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Cursed Captors #2
Feral Is the Beast
The Feral King thinks he'll break me. But I will break him first.
I’m a 400-year-old witch covered in tattoos—the source of my magic—but I’ve been hiding them for years, trying to escape my past.
After spending centuries at the mercy of royals who thirst only for power and the desire to make up for their less impressive "assets," I refuse to be used as a tool for evil ever again.
It's any other night in my apothecary when the Feral King—a beast who eats the local villagers for sport—kidnaps me and demands my help.
When I deny him, he tries to torture me into compliance, but pain and I are long-acquainted friends, and I will never be the one who falls.
This is a high-heat immortal witch and mortal man age-gap fantasy romance with enemies to lovers and forced proximity. Perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas, Raven Kennedy, or Jennifer L. Armentrout. Feral is the Beast is book 2 in Cursed Captors, a series of interconnected standalone stories.
I’m a 400-year-old witch covered in tattoos—the source of my magic—but I’ve been hiding them for years, trying to escape my past.
After spending centuries at the mercy of royals who thirst only for power and the desire to make up for their less impressive "assets," I refuse to be used as a tool for evil ever again.
It's any other night in my apothecary when the Feral King—a beast who eats the local villagers for sport—kidnaps me and demands my help.
When I deny him, he tries to torture me into compliance, but pain and I are long-acquainted friends, and I will never be the one who falls.
This is a high-heat immortal witch and mortal man age-gap fantasy romance with enemies to lovers and forced proximity. Perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas, Raven Kennedy, or Jennifer L. Armentrout. Feral is the Beast is book 2 in Cursed Captors, a series of interconnected standalone stories.
186 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 20, 2024
65 people are currently reading
4232 people want to read
About the author
Nisha J. Tuli
19 books4,919 followersVisit my website to sign up for my newsletter and download a bonus chapter from Rule of the Aurora King!
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Nisha J Tuli is a USA Today and international bestselling author. Her book, Trial of the Sun Queen, became a BookTok hit, selling over a million copies and finding its way into the hands of A-list celebrities.
When she isn’t writing or reading, she can be found in the gym or the kitchen (to eat, not to cook) or maybe knitting scarves to survive a Canadian winter. She lives in Manitoba with her husband, their two kids, and their fluffy Samoyed.
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Nisha J Tuli is a USA Today and international bestselling author. Her book, Trial of the Sun Queen, became a BookTok hit, selling over a million copies and finding its way into the hands of A-list celebrities.
When she isn’t writing or reading, she can be found in the gym or the kitchen (to eat, not to cook) or maybe knitting scarves to survive a Canadian winter. She lives in Manitoba with her husband, their two kids, and their fluffy Samoyed.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 412 reviews
March 24, 2024
3/5
It was the furthest from being perfect, but I fear I liked it anyway.
It was the furthest from being perfect, but I fear I liked it anyway.
July 10, 2024
this was cliche, a bit dumb but so fun😜 i want to eat him up he was the most adorable thing ever
always a pleasure reading with lila💋🩷
always a pleasure reading with lila💋🩷
January 24, 2025
I received this as an eARC, which in no way influences my opinions or rating.
Dislikes:
Vespera is all talk, no action. She made constant threats about brutally killing everyone involved in her kidnapping, but then when it came down to it, she did nothing 😐 I was promised an anti-heroine and she did not deliver.
The Feral King, while intriguing and mysterious in the beginning, is actually so bland once you get to know him. The man has no personality.
I couldn’t connect with either of the characters and therefore, their story.
Most of their connection seemed to just be based on lust and physical attraction. I need a deeper emotional connection to be invested in a couple, personally. Then again, it is a novella, so maybe I went in with too many expectations. There isn’t much time for them to develop this deep, meaningful connection in less than 200 pages.
When they’re on civil terms, the book becomes so boring. What I’m about to say is going to sound unhinged, but I’m nothing if not an honest person, so here goes: I liked the first half of the book with the kidnapping & torture more than the boring, nice scenes we got in the second half. At least the kidnapping/torture stuff was exciting and kept me entertained.
Likes:
It’s fast-paced. It’s very easy to get into because you get thrown into the story right away.
It’s well-written. The author was able to keep me engaged throughout even though I didn’t care about the characters or story because she is a talented writer. I think I would appreciate her full-length novels.
The sweet, little things the Feral King does for her.
When Vespera requested a romance book from Celeste and the girl came back with a book titled “The King and His Captive.” That made me LOL.
The way he was trembling from rage when she told him her tragic backstory. He gave off very much touch-her-and-die vibes in this scene and I loved that <3
The cover is stunning! I could stare at it all day.
Overall, while this wasn’t my cup of tea, I could definitely see someone else enjoying this. I’d recommend it to anyone wanting a short, easy & smutty read
Recommendation: If you liked this and want to read another dark romantasy novella that features an anti-hero + the abduction to love trope, I’d recommend Blade of Moonlight by Kimberly Dean. It’s a love story following a supervillain & superheroine. Happy reading! :)
Dislikes:
Vespera is all talk, no action. She made constant threats about brutally killing everyone involved in her kidnapping, but then when it came down to it, she did nothing 😐 I was promised an anti-heroine and she did not deliver.
The Feral King, while intriguing and mysterious in the beginning, is actually so bland once you get to know him. The man has no personality.
I couldn’t connect with either of the characters and therefore, their story.
Most of their connection seemed to just be based on lust and physical attraction. I need a deeper emotional connection to be invested in a couple, personally. Then again, it is a novella, so maybe I went in with too many expectations. There isn’t much time for them to develop this deep, meaningful connection in less than 200 pages.
When they’re on civil terms, the book becomes so boring. What I’m about to say is going to sound unhinged, but I’m nothing if not an honest person, so here goes: I liked the first half of the book with the kidnapping & torture more than the boring, nice scenes we got in the second half. At least the kidnapping/torture stuff was exciting and kept me entertained.
Likes:
It’s fast-paced. It’s very easy to get into because you get thrown into the story right away.
It’s well-written. The author was able to keep me engaged throughout even though I didn’t care about the characters or story because she is a talented writer. I think I would appreciate her full-length novels.
The sweet, little things the Feral King does for her.
Maybe it’s because when I fell asleep in the armchair in the corner one night, I awoke with a blanket tucked around me. Or when I returned from a survey of the forests, my hands numb from the autumn air, I found a vase of fresh flowers on my worktable, along with a steaming pot of tea. Maybe it’s because the kitchen makes my favorite pastries every morning while ensuring dinner consists of my favorite meals.
When Vespera requested a romance book from Celeste and the girl came back with a book titled “The King and His Captive.” That made me LOL.
The way he was trembling from rage when she told him her tragic backstory. He gave off very much touch-her-and-die vibes in this scene and I loved that <3
"Then what?" he asks, his body trembling with barely contained fury.
The cover is stunning! I could stare at it all day.
Overall, while this wasn’t my cup of tea, I could definitely see someone else enjoying this. I’d recommend it to anyone wanting a short, easy & smutty read
Recommendation: If you liked this and want to read another dark romantasy novella that features an anti-hero + the abduction to love trope, I’d recommend Blade of Moonlight by Kimberly Dean. It’s a love story following a supervillain & superheroine. Happy reading! :)
March 21, 2024
Though I didn't love this one quite as much as the first novella in the series, or some of Nisha's other books, I still had fun reading it.
It has an interesting concept of tattoo magic that was very well developed, the writing worked for me as usual, the world building was great...combined with a fast pace, it was easy to finish this in one sitting.
You don't have to read Wicked is the Reaper to read this, the reference to that book is small and it won't affect your reading experience if you choose to jump into this first. But you SHOULD read it because it's one of my favourite books in general, and it's "proper" enemies to lovers.
This one was more captor/captive with Beauty and the Beast vibes than enemies to lovers, and I think it would've worked for me in a longer book. As is I think there was a lot of time spent on the physical aspect of their relationship, or on the plot and as a result we didn't get to see them fall in love.
We read that weeks passed here and there as they were working on the thing that Ferran abducted Vespera for, but it didn't feel like it relationship development wise, you know.
I also didn't fully connect to either of the two main characters, I liked them, but needed a bit more depth. The steam was good though, which reminds me! This book starts off with a somewhat steamy scene & that surprised me, I was like "OH!" haha.
Don't attack me for this, but I think she and Savryn had more chemistry than her and Ferran. This is likely due to how Ferran was built up as a great big beast and then just wasn't, or how he'd keep running away from Vespera all the time. And I know Savryn was in like two scenes max, but he made a bigger impression.
But I'm still glad I read it, I'm now one book closer to reading all of Nisha J. Tuli's books!!! I only need to read the Artefacts of Ouranos series and then I'm all set until the next book.
*Thank you to the author for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*
It has an interesting concept of tattoo magic that was very well developed, the writing worked for me as usual, the world building was great...combined with a fast pace, it was easy to finish this in one sitting.
You don't have to read Wicked is the Reaper to read this, the reference to that book is small and it won't affect your reading experience if you choose to jump into this first. But you SHOULD read it because it's one of my favourite books in general, and it's "proper" enemies to lovers.
This one was more captor/captive with Beauty and the Beast vibes than enemies to lovers, and I think it would've worked for me in a longer book. As is I think there was a lot of time spent on the physical aspect of their relationship, or on the plot and as a result we didn't get to see them fall in love.
We read that weeks passed here and there as they were working on the thing that Ferran abducted Vespera for, but it didn't feel like it relationship development wise, you know.
I also didn't fully connect to either of the two main characters, I liked them, but needed a bit more depth. The steam was good though, which reminds me! This book starts off with a somewhat steamy scene & that surprised me, I was like "OH!" haha.
Don't attack me for this, but I think she and Savryn had more chemistry than her and Ferran. This is likely due to how Ferran was built up as a great big beast and then just wasn't, or how he'd keep running away from Vespera all the time. And I know Savryn was in like two scenes max, but he made a bigger impression.
But I'm still glad I read it, I'm now one book closer to reading all of Nisha J. Tuli's books!!! I only need to read the Artefacts of Ouranos series and then I'm all set until the next book.
*Thank you to the author for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*
March 22, 2024
—novella
—beauty and the beast vibes
—tattoo magic
—witch
This was such a fun quick spïcy novella. I love Nisha’s work and Feral is the Beast was a great fast read. The beauty and the beast vibes were immaculate, and I loved the two MCs chemistry, for such a short story, Nisha really tied it all together beautifully.
If you’re in the mood for something quick, easy, fun, and spicy, I highly recommend this book for your TBR. Plus Nisha’s other series The Trial of The Sun Queen IS A MUST too. Just saying.
—beauty and the beast vibes
—tattoo magic
—witch
This was such a fun quick spïcy novella. I love Nisha’s work and Feral is the Beast was a great fast read. The beauty and the beast vibes were immaculate, and I loved the two MCs chemistry, for such a short story, Nisha really tied it all together beautifully.
If you’re in the mood for something quick, easy, fun, and spicy, I highly recommend this book for your TBR. Plus Nisha’s other series The Trial of The Sun Queen IS A MUST too. Just saying.
December 5, 2024
this was fun too! a bit longer than the first one, but still felt kinda rushed at times. but maybe i'm just used to longer books at this point 🤣 oh, and that part where book 1 and 2 connect stories? loved it🙂↕️
March 6, 2024
Whew this story was all kinds of fun and spicy!
The character of Vespa, even though this is a novella, was a strong, fun female who knew exactly what she wanted. And Ferren, well……he’s the kind of beast that makes the girls swoon.
A fast paced fantasy novella that will leave you smiling!
You’ll love this story if you like:
Spice 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Pain is pleasure 🥵
Witch Magic 🧙🏻
Shifter magic 🐺
Curses 🪄
Forced Proximity ✨
Hidden Identity 📝
I received an eARC of this book, all reviews and opinions are my own.
The character of Vespa, even though this is a novella, was a strong, fun female who knew exactly what she wanted. And Ferren, well……he’s the kind of beast that makes the girls swoon.
A fast paced fantasy novella that will leave you smiling!
You’ll love this story if you like:
Spice 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Pain is pleasure 🥵
Witch Magic 🧙🏻
Shifter magic 🐺
Curses 🪄
Forced Proximity ✨
Hidden Identity 📝
I received an eARC of this book, all reviews and opinions are my own.
March 21, 2024
This started out super super good but then I just lost interest. I think I needed this to be a bit longer for me to really enjoy it!
Some parts were super cheesy and I think the spice was a bigger focus than the plot here which I struggled with.
It definitely had potential and I also did enjoy some parts - like the FMC and her being a tattoo artist that creates magical tattoos... LIKE I WANT ONE 🤭
"But sometimes, when it's the right kind of pain, offered by the right person, it also feels good."
-magical tattoos
-captive romance
-witch x beast
-forced proximity
🌶️🌶️🌶️.5
Some parts were super cheesy and I think the spice was a bigger focus than the plot here which I struggled with.
It definitely had potential and I also did enjoy some parts - like the FMC and her being a tattoo artist that creates magical tattoos... LIKE I WANT ONE 🤭
"But sometimes, when it's the right kind of pain, offered by the right person, it also feels good."
-magical tattoos
-captive romance
-witch x beast
-forced proximity
🌶️🌶️🌶️.5
March 18, 2024
In ‘Feral of the King’ we meet 400 year old witch Vespera. Vespera has been in hiding for years, since everyone seems to want her powers, and she just wants some peace and quiet. And this has been working for years. Unfortunately this changes drastically when she gets kidnapped by the Feral King. The Feral King is determined to make Vespera help him get control of the curse that’s been making his life miserable for years. But Vespera has no interest in helping another king whatsoever. Not even when he tries to torture her.
‘Feral is the King’ is a fun short novella that I definitely enjoyed. I read it in one evening, and found myself wanting more. The way Nisha Tuli was able to describe a new ‘world’ in such a short novel is definitely something that I’m in awe off. And above all this novella left me feeling like I need to read everything Nisha ever wrote.
The romance between the King and Vespera was definitely ‘sudden’. But since this is a novella that is totally expected. I felt like I didn’t know the characters enough to really feel their connection as much as I would have liked, but I still wanted to keep on reading and found myself enjoying the story.
Vespera was a bit to lust filled in my opinion, but maybe you get that way if you live as long as she does. LOL!! And I wanted to know so much more about the King. His character was just so mysterious, and I loved everything about him.
‘Feral is the King’ was a fun novella for sure. Above all I wanted it to be much longer and more developed.. but that’s definitely not a bad thing.
‘Feral is the King’ is a fun short novella that I definitely enjoyed. I read it in one evening, and found myself wanting more. The way Nisha Tuli was able to describe a new ‘world’ in such a short novel is definitely something that I’m in awe off. And above all this novella left me feeling like I need to read everything Nisha ever wrote.
The romance between the King and Vespera was definitely ‘sudden’. But since this is a novella that is totally expected. I felt like I didn’t know the characters enough to really feel their connection as much as I would have liked, but I still wanted to keep on reading and found myself enjoying the story.
Vespera was a bit to lust filled in my opinion, but maybe you get that way if you live as long as she does. LOL!! And I wanted to know so much more about the King. His character was just so mysterious, and I loved everything about him.
‘Feral is the King’ was a fun novella for sure. Above all I wanted it to be much longer and more developed.. but that’s definitely not a bad thing.
March 14, 2024
Thank you to Nisha J. Tuli for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Feral is the Beast is another delicious installment in the Cursed Captors series! I loved the premise of this novella and how the story takes a refreshing spin on the "dark king captures young maiden" trope in fantasy romance books. I loved Vespera as a main character--the magic she possesses was super cool and written in a unique manner. I do wish we got to see more of her deadlier magic, and more of her backstory in general since it sounded super interesting, but I still enjoyed her character. Her relationship with Ferran was also much more sweet and tender than I was expecting, which was a welcome surprise!
I think I enjoyed Wicked is the Reaper as a whole novella better, but this was still a very fun read. I think anyone looking for a short and sweet spicy fantasy novella or anyone who's a fan of Nisha's other works will definitely enjoy Feral is the Beast !
Follow me on TikTok | Instagram | Twitter for more book reviews & recommendations!
Feral is the Beast is another delicious installment in the Cursed Captors series! I loved the premise of this novella and how the story takes a refreshing spin on the "dark king captures young maiden" trope in fantasy romance books. I loved Vespera as a main character--the magic she possesses was super cool and written in a unique manner. I do wish we got to see more of her deadlier magic, and more of her backstory in general since it sounded super interesting, but I still enjoyed her character. Her relationship with Ferran was also much more sweet and tender than I was expecting, which was a welcome surprise!
I think I enjoyed Wicked is the Reaper as a whole novella better, but this was still a very fun read. I think anyone looking for a short and sweet spicy fantasy novella or anyone who's a fan of Nisha's other works will definitely enjoy Feral is the Beast !
Follow me on TikTok | Instagram | Twitter for more book reviews & recommendations!
March 6, 2024
This is such a quick paced, intriguing novella full of spice and two MCs I was very interested in from the start. While it was predictable at times, I still found it enticing from start to finish. I really liked Ves and was immediate intrigued about her past. Like I said for book 1, I would have happily read a full length novel about her (also loved the little tie in to book 1). Anyways, I really enjoyed the Feral King too and like how we see his true nature come out. I would have loved to see Ves act on her darker/more aggressive side but for the story we got I am very satisfied. I have seriously enjoyed every book I’ve read by Nisha and I cannot wait for more.
Tropes/themes
-magic & curses
-secret identity
-forced proximity
-steam steam steam
*semi-spoiler*
It was SO nice to have a female mc be the one that’s hundreds of years old instead of it always being the male mc
That does make me wonder tho.. can they be together long term if she lives a long ass life and he doesn’t? Or maybe he does too and i somehow missed that.
Tropes/themes
-magic & curses
-secret identity
-forced proximity
-steam steam steam
*semi-spoiler*
It was SO nice to have a female mc be the one that’s hundreds of years old instead of it always being the male mc
That does make me wonder tho.. can they be together long term if she lives a long ass life and he doesn’t? Or maybe he does too and i somehow missed that.
March 8, 2024
Feral Is The Beast by Nisha J. Tuli is the second novella in the Cursed Captors series but can be read on its own. This novella had me turning the pages to see what happens next and is a fast paced fantasy.
Vespera is a 400 year old witch, whose hidden specialty is magic tattoos. When her secrets become known to the Feral King, she is kidnapped and taken to his palace. Will the Feral King break her down and gain her help?
I love seeing Ves’ magic in the form of the tattoos she gives - it’s definitely a unique spin on magic in a fantasy book! I also loved seeing the relationship develop and change between Ves and the Feral King.
Read this if you want a book with beauty and the beast vibes, forced proximity, enemies to lovers, pain is pleasure, shifting, magic, an age gap, and some spice!!
Thanks to Nisha for letting me read and review an early copy! I absolutely loved it!!
Vespera is a 400 year old witch, whose hidden specialty is magic tattoos. When her secrets become known to the Feral King, she is kidnapped and taken to his palace. Will the Feral King break her down and gain her help?
I love seeing Ves’ magic in the form of the tattoos she gives - it’s definitely a unique spin on magic in a fantasy book! I also loved seeing the relationship develop and change between Ves and the Feral King.
Read this if you want a book with beauty and the beast vibes, forced proximity, enemies to lovers, pain is pleasure, shifting, magic, an age gap, and some spice!!
Thanks to Nisha for letting me read and review an early copy! I absolutely loved it!!
February 29, 2024
I was lucky enough to get a copy of this book before its release on March 20th and you better believe I have already started recommending it to my book friends! This book is part of the Cursed Captors series which is a collection of standalone spicy novellas. There is a small connection between this book and Wicked is the Reaper that I really loved but it wouldn’t impact your reading experience much if you haven’t read the first book yet (although I highly recommend it because it’s also fantastic).
I found myself really drawn to the FMC in this story who is a tattoo witch disguising herself as the town healer. When she gets kidnapped by the Feral King who has a reputation for killing villagers, she knows she is safe because of her powers but has her hands tied as far as using them unless she wants to blow her cover. The Feral King, however, is determined to make her admit who and what she is.
If there’s two things Nisha is an expert at it’s writing insanely hot spice and badass female main characters and this book is no exception. I found the plot very engaging and I particularly loved the parallels between Vespera and Ferran’s backstories. If you’re looking for a short and spicy read this is absolutely one I’d recommend checking out- you won’t be disappointed!
I found myself really drawn to the FMC in this story who is a tattoo witch disguising herself as the town healer. When she gets kidnapped by the Feral King who has a reputation for killing villagers, she knows she is safe because of her powers but has her hands tied as far as using them unless she wants to blow her cover. The Feral King, however, is determined to make her admit who and what she is.
If there’s two things Nisha is an expert at it’s writing insanely hot spice and badass female main characters and this book is no exception. I found the plot very engaging and I particularly loved the parallels between Vespera and Ferran’s backstories. If you’re looking for a short and spicy read this is absolutely one I’d recommend checking out- you won’t be disappointed!
March 11, 2024
This was a fun & unique romantasy novella! Ferran & Ves are cute & I enjoyed their little story.
There’s also a nod to book one of the series! I really liked how they were connected - separate stories but in the same world.
Thank you to Nisha J. Tuli & her team for the ARC!
There’s also a nod to book one of the series! I really liked how they were connected - separate stories but in the same world.
Thank you to Nisha J. Tuli & her team for the ARC!
March 21, 2024
3.75 ⭐ 2 🌶️
"That's right. Scream for me, beautiful witch. You're mine now. Mine forever." 🥵
This man 🥵 oh my god! Ok this was a quick, cute and spicy novella !! I forgot I was reading and flew through this.
Ves is a immortal witch who got kidnapped by the Feral King. It turns out he needs her help to tame the beast inside of him. She refuses to help him at all costs and even when he tortures her, she didn't give in. Instead of pain she also fells some kind of pleasure..
The tension between was soo good! The romance developed very quickly but I liked it! I wouldn't have minded if this was a actual novel instead of a novella tbh. All the premise sounds so good of this novella: the cursed king, tattoo magic, forced proximity and enemies to lovers.
The romance part was sweet and the spice was spicy-ing!
I was lucky to get this one as an arc! Thank you Nisha!! ❤️
"That's right. Scream for me, beautiful witch. You're mine now. Mine forever." 🥵
This man 🥵 oh my god! Ok this was a quick, cute and spicy novella !! I forgot I was reading and flew through this.
Ves is a immortal witch who got kidnapped by the Feral King. It turns out he needs her help to tame the beast inside of him. She refuses to help him at all costs and even when he tortures her, she didn't give in. Instead of pain she also fells some kind of pleasure..
The tension between was soo good! The romance developed very quickly but I liked it! I wouldn't have minded if this was a actual novel instead of a novella tbh. All the premise sounds so good of this novella: the cursed king, tattoo magic, forced proximity and enemies to lovers.
The romance part was sweet and the spice was spicy-ing!
I was lucky to get this one as an arc! Thank you Nisha!! ❤️
July 31, 2024
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/ 5 🌶️🌶️🌶️/5
"I've spent so many years never allowing myself to get close to anyone. I knew that I could never be physical with anyone, and allowing someone into my heart was dangerous. But then you appeared and no matter how I tried to resists, I couldn't stay away from you."
Ok damn another great fantasy novella! I loved the setting and theme of this one, however I just felt like I couldn’t really connect with any of the characters in these novellas unfortunately. But this was a great quick and spicy dark fantasy read without having hundred of pages of world building. I love the magic system in this book and the fmc was a strong character, who is a 400 year old witch . I also loved the mmc, he was just 🥵. The tension between the characters was done so well, and the plot for how short the novella is was also done well and intriguing. I also enjoyed the nod to the first novella - although you do not have to read the first one - it was nice to still have that reference and I would’ve loved to have a continuation to the first.
❤️ powerful fmc
☠️ reverse age gap
❤️ beauty and the beast vibes
☠️ tattoo magic
"I've spent so many years never allowing myself to get close to anyone. I knew that I could never be physical with anyone, and allowing someone into my heart was dangerous. But then you appeared and no matter how I tried to resists, I couldn't stay away from you."
Ok damn another great fantasy novella! I loved the setting and theme of this one, however I just felt like I couldn’t really connect with any of the characters in these novellas unfortunately. But this was a great quick and spicy dark fantasy read without having hundred of pages of world building. I love the magic system in this book and the fmc was a strong character, who is a 400 year old witch . I also loved the mmc, he was just 🥵. The tension between the characters was done so well, and the plot for how short the novella is was also done well and intriguing. I also enjoyed the nod to the first novella - although you do not have to read the first one - it was nice to still have that reference and I would’ve loved to have a continuation to the first.
❤️ powerful fmc
☠️ reverse age gap
❤️ beauty and the beast vibes
☠️ tattoo magic
March 20, 2024
Nisha J. Tuli delivers the perfect novella: short, sweet, and oh so delicious!
The pacing stays on point, moving quickly, as the characters search for a means to help the MMC master his rather feral monster side. I loved the characters in this one -- the grumpy FMC, the cinnamon roll MMC with morally grey frosting, and the amusing side characters.
The writing is the Nisha special -- witty humor, atmospheric, and sexy...well, I will let you discover those scenes on your own. *wink*
If you are in the mood for a quick and sexy read, download this novella! It is well worth it.
The pacing stays on point, moving quickly, as the characters search for a means to help the MMC master his rather feral monster side. I loved the characters in this one -- the grumpy FMC, the cinnamon roll MMC with morally grey frosting, and the amusing side characters.
The writing is the Nisha special -- witty humor, atmospheric, and sexy...well, I will let you discover those scenes on your own. *wink*
If you are in the mood for a quick and sexy read, download this novella! It is well worth it.
March 20, 2024
NISHA NEVER MISSES!
How an author can create such captivating characters, a fully realized world and an incredibly delicious and steamy romance in a NOVELLA is BEYOND. An absolute sorceress with words. This story was such a unique take on Beauty and the Beast, I (like everything Nisha writes) completely devoured it.
400 year old Vespera has been in hiding for years - sought after for her incredible powers, she opens up shop in a quiet and quaint town. Until one day she gets kidnapped by the Feral King, in hopes that she will rid him of this curse. But Vespera has no interest in helping the king out, she has been burned by kings before.
I loved this book so much, Nisha always creates such amazing FMC's. She switched up the age gap trope to make the woman the 400 yr old and I died inside of happiness. This needs to happen MORE in books.
I loved the friendship between Ves and Celeste, I thoroughly Ves giving the king a lesson on consent (even if its to be bait). I laughed at Ves describing her relationship with Celeste "Thanks to her not-annoying company and constant supply of smutty books" RELATABLE.
Ferren, the king, was such a cinnamon roll (but absolutely feral) and Ves was insatiable, such a fantastic FMC.
Here are some micro tropes I think people will enjoy
- "Drags his chair closer by reaching between his legs"
- "The kind of hands that would do a magnificent job gripping my thighs"
- "Dimple pop on his cheek"
- "Lifting me like I weigh nothing"
- "Ride my hand"
- "He reaches up to tuck a lock of my hair back"
- "Grins as he lays back, tucking an arm under his head, accentuating the curve of his bicep"
- "A low rumble vibrating in his chest"
- "He squeezes my throat tight"
- "Open your mouth, he growls"
It also ends with "And then, he does" and it was giving Lorcan vibes but WE ACTUALLY FIND OUT WHAT HIS CAPABILTIES ARE.
Thank you Nisha for the ARC - always an honor to read your books! All thoughts are my own.
How an author can create such captivating characters, a fully realized world and an incredibly delicious and steamy romance in a NOVELLA is BEYOND. An absolute sorceress with words. This story was such a unique take on Beauty and the Beast, I (like everything Nisha writes) completely devoured it.
400 year old Vespera has been in hiding for years - sought after for her incredible powers, she opens up shop in a quiet and quaint town. Until one day she gets kidnapped by the Feral King, in hopes that she will rid him of this curse. But Vespera has no interest in helping the king out, she has been burned by kings before.
I loved this book so much, Nisha always creates such amazing FMC's. She switched up the age gap trope to make the woman the 400 yr old and I died inside of happiness. This needs to happen MORE in books.
I loved the friendship between Ves and Celeste, I thoroughly Ves giving the king a lesson on consent (even if its to be bait). I laughed at Ves describing her relationship with Celeste "Thanks to her not-annoying company and constant supply of smutty books" RELATABLE.
Ferren, the king, was such a cinnamon roll (but absolutely feral) and Ves was insatiable, such a fantastic FMC.
Here are some micro tropes I think people will enjoy
- "Drags his chair closer by reaching between his legs"
- "The kind of hands that would do a magnificent job gripping my thighs"
- "Dimple pop on his cheek"
- "Lifting me like I weigh nothing"
- "Ride my hand"
- "He reaches up to tuck a lock of my hair back"
- "Grins as he lays back, tucking an arm under his head, accentuating the curve of his bicep"
- "A low rumble vibrating in his chest"
- "He squeezes my throat tight"
- "Open your mouth, he growls"
It also ends with "And then, he does" and it was giving Lorcan vibes but WE ACTUALLY FIND OUT WHAT HIS CAPABILTIES ARE.
Thank you Nisha for the ARC - always an honor to read your books! All thoughts are my own.
March 1, 2024
Thank you so much @nisha for an eARC copy of Feral is the Beast. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I’m a huge fan of Nisha J. Tuli’s work. If you haven’t read The Trial of the Sun Queen or Heart of Night and Fire what are you even doing with your life😂? As soon as Feral is the Beast landed in my inbox, I immediately started reading!
One of my favorite things about Nisha J. Tuli’s writing is that her books and novels always feature strong FMCs and Feral is the Beast is no exception.
The story follows Vespera Foxhollow, an ancient witch who is doing all she can to live her life quietly so no one discovers her true identity. Her plan is working pretty well until the Feral King, Ferran, unexpectedly inserts himself into her life. What happens next will either break her or mend her lonely heart. ❤️ Please note that although Feral is the Beast is the second novella in the interconnected Cursed Captors series, each novella is a standalone story.
I really enjoyed this novella! Although the story is short (it is a novella after all), I was captivated from the first page. I thought Vespera’s tattoo magic was a unique and interesting twist on the magic trope. I also really appreciated that Vespera was the more powerful of the two MCs…and that she needed to save him!
If you enjoy romantic fantasy, strong FMC, and spice, you should give Feral is the Beast a read!
In the pages, you will find:
💪 Strong FMC
🪢 Forced proximity
❤️ Romance
🌶️ Spice
🪄 She helps him
💉 Tattoo magic
🐺 Shifter magic
🫣 Hidden identity
📖 A fun and quick romantic fantasy!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨/5
I’m a huge fan of Nisha J. Tuli’s work. If you haven’t read The Trial of the Sun Queen or Heart of Night and Fire what are you even doing with your life😂? As soon as Feral is the Beast landed in my inbox, I immediately started reading!
One of my favorite things about Nisha J. Tuli’s writing is that her books and novels always feature strong FMCs and Feral is the Beast is no exception.
The story follows Vespera Foxhollow, an ancient witch who is doing all she can to live her life quietly so no one discovers her true identity. Her plan is working pretty well until the Feral King, Ferran, unexpectedly inserts himself into her life. What happens next will either break her or mend her lonely heart. ❤️ Please note that although Feral is the Beast is the second novella in the interconnected Cursed Captors series, each novella is a standalone story.
I really enjoyed this novella! Although the story is short (it is a novella after all), I was captivated from the first page. I thought Vespera’s tattoo magic was a unique and interesting twist on the magic trope. I also really appreciated that Vespera was the more powerful of the two MCs…and that she needed to save him!
If you enjoy romantic fantasy, strong FMC, and spice, you should give Feral is the Beast a read!
In the pages, you will find:
💪 Strong FMC
🪢 Forced proximity
❤️ Romance
🌶️ Spice
🪄 She helps him
💉 Tattoo magic
🐺 Shifter magic
🫣 Hidden identity
📖 A fun and quick romantic fantasy!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨/5
March 3, 2024
ARC Review: all thoughts and opinions are my own
Another strong FMC from Nisha J. Tuli who leaves you feeling confident and powerful.
This novella follows Vespera Foxrow, a 400ish year old witch who hides in plain site as a herbalist among the villagers. When the Feral King unexpectedly enters her life, a dark fairytale begins.
I loved the concept of this story, and the way in which Vespera shares her powers. If you love
- Powerful FMC
- Spice
- Dark fantasy
- Hidden identity and
- Romance
You will devour this novella!
It is not required to read the first novella, Wicked is the reaper - yet there is an informative crossover within this second installment!
Thank you for the arc - can’t wait to read more of your work!
Another strong FMC from Nisha J. Tuli who leaves you feeling confident and powerful.
This novella follows Vespera Foxrow, a 400ish year old witch who hides in plain site as a herbalist among the villagers. When the Feral King unexpectedly enters her life, a dark fairytale begins.
I loved the concept of this story, and the way in which Vespera shares her powers. If you love
- Powerful FMC
- Spice
- Dark fantasy
- Hidden identity and
- Romance
You will devour this novella!
It is not required to read the first novella, Wicked is the reaper - yet there is an informative crossover within this second installment!
Thank you for the arc - can’t wait to read more of your work!
March 15, 2024
3.5 stars
Headlines:
Tattoos
Beast v Witch
A curse
For a shorter novel (186 pages) this sure packed a lot into it and delivered on a full story that felt satisfying. The two main characters engaged on the page and there felt to be depth of characterisation.
Vespera had a long and deep past and she was in hiding as the apothecarist in a small village. She was kidnapped by a King and the story spun from there. Kidnapping, coercion, gentle torture and a lot of tension. Once this king and Ves were on more cordial grounds was where the story appealed to me more.
There were stories to dig into around the tattoos that were a huge part of the plot. The idea of the curse was interesting but I got somewhat confused later over the breaking of the curse and the impediment that caused in the burgeoning relationship.
This was an easy and pleasing read. The shorter but not too short length means it's a great read to complete in a day. If you enjoy romantasy with the odd darker tone, this one will appeal.
Thank you to the author for the eARC.
Headlines:
Tattoos
Beast v Witch
A curse
For a shorter novel (186 pages) this sure packed a lot into it and delivered on a full story that felt satisfying. The two main characters engaged on the page and there felt to be depth of characterisation.
Vespera had a long and deep past and she was in hiding as the apothecarist in a small village. She was kidnapped by a King and the story spun from there. Kidnapping, coercion, gentle torture and a lot of tension. Once this king and Ves were on more cordial grounds was where the story appealed to me more.
There were stories to dig into around the tattoos that were a huge part of the plot. The idea of the curse was interesting but I got somewhat confused later over the breaking of the curse and the impediment that caused in the burgeoning relationship.
This was an easy and pleasing read. The shorter but not too short length means it's a great read to complete in a day. If you enjoy romantasy with the odd darker tone, this one will appeal.
Thank you to the author for the eARC.
September 26, 2024
4.5⭐️ Im here for a witchy mami. A 400 year old witch and beast! Im sold. I inhaled this book and I really liked that the FMC was the older one. It was short but so good. The story flowed so well and it flew by.
April 1, 2024
4.5 ⭐️/5
2.0 🌶️/5
Yess! If you are looking for a steamy fun lil novela you must read Nisha J Tulu’s Feral is the Beast!
There is a little bitty abduction but it’s for good romance reasons!😉 I love the attraction between Vespera and Feran, and like the slow reveals of their separate pasts.
One of my favorite things about Vespera is that she’s a centuries old witch who isn’t a damsel in distress or a wide-eyed inexperienced, virginal, human ingenue. Ves is a woman who knows what she wants and gets after it, and she has a heck of a way of tattooing someone. 🔥
If you love shifters, MCs with secret & tortured pasts, forced proximity, breaking curses, some pain is pleasure, and a strong FMC, this book is for you.
Thank you to Nisha J Tuli for the ARC. All thoughts/opinions are my own and my review is voluntary.
2.0 🌶️/5
Yess! If you are looking for a steamy fun lil novela you must read Nisha J Tulu’s Feral is the Beast!
There is a little bitty abduction but it’s for good romance reasons!😉 I love the attraction between Vespera and Feran, and like the slow reveals of their separate pasts.
One of my favorite things about Vespera is that she’s a centuries old witch who isn’t a damsel in distress or a wide-eyed inexperienced, virginal, human ingenue. Ves is a woman who knows what she wants and gets after it, and she has a heck of a way of tattooing someone. 🔥
If you love shifters, MCs with secret & tortured pasts, forced proximity, breaking curses, some pain is pleasure, and a strong FMC, this book is for you.
Thank you to Nisha J Tuli for the ARC. All thoughts/opinions are my own and my review is voluntary.
March 20, 2024
A 400-year-old witch adorned with mystical tattoos, she has kept her powers hidden. Having endured centuries of manipulation by power-hungry royals, she refuses to be ensnared in evil schemes again.
In her apothecary one ordinary night, the savage Feral King snatches her, demanding her assistance. Despite his attempts to break her through torture, she remains steadfast, intimately acquainted with pain and resolved never to succumb.
This is the second short novella in the 'Cursed captors' - series, but the stories can be read independently. I enjoyed this as well, but wished it was longer so I could learn more about our main characters and their stories.
In her apothecary one ordinary night, the savage Feral King snatches her, demanding her assistance. Despite his attempts to break her through torture, she remains steadfast, intimately acquainted with pain and resolved never to succumb.
This is the second short novella in the 'Cursed captors' - series, but the stories can be read independently. I enjoyed this as well, but wished it was longer so I could learn more about our main characters and their stories.
February 27, 2024
4.25
Received as an ARC
A fun, spicy NA fairytale with a strong, morally grey FMC. I really enjoyed this book as an entertaining quick read.
If you enjoyed Wicked is the Reaper, then you'll also enjoy this story.
Received as an ARC
A fun, spicy NA fairytale with a strong, morally grey FMC. I really enjoyed this book as an entertaining quick read.
If you enjoyed Wicked is the Reaper, then you'll also enjoy this story.
February 27, 2024
Thank you Nisha for the opportunity to be an ARC reader! This book had me giggling with the first chapter. When that happens I know it’s going to be a good book and I wasn’t disappointed. I enjoyed the MC’s personality and the witty banter she has with the other characters. It’s definitely something I look forward to in a story.
I’ve read my share of fantasy books, but I’ve never read anything quite like this. The concept of a witch deriving her magic from tattoos is something completely new. It really makes me look forward to what might be next.
I’ve read my share of fantasy books, but I’ve never read anything quite like this. The concept of a witch deriving her magic from tattoos is something completely new. It really makes me look forward to what might be next.
March 20, 2024
I absolutely loooved this novella! The magic system is so cool and unique (magic tattoos! Can I have one?). Vespera is such a strong FMC, and I loved that she didn’t doubt herself and wasn’t afraid to go for what she wants. I felt like her and Ferran were a great match. Plus, even though it’s a novella, there was plentyyy of spice 😮💨
If you don’t know by now, Nisha never disappoints!! This novella is the second book in the Cursed Captors series, but it can be read as a standalone.
Read this if you like:
🌹Enemies to Lovers
🌹Morally Grey FMC
🌹Banter
🌹Unique Magic
Thank you so much, Nisha, for providing an ARC for an honest review ❤️
If you don’t know by now, Nisha never disappoints!! This novella is the second book in the Cursed Captors series, but it can be read as a standalone.
Read this if you like:
🌹Enemies to Lovers
🌹Morally Grey FMC
🌹Banter
🌹Unique Magic
Thank you so much, Nisha, for providing an ARC for an honest review ❤️
March 7, 2024
4.5 ⭐️
I was able to read the eARC copy of this and I thoroughly enjoyed it! I’ve never read a novella before so it took me a second to adjust to how fast paced the story is, but I liked it. I’ve been reading pretty dense books lately so this was a nice, quick read that still gave me that full plot with a fulfilling ending. I LOVE how strong Ves is and seeing the development of the relationship between her and Celeste. Is was so heartwarming and I just love that! I love the story Nisha paints for both the witch and the king separately, and how they seem end up weaving and connecting. Incorporating tattoos as the source of magic is personally something I’ve never considered or read before, so I think it’s super unique and I love that entire concept so much! They both have such dark, mystical backstories, and when they connect it’s just *chef’s kiss*
Also I’m just a sucker for a happy ending!
I will definitely be reading again!
I was able to read the eARC copy of this and I thoroughly enjoyed it! I’ve never read a novella before so it took me a second to adjust to how fast paced the story is, but I liked it. I’ve been reading pretty dense books lately so this was a nice, quick read that still gave me that full plot with a fulfilling ending. I LOVE how strong Ves is and seeing the development of the relationship between her and Celeste. Is was so heartwarming and I just love that! I love the story Nisha paints for both the witch and the king separately, and how they seem end up weaving and connecting. Incorporating tattoos as the source of magic is personally something I’ve never considered or read before, so I think it’s super unique and I love that entire concept so much! They both have such dark, mystical backstories, and when they connect it’s just *chef’s kiss*
Also I’m just a sucker for a happy ending!
I will definitely be reading again!
March 19, 2024
A short, spicy, dark romantasy novella! This is a perfect read for when you want a quick read but full of spice and story! It reads like a full length novel which I really appreciated! Definitely recommend!
May 8, 2025
3.5⭐
This was a pretty solid time! I feel like their relationship could have been more compelling, but the tension was fantastic. I wasn't expecting the allusions to the first novella, so that was a pleasant surprise.
This was a pretty solid time! I feel like their relationship could have been more compelling, but the tension was fantastic. I wasn't expecting the allusions to the first novella, so that was a pleasant surprise.
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