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SERIES REVIEW: To Kill A King by Sam Burns & W.M. Fawkes
To Kill A King: Dragon’s Dawn – Sam Burns & W.M. Fawkes
For nineteen years, I have carved myself into a dutiful son, a courtier of unimpeachable wit, and a genuine delight at a tea party. Now that my success in society has planted me in the path of Mikhail Vasiliev, it’s clear I’d have been better off keeping my head down.
Prince Mikhail is the second son of a traitor. Third in line to the throne, he has a reputation for violence, debauchery, and being a thorn in the side of his cousin, King Dmitri. That is, until the king decides to get him out of the way—by marrying him off.
To me.
Suddenly prince of a brutal, frozen land, I have no choice but to spy on my father’s behalf. From the morning of our wedding, my beastly husband and I have been at odds, but if I cannot win him over, I’ll find myself in the jaws of his colossal red dragon.
By the time I realize there is more between us than hostility and mistrust, it is too late. The die has been cast, the knife thrust, and our private battle is set to topple the whole kingdom.
Beauty gets tied to a real beast in this MM high fantasy romance, featuring: the cutest companion mink to ever bite the hand of a prince, two reluctant husbands who hate each other everywhere but between the sheets, and a heap load of court intrigue to ensure things go perfectly wrong for our murderhimbo and his slinky courtier beau.
Rating:
2 Stars – it’s a struggle to finish the damn bookSoundtrack: Stole My Heart
Artist: Beasts With No Name
Album: Pretty Fool
To Kill A King: Dragon’s Dusk – Sam Burns & W.M. Fawkes
I have been a runt, a disappointment, and a monster. Now, I am simply a man.
This wouldn’t be so strange, if yesterday, I weren’t a dragon.
Locked away and isolated after a vicious attack left a princess blind, my greatest joy has been my bonded rider, Kostya.
My Kostya is a prince with the weight of a kingdom on his shoulders. When his world begins to crumble, a witch offers me the chance to escape my cell and stand beside him.
But on two legs, without my scales and claws, Kostya doesn’t recognize me. He fears his dragon was stolen, and when suspicion turns my way, I learn that there are prisons darker and more dangerous than a dragon pen.
A little very big dragon finds his voice, two legs, and some delightful human appendages beyond in this MM high fantasy romance, featuring: one forlorn dragon-riding prince, a dragon who just wants to kiss the boy, two incredibly self-sacrificing doofuses, a road to pain paved with all the best intentions, and a plot to upend a kingdom.
Rating:
4 Stars – minor quibbles but I loved it to bitsSoundtrack: With Me All Along
Artist: Bronze Radio Return
Album: Entertain You
To Kill A King: Dragon’s Descent – Sam Burns & W.M. Fawkes
In my life, I have loved a boy, a prince, a king, and a madman. Now, I must let him go.
King Dmitri was once a prince of flowers, but when his father was murdered in a treasonous plot by his own family, all of Dima’s hope and innocence shattered. At his lowest point, he took the crown and bonded the land, and in the process, he lost himself.
Now, the boy I once loved is brutal and cruel, and the best I can do for his kingdom is to put us both out of our misery before he destroys it all.
Join our valiant knight as he fights to thaw the icy heart of a mad king in this MM high fantasy romance, endless pining, so much trauma, a griffin-rider with a heart of gold, a wilting flower prince, more than a little fire, and the end of a kingdom.
Rating:
4 Stars – minor quibbles but I loved it to bitsSoundtrack: Feel Alive
Artist: Half Alive
Album: Now, Not Yet
To Kill A King is another fantasy series by acclaimed writer duo Sam Burns and W.M. Fawkes. Set in the harsh lands of Veronyesh(?), a kingdom ruled by the silver-haired dragon-riding Vassilievs, Russian Targaryans, if you will, minus the incest.
In this world, people are soul-bonded to various creatures, the more powerful the creature, the greater the power, with dragons being the most powerful. The kingdom is ruled by the mad King Dmitri, bonded to a dragon, and the very land itself.
And so on the king’s mercurial moods depended the well-being of the Veronyesh(?). Which right now is reflecting his bleak mood.
The backstory of the Vassilievs, much like the Targaryens, is rife with intrigue and drama. The king’s cousins are Prince Mikhail, a.k.a. Misha, Prince Konstantine, a.k.a. Kostya, and their sister, Princess Zoya, a blood witch. Their father, Prince Piotr, killed the former king and, in turn, was executed by King Dmitri.
Dima’s twin sister, Princess Dasha, was accidentally blinded by Kostya and his dragon, Kirian. The king held a deep grudge against them and would rage at the mention of Kirian.
Dragon’s Dawn opens the series, dropping us right in the middle of an arranged marriage forced down the throats of Prince Mikhail and Yevgeny, a 19-year-old courtier from a prominent family. There is minimal world-building here, just enough to know about soul bonds, the mad king, and that the two would-be grooms were strangers to each other.
A very intriguing set-up but to my surprise, this turned out to be my least favorite series opener. The plot runs on miscommunication, a trope I hate. If handled correctly, it would have been tolerable, but it ran for almost the entire story, the characters cycle from bad thoughts about each to fucking then back again with barely any development.
To make matters worse, both MCs were completely uninteresting. Genya was vapid, self-absorbed, and spectacularly naive. The story insists he is clever and witty while showing no evidence of such. Misha was a boor and a brute, an alphahole without the charm.
I would have DNF’ed this, but I wanted to see this series through because I was super curious about Dima.
Dragon’s Dusk picks up immediately after the events of Book 1, And thank the gods, it’s a complete turnaround!
Here we have the most adorable, most precious cinnamon roll puppy dragon I’d protect with my life!
Kostya is the eldest Vassiliev, a morose man with the weight of the world on his shoulders and the guilt of hurting the sweet Princess Dasha, despite the princess already declaring she forgave him and his dragon Kirian.
After that tragic incident, Kirian is not allowed out of the stables, feared by the stable hands as a crazy, feral beast. In truth, the dragon was the sweetest, gentlest creature made of pure sunshine and Kostya’s only joy in life. So much so that Zoya decides to use her blood magic and turn Kirian into a human to be with his Kostya. Because the mutual pining between these two…!!!
A heart-wrenching use of the miscommunication trope but hell of a lot more compelling. I was hanging on to every scene!
Kostya found Kirian in his human form but didn’t recognize him. At the same time, the prince was devastated to discover his dragon was missing. And because Kostya is one of the kindest people in the kingdom, he housed, clothed, and fed the stranger and kept him by his side. While searching high and low, calling his dragon’s name.
Human Kirian hasn’t gain human speaking abilities yet and could only speak with his eyes and action. That scene in the snow where he was silently beseeching Kostya, holding the man’s hand to his heart, that he, Kirian, is right here! here! will forever live in my memory.
These two dorks blame themselves for everything going wrong in the kingdom. And some more suffering before Kostya realizes his Kirian is there all along. Their story isn’t perfect but it’s unforgettable.
Dragon’s Descent is why I started this series. I was curious about the loyal knight who helplessly watched his beloved flower prince descend into madness.
In the first two books, Dima is portrayed as the villain. First forcing Misha’s marriage and then punishing Kostya and Kirian for the accident, then the slew of executions. Whenever Dima’s harsh actions are shown, his loyal bodyguard’s reactions are also mentioned. A pained, heartbroken expression of a man hopelessly in love but could do nothing.
Arkadii was assigned to then Prince Dmitri when they were both teenagers. He is the son of the captain of the royal guard and his mother instilled her strong sense of duty into him. He and the prince became lovers, the prince was a carefree, joyful creature that flowers bloom wherever he goes.
Things took a turn when the old king was murdered, along with Arkadii’s mother, who died on duty. Dima was hit hard and barely recovered. After he bonded to the land with blood magic that went awry, he became worse, and Veronyesh(?) slowly began to decline.
This is also a difficult read, the mad king’s thoughts full of dismal paranoia, frequently hurting Arkadii who’s already at his wit’s end, but still doggedly performs his duties. Dima tends to circle the same dark topics, making the writing repetitive. It’s quite a challenge to redeem this character, and it doesn’t happen quickly.
But Dima’s recovery did happen, a slow uphill battle but gaining ground nonetheless, giving Arkadii hope that his flower prince is still there. The thing with Arkadii and Dima is that everyone knows they are a unit and assumes they will always be a unit. No one ever brought up the topic of the king marrying a woman and producing heirs.
Stoic, steadfast Arkadii devoting his life to his Dima almost to the point of martyrdom is hella romantic. I loved this type of seme in BL manga, and Arkadii cut a striking figure in his armor. That closing scene of him and Dima surrounded by springtime flowers is dreamy and magical. A hard-won, much-awaited HEA!
To Kill A King should be read in order. The books are not standalone. While Dragon’s Dawn might be a struggle to finish, Dragon’s Dusk and Dragon’s Descent are both highly entertaining and better executed. There are threads of betrayal running across the series, but the real villains are deployed like afterthoughts so meh. However, we get two swoony romances, so it’s still a win.
Overall, a moving saga of royals, dragons, lost souls, and unbreakable bonds.
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TO KILL A KING: Kindle
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BOOK TOUR: The Merciless King of Moore High by Lily Sparks
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COVER REVEAL: The Queen’s Starfire Throne by Hailey Turner
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REVIEW: The Prince’s Dragon by W.M. Fawkes & Sam Burns
Fire and Valor: The Prince’s Dragon – W.M. Fawkes & Sam Burns
The last place Lord Tristram Radcliffe ever expected to find himself was right hand to the Llangardian throne. His parentage should have seen him banished, but he managed to keep his draconic secret. Now, King Reynold is dead. Long live King Roland.
The boy ascends to rule a kingdom in chaos, and Tristram must undo the damage of the last king’s reign to save his people from lean winter and wolves in the palace itself. Reynold’s former shadow, Bet Kyston, is determined to root out King Roland’s enemies, but his version of help may cause as much harm as good.
There remains a traitor near to the throne, and when the king falls mysteriously ill, Tristram’s strongest ally is forced to leave court. As his enemies move closer, the strength of Tristram’s regency is more precarious than ever. Abandoned and friendless, Tristram must sacrifice everything to protect his homeland or risk not only Roland’s life, but his own.
The Prince’s Dragon is the second book of Fire and Valor, an engrossing high fantasy series by writer duo W.M. Fawkes and Sam Burns. The books are not standalone since they end in cliffhangers.
The story picks up immediately after the events of The King’s Dragon. The new king, Roland, was poisoned and now lies in his sick bed. The Regent, Lord Tristram Radcliff, with help from his lover, Bet Kyston, does his best to balance court duties and going toe to toe with traitorous Cavendish relatives hungry for power.
Meanwhile dragons are attacking dragons and holding captives. Among those captured was the young dragon Hafgan. The summer clan suffered severe losses, and are moving south to somewhere near the court. (I have no idea how to spell the names of places since I’m audiobooking this so I will not attempt)
The book is still in multiple POVs, with new ones introduced. Now that I am familiar with the Fire and Valor world, the shift in POVs didn’t hinder anymore. I was able to focus more on the narrative and enjoy the tale as it unfolds.
This time, the different POVs worked better at giving us the bigger picture and a more detailed look at the world, especially outside the court, connecting different faraway characters.
Lord Regent Tristam Radcliff – not interested in the throne, never will be now that he knows first hand what a headache it is to run a kingdom. But as the only person King Roland trusts to be his proxy, Tris takes his duties to heart and will defend king and Llandgard, and a certain half-elf, to death. His big scene in the ending was BAM!
Bet Kyston – ninja elf, a.k.a. assassin, a.k.a. king’s shadow, became my favorite character here. I felt sorry for how he was abandoned by his mother. I loved how his character grew. Bet has no problems sticking a knife to whoever hurt the boy king, legalities be damned. That he loves sticking things in the lord regent, is an ongoing bet in knightly circles.
Rhiannon – currently healing in the special pool in the monastery. The fierce dragon is surprisingly shy, or is it vain, to show herself to Sidone while she’s recuperating. Struck a bargain with Princess Gillian while there. I’d love to see Rhiannon in battle once more.
Sir Sidone – this knight stuck with her lady through thick and thin. Not much going on with her in this installment, but I’d love to see her in action in the future astride her dragon because that would be so cool!
Bowen – a grizzled old stone dragon forced to sell his fellow dragons to slavery. That his hoard is pretty delicate flowers might be a sign that his tough exterior hides a marshmallow heart.
Hafgan – our sweet sunshine dragon who might just win the heart of an old warrior like Bowen.
Lady Elinor – Tris’s beloved mom is in for a surprise reunion with a long lost love, who is a mild-mannered bookworm, or should I say, bookdragon.
Princess Gillian – learned more magic and found romance outside the castle walls. I’m counting on her for spectacular displays of magic. It’s unfortunate that the plot is about lost magic so there’s barely any spells here. Gillian on the tower protecting the city is the most we got.
Maddox – was pretty surly at first, but this summer dragon turned out to be a great love interest for the princess. His internal thoughts, a.k.a. grudges with Tristram, whom he has yet to meet, were amusing. Turns out they got along splendidly.
Dragon – a cinnamon roll dragon in captivity. Rescue this sweet little soul now!
This series gets better with each installment. The pace here is faster, the tension is tighter, and overall, more dynamic as new secrets are revealed and various groups are in motion, either as enemies, fugitives or rescuers.
Woven through the already potent mix of court politics and dragon action are the romantic threads that give us more things to get hooked on. And there’s something for everyone. The main couple are Tristram and Bet, and their romance is giving me LIFE! Rhiannon and Sidone took theirs to another level. Gillian and Maddox are fantastic together after their initial antagonistic encounter.
Overall, Fire and Valor hit its stride with The Prince’s Dragon. It had me in its grip from beginning to end. The intrigue, the romance, the adventure, this is more than just slow burn magic. This is a thrilling dragon ride!
Rating:
4.5 Stars – perfection is only half a step awaySoundtrack: Hadaka no Yuusha
Artist: Vaundy
Album: ReplicaP.S.
Fire and Valor should be read in order. Witness royals come and go, and dragons in and out of scales in The King’s Dragon.
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THE PRINCE’S DRAGON: Kindle | Audiobook
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RELEASE TOUR: Insatiable Incubus by Dana Frost (Excerpt & Giveaway)
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REVIEW: Wayward by Mary Calmes
Wayward – Mary Calmes
Maksim Lenkov is certain he’s not a good man. His father isn’t, and since Maks is his second in command, then certainly, he’s just as evil. The list of sins is long, and there’s no getting around that. What’s messing him up is that despite all that, in the midst of life and death, his only friend tells him he’s been a blessing; law enforcement is treating him like he prevented more bloodshed than he caused, and everyone is concerned with doing right by him. Why? And how is Maks supposed to figure out who he is, when everything he thought he knew is suddenly turned upside down? It only gets weirder once he begins his new life in witness protection. Because if he’s a guardian angel of women and children, dogs, and one eccentric heiress, can he really be a bad man? Added into the mix is a handsome, loyal deputy chief of police, who lives next door and thinks Maks hangs the moon. Is it possible that living in hell never actually made him into the devil? Perhaps it was only a wayward life, and now it’s time to chart a new course.
I’m on a mob boss falls in love with cop streak, it seems. Last week’s read was the dark and possessive Take Me Apart, and the week before that was the fluffy rom-com Pretty Policeman. This week’s read combines the two.
Wayward by Mary Calmes gives us something we don’t often see. A reformed mob boss living a new life with a cop. The story is divided into two parts that are polar opposites of each other.
It started with the sordid life of much-feared bratva second in command, Maksim Lenkov. As the younger son, he was tasked to inherit the criminal side of their family and has to live in the shadows. Meanwhile his older brother, the golden boy, Pasha, lives in the limelight as the billionaire heir handling real estate and other above board businesses.
This part was the most compelling for me. Here we have Maks, a reluctant bratva boss, secretly working in the shadows behind the shadows to make life better for his men and their families. He is adamant that the Lenkovs do not traffic humans, do not sell drugs, or handle prostitution. A stance that came biting him in the ass.
It’s a story of betrayal of epic proportions that suckerpunched Maks with cars and bullets. I was as shocked as Maks when it happened! It was a miracle he survived. Then he turned around and dropped his own bomb on them.
The second part is a redemption fairytale of sorts. Maks, now with a different last name, is driving to the small town of Rune to his new home. He stumbles upon two injured dogs that he took to the vet. There, he learns that the dogs are own by woman whose abusive husband wouldn’t let her daughter keep them.
Said abusive husband and his buddies came to the clinic intending to rough them up, but Maks jumped in to save them. He was hailed a hero. And this became the running theme, Maks ending up saving someone and everyone adores him, much to his bewilderment. People tend to be scared of him before.
In keeping with the fairytale vibe, Maks’s new home is in a crumbling Victorian estate of a famed eccentric heiress, Ada Farley, who promptly took a liking to Maks and hired him as the caretaker.
Right off the bat, Ada practically signed away all her money to Maks just because she feels good about him and trusts him as the caretaker who would rebuild her estate. The banker handling her account, also took an immediate liking to Maks and keenly gave him access. All these, knowing the man just arrived in town and knowing jack shit about him.
I am on the fence with the book. I feel it should be two different stories, while at the same time, I loved that we see the before and after of a reformed criminal’s life, where the Maks grabbed his second chance and ran with it. Reading about a ruthless bratva boss with a moral compass appeals to the anti-hero fan in me, but seeing that former mob boss thriving as a regular law-abiding citizen is an endearing story that doesn’t get told often.
While some aspects of the bratva thread were stretching it a bit, some parts of the the redemption fairytale were simply ridiculous. The second part was written like an OTT rom-com, and it fell flat to me.
The romance also felt like an afterthought. Maks and Deputy Chief Gale Malloy met nearly halfway through the story already. This would have been okay. Gale is a sweet guy but totally forgettable. And the romantic development, or lack thereof, was forced through a couple days. It would have developed more naturally had it been given more chapters or a sequel to grow.
One aspect I like explored more is Maks using his bratva-acquired abilities to help the police. There was a scene where Maks was able to find a missing child because the bratva had to deal with a lot of kidnappings in past, so he knew what to look for. It would be interesting to read about him help solve crimes.
Overall, Wayward is a mixed bag. It is a gritty story of family and betrayal, and a tale of redemption and second chances. While the ridiculous antics and lack-luster romance took away some stars, I loved Maks living in the shadows and walking the straight and narrow. He made the two worlds worth the journey!
Rating:
3.5 Stars – that place between like and loveSoundtrack: Wayward Love
Artist: Jeremy Enigk
Album: World Waits
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REVIEW: Mafia Target by Mila Finelli
The Kings of Italy: Mafia Target – Mila Finelli
GIULIO I’ve renounced my birthright as the heir to an Italian mafia empire, but no one leaves the brotherhood without paying a price. To evade my enemies, I stay on the move. Now a new man is stalking me, watching me. But there’s something else in his eyes, a hunger that sets me on fire. He’s rough and dangerous, all the things I crave in the dark. Except he’s been hired to kill me.
I shouldn’t want him. But I do.
They say to keep your enemies close. So that’s exactly what I’m planning. Beware the hunted who becomes the hunter…
ALESSIO I live in the shadows, the assassin they never see coming. I’m the best, but Giulio is my weakness. I need him in ways I can’t begin to explain. He might run, but I’ll follow him to the ends of the earth. And if others try to hurt him, I’ll protect him with my last breath. Except I’m hiding a secret, one that will cost me everything. I should walk away, but I can’t.
Even if it’s my undoing.
Mafia Target is the fourth book in the Kings of Italy series. It’s a stand-alone male/male romance, complete with two hot and dangerous Italian men. HEA and no cliffhangers guaranteed!
To say my interest was piqued would be an understatement. My guts was screaming for me to read this book!
Mafia Target is an enemies-to-lovers story between the scion of a top mafia family and the assassin hired to kill him. It certainly ticked all my boxes and then some! It’s the 4th book of The Kings of Italy by new-to-me author Mila Finelli. The rest of the series are mf romance.
This installment can be read as a standalone since the backstory can be effortlessly put together. Giulio Ravazzani is the gay son of Don Fausto Ravazzani. He was supposed to marry Francesca in Book 1, but the don ended up marrying her instead. Giulio’s former lover was killed in a car bomb intended for him, and the young mafioso decided to leave home to carve his own path away from his father’s shadow.
The story starts when Alessandro Ricci, an ex-military turned assassin, was hired by a rival Family to kill Fausto. He was about to pull the trigger when he spotted Giulio. The world’s top assassin was so awestruck, he missed!
He likened the experience to being struck by a thunderbolt, which I think is a very apt description of him falling in love at first sight. This was also mentioned in Godfather, so the thunderbolt must be an Italian thing. Because of his fuck up, he was tasked to kill Giulio instead.
The enemies-to-lovers aspect was chef’s kiss! Just pure perfection! The air between Alessio and Giulio practically hummed with electricity and anticipation! The stalking, the buildup, the accidentally-on-purpose meetings, and the halcyon days of fucking and feeding sheep had that elusive, much sought after ZING only the best and most unforgettable romances have.
Between the two MCs, Alessio immediately won me over. He’s a man of few words with an intensity that radiates off the page. Watching him unerringly stalking Giulio as a target and then turning that into a single-minded determination to protect his beloved Principe, even at the cost of his life and limb, even with Giulio’s rejection, Alessio was both a force of nature and a man badly in need of a hug.
Giulio took a while for me to warm up to, mainly because he had his walls up. I can’t blame him for not jumping into the relationship head first. He’s still grieving his late boyfriend. But I loved how everytime Alessio does or says something endearing, his cold, dead heart melts little by little. He’s ambitious and resourceful, slowly carving out his little empire on his own. He and Alessio make a great team. He brings out the assassin’s human side.
This is one of the swooniest books I’ve read this year! The separation scene that wrecked our MCs emotionally and physically brought the already potent brew up to another level! And that’s not all. The cherry on top of this already exquisite treat is the writing.
The setting is in Italy and various parts of Europe. Typically, authors would use a couple of native phrases and leave it at that. Here, almost every other dialogue is spoken with Italian sentences and phrases. The way the prose seamlessly flows between English and Italian, with a smattering of Gaelic and Russian, the bilingualism of this book was pure eargasm! I highly recommend audiobooking this.
I am especially ecstatic about the multi-lingual prose because it’s exactly how I want to write my book if I know how to write a story. I loved how the author pulled it off in a way that remains true to the characters’ nationality yet still relatable to an international, mostly American, audience.
Mafia Target is a book that will grip you hard till the end, and as it is a long one, best read during weekends. It’s dark yet surprisingly fluffy, often heart-wrenching but just as incredibly squee-tastic, with prose that speaks to me. All in all, a thunderbolt to the kokoro and music to the ears!
Rating:
5 Stars – absolutely perfectSoundtrack: Danger
Artist: Etro Anime
Album: See the Sound
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MAFIA TARGET: Kindle | Audiobook
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RELEASE BLITZ: The King’s Delight by Sarah Honey (Excerpt & Giveaway)
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REVIEW: Blood & Bitcoin by L.A. Witt
Criminal Delights: Organized Crime: Blood & Bitcoin – L.A. Witt
Chris Emmett has a talent for screwing up and landing on his feet. As a SEAL, he managed to evade bullets and court-martials alike. As an FBI agent, he dodged danger and disciplinary action—right up until he didn’t.
With his career and freedom hanging in the balance, he’ll do whatever it takes to clean the slate… including an off-the-books deep cover solo mission.
The objective: infiltrate the Hive, a complex crime syndicate operating on the dark web, and find out who’s trying to kill Piker, the organization’s enigmatic and strangely alluring Mob boss.
The moment he’s pulled into the Hive, Chris enters a world where no one is what they seem, including the man he’s there to protect. Lines blur between moral and wrong, legal and criminal, ally and foe, and—as Piker’s seductive magnetism draws Chris in—straight and queer.
Chris is running out of time to stop a killer. He has dangerous feelings for a dangerous man, and the deeper he moves into the realms of modern day organized crime, the less he knows and the fewer people he can trust.
And that’s before he learns the truth about Piker’s assassin.
————
This 104,000 word book is part of CRIMINAL DELIGHTS. Each novel can be read as a standalone and contains a dark M/M romance. For other books in the collection, please see: Criminal Delights ListopiaWarning: These books are for adult readers who enjoy stories where lines between right and wrong get blurry. High heat, twisted and tantalizing, these are not for the fainthearted.
L.A. Witt and Michael Ferraiuolo is my favorite author/narrator combination. With them at the helm, you’re almost always guaranteed a thrilling experience.
Blood & Bitcoin was one hell of a ride but one that didn’t go full throttle the way I wanted it to. This is by far, the lightest among the dark offerings of the Criminal Delights series. The characters make many morally grey decisions and ‘the end justify the means’ actions but as emphasized by Chris, it is for the right reasons. Which is all good because, yeah these are people we can root for but sadly not what was advertised in the blurb aka it needed more blood.
Also, there were moments where I just about had enough of Chris getting caught one too many times. And Piker forgiving him yet again and again and again. Oh, just shoot him already!
I absolutely love Piker! The man is lethal and mesmerizing as fuck. His effect on both men and women is palpable. I could definitely understand why Chris was so drawn to him. Michael Ferraiuolo’s Piker voice is really spot on and the slight exotic accent added to the crime lord’s enigmatic appeal. His past remained a mystery throughout the entire book. He’s so mysterious we don’t even get his real name.
Chris I liked less. He was too reckless. He was bumbling his way through the missions. I don’t know if he is just extremely lucky but his unorthodox methods worked somewhat. It helps that he got more chances than most people would dare ask from a Mafia boss. He and Piker play a dangerously exciting game of Golden Retriever & snake. Who bites who first? And for that matter, are we even sure who is the dog and who is the snake?
Although the chemistry and USTs between Piker and Chris were always a tantalizing hair trigger away from snapping, the romance needed a little more boost. Majority of the book, it was just mostly sex for them which is meh. But the last quarter of the book made up for the missing feels and convinced me their HFN would eventually be HEA.
The part about the bitcoin was info dumpy but did not majorly hinder the story. The Hive also got me intrigued about the dark web which I only learned from some hoaky Youtube videos. I’m hoping for a sequel where we get to learn more about Piker, his hacker friends who form The Hive and see if Chris learned to be circumspect.
Notwithstanding my complaint earlier about the book not being dark, in itself, Blood & Bitcoin is a very enjoyable suspense/thriller. It does not let up on the action and the twists and turns will keep your adrenaline running on high. There were many ever changing threads to unravel and identities to uncover. I had some inkling about Piker’s father but The Big Twist completely caught me off guard. That was, DAMN!
I recommend Blood & Bitcoin for those into stories about people with the right intentions doing it the wrong way.
P.S.
Other Criminal Delights books:
Only The Devil Knows (review here)
Devil Next Door (review here)
Wrong Way Home (review here)Rating:
3.5 Stars – that place between like and loveSoundtrack: In For The Kill
Artist: La Roux
Album: La Roux
