A Court of Wicked Fae

Kingdom of Blighted Thorns #2

by Alaya Wells

A woman determined to destroy a conniving king. A fae lord who will sacrifice himself to shield her from harm. Can their love survive the upcoming battle?

A thorny band around my neck controls my every move and betrayal haunts me, but I’m still determined to seek vengeance for the death of my brother. I’ll do it with or without Vexxion’s help. But when he calls in his favor, I’m given no choice. If I don’t make another deal with this secretive fae man I still can’t resist, I’m doomed to fail.

Do I dare trust him again?

Vexxion continues to train my elusive magic. I do my best to evade those trying to kill me while working to free my friends from the realm where their souls wander. In between, I sneak into the castle aerie and work with the dragons, plus serve as lady in waiting to the king’s fiancé. She doesn’t realize how close her death looms.

But our time is running out. To win this deadly game, I may be forced to sacrifice everyone I love.

In the court of the wicked fae, the weak are exploited, secrets abound, and only the ruthless survive.

A Court of Wicked Fae is Book 2 in the Kingdom of Blighted Thorns trilogy and told in dual point of view. Expect plenty of spice, suspense, a ruthless, determined woman, and a fae lord with shocking secrets who will stop at nothing to claim her as his own.

Genres: Fantasy, Romantasy, Fae, Dragons, Romance, Fantasy Romance, Magic

550 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 17, 2024

Reviews

[Danielle Pulliam · Rating 5 out of 5]

**𝑨𝑹𝑪 𝑹𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒆𝒘** 𝑨 𝑪𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝑾𝒊𝒄𝒌𝒆𝒅 𝑭𝒂𝒆 𝒃𝒚 𝑨𝒍𝒂𝒚𝒂 𝑾𝒆𝒍𝒍𝒔

Release Date: July 17, 2024

5⭐️4🌶

I absolutely adore this series! I cannot wait for the next installment, which is scheduled to release October 1st of this year. If you love Of Darkness and Ruination by Rachel Fallon, The Coveted Series by Brea Lamb, A Crown of Tears and Treason by Vera Raye, or any of the Sarah Maas or J.L. Armentrout books...THEN YOU NEED TO READ THIS!

It has...
-Mates
-Touch her and you die
-Magic system
-Dragon Riders
-Zombie/Vampire like creatures
-Castles
-Evil Kings
-Morally Grey Love Interest

I can't say enough good things about this series! I can't wait for more people to start reading it.

A big thank you to Sarah @behindthepagesPA for approving me for this ARC! A thank you to @alayawellswrites for writing this story that I love!

[Meg (fantasybook.adventurer) · Rating 5 out of 5]

✨Court of Wicked Fae✨

“He brought out my best and made me realize that even in my worst, I was good enough.”

Well, my friends, Alaya does it again with this sequel of The Kingdom of Bitter Magic. We pick up immediately where we left off on that heavy cliffhanger and I appreciate that Alaya gives up a quick recap in the beginning to truly set the stage and bring us back into this cruel world.

Once again, we are blessed with 2 POVs from our morally grey, shadow daddy, Vexxion, and our fierce dragon rider, Tempest. They have arrived at the castle and it’s now time that they begin enacting their master plan. But Vexxion still has a lot of secrets, several people are attempting to take Tempest’s life, her magic is doing strange things, and, after helping a pixie, many many secrets are being revealed. There’s no one she can truly trust except Vexxion and, with all the secrets he’s keeping, can she truly even do that? What DOES he have in store that he can’t tell her?

I cannot tell you enough how much I LOVE this romance. Vexxion is one of the most self-sacrificial, dedicated, and unconditionally loving MMCs I have read (up there in my top ten) and I lived for every moment in his head. Their relationship strengthens; their character development grows; the spice is SPICING. I love this couple so so much and the dedication is to die for.

Tropes you may find in Court of Wicked Fae are morally grey MMC who hates everyone but her, touch her and “take a walk”, fae, plot twists, fated mates, animal bonds, he comforts and washes her, dragons, a strong and beautiful romance, deeper magic systems and so much more lore, hidden identities, high stakes, spice 4/5, and a cliffhanger.

I’m so so so thankful for this gifted arc from @alayawellswrites . I want everyone to read this series; it’s just so good. Equal parts romance and plot. I cannot wait for book 3. Y’all, go meet Vexxion now!

[eclecticbychoicereads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alaya's books should be a perfect illustration if there is a definition of "romantasy" in a dictionary. Because that is what the Kingdom of Blighted Thorns series is—a masterfully crafted true-to-its-core romantasy.

I fell in love with Alaya's work when I read Book 1, A Kingdom of Bitter Magic, and now that love has only deepened with Book 2, A Court of Wicked Fae.

The series is executed beautifully with its equal parts plot and romance. Since reading A Kingdom of Bitter Magic, I have been gushing about Alaya and her books. They really deserve all the hype they can get because of their intricate world-building, compelling characters, and the perfect balance of action and romance.

A Court of Wicked Fae continues the story right where A Kingdom of Bitter Magic finished. We are still getting dual POVs from Tempest and Vexxion, and I am thankful for that. It allows us to dig deep into Vexxion's character and see what lies behind his morally grey persona. And what lies there is devastatingly beautiful–his love and devotion to Tempest are just a joy to witness. His selflessness towards her and any innocent person is still hidden behind his steely personality, but we can witness everything from his perspective. He truly is a character you want to cheer on and be on his side.

Tempest is also a great character, someone you can relate to, to her strength and struggles. She and Vexxion are a perfect match, and I loved how, this time around, she was the one providing comfort; it was a mutual need to show and receive understanding, compassion, and love, a way to absorb some of the pain and suffering.

A Kingdom of Bitter Magic, a perfect sequel, is a rollercoaster of action, revelations, and plot twists. But at its heart, it's a story of love and devotion. Alaya has set the stage for Book 3, and I, for one, am eagerly anticipating the next chapter in this captivating series.

Alaya has a special place in my reader's heart, and I love being her ARC reader and spreading the love for her books! Gift yourself the Kingdom of Blighted Thorns series; you won't regret it!

A Kingdom of Bitter Magic will offer you
✨A true romantasy
✨Intricate world-building and magic system
✨Faes
✨Dragons and dragon riders
✨Strong and determined FMC, full of love
✨Morally grey MMC who have to love
✨Hidden identities
✨Fated mates
✨Animal bonds,
and a story for the ages!

[Madi Adkins · Rating 4 out of 5]

UGHHHH I hate that I keep reading books that the series aren’t finished yet! I wish I could immediately go into the next, that’s how AMAZING this second book is!!! I enjoyed this one a lot more than the first and the first was a four star read for me! I love how it’s another fae book (which I love) but it’s so different from the others I’ve read! Sometimes things were predictable or I had my guesses and I kinda LOVE when I’m right lol!! Even with my guessing a lot of things I was still SHOOK by so many chapters! This book was written a lot better than the first one to me! The things you learn and the introduction of new characters is super nice. As well as other characters from the first playing a bigger role in the second! I can’t write much more without adding spoilers but gosh the plot, world building, history of their world and SPICE were top tier to me! VEXXION is a top tier book boyfriend for me now! Add him on the list with Rhys and Az from ACTOR, Dorian from TOG and Xaden from fourth wing!!

[Arianna Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am absolutely loving this trilogy 😭 I love vexxion and tempest so much. There are a few grammar mistakes and words left out BUT that does not take away from the story itself and they’re not so extreme that I can’t ignore it. I can’t wait to start book 3

[Jagi · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars. Better than book 1 in my opinion! I appreciated the repeated chapters in the beginning to remind you of book 1, this is something all books series should do to remind you where we were.

The hook took a minute to reach but there was a lot of action afterwards. The secret guarding was part of the plot, but it took away from the story for me. Saw some of the plot twists coming in book 1 but there was still much to enjoy.

[Van · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved it !! Although, i thought there wasn’t anything surprising about the revelations at the ending because they were pretty much all revealed in an obvious way troughout the nook, i still enjoyed the story and can’t wait to read the conclusion.

[Shawna Z · Rating 2 out of 5]

Okay, I am going against my better judgement and giving this one 3 stars- mainly because it’s far more comprehensible than book 1… but not by much.

*Note- I finished writing the review and demoted it to 2 stars because there was a lot more frustration than I first remembered.

Book 1 had so many secrets and information the author hid while trying to build her world that it was more frustration than anything. That and the writing was juvenile- who meets a stranger and lets him talk extremely dirty to you and stalk you everywhere? Really, Vexxion is beyond morally gray and is a walking billboard for red flag behaviors.

Tempest, our clueless heroine just gets grumpy but still keeps flirting because Vexxion is smoking hot? How stupid is this girl? Add that he’s always lying to her and being an overbearing dominant alpha jerk even with her male friends and yikes! She should be asking the dragons she trains to rain fire on this guy, not imagining him naked every five minutes.

Trust me, there is zero chemistry here- just two pretty people panting over one another and tossing out cheap innuendos and crude “banter” that we are supposed to find cute, which, sadly, spilled over to book 2.

Here the “big plan” (that we, the reader, are really not privy to) is finally going to take place. In just 6 weeks time Vexxion has collared Tempest so she is now his property to control (though he never clarified all that ahead of time) nor does he reveal who he really is (it’s impossible to not know the answer to that, nor to who Tempest really is long before the (shocker- another cliffhanger) ending.

The only real surprise here is how Tempest connects the dots as to who Brenna is because that is a thin clue to begin with. I don’t mean it isn’t obvious to the reader, but how Tempest works it out.

Why can’t storylines be simple? I mean really, the slaughter outside the castle only exists because the author needed a way to get Vexxion out of his bargain, and we already know come book 3 that things have to work out because Tempest the All-Powerful has already brought someone back from the brink. So no shockers in the next book there.

And those are just two cheats out of many the author uses to get themselves out of the corner they’ve written themselves into. Tempest is on freaking steroids with her growing magical prowess, not even needing to be shown how to do things before long and then suddenly just making stuff up without having to learn a spell and practice a bunch? Spells she’s told take years to master she figures out in a couple of days? And for as poor as her choices have been up until now, she supposedly has a mind like a steel trap as she is quickly told multiple complex riddled clues (with some bad rhyming) to solve later but she doesn’t write anything down? Flipping through the pages of an obscure book about fears no one remembers about has her suddenly achieving these acts even though she freely admits she has no idea what she was doing?

Oh, and we keep hearing this guy is 6’6” and stacked for muscles (not to mention his huge package) and this “tiny and petite” gal somehow slings him on the back of a massive dragon????

Forget suspending belief, that rope has long since broken.

Not to mention the massive pet peeve of starting the new book by repeating the final chapter we’ve already read but changing parts and adding extra information the author admits “yeah, you’ll need to read it because there’s bits in there it’s now important for you to know that I couldn’t tell you before.”

Long story short: bad but frequent sex scenes (it’s the same thing over and over again really) with a lot of questionable plot and dialogue in-between.

[Treyonna · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF 78%. Yet another where the heroine has to be unintelligent and incompetent to move the plot along, while also telling us how special, strong and clever she is. Several attempts are made on her life where she can't move or access her magic, OBVIOUSLY the author writes her deciding to explore the castle alone, with her reassurance to herself being that she has her knife and magic. You know the things that she's been unable to access the last three times someone tried to kill her.........Because THAT makes sense. OF COURSE, exploring the castle on her own ends with someone once again trying to kill her only this time she has no help from her pet crow because she left him in her rooms for.............reasons. That's just one of many ways the author writes the FMC as incompetent just to further the plot along. She's not smart, and like so many books before this one the heroine's incompetence and lack of common sense is used as a bridge to get from plot point A to plot point B. It should not be this hard to find an ACTUALLY clever, intelligent and competent heroine, who is shown ON PAPER embodying those things. Instead, we get some bumbling, incompetent fool who lacks even basic common sense, with a MMC in her corner so enamored with getting his dick wet that he gaslights himself into believing she's the smartest person that has ever lived.

After she's almost killed this time she's talking to herself about how she saved herself this time, she didn't have to rely on the MMC. "Vexxion had not stormed in to stand in front of me and save me. Madrood hadn't tossed me to the side to deal with the threat on his own. I'd taken care of the problem myself. And that felt good". I suspect that is what the author was going for, to try to show the FMC as standing on her own two feet. Only..............SHE DID NOT in face take care of the problem on her own. Furry animals that she helped escape from a painting came and attacked the woman that tied her down. An ancient dragon that she freed from the door of the castle came and held the five blood sucking lieges at bay with his fire. She called in that favor from a troll who she helped escape another painting, who popped up out of the ground to use his hammer to release her from her shackles. She was then able to stab the woman trying to kill her after the furries kept the woman busy by attacking her, then the FMC shoved the woman off the cliff. MMC came and finished off the lieges who were going to drain her blood dry. WHERE IN THAT DID SHE SOLVE THE PROBLEM BY HERSELF!!!!!????????????? That took the work of FIVE beings (2 furries, 1 ancient dragon, 1 troll and one MMC/Mate) to get her out of that predicament but we're being TOLD she handled it by herself. Despite being SHOWN it being very much a team effort. Do you see what I mean??!! IS IT ME??!!! AM I THE UNINTELLIGENT ONE FOR NOT SEEING THE BRILLIANCE OF THE FMC??

[Karen B · Rating 4 out of 5]

𝐀 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐖𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐝 𝐅𝐚𝐞
(𝐊𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐝𝐨𝐦 𝐨𝐟 𝐁𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐧𝐬 #𝟐)
ʙʏ ᴀʟᴀʏᴀ ᴡᴇʟʟꜱ
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
{𝒜𝑅𝒞 𝑅𝐸𝒱𝐼𝐸𝒲}

“Now I’ve lived, when before, I’d merely existed. I’d been awash in muted grays but she gave me vidid colors.” - Vexxion

This was a perfect sequel to the first book in the Kingdom of Blighted Thorns series, A Kingdom of Bitter Magic! The story begins right where the first book ends, with Tempest standing before the fae king Ivenrail having just learned that the man she’s found herself falling in love with, Vexxion, has been lying to her and is working with the king in draining the Nullen for their power. Tempest has been collared to Vexxion and is now under his complete control. Her friends-turned-family, Reyla and Brodine, have also been collared and drained by Ivenrail. She must decide, does she go through with her plans to assassinate the fae king and release the Nullens from their collars alone or does she listen to Vexxion’s pleas to explain his deceit and let him help her in the task?

I am completely into this story and I cannot wait for book 3! Alaya Wells does a great job with the story, writing, and romance. This book gives you enemies to lovers, a very morally grey shadow daddy with major stalker-vibes, DRAGONS(!!), fated mates, witty banter, found family, and twists/turns galore!

**SPOILERS**
There were a few things that I didn’t love, but the story kept me going. First, Vexxion, come onnnnn, stop keeping so many secrets! There were moments that made the story feel rushed and didn’t give much explanation (Uncle Camus’ death, Tempest new skill of levitating, the massive group of Liege’s waiting outside the castle that got murdered, etc.) so I wish the author would’ve gone into more detail on those areas. Last thing, this entire story happens in about 1 week. From arriving to the castle to the wedding, the characters say it’s only 7 days. There is SO much that happens in this book and so many things that Tempest is supposed to learn and practice, I think giving a month or two would’ve been more “realistic” since she’s so new to magic and the ways of the fae, she shouldn’t have been expected to carry out the king’s death in such a short amount of time! *Also, I’m still so sad about Seevar..!*

Final thoughts, if you’re looking for a great, well-written fantasy read with LOTS of spice, dragons, and twists, this is a read for you! Check it out and let me know what you think!

[Tammy Moldovan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Danger, secrets and plans within plans

The second installment of this romantasy series was definitely another stay up too late, cannot put it down kind of book. I fell head first into the story and was equally desperate to read it all at once and also to savor it and make it last. The storyline was imaginative, the characters were real and relatable, the writing was captivating and the world building phenomenal. This is the second book in this trilogy so be prepared for the resolution of smaller story arcs but also for no resolution of the main story arc. This story picks up right where the last book ended. Tempest, a scarred, orphaned non-magical Nullen has been willingly claimed and collared by Vexxion. Vexxion is the fae high lord of Weldsbane Court. He too is scarred but also magically powerful and morally gray. After learning that Vexxion is the son of the king she intends to kill, Tempest feels betrayed and hopeless. To kill the king, Tempest has to decide whether to trust Vexxion despite his manipulation and betrayal and continue to train with him, all while trying to save her friends and not be killed. This is not a flowery love story full of sunshine and rainbows. It is a dark fantasy. But there is also light here, goodness, hope, and love which makes this a deeply emotional book. At its heart, it’s a story of stunted, damaged and bruised but not broken people who find their way together by owning their choices, recognizing their scars, finding their strength, embracing the life they have, and deciding to be the best version of themselves. It’s a story about the power of choice. This epic story included engaging dialogue, three dimensional characters, and a captivating storyline as shown through intrigue, fighting, dangerous situations, paranormal creatures, evil masterminds, henchmen, loyal friends and family, tragic back stories, secrets, mystical coincidences, snark, laughs, spice, tension, and unexpected plots twists. I am looking forward to reading the final book in the trilogy.

[Ghouliana Darkana · Rating 5 out of 5]

🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️/5 spiciness (crazy good plot, bit poetic.)

Spoiler FREE review 🖤

Plot? Insanely interesting and not over shadowed by smut
Smut? Deliciously well written, and also VERY frequent
Characters? MC’s shell cracked for sure. Man is MUSH.
Writing? Well done although overly poetic at times to me
Magic? Pretty unique compared to other books

I hate the nickname “Bro” for brodine still. I am super interested to see what develops amongst all the characters. The magic seems to have some serious potential to get even cooler than it already has been. I wish I could see a map of this world including a snippit of what is being described around them. I would give anything to experience the much cherished blankets for even a moment.

Prepare to think of Xaden while you read this. Iykyk.

I accidentally discovered a different series that reminded me I had to finish this series, because it’s related to and mentions these events. Accidentally discovered a (potentially quickly grasped in the next book??) spoiler within the first several pages of that series which is how I realized it was related to this one. Dying to start that adventure! Hoping for less poetic multi page paragraphs, but just as “spicy” as this series is.

Wish there had been a warning that it would be helpful to read this series before starting the other I stumbled upon. There was none for it on kindle. I recognized the author as someone I liked and when I started it I thought I recognized a character name but didn’t put it all together until several other names were mentioned. I only made it like 5 pages in before that connection sparked it was in the same world and learned 3 things I’m hoping are quickly established in the third book of this series that were not established in this book.

[realms.of.romantasy (Cara B) · Rating 5 out of 5]

✨ A Court of Wicked Fae ✨

My gods! I am so fully invested in this series now!
This book…holy hells! What a heart pounding teeth clenching ride it was!

This book picks up right where book 1 left off on that gut wrenching cliffhanger. I appreciate the fact that Wells spent the first couple of chapters giving us a recap of the ending of book 1 with quite a bit of added information. It was a fantastic way to bring the reader up to speed and set the stage for this gloriously devastating book.

The development and growth of Tempest/Fury in this book was so deep! She continues to be barraged with blow after blow from all around her. I love how strong and resilient she has become despite constantly avoiding being killed. She is such a badass FMC! Vexxion continues to be our morally grey yet self sacrificing MMC! The love the two of them share so beautifully exquisite and so perfect; and the spice is 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥!

The world building was so beautiful and well thought out; full of danger, suspense and a bazillion twists that I thought my head would spin right off. We were bombarded with lies and deception and so many secrets. I have had my suspicions about Tempest’s true past and identity and was so ecstatic when I caught the Easter egg with regard to her and Brenna. Turns out, I was correct!!

This book is so wonderfully written and completely exceeded my expectations! The amount of emotional turmoil and shock this book puts you through is unimaginable. It is such an amazing story and I now have to wait until October for the conclusion.

[123_Romantasy · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5⭐️
3.5 🌶️

Very much enjoyed the 2nd installment of this series. Picks up right away from the last book.

Tempest continues to grow into herself more. Not that she wasn’t a strong FMC in the beginning but I enjoyed her journey of growing stronger and accepting that the goodness in her is her strength.

A lot more spice in this one, which I enjoy. Always like good amount of spice with the main characters. And it didn’t feel random, but meaningful for the growth of the 2 MC’s.

One aspect I would say I don’t persay enjoy is just the random/automatic killing of advisories. It just feels so non chalant sometimes. Like, oh, this person attacked Tempest, well now they’re dead (and done off the page). In the first book, I thought maybe the author was doing it to throw us off to make us THINK they were dead but maybe they weren’t, but now, Vexxion has killed like a dozen people just because. lol. While I kind of love the fact that Tempest is so accepting of that now, some of the deaths seem pointless.

I kind of guessed the ending of this one and the big reveal. It was a bit obviously but I still enjoyed this thoroughly and can’t wait for the 3rd book. Love to see where the story goes from here.

[Elle · Rating 5 out of 5]

🌶️🌶️🌶️
This book (and this series) is hands down one of my favourite reads of 2024 so far. I could not get enough of it! It kept me on the edge of my seat, constantly wondering what was going to happen next. It’s such a beautiful and thought out world, full of suspense and unexpected twists, with the perfect balance of plot and romance. Alaya Wells’ writing completely drew me in and made me forget that I was reading.

I loved Tempest’s character even more in this book. She’s incredibly resilient and determined to do what’s right, even if it means risking her own life.

And for fans of Xaden and Rhysand, meet your next book boyfriend, Vexxion. I was already head over heels for him after reading the first book, but he completely exceeded my expectations in this one!

Tropes:
⚔️ Enemies to lovers
⚔️ He would burn down the world for her
⚔️ Forced proximity
⚔️ Fated mates
⚔️ Only one bed
⚔️ Stalker-like hero
⚔️ Secret identity

I feel so lost now that I’m done this book 😭 I might just sit and count the days until the third book is released.

Thank you so much Alaya Wells and Behind the Pages PA for the eARC! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Madeeha Idrees · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book....like holy stars...

We pick up right where book one ended with the devasting cliffhanger, and Alaya is a gem for adding the recap!

This book took me through a range of emotions, and I am still reeling over the end of book two. Tempest is still an amazing FMC that I adore and love that shes a dragon riding bada$$, and learning more about herself and her magic that is causing strange things to happen.

Finding out more about Vexxion has me loving him more, but also making me understand just why he has so many secrets and it seems almost like he does not have a choice but to keep them. (iykyk)

This book is nothing but a true romantasy and is without a doubt a favorite read of mine for 2024. Their relationship and daddy Vexxion have me in a chokehold, but Tempest herself could make me crawl for her haha. These two are a match, and I need book three now!! LOL

I will without a doubt be rereading this and the first book again soon!

Thank you Alaya and Behind The Pages PA for the gifted e-arc, I adored it.

[Elisa Lanzer · Rating 5 out of 5]

5⭐️3🌶️

An amazing second book in the Kingdom of Blighted Thorns series and the reveal at the end still has me thinking and processing two days after finishing the book.

The book continues straight after the events in A Kingdom of Bitter Magic after Tempest discovers a secret about Vexxion that could totally ruin everything she know about him. However, things turn out to be not what they seem and there is even more secrets, some which a totally devastating yet to be revealed.

Vexxion is truly becoming one of my favorite characters of all time especially after learning so much more about him and what he has and is still dealing with in his life (lets say it is not what it seems!) Tempest also continues to grow in her magic and I am looking forward to the next book to learn even more about her!

Can’t wait for the final book in the series to be published!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Cristy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second book in this amazing series, and I appreciate that Alaya gave us a quick reminder of what happened in the previous book. Like anyone could forget 🤣

In this book, we realize just how profound Vexxion's love for Tempest really is. The horrors that he keeps hidden. The lies and deceit, but really, is it deception when you are trying to protect the most important person in your life?

We see and hear things from Vexxion's point of view and also from Tempests. Each would take the burden to prevent the other from suffering. Their love is paramount.

Alaya has truly begun to shine in these incredible stories. Her depiction of this cruel world is intoxicating and addictive. I am absolutely in awe of her writing skills, and I am eager for the final installment in this bewitching wicked court.

[Nicole Talbot · Rating 5 out of 5]

We begin where the last installment ended. The story and the main characters develop even more. Add in a moody dragon that likes to roast people on command, a posturing court filled with wicked fae, zombie like nullen slaves, and a whole variety of mythical creatures. This book is full of spice and assasination attempts. Vexxion and Tempest have their ups and downs but he tries so hard to protect her and she keeps finding herself at the short end of the stick. I am not a huge spice person and I would have enjoyed more info about certain people in the King's court but the story was not missing anything I am just nosey! A huge twist at the end of this one again and we find ourselves left wondering what will become of the four people that left the fortress not so long ago. Found family, blood relatives, curses, and fated bonded mates-who could ask for more? Highly recommended.

[Carole · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Court of Wicked Fae picks up the story from cliffhanger ending book one and though I knew down the road another would be looming there was no way I was not going to continue this adventure!
Betrayal, heart rending betrayal… but was it?
This second book will keep the waves of turmoil surrounding Vexxion and Tempest raging still as does the perceived blow he has dealt her love for him.
The author’s writing remains taut and visceral as each new revelation and dramatis advances the plot and pulls the reader further into it’s intricate and ever expanding world building.
Questions that need answers prevail and as to whether they are answered herein is a task the reader must take unto themselves as this excellent fantasy romance continues to torment and tease to the next oh so climatic ending!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Sam Carr · Rating 5 out of 5]

Couldn’t wait to read this book after the ending of the first one and it didn’t disappoint!

I promised myself I would read this one more slowly but there was so much going on with the story, lots of twists and turns, that I couldn’t put it down!

I love Vexxion and Tempest as main characters and how their relationship develops - rooting for them all the way! Loved the world building in the first book and it has continued in this one.
The back stories have really added interest - love how the story is unfolding. Madrood is a new favourite for me - love a good dragon character.

Don’t want to give any spoilers but will just say if you enjoyed the first book and are invested in the characters then A Court of Wicked Fae is an absolute must read. I loved it!
Thank you Alaya Wells for creating this world.
Now I just have to wait for book 3 ❤️

[Kacy A · Rating 3 out of 5]

In the court of the wicked fae king, nobody is safe from his whims. Promises of safety are nearly impossible to keep. Even other Nullens are the enemy. Nobody is who they seem. There are plots to kill in the air. Tempest will have to be smart to survive until the king's wedding. After that, is yet to be seen. Discovering hidden truths, making new allies, and setting captives free on the way to their final goal. Will it be enough? Can Tempest free an entire realm from the tyrant fae king? How will she keep from losing anyone else?

This book is definitely better than the first one! So many twists I didn't see coming and puzzle pieces that were revealed that I didn't even know were missing. I'm exited to read the next book and see where it goes. However, the ending left a few questions that could have been answered but I feel like were overlooked in the excitement of the final scene.

[Suzanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

1st reading: Mostly well written; there are some grammatical and punctuation errors, plus some misused words. There are also quite a number of awkward sentences and paragraphs with words that are overused - things that should have been easily caught by a decent editor.
However, the story and plot are well developed. Much of what happens or is revealed is predictable (things I foresaw from the first book), though there were a few things I hadn't immediately expected. The two main characters - Tempest and Vexxion - continue to grow and change, but other side characters are mostly just caricatures without much depth.
Still, there were plenty of threads that still need to be pulled that will be dealt with in the final book, and of course we need to see our heroine rescue her lover and emerge victorious, so I will be completing the trilogy.

[Molly Ryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

After finishing Kingdom of Bitter Magic, we were left in a cliffhanger that I *needed* the answers to immediately. We enter this story right where KOBM ended, and continued with our dual POV of Vexxion and Tempest (aka shadow daddy and boss bitch).

I was surprised at how much I liked Vexxion as a character, and how much I wanted more of his type of character in other books. I’m usually a lover of the morally grey man who is bad, but I feel Iike Vexxion reminds me of the type of love Rhys gives Feyre, and that sort of warmth is hard for a writer to truly build up in a genuine way - but Alaya Wells does this in spades.

I eagerly await more from Alaya Wells, and am so thankful I was given the opportunity to read this e-ARC.


5.0/5.0
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ /🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

[ryann · Rating 5 out of 5]

The twist and turns in this book, the mystery and love in this book was of course, amazing. Alaya did a wonderful job writing this second book and I’m so happy I already of the third and final book with me to read after I do this review.

In this book, it shows how deeply Vexxion and Tempest love each other. It is shown in every part of this book, in their words, their thoughts and their actions. I loved reading every part of it.

The plot is amazing as well and I loved learning more of the history and the lore of this world and the characters past. It was such an amazing time figuring things out and seeing their plan in motion in this book!

On to the next and final book of the series A Crown of Cursed Hearts! 🤭🫶

[Joy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Court Of Wicked Fae is the second book in the Kingdom of Blighted Thorns Trilogy. The book continues where the first book ends. The first book was fantastic but I absolutely loved this one. I'm obsessed with this series. I love Tempest’s growth and Vexxion’s ever morally grey character. As their relationship evolves and as more truths come to light, Tempest must choose whether to trust Vexxion and try to save her friends and country from the Mad King. This story had me on the edge of my seat! It was so well written. I can't wait to read the conclusion to this series. I highly recommend this fantastic book and series.

[Queen B · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to the author and Behind the Pages PA for my gifted copy.

You may remember how enthralled I was with the first in the series, A Kingdom of Bitter Magic. A Court of Wicked Fae picks right up where that one ended and runs with it. We ended on a major cliffhanger in AKOBM but ACOWF (so many words to type!) really worked through it well. I love that we get dual POV so I get some insight into Vexxion’s actions.

Tempest is such an intriguing character. She has such a great sense of loyalty and justice; she’s so willing to jump into danger if it means she’d help someone she cares about.

As ACOWF progresses, we learn that there so are so many secrets being kept and so much we’ve yet to learn. But throughout it all, it’s so clear that everything Vexxion does is for Tempest. That man is a total simp in the best way possible.

I’m left hanging at the end, unknowing how this will be resolved. But oh mylanta, dragons and fated mates have their claws in me and I am 100% on board for more of this story.

[Crystal Morris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ok ok it was good .... It did take me a little bit to get into the story ... That's probably on me not the story though. This story is a bit different from ones I've read before with a lot of the same elements. If you like the whole enemies to lovers, fit in with some betrayal, jealousy, battles, magic, hidden agendas, secrets, unexpected twist, quests for the greater good and the back and forth Between friends this will be a good fit. Oh wait don't worry there will be some smut some steam and spice yeah... I know you're looking for just a taste at least. This story won't disappoint your need for the slow burn.

[Azure · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don’t even like when books have spicy scenes and would prefer them be fade to black but I still give this series 5 stars. I love the story so much. It’s one of the better Romantasy series I’ve read. Compared to the first book I will say this one was even better or it did great job at continuing the story and keeping my attention. I couldn’t put it down! However the first book had a perfect ending and this book built up to that certain day where everything was supposed to happen and it didn’t deliver in the same sort of way. The very ending felt rushed and I just expected more from it. I’m jumping right into book 3 now….

[Lisa Bing · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fab continuation of the series and it takes off beautifully from where book one ended. The author was kind and gave us a quick recap of book one, as well, letting me fully dive back into Tempest and Vexxion's story. The plot is complex with many twists, putting me on the edge of my seat throughout. I also love the chemistry between them and how high the heat got ;P One thing I really enjoyed was how much of an affinity to dragons Tempest had. This installment was a page turner and I'm definitely anxious for the conclusion in the next book ;D