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Kin & Kine #1
Crossing Acheron
Malachy Donovan was born human. But after waking up in a pool of his own blood, he knew that fact, which once felt so certain, had been changed forever.
After being freed from imprisonment by Acheron and his elite unit of bodyguards, Malachy quickly learns the truth of his condition: he is a dhampir, a rare and powerful creature born half-human, half-vampire. Forced into a blood bond with the vampire prince—the same man who rescued him from captivity—to leave his side would be the same as being hunted down by the armies at Acheron’s command.
Now caught in a war between the prestigious vampire High Clans and the vampire anarchists who abducted him, Malachy finds himself at a crossroads: should he fight to retain his humanity among the creatures who would see him become a monster? Or give in to the growing attraction he has for the beautiful yet manipulative Acheron…and the dark allure of the underworld said prince would do anything to protect?
Crossing Acheron is the first book in the LGBT+ dark fantasy series, Kin & Kine. This book features MM enemies-to-lovers , slow burn over high heat , promiscuous vampires and Machiavellian royalty, dragon-shifters, werewolves, and witches. Kin & Kine contains content some readers may find distressing and, as such, is intended for an adult audience.
After being freed from imprisonment by Acheron and his elite unit of bodyguards, Malachy quickly learns the truth of his condition: he is a dhampir, a rare and powerful creature born half-human, half-vampire. Forced into a blood bond with the vampire prince—the same man who rescued him from captivity—to leave his side would be the same as being hunted down by the armies at Acheron’s command.
Now caught in a war between the prestigious vampire High Clans and the vampire anarchists who abducted him, Malachy finds himself at a crossroads: should he fight to retain his humanity among the creatures who would see him become a monster? Or give in to the growing attraction he has for the beautiful yet manipulative Acheron…and the dark allure of the underworld said prince would do anything to protect?
Crossing Acheron is the first book in the LGBT+ dark fantasy series, Kin & Kine. This book features MM enemies-to-lovers , slow burn over high heat , promiscuous vampires and Machiavellian royalty, dragon-shifters, werewolves, and witches. Kin & Kine contains content some readers may find distressing and, as such, is intended for an adult audience.
370 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 21, 2023
56 people are currently reading
200 people want to read
About the author
H.G. Birde
2 books32 followersI’m HG Birde, a queer writer of dark fantasy and erotic horror (but you can call me Mercury). I have a Bachelor’s in Game Development from St. Edward’s University and spent those four years holding up math-adverse artists with the strength of my slightly above-average programming knowledge. Nowadays, I dabble in freelance writing & editing and have worked on multiple indie titles in the industry.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 74 reviews
July 6, 2023
A Joyfully Jay review.
4.75 stars
Crossing Acheron is a contemporary urban fantasy from author H.G. Birde; it is the first installment of the Kin and Kine series. The framing for the story worked so well with the characters and the events that unfolded on page. The story opens with Malachy waking up in a dungeon-like cell in a pool of his own blood, but the last thing he remembers is trying to pick up a hot guy in a bar. Marcellus, said hot guy, shows up and does weird (read: vampire) things before a cavalry with magical abilities comes to rescue Malachy.
For anyone who loves vampire stories, queer main characters, messy interpersonal and sexual relationships, and super huge twists at the end, I cannot recommend Crossing Acheron highly enough. This was an excellent introduction to the Kin and Kine series and I cannot wait to see what happens next.
Read Camille’s review in its entirety here.
4.75 stars
Crossing Acheron is a contemporary urban fantasy from author H.G. Birde; it is the first installment of the Kin and Kine series. The framing for the story worked so well with the characters and the events that unfolded on page. The story opens with Malachy waking up in a dungeon-like cell in a pool of his own blood, but the last thing he remembers is trying to pick up a hot guy in a bar. Marcellus, said hot guy, shows up and does weird (read: vampire) things before a cavalry with magical abilities comes to rescue Malachy.
For anyone who loves vampire stories, queer main characters, messy interpersonal and sexual relationships, and super huge twists at the end, I cannot recommend Crossing Acheron highly enough. This was an excellent introduction to the Kin and Kine series and I cannot wait to see what happens next.
Read Camille’s review in its entirety here.
July 14, 2024
I picked up this book as a recommendation from a GR friend and I really enjoyed it. The worldbuilding, lore and plot were well done. I especially liked the philosophical and historical elements added in, I think they really added a lot to the story. There were a few points where I felt like the author could have heightened the hurt/comfort parts of the story, although I think the stage was set well for plot points related to that in the next books. While there are quite a few supporting characters, I didn't find it hard to keep track of who was who or why they were important.
I'll definitely be watching eagerly for book 2 to see if any of my theories about the upcoming plot are correct.
I'll definitely be watching eagerly for book 2 to see if any of my theories about the upcoming plot are correct.
June 27, 2023
Voilà un roman MM fantasy sur fond de vampires qui me tentait bien. On fait la connaissance de Malachy, à moitié vivant et mort, à sa rencontre avec Archeron, un autre vampire plutôt énigmatique.
Je ne vais pas y aller par quatre chemins, je n'ai pas adhéré à cette histoire, dans laquelle je ne suis jamais rentrée. J'ai repris ma lecture du début deux fois, après l'avoir posée, puis reprise...
Je pense que ce roman n'était juste pas pour moi. Ceci dit, la plume était agréable à lire...
Je ne vais pas y aller par quatre chemins, je n'ai pas adhéré à cette histoire, dans laquelle je ne suis jamais rentrée. J'ai repris ma lecture du début deux fois, après l'avoir posée, puis reprise...
Je pense que ce roman n'était juste pas pour moi. Ceci dit, la plume était agréable à lire...
July 10, 2023
My first thought when I finished this book was that it was too long a ride to end in a cliff hanger and two I'm definitely gonna read the next book in the series.
This book had a lot to attract me to it.
I hear vampires and it's an immediate click. Crossing Acheron, the introduction to the Kin & Kine series started out with a bang. The first 2-3 chapters were absolutely brilliant and written with the sole purpose of keeping the reader invested, unfortunately it didn't stay that way for me.
There was a lot to love about this book and thus the 3.5 stars. The world building, the complicated royal families , the back and forth between Acheron and Malachy. The mysteries is circling almost all the characters and overalls just the dhampir situation.
What made this book not a 5 star. Considering the length of this book I expected a lot more explanation than was given . Having a lot of side characters is fine , having a lot of side characters with absolutely no explanation to them is not fine. (I'm a backstory kinda reader) .Getting through the last chapters was a struggle, like 70 % into the book and suddenly everything is happening to Malachy all at once and I'm left confused and asking WTF??..
That said, this series has great potential and I'm definitely going to be reading the next book. Fingers crossed we get answers and that cliff hanger.
𝑰 𝒓𝒆𝒄𝒆𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒅 𝒂𝒏 𝑨𝑹𝑪 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒃𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒊𝒔 𝒎𝒚 𝒉𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒓𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒆𝒘.
This book had a lot to attract me to it.
I hear vampires and it's an immediate click. Crossing Acheron, the introduction to the Kin & Kine series started out with a bang. The first 2-3 chapters were absolutely brilliant and written with the sole purpose of keeping the reader invested, unfortunately it didn't stay that way for me.
There was a lot to love about this book and thus the 3.5 stars. The world building, the complicated royal families , the back and forth between Acheron and Malachy. The mysteries is circling almost all the characters and overalls just the dhampir situation.
What made this book not a 5 star. Considering the length of this book I expected a lot more explanation than was given . Having a lot of side characters is fine , having a lot of side characters with absolutely no explanation to them is not fine. (I'm a backstory kinda reader) .Getting through the last chapters was a struggle, like 70 % into the book and suddenly everything is happening to Malachy all at once and I'm left confused and asking WTF??..
That said, this series has great potential and I'm definitely going to be reading the next book. Fingers crossed we get answers and that cliff hanger.
𝑰 𝒓𝒆𝒄𝒆𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒅 𝒂𝒏 𝑨𝑹𝑪 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒃𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒊𝒔 𝒎𝒚 𝒉𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒓𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒆𝒘.
July 11, 2023
The plot is confusing with too many side characters and I got whiplash from Malachy's love/hate "relationship" with Acheron. There were so many little things about Malachy's attitude that annoyed me. For example, he's been a dhampir for just a few months and keeps referring to Aiofe as being a child when in actuality, she's CENTURIES older than him. I wanted to hit him over the head! (And OF COURSE, he's the only one capable of rescuing her). Plus, there were things that the author didn't explain, such as...
1. In Chapter 9, Ekaterina tells Malachy that he has a beast within and that he'll learn to coexist with him in time. Malachy hears a voice in his mind that replies "I am not a he...and we are already one." Does this mean Malachy's beast is female? If so, can his beast become pregnant since she's female?
2. Who exactly is Ekaterina? She seemed like an interesting character and then she got whisked away to locations unknown after Malachy decided to release all the prisoners. I did a lot of eye-rolling during that part.
3. Aoife's parents are Cian and Acheron. Both of them are men. Is the author implying mpreg is possible in this universe? Or is some other reproduction possible since Acheron can shape-shift into a dragon. Can he lay eggs? Or does the author simply mean that Acheron is the father & Cian is her adopted father?
4. In Chapter 19, Adrien pops up out of nowhere to help Malachy and tells him he's an Oracle. Kari replies that's not possible because Oracles are female. Now, it could be that Kari is an idiot and believes anything that the vampires tell her and is too close-minded at the thought of a male Oracle. Or is the author implying Adrien is transgender? Or am I over thinking things again?
Hmmm...I'm probably over thinking all of this and have been reading too many m/m romance books involving shape shifters.
All-in-all, I'll be giving the next book a try.
1. In Chapter 9, Ekaterina tells Malachy that he has a beast within and that he'll learn to coexist with him in time. Malachy hears a voice in his mind that replies "I am not a he...and we are already one." Does this mean Malachy's beast is female? If so, can his beast become pregnant since she's female?
2. Who exactly is Ekaterina? She seemed like an interesting character and then she got whisked away to locations unknown after Malachy decided to release all the prisoners. I did a lot of eye-rolling during that part.
3. Aoife's parents are Cian and Acheron. Both of them are men. Is the author implying mpreg is possible in this universe? Or is some other reproduction possible since Acheron can shape-shift into a dragon. Can he lay eggs? Or does the author simply mean that Acheron is the father & Cian is her adopted father?
4. In Chapter 19, Adrien pops up out of nowhere to help Malachy and tells him he's an Oracle. Kari replies that's not possible because Oracles are female. Now, it could be that Kari is an idiot and believes anything that the vampires tell her and is too close-minded at the thought of a male Oracle. Or is the author implying Adrien is transgender? Or am I over thinking things again?
Hmmm...I'm probably over thinking all of this and have been reading too many m/m romance books involving shape shifters.
All-in-all, I'll be giving the next book a try.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 20, 2023
I normally HATE, one person pov books, and at times I honestly felt like that with this story. However I stuck with it and It was definately worth it.
My review will annoy people as I have soooo many questions, rather than an easy review. I know the blurb said minor cliffhanger.... but come on.
Why was Malachy so attached to Acheron
Why was Archerons staff bending over backwards to help Malachy.
Is Archeron plotting against Cain.
Who is Malachys actual father
Where is Malachys mother
Why was Acheron and Marcellus working together.
What happened to Nik
Does Malachy and Acheron get together.
Yep lots of questions.... but ya know what.... once I got into this book I couldnt put it down. Now I have to wait for answers.... please say book two is almost ready.....
I really hope Malachy gets what he wants as it feels like he being used by everyone aound him, they are all playing games that he doesnt know the rules of.
My review will annoy people as I have soooo many questions, rather than an easy review. I know the blurb said minor cliffhanger.... but come on.
Why was Malachy so attached to Acheron
Why was Archerons staff bending over backwards to help Malachy.
Is Archeron plotting against Cain.
Who is Malachys actual father
Where is Malachys mother
Why was Acheron and Marcellus working together.
What happened to Nik
Does Malachy and Acheron get together.
Yep lots of questions.... but ya know what.... once I got into this book I couldnt put it down. Now I have to wait for answers.... please say book two is almost ready.....
I really hope Malachy gets what he wants as it feels like he being used by everyone aound him, they are all playing games that he doesnt know the rules of.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 30, 2023
Where are all my Beautiful Monster (by Jex Lane) fans at? Because I think this might be a good read while we all wait for her next book (we love you Jex, take your time). I got lots of BeMo vibes from this book, without it being the same.
Like others, it took me a little longer to get into this book. While I appreciated the choppy in out from the MCs POV, it does kinda get a little old. Maybe that's why I felt so much for Malachy. It's a large cast of characters, but not over whelming. But there is interconnectedness between them all you don't always see. And just when you think you know the game, you couldn't be more wrong.
Lot's of different vampire lore in this story, with dhampirs, bloodlines, clans, blood powers, hunters, monarchies, etc. And just like all good stories, Malachy is caught in a web he doesn't even know is there. And caught between people in ways he can't begin to understand. In this book he ends up belonging to 3 different people, none of which he really wants to be with. And none of the vampires he belongs to seem to care about him at all.
Great writing and story telling, because I really feel for Malachy and his plight. I want to see him succeed, and are just as heartbroken as he is when he is torn down again and again. 4.5 stars from me, hands down good read. I hate the cliff hanger, but that's part of why I like this story so much too.
Like others, it took me a little longer to get into this book. While I appreciated the choppy in out from the MCs POV, it does kinda get a little old. Maybe that's why I felt so much for Malachy. It's a large cast of characters, but not over whelming. But there is interconnectedness between them all you don't always see. And just when you think you know the game, you couldn't be more wrong.
Lot's of different vampire lore in this story, with dhampirs, bloodlines, clans, blood powers, hunters, monarchies, etc. And just like all good stories, Malachy is caught in a web he doesn't even know is there. And caught between people in ways he can't begin to understand. In this book he ends up belonging to 3 different people, none of which he really wants to be with. And none of the vampires he belongs to seem to care about him at all.
Great writing and story telling, because I really feel for Malachy and his plight. I want to see him succeed, and are just as heartbroken as he is when he is torn down again and again. 4.5 stars from me, hands down good read. I hate the cliff hanger, but that's part of why I like this story so much too.
November 26, 2023
loved ittttt. hope the next book comes out soon.
August 4, 2023
3.6 stars
I lowkey hate that it took me so long to read this novel as it makes it look like I had such a hard time reading it when truly I didn’t. The woes of adulting had gotten to me in the last month and I had to force myself to stop reading so I can actually pay the bills and do some work to get my life together.
So to begin, I want to say I got this as a free ARC and wanted to leave my thoughts on it on here.
Have you ever had those books you finished reading and concluded having enjoyed it but have no idea why you enjoyed it? This is one of those books for me. This one was a rather captivating read. Each word compelled me to know what the next one was; yet, at the same time, made me feel like I could leave at any point for a breather and then come back to get hooked up on it again. It was a beautiful cycle of hot and cold, and probably the only kind of behaviour I’ll allow myself to do.
But I know what you’re thinking; if I enjoyed it so much, why the rating?
I want to tell you it’s because I am a harsh critic (and most times I am). However, I don’t read this type of fantasy romances often. I’m not sure why when it’s this beautifully written - but I don’t.
My overall experience with this novel was excruciatingly difficult to digest for me and I don’t think I’ll fault that on the author. As I don’t read this type of fantasy romance often, I’m unaware of the tropes, hierarchies and societies, and the relationships that occur in this -verse. Not knowing this made understanding the lore fairly uneasy, and I know the author tried to explain it as best as they could. Perhaps if I was a little more well-versed in the vampire-shifter romances, I’d have an easier time. But this and that is life. C’est la vie.
Here’s what was difficult for me:
+ the politics first and foremost was so confusing. To be fair, human politics is difficult to grasp for me so a paranormal political world that had been established several odd eons ago is out of question with my ability, or lack thereof, to understand that. There should be drawings, diagrams, and maps so I can understand this stuff. Perhaps I failed to understand because I’m such a visual learner.
+ Siring, relationships, and bonds. I get it, but I don’t. I’m just confused as to why I’m not entirely against it. I’m feeling like Malachy right now with Acheron. (By the way, is it Ma-lah-kee or Ma-lah-kai? Albeit English is the only language I can speak fluently, it is not my first language)
+ is this an urban fantasy? I can’t tell. Sometimes they’re dressed as if they’re from at least a century ago while other times they’re not. I’m not entirely aware of the time this novel is set.
I’m not going to go into this too much because it makes it sound as if there wasn’t enough explanation in the novel when in fact there was. I just need the clarification. Sometimes you just need to let go of trying to understand everything and let time do its course and all will make sense in the end (this is my indirect plea to release the second book so I can know what happens next).
Here’s what I did like:
+ this is going to sound very red flag of me, but the push and pull, hot and cold demeanour of Acheron’s relationship with Malachy. It seems as if he (or they) cannot fully deny themselves of one another and I am living for the attraction and tension they have between one another
+ Malachy has an ever so loving charm and wit in his arsenal. Usually the love interest is the witty one (at least from the books that I enjoy) but Malachy has this sarcastic, dry sense of humour that really makes it for me. Malachy feels real, like we could actually know each other in real life, and perhaps get along. We wouldn’t be personal besties but I can tell he’d be an epic ride-or-die work bestie, and those are even better in my opinion.
+ How wonderfully it’s written. There’s just something about the writing that makes it chef’s kiss for me. I wish I can tell you how beautiful the writing is but I don’t have the proficiency to do so. You’ll find out what I mean when you find the chance to read it.
Those were all the good stuff that got me to continue going despite not understanding the novel. I’d say my experience with this is similar to ACOTAR where I had no idea what was going on until the other books brought more context. Hopefully the next instalment is released soon because I really want to know what happens next.
Overall, this was very good for me and I recommend giving this one a chance.
UPDATE: if you sign up for HG Birdie’s newsletter you get a prequel to the series and it sets some stuff in order for you. Why isn’t THAT on Goodreads? I loved it so much. Basically, Riverbanks (the prequel to Crossing Acheron) tells us the events that transpired before Malachy turned into a dhampir. Also, why is it that I ship Marcellus and Malachy more than Acheron and Malachy. I always knew I liked Marcellus more.
I lowkey hate that it took me so long to read this novel as it makes it look like I had such a hard time reading it when truly I didn’t. The woes of adulting had gotten to me in the last month and I had to force myself to stop reading so I can actually pay the bills and do some work to get my life together.
So to begin, I want to say I got this as a free ARC and wanted to leave my thoughts on it on here.
Have you ever had those books you finished reading and concluded having enjoyed it but have no idea why you enjoyed it? This is one of those books for me. This one was a rather captivating read. Each word compelled me to know what the next one was; yet, at the same time, made me feel like I could leave at any point for a breather and then come back to get hooked up on it again. It was a beautiful cycle of hot and cold, and probably the only kind of behaviour I’ll allow myself to do.
But I know what you’re thinking; if I enjoyed it so much, why the rating?
I want to tell you it’s because I am a harsh critic (and most times I am). However, I don’t read this type of fantasy romances often. I’m not sure why when it’s this beautifully written - but I don’t.
My overall experience with this novel was excruciatingly difficult to digest for me and I don’t think I’ll fault that on the author. As I don’t read this type of fantasy romance often, I’m unaware of the tropes, hierarchies and societies, and the relationships that occur in this -verse. Not knowing this made understanding the lore fairly uneasy, and I know the author tried to explain it as best as they could. Perhaps if I was a little more well-versed in the vampire-shifter romances, I’d have an easier time. But this and that is life. C’est la vie.
Here’s what was difficult for me:
+ the politics first and foremost was so confusing. To be fair, human politics is difficult to grasp for me so a paranormal political world that had been established several odd eons ago is out of question with my ability, or lack thereof, to understand that. There should be drawings, diagrams, and maps so I can understand this stuff. Perhaps I failed to understand because I’m such a visual learner.
+ Siring, relationships, and bonds. I get it, but I don’t. I’m just confused as to why I’m not entirely against it. I’m feeling like Malachy right now with Acheron. (By the way, is it Ma-lah-kee or Ma-lah-kai? Albeit English is the only language I can speak fluently, it is not my first language)
+ is this an urban fantasy? I can’t tell. Sometimes they’re dressed as if they’re from at least a century ago while other times they’re not. I’m not entirely aware of the time this novel is set.
I’m not going to go into this too much because it makes it sound as if there wasn’t enough explanation in the novel when in fact there was. I just need the clarification. Sometimes you just need to let go of trying to understand everything and let time do its course and all will make sense in the end (this is my indirect plea to release the second book so I can know what happens next).
Here’s what I did like:
+ this is going to sound very red flag of me, but the push and pull, hot and cold demeanour of Acheron’s relationship with Malachy. It seems as if he (or they) cannot fully deny themselves of one another and I am living for the attraction and tension they have between one another
+ Malachy has an ever so loving charm and wit in his arsenal. Usually the love interest is the witty one (at least from the books that I enjoy) but Malachy has this sarcastic, dry sense of humour that really makes it for me. Malachy feels real, like we could actually know each other in real life, and perhaps get along. We wouldn’t be personal besties but I can tell he’d be an epic ride-or-die work bestie, and those are even better in my opinion.
+ How wonderfully it’s written. There’s just something about the writing that makes it chef’s kiss for me. I wish I can tell you how beautiful the writing is but I don’t have the proficiency to do so. You’ll find out what I mean when you find the chance to read it.
Those were all the good stuff that got me to continue going despite not understanding the novel. I’d say my experience with this is similar to ACOTAR where I had no idea what was going on until the other books brought more context. Hopefully the next instalment is released soon because I really want to know what happens next.
Overall, this was very good for me and I recommend giving this one a chance.
UPDATE: if you sign up for HG Birdie’s newsletter you get a prequel to the series and it sets some stuff in order for you. Why isn’t THAT on Goodreads? I loved it so much. Basically, Riverbanks (the prequel to Crossing Acheron) tells us the events that transpired before Malachy turned into a dhampir. Also, why is it that I ship Marcellus and Malachy more than Acheron and Malachy. I always knew I liked Marcellus more.
August 1, 2023
✨✨✨✨✨ I don't know what to say… this book was a wild ride, to say the least.
Plot twists that I didn't see coming in each chapter, complex characters with hidden motivations and who will do whatever it takes to achieve their goals.
You can not trust anyone…
Of course, there is a love triangle between the main characters. It is quite complicated not only because of the love interest, but also because of the political implications and the relationship between them outside of passion, lust, and love/hate.
“My blood calls for yours, and yours mine.”
We have Acheron, prince of vampires, the epitome of the bad boy concept, he's everything that's wrong with a man, but you're still going to fall for him. There's no way around, Malachy falls, I fell, everyone they will fall for him, it is an undeniable fact.
Malachy is a human, not so human, who wakes up alone and badly injured in a cell with his captor trying to get him out and escape the people who are attacking his house, which he fails to do. Malachy is forced to walk out of a cell alone to end in another. Not only that, but Malachy is unknowingly caught in the middle of a sociopolitical conflict between the Vampire Court and the Clanless.
“Between Scylla and Charybdis.” 👈🏻 That sentence is the best way to exemplify the situation Malachy finds himself in… out of options, most of the time, and everyone around him wants something from him, everyone lies and wants to take advantage of Malachy.
Finally, there is Marcellus, leader of the Clanless, a group of rogue vampires who are against the Vampire Court form of government. He is Malachy's captor and creator, and apparently, the only one who knows about Malachy's true origin and abilities that go beyond what any other dhampir can do and that he obviously has hidden plans for Malachy and his extraordinary abilities. That's not to mention his complicated relationship with Acheron…
Malachy is trying to figure out whom he really is, gain control over his abilities, learn about the complicated relationships of the vampire court, fight his undeniable passion and lust for Acheron, and to top it all off, he's forced to fight and choose sides in a battle that is not his and whose implications he does not understand.
Like I said, it was a wild and unexpected ride, which I totally enjoyed, and I can't wait for the continuation of the story, hopefully and in the next book I have answers to all my questions.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Plot twists that I didn't see coming in each chapter, complex characters with hidden motivations and who will do whatever it takes to achieve their goals.
You can not trust anyone…
Of course, there is a love triangle between the main characters. It is quite complicated not only because of the love interest, but also because of the political implications and the relationship between them outside of passion, lust, and love/hate.
“My blood calls for yours, and yours mine.”
We have Acheron, prince of vampires, the epitome of the bad boy concept, he's everything that's wrong with a man, but you're still going to fall for him. There's no way around, Malachy falls, I fell, everyone they will fall for him, it is an undeniable fact.
Malachy is a human, not so human, who wakes up alone and badly injured in a cell with his captor trying to get him out and escape the people who are attacking his house, which he fails to do. Malachy is forced to walk out of a cell alone to end in another. Not only that, but Malachy is unknowingly caught in the middle of a sociopolitical conflict between the Vampire Court and the Clanless.
“Between Scylla and Charybdis.” 👈🏻 That sentence is the best way to exemplify the situation Malachy finds himself in… out of options, most of the time, and everyone around him wants something from him, everyone lies and wants to take advantage of Malachy.
Finally, there is Marcellus, leader of the Clanless, a group of rogue vampires who are against the Vampire Court form of government. He is Malachy's captor and creator, and apparently, the only one who knows about Malachy's true origin and abilities that go beyond what any other dhampir can do and that he obviously has hidden plans for Malachy and his extraordinary abilities. That's not to mention his complicated relationship with Acheron…
Malachy is trying to figure out whom he really is, gain control over his abilities, learn about the complicated relationships of the vampire court, fight his undeniable passion and lust for Acheron, and to top it all off, he's forced to fight and choose sides in a battle that is not his and whose implications he does not understand.
Like I said, it was a wild and unexpected ride, which I totally enjoyed, and I can't wait for the continuation of the story, hopefully and in the next book I have answers to all my questions.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
July 31, 2023
So dark
I've had a lot of fun reading this book. The worldbuilding was intricate and so captivating. The amount of time and effort put into the biological abilities of the races, as well as the rules of this secret vampire society are amazing.
Malachy has captured my heart since the beginning and his pain and misery stayed with me throughout the entire story. All the odds were stacked against him and this made him one of my favorite underdog characters.
It took me a while to start liking Acheron. He was so cold and distant and actively killing the romance in the romantic and sexy scenes. But by the end he grew on me. I expect to see a more human side of him in the next book.
I'm still having a hard time accepting Marcellus in this story, maybe because he was mostly absent. But I guess we'll get to see in details what he is all about in the next book.
There IS romance in this book, but it's so dark and exploitative, you might miss it. So I don't recommend Crossing Acheron if you're looking for an MM love story. But I do recommend it if you want a dark vampire tale. If you're looking for an alternative to Anne Rice's tragic, miserable and very philosophically-oriented vampires, this is your book.
I've had a lot of fun reading this book. The worldbuilding was intricate and so captivating. The amount of time and effort put into the biological abilities of the races, as well as the rules of this secret vampire society are amazing.
Malachy has captured my heart since the beginning and his pain and misery stayed with me throughout the entire story. All the odds were stacked against him and this made him one of my favorite underdog characters.
It took me a while to start liking Acheron. He was so cold and distant and actively killing the romance in the romantic and sexy scenes. But by the end he grew on me. I expect to see a more human side of him in the next book.
I'm still having a hard time accepting Marcellus in this story, maybe because he was mostly absent. But I guess we'll get to see in details what he is all about in the next book.
There IS romance in this book, but it's so dark and exploitative, you might miss it. So I don't recommend Crossing Acheron if you're looking for an MM love story. But I do recommend it if you want a dark vampire tale. If you're looking for an alternative to Anne Rice's tragic, miserable and very philosophically-oriented vampires, this is your book.
March 7, 2024
I liked it until the end
There may be spoilers in my review so be mindful.
If you’re here for a budding relationship then I’d reconsider. It isn’t even the dark aspect, it’s the fact that there’s a completely one sided interest (by our MMC) mostly formed by a forced magical brand, there’s no chemistry, and our MMC is discarded frequently by our potential love interest and at this point I’m not even sure if he’s supposed to be our love interest (is there even going to be love in this book?) I took a Star off for this, at the end of the book I still don’t know what direction we’re going in and that bothers me.
My second star off was partially because of our MMC, he goes through trauma, a lot of it, I get that but it really annoyed me how much he let Acheron (as mentioned above as potential love interest) string him a long, especially when he was completely aware of it. He came off so desperate that it took me out of the story, mostly because there wasn’t much of a reason to be desperate for Acheron.
The end completely confused me. I don’t remember who Sverre is and I wasn’t willing to backtrack to find out.
Despite that, this is probably one of the first times I hung on because of the story and not the romance. For the most part, I did enjoy the story. I’d love to see Malachy come back with a vengeance, manipulate them into their own destruction, and then rip them apart. I will read the second book when it comes out.
There may be spoilers in my review so be mindful.
If you’re here for a budding relationship then I’d reconsider. It isn’t even the dark aspect, it’s the fact that there’s a completely one sided interest (by our MMC) mostly formed by a forced magical brand, there’s no chemistry, and our MMC is discarded frequently by our potential love interest and at this point I’m not even sure if he’s supposed to be our love interest (is there even going to be love in this book?) I took a Star off for this, at the end of the book I still don’t know what direction we’re going in and that bothers me.
My second star off was partially because of our MMC, he goes through trauma, a lot of it, I get that but it really annoyed me how much he let Acheron (as mentioned above as potential love interest) string him a long, especially when he was completely aware of it. He came off so desperate that it took me out of the story, mostly because there wasn’t much of a reason to be desperate for Acheron.
The end completely confused me. I don’t remember who Sverre is and I wasn’t willing to backtrack to find out.
Despite that, this is probably one of the first times I hung on because of the story and not the romance. For the most part, I did enjoy the story. I’d love to see Malachy come back with a vengeance, manipulate them into their own destruction, and then rip them apart. I will read the second book when it comes out.
June 28, 2023
I couldn't wait to write this review. But I had to pause and compose what I wanted to say without just going in guns drawn and shooting wildly.
First this book had a good premise, it didn't reach it's potential but it was ok.
Books like this are my niche, they are exactly what I look for when I want to get into a paranormal fantasy. Unfortunately this story was so full of back and forth, hot and cold, and the information dumps were so big and random that I kept hoping to really get into this. I didn't get into it. Acheron was a dick and Mal was irritating, but at least he was making up his mind, too bad Acheron wasn't worth chasing after.
I ended up speed reading after like chapter 23 and then erased it from my library. I really want to forget I ever read it, cause all the hope I had about it being a worthwhile story was unwarranted.
First this book had a good premise, it didn't reach it's potential but it was ok.
Books like this are my niche, they are exactly what I look for when I want to get into a paranormal fantasy. Unfortunately this story was so full of back and forth, hot and cold, and the information dumps were so big and random that I kept hoping to really get into this. I didn't get into it. Acheron was a dick and Mal was irritating, but at least he was making up his mind, too bad Acheron wasn't worth chasing after.
I ended up speed reading after like chapter 23 and then erased it from my library. I really want to forget I ever read it, cause all the hope I had about it being a worthwhile story was unwarranted.
July 19, 2023
I received an ARC of Crossing Acheron in exchange for an honest review. My gratitude to the author and BookSirens.
...honestly, I am conflicted about this book. It starts off a new series - Kin & Kine - featuring queer characters, vampires with grand powers, some flavor of politics, and some flavor of strangely presented Stockholm syndrome.
There are a lot of conflicting moments throughout this book, but through a strange prism of humor, the narrator seems to comprehend that themselves.
Let's get to business then. As the author said themselves "This book features MM enemies-to-lovers, slow burn over high heat, promiscuous vampires and Machiavellian royalty, dragon-shifters, werewolves, and witches." Confirmed - the book contains all of the above, should that be an issue to any reader, this is not a book I would recommend. It has a certain flavor of torture, not unlike what the MC often experiences, and perhaps an almost awkward touch to BDSM.
Regardless, it also comes with a few memorable lines, such as "He moved as a river did, fluidly and with the knowledge that you could not stop it if you tried." - I admire the description of the other MC, but I find it more remarkable how stark of a difference it is by the end of the book where we find dear Prince every bit... stoppable. Poor man's a river with a dam that's always been there. It is a lovely, predatory description, though, and at one point one might even believe it...
Almost the same could be said about the love/hate relationship between the two MCs. There were times where I would almost believe that a man torn from his home, with family awaiting at home, with concern right there, hinted at constantly... would actually forget himself but-- I suppose that makes Malachy either really smart or really dumb. I couldn't, until the end of the book, put my finger on which it was, exactly.
Malachy, in general, was a peculiar man to follow. From a captive, to a captive, to a-- as he so lovely put it himself "a Schrödinger's vampire", to a vampire, it was incredible hard to pinpoint what, actually, drove him as a character; as a person. Hell, even who he was beforehand. So, that's where we lost a star. Not because of Malachy's oddities but because of his lack of consistency.
However, I am uncertain if the story evolves or not. After all, there were far too many unanswered questions left by the end of the tale. I will be looking forward to seeing what becomes of Malachy.
...honestly, I am conflicted about this book. It starts off a new series - Kin & Kine - featuring queer characters, vampires with grand powers, some flavor of politics, and some flavor of strangely presented Stockholm syndrome.
There are a lot of conflicting moments throughout this book, but through a strange prism of humor, the narrator seems to comprehend that themselves.
Let's get to business then. As the author said themselves "This book features MM enemies-to-lovers, slow burn over high heat, promiscuous vampires and Machiavellian royalty, dragon-shifters, werewolves, and witches." Confirmed - the book contains all of the above, should that be an issue to any reader, this is not a book I would recommend. It has a certain flavor of torture, not unlike what the MC often experiences, and perhaps an almost awkward touch to BDSM.
Regardless, it also comes with a few memorable lines, such as "He moved as a river did, fluidly and with the knowledge that you could not stop it if you tried." - I admire the description of the other MC, but I find it more remarkable how stark of a difference it is by the end of the book where we find dear Prince every bit... stoppable. Poor man's a river with a dam that's always been there. It is a lovely, predatory description, though, and at one point one might even believe it...
Almost the same could be said about the love/hate relationship between the two MCs. There were times where I would almost believe that a man torn from his home, with family awaiting at home, with concern right there, hinted at constantly... would actually forget himself but-- I suppose that makes Malachy either really smart or really dumb. I couldn't, until the end of the book, put my finger on which it was, exactly.
Malachy, in general, was a peculiar man to follow. From a captive, to a captive, to a-- as he so lovely put it himself "a Schrödinger's vampire", to a vampire, it was incredible hard to pinpoint what, actually, drove him as a character; as a person. Hell, even who he was beforehand. So, that's where we lost a star. Not because of Malachy's oddities but because of his lack of consistency.
However, I am uncertain if the story evolves or not. After all, there were far too many unanswered questions left by the end of the tale. I will be looking forward to seeing what becomes of Malachy.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 9, 2023
I really enjoyed reading this. If you love vampires, urban fantasy, mlm romance and a political games, then this is a book you might be interested in. Also this book is in first POV.
Even though I enjoyed it, there is some drawbacks.
First of all, it took me a while to get into the story. It only got interesting after 40% into the book. I know that in the synopsis it was stated to be a slow burn but it's just takes way too long to grab my attention.
There is trigger warnings for this book and the author has post a full trigger warning list on their website. As someone who reads a lot of dark stuff, it didn't bother me too much. Although there is one scene that kinda threw me off a bit which is **SLIGHT SPOILER** where the MC got waterboarded. Just a heads up for anyone who wish to not read that😅
Other than that, the characters are very interesting but I don't connect as much to them as I thought I would especially with Malachy and Archeron. Individually, they are very intriguing characters. But I remember being very frustrated towards Malachy cause they are some moments where I felt like he was being hypocritical.😅
Despite the drawbacks, I absolutely love the worldbuilding. It's clearly well thought out and I love how it correlates to history and mythology. I would love to see more of the worldbuilding and other supernatural species make an appearance in this story.
Another thing I love about this book is how it does not sugarcoat about the reality of the vampires and it's very refreshing to see that. It really highlights the elements of this book as being horror fantasy.
Overall it was very good read for me despite the drawbacks. This book has so much potential and I am interested in the sequel. Hopefully the characters will be fleshed out better 😅 and I'm really curious what happens next cause this book really ended with a lot of unanswered questions and looking forward to the story and character development.
P.S I have received a free ARC of this book from the author and BookSirens. I have left the review on this book voluntarily
Even though I enjoyed it, there is some drawbacks.
First of all, it took me a while to get into the story. It only got interesting after 40% into the book. I know that in the synopsis it was stated to be a slow burn but it's just takes way too long to grab my attention.
There is trigger warnings for this book and the author has post a full trigger warning list on their website. As someone who reads a lot of dark stuff, it didn't bother me too much. Although there is one scene that kinda threw me off a bit which is **SLIGHT SPOILER** where the MC got waterboarded. Just a heads up for anyone who wish to not read that😅
Other than that, the characters are very interesting but I don't connect as much to them as I thought I would especially with Malachy and Archeron. Individually, they are very intriguing characters. But I remember being very frustrated towards Malachy cause they are some moments where I felt like he was being hypocritical.😅
Despite the drawbacks, I absolutely love the worldbuilding. It's clearly well thought out and I love how it correlates to history and mythology. I would love to see more of the worldbuilding and other supernatural species make an appearance in this story.
Another thing I love about this book is how it does not sugarcoat about the reality of the vampires and it's very refreshing to see that. It really highlights the elements of this book as being horror fantasy.
Overall it was very good read for me despite the drawbacks. This book has so much potential and I am interested in the sequel. Hopefully the characters will be fleshed out better 😅 and I'm really curious what happens next cause this book really ended with a lot of unanswered questions and looking forward to the story and character development.
P.S I have received a free ARC of this book from the author and BookSirens. I have left the review on this book voluntarily
July 12, 2023
Thank you Booksirens and the author for the arc of this book. My review is only my opinions and I am leaving it voluntarily.
Wow, it has been a while since I was drawn into a book within the first chapter, but this one had me from the beginning. The writing style. The characters are well rounded and fleshed out. The story keeps you flipping to the next page very quickly. And the politics and magic system are insanely interesting.
Malachy is our main character and boy has been dealt the shit end of the stick. This does not hold him down though. He is unbelievably strong and this will only continue as we continue further into the story. His feelings for Acheron are complicated and entirely believeable.
Acheron plays at the villain and shows some glimpses of caring. I personally hope he feels more for Malachy than what he is letting on. He has left me with a ton of questions that I need to have the answers to.
Getting into why I rated this as 4 stars rather than 5. There were a couple continuity errors. The biggest one Malachy's flipping of his history to best fit the things going on around him. He stated he came to LA to be a musician but then later he is a historian, then back to musician, and back to historian again. Was he both or was it just one? The other reason being that there was minimal resolution to anything in this book. Everything was left so open that it was hard to keep some things straight.
Wow, it has been a while since I was drawn into a book within the first chapter, but this one had me from the beginning. The writing style. The characters are well rounded and fleshed out. The story keeps you flipping to the next page very quickly. And the politics and magic system are insanely interesting.
Malachy is our main character and boy has been dealt the shit end of the stick. This does not hold him down though. He is unbelievably strong and this will only continue as we continue further into the story. His feelings for Acheron are complicated and entirely believeable.
Acheron plays at the villain and shows some glimpses of caring. I personally hope he feels more for Malachy than what he is letting on. He has left me with a ton of questions that I need to have the answers to.
Getting into why I rated this as 4 stars rather than 5. There were a couple continuity errors. The biggest one Malachy's flipping of his history to best fit the things going on around him. He stated he came to LA to be a musician but then later he is a historian, then back to musician, and back to historian again. Was he both or was it just one? The other reason being that there was minimal resolution to anything in this book. Everything was left so open that it was hard to keep some things straight.
June 22, 2023
I was hooked from beginning to end staying up to the early hours to finish it.
Malachy’s life turned upside down fast. It was difficult to ascertain who he could trust because everyone had an ulterior motive.
Acheron was a mystery - did he have feelings for Malachy? There were times I thought he might but then he would say or do something to change my mind. He was manipulative: always playing games yet never actually giving enough answers to form a full picture.
I’m hoping Malachy will have a HEA but I very much doubt it will come without challenges. He’s in a world he doesn’t understand and so far, he hasn’t come across anyone he can genuinely trust. He’s already given his heart away but the hurt in his eyes at the end shattered my heart. I’ve got a feeling that there’s more between Malachy and Acheron than meets the eye - maybe it’s a soul bond? Who knows!
I had so many questions but not enough answers by the end of this book.
Those who enjoyed Jex Lane’s Beautiful Monster Series might enjoy this book.
*I voluntarily read this book. All opinions stated are solely my own and no one else's*
Malachy’s life turned upside down fast. It was difficult to ascertain who he could trust because everyone had an ulterior motive.
Acheron was a mystery - did he have feelings for Malachy? There were times I thought he might but then he would say or do something to change my mind. He was manipulative: always playing games yet never actually giving enough answers to form a full picture.
I’m hoping Malachy will have a HEA but I very much doubt it will come without challenges. He’s in a world he doesn’t understand and so far, he hasn’t come across anyone he can genuinely trust. He’s already given his heart away but the hurt in his eyes at the end shattered my heart. I’ve got a feeling that there’s more between Malachy and Acheron than meets the eye - maybe it’s a soul bond? Who knows!
I had so many questions but not enough answers by the end of this book.
Those who enjoyed Jex Lane’s Beautiful Monster Series might enjoy this book.
*I voluntarily read this book. All opinions stated are solely my own and no one else's*
June 30, 2023
Engaging Twisted
I need book two
This ends on a to be continued not really a cliffy
The author did a fabulous job of creating a complex and unique universe here
The characters - there is something in Malachy, besides his snark, he is so much more than just a Dhampir
The story - A lot of world-building, cast and species introductions.
Some breadcrumb trails of possible motivations - I was never sure who was friend or foe - There were a couple of scenes that threw me so far out of the loop
The secrets - I swear not a soulless was as they seemed everyone had an agenda of some sort
The relationships were a bit more complicated here
There were times it felt like information overload but as the book wrapped up all the smaller details that felt like fluf were all necessary
Anywho... I'm off to discover the truth or some semblance of it
Just a little note this has lots of crimson moments and some darker acts in case you have a sensitivity
I need book two
This ends on a to be continued not really a cliffy
The author did a fabulous job of creating a complex and unique universe here
The characters - there is something in Malachy, besides his snark, he is so much more than just a Dhampir
The story - A lot of world-building, cast and species introductions.
Some breadcrumb trails of possible motivations - I was never sure who was friend or foe - There were a couple of scenes that threw me so far out of the loop
The secrets - I swear not a soulless was as they seemed everyone had an agenda of some sort
The relationships were a bit more complicated here
There were times it felt like information overload but as the book wrapped up all the smaller details that felt like fluf were all necessary
Anywho... I'm off to discover the truth or some semblance of it
Just a little note this has lots of crimson moments and some darker acts in case you have a sensitivity
July 6, 2023
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This was a book that had me hooked from the start. From the very first pages, I felt a strong emotional attachment to the created world. The only problem for me, in this book, were the two main protagonists. I tried hard to feel some emotion other than anger and boredom at their actions. I was also quite irritated at how, in a certain part of the book, Malachy's choice, was quite contradictory with his speech, showing how false and hypocritical everything that came out of his mouth and mind ended up being. It was an option that made me even more unhappy with his actions.
In addition, I liked the secondary characters, and I liked how well portrays vampire life.
As much as I have this complaint with the two protagonists, I look forward to the next book, as the ending was very enlightening with the doubts that permeated my mind.
This was a book that had me hooked from the start. From the very first pages, I felt a strong emotional attachment to the created world. The only problem for me, in this book, were the two main protagonists. I tried hard to feel some emotion other than anger and boredom at their actions. I was also quite irritated at how, in a certain part of the book, Malachy's choice, was quite contradictory with his speech, showing how false and hypocritical everything that came out of his mouth and mind ended up being. It was an option that made me even more unhappy with his actions.
In addition, I liked the secondary characters, and I liked how well portrays vampire life.
As much as I have this complaint with the two protagonists, I look forward to the next book, as the ending was very enlightening with the doubts that permeated my mind.
August 9, 2023
DNF at 15%
Received this as an ARC from BookSirens, and am very grateful for it, however, it sadly did not work for me.
On paper, this sounded like exactly my cup of tea - Urban Fantasy with Vampires and Romance, and some dark themes to round it out. And it does have all of that, so I would still say, go ahead and give it a try! (That's why it's a 2-Star DNF instead of a 1-Star - there is potential). The writing starts out a bit clumsy, but get's better with each chapter.
This is a very 'it's not you, it's me' situation. The parts I've read were okay, but not enough to make me pick up the book again or commit to a whole series. (this was also exaggerated by the fact that I've read this in e-book form, which is by far my least favorite way of consuming books). Possibly will pick this back up again, if I still think about it in a few months, and want to spend my coin on a physical copy.
Received this as an ARC from BookSirens, and am very grateful for it, however, it sadly did not work for me.
On paper, this sounded like exactly my cup of tea - Urban Fantasy with Vampires and Romance, and some dark themes to round it out. And it does have all of that, so I would still say, go ahead and give it a try! (That's why it's a 2-Star DNF instead of a 1-Star - there is potential). The writing starts out a bit clumsy, but get's better with each chapter.
This is a very 'it's not you, it's me' situation. The parts I've read were okay, but not enough to make me pick up the book again or commit to a whole series. (this was also exaggerated by the fact that I've read this in e-book form, which is by far my least favorite way of consuming books). Possibly will pick this back up again, if I still think about it in a few months, and want to spend my coin on a physical copy.
June 22, 2023
I enjoyed reading this book. It’s well paced, has interesting, distinct characters and I enjoyed the well thought out and integrated history and mythology as well as the elements of mystery.
My main drawback is that this book took a while to really grab my attention. I’m not sure why but I wasn’t very invested until almost halfway through (about 40%). The main characters were also extremely hot and cold and one or both would go from one end of love or lust to the other end of hate up to several times in one interaction or conversation. I know this is something alluring for some readers but it left me feeling like I had whiplash from the sudden changes.
I otherwise liked this book and would recommend it to vampire lovers and fantasy readers.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
My main drawback is that this book took a while to really grab my attention. I’m not sure why but I wasn’t very invested until almost halfway through (about 40%). The main characters were also extremely hot and cold and one or both would go from one end of love or lust to the other end of hate up to several times in one interaction or conversation. I know this is something alluring for some readers but it left me feeling like I had whiplash from the sudden changes.
I otherwise liked this book and would recommend it to vampire lovers and fantasy readers.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
July 27, 2023
MINOR SPOILERS!
I always enjoy reading a story about vampires that's more than fangs and fucking. That being said, there were quite a few plot holes. Things that felt entirely too convenient (for the writer). Malachy's character was also not very believable and his actions often seemed - again - convenient to the story. For example, his emotional bond with Kari (the human girl). It didn't make any sense, except that she was helpful in letting imprisoned vampires escape their cage (why did you do that, Malachy?! Didn't you still feel mostly human?).
There were too many things that didn't make sense to lose myself in the story. Instead, I was constantly reminded of the fact that I was just reading a book, and becoming increasingly annoyed with Malachy.
Still, it was a fun read and I'm looking forward to the next book.
I always enjoy reading a story about vampires that's more than fangs and fucking. That being said, there were quite a few plot holes. Things that felt entirely too convenient (for the writer). Malachy's character was also not very believable and his actions often seemed - again - convenient to the story. For example, his emotional bond with Kari (the human girl). It didn't make any sense, except that she was helpful in letting imprisoned vampires escape their cage (why did you do that, Malachy?! Didn't you still feel mostly human?).
There were too many things that didn't make sense to lose myself in the story. Instead, I was constantly reminded of the fact that I was just reading a book, and becoming increasingly annoyed with Malachy.
Still, it was a fun read and I'm looking forward to the next book.
July 14, 2023
I enjoyed this one. I'll admit it was very similar to Kat Silvers Dark Flame series - especially the ending.
I don't know how I felt about the characters personally as the lines were all so blurred and I was a little confused at the court politics and how everyone was actually feeling. I'm a big believer that a character can be redeemed but we need a back story and some perspective. The main couple felt very manipulative and unbalanced which took from my enjoyment. I would also say that the whole story kind of left a bad taste in my mouth considering Malachi ended up with the same sleazeball he started with...
Now on to the thing I enjoyed! I loved Malachy as a character and his growth and utter bewilderment was wholesome. I loved the descriptions of the outfits and the utter absurdedy of the situation. I thought his trials were pretty well written all things considered.
Overall 4 stars from me and I'll only be reading the second because I need to know what's happening 😅
I don't know how I felt about the characters personally as the lines were all so blurred and I was a little confused at the court politics and how everyone was actually feeling. I'm a big believer that a character can be redeemed but we need a back story and some perspective. The main couple felt very manipulative and unbalanced which took from my enjoyment. I would also say that the whole story kind of left a bad taste in my mouth considering Malachi ended up with the same sleazeball he started with...
Now on to the thing I enjoyed! I loved Malachy as a character and his growth and utter bewilderment was wholesome. I loved the descriptions of the outfits and the utter absurdedy of the situation. I thought his trials were pretty well written all things considered.
Overall 4 stars from me and I'll only be reading the second because I need to know what's happening 😅
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 25, 2023
5 stars!! I can't wait for the next book in this series. I was captivated from the beginning to the end. An overall brilliant read from a new favourite author of mine. Book 2 is a NEED not a want.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
June 29, 2023
This book took me a while to get into, but I'm glad I kept reading it, because I enjoyed it quite a bit by the time I got to the end. I'm going to be picking up the next book in the series, so obviously it did its job.
I'm honestly still up in the air about the main characters, but I'm intrigued at the same time. It's strange, but I'm honestly invested enough that I want to know how this is all going to turn out.
That being said, love the concept going on, and A+ for steam. I'll have the second book on my TBR shelf!
I'm honestly still up in the air about the main characters, but I'm intrigued at the same time. It's strange, but I'm honestly invested enough that I want to know how this is all going to turn out.
That being said, love the concept going on, and A+ for steam. I'll have the second book on my TBR shelf!
October 19, 2023
So much to say about this one. The fact that this was the authors debut is amazing. From the beginning, the writing hooked me. The story was compelling from the first page to the last, full of twists and exciting turns that I didn’t see coming. I loved the characters, and I loved the world. This reminded me of one of my favorite series of all time, so it quickly became a new top favorite for me, and I can’t wait for the sequel. I’m back on my vampire shit and this was an excellent, excellent vampire story. I also love how long it is because I’m a sucker for a chunky book, but for a book with this many pages to also keep me engaged the whole way through is another feat. (The ebook page count is 1,000 but the paperback says it’s actually only 368 which I cannot believe. It feels longer.) I loved this. Will be getting it in paperback ASAP.
August 21, 2023
So this one was very similar to the Beautiful Monsters series by Jex Lane. Unsure if it was inspired by that story or which one even came first or if it's just a happy coincidence, but I enjoyed this and devoured it in a day. I'm actually really mad there's no news about a sequel. Boo....
4.5 stars
4.5 stars
June 28, 2023
He was born human and he is about to learn something new about himself when he wakes in a pool of his blood. He is part human and part vampire. He will be soon in the middle of a battle between those who have taken him and the vampire kings. What is going to happen to him? How will he get on? Where will he be taken? See just what is going to happen next for him
August 27, 2023
I enjoyed this debut and the complicated relationship between Malachy and Acheron very much. Can't wait for the next book!
June 28, 2023
Love this new intense fantasy journey we traveled. He is not sure who is on his side or what his truly doing. I cant wait for more
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