As always, Daimler has given those interested in Irish myths and folklore a solid and thoroughly researched work, particularly that which refers to the Other crowd. Fairy not only lays out the popular ideas surrounding the fair folk but also draws from authentic Irish lore found in the limited textual records and writings that Daimler has spent a great deal of time translating and interpreting.
While there are probably hundreds of people worldwide who claim to be an authority on Irish folklore, Fairy, and the creatures of the Otherworld, Daimler should be at the top of any reader’s list if they want a true and accurate accounting of this beloved topic.
I have used Daimler’s works countless times while researching for my fiction novel that features heavily in Irish myths and folklore. Even though it is a work of fiction, it is incredibly important to me that I am presenting that lore as true to the source material and Irish culture as possible. Ireland has such a rich and storied history, but her people and her language are very real and deserve to be honored and respected. Daimler does this masterfully.
If you are a person with Irish ancestry or heritage, or perhaps someone who read a fictional story and wanted to delve deeper into Ireland and her tales, you must add this book to your TBR pile. You will not regret it.
This series has been a trip. Despite it violently thrusting me out of my comfort zone (not entirely a bad thing) and exposing me to reverse harem dark romance (not my thing, I’ve discovered), I have grown to adore St. Crowe’s version of Neverland, the Peter Pan story, and characters that are dark and twisty, and pretty effed up.
The Fae Princes is book four in the Vicious Lost Boys series and St. Crowe does an excellent job bringing Winnie, Pan, Vane, Bash, and Kas’s arcs to a relatively tidy end. With unlikely alliances, sweet revenge (again), and the fate of Neverland at stake, our villainous band of characters has to face their most difficult challenge yet.
In many (though warped) ways, this series is about believing in yourself, letting go of your inhibitions, found family, and of course fornication. If those themes tickle your depraved fancy, read this series.
After the third book in this series, I am no longer clutching my pearls, but I can confidently say that I prefer a committed, two-person romantic relationship. It doesn’t matter how dark of a romance, as long as it’s between two consenting adults…not like 5 consenting adults. I guess that makes me old-fashioned or something but more than one person to focus on overstimulates me (take or leave the pun as you will).
What I will say about Their Vicious Darling is that the action finally reaches a fever pitch with this book and if you are like me and need a good story in addition to the smut, you will find it here.
Our female protagonist, Winnie Darling, has inadvertently found herself connected to Neverland in a way she probably could never have predicted. With the introduction of some new and intriguing characters, St. Crowe weaves a wickedly delightful tale of sacrifice and salvation.
If you’ve read the first two in this series, Their Vicious Darling is a logical and necessary next read. Do it, and maybe just take the pearls off and embrace the debauchery.
Shadows and pirates and fairies — Oh My! The Dark One is the second book in Nikki St. Crowe’s Vicious Lost Boys series and I am so glad I didn’t let book one (The Never King) turn me away from it. This book, while still full of debauchery, has an enemies-to-lovers vibe that I can’t get enough of. I think there is something so primal about it.
Is the undeniable pull of opposites toward each other that creates such intense attraction? Is it the innate human drive to conquer and pursue those things that are seemingly untouchable, the thrill of the hunt? Or is it that those who go from enemies to lovers start by seeing the other as a reflection of the worst parts of themselves and then, through proximity and eventual acceptance, find that the person they once hated is the very same soul that will love them unconditionally despite their flaws and failures?
I cannot say it’s one or the other. Perhaps it’s both, but St. Crowe lays it all out in The Dark One, ending on a cliffhanger that made me glad I have book three next in the queue.
I picked up this book with extremely high expectations. Who doesn’t love a good re-imagining or twist on something familiar? The Never King spins the familiar story of Peter Pan, Neverland, and Captain Hook into a dark, debauched romance with magic and menace. If you are not a fan of reverse harem stories (which I have discovered that I am not), then this book will be jarring at the very least. I have seen this book (the first in a series) hyped in several places on social media but I was not prepared for how debauched it was. If that’s your thing, great. It isn’t mine, so I gave the book 3 stars. Not because it was poorly written, (it wasn’t), and not because the story wasn’t well crafted (it was), but I need more from a story than what I got from The Never King. I will say, however, that I intend to read the other three books in the series. You might ask why. Why would I keep reading if I don’t like reverse harem romance? Why bother using precious reading moments with a book series that doesn’t thrill me? Well, to be quite honest, the story itself intrigues me. St. Crowe has created compelling characters and a world I am anxious to explore. For those reasons, I am willing to see the series through to the end, even if the romance is a little dark for my tastes. Don’t take my word for it. Read this book, and decide for yourself 🙂
I see this book recommended everywhere, and since I’ve been on a bit of a dark romance kick lately, it was an obvious choice to read. I had no preconceptions before I read it so I was delightfully ignorant about what I was getting myself into. Imagine if you can, the deliciously dark almost taboo desire for vengeance that lies deep within the human psyche when we’ve been wronged. Feed that desire with vigilantism and throw in some good old fashion serial killers and you will start to get the picture. Butcher and Blackbird are killers, but what sets them apart from your average bloodthirsty psycho is they scratch their murderous itches by killing the scum of the earth. Think Dexter, but sexier.
Their relationship is a slow burn over the years with competition and banter that made me laugh out loud (literally) and culminates when the hunt for a particularly dangerous target doesn’t go as planned, the fallout breaks down any remaining barriers stopping them from embracing their longing for one another.
This is one of the absolute best dark romances I have read and it has all the best tropes with the author’s unique spin that had me immediately looking for the rest of her work. I was thrilled when I discovered that Brynne Weaver is not only a fellow Canadian author, but a fellow Nova Scotian as well.
If you like serial killer stories, read this book. If you like friends to lovers, read this book. If you’re not sure what to read next, and you don’t mind a little spice, READ THIS BOOK. Just read it. Okay? Okay. Now excuse me while I go add all of Weaver’s books to my TBR!
I’ve often heard it said that sequels can be a dangerous venture. There is a balance required where you give the reader more of what they love but also improve upon the first so as not to repeat what you’ve already done.
I think Jacqueline Carey masterfully executed this sequel. Not only do we get to see more of her fabulous world-building, but well-loved characters return and we meet new and equally endearing personalities that almost steal the show.
One of my favorite aspects of Kushiel’s Chosen is how we see Phèdre completely out of Delaunay’s shadow, and how resourceful she is without him. Her perseverance is one of my favorite things about her. She will do everything it takes to accomplish what she believes to be right.
I also love that one of the main antagonists in these books is the intoxicating villainess, Melisandre. Carey does an excellent job bringing this character, and truly all the characters, to life. With a cast as vast as the one found in these books, the fact that Carey can make each one seem unique and memorable is impressive.
This book has more intrigue and action than the first, and it will take you on a rollercoaster ride of emotions. I loved it.
I recommend you read it and I can’t wait to read the next one.
I wanted to love this book, having enjoyed the others in this series as much as I have. I don’t know if I was in a weird place while reading it or if I didn’t manage my expectations correctly, but I was a bit disappointed.
I will say that overall, it wasn’t a bad story. It had another of my favorite tropes: forbidden love, but there was just something about the whole thing that I couldn’t get into.
As per usual, we have our villain, in this case, a priest. This particular story has familiar elements from Victor Hugo’s classic, the Hunchback of Notre Dame, although is not in any way a re-telling.
If I am being completely honest, I found the beginning slower than some of the other books in the Never After series, and then by contrast, the ending felt rushed and a little implausible.
There also seemed to be less spice than previous books in the series.
Like I said, maybe I was in the wrong frame of mind to read this particular book. I have thoroughly enjoyed the other books in the Never After series so don’t let me dissuade you from reading it. Check it out for yourself and see what you think of this most recent installment in Emily McIntire’s Never After series. I’d love to know what you think!
As a Canadian, I have been disenchanted for many years, unable to reconcile the country that I love with the country in which I am currently living. It breaks my heart to admit that no is Canada strong and free.
I can remember watching the SNC-Lavalin affair unfolding in the media with utter disbelief. Surely with the truth being brought to light, accountability and consequences would rectify the corruption we were witnessing in our government. I am saddened by my naivete. However, watching Jody Wilson-Raybould dare to use her voice and position to uphold the truth was inspiring and I was so incredibly proud that she was a leader in our country. For this reason, I was so excited to read her book.
For me, “Indian” in the Cabinet accomplished a few things…
First, it confirmed my worst fears. Our system of governance in Canada is undeniably broken, and that truth has only become more clear in the subsequent years since SNC Lavalin. It seems like every day there is a new scandal. I would love to hear from Jody what she thinks of the current state of affairs in this country.
Secondly, and more importantly, reading Jody’s story reassured me that there are still principled individuals in Canada who will not continue to tow the party line and follow blindly when those who are supposed to lead us go astray. Though they may be few and far between, they are mighty.
Lastly, ordinary people must be willing to take action if change is to occur. Canada, like many other countries around the world, is perched upon a precipice. We are losing little freedoms with every piece of insidious legislation that is hidden within the legalese text of government bills being touted as our salvation or for our good.
As sovereign, sentient beings, with inherent, unalienable rights, the government should never be allowed to influence decisions related to our bodies, our beliefs, our thoughts, what we read, and what we listen to, or what we say. Freedom isn’t free, and it is too easily taken for granted.
Historically speaking, freedom isn’t usually lost in one epic battle, rather it slips away slowly, over time, because indifference is easy and too many people just go with the flow. Jody Wilson-Raybould is not indifferent.
I think the book should be read by every Canadian, and by all people who believe in good governance and the rule of law. Jody Wilson-Raybould exemplifies what it means to lead by example and with integrity. And though I’m not sure it was her intention, this book should also be classified as must-read leadership material.
Personally and from the bottom of my broken Canadian heart, I am grateful for Jody and her courage to re-live and write about her experiences in our nation’s capital. She gives me hope and another reason to stay proud as a Canadian, even when our country is struggling. Thank you, Jody, for speaking truth to power.
If I had to choose, my favorite romance trope is enemies to lovers. There is something so visceral about the connection that builds between two people who start off hating each other and become so deeply in love. I think that hate and love have passion in common, and what is more enticing than that? And if you can see the worst parts in someone, pick out all of their flaws, and grow to love them anyway…maybe that is what true love is.
Now, I’m not saying that it isn’t true love if you don’t start off hating them. What I will say though is that at some point in every serious relationship, we are faced with our partner’s flaws and weaknesses. Many relationships don’t survive this challenge so maybe an argument could be made that if we faced and acknowledged the less favorable aspects earlier in the relationship, deeper and more long-lasting love might be the result, but I digress.
Twisted is the fourth book I’ve read by Emily McIntire and another installment in the Never After series where the villain is afforded their happy ending. The use of the enemies-to-lovers trope is so well presented in these books and the intensity it adds to the spice level is *Mwah, Chef’s Kiss*
Another fun aspect of these books is the way McIntire weaves in familiar themes from other well-known stories, like Aladdin, for this particular book. What would you do if you were the only heir to the family legacy but your father insisted you be married to someone who meets his approval because you are expected to be involved in name only and that your new spouse would be the one to run things? Would you pick a stranger or the devil you know?
This was one of my favorite books in the series so far (I read it in one day) and I am so excited to continue reading the Never After series as more books become available. If you are looking for something a little dark and twisty but love the smut, read this book.
Alicia's Word Haven 