The Rule of the Damned

The Titan Syndicate Saga #1

by Stephanie Storm

Remember all those scary stories you were told as a child...the ones where the monsters are hiding under your bed?

They aren't just stories.

We're real.

We’re behind some of the world’s deadliest catastrophes and continue orchestrating them from the shadows. Most humans don't know that we exist, and we aim to keep it that way. Remember the Salem Witch Trials? That’s what happens when our secret gets out. Human fear becomes deadly and drives them to enact unthinkable violence.

The Druids. The Undead. The Rogues. The Sorcerers.

We’re four families that are united in our mission to run the Underworld. While we may not like each other, we set aside our differences to keep the underworld running.

Until an Heir is murdered.

Now, I’m determined to find the murderer before the trail of bodies leads the humans to our front door, and everything we’ve kept hidden is at risk.

—-

Vampire Diaries meets Gossip Girl in the first instalment of a new action packed urban fantasy series following morally grey characters and the criminal empire they run. Family, power, and mythical monsters collide as the families are faced with a string of unsolved murders that threaten to expose them all.

Genres: Ebooks, Fantasy

242 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 8, 2024

About the author

There is an unspoken rule of being an author: "if you can't find the book you want to read, write it." That's exactly what Stephanie Storm did.

Now, she prides herself on creating unique stories in action packed worlds full of strong female characters and inclusivity. Her books include plot twists that will keep you on the edge of your seat and a touch of romance too. With the stories being fast paced, she always tries to keep the books focused on being a quick and easy read.

Now based in Amsterdam with her husband, Stephanie spends her days immersed in the world of technology at her day job. In her spare time, you can find her planning her next travel adventure, going to Barre classes and writing the next story in her intense publishing schedule.

Reviews

[Joanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC read 10/2024, reread 8/2025

The premise of this book grabbed me right away. We have a modern world where the descendants of famous Supernatural beings [Hecate, Dracula, Jekyll and Hyde, Van Helsing] live. The four families function in a mafia-like way, keeping their supernatural abilities a secret from the humans.

In the first installment in the Titan Syndicate Saga we get a lot of insight into the heirs of each family and the dynamic that exists between them. When one of the heirs is murdered, plus a string of additional murders, we get this really interesting murder mystery/whodunit plot that keeps you guessing.

Shit really hits the fan in the last 10%. If you like a betrayal trope and plot twist after plot twist you'll really enjoy this!

This is on the shorter side, about 250 pages, so at times things feel a bit surface level without diving into some details but overall its a quick enjoyable read that'll have you turning pages.

[Lizzie · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars so I rounded up!
This book masterfully blends elements of the supernatural with the intrigue of mafia families. The author’s creativity shines through in the way they weave together a murder mystery with unique, otherworldly twists. The characters are vividly portrayed, and the intricate plot keeps you guessing until the very end. It's a fascinating read for anyone who enjoys a blend of mystery and supernatural themes. 🩷🩷

[Savannah (chapters_of_mayhem) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I genuinely don’t know how I feel about this book as a whole- In saying that I definitely will be reading the next one to keep up with the story.

Gossip girls meets vampire diaries is pretty accurate, I felt like I was reading a reality tv show that’s intentionally trashy with a dash of political intrigue and a massive heaping of violence.

I wish there was more about how they orchestrated catastrophe’s and less every day expunging of thought processes. There was lots of narration surrounding what the characters were thinking and the whys and hows which I think could have been explored through more world building or later in the storyline etc.

This was a relative quick read. The mafia stylings of the paranormal world is a fun quirk. I’m keen to see where this goes next.

Thank you to the author for letting me read an ARC of this book. This is my honest opinion.

[Larissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐ 4.5 Stars ⭐

This book was a ride. So many things were happening all at once, and I was just holding on trying to make sense of it all (in the best way possible).

The first half, maybe the first 100 pages, is heavy on world-building. So if you’re picking this up, prepare yourself for that. But trust me when I say it’s worth it. The world-building is rich, intricate, and darkly beautiful. It took me a few chapters to really find my footing, but once I did, I was completely hooked.

This is definitely a dark fantasy, and I am so here for it. The tone, the factions (who somehow oppose and depend on each other at the same time), the tension, t’s all so well done. And the multiple POVs? Perfection. Getting to see things unfold from Jude, Luca, Sebastian, Dominic, and others’ perspectives made the story feel layered and immersive. Just when you think you have all the answers, you realize you absolutely, definitely, freaking don’t.

The mix of dark fantasy and mystery is seamless, and it kept me guessing the entire time. I haven’t read a book with a concept quite like this before, it felt fresh and unexpected.

My only small gripe is that the beginning felt confusing and a bit slow as I tried to piece everything together. But once the story picked up, it didn’t let go.

Oh, and be warned: it’s dark. People die, and the author doesn’t shy away from showing it. If that’s not your thing, tread carefully. But if you love fantasy with mystery, morally gray characters, a touch of romance, and jaw-dropping twists, pick this up immediately.

I’m already reaching for The Clash of the Damned because that cliffhanger left me desperate for more.

[Mel · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Remember those scary stories you were told as a child… the ones with monsters hiding under your bed? They’re real.”

From the very first page, The Rule of the Damned completely pulled me in. I devoured this book in one sitting without even realizing how far I’d gone.

Set in a modern world, the story follows four supernatural families:
• The Sorcerers, founded by the goddess Hecate
• The Druids, descended from Jensen Jekyll and Hadrian Hyde
• The Undead, ruled by Drusilla (aka Dracula)
• The Rogues, led by Amaya Van Helsing

Each family carries its own legacy, secrets, and motives. But they all agree on one thing: their existence must remain hidden from humans.
When an Heir is murdered, that fragile balance shatters, and a thrilling mystery begins to unfold.

Set against the backdrop of a powerful supernatural Mafia empire, this book blends urban fantasy, dark magic, and political intrigue. The multiple POVs allow readers to fully grasp the power plays, alliances, and betrayals that run deep between the families.

This story is packed with twists and turns, and once you start, it’s impossible to put it down.

What originally caught my attention? The pitch: The Vampire Diaries meets Gossip Girl, in the first instalment of a new action packed urban fantasy series following morally grey characters and the criminal empire they run. Family, power, and mythical monsters collide as the families are faced with a string of unsolved murders that threaten to expose them all. ( I needed to read this one!! )

If you’re looking for a book with:
✔ Morally grey characters
✔ Mythical monsters & magical bloodlines
✔ Arranged marriages & inter-family tensions
✔ A science-based magical system
✔ Strong queer representation
✔ Mafia + fantasy vibes

…then you definitely need to add The Rule of the Damned to your TBR. 🔥

Thank you Tales and Teacup PR and Stephanie Storm for the Copy in exchange for an honest review.

🇮🇹:

“Ricordi quelle storie spaventose che ti raccontavano da bambino… quelle con i mostri nascosti sotto il letto? Sono reali.”

Fin dalla prima pagina, The Rule of the Damned mi ha completamente catturata. Ho divorato questo libro in pochissime ore, senza nemmeno rendermene conto ero già alla fine.

Ambientato in un mondo moderno, il romanzo segue quattro famiglie soprannaturali:
• I Maghi, fondati dalla dea Ecate
• I Druidi, discendenti di Jensen Jekyll e Hadrian Hyde
• I Non-Morti, governati da Drusilla (alias Dracula)
• I Rinnegati, guidati da Amaya Van Helsing

Ogni famiglia ha la propria eredità, i propri segreti e le proprie motivazioni. Ma sono tutte d’accordo su una cosa: la loro esistenza deve restare nascosta agli esseri umani.
Quando un Erede viene assassinato, quell’equilibrio fragile delle quattro famiglie si infrange, e tra misteri e segreti ha inizio questa storia.

In un potente impero mafioso soprannaturale, questo libro mescola urban fantasy, magia oscura e intrighi politici. Il multi pov permette al lettore di comprendere a fondo i giochi di potere, le alleanze e i tradimenti che scorrono tra le famiglie.

La storia è ricca di colpi di scena e una volta iniziata, è impossibile smettere di leggere.

Cosa ha attirato subito la mia attenzione? La trama: The Vampire Diaries incontra Gossip Girl, nel primo volume di una nuova serie urban fantasy piena d’azione, che segue personaggi morally gray e l’impero criminale che gestiscono. Famiglia, potere e mostri mitologici si scontrano mentre le famiglie affrontano una scia di omicidi irrisolti che rischiano di esporre il loro mondo segreto. (Dovevo assolutamente leggerlo!)

Se stai cercando un libro con:

✔ Morally grey characters
✔ Mythical monsters & magical bloodlines
✔ Arranged marriages & inter-family tensions
✔ A science-based magical system
✔ Strong queer representation
✔ Mafia + fantasy vibe

Devi assolutamente aggiungere The Rule of the Damned alla tua TBR.

Ringrazio Tales and Teacup PR e Stephanie Storm per la copia in cambio di una recensione onesta.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a stellar story kicking off a new supernatural mafia series you do not want to miss! This is the first book in “The Titan Syndicate Saga”, with book two coming out next year.

There are four families, The Druids, The Rogues, The Sorcerers, and the Undead. They run this story’s monster-mafia underworld and are descended from famous monsters in history. Each family is given its own point of view, and along the way reveal their own lore, secrets and traditions. The four heirs to the houses: Sebastian, Jude, Dom, and Luca, each run their families in their own way, but are so deeply entwined in each others webs. In a lot of ways they’re all still subject to their parents whether living or dead. A shocking murder in one house rattles everyone in the community, and the hits just keep coming. The reader gets a front row seat to how the deaths affect all the houses, and the intricate web of lies that so much is built upon. Twists and turns and surprising details await! And a revelation that will leave you gasping out loud! Is loyalty to family really above all?

This is a very character-driven story, and with the distinct way they each express themselves, it is easy to follow the points of view. There are aspects of mystery-solving, both sweet and salty sibling interaction, spice that hits suddenly and with great passion, tons of drama, deeply disturbing family issues, queer representation, loads of angst. This would make for great television!

Book two comes out early next year. With this cliffhanger ending, I can’t wait to see what happens next!

[Sarah Louise · Rating 5 out of 5]

This concept is SO creative and the morally grey characters are absolutely morally grey-ing! I loved Jude and Sebastian and I’m sorry, but that twist and that cliffhanger??! If Vampire Diaries and Gossip Girl and supernatural family drama that reads like a CW show sound like your cup of tea, check it out!

[Becky Gordy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my first time reading anything by Stephanie Storm and it had me intrigued from the get go.

Four heirs to the four factions, Jude, Luca, Sebastian, and Dom have their struggles, but being wealthy and supernatural, the world is at their finger tips. But as murders start to plague the supernaturals, what are they to do?

While the authors writing style wasn’t my favorite, the story had some major twists at the end that really sucked me in! I did have trouble getting over the writing that seemed a little juvenile to me, which was unexpected as I know this author has written quite a few novels. I really enjoyed seeing the emphasis on the characters generation compared to their parents and how things had really degraded from the supernaturals who originally emigrated to America. I thoroughly enjoyed the backstory at the beginning with Hecate and those she changed into the supernaturals. I hope we get even more history in the next book.

Surprisingly, Dom may have been my favorite MC, with his devotion to his sisters tugging at my heart strings. All four of the MCs depict exactly what issues their parents flaws can bring into their kids. There is a major cliffhanger at the end after a huge event occurs in the last few pages. It does leave you on the edge of your seat, waiting for the next book (or at least it did for me, I was completely blindsided and didn’t catch any of the breadcrumbs sprinkled throughout)

[Tiffany (areyoutellingstories) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a supernatural Mafia vibe book fit for Jerry Springer! Four supernatural families have worked together since escaping to the Americas centuries ago. But the heads of the empires have been each struggling for power and have many secrets. But their children want change and to be able to live their lives as they see fit. When one of the heirs is killed, the families may have no choice but to bond together or rise the end of all of the bloodlines.
I read through this book quickly, the plot moved quickly and had me intrigued. The ending left me a little unsure of the what and the why. I'm interested to read the sequel to hopefully piece it all together. 3.5 stars rounded up.

[Bevin · Rating 3 out of 5]

CW: violence, some gore, forced su!cide, spice, some others.

Thank you to the author for allowing me to be a part of the ARC team! “Rule of the Damned” is available now!

It should be a tense murder investigation, but it ends up pretty low key.

Two years ago, Jude Rhodes convinced her family that she’d be better off away at school instead of under their thumb assisting the building of their empire. After the murder of her sister, the Rhodes heir, Jude is forced to return home. As she works alongside the other empire heirs, more faction members are turning up dead, and each of the heirs has a lot to lose if they don’t figure out who’s behind the spree.

I don’t have anything strictly ‘against’ this book. It was fine, it just didn’t do a lot for me. The premise was interesting— long ago, the Dracula/Drusilla, Van Helsing, Jekyll & Hyde, and Hecate lines fled persecution in Europe to start a new life in the new world. In the time since, each line developing their own empire. Think ‘supernatural mafia,’ but with better branding. The current story follows the heirs or current leaders of each empire as they try to figure out who’s killing the supernaturals. Each chapter in the book focuses on one of the heirs, allowing us a more rounded view of what’s going on as it appears from each angle.

Except…That shift in POV (almost) every chapter ends up detracting from the overall story. We never get to really settle in to any one of the characters long enough to understand or care about them. Combined with a copious amount of internal monologuing that serves as the primary exposition, the pacing ends up feeling really slow and almost abstract. We know something’s happening, but we never get to see any of it really play out for any of the characters, so it doesn't feel like anything is actually happening. Everybody’s just sort of existing *around* the plot until, surprise! It’s relevant again. And then the ending is not one you could have pieced together along the way, especially with how little focus was placed on the investigation.

I’d be tempted to call it a paranormal slice of life story, but as I mentioned before, we never really get to focus on the characters as individuals. There’s a lot of tell-not-show, and it ends up becoming info dump-ish and redundant. You just end up coasting along as a passive observer to not a lot of things, and then the book ends really abruptly. It doesn’t feel so much like a cliff hanger as it feels that we’re just missing a chapter.

At the end of things, while there’s nothing actively ‘wrong’ with the story, it just fell flat for me. If you like a book with a lot more internal thoughts and you don’t mind that being the predominant focus, you might enjoy it more than I did. The plot progresses from A to B in an orderly, if oddly paced, fashion, and the actual sentence structure/readability of the book is fine. I just like a little more pep in my literary step, and I would have preferred more of the focus to be on the action, not the inner workings of the characters.

[Nikkita Bell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I cannot accurately describe how much I ADORE this book, but I am going to do my best.
Firstly, I am a gigantic fan of urban fantasy and supernatural influences within real-life situations or settings and locations. That was the first reason I applied to be an ARC reader, and also made sure I purchased digital AND physical copies of it as well. I need this book as a trophy on my shelf.

This story follows four supernatural beings, each the descendants of Dracula, Van Helsing, Jekyll & Hyde, and Hecate. This alone made me froth at the mouth because I absolutely LIVE for bloodline/legacy stories with historical or mythological ancestors. I was hooked from the very first line and prologue, and love how much detail each of these families got as well as how they developed and evolved into the modern age.

The vibes of the book itself are immaculate, giving off a dark, gritty aesthetic that I felt immediately immersed into. It gave me a very contemporary noir feeling, and I loved it. The characters/POVs feel very organic, and it is easy for me to differentiate who is who based on the voice that Storm has created for them. I am a die-hard Dom fan till the day I unalive, and I love Luca to pieces.

This book takes every aspect of Gossip Girl and The Vampire Diaries that I love and adds a supernatural mafia element to it that makes me the happiest reader I can ever be. My elder teenagehood and university-life revolved around these shows, so this book took me back to a happy place and added my favorite element of all time to it--magic. I also loved the twists and turns, whodunnit, and cliffhanger at the end! The sneak peek into book 2 ALSO has me frothing. I CANNOT WAIT.

My main takeaway from this book is--everything is relative. We are following the lives of four very affluent families with dark secrets, and how their stature and money drives their decisions (or at times, decisions that are made FOR them, against their will). It's a complex, heavily layered story, and I cannot WAIT FOR THE SEQUEL!

The Rule of the Damned is an extremely fun and engaging read, and I found myself hooked and not wanting to stop. This is a huge testament to Storm's style, and I feel like I've found my new favorite author. BRAVO!

Ps--Did I mention I adore Dom? Because *fans self indefinitely*

[Sonya · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fresh take on mafia/empire family dynamics. We are dealing with the descendants of powerful supernatural beings such as:

The Hart family who are descendants of Hecate the Greek goddess of witchcraft. They are magic wielding humans known as sorcerers headed by Dominic Hart.

The Rhodes family are the descendants of Jekyll and Hyde who have the ability to shift into any animal; this family line is known as the Druids and headed by Eric Rhodes.

The Vance family are the descendants of Van Helsing are monster hunting humans with super abilities and are known as Rogues headed by Alyssa Vance.

The De Greers family are descendants of Dracula and known as the undead and headed by Gabriela De Greer and lastly there is a Human Faction that is aware of the supernatural families and assist with continuing the bloodlines through arranged marriages and often serve as donors to the undead clan.

As with any empire power is key. In the supernatural world: Blood and Money is currency and whomever has the most or sheds the most holds all the power.

For such a short book it was very involved. You have multiple POV from each family as well as the complexities surrounding their strenuous alliance but when one of the heirs is found murdered it sets each family on edge and the lines between ally and enemy began to blur.

The rich are full of power plays and inflated egos and the supernatural's are no different. In this story we can see how precarious the relationships are between the heirs in regard to their duties and pleasing their overbearing parents who are still set in the old way.

Amongst all of the power plays and accusations it was easy to decipher that their enemy was in plain sight, and no one was the wiser. The book end on an intense cliffhanger and if you pay close attention, you may be able to figure out who is responsible for bringing these powerful families their knees.

Expect to Find:

Powerful Supernatural Families
Violence
Betrayal
Manipulation
Murder
Morally Grey Characters
Backstabbing
Vicious and Vindictive Parents
Former Lovers to Enemies, back to Lovers and Enemies once more

[Mars Rads · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Stars

This book was so different from almost anything I have read. I was so drawn in by the premise. Take our world and add in hidden “monsters”, who are broken into what almost seem like mafia families, that run things. Their true nature is hidden from most humans. In the prologue, you will see names you might recognize like Hecate, Van Helsing, Dracula, and Jeckyll and Hyde, but they are exactly the supernatural beings you have heard stories about. From these beings, we get the modern day families that the story revolves around. The story is told to us through the point of view of the heirs of each of the families, which I thought gave a great look at each family internally. Even though the families are all separate, the heirs are all connected and the stories come together.

Of course, I loved the queer representation in this book. What I really liked is that it wasn’t just some small side character that was queer. It was real representation and as a queer person this is something I really look for in a book. Another thing I really loved in this book is the strong female representation, that starts from the very beginning. It threw me at first to hear Van Helsing and Renfield as females, but I am absolutely here for it.

This book was engaging and I found myself caught up in the story. It was on the shorter side so I was able to fly through it. It is the first of the series and ends on a cliffhanger, so I can’t wait to see what happens next. It’s a paranormal mystery, with twists and turns, and this series has so much great potential. The only thing I can really say negative about this book is that, especially in the beginning, there is a lot of world building and some I had to look back a few times to recall what family each heir was from and who that family derived from. Luckily, there was a list at the beginning that I was able to refer back to. It can be a little slow at the start, but it was worth it to keep reading because I really enjoyed the book.

[Jacky · Rating 5 out of 5]

Do you know that feeling that you get when you read a blurb and you think, that’s sounds so good. And then the moment is there and you start the book and you read the prologue and think “this isn’t what I expected…”!?

That’s exactly what happened to me starting with The Rule of the Damned. This is the first book in the new action packed urban fantasy series by Stephanie Storm. In this series you follow the supernatural beings that live in the shadows after the humans found out about them one to many times. What will happen when supernatural beings adept and stay under the radar?

“….when you love someone as much as I love my family, death is something you’ll easily face if it keeps them safe.”

This story had everything that I need in a good story, it had plot, a lot of morally grey but lovable characters, a mafia and The Original vibes and plot twist that I really didn’t saw coming! So yeah I’m so glad I didn’t stop at the prologue(that was very good as well, but not what I expected), and continued reading. This book made me laugh out loud, but also made me cry and overall it was such an amazing page-turner, I could not put down. I can’t wait till the next book comes out, cause I really need to know what will happen next.

Tropes:
- Morally grey characters
- Arranged marriage
- Queer representation
- Science based magical system
- Mythical monsters’
- Several supernatural types

[Billi · Rating 4 out of 5]

𝓡𝓪𝓽𝓲𝓷𝓰 4/5 ⭐️

The Rule of the Damned by Stephanie Storm is the first book in an urban paranormal series, The Titan Syndicate Saga. There are four major supernatural families who run the underworld. When an heir is murdered the killer must be found before the supernaturals are outed to the humans.

Thank you to Tales and Teacups PR and Stephanie Storm for a physical copy of this book!

This is a short book with a lot jam packed in! Definitely has an intriguing premise. The modern day setting with four different well known supernatural families set up mafia style was quite interesting. The mafia like plot I loved. Each family has a different niche in the world but all working together to keep their supernatural abilities secret from the world.

It really blended paranormal and mystery together. A whodunit murder sets it off and additional murders follow providing a storyline that keeps you guessing. The one thing I will say is that I wish it had been a little longer. There was so much going on but not a lot of pages and so I felt like some details got lost.

I absolutely will be continuing with the series. I need to know what happens and how each character’s story continues!

[firebreathingb1tchqueen · Rating 5 out of 5]

First, I’d like to extend my thanks to the author for trusting me with an advanced copy of this book! Thank you for creating such an intriguing world to live in for a while!

Tropes:
Morally grey characters (seriously… everyone)
Modern Retelling
Plot Twists
Forbidden Love
Hidden Identity
Supernatural Mafia
Multiple POV

This book pulled me out of a major book slump. I was struggling to get into anything, then I picked this up and I was instantly hooked. Retellings of famous book characters are one of my favorite tropes, so I loved reading about the modern day descendants of Hecate, Dracula, Van Helsing, Jekyll, and Hyde! Not only was this book intriguing as I took in the supernatural mafia scene, but a murder pulling all of the main characters together from go was immediately gripping! Every time I thought I had a certain twist figured out, Storm would surprise me with an element I never saw coming! I kept expecting the story to become black and white, but maddeningly it remained grey to the core and I couldn’t get enough!! After that ending, I’ve been left DESPERATE for the next book!

[Violet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stephanie will tell you "TRUST THE AUTHOR."
I'm telling you " DO (NOT!) TRUST THE AUTHOR."

Reasons why:
1. The book is fucking awesome
2. The goddamn twisted finale made me gape and scream "why, why why????!"
3. It starts slow, explaining, making you care for everyone and then *sbam*

Seriously tho, this is a really great book 🖤
It will make you cry and then laugh and then insult every single character and then sob like a little baby.
I can promise it will tear you apart and (hopefully) will sew us back together with the next two books. I repeat, HOPEFULLY.

My heart is broken.
My souls aches.

Each character is different, each one with its goal even though everyone needs to work together or they'll fucking die.
But hey, you will be happy at the end! No, I'm kidding lol

Seb, Dom, Jude, Luca. It's a mixture of trauma and love and strength and resilience and power.
You WILL love them. You WILL cry and laugh with them. You WILL want to kill Stephanie.

Oh, and, the human faction? Fuck 'em. Or better yet, save 'em.
But hug cute, potbelly Ryder 🖤

GO READ THIS BOOK.
You will hurt, but you'll thank for it 😉

[Kate13 · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you saw my previous reel about this book, then you know you are in for an absolute treat (@bitchnbooks). The Rule of the Damned is the first book in a new series by Stephanie Storm.

This book is an urban fantasy that feels like the perfect mix of Vampire Diaries and Gossip Girl. Expect to find a myriad of Supernaturals, morally gray characters, queer representation, mythical monsters, and a science based magic system.

I had the privilege of proofreading this for Stephanie, and I am so glad for the opportunity. This book is unlike anything I have read before. The House system that Stephanie constructs, along with the unique blend of recreated monsters from our past, The Rule of the Damned is sure to get your urban fantasy heart fluttering. With mafia vibes and a dark setting, this story is complete with scenes you won’t see coming and characters you’ll fall in love with. This is set up to be a series, and I can’t wait to see what Stephanie has in store for us in the future.

Pre-order this book now! Head over to Stephanie’s profile for the link. It’s out October 8, 2024!

[Rayna K · Rating 4 out of 5]

***ARC REVIEW***

While I usually loathe a cliffhanger, especially for something that’s not in a completed series, I’m hooked. Adding book 2 to my tbr even though it doesn’t come out until sometime in 2025.

Anywho…moving on. I am a classic literature nut and this hits so many good spots and some not so good spots. Let’s dig in with the good. Alternating POV’s and it’s so dang good because each one represents one family and it’s hard to not want to stay in some characters instead of switching to others. The lore behind the characters and their current status in today’s society meshes them into such a lovely supernatural mafia structure that I could eat up all day long.

The not so good: some of the writing feels like it jumps from one scene to the next without any transition and I had to stop and re-read several passages to make sure I didn’t miss something.

All in all, I really enjoyed this story and the plot twist towards the end was when I thought the cliffhanger was but the placement is better as is.

[BooksThrillJessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

As we peel back the cover to the allusive world of monsters we discover how the Druids, Undead, Rogues and Sorcerers are surviving in plain sight. As each faction has its own set of skills they all have one thing in common, never let humans find out they still exist. However, when a series of gruesome supernatural events occur, they realize they are being hunted once again… but by whom? The next generation of monsters must band together to find who is hunting them down before they are next.
This compelling story is filled with dynamic characters and offers an exceptional perspective on how they navigate the modern world. Though I initially found it challenging to keep track of the heads of each Family, Storm’s detailed breakdown of their ancestry, businesses, and beliefs was a great help. I especially appreciated the fact that the four families are all descendants of female monsters, with Hecate playing a key role in their origins. The twist ending and cliffhanger left me eager for more!


*Thank you to Stephaine Storm for the ARC copy. I am freely leaving my honest review.

[Catherine Dean · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was like a huge dose of CW-TV nostalgia! From the wealthy and powerful Supernatural families to the mafia-like vibes it was everything an urban fantasy lover could want!

Drama, death, sex, love, betrayal and angst?!? It has everything that keeps me turning the pages!

All the heads of the family (Jude, Seb, Dom and Luca) have such vastly different personalities and quirks and characteristics that it makes reading from each POV a super fun experience! The difference of their abilities and powers was really neat too!!

And the background lore of the Supernatural families was such a fun and unique way. I love the lore nuggets we get as the story progresses and it really shows the founding families have integrated into society.

I really enjoyed this read so much… AND can we talk about that ending? Explosive. Impactful. Punchy. Jaw-dropping.

I am really looking forward to following up with the sequel!!! Like I have to know what the heck happens next!!!

[Stephanie Storm · Rating 5 out of 5]

Last year, I was watching an episode of Supernatural called "Bloodlines" and I loved the concept so much. It was for a backdoor pilot which was never picked up and that frustrated me. So I started playing around with the idea of a supernatural mafia. A few episodes later in Supernatural, I was reminded of the Stein family (another wasted storyline!), and it got me thinking. "What if the supernatural mafia were descended from famous monsters?"

Enter The Titan Syndicate Saga.

While there are loads of mafia related books on the market, I believe mine has a unique spin - it combines all the things we loved from the 2010's TV shows into a book. Drama from the elite, several supernatural types, morally grey, we've got it all.

And while I do tend to keep you on your toes guessing with certain plot points, I promise you, I will always give you closure by the end of a series.

[VanessaCliterateur · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Druids, the Undead, the Sorcerers and the Rogues are the four families ruling this story’s underworld, which reads like a mafia supernatural story. You get POVs from all four families, and each one reveals their own traditions, values and secrets. For me, this is what made the story so enjoyable besides it being very enthralling and entertaining.

The plot is so well done and so were the characters, it makes the book easy to follow even when you have various POVs. Each character is unique and has their own voice, the plot is deceptively simple. I loved that each character isn't intrinsically good or bad, not at first at least. Overall, a very fun read and an author I would definitely read more of.

Thank you to the author for providing a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

[Brilynn O'Neal · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a great start to a very interesting world. The ancestors of Hecate, Dracula, Van Helsing, and Jekel and Hyde are all supernaturals running mafia empires, except the children of the heads of these houses want change and will do anything to get it. After a string of mysterious murders, change becomes inevitable. But you’ll never guess who’s the spark that will light their whole world on fire. This book was a lot of setting up the characters and world they live in, and it was needed because the end was way more shocking because of it. I can’t wait to see where the story goes now that the stage has been set for all hell to break loose. If you love a modern twist on some mythical supernaturals, this is for you!

[BrittBurnett · Rating 5 out of 5]

What. A. Ride. The world building in this urban fantasy was so cool. It starts with a history of the four Supernatural groups (Undead, Rogue, Druid and Sorcerers) and a perfect breakdown of families, religious beliefs and what their business(es) are. The index definitely came in handy a few times.

Then we move onto the story itself where you get to know each main character on their own before coming together. There is an aspect of romance and love interests but without taking too much away from the story and plot.

Everything built to the perfect ending that absolutely blew my mind. I cannot emphasize enough how excited I am for the next installment to come out so I can read more in their world and what comes next

[Alexis · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are certain books that when I read them, I can see it perfectly as a TV series as well. This is one of those books! I love that this fantasy series isn’t just about vampires or sorcerers, it’s about the entire supernatural community. More specifically the Druids, the Rogues, the Undead, and the Sorcerers.

The Mafia vibe mixed with fantasy was right down my alley and Stephanie blended the two flawlessly. I loved getting to know all four families, their backgrounds, rituals and traditions. I felt it really helped me get a sense of each of the characters and why they made certain decisions. If you are into supernatural, mafia or fantasy at all, I highly recommend this book!!

[Lia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading the description of this book, I expected a gothic Clue mixed with maybe Charmed - but this was so much more.

I loved experiencing the journey of ‘who-dun-it’ and power struggles from the different viewpoints of the main characters from each house. But as you meet each character, you realize everyone is a bit (or more than a bit…) morally grey- and I found myself rooting for different people throughout the book.

This kept me on my toes and guessing until the end, before ending with a huge cliffhanger (but you know who the murderer is at the end so you can’t be too upset with the cliffhanger!). I can’t wait to see what happens next and how the characters will react.

[Carla Schoeman · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Rule of the Damned is the opening chapter of Stephanie Storm’s latest series. The journey of discovering a supernatural world, with structure, order, history and legacy almost makes you wonder if it’s really fiction or a revelation of a world you just didnt know about.
The story starts with a dramatic event that ties all the characters together and then embarks on a journey of discovery of the truth from each character’s point of view, revealing unexpected plot twists and perspectives.
The author also brilliantly delivers complex characters that add another dimension to the plot.
I couldn’t put this book down. And I cannot wait for more.

[Queenie2023 aka Rita · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ok so this is more of a 4.25 star read but I can’t do that here lol. Was a good book - has 4 different POVs so was a little hard to keep up with the relationships, families of each person speaking and their interactions. And two of the females had male names so that didn’t help me any lol. But it was overall a good story with a good plot with a huge cliffhanger leading to book 2 of course. My favorite character was Dominic -I love the love and protection over his sisters he took so seriously where he had to basically step up as a parent at such a young age due to their parents untimely passing.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

𝘔𝘰𝘳𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘺 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴
𝘔𝘢𝘨𝘪𝘤
𝘌𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘦 𝘧𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘺 𝘥𝘳𝘢𝘮𝘢
𝘈𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯-𝘱𝘢𝘤𝘬𝘦𝘥
𝘔𝘢𝘧𝘪𝘢 𝘷𝘪𝘣𝘦𝘴
𝘘𝘶𝘦𝘦𝘳 𝘳𝘦𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯

This book weaves together the multilayered story of four powerful supernatural families through 4 POVs. Vampire Diaries meets Gossip Girl is a fitting description. I enjoyed the mafia vibes in a paranormal urban setting following morally grey characters. Between deadly alliances, supernatural politics, and one very important murder mystery, this story will keep you hooked from the first page to the last plot twist. A fun, quick, fast paced read.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝘂𝗹𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗗𝗮𝗺𝗻𝗲𝗱 is perfect for fantasy lovers who love morally grey characters within elite families with mafia-type vibes.