lexisreadingagain's reviews
294 reviews

SONNY SANTORINI, I GLADLY OFFER YOU MY SOUL!!!!!! omfg.

this gothic, dark & depraved why choose just scratched a deep itch in my brain. I loved every second of it & literally was screaming for more. the notre dame inspiration was so well done imo, and while I can see why people could become easily frustrated with the FMC’s naivety and overt innocence, I really enjoyed the contrast she provides to our band of heathens with pitch black morals. the dystopian and overbearingly religious world that the author paints is one filled with fear and anger that leaves most of humanity with little hope for happiness. Romina, Sonny, Felix and Corvin are complementary shades of sick and twisted, but still have such deep wells of emotion hidden away that they slowly learn to reveal and share. they viciously tear at one another’s seems, only to stitch themselves back into the fabric of each other’s being. living, loving, lusting after their dynamic!!! I only wished for more group love but tbh with two of the MMC’s being twins, I get it lol. I’ll take the precious and HOTTTTT moments we’re given and hold my complaints. I also loved the subtle demonic and paranormal elements woven into this story. it added such a sinister layer to this already intense story & truthfully, it only made me love those three sick alphahole’s even more knowing they were commanding darkness and summoning things from the shadows!

 while this dark romantasy left me with so many questions and minimal answers, I still thought it was a compelling read! thankfully, this is only book 1, so I'm praying to all the gods that this is just a teaser of what's to come! the world that the author has built is one filled with both gods and their semi divine offspring, referred to as Mortal Gods, who rule over the humans, treating them like little more than playthings for their entertainment. the Divine are ruthless and unfeeling, caring only about their desires and maintaining power through fear and worship alike.

in this story, we follow Kiera, a lethal assassin in the service of the Underworld, an elite guild of the deadliest mortals who are wielded like a weapon for the gain of others. ripped away from her father as a child, she's lived her life bound to the woman who purchased and guided her, given a long leash to do as she pleases when not on a mission, but still at the beck and call of another. I love her tenacity, her intense sense of right and wrong in the face of such a harsh life, her boldness, her willpower. I'm a Kiera STAN. our gal doesn't take things lying down or without a fight. and she's got a secret, one that she's been guarding her whole life. she is a Mortal God. unclaimed by her God parent, hidden by the Underworld and her Mistress instead of sent off to the Mortal God Academy to join the ranks of the divine like a good soldier.

but when the opportunity to complete a hit for an incredible sum, a sum so large that it would pay off her contract and release from the debt she's been forced into, she can't turn down the offer. even if it puts her in the line of fire of the Mortal Gods and Divinities that she's been trying her whole life to avoid. so she goes undercover, infiltrates the MGA as a servant or "Terra" to the students, and awaits further instruction from her contacts. she does her best to treat this like any other job, despite the risks she's undertaking. little does she know, that's impossible. this isn't any other job. the stakes are so much higher, and the three Mortal God brothers that she's responsible for serving are unlike any she's encountered before.

the Darkhaven brothers are the cream of the crop at the MGA. dangerous, calculating, deadly. these three have been honed into unstoppable and unforgiving weapons, much like Kiera, with one exception. they have little regard for humanity. they've been elevated as superior, even amongst their own kind for their power, and it's made them even more ruthless than most. but Ruen, Theos, and Kallix finally meet their new Terra, they're intrigued. unlike most mortals, she doesn't cower in their presence. she challenges them. she surprises them. their curious about this mysterious new human that doesn't simply fawn at their feet, but keeps them on their toes. I looooved their banter. and while, I initially saw this advertised as 'Why Choose' romance (IT'S NOT!!!), I still loved seeing Kiera interact with each of them & am hoping for the delicious tension that's been built with all three to erupt in the next book!

this left me with soooo many questions that I'm literally aching for answerings!!!! who is Keira's god parent? what are her powers? we see snippets of this throughout, with her familiars and her abilities of persuasion. but I have the sense that there's sooo much more that she's been holding close the chest. she's spent her life keeping her Divinity hidden & I want our girl to LET LOOSE. that sentiment goes for our three broody & hot brothers. I just want a little more out of their development as the story goes! this ends on such a precipice and has so much potential for the story to grow. who is the hit that Kiera is here for? what does the Darkhaven brother's father have planned for them? what do the gods have planned for their army of children? so many possibilities!

Thank you to Lucinda Dark and Literally Yours for providing an ARC of this book. 

Check TW!

Lol I have so many questions about my morals after loving this book as much I did. it was an incredibly dark and intense story, each character holding their own uniquely horrific trauma that they learn to unpack and eventually share with the people they love as the story progressed. Fox, Ky, Thorne and Raven were such beautifully written characters & they absolutely stole the show. despite the darker elements of the plot, this was truly one of the hottest books that I’ve ever read. this book is definitely skewing towards more smut than storyline, but I was here for it ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ I swear I was drooling and panting over each of the guys from the get go. they’re unhinged and lethal, but exude power and an electric sexual chemistry that isn’t limited to just Fox lmfao. we loooove our bisexual boys heheh. the toxicity, the lust, the depravity. SO FREAKING GOOD. I DON’T EVEN HAVE WORDS. this will be one that I come back to over and over again. I can feel the guys taking root in my heart and mind (and SOULS). I’m obsessed!!!

Thank you to Elliott Rose for providing an ARC of this book!

let me just start off by saying that I’m gonna need Holly to quite literally inject the second book into my veins, I am addicted — ADDICTED — to Dacre & Nyra’s story. holy gods. I’m not really surprised by this revelation, because I’ve loved her writing for ages, but there’s just something about a true enemies to lovers trope that gets me hot & bothered and borderline feral. these two despise each other, want nothing to do with one another, but still they can’t stay away. can’t deny the feelings and attraction that are creeping up and causing rash, desire fueled decisions. don’t mind me, gnawing on the bars of my enclosure from just thinking about their tension.

I’m permanently on my knees for Dacre. I’m in love. I’m obsessed. I’m lusting and blushing and crushing extremely hard!!! loyal son of the rebellion’s Commander, protective and loving big brother, deadly and powerful fae warrior. what isn’t to love about him? from the minute we meet him, I knew I was a goner. despite the rage and hurt that drive him daily, he’s at his core a good male. you can see it in his love for his younger sister Wren and for the loss he feels for his mother. but he has a dark side. a lethal and deep well of emotions that Nyra, the little traitor that he can’t get off his mind, seems to bring out. he knows that he shouldn’t trust her. shouldn’t want her. she’s his enemy, a subject of the kingdom that he’s sacrificed so much to defeating. his obsession with unraveling her secrets and trying to get her to be honest with him gripped him so fiercely. and the mouth on him. UGH. fanning myself heavily. his mouth would have me spilling my secrets immediately lol. but I loved each little insight we were allowed from him, and I’m looking forward to his character development over this series.

and Nyra. OMG. the life that she’s lived, that she’s escaped would leave most in shambles. but Nyra is a fighter, no matter what she thinks. she may not be physically strong (YET), but she’s survived the cruelties of her kingdom and remained caring and compassionate, which is no easy feat. she doesn’t give herself the credit she deserves, instead, feeling shame for failing her kingdom and subjects. I absolutely love seeing her grow more sure of herself, finding friendship and learning to maneuver the difficult world outside of the palace. she’s still hiding herself, keeping her secrets close to her chest, but it’s of necessity. no matter how much she wishes she could share herself with Dacre, she tries to resist the pull she inherently feels to him. and when her judgement lapses, ooooof the spice. if there’s one thing about Holly Renee, it’s that she can write SPICE. this is a slow burn romance, but these two enemies just can’t keep their minds and hands from wandering. Nyra is made of stronger stuff than I for holding onto her reservations about Dacre, because I would have folded so much sooner lmao. begging & all.

this book was a delight and a 5 star read for me. upon finishing, I almost wanted to read it all over again, because I just couldn’t get enough of the banter and chemistry between our mc’s. and that ending absolutely gobsmacked me. I was both shocked and excited. I am already aching for more of these two & to see where this rebellion takes us!!!

Thank you to Holly Renee and Valentine PR for providing an ARC of this book for me to give an honest review.

this was a fun and unexpectedly emotional Cinderella retelling! this is my first time reading a book by Whitney Dean & it’s definitely not going to be my last. in fact, I’m impatiently waiting for more of our mc’s after that shocking ending. while there were a few moments I felt the author could have been more concise without detracting from the plot, I really enjoyed the world that was built and characters that were set out before us. not only do we learn about Elora and Finnian’s kingdoms, Ashbury and Pumpkin Hollow respectively, but we’re given glimpses into the history of the neighboring human kingdoms and the mysterious Faerie culture, which I have a feeling we’ll be diving into headfirst with the next book in this series. also special shoutout to Finn’s sister and Elora’s newest friend, Irina. she was such a mischievous and sassy character. I hope we get more of her as well!

I’m OBSESSED with Finn 🥵 he’s so dreamy, and I loved watching him and Elora work themselves into a frustrating and lusty haze. his mouth, his smirks, his ahem, rippling muscles.. swooning. all hail the hottie Prince of Pumpkin Hollow lol. and Elora is truly a light in the dark. iykyk. her vulnerability, her love and loyalty to her people and the Faeries. she’s a beautiful character, and I love the balance that she provides for Finn’s darker, scandalous nature. they’re such enjoyable characters to read about that I just wished they could’ve had their HEA much sooner in the story lol. their romance (and their steamy bedroom antics) had me giggling and blushing throughout. Elora’s innocence combined with Finn’s devious mind were soooo hot! while the ending was slightly abrupt, with the final climax occurring literally in the last 10% of the book, but with the shock of ending, I was able to overlook. I’m both worried and excited for what will come next!

I am feral. FERAL. for Zachary Sun & I love every minute of it 🥵🙌🏼 holy gods, this man is the slightly deranged and oh so delicious all at the same time.

while I enjoyed My Dark Romeo, the first installment in the Dark Prince Road series, this second visit back to the exclusive neighborhood in the Potomac was simply everything. Zach & Farrow make Romeo & Dallas’s story seem pale in comparison to the tumultuous yet sizzling rapport that we get from these two. this dark Cinderella retelling had me questioning my morals at moments as our two mc’s snarl and snap at one each other’s throats, trying their hardest to deny the attraction they feel.

after catching her trying to steal from him at a party, Zach suggests entering into a bargain, leaving Farrow little choice but to accept his terms, or face the consequences of getting caught. she becomes his maid, and so much more, because Zach quickly realizes that Farrow might be the only person left on this planet that he can stomach, both physically and emotionally. these two have such incredible chemistry. the back & forth banter. the nickname he almost immediately gives her, not quite adorable, but so fitting for the sharp-witted Farrow. the “teaching” and exploring 🤭 OH. MY. GODS. I couldn’t stop blushing. and drooling. they’re such a well matched pair in the end, learning to lean on one another and to allow themselves to finally feel the emotions they denied themselves for so long.

special shoutout to the found family aspects of this book as well. Farrow & Dallas, even Ari and Frankie, develop such a beautiful friendship. the empowerment and love that Dallas showers onto Farrow had me misty eyed, and grateful for women supporting women! and we got glimpses of the guys bond in My Dark Romeo, especially through Romeo’s HILARIOUS group chat with Zach & Ollie. and honestly, they managed to get even funnier and ahem, creative with their discussions, this time around. I absolutely love their bromances and the support these men show each other, whether they want to admit the love is there or not. it’s a brotherhood & I’m so excited to see more from Ollie’s POV in the next book!

Thank you to both of the authors and Grey’s Promotions for providing and ARC of this book for me to give my honest review!