Beanspruche mich

Immortal Vices and Virtues: Her Monstrous Mates #2

by Lexi C. Foss, Literary Queens (translator)

Ich bin eine Gefangene. Ein Haustier. Ein Wesen von höchster Macht – an einer Leine.
Warum?

Weil sich mein arrangierter Gefährte meine Macht »geborgt« hat und beinahe den König vom Haus von Gold und Granat getötet hätte.

Oh, er wusste um meine Unschuld. Genau wie sein Nachfolger, König Kaspian. Aber das hat meine Strafe nicht gemildert, sondern meine Gefängniszelle nur ein wenig bequemer gemacht.

Denn anstelle von einem Käfig sitze ich in einem der Schlafzimmer des neuen Königs fest. Und er hat drei sehr gut aussehende Söldner damit beauftragt, mich zu bewachen.

Nox, Bane und Nolan.

Zu dumm, dass ich nichts weiter will, als zu fliehen – sonst wäre ich vielleicht in Versuchung geraten, mich an dem Buffet voller sexy Köstlichkeiten zu bedienen, das vor mir ausgebreitet ist.

Doch als König Kaspian mir eine Aufgabe stellt, die ich nicht ablehnen kann, bin ich plötzlich unfähig, an etwas oder jemanden anderes zu denken als an die vier Entführer, die mein Leben kontrollieren.

Denn es stellt sich heraus, dass das Brechen eines magisch erzwungenen Gefährtenbands die Seele spalten und neue Bande entstehen lassen kann.
Vier, um genau zu sein.
Mit einem König und seinen drei Söldnern.

Wenn mich einer von ihnen ablehnt, werde ich sterben.
Aber wenn sie mich akzeptieren, könnte meine Todesmagie uns alle verzehren …

**Beanspruche mich ist eine heiße Stand-Alone-Romanze im paranormalen Unvergängliche-Triebe-und- Tugenden-Universum – und handelt von Fallon und ihren vier »vom Schicksal bestimmten« Gefährten.

Genres: Fantasy, Paranormal, Romance, Vampires, Dark Romance, Audiobook, Magic

444 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 2, 2024

About the author

USA Today Bestselling Author Lexi C. Foss loves to travel and write in supernatural worlds. Paranormal romance is her favorite genre, but she dabbles in contemporary romance when she needs a break from the darker side of her mind.

Coffee is her addiction, swimming is her passion, and she has a not-so-secret adoration for eclipse chasing.

Lexi can be found on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

Reviews

[Jac K]

DNF @ 25%

I didn’t realize the unwanted mate bond was hers. I thought it was going to be the King’s and that there would be drama from that. I also didn’t realize there would be four dudes which is a lot for me to juggle. I like this author but just couldn’t connect to the plot. I believe these say they can be read as standalones, but this one relies heavily on the first book for the world building.

Two of the mates are phantoms and are too much, following her around like puppy dogs. They’re BFF’s that enjoy watching each other and one has been screwing around with the king. (FYI some MM) Most of the plot was based upon the FMC keeping a secret and not communicating.

Bottom Line- I have really enjoyed her X/V clan series, but this was a miss for me.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you're like me you may have been following the Immortal Vices and Virtues series since the first season, if not that's okay this can be read as a standalone. However, if you have been following, do remember all that stuff that went down in Crave Me? Well here's the fallout. In Claim Me not only do we get to see what happened after those events but we also get a little of the backstory that we didn't in Crave Me. This book was freaking awesome. Death magic, necromancers, phantoms, dark magic, and more.


I was so outraged for Fallon and that outrage only grew over time. Not only was she abused by her so-called "mate" but she and her sister were abused by their entire community. Manipulation and control are just the tip of the iceberg. The males in the Outcast Coven were pure evil and the things that Fallon had to go through, a lesser person wouldn't have fought but Fallon did, she fought for herself and he twin sister Issy. I loved their bond and how much they did for each other, Fallon was always putting her sister first which had her standing strong against any foe. Even her mates.


Fallon gets four mates but are they? There were some questions about that. The two phantoms, Bane and Nox, were my favorites, loving, attentive, and adoring from the start. They were so sweet with her, letting her dictate the pace and rules. Nolan was complex. He's the stoic type, he doesn't express any kind of feelings in any way. So it was a real surprise when he showed his feelings. Dang! Nolan laid it all out at the end. Mr. Quietly Brooding usually keeps everything to himself gave Fallon the most impassioned speech ever and dang it if it didn't make my heart quiver. And then there's Kaspian who F-this-up like no other, at every turn. His mistrust, demanding of her secrets, doubted fate, a little intimidation, and more, he did not handle things well. When he realized his mistake there was groveling and he made things right. Both were put in a hard place so it was easier to forgive his mistakes.


vibeMost of this story was the battle of wills between Fallon and Kaspian, and boy was that entertaining along with the sweet and steamy moments with the phantoms. The other component was the magic. The Outcast Coven consists of Death Witches. This is a brand new kind of witch, they aren't necromancers, their mythology is something totally different, it's new and I enjoyed discovering it in this story. I mean magic powered by the soul, what?! There was most definitely a fight the Patriarchy vibe in this book, the men of the coven... the abuse they so easily doled out was horrific. The dark magic, enchantments, and fake mating bonds were just some of the crimes they committed. I love seeing the women of the coven finally fighting back.


Of course, I'm absolutely obsessed with IMVaV, and Claim Me is just another reason for me to be. I enjoyed every minute of Fallon's story. I also love how connected this book series is, with characters and storylines overlapping creating a vivid and intricate world. After everything Fallon has been through she deserves her HEA but Issy does too and it looks like she's getting one in Mark Me. Issy isn't the only one, another side character we met is also getting their own story. I can't wait.

[Lynn · Rating 2 out of 5]

RH

This is a RH that pretends to have a plot for more than half the book. The spice is good, but the plot was given a good college try, but failed.

The two stars went entirely to the spice.

[Shirley · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5/5*

Original review

This book was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review. Thank you Lexi C. Foss

Claim Me is the third standalone book in the second season of the Immortal Vices and Virtues: Her Monstrous Mates,  and tells the story of Fallon, Bane, Kaspian, Nolan and Nox.

Yay, another book in the Immortal Vices and Virtues world! I keep repeating this in every review, but the Immortal Vices and Virtues world is so amazing with interesting stories, beautiful covers and talented authors. All books are standalone Fantasy Romance books, so you don’t have to read all of them to be able to read one of them, but let me tell you, you’ll get addicted! Every book in the first Immortal Vices and Virtues season is about one mate, and every book in the second season, Her Monstrous Mates is about multiple mates.

Claim Me is the third book in the second season, and is about Fallon, Bane, Kaspian, Nolan and Nox. I loved the diversity of this couple, Fallon is a witch, Bane and Nox are phantoms, Nolan is an archangel and Kaspian is a vampire. A weird but good mix, believe me. The story was really interesting, I was also really excited for the characters to get together and experience fun. It was also really nice that this book is about Kaspian, if you read the first Immortal Vices and Virtues series, you know Kaspian from Crave Me. I always thought he deserved his own book!

Claim Me was such a great book. I really enjoyed reading about the characters, the mix of personalities was amazing, the chemistry and the spice was amazing too. Fallon and her mates were fun to read about, and I’m glad they have their happy ending. Claim Me is a great addition to the Immortal Vices and Virtues series, and I already can’t wait to get my hands on the next book in the Immortal Vices and Virtues: Her Monstrous Mates series!

[✨ Just Another Bookwyrm ✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alright, I ended up being okay with Kaspian in the end. Glad that the grovel was in his point of view…

Overall an interesting, enjoyable story 😊

[Kala Brazell · Rating 1 out of 5]

I hated this, like absolutely HATED it

This was terrible. I got to chapter 16 and read the first few lines and realized it was not for me at all. I've tried, really tried, to enjoy it but I couldn't. The plot sucks, the female main character is awful and the phantoms are like puppies. Just did not hit any of the things I enjoy about a romance novel

[CiCi | bookameme · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was okay.
It was a why choose polyamorous romantasy. I liked the magic system and loved the way the witches took back their power, but the relationships within the hareem felt a little cheesy.

🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Urban Fantasy, Romance

[Em Gibson · Rating 5 out of 5]

At this rate I'm just going to read all her books

[Bent Letters · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 Stars

[Tasha Hoadley · Rating 2 out of 5]

Fallon, ever think if you'd just told them it would have been a lot easier? Lots of grovelling from MMCs that i didn't think was necessary, personally thought Fallon should have been grovelling!

[Lisa McMillen · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was mad we did get MM action, just the mention of it. but it was ok. I didn't mind it the MFC was ok.

[Chenay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved this book, another epic tale in this world. This is a standalone but there's others in this world thst I highly recommend reading.

This one is dark and has a hea, this author blows me away with everything I've read.

Dive in n enjoy yet another amazing read.

[Jessica Willoughby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun

Love the immortal vices and virtues world. Each of these stories is a standalone in the same world with some crossover and this season is all RH

[Jenny✦Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

This should've been two books.

All of the main relationships are developed off page, before the story even begins. There was a ton of exposition to build the world at the beginning of the story, but then we don't get to spend enough time in it. We all love spice, so I won't say there was too much... but I will say there wasn't enough time spent on the plot. It felt like an after thought. Not Lexi Foss's best work.

[T.P.A. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This entire universe is quite intriguing and although I did not follow the given order of the books, I am glad that so far the stories are well developed and the elements of magic, mysticism and epic battles come to the forefront in the series.
Fallon is a rather powerful witch born under the tyranny of the patriarchs, who micromanage the witches and their skills. The forced bond and the abuse that the FMC had to experience was heart- wrenching, but to be fair had my sibling been under threat, I would have probably done anything within my power to protect her.
The guys are interesting, each of them bringing their own quirkiness to the story. However, I would have liked to see more from Nolan as he kind of stood on the sidelines for me. Apart from that, the love story here develops over the span of one year. At times I was a bit frustrated with the FMC for keeping secrets, but then again considering her circumstances, she had every right to be suspicious towards others.
Overall, I did enjoy the story and I cannot wait to see whether Ishara gets her happily ever after.

[Shelley C · Rating 5 out of 5]

Claim Me🧙‍♀️

Fallon is a powerful witch that we meet for the first time in Nyx's book. She has certain types of abilities associated with her magic which are abused by “her mate”. We soon discover that not everything is as it seems and we finally discover a little more surrounding Fallon and “her mate”😢

Kaspian has just taken over the mantle of King from his predecessor who left with his mate Nyx to explore other realms, when all hell breaks loose. Thinking Fallon is at the centre of everything Kaspian puts her on house arrest and has two phantoms, Bane and Nox protect her, while he and Nolan dig for answers😳

A great story and I’m excited to read Izzy’s story next as I’m intrigued with what exactly it is she can do❣️I received an advanced copy and willingly leave my honest review❤️

[Sandi · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars! I loved this follow up and full story for Fallon and her mates. We originally met Fallon in Crave Me, and what little we gleaned of her story at that time was most definitely dark and tragic. But with this book, we get her full story, and fate finally gives her the very happy ending she more than earned and deserves.

A quick recap to help with the back story from Crave me….Fallon’s origins lie outside of the established houses, within the the unlawful and mafia like syndicates. Her syndicate is one of witches and warlocks, and it’s lorded over by a group of power hungry, brutal, and ruthless Warlocks known as the Patriarchy. After Fallon’s twin unintentionally causes a death in their ranks, Fallon is forced to mate another warlock, and is subsequently bound with an obedience spell to ensure her cooperation, so that warlock can wield her powers and work to infiltrate the ranks of Gold and Garnet. In Crave Me, that whole plan was thwarted, her forced mate imprisoned, and Fallon, in turn, also was held, because of the unknown nature of her powers. The vampire king, Kaspian, while somewhat sympathetic to her situation, also has to protect his house and his people, and he has no idea what she can do, because she refuses to talk.

So this book is a little over a year after the events of that book. Fallon continues to be held by Kaspian in the adjoining guest suite to his quarters, and she is guarded by the phantoms, Nox and Bane, and the archangel Nolan. Approaching the sentencing and subsequent execution of her forced mate, who they don’t know was actually forced and not fated, tensions continue to run high, as Fallon doesn’t know what will happen to her in regard to the spells that were used in the forced mating. As she mentally communicates with her twin, who is being held by the Patriarchy and being used as leverage against her, Fallon fights her attraction to her captors, not knowing who she can trust. Meanwhile, said captors are more and more drawn to her, and despite her lack of cooperation and Kaspian’s frustrations, do whatever they can to help and make her comfortable so she will trust them. But during the execution, something happens, and suddenly, Fallon finds herself with four new mates, and she has no idea if this is the result of the spell or if it’s real.

This is such an interesting story, and I loved the dynamic each of these men created with Fallon. Nox and Bane, despite their darker proclivities, are doting and sweet, feeding her and caring for her, and when they discover they are mates, all bets are off, and they go into full possession mode and want to show her what true pleasure is. Kaspian is constantly flustered and exasperated by her, and their back and forth banter is endlessly entertaining. The arc of their relationship is really great, and I loved how these two strong characters find each other in the end. And Nolan, our tough as nails archangel, who perches on Fallon’s balcony to make sure she’s safe when she doesn’t even know it, ultimately and surprisingly becomes a complete cinnamon roll. As he digs into Fallon’s past and learns about what really happened to her, he goes into full protector mode, and fully embraces their mating. But the question lurks, is it real or not, and that is ultimately resolved by the end in a very satisfying way.

This entire world, throughout all these books, continues to be a very intriguing and engrossing place. The mix are darkness with the lighter moments of the story are well balanced, and the pacing is well done, keeping my interest throughout. The spice is fantastic, with MF, MMF, MMFM, MMMFM, and even a little taste of some MM, you get it all, including a piercing. This books has all any fantasy why choose spicy romance lover could want and then some.

[Courtney Delgado · Rating 4 out of 5]

Death-defying RH PNR with a Resilient Heroine but Lacking Relationship Development

Claim Me is a paranormal romance. As expected, it is romance-forward, in a good way. The plot does not suffer, but the character and relationship development does, especially of the love interests. The chemistry is there. However, a lot of the relationships developed off-page, which leads to more exposition/telling than experiencing/showing. My first thought is that maybe there is one love-interest too many for this plot and length, but I could not bring myself to cut anyone. For readers of the whole Immortal Vices & Virtues (IV&V) series, there is some balance because you have been exposed to the magic system, the government, the city, and most of these characters. Even so, for the first time reading IV&V, I would not start with this book; you can probably get away with just reading season one’s Crave Me first, though there are many additional crossovers. And that is why I subtracted a star from my rating.

I do want to highlight the best developed character, the leading lady, Fallon. This girl has been through it. And she is a survivor. She has scars, and though frustrating as all get out, I found her reactions to be the most realistic. She has suffered unimaginable abuses, and that has directly impacted her worldview and how she initially understands and interacts with the men around her. I am not a fan of the miscommunication and secrets tropes, however, they make sense in Fallon’s case. This is her story of growth and healing.

If you only want the highlights:

💀Length: Novel

🪦Genre: Reverse harem, paranormal romance – witches, vampires, angels, phantoms, death magic, etc.

💀POV: First person, multiple points-of-view from the female and male main characters

🪦Age: Adult

💀Warnings: Language, violence, and sexual content

🪦Spice: This one is spicy! it includes MF, MM, and MMMMF scenes on page, edging, voyeurism, and worship themes

💀Violence: Moderate and not overly descriptive, action-focused with a little torture. However, please note, there is also mention of spousal/mate abuse and abuse of women, both referenced and remembered. The bad guys are irredeemably icky.

🪦Editing: This book pulled me in so quickly and held me – no errors noticeable enough to pull me from the story

💀World: Post-supernatural-apocalypse Earth

🪦Series: Immortal Vices and Virtues: Her Monstrous Mates (interconnected, reverse harem, standalones in a shared universe) - I’d call this a standalone plot-wise, but readers would benefit from reading previous books in the series, especially Crave Me, for a better understanding of the characters, world and magic system.

💀Tropes: Fated mates, rivals to lovers & friends to lovers, unique character, strong heroine, crime syndicates, protective males, secrets/miscommunication

🪦Ending: Story resolved, this is a standalone, no cliffhangers

💀Re-read? Yes!

You want to read this book! I will recommend it, with the caveat that the reader be exposed to the previous books in the IV&V world first. Claim Me is technically a standalone, and though the character development and romance may wobble a little, they do stand on the chemistry, strong plot and good pacing. Nevertheless, it is a more complete and satisfying story if you have previously met the characters, learned their background, and are now seeing them get their chance in the spotlight. I am looking forward to more in the Immortal Vices & Virtues world.

[Rita Paolantonio · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars

The premise of this book was amazing, the prologue really set the scene and I was immediately hooked, however, I had recently been reading a couple books that were just really bad, so maybe this book was just instantly better by comparison. I felt that the plot was progressing normally but the book could have spent more time in the building tension phase while Fallon is fighting the spell and have her slowly open up to them rather than have all of her secrets told for her. She also could have had even more back and forth with the patriarchs, which would have helped establish her powers and made her discovery towards the end of the book of how her powers work, seem more impactful. This being said, if Foss did this then she would have had to write a longer book and wait for the spicy scenes more and I get the feeling that this connected universe was more for quick fun and showing her writing style and I think that that was accomplished, even if it meant it missed the mark as a masterpiece to do so.

As far as the romance goes, it helped that she had established interactions with all 4 men for a year before the events of this book take place so it didn’t feel as rushed, however, her relationship with Nolan could have been more developed because he doesn’t even interact with her personally for the first 90% of the book. That being said, the spice is very hot 🥵, nothing too extreme other than the group/exhibitionist aspects and orgasm denial play.

Overall this book was an interesting quick read with fun reverse harem smut but definitely could have had a longer worldbuilding phase and slowburn with some of the men to make the book a lot more impactful. I’ve enjoyed the few books I’ve read in this connected universe but I felt the worldbuilding was kept pretty vague to keep the options open for the multiple authors but, in doing so, I feel like some of the magic or societal structures don’t have rules and it seems less believable. The relationships are fun though, and these books are short enough that I will probably still read more in this universe, though I don’t think I’d be singing its praises and recommending them to friends.

[Joyffree · Rating 5 out of 5]

My only complaint is this wasn't long enough!
This is a standalone in the Immortal Vices and Virtues collection; Her Monster Mates. Each author presents a different couple,throuple or quadouple :) from the same universe. They all interconnect so you can start anywhere or just read one
I can pretty much guarantee though once you get a taste - one just won't be enough

Fallon was from the Outcast Coven. A pawn in their game
Silenced and bartered without her consent.
With no voice and no free will, she was a passenger in her own body
Subject to unimaginable horrors
Until fate stepped in ...
Fallon awakens from her "nightmare" to find she is the proud mate to four of the deadliest beings in her realm. More confused than ever she seeks answers while trying to stay alive.
Is the bond real this time?
Or is it just more blood magic gone wrong?

The narration here was so spot on! Stoic (grumpy) King Kaspian, the aloof Nolan, and our oh-so-attentive phantoms Nox, and Bane
And let us not forget our strong, stubborn as Hades lead Fallon 
The narrators brought the characters to life. I could feel the torment, the fear, the anger, the hope

I truly wanted more time with these characters. Fallon was such a strong lead. The way she protected her twin sister Issy - I do hope we get her story- The way she took the reigns when she was done being pushed around.
The guys...
Licked it it's mine when it comes to the phantoms
Kaspian could have used an attitude adjustment a few times when he was puffing out his chest - being the king and all
As for Nolan, he is the strong silent type who observes and then takes what he wants

I looked for things to do so I could devour this one
Highly recommend it for those who enjoy their Fantasy/Paranormal RH packed with action, vivid characters, and strong storylines that keep you engaged and wanting more
Not to mention the steamy smexy hot as hades relationships

[Christa P · Rating 3 out of 5]

somewhere between 3 & 4 ⭐️s — had a lot of potential but fell flat
🌶🌶

I didn’t realize when I bought this that it was the second book in the series since the description mentioned it was a standalone. And while I was able to follow along throughout the duration of the book, it felt like there were a lot of gaps…like it was a continuation of another book rather than a standalone. I also felt like the buildup to the relationship between Fallon and her mates was so slow at first (which I liked because it built up the story and helped me care about the FMC), but then once the “climax” of the story started, everything happened so fast that it felt rushed. It also felt like the relationships went from 0 to 100 in a way that did not feel true to the characters. Like I said, I was really enjoying the buildup and anticipation of the relationship, but then suddenly they went from being unsure and skeptical about the mate bond to all-in. This is a rare occasion where I actually feel like this plot and the relationships needed at least 2 books.

Also, I didn’t particularly care for the spicy scenes. Like they just didn’t feel sexy to me. They weren’t necessarily off putting, but they fell short.

Overall, it was a decent book and I enjoyed it for the most part, but it was just missing something and I think more could’ve been done with it.

Also—for the audible narration:
Performed duet style with a full cast. All voice actors did a great job, but the voice of Fallon was just suuuper annoying in my opinion. And Fallon had a Scottish accent, but her twin sister had a full on American accent, which I didn’t understand.

TWs / themes:
- Domestic abuse & SA (forced mating, brainwashing)
- Societal violence against women
- Off-page, implied rape of FMC in past
- Magic, witches, covens & other supernatural beings (vampire, archangel, phantoms, etc.)
- Reverse Harem
- Fated mates
- Captivity - sort of
- Death (including repeated death of FMC, but brought back to life)

[Julianne · Rating 3 out of 5]

This isn't my favorite book by Lexi Foss. The writing isn't bad, I just felt like it was missing something. It seemed almost like a novella because of the lack of action or conflict. There was conflict, there were enemies, but all the action to deal with them happened off page, which left a bit to be desired. Even the spice seemed a bit sparse. It's not bad, per se, it just felt like an addition onto something that I hadn't yet read making it kind of boring.

Fallen has been used and forced to be obedient to a man that stole her powers and used them for nefarious reasons. After being rescued by the House of Gold and Garnet she finds herself a prisoner once again. 13 months she has been kept in a room next to King Kaspian's. Guarded by two Phantoms Bane and Nox that she has come close to despite them being the ones keeping her in her newest gilded cage. There is also Nolan, and archangel that shot Fallon in the shoulder when they originally released her from her forced mates chains. When her forced mate's execution finally comes no one knows for sure what Fallon's fate will be. They expect her to lose her mind when her mate dies, and for her powers to go off. However, instead she ends up fated to four new men. The spell used to force her mating with Nikolas seems to have backfired onto the men around her, and when they find out she expects that they will be pissed. Kaspian is still unsure about the female filled with fire that refuses to show him respect. Nox and Bane have been attracted to Fallon from the beginning and see this as an excuse to finally act on their feelings. Nolan has kept his distance from Fallon all this time and uses the new mating as an excuse to find out more information about her. Fallon just wants to believe that these new mates are the real thing after everything she has suffered.

[Sherry - · Rating 5 out of 5]

Claim Me is a dark, high-heat "why-choose" paranormal romance that flips the script on the standard fated-mates trope. The story follows Fallon, a powerful Death Witch who has been treated as a "prisoner and a pet" after being framed for a crime she didn't commit.
​Her life changes when she is placed under the guard of King Kaspian and his three lethal mercenaries: Nox, Bane, and Nolan. To gain her freedom, she must navigate a dangerous magical task and the realization that her original mate bond was a lie—leading to the formation of four new, much more powerful fated connections.

​Unlike a standard romance, Fallon doesn't have to pick between her four protectors. Foss handles the harem dynamic well, giving each of the men—the stoic King and the three distinct mercenaries—enough personality to make their individual connections with Fallon feel unique.
​
The book dives deep into the lore of the Immortal Vices and Virtues universe. The themes of patriarchy within the witch covens and the suppression of female power provide a solid emotional core to the story, making Fallon’s journey toward reclaiming her magic very satisfying.
​
The inclusion of "Death Magic" adds a gritty, darker edge to the romance. The stakes are literal; if Fallon's new mates reject the bond, she dies. If they accept it, her raw power might destroy them all.
​
​Forced Proximity: Trapped in the King's bedroom with three mercenaries standing guard.
​Breaking the Bond: The emotional and physical toll of severing a magically forced mate bond.
​Hurt/Comfort: A strong focus on healing from past abuse and finding "found family" in her new mates.
​
​Claim Me is perfect for readers who love dark urban fantasy and reverse harem stories where the heroine goes from being a "prisoner" to a queen. It’s spicy, atmospheric, and emotionally heavy in all the right places.

[Merrit Townsend (always1morebook) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rating 4.5/5 (I have rounded up due to the lack of 1/2 star rating within the system)

This is book 3 in the Immortal Vices and Virtues:Her Monstrous Mates Series. Although these are all standalones set in the same world, I would suggest reading Crave Me by this author before diving in. You don't have to read in order to understand what is happening but I believe it will enhance this story and it gives a bit of background information relative to the story.

Fallon is such a good sister witch. both her sister Izzy and Fallon are very strong witched and both are being held captive in different ways. Fallon is forced to marry a very cruel man and Izzy is forced to do things in order to get her sister to comply. Fallon is involved in a ver dangerous situation that has her being kept captive in the Gold and Garnet district. She has two bodyguards, a warrior angel and the king all trying to get information out of her. Fallon is in a tough spot....she is falling for her captors but if they find out what kind of magic she has...She just might end up dead.

So many things were going on in this story and I am glad that I read Crave me before reading. That story was the prelude to this and had so much information that I felt was needed for this story.. I loved Fallon and both of her bodyguards, Nox and Bash.. King, Kaspian took me a bit to fall for him but I eventually did and Nolan...He was the one that that I truly loved. Their relationship was a difficult road to navigate with so many things happening and so many lives on the line. Fallon really had a terrible life until she met her mates and once the truth was on the table...everything fell into place. I loved the action and the magic in this story. Such a fun series and a fantastic 3rd book.

[Kate Anders · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable

I tend to enjoy books by Lexi C. Foss, but I also seem to always pick up a book that’s smack dab in the middle of a series and end up reading completely out of order. Thankfully it’s not necessary in this book to read the first book, but I do think we are missing some context, because when the book starts there is some background that would explain how Fallon ended up locked up.
Fallon our main character is in a tough spot. She was basically forced into marriage/mates with the worst guy on the planet, and to say that this woman went through hell enduring the time she had with him would be an understatement. Now this guy is on the chopping block, but Fallon might die too because they are magically linked. So basically life sucks right now.
The guys in this book are interesting characters, and it’s kind of interesting how they care about Fallon’s well being and are taking care of her all the while also being her captors. As for the guys I really like the phantoms, Not and Bane, they are more approachable and they also are the ones who are there for Fallon in her dark moments. They are also the ones who are more understanding. Kaspian is more pushy, not being okay with Fallon having her own set of secrets, even though her reasoning for keeping secrets is incredibly valid. He’s also a bit wrapped up in his needs, and has to really readjust to the idea of seeing the whole picture. I actually also really liked Nolan, probably mostly because he kind of comes off jerky, isn’t so much a fan of words, but definitely has that avenging vibe to him.
Overall, I did enjoy this book, and I do want to go back and read the first book in this series to see how we got here. I would definitely recommend.

[Jennifer G · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fallon has immense death power but she's on a leash. The men of her coven control the more powerful women, using their powers for their own. Dark magic bonds her to her false mate who uses her powers for his evil ambitions. He attempted to kill the the House of Gold and Garnet's King and put the entire city to sleep. His plans were stopped by a demi-goddess, and now he is in the dungeon and Fallon is in the King's guest room as his prisoner. She's guarded by his mercenaries while they decide her mate's fate. When her mate's death is decided Fallon knows her time may be limited. The male elders of her coven demand for her to follow her false mate to the afterlife. Fate has other plans when it gifts her four true mates. However, the elders don't plan to surrender her power so easily.

This book claims to be a standalone but I feel I was missing vital backstory and character development. I could have gotten around that if Fallon communicated with any of the men. AT ALL. She's fine to have sex with them without trust but can't confide one detail about her predicament even though it's clear they are willing to help. This is a pet peeve of mine. Lack of communication for no reason ruins a character and story for me. Her lack of communication impacted the relationship building, minimizing it to just sex. It's a shame because the building blocks were there for a really good story.

The audiobook was narrated by the cast of Jeffrey Holz, Kale Williams, Lisa Zimmerman, Maeve York, and Silas Hart. They were fantastic! Each brought their character(s) to life elevating this basic story. I know it was a costly endeavor but it was well worth it. I wish more authors could justify an ensemble.

[Seraphia Bunny · Rating 5 out of 5]

Claim Me is another addition to the Immortal Vices and Virtues series. This standalone novel focuses on Fallon Doyle. A witch with deadly death magic who is forced into mating with another warlock against her will. Her free will? Stripped away. Molded into a puppet for Klas's use and control by the patriarchs. But when Klas over plays his hand, the tables are finally tipped in Fallon's favor, but her the patriarchs still hold a card to play - Fallon's sister. It's a game of deadly chance now that Fallon has to figure out how to save herself and her sister. But the men that surround her, might be a problem. They are drawn to her and vice versa, but she refuses to trust. What will it take for both sides to break through?
Fallon is a mixed bag character for me. I like her one minute and then I simply find her irritating the next. Everyone cheers for the "sassy, snarky" female, but chooses to ignore how she self-sabotages a lot of things. Help is right there if she's willing to give a degree of trust, but she doesn't. She's given a warning to trust, to be honest before things go badly.
Are the guys perfect? No. Honestly, though my favorites of the guys are the two who are more reserved when it comes to Fallon - Kaspian and Nolan. I like that they are the ones who think things through and are willing to take the darker path if they must.
There are quite a few ups and downs, back and forth, but that really fans the flames of this book. I really enjoyed it, and like how the storyline is written overall. We don't get all the drama which is disappointing, but it's still a pretty good book.
4.5 out of 5 stars

[Lina · Rating 2 out of 5]

Lack of willing communication does not tension make…

So far worse book in the series.

If you haven’t read the other books that introduce these characters you will be lost and half of them aren’t even from this series but the previous one. So if you read them in order, like me, you’ll be having a hard time remembering who’s who.
To rectify this these books need a prologue that outlines what happened before like a “previously on…” segment of a tv show.

Then we have the issue of character development. Because it relies so much on the previous books it assumes you know who these people are, what their powers are, and why they act the way that they do. Any explanations a vague, short, or nonexistent.

Finally my biggest gripe, the lack of communication. When someone writes a story and everything plot wise can be solved by one conversation, it is lacking in depth.
Basically everything that goes wrong is all because people don’t WANT to talk. Not that they can’t talk or are magically kept from talking. No…they just refuse to talk until secrets are revealed against their will. It’s one of the most frustrating plot devices that writers will use. Not to say that it is always a bad thing. You can create something interesting here by tying her tongue to her sister’s life, or her own. I mean they are literally death witches so it would be easy to write in. But nope….she keeps her secrets because she doesn’t trust them, but sleeping with them is fine. Because of this lack of communication it also impacts how much character building you can do too which makes any relationship building feel shallow.

Would not recommend…

[Spinneretta · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good

Fallon, Kieran (Master vampire and the new King of Gold and Garnet), Bane (phantom), Nox (phantom), and Nolan (Archangel).
NOTE: this is the story of Kieran, who was an important side character in Crave Me- Vesperus and Nyx’s story in the Immortal Vices and Virtues (IV&V) world.

Fallon has had a tough life, forced to do things she would rather not, in an effort to keep her twin sister safe.
Kieran knows that the witch he has kept captive the past year, is hiding secrets from him, but he can’t convince her to trust him, or the three members of his house he has guarding her.
When it becomes apparent that Kieran, Bane, Nox, and Nolan are her second chance mates, Fallon isn’t sure whether to believe in fate, or suspect dark magic…

This book takes us into a very dark part of the IV&V world, back to the Syndicates and their corruption.
Fallon has been controlled her whole life by the men in charge, and all due to the fact that she is trying to protect her sister. We first see her in Crave Me, where Nyx is instrumental in freeing her from an obedience curse. Now we watch as she finally starts to take control of her own life!
With the support of her four mates, Fallon comes into her own, and it’s enjoyable to watch.

An engrossing story, this is a RH fantasy romance, with four powerful males and one very powerful witch! There’s a number of steamy scenes, a few action scenes, and a lot of magic. This is a good read for the Urban Fantasy Fan who likes RH, and also for those IV&V readers who wondered if Kieran would ever find his mate! I enjoyed the story a lot, and it made me curious about Issy, so I’m looking forward to seeing where her story takes us!

[Tempest Reign · Rating 4 out of 5]

𝙎𝙩𝙖𝙧 𝙍𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
𝙎𝙥𝙞𝙘𝙚 𝙍𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜: 🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶

I love that there is a map included in this book! From memory, none of the other IVV books have had this, but it's fabulous being able to see all the different supernatural territories on Earth.

I really enjoyed Claim Me, but fair warning, it's quite spicy and I urge you to check the TWs to make sure this is for you! This was a 4 star read for me, rather than 5, because I didn't always feel an absolute connection to the characters, even though I was very invested in their story.

My heart broke a little for Fallon, the FMC, and how she was treated by her coven and the man she was magically forced to mate bond. But I love how the story evolved and how she eventually found a reverse harem willing to do anything for her.

It was fabulous going back to Gold and Garnet and seeing King Kaspian, Nox, Bane and Nolan again (all of whom have been side characters in earlier books). I love that they each had POVs in the book too!

While these books can be read as standalones, I highly recommend reading the series in order of books released so that you get more backstory.


💢 𝙏𝙒𝙨: violence, death, imprisonment, brief mentions and flashbacks of domestic violence (including drowning, burial, and threat of sexual assualt), consensual sexual scenes in a reverse harem situation (FMMMM), brief mentions of consensual sexual scenes (MM)


☆I recieved an ARC of this book from the author. All thoughts are my own honest opinions.☆