Heartless

Scarlet Hearts #1

by Mia Z. Staysails

Calling me the Queen of Hearts is false advertisement because this Queen is anything but loving.

The second I placed that crown on my head I could feel the tremble in my kingdom. Though I accepted my new title while still mourning the death of my sister and my best friend, I held my chin high and my pride even higher.

Humans are brought to me for pleasure, whether it be to fill the need between my thighs or to use for pawns on my killer chessboard; literally.

But what happened when my next human arrived on scene was something I could never prepare myself for.

While standing in my Bleeding Hearts room using my next toy to scratch the itch, I come eye to eye with something that I should never be left in charge of… a human child.

Do I send the child back to the human world against her will? Or do I allow her to stay in the Land of Scarlet Hearts, where my corruption is bound to change her life forever?


This book has elements of the classic Alice in Wonderland tale: Cheshire Cat, White Rabbit, Queen of Hearts, and a dark hole that sends humans into a world they were never prepared to face. Readers beware, for this is no light fairytale.

Genres: Fantasy, Retellings

292 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 29, 2023

Reviews

[Em Yardy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was given an ARC for my honest Review.

Wow this book has elements of a retelling of Alice in Wonderland. Dark fairytale romance with spice, secrets, betrayal, plot and adventure.

The world building was on point I couldn’t put the book down. “The Queen” (Lizzy) is heartless and does not do feelings at all but when a human girl Alex ends up in the Queens world there is something not right. The banter between the characters was great to read. I did not see the twist at the end of this book it opens up so many more questions.

I can’t wait for the next one to come out.

Rating:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Burn:🔥🔥🔥
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Darkness: 🖤🖤
POV: mostly single

[Terah Satterly · Rating 5 out of 5]

First of all can I just say that Mia should be getting praise for all of her books.
That being said Heartless has got to be one of my top 5 favorite books. The story line, the plot, the SPICE! ❤️❤️ Let’s not forget the banter between the characters. It was perfect and just want I needed. I can’t wait to see what she has in store for us next!!

[Kimberly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heartless by Mia Z Staysails is book one in the Scarlet Hearts Series. It’s a Dark Erotic Retelling of The Queen of Hearts and it’s the first book I’ve read by this author. All I can say is wow! I thought after reading the blurb of this book, I knew what I was in for. I was wrong, this exceeded everything I was expecting. Worldbuilding was written phenomenally. I could imagine everything as I was reading. The plot, flow and pace were fantastic. I didn’t put my kindle down once. There is plenty of blood and spice to go around with that being said, check your trigger warnings just to be on the safe side.

The characters of Lizzy (the queen) and Alex (from the human world) were written so well. Their banter and interactions had me swiping my kindle pages so fast to read more. There was a lot in this book, the tragedy and the ripples that the trauma caused. But you can tell that there’s something not quite right. Then there’s the ending, I absolutely need book two in my life. After reading this book, I can’t wait to check out the author’s other works. Remember as Mia (the author) described this book, it’s no light fairytale. I personally loved it so if you love a dark romance, Alice in Wonderland retelling then add this book to your TBR.

Final review:
5 out of 5 stars

[Lori Rivera · Rating 5 out of 5]

WHAT AN AMAZING BEGINNING TO A NEW SERIES

Heartless is an accurate name to this book and exactly how Lizzy, the Queen is.

This book is going to leave you reeling with even more questions than what you started with… but the deliciousness factor is Sky high!!! This book comes with it all… spice, betrayal, secrets, romance, adventure and banter… OMG the banter!!!

This book brings it all to the table and the plot and story delivers! A MUST READ for dark romance readers!

[Rita Mudawar · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a cool retelling! Lizzy was such a fun character. She was so strong and confident but sad and broken. I can’t wait to see how her relationship with Alex progresses. Heath…oh that man!!! 🔥🔥🔥 Warren is intriguing as well and I want more from him! And I refuse to accept a certain characters current predicament…and I will leave it at that!

[Sayde · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was so good! I devoured it all in a single day!! What a fun twist on the wonderland world — a red queen who likes to give some pain to get her pleasure in charge of the land with beings of all kinds

After losing the people she loved most Lizzie has cut herself off from caring about others when it’s easier & safer to be selfish. She’s the queen and she’ll do as she pleases. Her life takes an unforeseen turn when the human Alex shows up, how possibly is Lizzie to care for a teen girl and does she really have a choice but to find a way? However even more chaos seems to strike with traitors roaming free and Lizzie is put to the test, no matter her choices her future will change from here.

SO excited for book 2 to see where this story goes!!

[Nicole Scarborough · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this so much. This is a great retelling with all of the emotions. It was spicy but had a good plot. The chemistry was great. It was well written

[Jazz · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5
I recommend this book if you enjoy dark retellings and plot with a a decent amount of smut. NOT TOO MUCH SMUT IN MY OPINION.

I really enjoyed this book and its darkness/smuttiness. I feel like the Queen of Hearts personality was perfectly encapsulated from Alice in Wonderland. I understand this is a retelling or a spinoff but the changing of characters names and such made it hard to follow along who was supposed to be who.

At the beginning of the book, it mentions a person with a tall hat is this supposed to be the mad hatter? etc.

I loved the emotional strings that came with the book and it gives a surprising twist at the end. Like seriously last page and boom bitch haha I'm here.


At the end when it said they had the same mom. I was like woah I thought this was standalone but I went and found the author's website and she writing another book it says it is a retelling of Alice in Wonderland so I thought that doesn't make sense it has to be about the Red Queen and the kid BUT I kept thinking about it and it clicked in my head. The kid fell into scarlet hearts how Alice fell into wonderland. SO THE KID IS ALICE!

[Anita Hickman · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my very first book of Mia Z. Staysails and definitely won't be my last
When I first started reading this book, I was a little slow to start, but after a couple of chapters. I devoured this book and read it all the way to the end. It keeps you guessing with all its twists and turns .

It may have had some of the character names of Alice in Wonderland, but it was far from it. Mia z. nails it by saying , " THIS IS NO LIGHT FAIRYTALE "
It is a tale of a young human girl who finds herself in her own fairytale in the Land of Scarlet Heart. She is not afraid, but when she meets the heartless Queen . Alex becomes unsure. Lizzy the Queen definitely doesn't want her there in her land and pulls every trick that she is sure that will scare Alex back to the world she comes from.

Does it work?? It's definitely a must-read for the strong... You won't regret it.

BE WARNED THO⚠️⚠️. THIS IS NO AVERAGE READ and No Fairytale. 👑

[Christina Rybka · Rating 5 out of 5]

Queen Lizzy rules over the land of Scarlet Hearts harshly and unemotionally. Warren the merman gets her filthy humans to play with. Rodney is her advisor and a white rabbit shifter who makes her tea. One day she goes to collect her human from Warren and she gets more than she bargains for, a fifteen year old girl named Alex. Lizzy takes Alex around trying to scare her into leaving, but Alex is not fazed. Health the leader of the Spade Guards is keeps trying to get her into bed. Everyone has secrets and change is coming. Will Queen Lizzy, Alex, and Scarlet Hearts be ready? Great characters and storyline Highly recommended Amazing Book. I love Queen Lizzy and her character development was amazing. The supporting characters in this book are excellent. This is my first book by this author definitely not my last.

[Charlotte R. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was an ARC reader for this book, and here is my opinion:

I absolutely loved this book! There is so much spice, but it also has a great plot. This book is dark and spicy! Can't wait until the second book!

The Queen has seen much tragedy, and she becomes heartless to those around her. Humans are only good for one thing... a good time in The Bleeding Hearts Room.

Mia did an amazing job writing this story, but it's not for everyone. If you don't like blood and spice, this is not a book for you.

[Tia Fanning · Rating 5 out of 5]

This Queen of Hearts is Great!

I wasn’t sure what I was about to get into after skimming that reader-warning elements page. I knew this was a dark retelling, and I knew it was super spicy, but I wasn’t sure what to expect from this book. OMG! I WAS *NOT* DISAPPOINTED. It was incredibly entertaining! You will adore this Queen! She is hilarious and feisty and sexy and deadly. If you enjoy ALICE IN WONDERLAND retellings, you will love this erotic take. Just make sure to read the trigger-warnings on the copyright page before you proceed. This is not for the faint of heart.

[Donna Alexander · Rating 5 out of 5]

Where to begin with Heartless. It is a dark twist on the queen of heart from Alice in Wonderland. It involves shapeshifters, imps, merman, the spade court and even humans. If 50 shades of gray and Alice ans Wonderland had a baby this is it. I love the how thw characters interact with one another, the detail that comes from the storyline. There is even a few parts that make me say ouch! 🙂 definitely worth the read and can't wait to see what else Mia has in store.

[Leah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was given an ARC for my honest review.

I am not into fantasy, but let me tell you, this book was brilliantly written. It gave me vibes of Alice in Wonderland. But, Spicy and dark, which I love! If you love banter, spice, and dark romance this is for you. I absolutely could not put this book down. It does end on a cliffhanger. I can’t wait for the next book. Thank you for the opportunity!

[N · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay MIA!!! I feel like I don’t give 5 stars daily but THIS–brava. From dark romance, tragedy and dealing with the after-effects of trauma this story has it all! I absolutely loved reading this story, it picks up a few chapters in and the ending was a great cliffhanger.

[Suzanne Benson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing!! I really didn't think I was going to be able to read this all the way through but, damn is it great!!! It has everything and I mean everything! Steamy, scary, love in the end. And a damn cliff hanger!!!! Can't wait for the next one.

[Damita Perez · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book starts with a huge punch and really got me excited for a read. It does slow down a bit and I had trouble remembering who some characters were but I enjoyed the visuals it gave me and it was a completely new look at Wonderland!

[Cindy Pellerin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely LOVED the book! The spice, the characters, the intrigue AND the blend of Alice in Wonderland in all of it makes it amazing! A lot of action (spicy and not) a lot of WT* moments and the cliffhangers are killing!!! Mia spoiled us again with an AMAZING book!

[Gail Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wasn’t sure where the book was going initially, but it quickly became so much more. It was mysterious, sarcastic, dark and dirty lol.
An enthrallingly dark story with a WTF ending. You’ll love it

[Bobby L · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my first book of Mia and she didn’t disappoint at all! I definitely will be rereading this book taking my time 😊 and reading other books by Mia 🥰.. I definitely love her writing style ❤️

[Kathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded up
As far as Alice in Wonderland goes, it is one of my favorite fairytales. This is a dark re-telling of the Queen of Hearts and her life. The characters are explained as you meet them, and the Queen is a lust filled monarch, and she tortures humans in her dungeon. There is a whole lot of BDSM, and a lot of secrets held in the kingdom, and when a human child follows the rabbit down the hole it causes all kinds of problems for the Queen. A slow-paced re-telling, there is a murky Abyss, the White Rabbit, Cheshire Cat, the Chessboard that’s played a little differently, and did I mention it’s dark?

CW/TW: This is a dark novel and is intended for mature audiences only. This book contains dark humor, explicit sexual content, graphic violence, coarse language, dub/nonconsensual scenes, trauma, family loss, drug/alcohol use, corruption of a minor, and other sensitive and mature subject matter.

Thank you to Goodreads for the reader giveaway.

[Skylar mackall · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you want dark spicy and a little bloody wink wink you will absolutely love this book. I can’t wait for another book to this series to come out because this book had me needing more!!!

[Giorgia - whatgiorgiaisreading · Rating 5 out of 5]

I. Am. Obsessed. - An easy 5 stars!

I love a good retelling, but Mia's take on the Red Queen was both familiar and brand new at the same time. Elements of the Red Queen that we all know were there, but bursts of originality and the most clever of details and easter eggs keep this book fresh - It was dark, sexy and exciting and I loved it.

The writing style was fantastic and I was sucked in from the very first page. I loved the world building and particularly loved how we saw Lizzy grow as a character throughout the chapters.

The cliffhanger was crazy & unexpected - I cannot wait to find out what happens in the second book!!

This book is an absolute triumph, I'm so glad I had the opportunity to sneak peek this one - Thank you Mia ♥️

Available now on Amazon and KU - and run, don't walk!! just remember to check the trigger warnings!

⭐ 5/5
🌶️ 4.5/5

[Aja🐼✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

“ARC REVIEW”
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Spiciness: 1.5 out of 5

I’ve always like fairytale retellings especially that of the villains, and the famous Red Queen of Hearts has always been one of the favorites.

I’ve read Heartless by Marissa Meyer and I signed up for this ARC in the hopes of getting another take on the QoH’s backstory.

I love that it has a fresh take on Alice in Wonderland. The characters we’re familiar with are all present, with a dark twist to some.

I love that it doesnt quite focus on romance and more on the character building of the queen.
Plus that cliffhanger and plot twist in the end was not what I was expecting.

If you’re in the mood for a dark Alice in Wonderland inspired story, this could be the one you’re looking for.

[Brittany · Rating 5 out of 5]

This Alice in Wonderland retelling was amazing! Alex found a way into Lizzy’s ice cold heart. The spice was everything. And that cliffhanger was 😳

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a Queen of Hearts dark retelling. It is the first book in a series and does end with a pretty epic cliffhanger if I do say so myself.

Lizzy becomes the Queen of Hearts after a series of events leaves her the only family member left. To overcome her loneliness Lizzy enjoys "borrowing" humans to "play" with in her Bleeding Hearts room and on her chessboard. But one time a human teen finds her way to Lizzy's world. Alex is running from the human world after witnessing a tragedy. Can Lizzy and Alex help each other through their traumas? What will happen with all the side characters?

I love the idea behind this story. It has all kinds of shifters as the Cheshire Cat, The White Rabbit and the Tweedles to name a few. I felt like it had a slow start but wound up ending SO good. The plot, characters, pace, flow and writing style were all great. I can't wait to see what happens to these characters next!

[Stacey Woods · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love when a book goes with the title. Heartless fits the story in every sense. I really thought my review was posted. That's ok it gave me time to think about this book. It's one you won't get over easily. Oh and the spice was fantastic. A superb telling of a twisted fairytale. The writing was immaculate.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

**ARC REVIEW**

Name: Heartless
Author: Mia Z. Staysails
Rate: 4.5 🌟
Spice: 3🌶️
Genre: Dark Fiction
Release: Available KU 7/29/23

⚠️PLEASE CHECK TRIGGER WARNINGS⚠️

So like who does not like a dark retelling story of Alice in Wonderland? This book sure had a twist to it. That ending… what a Cliffhanger… I can’t wait for book 2, since it did leave me with a lot of questions. Are Alex and the Queen Lizzy half or bio sisters? Was her mom pregnant at the time when she was kidnapped? Who really killed her father and kidnapped her mother? Omg, so many unanswered questions…. This book was really good. I still didn't get on how she got the pleasure of killing the humans, but hey that's what the queen liked so… LOL! let her be I guess!
I enjoyed how the characters were introduced in this book. We got to meet Rodney (The white rabbit), Cheshire(the cat), omg and you can’t forget the Tweedles twins!!! Plus many more!
Everything about this story is good.

[Lootz · Rating 2 out of 5]

Won from a Goodreads giveaway.
I am an Alice in Wonderland fan, so I had to give this a try, and there were glimmers of a good story here, but overall it was not good. There was a lot of sex and violence just for the sake of sex and violence, and not to add anything to the story. The writing felt like someone trying to make a certain word count who could have used a good editor. Again, glimmers of a good story are there, but it was rough to get through and I didn't love the cliffhanger ending. I don't feel like the motivations for any of the characters were explained effectively, so you just had to accept their bad behavior. It was a frustrating read. Resolution of the cliffhanger would be the only reason I would consider reading the next book in the series.

[Raven Morrigan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I must say, it was not what i was expecting, but I really enjoyed this book. I thought it would be a bit closer to Alice in wonderland, which it is inspired from, but no.

Alex finds her way to Scarlets Heart and is from a modern world.
Lizzy is the Queen of heart and is...heartless, literraly.

I don't wanna spoil anything so I'll keep it short, but this is a definite read if you like dark and erotic retailling.