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Rotting in Vain: A Polyamorous Dark Fae Fantasy

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"I am not the damsel. I am the weapon their parents warned them not to touch."


Legends say the fae only exist because our gods are dead. That we were originally the vermin that feasted on their flesh.
As future Queen of the Dhadren Fae, I can tell you I've never wielded the power of a god.
I feel nothing in this land of death and decay.
An ancient malevolence has taken my home hostage with the curse of a blight, and for twenty years I have been rotting in this cage, stalked by a beast and hunted by shadows that lure me into the night. And even though my mind is screaming for me to follow them, to let them catch me… I need to survive this world. I need to become the liberator my people need. Because if I don't, I’ll become the crown to a kingdom of dust and famine.

378 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 13, 2024

77 people are currently reading
454 people want to read

About the author

Lady Kilroy

5 books36 followers
Military brat turned dark fantasy romance author, Lady Kilroy brings a unique edge to her storytelling. Once a cybersecurity student with aspirations of joining the Space Force, she took a sharp turn from tech to tales, channeling her experiences as a trauma survivor into stories brimming with grit and heart.

Now a proudly bisexual, polyamorous witch, Lady Kilroy crafts dark fantasy horror romances with LGBTQIA+ and poly representation at their core. Her debut novel, Rotting in Vain—the first in the Taunting Death Series—explores a twist on what humanity is at its core, complex morally grey characters, cursed lands, and realms abandoned by gods.

When she’s not penning her next twisted masterpiece with her author group, The Distracted Inklings, you can usually find her blasting loud music or chasing after her two kids, two cats, one dog, and ever-supportive husband.

Stay updated on Lady Kilroy’s journey by following her on TikTok and Instagram.

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 96 reviews
Profile Image for Hannnah_Reads.
126 reviews21 followers
September 2, 2024
The premise of this book was very interesting to me. I wish we learned more about the magic system and how it worked. I felt a little bit lost regarding what the character’s motivations were throughout the book. I normally say books are too long, but this one is too short for a fantasy book. This book needed a lot more world building and a clear driving force for the characters. I’m sure this will come in book 2, but I wish it was in book 1.

If the book sounds interesting to you, check it out! My friends loved this book!
Profile Image for Whitney.
54 reviews5 followers
January 6, 2024
What can I say! This book is amazing!! If you like fairytales with a little bit of spice, you need to run and pre order this book! It’s comes out Feb. 13th. I got the privilege of being an ARC reader for this book.
Aine is the princess and after 20 years of having no powers, the kingdom’s curse is broken. Aine tries to take control of her powers but she hurts a few of the people she loves along the way. At the end she discovers she has another power too but you’ll have to read it to find out what it is! 💕❤️
Profile Image for Veronica Hooper.
125 reviews18 followers
April 17, 2024
I didn’t really know what to expect going into this book. I’d heard a lot of good things about it on the clock app, but hadn’t really heard too much about the actual plot.

I was very impressed with the FMC, Aine, and the other badass women in this book! Badass is putting it mildly!! There wasn’t an extreme amount of spice, but what there was, was very well played! The fight/battle scenes were on point!

It definitely kept me interested, although I have to admit I wasn’t completely sure what was happening part of the time, but I put that on me and my being fairly new to the world of fantasy.

I am absolutely looking forward to the next book, and thinking I’ll have a bit more clarification. Overall, I can recommend this book!
Profile Image for Melanie.
21 reviews5 followers
January 7, 2024
Rotting in Vain❤️‍🔥
By Lady Kilroy

✨ARC Review✨

This book is perfect for those that love fantasy worlds, angsty FMCs, curses, demons, and spice! The story follows Aine who is a princess in Ghaldir. Her people were at war and became cursed with a blight that forced all of the lands magic into her as a child. I was so in this book at times that it felt like I was watching a movie! The spice in this book is about 🌶️🌶️🌶️ but you can tell as it progresses the next book may be a 4 or 5. The actual story I would say is 4.5-5 ⭐️s because the plot was super interesting. I enjoyed the way the POVs switched so you could see how multiple people experienced the same situation. The only downside was that I wanted more. The love interest, Conlead , is a demon fae and he seems like he is going to be possessive, morally grey, and a “who did this to you” kind of guy😍😩🖤 I need the next book😩🖤 He saves Aine multiple times throughout the story claiming he needs her alive but I know in the next book he’s going to have me swooning😍😍

*** Thank you to Lady Kilroy for allowing me to ARC review your book❤️ I loved every second!***

Summary

"True beauty lies in the darkness, where monsters dwell to feed their starving souls."

Legends say the fae only exist because our gods are dead. That we were originally the vermin that feasted on their flesh.
As future Queen of the Dhadren Fae, I can tell you I've never wielded the power of a god.
I feel nothing in this land of death and decay.
An ancient malevolence has taken my home hostage with the curse of a blight, and for twenty years I have been rotting in this cage, stalked by a beast and hunted by shadows that lure me into the night. And even though my mind is screaming for me to follow them, to let them catch me… I need to survive this world. I need to become the liberator my people need. Because if I don't, I’ll become the crown to a kingdom of dust and famine.
Profile Image for Jade~ Deadeyedsuccubus.
2 reviews2 followers
January 4, 2024
Dark fantasy, horror, reverse harem with a bisexual FMC.
CHECK TRIGGER WARNINGS!

I was given the opportunity to read Rotting in Vain as an ARC Reader and it’s phenomenal just like the cover of the book!! The FMC is a bisexual strong headed woman that takes no shit and can handle her own on a battlefield, Some of my favorite lines SPOILERS!!!

(Conláed)
“I saw the idiot running from spriggans today. Perhaps she’ll die sooner than later”


This girl was on the front lines, not wielding,but dancing.


Now I was just ready to kick his ass and completely throttle that beast of a Beaty the keeps putting him in the situations.


(Áine)

The euphoria behind Isolde’s eyes beckoned me.


I went to crawl off him and dive into her heaven, curious about how the two of them tasted together.
Fucking delicious,that’s what it tasted like.


As if they had anything to fear from me. Outside these walls maybe, but within them? I was practically a lazy house cat in house clothes.


I felt the blood splatter across my face and grinned as I began deaths dance.

I was no longer Princess Titáine in those moments.

I was death, unleashed.


Conláed was an asshole,but something told me the other was the rabid animal he kept on a short leash.


I mean cmon how can you not just melt from these characters🫠 the Author Lady Kilroy truly did a phenomenal job she went into detail about everything but not enough to bored you of the book. You get to experience different point of views from all the main characters! I truly enjoyed that. This is definitely a MUST read I can’t wait to see where she takes this series and see these characters develop!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Tay (Read With Tay).
383 reviews48 followers
January 2, 2024
I was provided an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book was SO. FREAKING. GOOD. I had no idea what to expect and after reading the prologue, I knew I was going to be in for a wild ride. The world-building was absolutely outstanding and I felt like I could actually picture the book's events happening as if I was watching a movie. The writing is very descriptive and usually all that stuff is distracting to me, but it really worked for the story as a whole here. The characters and their struggles were also really raw and I felt the emotion from them.
Profile Image for Shannon.
64 reviews2 followers
January 10, 2024
This was such a big story that I didn't see coming and I LOVED it. I'll call this an extremely slow burn. There is so much world building and the character development is on fire 🔥 Just WOW this was so well written. The creativity of new races, curses, and a very flawed princess. No one is perfect here. The emotions Lady Kilroy evokes with her writing is top tier. Please check the TW because this gets very dark.
Profile Image for Samantha.
19 reviews4 followers
January 8, 2024
3.5 Stars!

First ARC read of 2024!

I really enjoyed Áine, the FMC, of this book! She was a total badass, with a foul mouth! The spice scenes were spicy enough and the fight scenes were gory!

The story kept me interested and I’m actually really interested to see where the next book goes, with unresolved wars and mating bonds left open.

An interesting perspective for a fantasy novel with suppressed magic and multiple POVs.
Profile Image for Sharon Ruiz .
20 reviews1 follower
March 17, 2024
4.25/5 stars ⭐️

Where to begin?


This is one of the books I was more excited to read this year and let me tell you it was roller coaster.

This is probably one of the few maybe even first FFMM romance for me.

I am extremely surprised by this extraordinary story, it just captured me and kept me at the edge of my seat. It captivated me from the prologue, that I read it in a single day.

I especially loved the complexity of each character, and the ability to make me think that they were real people. Yes, they had their flaws, even frustrated me at some points.

Let’s start with probably my favorite characters Damien and Conláed, I love me dome dark brooding assholes. Everything about them just had me weak at the knees. I cannot wait to read more from them. Damien is just so unhinged I love it, also some of my favorite quotes are from Conláed.

“ This girl was on the front lines, not wielding, but dancing. “

“We’ve been scaling these woods for twenty years, little girl. You will never outrun us. You will never be able to hide for long before we find you, and we will always find you.”

“Conláed was an asshole, but something told me the other was the rapid animal he kept on a short leash.”

“I was no longer Princess Titáine in those moments. I was death, unleashed.”

Now move on to Titáien, I loved how strong and feral she is, she took no shit from anyone. She did annoy me at points because she could be so insensitive, maybe that is just my soft heart speaking. It is very understandable why she would know want to be mated, she is so afraid of being weak and not being able to protect her people. She has so much potential to grow, especially after what happened to her at the climax of the book, I cannot wait to see the progress of her character.

For the rest of the characters I also loved but not as much as them, for example Isolde got on my nerves, her emotions were all over the place that I kept giving me whiplash.
I cannot wait to hear more about Drak and Liam.

Overall I loved this book and I cannot wait for more, especially after that cliffhanger 🫠 If you want a fantasy with good spice, broody MMC’s and feral FMC’s this is the read for you.

Please check trigger warnings ⚠️
This book will definitely be triggering for some readers. Proceed at your own risk ⛔️
And for those who decide to pick this up, happy reading! 🖤
Profile Image for LyndsayReads.
38 reviews8 followers
March 17, 2024
Lady Kilroy did a magnificent job with this book! Between the world building, introduction to the characters, and how each relationship developed differently.. I am head over heels for the FMC Áine, (the vessel *wink,wink*) she is an absolute force to be reckoned with. Maeve, the beautiful, strong, resilient woman Áine saved years ago..Liam, sweet, protective Liam.. who helped Áine save Maeve..he doesn’t talk much.. but you just know there are great things coming for him. King Alaric , ever the leader, I love that he is a king that truly seems to care. So many more incredible people..

Conláed, his brother and his best friends have been waiting for the perfect time free the realm, after it was cursed by the Ancients 20 years ago. The smell of rot and death plague every inch of the island of Ghaldir. Now they must free them if they plan to get powers back to the people and restore order within the world..

I don’t want to say too much.. but I am DEEPLY invested and need the rest of the series.. YESTERDAY!

Spice I’d say is about a 3-4.. during the scenes the spice is there for sure! Lady Kilroy made sure the spice did not interfere with any of the plot and the storyline, I truly loved that about this book. You don’t NEED the spice to make this story amazing it’s just the wonderfully delicious sprinkles Lady Kilroy decided to bless us with.
Profile Image for Kristens_korner .
428 reviews23 followers
September 13, 2024
If I could give this book more than 5 stars, I would. This book completely enraptured me. The main female character is absolutely stunning with her fierceness, love, strength, and humility. The love story is so well written as well as the code variety of characters to love. The pace and flow are perfect. I mean, I just loved everything about this book, and I can't wait for the next one.
Profile Image for Gnome Patronus.
391 reviews21 followers
February 26, 2024
⭐️Overall 5/5
🌶️ Spice 4/5
🖤Dark 2/5

“The males of this land needed to learn one thing: I am not the damsel. I am the weapon their parents warned them not to touch.”

Are you ready for a kick-ass lead female who takes no shit when looking at her from the outside, but relatable enough to see her struggles and how she is able to move forward? How about characters that each have their own flaws and strengths that allow you to love, hate and wish they were more than just words on a page? How about twists, bi-sexual representation (in a very VERY good way), spice and a unique twist on magic that keeps you on your toes? Then grab a pillow, put your feet up and get ready for an amazing Fantasy adventure you will DEVOUR!!

The story starts off right in the action with multiple POV and a relaxed and comfortable writing style. (Does that make sense?) The world building is well done and while you are immersed in the story you never feel that you are trying to catch up on what is happening and what things mean. This is one of the romance books that has a GREAT balance of fantasy, romance and political warfare. Each of these supports the other and one is not overpowering the story but blended so smoothly. Get ready for moments that you gasp and start reading faster, just to find out what is going to happen next as quickly as possible.

BUT, be warned, there is a cliffhanger that you will either throw the book across the room or have you holding the book with such force and holding onto white knuckled as you wait for book 2.
Profile Image for Kat ☠️.
113 reviews4 followers
February 4, 2024
"There will be blood, and I will not stop when those satisfying screams choke on it. I will not stop when every last one of them no longer has a face. I will not stop when the fires from my soul burn them to ashes. I will not stop until the offense of sharing the same soil as my mother is remedied."

Lady Kilroy, you absolutely annihilated it. This book was incredible. I was so sad when I got to the end and realized that it was actually the end. D:

I loved all the characters in this book. There are some BA female characters that wouldn't think for a second to kick someone's butt. Also, I have to say that I really enjoyed the relationship between the FMC and her father. We see so many books where the father is the bane of the FMC's existence and it was refreshing to see it completely the opposite.

A HUGE part of this book that I loved and raved about to my husband and friend was that there were spotify qr codes within the book! I really wish more authors would do this, it's like having a soundtrack for the book. I mean hearing the music while reading and imagining the scene with the music was just top tier.

The spice was spot on. It was incredible, loved every minute of it!!

Will definitely be continuing this series when more are released!
Profile Image for Amelia Medeiros.
20 reviews
January 10, 2024
Lady Kilroy killed it with this book! As far as I know this is her first book, but it for sure was my first book of hers. I received and ARC of this so I’ll make sure not to spoil anything. However, I feel the need to say OMG!!! This book was so much fun!! I finished it so quickly because I just didn’t want to put it down.

The story is told from different characters points of view and I found that so interesting as I felt I was able to understand and connect with everyone so much more.
The battle scenes were very well written and even though I’m not a huge war/battle fan, I found myself unable to pull away.

The romance in this book was extra spicy and I loved it haha I honestly don’t know who I want everyone to end up with just yet and am excited to read more of this story in the future.

The only thing I disliked about this book was the ending and how badly it left me wanting more! I even messaged Lady Kilroy immediately after finishing asking her for more haha

Definitely recommend this book and all I can say it WOW!!

Also, check trigger warnings because there are some and just know it is spicy 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Profile Image for Nicole Riggins.
109 reviews7 followers
January 26, 2024
Whew Lady Kilroy you did an amazing job with this book!! I’m absolutely in LOVE with it!!

If you want a Fantasy with good spice, some broody MMC’s, and feral FMC’s then this read is definitely for you!

The world building, character introductions, how each of the relationships developed a lot different. I absolutely love the FMC Aine 🖤 she is a force to be reckoned with for sure! This story captivated me and I could NOT put it down!

Some of my favorite characters through out were first and foremost Aine, Titaien (she was strong and feral and I was there for it), Damien and Conlaed. Isolde did give me a lot of whiplash with her emotions all of the place, but I still liked her character.

Overall I loved this book and I cannot wait for more, especially after that cliffhanger 😳.

Please make sure to check trigger warnings before reading!
Happy Reading!!

Thank you Lady Kilroy for allowing me to ARC Review your book 🖤 I LOVED every second of reading it!!
Profile Image for Jess Delacroux.
13 reviews1 follower
January 9, 2024
I got this book as an ARC and am pleasantly surprised with how much I loved it! I am left with so many questions and need more!

Definitely check trigger warnings! It has some deep traumas that are brought up often. If you are comfortable with that, then check it out.

Aside from that, I really enjoyed the characters in the book, there are a lot of them thrown into the mix at once early on but the main ones are developed so much more. I especially loved the main character Aine, she is so different than most and I love that she is not a proper princess. It gives her more of an edge.

The spice is this book was awesome! I was not sure how I felt going into it, but WOW!

Overall, I think I liked this book so much because while there are a million other fae books out right now, (A court of blank and blank) this one actually stands out and has a new story that I have not seen in some time! It has new ideas and made the read intriguing. Super refreshing and I look forward to more in this series!!
Profile Image for Lauren Barnes.
124 reviews1 follower
September 14, 2024
Rotting in Vain by Lady Kilroy was a twisting, mysterious, fantasy that I throughly enjoyed. The characters in the story were all had such individual personalities which made it so much easier for my very blonde mind to keep separate. I loved Áine especially; she has a fiery strength and determination despite being through tragedies. There are so many mysteries throughout the storyline that had my mind working a mile a minute. Part of me wishes somethings could have been made more clear in book one, but as I’m not a writer I trust Lady Kilroy has a plan. In addition to mysteries, I felt so many different emotions during different moments in the storyline. I highly recommend Rotting in Vain and can’t wait to read book two.
Profile Image for Jade Hollis.
29 reviews1 follower
January 8, 2024
Super captivating and crazy story that kept you on edge the entire time… with lots of spice!
Lots of different character point of views which I thought was very interesting to see everyone’s perspective of the events unfolding!! The end will leave you waiting for the next book .. immediately
One of the main things that I liked about this read was the power that the female main characters held. They held positions of power, fought in battle, took up for each other no matter who the enemy was, and didn’t succumb to the stereotype of weak and fragile wife who is on call their husbands sexual favors.
The only negative thing I have to say is that I think it could have been a longer read, I would have liked for more details surrounding certain events in the book, other than that I thought it was great!
Profile Image for Nikki Gilleland .
21 reviews
January 12, 2024
This book was great! I was lucky to get picked as an ARC reader and got this book before it has been released. It comes out February 13!
It was one of those books I didn’t want to put down to know what happens next. It was a quick read for me but I also made time to read it because I liked the plot. A fae kingdom that has been cursed. A fantasy book with fae, demons, witches and the magic they wield. I personally don’t have triggers but if you do, please check the trigger warnings. Your mental health matters.
I hope Lady Kilroy doesn’t make us all wait too long to find out what comes next for this series… until then, I will wait patiently.
Profile Image for Danielle.
112 reviews8 followers
January 13, 2024
What a debute! From the prologue straight through to the very last sentence, Lady Kilroy had me enthralled. The characters in this books were absolutely amazing. Every single female was so strong and resilient in their own right and the men...absolutely swoon worthy and rival the bat boys! I couldn't get enough of the story and loved that it was told from multiple POV (there are 2 main POV but we also get some chapters that are from the other characters POV), it really gave more to the story. I can't wait for book 2, I absolutely need it with the way Lady Kilroy left me at the end of this book! Standing ovation for your debute Lady Kilroy!
*Spice 🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶
Profile Image for Jade Yingling.
48 reviews2 followers
January 3, 2024
I could not put this book down! As soon as I picked it up, I was sucked into a whole other world. Àine is the Dhadren Princess, living in a decaying dome for the last 20 years that has been cursed, with no way out. She has her father, their army, but no magic. How do they plan to break the curse? This book kept me on edge, making me question! I still have so many questions! I cannot wait for it to be released, and I cannot wait for book two!
Profile Image for Marina Garnica.
275 reviews35 followers
January 5, 2024
This was a great book! Some of the characters have the same issues, while how they comfront them is quite different. They feel unable to be loved, which makes them try to act on it in very different ways. I do believe the demon elves are going to be way more developed later on, and that makes me want more as they were my favourite characters, and of course I cannot wait to read how the story will continue!
Profile Image for Mandy  Laine.
3 reviews2 followers
January 6, 2024
I feel like I was really on a roller coaster with this book. The world building and character building were incredible. I couldn’t put it down. Only thing I’m struggling with now- the cliffhanger!! I wanted to keep on reading!! Defiantly worth the read. Some themes could definitely be triggers for some people, so if you pick up this book- read the trigger warnings.

I cannot wait to read more of this series!!
Profile Image for stephanie cox.
1,136 reviews19 followers
July 31, 2024
Rotting in Vain, the first installment in Lady Kilroy's dark romantasy series Taunting Death, is a riveting read that sets a high bar for the series. The book shines with its formidable female protagonist, Aine, and a cast of equally badass women who redefine the genre. The level of intensity and strength portrayed is nothing short of remarkable.

While the book contains only a moderate amount of spice, it is executed with finesse, complementing the story rather than overwhelming it. The fight and battle scenes are particularly well-crafted, adding to the book's gripping narrative.

Perfect for fans of fantasy worlds filled with curses, demons, and angsty heroines, Rotting in Vain stands out with its detailed and evocative writing. Though richly descriptive, the prose enhances rather than distracts from the story. The characters’ struggles are portrayed with raw emotion, making their journeys deeply impactful.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Audri.
4 reviews
January 9, 2024
Got my ARC copy so buckle in y’all!
Can I just say Lady Kilroy had me on the edge of my seat with the scenes she created and don’t get me started on the playlist attached to the chapters! I didn’t want to put this book down… it will be out on 2/13 if you haven’t preordered yet…what are you waiting for?
Profile Image for Mara Myers.
122 reviews3 followers
January 10, 2024
I received the ARC of this and would give it 3.5 stars! I did enjoy it a lot! I feel like there was a lot of world building and back and forth that needed to filled in a bit better? It was very good! Just wanted to see more of the relationship building with the men, and what happened to Liam? He wasn’t mentioned at the end. Needless to say, good start-and will read the next ❤️
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Mollie  Hardman.
41 reviews10 followers
January 12, 2024
I have never finished reading a book and immediately wanted to go back and read it again, but there's a first time for everything!
This book is tantalizing with a bada** FMC who left me giggling with her snarky banter. I cannot wait to see where the rest of the series takes us.
Favorite quote: I am not the damsel. I am the weapon their parents warned them not to touch.
Profile Image for Jessie Ranum.
1 review1 follower
January 13, 2024
I had so much fun reading this! My only struggle was pronunciation of names (totally on me - not the author!). The story was so interesting, I love badass females and Áine and Sloane are IT! I cannot wait for more from this world! There was so much left open to build on and I am so ready for part 2!
Profile Image for Brittany Posey.
162 reviews4 followers
January 20, 2024
I may be a bit biased as I love any and all things fae but this was a pretty good book to read. I loved Áine and the way her character developed throughout the book. My heart broke for her at points and others I was rooting for her. Great plot and some decent world building. I hope that when or if there is a book 2 we get to learn a bit more about the past and how things came to be.
5 reviews1 follower
January 3, 2024
Fantastic book with plenty to keep you interested in the story. I found no lulls in excitement. The perspective changes help bring depth to the book and familiarity to the characters. There are sad moments as to be expected but overall a great read and interesting book.
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