infuriatingly magnetic.
Under the rules of The Order, he “bonds” her, marking Laurel as his.

Body. Mind. Soul.

But Laurel isn’t here to be claimed. Not without a fight.
To save her father and her future, Laurel must navigate a twisted realm of initiation rites, brutal secrets, and a bond that may destroy them both.

In this world, there’s one rule: obey or die.

But love doesn’t follow rules. And neither does Laurel.

★ Dark academia meets Southern Gothic in this emotionally intense, enemies to lovers, forced proximity, morally gray, twisted college romance filled with secrets, violence, and impossible love. Perfect for fans of Penelope Douglas, LJ Shen, Shantel Tessier, and Sierra Simone.

Content Warning: violence, death, assault, mention of rape, alcoholism, physical and emotional abuse, prostitution, *check triggers in book*, suicide, suicidal ideation

I’ve been slowly going back to contemporary dark romances after being picky about which ones to read for a few years now. But the sound of a Southern Gothic dark romance sounded so intriguing so I got this one on Kindle Unlimited and was pleasantly surprised.

Laurel is in the wrong place at the wrong time and that leads to Carrson Ashford, son of a powerful man, to take her and make her his Bonded to save her life. Laurel is thrust into this dark, strange, creepy world of The Order – a secret society of men and women who basically produces the people that will someday run the world in every aspect – financial, world leaders, and more. And Carrson is poised to inherit it all but nothing comes easy in The Order. Success comes at the hands of killing and lots of blood, so Carrson is now a good person – but Laurel sees something redeemable in him.

The Handmaid’s Tale is mentioned in this book a few times because the role of women in The Order is basically to procreate, and the rules for them are diabolical. But Laurel is questioning their culture and rules since she is forced to bond to Carrson. But this is a very dark world, a very dark upbringing for anyone who belongs and grew up in The Order.

I was wary about Carrson because he’s an alpha-male, a killer, and sometimes an a-hole but surprisingly Laurel softens him up. Which is why I actually enjoyed their romance. He becomes protective and possessive of her but not in a way to dominate her. There is more to Carrson than what he presents and we actually get a good insight to his heinous upbringing. Even the spicy scene to me was particularly tame for a dark romance but I loved it because it showed he had restraint and had come to care a lot for her. So I’m rooting for them to make it!

Final Thoughts:

I am surprised I enjoyed this one! The characters have depth, and the spice was meaningful instead of degrading or too dark. It’s a very dark story so please check the warnings beforehand! I am totally rooting for Laurel and Carrson’s love story and I hope we see them make changes to The Order as the story progresses in the series.

Read if you like:

dark romance
secret society

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

The Dark in Her Veins by. M.K. Lobb | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️🌶️

Title: The Dark In Her Veins (#1)

Author: M.K. Lobb

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 336

Publication Date: 8/25/26

Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca

Categories: Dark Fantasy, Dark Romance, Series

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

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

From critically acclaimed, bestselling author MK Lobb comes a noir romantic fantasy set in a world in which sin is a fatal disease, and the rich hire the poor to carry out their basest instincts—until the forbidden romance between a sinner and a mysterious figure threatens to destroy everything.

In Valestadt, everything has a price. Sinning leaves its mark in the form of the Bloodrot, a slow-creeping disease that leads to madness, then death. Most sins are negligible, but murder—committed enough—can be fatal. For the rich, violence is something to be outsourced. For the poor, it’s a paycheck that comes with a cost.

Talin Keller is a sinner. Employed by the holiest man in the city, the Prophet, she gets her hands dirty so his can stay clean. And with her Bloodrot rapidly advancing, Talin knows her next job could be her last. But when a new assignment puts Talin on a collision course with a shadowy figure known as “the Warden,” she begins to see a future for herself that doesn’t involve a body bag. If she can get close enough to the Warden, she can trade his life for her own freedom. That is, if she can keep her balance on the knife’s edge.

The closer Talin gets to the Warden, though, the more she finds herself falling for his sharp edges and twisted sense of justice. As savior and sinner bleed together, Talin finds the real threat isn’t either man – but a conspiracy tied to the past she hoped was dead.

Content Warning: violence, death, BDSM, cult, religious horror

World Building: This world is very fascinating and takes inspiration from religion. In Valestadt, sinning leaves you with bloodrot, a condition that leaves you with dark veins that will eventually kill you. And Talin is a sinner – a hired killer for the Prophet who is the holiest man in the city. How convenient that a holy man would let someone else get their hands dirty for him. Talin wants out, and to live the rest of her short life free – but she meets the Prophet’s brother, the Warden, a crime lord and a diabolist which is someone who feeds off of confessionals. Talin is caught in a trap of her making, but her goal is to come out of it hopefully alive. Check the trigger warnings for this one.

Characters: Talin is a sinner, she is a hired killer with no hope of a future but she wants out of her job. Her past is a mystery though, but I could kind of figure out the secret she was hiding. She is messy, traumatized, loves pain, is bisexual and surprisingly to her and the Warden, a submissive. The Prophet, Gabriel, is a holy man but as we find out – holy doesn’t equal to good. The Warden, Slade, is who Talin is drawn to because both are sinners in their own way and morally black. Both love pain, and are both equally not okay. Ceri and Emeric are secondary characters that brought a little humanity to these morally black characters, and I enjoyed them.

Romance: Talin and Slade are both bisexual, both love pain so yes there is BDSM. But surprisingly, I didn’t find this super spicy, just at times maybe uncomfortable since there is violence in their sex play but it is both consensual. Now I kind of want to say even though I characterize this as dark “romance” there is no romance here. Both characters do not want love and cannot give the happy love kind of romance. No…as Slade said, his idea of love is obsessing over someone. So yes, this is a dark romance, by the end of this they are both obsessed with one another.

Story: I could not put this story down because I thought the world was fascinating: the prophet, the warden, the cult and sinners. I found the morally black characters equally interesting and wanted to see how Talin would get herself out of the trap she was in. Now there were times I thought she was so incensed with rage that she wasn’t thinking right – and it felt like Gabriel and Slade were a step ahead of her most of the time. But I was definitely hooked to see how she would get out of the trap, and if she would survive it. The ending is a cliffhanger which left me disappointed because I wanted more! So I guess I have to wait patiently for book two!

Final Thoughts:

I was hooked on this one mostly because I wanted to see if Talin could find her way out of this trap between two brothers. All she wants is to live before the bloodrot takes her but…does she deserve to live? These characters are morally black, the story is dark, it’s violent, it’s twisty, there is no trust, there is no love blooming between the Talin and Slade, but maybe obsession is and I didn’t mind that at all. The world is fascinating but would like to learn more about the diabolists and how confessions fuel them, also more about the cult. I wanted more at the end but I had to settle for a cliffhanger. I’ll be looking forward to book two.

Read if you like:

BDSM, knife play
dark romance
political intrigue

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Wrecked by. Bree L. Mina | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️

Title: Wrecked (The Westin Legacies, #1)

Author: Bree L. Mina

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 466

Publication Date: 8/18/26 (paperback deluxe)

Publisher: Simon Maverick

Categories: Dark Romance, Second Chance, Survival, Contemporary

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

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

Fate is a fickle thing.

It can lead you down a path of pain, or it can take you on a journey toward happiness.

There is no equity in the unpredictable.

Fate is inevitable.
Not everyone is destined for a happy ending.
Not every story will work out in the end.
Not every love is meant to survive.

Some believe we are in control of our destiny. That we determine the outcome of our lives, the people we love, and the path we walk.

But I didn’t choose to survive a plane crash.
I didn’t choose to be trapped on an island with the man who once crushed my soul.
I didn’t choose to reopen my heart to a love so powerful that the end of it would be unsurvivable.

I didn’t want to fall in love with my sister’s fiancé. To feel the insurmountable pain that followed my rescue. Or let go of a man that would own my heart until the day I die.

But I am no longer allowing fate to decide my future.

This next path is mine.

*Please note this book is a romantic tragedy. The conclusion of this book is the conclusion of this story. There will not be a cliffhanger. This book does not end with an HEA; however, the events of this book inspire the story in book two. Book two will have an HEA*

Content Warning: violence, death, suicide, physical abuse, sexual assault, rape, child abuse

This book is titled so appropriately because by the end of this that’s how I felt – wrecked! Heed the warning in the blurb, this story doesn’t have a happy ending, it is a romantic tragedy.

Elli and Nate have loved one another since high school. She was a sophomore and his tutor. He was a senior and the captain of the football team with a powerful and rich father. A father that abused him. This story goes back and forth from the past to the present…the past where Elli and Nate are so in love with one another, to the present where he is engaged to Elli’s sister, Katie. Yes this story is as messy as it seems. But ultimately it’s about two people so in love but are torn apart because of Nate’s evil dad, and they find their way back together after some crazy event. They have so much to confess and emotions to work through but they eventually get there. And the chemistry between is undeniably spicy.

This is a dark story so please check the trigger warnings. I don’t even know if I liked Nate even though I felt bad for him being manipulated and abused by his father – but just the way he went about pushing Elli away (for her sake), really sucked bad. This is a second chance romance wrapped up in a love triangle. The cheating trope is one of my least favorite tropes even though Nate had an explanation for everything. I don’t even know how Katie, his fiancé could still want him after knowing he loves her sister. I feel like they all needed therapy! By the end of this book I was emotionally drained, I didn’t cry, but I was just sad for everyone involved in this story even if it is fictional.

Final Thoughts:

This story is for the ones that like a tragic romance with some dark themes – check the triggers. Was I engrossed with the love triangle drama? Totally. I had to see how it played out and boy did it end in the most unexpected and sad way. This one will not leave you happy in the end, but I’m still curious to see what happens next in the story. Can there be a happy ending eventually? I’ll be reading book two to find out.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Deviant King (Deluxe Edition) by. Rina Kent | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️🌶️

Title: Deviant King (#1) Deluxe Edition

Author: Rina Kent

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 362

Publication Date: 8/11/26 (first published 10/21/2019)

Publisher: Bloom Books

Categories: New Adult, Bully Romance, Dark Romance

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

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

The villain isn’t supposed to be king.

I have a simple plan.
Finish Royal Elite School and get into my dream university.
One glance from the school’s king blows my plan up in smoke.
One glance and he suffocates my air.
One glance and he issues his death sentence.
His first words spiral my life into irreparable chaos.
“I will destroy you.”
Everything about Aiden King is black.
Black mind.
Black heart.
Black soul.
I should’ve remained quiet and endured the time I have left.
I didn’t.
I made the irrevocable mistake of provoking the king on his throne.
The devil in his hell.
And now, I’ll pay the price.
Being hated by Aiden King is dangerous.
But being wanted by him is lethal.

This book is part of a trilogy and not standalone. The entire trilogy is available.

Content Warning: violence, sexual assault, bullying, so much more – read the trigger warnings

I wanted to read something different and realized I never read a Rina Kent book so I requested it. Now I am not the biggest fan of bully romance, but did I read this in one sitting? Yes, probably because Aiden, the MMC is so unhinged, I had to see how bad he got. I couldn’t quite look away and wanted Elsa, the FMC, to build a backbone and stand up to Aiden, but of course, she would fall for him ~ but point blank this guy is just crazy. Again, read the trigger warnings because some of his behavior is just disgusting.

I think this story would have been more believable though, if the characters were older, even if they were just new adults in their early 20’s, but these characters are in high school students acting like they run the world (world being their elite high school) and I just wasn’t buying it. I say it’s New Adult because it’s spicy.

I did like some of Aiden’s friends because they tried to help Elsa – they weren’t as crazy as Aiden.

Final Thoughts:

This was not for me – Aiden needs to be locked up somewhere! I just couldn’t believe these were high school students, even if they were at an elite school. It was too dark for me, so if you are into very dark romance with all the trigger warnings – you might enjoy this one.

Read if you like:

bully romance
dark romance

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Daybreak by. Autumn Woods | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️

Title: Daybreak (Sorrowsong University, #2)

Author: Autumn Woods

Pages: 479

Format: ebook (own)

Publication Date: 7/28/26

Categories: New Adult, Dark Academia, Dark Romance, Romance, Mystery, Series

Alex’s Corbeau-Green’s world is burning down around him, and Ophelia Winters is desperate to prove she didn’t light the fire.

When Ophelia first accepted a scholarship from Sorrowsong, an elite university in the Scottish Highlands, she wanted nothing more than to destroy Alex and his family at any cost. But that was before she knew him, before they became each other’s everything. Now, after an unthinkable betrayal and the disappearance of his father, Alex is forced to return to New York, desperate to forget what they had, and salvage the damage done to his family. In Scotland, Ophelia is left reeling, alone . . . and watched.

With a new anonymous tormentor threatening to release evidence that Ophelia and Alex committed a murder on campus, it’s clear that they’re going to need each other once again. But can they find a way to trust each other, and repair the love that they had? And even if they can—will it be enough this time to keep them alive?

Content Warning: mentions of abuse, death, grief, illness, mental health, depression, stalker

I loved Nightshade so I had to get this book ASAP.

I have to say this book is less dark academia and mystery than the first book and more romance. I did feel like the mystery of the stalker and where Alex’s dad was hiding out got a little lost in the romance between Ophelia and Alex. I would have loved more breadcrumbs about the stalker and Alex’s dad. The stalker reveal felt a bit anticlimactic too and the way the situation played out was just sad.

Speaking of Alex, if I was rating this book just because of him alone, it’s 5 stars. He is dealing with depression, dealing with his horrible father in hiding and trying to keep his mom and sisters safe. Plus he is so madly in love with Ophelia and needs her so bad…it broke my heart so bad to see him try and hold on and not fall apart. I feel like this is Alex’s book. It shined a light on his troubles, his vulnerabilities and the story really focuses on mental health and depression. I don’t know if I’ve loved a male character as I love Alex – he’s just so gentle with the women in his life. Okay, maybe he is just outnumbered and they wear him down 😅 but the way he loves them is just amazing and all I wanted was for him to feel loved back. He’s just trying his best and I needed him to have a happy ever after with Ophelia.

And the romance? Ugh, my heart…Alex and Ophelia are my favorite young couple and they have the best banter. And I love their inside jokes and things only that is special to them like the crossword puzzles, and the “until midnight” sayings. 🥰 They are the cutest couple ever when they aren’t trying to push the other away. They even try to have a long distance romance. They are two broken people, who find each other in the midst of grief, depression, revenge and secrets. They had so much to work to do in their relationship…and I love that they DO work things out. There is spice, but with them I feel like their spicy moments are fun and heartfelt.

Also, the secondary characters are great. Ophelia finally has friends, and I love Colette, she is so funny! I also love how Bella who isn’t her “friend” actually, tells her off because sometimes Ophelia needed it! She’s found a family with Alex’s mom and sisters, she grows and accepts help and open up to people. And Vincenzo? He is such a goofball and made me laugh.

Quotes From the Book:

“Right people, wrong universe. That’s what she thinks about us.” – Daybreak by. Autumn Woods

“To be loved by Alex Corbeau-Green is unlike anything I’ve ever known.” – Daybreak by. Autumn Woods

“A relationship won’t fix your depression, no matter how much you love her.” – Daybreak by. Autumn Woods

“She’s everything. She’s the words, the clues, the black spaces that hold the whole puzzle together.” – Daybreak by. Autumn Woods

Final Thoughts:

This is Alex’s book and I love Alex so I’m biased. The romance is a 5 star, the whole book and how it flowed I’d actually give 4 stars so I’m settling at 4.5. This sequel is filled with trauma, heartache, mental health issues like depression, but so much love also and even some hope. Alex’s love is amazing – he loves his mom and sisters like crazy and his love for Ophelia? Never ending. As for Ophelia, she grows, finds friendship and even a family (Alex’s family) – she learns to open up to others. Did the mystery about the stalker and even Alex’s dad become a little lost among the romance drama? I think it did a little. The stalker reveal felt anticlimactic and overall it was a sad situation. I wish it played out differently. But despite that issue this story had me in a chokehold because of the romance and Mr. Alex Corbeau-Green. Alex and Ophelia has been through so much and I’m glad they get their happily ever after! Can’t wait to see what this author writes next.

Read if you like:

Alex Corbeau-Green 🥰 yearning
mystery
romance with dark themes – mental health

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read From This Author:

Nightshade by. Autumn Woods| Book Review – 4.5 stars/2 🌶️

The Serpent’s Throne by. Kathryn Ann Kingsley | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice Rating: 🌶️.5

Title: The Serpent’s Throne (Bloodlines, #3)

Author: Kathryn Ann Kingsley

Pages: 298

Format: ebook (kindle unlimited)

Publication Date: 7/10/26

Categories: Romantasy, Dark Romance, Vampires, Fae, Series

I swore I’d kill Raziel Nostrom. Now he owns my heart…

After a shattering betrayal, Nadi and Raziel flee into the Wild—the endless labyrinth of caves that is home to the fae.

Nadi trained for years to infiltrate and kill a ruthless family of vampires. Now she faces an even deadlier challenge—returning to her own family with their most hated enemy by her side.

In a realm of flickering lights and terrifying monsters, the desire that binds her to Raziel only grows stronger. Enemies and allies wish to tear them apart, but she still craves his razor-sharp smile, his touch, his bite…

In the city above, Raziel’s siblings are building a new world, where vampires rule with no restraint and no mercy. Soon their power will be untouchable.

Nadi and Raziel only have each other. Two shattered and broken things, in a world that wants them dead. Two perfect assassins, sharpened to a killing edge and hungry for revenge.

Their love was forged in blood. And it will end in blood…

Content Warning: violence, death

World Building: Nadi and Raziel are in the home of the fae, the Wild – which is an underground labyrinth. They make plans and need to escape, I like the symbolism of Raziel being deep underground in Fae territory and needing to climb all the way up to the surface to carry out his vengeance. In the Wild, we meet some of the Fae in power and learn about them and their motivations.

Characters: Nadi has chosen her side, and it’s Raziel so she does everything to take his family down. Raziel has gone beyond anger, he is the Serpent and will do anything to take down his family and rule. He has always been morally black, but I love how Nadi grounds him, just enough – I like how he knows what he is good at and had some sanity while he seemed like he was going insane. Kalo was interesting and we get to know more about him – at times I didn’t know what side he was really on but I did like his growth.

Romance: Nadi and Raziel are like Bonnie and Clyde and they will go down together with a world burning around them. I love how they were each other’s ride or die til the end! They have seen the best and worst of one another, and they are committed – I love that about them! Nadi sees all his red flags and things, I want that. 😅 Surprisingly this is the least spicy book among the three in the series, but I didn’t mind it because there was a lot of killing going on, no time for spice!

Story: This is a great ending to the trilogy! I like how Nadi and Raziel went about carrying out their plans and vengeance. They were in it 100% and I admired that about them even though Raziel is a little crazy. These two are made for each other, I love their crazy moments and heartfelt ones too. I enjoyed the journey Nadi and Raziel go through to finally achieve their goal. And the ending had a little twist I definitely wasn’t expecting.

Final Thoughts:

I was cheering Nadi and Raziel on because I wanted to see them get vengeance too. I liked learning about the Fae, the politics, the violence and the vengeance. I love the romance, I was all about them being crazy and crazy for each other. I really enjoyed this series and hope to read more from this author!

Read if you like:

mafia vampire vibes
revenge
romance

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read From This Author:

The Serpent’s Sin by. Kathryn Ann Kingsley | Book Review – 4 stars/ 3 🌶️

The Serpent’s Bride by. Kathryn Ann Kingsley | Book Review – 3.5 stars/ 3 🌶️

Crown Me Dead & Crown Me Yours by. Liz Zander | Mini Book Reviews

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️

Title: Crown Me Dead (#1)

Author: Liv Zander

Format: ebook

Pages: 270

Format: ebook (Kindle Unlimited)

Publication Date: 4/10/26

Categories: Dark Romance, Dark Fantasy, Series

Wed me. Bed me. Slit my throat.

Born in dirt, raised in rot, I dig graves for the dead, while the living decay around me.

When my brother coughs blood, he appears.

A man too polished for the graveyard, with a bargain too cruel for the Seduce the King. Become the Queen. Die. And my brother lives.

Kael is a nightmare of living ruin, the rotting ruler of a festering realm. And Vale is his shadow, the cold architect of my demise.

One man needs my heart to beat. The other plans to stop it forever.

They think I’m a pawn. But I’m the gravedigger’s daughter. And I know exactly where to bury them.

Welcome to the funeral.

Content Warning: violence, death, body horror, maggots

World Building: This is a dark fantasy where a whole kingdom is rotting, and I don’t only mean the crops and buildings, but the people too. There is a curse that the current King Kael is trying to starve out, he’s supposed to take a wife he loves and slice her throat to feed his crown blood, but he refuses to do it but it means people will rot and die. There is body horror and…maggots. So if you are totally grossed out about both those things, this might not be for you.

Characters: I love Elara. She is always around death because she is a gravedigger along with her mom and brother. She’s not afraid of it and has seen so much of it that it doesn’t phase which makes her perfect to be King Kael’s bride since he is rotting. King Kael is someone who wants to end the curse, he’s rotting, he’s angry, lashes out but he softens towards Elara’s brash attitude and I was enjoying their growing friendship. Vale is a mystery – he’s handsome, and claims he is a steward for the king. His plan, to get Elara to make the king fall in love with her, so he can sacrifice her and feed the crown – which would remove the rot killing everything in the land.

Romance: For a moment in this book I thought there would be a love triangle. Elara is getting to know Kael, but her body wants Vale. And I was all for her attraction to the dark, mysterious man, even though I thought Kael was the nicer one of the two. There is a lot of mystery around both men, and you can never tell who is good or bad, who to trust. There is spice but nothing too overboard.

Story: I could not put this book down and I didn’t realize it was under 300 pages until I finished it so quick! I love Elara and how strong and brave she is. She loves her family and will do whatever it takes, even give up her life to save them from rotting. She gets under Vale’s skin and she befriends the Kael. There are secrets and lies and everything comes to a head in a cliffhanger. But thank goodness book two is out – because I had to read it right away. There were decisions that Elara made that I was frustrated about, but I understand she was trying to play her own game too and survive the situation she was in.

Vibes: dark vibes, some gross moments, but death is all around

Final Thoughts:

I love this book and only lowered my rating because some of the body horror was gross. But I was horrified and couldn’t look away – and I love Elara. I had to see if they could break the curse! It’s why I had to read book two right away.

Read if you like:

dark romance
dark fantasy
secrets, betrayal

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️

Title: Crown Me Yours (Heartstrings Duet, #2)

Author: Liv Zander

Format: ebook

Pages: 244

Format: ebook (Kindle Unlimited)

Publication Date: 4/16/26

Categories: Dark Romance, Dark Fantasy, Series

Wed him. Bed him. Slit his throat.

I killed the king.
Crowned myself in his blood,
But the curse still festers.

To break it, I need Death,
On his knees,
A ring on his finger.
My blade at his throat.

The god fights me to the grave,
Evades my touch,
Mocks my wanting.

He would rather tear himself apart,
Than let me close enough to end this.
But I didn’t come this far to lose.
I came to crown him mine.

Welcome to your wedding, my love.

Content Warning: violence, death, body horror

Part two in this duet – this is a love story that makes me cry because what do you mean Elara makes Death fall in love with her? He tries his hardest to not succumb to her but he cannot resist. I love them together. There is spice and banter, it’s less dark than book one – less body horror and there is a battle of wills but Elara is a force.

And the ending chapters which is basically an epilogue? Ugh…my heart! For some reason it was reminding me of Jack and Sally in Nightmare Before Christmas 😅 maybe because of all the skeleton parts of Death when he is revealed as himself. But hello his heartstrings? I could not take it. 💔 What a beautiful ending to this story to show us that love is always worth it, even through loss and pain.

I will say this was shorter than book one and I feel like both books could have been combined since most romantasy books these days are long. I was totally engaged in this story and I really loved it.

Quote from the book:

“You can’t have love without embracing grief. Pain is the price we pay for participating in life.” – Liv Zander, Crown Me Yours

Final Thoughts:

I love this duology which I feel could have just been one book – but besides that, what a story. It’s dark, but so heartfelt at the end. It pulled at my heartstrings. I’ll be looking forward to reading more from this author!

Read if you like:

dark romance
dark fantasy

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Us Dark Few by. Alexis Patton | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice Rating: 🌶️

Title: Us Dark Few (Us Dark Few, #1)

Author: Alexis Patton

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 321

Publication Date: 5/5/26 (first published: 6/28/23)

Publisher: Bloom Books

Categories: Dystopian, Dark Romance, Series

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

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

Khalani is a Prisoner
Takeshi is a Guard
Both are slaves to the Underground

Khalani Kanes has never stood on the surface of the earth. In the underground city of Apollo, faith and dreams are as absent as the sun. She longed to visit Genesis, the infamous Domed City and the final place where humanity lives aboveground. But when Khalani is given a life sentence and thrown into prison for a theft she didn’t commit, those wishes shatter into oblivion.

In Braderhelm Prison, murderers are neighbors, ruthless and cold-blooded guards live to punish, and every second is a battle to survive. She thought the danger lay in befriending criminals and avoiding Takeshi Steele, the nefarious Captain who runs her cell block. But darker traps and secrets await her within the shadows of imprisonment. Khalani’s blood will coat the walls in flaming silk before her enemies let her escape to the surface, a feat no one has successfully achieved. If the reclusive and callous Takeshi Steele won’t kill Khalani, then the merciless prisoners and her fractured mind will.

Enter Braderhelm Prison, where only the Wicked remain.

Content Warning: violence, death, sexual assault

World Building: Apollo is a world built underground because of what happened to the Earth years ago. It’s where the poor people live and prisoners like Khalani. Whereas Genesis is a domed city on the surface where there is sunshine and the wealthy afford to live. Khalani is in prison so most of the story takes place there, I think we’ll learn more about the surface throughout the series. Another area that is mentioned is Hermes but we don’t get to know much about that place yet.

Characters: Khalani is an interesting character – she’s lost her parents, now she’s in prison but she doesn’t lose her sweetness in a sense, which made me wish she would toughen up faster so she doesn’t get hurt. She does learn to be harder, and a fighter, but she still doesn’t lose her humanity even with everything she experiences and sees in prison. Takeshi is her prison guard and a captain who is ruthless but he trains Khalani when she dares to ask him. There are some other characters, who make up Khalani’s new found family but would love to get to know them better.

Romance: It’s an enemies to lovers, prisoner/guard romance, and is filled with a lot of dramatic angst at the end. It feels a little young adult at times I think because Khalani comes off sweet and naive, but upper YA since there is a steamy scene but no real spice. But it goes from enemies to lovers to not sure until book two.

Story: Most of the story takes place in the prison where Khalani is adjusting to prison life, but she learns a little bit more about Apollo and Genesis, and even gets to go to Genesis and be around the Governor who seems friendly to Khalani but we aren’t sure why because he comes off evil also. But there is a twist at the end that I wasn’t expecting and sets up for book two.

Vibes: prison break, prison romance, a little bit of poetry (reminded me a tiny bit of Shatter Me)

Final Thoughts:

I think a lot of this story was predictable but it was a quick read. I liked the world building and learning about Apollo, Genesis and I hope we get to learn more about Hermes. The romance is enemies to lovers and for the most part I enjoyed it though it reminded me of some other dystopian romances. I did like the twist in the end and will probably continue the series.

Read if you like:

prison romance – prisoner/guard
prison break
dystopian

Book Links:

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The Verdant Cage by. Jess Lourey | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice Rating:

Title: The Verdant Cage

Author: Jess Lourey

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 416

Publication Date: 4/7/26

Publisher: Entangled: Mayhem Books

Categories: Young Adult Dystopian, Romance, Thriller, Mystery, Series

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

Thank you to Entangled: Mayhem Books for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

The Wall was built to keep them safe. Or so they thought.

For as long as seventeen-year-old apothecary Rose Allgood can remember, the towering stone Wall surrounding Noah’s Valley has protected her people. No one leaves. No one fights. And no one questions why.

But their paradise has been hiding its thorns. When Rose’s mother becomes the Valley’s first murder victim and her twin brother is swiftly condemned, she alone is searching for the real killer. Determined to find the truth, she follows a trail of hidden messages, forbidden knowledge, and whispers of a past no one dares to remember.

The deeper she digs, the more certain Rose becomes that her mother’s death was no accident. That the Wall isn’t just keeping something out.

It’s keeping something in.

Fans of The Hunger Games, The Grace Year, and The Maze Runner will devour The Verdant Cage―a chilling dystopian thriller about what it takes to rebel when you discover your entire world is a lie.

Content Warning: violence, death, physical abuse

World Building: In this story there is a placed called Noah’s Valley surrounded by a wall – there are lots of rules, people have their duties, marriages are arranged, once a month – someone is harvested. The Guardian is their leader and he is not a good person and has some ulterior motive that is a mystery throughout the book until the end which is a very big plot twist.

Characters: Rose is our FMC – she’s about to marry the guardian’s son, Gryphon, who she was in love when she was younger but now they are not friends. Rose is a do-gooder, goody-two shoes, someone who abides by the rules because she was conditioned to by her family – to keep themselves safe. She’s a healer. But when she loses her family one by one she knows she has to start breaking rules to make a difference. I did like her growth because at first she is very naive. She becomes brave and fights for the people of their town. Gryphon had lots of animosity towards Rose, but he’s also being abused by his father. He’s also part of a small rebellion group and he does train Rose but I also didn’t trust him until the very end. There are other characters, new friendships for Rose, and some villainous characters in town that made things interesting.

Romance: Rose is arranged to marry Gryphon and they have a past, but are not friends at all in the present. Though I like an ex-friends to lovers romance, the romance in this story kind of came abruptly and felt kind of forced at times, because of the way Gryphon acts towards Rose. Would have loved for them to communicate a bit more. It wasn’t my favorite part of the story.

Story: There is a lot of mystery in this story – what happens to the people who get harvested? Where do they go beyond the wall? And why are people getting sick and dying from an unknown virus? A lot of things are revealed in the end with a very big plot twist that I didn’t see coming.

Vibes: while reading it – it gave me M. Night Shyamalan vibes – The Village! If you know, you know. It’s sort of creepy because you don’t know what’s behind the wall, and the town is strict.

Final Thoughts:

I thought this was a pretty good dystopian thriller especially with the ending! It was really interesting to see Rose and her friends live in this walled town, filled with mysterious illnesses and rumors of animals out there killing people when maybe the real killers are in the town with them. I feel like the ending sets up for a book two so if there is one, I’ll definitely be reading it.

Read if you like:

dystopian thriller
mystery
arranged marriage

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Cruel Angel by. Rebecca Kenney | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

Title: Cruel Angel (Gilded Monsters, #4)

Author: Rebecca Kenney

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 320

Publication Date: 4/14/26

Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca

Categories: Phantom of the Opera Retelling, Dark Romance, Romantasy, New Adult

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

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

There was a time I felt lost and alone…until I met them, and together our souls took My gentle Raoul and our deadly Angel of Music.

Haunted by the violent death of her parents, Christine Daaé longs to find solace in music, but debilitating stage fright keeps her firmly in the shadows. All she can hope for is a few stolen moments singing to herself in the mournful silence of the backstage stairwell…until one night, the shadows sing back.

In exchange for complete devotion, her mysterious Phantom promises to teach her everything he knows—and with his praise boosting her confidence, Christine is finally able to take center stage…catching the eye of her sweet childhood friend turned something more, Raoul.

But her mysterious mentor is as obsessive as he is demanding, and he will not share Christine with anyone—not unless he can have them both in a bargain that is as dangerous as it is seductive. Light and shadows, gentleness and raging passion, the three of them should not fit so perfectly together. Yet as a supernatural force looms, ready to tear them apart forever, Christine must decide if love can truly exist in the space between beauty and madness…and whether she’s finally ready to fully embrace the music of the night.

An addictive and truly original spicy New Adult retelling of The Phantom of the Opera with a magical twist.

Content Warning: stalking, voyeurism, drugging people

**I know this is a series, but I’ve only read one book so far from this series – the first one. So some things and characters are mentioned in this book that I assume are from book 3, but since I didn’t read it, I’m not sure what it refers to.**

+~ I love the Phantom of Opera so I was very curious to see how this retelling would pan out. It’s a more modern day Phantom of the Opera, with paranormal and supernatural elements which I think were interesting but also felt at times like some of it was thrown in just to be thrown in? But I did like the moments that was obviously from Phantom of the Opera, like Christine and Raoul’s names being the same. Christine is a singer, but Raoul I feel like has more detail in this book than the original story. The Phantom is obsessive as ever with Christine but the new twist is his feelings for Raoul.

+~ The romance is very spicy, it’s a throuple situation, why choose. It is M/M/F, which was intriguing since that definitely doesn’t happen in the original but I can see how this would fit since the Phantom is so mysterious and in this story his lore is that he is a God, so it makes sense he would be open in his sexuality also. I do feel like this was mostly smut though without real build-up to the romance. So if you are wanting to read a smutty, fun time, why choose Phantom of the Opera, then you will enjoy this. If you want more of the relationship building, or even more plot? You might not enjoy this.

~ There are a lot of music pop cultural references if you are not into that.

~ The story felt all over the place, maybe because the Phantom is a god, Christine is a vampire and Raoul is a werewolf. The Phantom is obsessed with Christine, which is a given, but there were some things like in Raoul’s background that I felt like wasn’t explored. All of them could have used a bit more depth. It’s definitely more smut than plot.

Final Thoughts:

I did enjoy the Phantom of the Opera story elements that were found in this one and I even found the throuple relationship intriguing – it makes sense. But I would have loved more build-up into the romance, but it’s very insta-lust and then love. And speaking of lust, it is very spicy between these three. So I think if you like more smut than plot, you will enjoy this one. I like more plot in my smut, so this one just fell a little bit short.

Read if you like: