• Uncategorized

    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 book

    Soundtrack: 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 bits

    Soundtrack: 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 bits

    Soundtrack: 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.


    If you like my content, please consider using my Amazon affiliate links below to buy your copy of To Kill A King. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying Amazon purchases at no additional cost to you.

    TO KILL A KINGKindle

    If you like my content, please consider supporting me on Ko-fi or PayPal. Your donations will help keep this website going. Thank you so much!

  • book,  Uncategorized

    REVIEW: His Fatal Love by Leighton Greene

    West Coast Mobsters: His Fatal Love – Leighton Greene

    Easily bored, completely manipulative, and utterly deadly…and that’s just in bed.

    As an assassin for the Castellani Family, I live for the thrill of the job.
    I’m devoted to my Family and my Don, because they keep me safe.

    To Leo Bernardi, I’m a monster.
    A killing machine.
    And a puppet that his Family can use for their own ends.

    To me, Leo is just a pawn in a game that I’m playing.
    A means to an end.
    And if I have a little fun with him along the way, who cares?

    Leo thinks he can seduce me. Tame me. Use me.
    In this game of cat and mouse, the Bernardi Lion is about to get a big surprise.

    But the more entangled we become, the more I start to feel…

    Things I didn’t think I was capable of feeling.

    Things I’ve never wanted to feel.

    In my line of work, love is a fatal flaw. But the more time we spend together, the harder I fall.

    Leo Bernardi is my greatest enemy…
    Could he also be my greatest love?

    **

    Dive into a forbidden romance between a psychopath assassin and a Mob Enforcer. Get ready for seductions and betrayals, scorching love scenes, and an unforgettable romance as a cold case comes back to haunt two Families sworn to destroy each other.


    If you have read the Morelli Family series, Julian Castellani most likely made himself memorable with his specially made intimate jewelry, attempting to seduce a well-placed Morelli. Unlike Alessandro, who prefers a low-key profile, this Castellani brother embraces the limelight and his notoriety.

    His Fatal Love is Julian investigating the murder of his beloved mother he witnessed when he was five years old. A lil mystery that I didn’t realize until the big twist was revealed was why Julian was questioning the identity of the killer despite seeing the crime happening right before his eyes.

    Julian has been called many names, psychopath being one. To which he is quick to reply, “undiagnosed“. An expert assassin on par with Jack, Julian is practically a ninja the way he can go in and out any tightly guarded place. He either feels nothing or feels too much, no in-betweens.

    Two complicated relationships are with Alessandro and Jack.

    Alessandro and Julian have always been antagonistic. There were even moments I felt Julian was going to kill his brother. Book 2, His Brutal Heart, put that to rest, and happily, Alessandro and Julian have somehow come to a truce, and along with Jack coming back to the fold, it makes for a stronger Castellani Family.

    I think Julian has a teeny-tiny bit of brother complex. Alessandro has a thing for blonds, and light-haired Julian always tries to provoke his brother by mentioning this in his on-going game of notice me, onii-chan.

    Also, the way he describes Alessandro by smell that was somewhat too intimate for brothers, even half-brothers. Turns out, he catalogues everyone’s smell. There’s a reason for this and I loved the stealthy way the story connected it to everything that’s happening.

    Trust is one of the major themes, and Julian is known to be spectacularly untrustworthy. Jack, the top Castellani assassin from His Lethal Desire, wouldn’t let his boyfriend, Miller, anywhere near the younger Castellani.

    When Jack tried to explain what trust is and why he doesn’t trust him, Julian struggled to understand the concept. This psychopath assassin is somebody who will kiss you passionately then, quick as a snap, give you a Sparta kick down an oubliette. 

    As Leo Bernardi discovered.

    Leo is the second son of Don Bernardi and works as the Enforcer. He struggling to gain his father’s respect, which was doubly hard since his father is homophobic. The connection between the Bernardi Lion and Julian is a convoluted scheme cooked up by the don that makes use of the fact that Leo is gay and has to seduce the younger Castellani to the Bernardi side.

    The plot was a thrilling game of seduction, secret identities, double agents, hard bargains and rough sex. It was gripping and twisty turn-y, weaving Julian’s investigation and mafia politics with his character development, relationship with Alessandro, growing feelings between him and Leo, and a surprising secret vulnerability that explains many quirks.

    Leo might be less flashier than Julian, but the Bernardi Lion has a dominant presence, similar ruthlessness, and indomitable will to finish a mission. Used to being the brawn, he’s a lot smarter than he gives himself credit for.

    Leo is loyal to a fault but has no qualms withdrawing that loyalty when a person is no longer worthy of such gift. So when his loyalties shifted to Julian who earned it the hard way, it stayed with him for good.

    I couldn’t imagine before who Leighton Greene would pair Julian with. But now that I’ve meet him, Leo Bernardi is the perfect match. He softens Julian’s rougher edges without stifling the feral wildness that makes Julian who he is.

    We may have come from different worlds, but we fit together perfectly. We have our own secret language—a language of revenge, of love, of passion and violence.

    My favorite parts were the scenes where Julian was confused why his chest feels tight or almost painful. He was so endearingly bewildered, not realizing he was feeling emotions he never felt before. Feelings like concern, fear, happiness, and love. All because of Leo.

    His Fatal Love is a fascinating tale of vendetta, blood ties and Family vows. It is one man’s heart-opening journey and a second son coming into his own. All in all, intensely feral, wildly passionate and fatally emotional!

    Rating:
    4.5 Stars – perfection is only half a step away

    Soundtrack: Love and War
    Artist: Fleurie
    Album: Love and War

    P.S.

    West Coast Mobsters should be read in order. They’re delicious mafia romances with a fairy tale flavor.

    Witness a Cinderfella hitman style in His Lethal Desire and a darker take on Beauty and the Beast in His Brutal Heart.


    If you like my content, please consider using my Amazon affiliate links below to buy your copy of His Fatal Love. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying Amazon purchases at no additional cost to you.

    HIS FATAL LOVEKindle | Paperback

    If you like my content, please consider supporting me on Ko-fi or PayPal. Your donations will help keep this website going. Thank you so much!

  • book,  Uncategorized

    REVIEW: Paid In Full by Brea Alepou & Skyler Snow

    Vitale Brothers: Paid in Full – Brea Alepou & Skyler Snow

    I’m used to my life being insanity. A family of a-holes, being locked up, and a few loose screws? Yeah anyone would go crazy. (Not that I am. I’m different, that’s all). My brothers say I’m the loose canon of the family. The truth is that I’m the life of the party!

    The party comes to a screeching halt when I meet Ash. Shy, younger, virgin. He’s everything I’m not attracted to. Give me an experienced partner anyday.

    But there’s something about him that makes me want to keep him. Maybe I want to stoke that fire I see in his eyes. Or maybe I’m just lonelier than I thought.

    Either way, he’s mine. Nobody, and I mean nobody, will take Ash away from me.

    (Blurb may change)
    Gritty M/M romance.


    Look at that cover and know that it is perfect. Wait till you get to the part why!

    Paid in Full is the second book of Vitale Brothers, a mafia romance series that stays true to its gritty promises. This stars Giancarlo Vitale, a.k.a. Gin, the next older brother to Enzo, the youngest and MC of Take Me Apart.

    While Enzo’s appeal lies in his eerie calmness and neat freak ways, Gin is the ex-con, the wild child, the life of the party, and the insatiable playboy who can charm the pants and panties off anyone. For some reason, the narrator, Declan Winters, gave him an accent (Bostonian? New York? Not sure) while his brothers speak in what to me is the standard American accent (sorry, not an accent expert). It might be confusing at first, but I loved how it suits Gin’s personality to a T.

    Initially, I considered the second book kind of a necessary hurdle to get to Benito’s book, which I am super excited about. But Gin and Ash surprised me, and I was completely hooked from the get go!

    The opening chapters immediately grabbed interest with Gin at a black market auction masquerading as a charity event. Up for auction is the wide-eyed, virgin son of a man who owes the Vitales money. Just to teach him a lesson, Gin bought Ash and let Ash’s abusive father pay the price to cover what he owed.

    Ash didn’t know what to do with his new owner because, frankly, the guy is crazy! The least he expected was an offer to let him buy his freedom through sex. But first, Gin has to teach him how. Our boy is a fast learner!

    Ash has been through the wringer, enduring beatings, forced to watch other people being abused as psychological torture, and always been told he was good for nothing so he might as well be sold as a slave. Most of the sexual abuses weren’t graphic and are off-page, but the violence and torture are on-page (check the trigger warnings).

    Here comes Gin, an unlikely comfort and a giver of tough love who challenges Ash to be angry, to stand up for himself, to be himself. He is exactly what Ash needs. The best part is when Ash harnesses his big dick energy, and yes, you can take that literally, and unleashes his inner beast.

    I totally didn’t see this dynamic coming, but OMG, they’re fantastic! Gin and Ash were fun and amusing together. Gin is full of stupid jokes and dumb ideas. He made me laugh! He’s big, dominant and possessive, and lets Ash go to town on his ass. Ash is an endearing cinnamon roll, innocent as a puppy, as Gin likes to call him, and always eager to please. Then a switch flicks, and our boy is in control!

    One of Gin’s ideas:

    “Gin, I’m ready to go.”

    “I can practically see a tail wagging.” Gin’s dark brown eyes lit up. “Ash, pull your pants down and wag your dick for me.”

    “What? No.”

    It’s not all fun and games. There are demons to conquer. Blackmailing fathers, evil human traffickers, PTSD, panic attacks, and massive trust issues create conflict and drive wedges, leading to one of the most heart-breaking scenes in the series. That’s why the cover slays!

    Paid in Full is a story of dysfunctional families, complicated relationships, unspeakable crimes and invaluable lessons on how to grow a spine. The uncommon dynamics, the humor and heart-warming moments balance out the darker, bloodier scenes. Overall, intense, wild, and totally worth it!

    Rating:
    4.5 Stars – perfection is only half a step away

    Soundtrack: Worth the Fight
    Artist: Broods
    Album: Conscious

    P.S.

    Vitale Brothers books can be read as standalones but why miss out on the Vitale charms? Let Enzo Vitale show you how to own a cop and keep him too in Take Me Apart.


    If you like my content, please consider using my Amazon affiliate links below to buy your copy of Paid In Full. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying Amazon purchases at no additional cost to you.

    PAID IN FULLKindle | Audiobook

    If you like my content, please consider supporting me on Ko-fi or PayPal. Your donations will help keep this website going. Thank you so much!