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Venom and Black Swan
The parasite and the host...
One is Veronica Beaumont’s darkest temptation, the other her sweetest fantasy. To the parasite, she is his new prey, an equally vicious creature feigning innocence and chastity in a game she never agreed to play in the first place. And to the host, she is the truest definition of divinity, a goddess to be worshipped by the most powerful men who will follow her even into ruin.
The game they play is exhilarating, though fleeting, as obsession quickly festers, a disease eating into the bones, while devotion becomes destructive, leaving behind a trail of blood and carnage.
For Veronica, the best possible option is to run. But when only one is willing to let her go, running becomes the impossible.
For her to truly be free from this dangerous web, one of them has to die. But, both the parasite and the host are as untouchable as a god. And how exactly does one kill a god?
One is Veronica Beaumont’s darkest temptation, the other her sweetest fantasy. To the parasite, she is his new prey, an equally vicious creature feigning innocence and chastity in a game she never agreed to play in the first place. And to the host, she is the truest definition of divinity, a goddess to be worshipped by the most powerful men who will follow her even into ruin.
The game they play is exhilarating, though fleeting, as obsession quickly festers, a disease eating into the bones, while devotion becomes destructive, leaving behind a trail of blood and carnage.
For Veronica, the best possible option is to run. But when only one is willing to let her go, running becomes the impossible.
For her to truly be free from this dangerous web, one of them has to die. But, both the parasite and the host are as untouchable as a god. And how exactly does one kill a god?
496 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 23, 2025
25 people are currently reading
1613 people want to read
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Want to read
December 28, 2024I AM COUNTING DAYS!!!
Tropes:
☞ Beauty and the Beast retelling
☞ Mafia/Military/High-school setting
☞ Age-gap
☞ Lovers to Enemies
☞ Grumpy x sunshine
☞ Strong friendship
☞ Mental health rep
☞ Found family
☞ First love
☞ Multicultural rep
Release date: 21 April 2025
Tropes:
☞ Beauty and the Beast retelling
☞ Mafia/Military/High-school setting
☞ Age-gap
☞ Lovers to Enemies
☞ Grumpy x sunshine
☞ Strong friendship
☞ Mental health rep
☞ Found family
☞ First love
☞ Multicultural rep
Release date: 21 April 2025
April 25, 2025
rue baby i’m so proud of you !! thank you so much for giving me to opportunity to arc read. i remember when rue first started talking and posting about this book i immediately ran to check for arc sign ups. it had me in a chokehold ever since 🖤
this is a work of art rebuilt from an idea long ago. to see how it all played out was absolutely beautiful 🥹 it is a dark friends to lovers to nemesis romance with a strong female lead, mental health rep, military setting, age gap, first love, mafia association, found family, 3rd person pov, and book one in duet 💌
the raw and intense moments this book brought is not for the faint of heart. please check your triggers and understand what you are getting yourself into before diving in ❤️🩹 i don’t want to say too much about what went down. it’s just the type of book where you have to go in blind and see how it all plays out.
veronica 😩 SHE IS THAT BITCHHHH !! the unexplainable trauma that she has been through tore my heart from my chest. she is such a strong and inspiring character. kael / raidon 🧎🏻♀️ the man with split persons. one side wreaks havoc while the other side is protective, caring, kind, possessive.
this story is both beautiful and heart wrenching 😔 i’m so excited to see what book two brings omg. i literally can’t stop think about these characters. i don’t read much 3rd pov but with this at times i literally forgot it was even in 3rd. the writing was beautiful and so grasping.
standing ovation for you rue 👏🏼 so so wonderful
🌶️🌶️🌶️
this is a work of art rebuilt from an idea long ago. to see how it all played out was absolutely beautiful 🥹 it is a dark friends to lovers to nemesis romance with a strong female lead, mental health rep, military setting, age gap, first love, mafia association, found family, 3rd person pov, and book one in duet 💌
the raw and intense moments this book brought is not for the faint of heart. please check your triggers and understand what you are getting yourself into before diving in ❤️🩹 i don’t want to say too much about what went down. it’s just the type of book where you have to go in blind and see how it all plays out.
veronica 😩 SHE IS THAT BITCHHHH !! the unexplainable trauma that she has been through tore my heart from my chest. she is such a strong and inspiring character. kael / raidon 🧎🏻♀️ the man with split persons. one side wreaks havoc while the other side is protective, caring, kind, possessive.
this story is both beautiful and heart wrenching 😔 i’m so excited to see what book two brings omg. i literally can’t stop think about these characters. i don’t read much 3rd pov but with this at times i literally forgot it was even in 3rd. the writing was beautiful and so grasping.
standing ovation for you rue 👏🏼 so so wonderful
🌶️🌶️🌶️
April 15, 2025
A true dark romance with a completely unhinged male protagonist who did everything except physically assault the heroine (mentally though… I can't say the same) — that's pretty rare, right?
First of all, I had high expectations for this book, and thank God they were met — even though it turned out to be completely different from what I imagined (which actually made it so much better).
Anyway, the story revolves around Verônica. She’s the daughter of a serial killer who’s in prison (this fact is important to the plot). She lives with her evil stepmother who hurts her a lot. Their relationship is very complicated. Vee (the main character) has a really sad backstory because of the abuse she suffered in the past, not just from her stepmother but from other people too, and she silently suffers because of it.
One day, her life completely changes when she meets Raidon (the male lead). They’re complete opposites, and there’s also a 13-year age gap between them. While she’s an outgoing girl, he’s quiet and even a bit shy. So all the first moves come from her, which is actually really cute in the beginning — watching her be the "dominant" one in the relationship.
Their relationship starts out in a healthy way, and that’s one of my favorite things about this book.
But Raidon is hiding a secret that changes everything: he has a split personality. The other “him,” Kael, is totally different. He’s evil — a full-blown psychopath. (A really bad one… but I like him.😔)
I liked the way the heroine handled his dual personality. The dynamic shifted a lot between the two: while she was dominant with Raidon, she was submissive to Kael. Together, they’re the perfect mix of everything I love in a dark romance.
Besides the split personality, he’s hiding another secret that shocked me — but it’s also one of my favorite parts.
At around 60%, the book takes a completely different turn from what I expected. And that’s when things really start to happen, and the dark elements fully kick in.
I won’t give too much away — this is one of those books where the less you know, the better your reading experience will be. But things start to get very toxic (like, really). And I love it: the more toxic, the better.
This book stands out from the generic ones. I don’t think I’ve ever read anything like it — even the “quoteable” lines are original. The author truly poured all her creativity into this.
Lastly, I don’t know if I can wait that long for the sequel. The book hasn’t even been released yet, so the second one is probably going to take forever, unfortunately. But I cannot wait to see how this story unfolds. There’s still so much left to be told, and it ended in a way I didn’t expect. The second book is going to hit hard — I’m ready for all the angst.
Thank you, Rue Knightly, for this ARC that became one of my favorite reads of the year. It was incredible.
First of all, I had high expectations for this book, and thank God they were met — even though it turned out to be completely different from what I imagined (which actually made it so much better).
Anyway, the story revolves around Verônica. She’s the daughter of a serial killer who’s in prison (this fact is important to the plot). She lives with her evil stepmother who hurts her a lot. Their relationship is very complicated. Vee (the main character) has a really sad backstory because of the abuse she suffered in the past, not just from her stepmother but from other people too, and she silently suffers because of it.
One day, her life completely changes when she meets Raidon (the male lead). They’re complete opposites, and there’s also a 13-year age gap between them. While she’s an outgoing girl, he’s quiet and even a bit shy. So all the first moves come from her, which is actually really cute in the beginning — watching her be the "dominant" one in the relationship.
Their relationship starts out in a healthy way, and that’s one of my favorite things about this book.
But Raidon is hiding a secret that changes everything: he has a split personality. The other “him,” Kael, is totally different. He’s evil — a full-blown psychopath. (A really bad one… but I like him.😔)
I liked the way the heroine handled his dual personality. The dynamic shifted a lot between the two: while she was dominant with Raidon, she was submissive to Kael. Together, they’re the perfect mix of everything I love in a dark romance.
Besides the split personality, he’s hiding another secret that shocked me — but it’s also one of my favorite parts.
At around 60%, the book takes a completely different turn from what I expected. And that’s when things really start to happen, and the dark elements fully kick in.
I won’t give too much away — this is one of those books where the less you know, the better your reading experience will be. But things start to get very toxic (like, really). And I love it: the more toxic, the better.
This book stands out from the generic ones. I don’t think I’ve ever read anything like it — even the “quoteable” lines are original. The author truly poured all her creativity into this.
Lastly, I don’t know if I can wait that long for the sequel. The book hasn’t even been released yet, so the second one is probably going to take forever, unfortunately. But I cannot wait to see how this story unfolds. There’s still so much left to be told, and it ended in a way I didn’t expect. The second book is going to hit hard — I’m ready for all the angst.
Thank you, Rue Knightly, for this ARC that became one of my favorite reads of the year. It was incredible.
April 28, 2025
RTC!!!
Read
April 19, 2025TRIGGERS:
Domestic abuse, child abandonment, self-harm, mentions/attempt of suicide, multiple/borderline personality disorder, anger issues, violence, gore, murder(multiple), cannibalism(forced), death of loved ones, mention/thoughts of incestuous act, torture, kidnap, manipulation/mind games, Dubcon, anxiety, CSA, touch her and die, Psychotic display, poisoning, Sexual Assault(introduced through flashes of memory/slightly detailed)
Kinks mentioned: blood play, breath/fear play, power play, light bondage, praise/degradation kink.
There it is. If I missed any, will add it later. Thank you so much. And should you end up reading, I hope you enjoy it🫂♥️
Domestic abuse, child abandonment, self-harm, mentions/attempt of suicide, multiple/borderline personality disorder, anger issues, violence, gore, murder(multiple), cannibalism(forced), death of loved ones, mention/thoughts of incestuous act, torture, kidnap, manipulation/mind games, Dubcon, anxiety, CSA, touch her and die, Psychotic display, poisoning, Sexual Assault(introduced through flashes of memory/slightly detailed)
Kinks mentioned: blood play, breath/fear play, power play, light bondage, praise/degradation kink.
There it is. If I missed any, will add it later. Thank you so much. And should you end up reading, I hope you enjoy it🫂♥️
November 17, 2025
arc review
This was such a disturbing read and I enjoyed every second of it. Please check trigger warnings!
⭐️⭐️⭐️|🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
This is one of those books that I had an amazing time with but wouldn’t recommend because it is not for everyone.
Raidon might be morally gray but Kael is pitch black, even with Veronica. So definitely not a book meant for everyone.
Rue wrote this so well, in my opinion, because tell me why even after everything he’s done to her I still don’t hate him 😭 and then there's Raidon being his tortured cutie self.
While the book was very enjoyable and I liked both Raidon’s and Kael’s characters and found them very interesting, I can’t exactly say the same for Veronica.
Not saying I didn’t like her because I did like Veronica but almost every single one of her decisions and actions pissed me off and confused the hell out of me at the same time. As much as I tried to understand her I simply cannot. And I’m not talking about her attraction towards Kael but the conscious and thought through (or I guess not really) actions she would take. I just hope that there’s a reason for this and that it will be addressed in the next book. Other than that I liked her boldness (although I also could not quite understand where it came from) and caring, loving and cheerful personality.
Overall really enjoyed the first part of Kael, Raidon and Veronica's story and I’m itching for the next book.
This was such a disturbing read and I enjoyed every second of it. Please check trigger warnings!
⭐️⭐️⭐️|🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
This is one of those books that I had an amazing time with but wouldn’t recommend because it is not for everyone.
Raidon might be morally gray but Kael is pitch black, even with Veronica. So definitely not a book meant for everyone.
Rue wrote this so well, in my opinion, because tell me why even after everything he’s done to her I still don’t hate him 😭 and then there's Raidon being his tortured cutie self.
While the book was very enjoyable and I liked both Raidon’s and Kael’s characters and found them very interesting, I can’t exactly say the same for Veronica.
Not saying I didn’t like her because I did like Veronica but almost every single one of her decisions and actions pissed me off and confused the hell out of me at the same time. As much as I tried to understand her I simply cannot. And I’m not talking about her attraction towards Kael but the conscious and thought through (or I guess not really) actions she would take. I just hope that there’s a reason for this and that it will be addressed in the next book. Other than that I liked her boldness (although I also could not quite understand where it came from) and caring, loving and cheerful personality.
Overall really enjoyed the first part of Kael, Raidon and Veronica's story and I’m itching for the next book.
April 15, 2025
IM SPEECHLESS!! YES IM FREAKING SPEECHLESS!! CAN IT BE ILLEGAL FOR A BOOK TO BE SO GOOD!?🙏🙏 Seriously i don’t know where to start with this book honestly. 😭 Rue Kinghtly just blew my mind and heart and my soul. 😭❤️ Guys I’m not even exaggerating when i say this book is a masterpiece the greatest!! I don’t care but this book deserves everything and I mean everything!! ❤️The writing is phenomenal in this book it just so is. The plot twists the entire storyline is written so well that i am speechless. 😶 This book had me on the edge of my seat the entire time. Guys this book has awaken so many emotions inside of me that I just don’t know what to say. 😭😭
Let’s talk abt Raidon/ Kael are MMC. All I have to say abt “them” is HOLYYYYY SHIT what in the mind fuckery is that!? 🤯 Nah this character the the most complex character and is truly well written. There were times where i was just speechless throughout the book and i was like hello? Is this real? 🤯 Truly and I mean truly for the author to write this character is just amazing. Raidon/ Kael gives me Jekyll and Hyde vibes and a movie I’ve watched which I can’t remember lol 😭 and it made me feel like wow just wow. 🤩 I am going to say this I do have my own theories abt this character and it “they” got me thinking about the possibilities about the next book in the duet. 🤔 But honestly “they” are just very nicely written.
Now onto our FMC Veronica. Oh god I don’t have enough words about her. This woman has endured so much it makes me want to cry and I have cried for her 😭😭😭😭 This baby girl deserved better she truly freaking did and she does okay? SHE DOES‼️ Her past / present really has me feeling sorry for her and just makes me want to hug her. 🫂🫂One thing I really liked was her friendship and it was everything 😭❤️❤️ I just can’t stop thinking about it. 😭😭omg im crying again 😭😭 But seriously she is the toughest , the most hopeless romantic I’ve ever read about, and I hope she gets her happy ending in the next book 😭❤️ I love this woman so freaking much seriously. ❤️
I literally can’t wait for the next book in the duet. The ending godddd I don’t know what’s about to come but I just know there’s a storm approaching and I don’t know what to think about it. 😭😭 All ik it’s just gonna break my heart even more. 💔💔Am I ready ? I don’t think so cause this book really did a number on me DAMNNNNN I’ve never been so speechless and had my jaw drop so many times. 😭 Again I just want to say how this book was blown my mind and I don’t think I’ll ever recover from it. This book gave me a whiplash of all the emotions and I was an emotional mess and I think this book deserves everything!!❤️❤️
⚠️ A kind reminder to readers to make sure to check the trigger , content and mental health warnings before proceeding with this book as it contains very heavy trigger warnings.⚠️
Let’s talk abt Raidon/ Kael are MMC. All I have to say abt “them” is HOLYYYYY SHIT what in the mind fuckery is that!? 🤯 Nah this character the the most complex character and is truly well written. There were times where i was just speechless throughout the book and i was like hello? Is this real? 🤯 Truly and I mean truly for the author to write this character is just amazing. Raidon/ Kael gives me Jekyll and Hyde vibes and a movie I’ve watched which I can’t remember lol 😭 and it made me feel like wow just wow. 🤩 I am going to say this I do have my own theories abt this character and it “they” got me thinking about the possibilities about the next book in the duet. 🤔 But honestly “they” are just very nicely written.
Now onto our FMC Veronica. Oh god I don’t have enough words about her. This woman has endured so much it makes me want to cry and I have cried for her 😭😭😭😭 This baby girl deserved better she truly freaking did and she does okay? SHE DOES‼️ Her past / present really has me feeling sorry for her and just makes me want to hug her. 🫂🫂One thing I really liked was her friendship and it was everything 😭❤️❤️ I just can’t stop thinking about it. 😭😭omg im crying again 😭😭 But seriously she is the toughest , the most hopeless romantic I’ve ever read about, and I hope she gets her happy ending in the next book 😭❤️ I love this woman so freaking much seriously. ❤️
I literally can’t wait for the next book in the duet. The ending godddd I don’t know what’s about to come but I just know there’s a storm approaching and I don’t know what to think about it. 😭😭 All ik it’s just gonna break my heart even more. 💔💔Am I ready ? I don’t think so cause this book really did a number on me DAMNNNNN I’ve never been so speechless and had my jaw drop so many times. 😭 Again I just want to say how this book was blown my mind and I don’t think I’ll ever recover from it. This book gave me a whiplash of all the emotions and I was an emotional mess and I think this book deserves everything!!❤️❤️
⚠️ A kind reminder to readers to make sure to check the trigger , content and mental health warnings before proceeding with this book as it contains very heavy trigger warnings.⚠️
April 25, 2025
“Venom and black Swan” is Rue Knight’s debut novel, and this one is definitely for those who love a pitch black MMC!
Raidon and Kael are brothers who both want Veronica, the daughter of a serial k!ller, and while Raidon is more morally gray, Kael is pitch black!
I loved that Veronica was not weak, and she was so used to suffering that Kael’s issues were not anything she could not handle. Veronica was raised by a k!ller and her stepmother is absolutely vile. She allowed her stepdaughter to be v!olated and even beat her in different moments, almost unaliving Veronica. Since Veronica is so used to suffer and does not know what a normal family is, it is poetic that the men she has feelings for are psychopaths.
Kael is unhinged. He promises Veronica that any man that touches her will suffer a cruel end and he follows those promises! He also does not enjoy being touched without permission and while other people suffer worst fates, he allows Veronica to calm him and not spread as much violence. Only one person has shown kindness to Veronica, her best friend, and he tries to open her eyes about how t0xic Raidon and Kael are to her, but Veronica does not know any other way of living.
Veronica’s actions reveal a craving for darkness: she fired her teacher for their intimacy, endured beatings from her stepmother, and even suffered blackmail from a teacher who knows who she is. Kael, although dark, is the only person so far who tries to avenge the people who take advantage of her and is honest with his intentions. He never lies to Veronica, he always says what he’ll do and goes through with it.
“Venom and black Swan” is the first book of a duet and the second book promises a Kael without more control but I also wish to see a Veronica surrounded by the darkness within her. She’s never innocent, and I loved that both crave something twisted. I look forward to the second book, although the beginning was a bit slow for me, as soon as the book reached the second part, it was pretty good, but that is normal in a debut novel, most of the times the author is still trying to find the right voice and the rhythm.
Raidon and Kael are brothers who both want Veronica, the daughter of a serial k!ller, and while Raidon is more morally gray, Kael is pitch black!
I loved that Veronica was not weak, and she was so used to suffering that Kael’s issues were not anything she could not handle. Veronica was raised by a k!ller and her stepmother is absolutely vile. She allowed her stepdaughter to be v!olated and even beat her in different moments, almost unaliving Veronica. Since Veronica is so used to suffer and does not know what a normal family is, it is poetic that the men she has feelings for are psychopaths.
Kael is unhinged. He promises Veronica that any man that touches her will suffer a cruel end and he follows those promises! He also does not enjoy being touched without permission and while other people suffer worst fates, he allows Veronica to calm him and not spread as much violence. Only one person has shown kindness to Veronica, her best friend, and he tries to open her eyes about how t0xic Raidon and Kael are to her, but Veronica does not know any other way of living.
Veronica’s actions reveal a craving for darkness: she fired her teacher for their intimacy, endured beatings from her stepmother, and even suffered blackmail from a teacher who knows who she is. Kael, although dark, is the only person so far who tries to avenge the people who take advantage of her and is honest with his intentions. He never lies to Veronica, he always says what he’ll do and goes through with it.
“Venom and black Swan” is the first book of a duet and the second book promises a Kael without more control but I also wish to see a Veronica surrounded by the darkness within her. She’s never innocent, and I loved that both crave something twisted. I look forward to the second book, although the beginning was a bit slow for me, as soon as the book reached the second part, it was pretty good, but that is normal in a debut novel, most of the times the author is still trying to find the right voice and the rhythm.
Read
April 25, 2025I was so excited to read Venom and Black Swan after seeing quote teasers on the author’s Instagram, not to mention how beautiful the cover is. Dark romance is one of my favorite genres, so I had an idea of what to expect going into the story regarding the plot and characters, but I was surprised by how different it turned out to be.
I loved the first half of the book. I liked how different the main characters are, and it made for an enjoyable, alluring romance. Veronica expresses her emotions so openly and freely, and it’s hilarious how much of a book girl she is. Her ranting and squealing about characters reminds me of myself and my friends, and I love how reading is something she could bond over with Raidon. But where Veronica is free-spoken and extroverted, Raidon is the more closed-off type. He harbors a secret where it’s easier for him to have minimal, emotionally withdrawn relationships with people.
Without spoiling too much, a Jekyll and Hyde element is prevalent in the plot, making the MMC’s actions unpredictable and suspenseful. I think many readers will love the psychopathic tendencies in the second half of the book, and the spicy scenes delivered. However, the chemistry between the characters didn’t click with me. I wanted them to be my new obsession, but I don’t think I was the target audience for this one.
Thank you to Rue Knightly for an ARC of Venom and Black Swan.
I loved the first half of the book. I liked how different the main characters are, and it made for an enjoyable, alluring romance. Veronica expresses her emotions so openly and freely, and it’s hilarious how much of a book girl she is. Her ranting and squealing about characters reminds me of myself and my friends, and I love how reading is something she could bond over with Raidon. But where Veronica is free-spoken and extroverted, Raidon is the more closed-off type. He harbors a secret where it’s easier for him to have minimal, emotionally withdrawn relationships with people.
Without spoiling too much, a Jekyll and Hyde element is prevalent in the plot, making the MMC’s actions unpredictable and suspenseful. I think many readers will love the psychopathic tendencies in the second half of the book, and the spicy scenes delivered. However, the chemistry between the characters didn’t click with me. I wanted them to be my new obsession, but I don’t think I was the target audience for this one.
Thank you to Rue Knightly for an ARC of Venom and Black Swan.
August 23, 2025
(05/06/25)
arc review
This was such a disturbing read and I enjoyed every second of it. Please check trigger warnings!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️|🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
This is one of those books that I had an amazing time with but wouldn’t recommend because it is not for everyone.
Lucan might be morally gray but Zev is pitch black, even with Vivienne. So definitely not a book meant for everyone.
Rue wrote this so well, in my opinion, because tell me why even after everything he’s done to her I still don’t hate him 😭 and then there's Lucan being his tortured cutie self.
While the book was very enjoyable and I liked both Lucan’s and Zev’s characters and found them very interesting, I can’t exactly say the same for Vivienne.
Not saying I didn’t like her because I did like Veronica but almost every single one of her decisions and actions pissed me off and confused the hell out of me at the same time. As much as I tried to understand her I simply cannot. And I’m not talking about her attraction towards Zev but the conscious and thought through (or I guess not really) actions she would take. I just hope that there’s a reason for this and that it will be addressed in the next book. Other than that I liked her boldness (although I also could not quite understand where it came from) and caring, loving and cheerful personality.
Overall really enjoyed the first part of Zev, Lucan and Vivienne's story and I’m itching for the next book. I have a feeling this series will be one of my most favourites 🤭
Thank you so much for the arc!!
arc review
This was such a disturbing read and I enjoyed every second of it. Please check trigger warnings!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️|🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
This is one of those books that I had an amazing time with but wouldn’t recommend because it is not for everyone.
Lucan might be morally gray but Zev is pitch black, even with Vivienne. So definitely not a book meant for everyone.
Rue wrote this so well, in my opinion, because tell me why even after everything he’s done to her I still don’t hate him 😭 and then there's Lucan being his tortured cutie self.
While the book was very enjoyable and I liked both Lucan’s and Zev’s characters and found them very interesting, I can’t exactly say the same for Vivienne.
Not saying I didn’t like her because I did like Veronica but almost every single one of her decisions and actions pissed me off and confused the hell out of me at the same time. As much as I tried to understand her I simply cannot. And I’m not talking about her attraction towards Zev but the conscious and thought through (or I guess not really) actions she would take. I just hope that there’s a reason for this and that it will be addressed in the next book. Other than that I liked her boldness (although I also could not quite understand where it came from) and caring, loving and cheerful personality.
Overall really enjoyed the first part of Zev, Lucan and Vivienne's story and I’m itching for the next book. I have a feeling this series will be one of my most favourites 🤭
Thank you so much for the arc!!
April 22, 2025
Maybe cause I don't like some type of dark romance so I found ALOT of stuff triggering for me😭like it was too much I wanted to cry hahahah, my poor fluffy romance soul🥲👍🏻but this exceeds my expectations, it was so good I have to eat through it hahahaha, fuck It, but yeah triggering
Though I won't like there were some scenes I thought to quit it, but my will to know how it ends far exceeds my will for my mental health bleh
After abstaining from WLM for so long idk how to feel, this is pure dark romance, as much as I do not fw this type ngl it's absolutely well written to say the least, I have a lot of turn offs here that isn't on par with my own mental type of reading but------- I mean but ----- the way it was written threw me off like bruh, I'd love to always stay and see how it ends🤩
Though I won't like there were some scenes I thought to quit it, but my will to know how it ends far exceeds my will for my mental health bleh
After abstaining from WLM for so long idk how to feel, this is pure dark romance, as much as I do not fw this type ngl it's absolutely well written to say the least, I have a lot of turn offs here that isn't on par with my own mental type of reading but------- I mean but ----- the way it was written threw me off like bruh, I'd love to always stay and see how it ends🤩
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April 17, 2025review pending
October 27, 2025
yummy yummy yummy! an amazing late night read, i love all things dark, this was so well written that i craved to read more. GIVE US MORE PLS !!
August 23, 2024
This book will absolutely be worth it because it's literally Rue Knightly that we're talking about! ❤🤭
April 21, 2025
ARC Review: Venom & Black Swan by Rue Knightly
Dark. Vicious. Addictive. Rue Knightly didn’t write a book—she carved open a vein and bled madness, lust, and wicked devotion onto every single page.
From the first chapter, I was hooked. No—possessed. This story isn’t just a romance. It’s a descent into something feral and consuming. Rue doesn’t pull you into her world. She shoves you in, locks the door, and sets it on fire.
The FMC is everything. Strong but unraveling, drawn to the very thing she knows will destroy her. “Yet here she is. Like a moth to flame, she has wandered too close, unaware of the inferno waiting to devour her.” And the MMC? God help us all. He is not a hero. He is a ruinous storm in human skin—possessive, brutal, and so damn magnetic you’ll hate yourself for loving him. “So long as you are mine, no other woman has the right to touch me but you.” That line? Yeah, it lives in my head, rent-free and wrapped in barbed wire.
The tension? Unholy. I could feel it—coiled between every stolen glance, every breath, every threat laced with desire. This isn’t a slow burn. This is a wildfire waiting for oxygen. Rue doesn’t tease. She taunts. She makes you beg for relief.
And just when you think you’re catching your breath?
She slaps you.
Curb stomps you.
Dropkicks your soul off a cliff and laughs while doing it.
I’m not even being dramatic. I was feral. Unwell. Absolutely ruined by every twist she threw my way. This book doesn’t just break your heart—it devours it. “Tonight, I’ll eat all your fears, all your tears, and the horror in those pretty eyes.” Yeah. That part? I felt that in my spine.
The MMC is obsessed in the way only dark romance allows—unforgiving, unhinged, and entirely hers. “I’m watching you, ladybird. Smile at another man and I’ll fucking hang him on a cross.” I gasped. I reread. I highlighted. I made questionable life choices. No regrets.
Rue Knightly’s Venom & Black Swan is not a love story. It’s a warning wrapped in barbed wire and red silk. It’s for the girls who chase monsters and end up letting them in.
As Rue writes in her dedication:
“To the girl searching for thrill in the playground of monsters… I hope you’ll scream out loud. I hope you’ll run fast.”
But if you’re anything like me, you won’t run.
You’ll crawl deeper into the shadows.
And you’ll love every minute of it.
Dark. Vicious. Addictive. Rue Knightly didn’t write a book—she carved open a vein and bled madness, lust, and wicked devotion onto every single page.
From the first chapter, I was hooked. No—possessed. This story isn’t just a romance. It’s a descent into something feral and consuming. Rue doesn’t pull you into her world. She shoves you in, locks the door, and sets it on fire.
The FMC is everything. Strong but unraveling, drawn to the very thing she knows will destroy her. “Yet here she is. Like a moth to flame, she has wandered too close, unaware of the inferno waiting to devour her.” And the MMC? God help us all. He is not a hero. He is a ruinous storm in human skin—possessive, brutal, and so damn magnetic you’ll hate yourself for loving him. “So long as you are mine, no other woman has the right to touch me but you.” That line? Yeah, it lives in my head, rent-free and wrapped in barbed wire.
The tension? Unholy. I could feel it—coiled between every stolen glance, every breath, every threat laced with desire. This isn’t a slow burn. This is a wildfire waiting for oxygen. Rue doesn’t tease. She taunts. She makes you beg for relief.
And just when you think you’re catching your breath?
She slaps you.
Curb stomps you.
Dropkicks your soul off a cliff and laughs while doing it.
I’m not even being dramatic. I was feral. Unwell. Absolutely ruined by every twist she threw my way. This book doesn’t just break your heart—it devours it. “Tonight, I’ll eat all your fears, all your tears, and the horror in those pretty eyes.” Yeah. That part? I felt that in my spine.
The MMC is obsessed in the way only dark romance allows—unforgiving, unhinged, and entirely hers. “I’m watching you, ladybird. Smile at another man and I’ll fucking hang him on a cross.” I gasped. I reread. I highlighted. I made questionable life choices. No regrets.
Rue Knightly’s Venom & Black Swan is not a love story. It’s a warning wrapped in barbed wire and red silk. It’s for the girls who chase monsters and end up letting them in.
As Rue writes in her dedication:
“To the girl searching for thrill in the playground of monsters… I hope you’ll scream out loud. I hope you’ll run fast.”
But if you’re anything like me, you won’t run.
You’ll crawl deeper into the shadows.
And you’ll love every minute of it.
May 26, 2025
I want to begin by saying I went into this book completely blind, and from the very first chapter, I was learning about the story and the characters in real time—without any bias—and that made reading this book that much more immersive. It was the perfect way to experience this story.
This was my first time reading a book written in third person, and that took a little getting used to. But for this book, it worked perfectly. I will say, though, that it does take some adjustment.
Our FMC, Veronica Beaumont, was a character who—despite the torments life had thrown her way—wanted so much more for herself. She was a romantic, pining for that fairytale kind of love. Veronica also had sharp edges, shaped by the trauma she endured, and a darkness inside her that frightened her—but also made her feel alive.
Where do I begin with our MMCs Raidon and Kael .
I really enjoyed getting to know both personalities they were so different from eachother yet when Kaels personality took over you could still see parts of raidon in kael.
Raidon was a character that you just wanted to protect he was worlds away from Kaels darkness he was sensitive, kind, totally gone for Veronica in every way but he also became a more outgoing version of himself with Veronica by his side she gave him a purpose and with her at his side his panick attacks and anxiety didn't overwhelm him.
I vowed I wouldn't like kaels character but then as the book progressed and we started to see why he had the overwhelming darkness to him and how his obsession with Veronica became so much more then that and by the end of the book I kinda liked Kael .
If you uncovered every dark thing kael did for Veronica you'd see that there's a man gone from his girl. Sure I didn't agree with his methods but this dark mmc was so gone for his girl he didn't even know it we've got to give him some leniency right ?
It was incredibly interesting seeing Raidon and Kaels personalities vary ,.to see and somewhat understand how Powerless raidon felt when kael took over but to also see the back and forth between kael and raidons characters
And that ending I anticipated it but damn I didn't think it would end like that, I'm hooked to see what will happen next and do really hope we see more of Raidon in book 2
This was my first time reading a book written in third person, and that took a little getting used to. But for this book, it worked perfectly. I will say, though, that it does take some adjustment.
Our FMC, Veronica Beaumont, was a character who—despite the torments life had thrown her way—wanted so much more for herself. She was a romantic, pining for that fairytale kind of love. Veronica also had sharp edges, shaped by the trauma she endured, and a darkness inside her that frightened her—but also made her feel alive.
Where do I begin with our MMCs Raidon and Kael .
I really enjoyed getting to know both personalities they were so different from eachother yet when Kaels personality took over you could still see parts of raidon in kael.
Raidon was a character that you just wanted to protect he was worlds away from Kaels darkness he was sensitive, kind, totally gone for Veronica in every way but he also became a more outgoing version of himself with Veronica by his side she gave him a purpose and with her at his side his panick attacks and anxiety didn't overwhelm him.
I vowed I wouldn't like kaels character but then as the book progressed and we started to see why he had the overwhelming darkness to him and how his obsession with Veronica became so much more then that and by the end of the book I kinda liked Kael .
If you uncovered every dark thing kael did for Veronica you'd see that there's a man gone from his girl. Sure I didn't agree with his methods but this dark mmc was so gone for his girl he didn't even know it we've got to give him some leniency right ?
It was incredibly interesting seeing Raidon and Kaels personalities vary ,.to see and somewhat understand how Powerless raidon felt when kael took over but to also see the back and forth between kael and raidons characters
And that ending I anticipated it but damn I didn't think it would end like that, I'm hooked to see what will happen next and do really hope we see more of Raidon in book 2
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April 16, 2025Thank you Rue Knightly for sending me this ARC.
Venom and Black Swan is an interesting Dark Romance book and the first in a duet and I must say I was really excited for it after seeing all the amazing teasers on the author’s instagram but while I really wanted to love it, I think my expectations might have been a bit too high and I enjoyed some parts of this book, but also had some issues with it.
I’m not going to say much about the plot of this book because I think it’s best to go in blind for the full effect. It was quite different from other dark romance books I’ve read but in a good way, the plot and especially Kael/Rairdon’s characters were interesting and kept me guessing, I had no idea which direction this story was going to take at times and liked all the plot twists. Veronica quite annoyed me at times, she was young and it showed, but I have a feeling that the author wrote her that way on purpose and her character development in book 2 is going to be great. The romance in this book was interesting and I’m not going to say much about it not to spoil anything, but they were really fire together and the spicy scenes had me blushing at times.
I think the main reason I didn’t enjoy this book as much as I hoped is because the writing style just wasn’t for me, I felt disconnected from the characters and also didn’t feel anything about the book or the characters, I love it when I feel all the emotions while reading but unfortunately, that wasn’t the case here.
Also, I can read the most f*cked up dark romance books and have 0 triggers but the one thing I can’t stand is cheating and the FMC having s*x with another man (yes, there's an OM in this book) at 82% (!) was the last straw for me. I really wanted to love this book and no one is more disappointed than me that I didn't but unfortunately it just wasn’t for me.
Venom and Black Swan is a dark romance book that I’m sure many people are going to love, but there were some things that prevented me from fully enjoying it. I still recommend it if you enjoy this kind of books.
Venom and Black Swan is an interesting Dark Romance book and the first in a duet and I must say I was really excited for it after seeing all the amazing teasers on the author’s instagram but while I really wanted to love it, I think my expectations might have been a bit too high and I enjoyed some parts of this book, but also had some issues with it.
I’m not going to say much about the plot of this book because I think it’s best to go in blind for the full effect. It was quite different from other dark romance books I’ve read but in a good way, the plot and especially Kael/Rairdon’s characters were interesting and kept me guessing, I had no idea which direction this story was going to take at times and liked all the plot twists. Veronica quite annoyed me at times, she was young and it showed, but I have a feeling that the author wrote her that way on purpose and her character development in book 2 is going to be great. The romance in this book was interesting and I’m not going to say much about it not to spoil anything, but they were really fire together and the spicy scenes had me blushing at times.
I think the main reason I didn’t enjoy this book as much as I hoped is because the writing style just wasn’t for me, I felt disconnected from the characters and also didn’t feel anything about the book or the characters, I love it when I feel all the emotions while reading but unfortunately, that wasn’t the case here.
Also, I can read the most f*cked up dark romance books and have 0 triggers but the one thing I can’t stand is cheating and the FMC having s*x with another man (yes, there's an OM in this book) at 82% (!) was the last straw for me. I really wanted to love this book and no one is more disappointed than me that I didn't but unfortunately it just wasn’t for me.
Venom and Black Swan is a dark romance book that I’m sure many people are going to love, but there were some things that prevented me from fully enjoying it. I still recommend it if you enjoy this kind of books.
April 16, 2025
First of all can I let out a scream that I was actually got
this arc from Rue?!! I saw it and I literally screamed because she advertised the book so good and the release date seemed so far but I got it and I’ll forever treasure this arc now back to the book it’s self. I love 𝐕𝐞𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐚, I think love is an understatement for what I feel for her like she has been through shit and all I wanted to do is kiss her head and tell it everything is going to be okay like her life revolved through drama, pain and unloading trauma like she deserves the whole world.
𝐊𝐚𝐞𝐥? I liked him to be honest but to an extent, he’s like
that toxic boyfriend that never wants to leave and Jesus he’s unhinged but fingers crossed he’s not the one that ends up with Veronica please like I like him but not with
Veronica like rue, I would give you my first born if you don’t make him end up with her. Sigh but did I giggle when this man said stuff that should have made me drop the book? Yes. Did I regret it no. Do I need to be checked later? Yes and I fear the fbi should never get a hold of Rue’s browser history or they will think she’s a murderer or something
𝐑𝐚𝐢𝐝𝐨𝐧,𝐝𝐚𝐝𝐝𝐲 𝐯𝐨𝐥𝐤𝐨𝐯 like he actually wanted to know her. He asked questions and would spend all night hearing her rant about books even wished the author wrote it different because he didn’t want her upset like that’s what Veronica needs, gentleness and being fucked into oblivion(yes Kael did that but that’s all he did and sometimes he hurt her, pulling her hair and dragging her) I love him so much and I love how he speaks so articulately well that I was eating from this man’s hand like I was needy for a part where he said something or the mere mention of him.
What the fuck? The plot twist at the end? I need book two now please
Let’s talk about the topics(Trigger warnings) the book is dark and Raindon has split personality disorder and it’s beautifully written and there’s constant blood and violence detailed especially in kael’s like he’s a funny sadistic bastard lmao
this arc from Rue?!! I saw it and I literally screamed because she advertised the book so good and the release date seemed so far but I got it and I’ll forever treasure this arc now back to the book it’s self. I love 𝐕𝐞𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐚, I think love is an understatement for what I feel for her like she has been through shit and all I wanted to do is kiss her head and tell it everything is going to be okay like her life revolved through drama, pain and unloading trauma like she deserves the whole world.
𝐊𝐚𝐞𝐥? I liked him to be honest but to an extent, he’s like
that toxic boyfriend that never wants to leave and Jesus he’s unhinged but fingers crossed he’s not the one that ends up with Veronica please like I like him but not with
Veronica like rue, I would give you my first born if you don’t make him end up with her. Sigh but did I giggle when this man said stuff that should have made me drop the book? Yes. Did I regret it no. Do I need to be checked later? Yes and I fear the fbi should never get a hold of Rue’s browser history or they will think she’s a murderer or something
𝐑𝐚𝐢𝐝𝐨𝐧,𝐝𝐚𝐝𝐝𝐲 𝐯𝐨𝐥𝐤𝐨𝐯 like he actually wanted to know her. He asked questions and would spend all night hearing her rant about books even wished the author wrote it different because he didn’t want her upset like that’s what Veronica needs, gentleness and being fucked into oblivion(yes Kael did that but that’s all he did and sometimes he hurt her, pulling her hair and dragging her) I love him so much and I love how he speaks so articulately well that I was eating from this man’s hand like I was needy for a part where he said something or the mere mention of him.
What the fuck? The plot twist at the end? I need book two now please
Let’s talk about the topics(Trigger warnings) the book is dark and Raindon has split personality disorder and it’s beautifully written and there’s constant blood and violence detailed especially in kael’s like he’s a funny sadistic bastard lmao
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 23, 2025
I need to lie down, maybe scream into a pillow, and then immediately pre-order the second book. 😂 This was intense, emotional, and honestly left me a bit breathless in the best and worst ways. Rue Knightly doesn’t hold back – this is dark romance done with devastating beauty. I went in expecting tension and spice… I did not expect to come out with my heart slightly rearranged. 😮💨 Can I say the ending left me crying.
What I Loved About This Book:
💔 Veronica – The Heart of the Storm
She's the kind of main character that grabs you and doesn't let go. She’s messy, confusing and broken but there’s so much grit and grace in how she carries her pain. Her self-destructive tendencies made me ache, but also root for her with everything I had. It’s raw. It’s real. It’s so human.
🖤 Raidon and Kael
These men? Good lord. Dark, dangerous, and impossible to read – but so magnetic. I kept going back and forth between fear and fascination. I need answers. I need more. 🫠
🧩 The Twisted Puzzle of a Plot
There’s something deeply calculated and clever about this story. Each chapter peels back another layer of the trauma and power dynamics and secrets. It doesn’t rush. It simmers. The tension is perfectly unbearable.
⚠️ Spice With a Warning
This isn’t your sweet, fluffy kind of steam. It’s dark, emotional, and laced with power play. Please check the trigger warnings. But if you're into the darker edge of romance... it’s masterfully done 🔥
The Tropes:
Dark Romance 🖤
Love Triangle (sort of?)
Morally dark dark characters
Trauma bonding
Power dynamics
This book absolutely wrecked me in the best possible way. 😭 If you love your romance twisted with trauma, your characters layered like onions, and your heart a little bruised by the last page – then you need Venom and Black Swan in your life. Rue Knightly just cracked open a very dark little world… and I cannot wait for the conclusion. 🕷️
What I Loved About This Book:
💔 Veronica – The Heart of the Storm
She's the kind of main character that grabs you and doesn't let go. She’s messy, confusing and broken but there’s so much grit and grace in how she carries her pain. Her self-destructive tendencies made me ache, but also root for her with everything I had. It’s raw. It’s real. It’s so human.
🖤 Raidon and Kael
These men? Good lord. Dark, dangerous, and impossible to read – but so magnetic. I kept going back and forth between fear and fascination. I need answers. I need more. 🫠
🧩 The Twisted Puzzle of a Plot
There’s something deeply calculated and clever about this story. Each chapter peels back another layer of the trauma and power dynamics and secrets. It doesn’t rush. It simmers. The tension is perfectly unbearable.
⚠️ Spice With a Warning
This isn’t your sweet, fluffy kind of steam. It’s dark, emotional, and laced with power play. Please check the trigger warnings. But if you're into the darker edge of romance... it’s masterfully done 🔥
The Tropes:
Dark Romance 🖤
Love Triangle (sort of?)
Morally dark dark characters
Trauma bonding
Power dynamics
This book absolutely wrecked me in the best possible way. 😭 If you love your romance twisted with trauma, your characters layered like onions, and your heart a little bruised by the last page – then you need Venom and Black Swan in your life. Rue Knightly just cracked open a very dark little world… and I cannot wait for the conclusion. 🕷️
April 25, 2025
💚🔪ARC Review 🔪💚
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫/5
This book is absolutely incredible! I had seen the author teasing about it a while back, and I couldn’t resist signing up for it right away. When it finally arrived on my Kindle, I was ready to dive in.
This book is dark and twisted, so please be warned about potential triggers before you enter this world. It’s definitely not for the faint of heart! Our main female character is incredibly strong and resilient. She’s been through a lot, and even though she’s attempted suicide, she still tries to make the best of her situation. I love that she has a friend who cares deeply for her and helps her navigate through her struggles.
Now, let’s talk about the main male character. Kale/Raidon is a complex character, divided between the darkness and the light. Kale is a psychopath who meets Veronica first and shows no interest in her. However, when his twin, Raidon, meets her, they form a beautiful connection. Kale will do anything to possess Veronica and make her his and his alone. Raidon, on the other hand, is a kind and gentle man who has to share his body with his crazy twin. You will fall in love with both these men for different reasons!! I love my man dark so I love Kale a little more.😂
This book is filled with twists and turns, and the ending is left open to interpretation, leaving you wanting more and with many unanswered questions. I can’t wait to read the second book in this duet! If you’re interested in checking out this book, you can do so today on Kindle Unlimited.
💚Thank you for the ARC!💚
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫/5
This book is absolutely incredible! I had seen the author teasing about it a while back, and I couldn’t resist signing up for it right away. When it finally arrived on my Kindle, I was ready to dive in.
This book is dark and twisted, so please be warned about potential triggers before you enter this world. It’s definitely not for the faint of heart! Our main female character is incredibly strong and resilient. She’s been through a lot, and even though she’s attempted suicide, she still tries to make the best of her situation. I love that she has a friend who cares deeply for her and helps her navigate through her struggles.
Now, let’s talk about the main male character. Kale/Raidon is a complex character, divided between the darkness and the light. Kale is a psychopath who meets Veronica first and shows no interest in her. However, when his twin, Raidon, meets her, they form a beautiful connection. Kale will do anything to possess Veronica and make her his and his alone. Raidon, on the other hand, is a kind and gentle man who has to share his body with his crazy twin. You will fall in love with both these men for different reasons!! I love my man dark so I love Kale a little more.😂
This book is filled with twists and turns, and the ending is left open to interpretation, leaving you wanting more and with many unanswered questions. I can’t wait to read the second book in this duet! If you’re interested in checking out this book, you can do so today on Kindle Unlimited.
💚Thank you for the ARC!💚
April 25, 2025
arc review 🫶🏻
4,25/5 ⭐
This book had already captured my attention almost a year ago when I first saw the author talking about it and after months of waiting I can say that my attention was more than kept during the reading, making me enter this twisted and dark world. ⚜️
🖤 “𝐼 𝑡𝒉𝑖𝑛𝑘 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑙𝑜𝑜𝑘 𝑙𝑖𝑘𝑒 𝑡𝒉𝑒 𝑚𝑜𝑜𝑛. 𝑌𝑜𝑢’𝑟𝑒 𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑖𝑘𝑖𝑛𝑔, 𝑒𝑡𝒉𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑙 𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑛.”
This is a story whose journey is dark and not for the faint of heart, I don't want to say too much because in my opinion this book needs to be entered a little blindly to fully savor its intensity. The writing is beautiful and the twists and turns are breathtaking. The characters' demons and traumas haunt the narrative and hit you when you least expect it leaving you on a roller coaster of emotions.
🖤 “𝐻𝑒𝑟. 𝐻𝑒 𝒉𝑎𝑠 𝑏𝑒𝑒𝑛 𝑑𝑟𝑎𝑤𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝒉𝑒𝑟 𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑦 𝑑𝑎𝑦.”
Veronica, our main character, is a very strong and resilient girl who also inspires the reader to want to get up and fight again.
Kael/Raidon on the other hand is a man divided in half who causes harm while entering his mind, one part is kind and charismatic while the other is darkness and obsession. And so is his love at times calm and kind at others destructive and consuming.
The ending leaves you breathless and many questions remain unanswered specifically to be found in the sequel, for this reason I can't wait for the second book of this duet.
🖤 “𝑌𝑒𝑡 𝒉𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝑠𝒉𝑒 𝑖𝑠. 𝐿𝑖𝑘𝑒 𝑎 𝑚𝑜𝑡𝒉 𝑡𝑜 𝑓𝑙𝑎𝑚𝑒, 𝑠𝒉𝑒 𝒉𝑎𝑠 𝑤𝑎𝑛𝑑𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑑 𝑡𝑜𝑜 𝑐𝑙𝑜𝑠𝑒, 𝑢𝑛𝑎𝑤𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑡𝒉𝑒 𝑖𝑛𝑓𝑒𝑟𝑛𝑜 𝑤𝑎𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑡𝑜 𝑑𝑒𝑣𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝒉𝑒𝑟.”
4,25/5 ⭐
This book had already captured my attention almost a year ago when I first saw the author talking about it and after months of waiting I can say that my attention was more than kept during the reading, making me enter this twisted and dark world. ⚜️
🖤 “𝐼 𝑡𝒉𝑖𝑛𝑘 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑙𝑜𝑜𝑘 𝑙𝑖𝑘𝑒 𝑡𝒉𝑒 𝑚𝑜𝑜𝑛. 𝑌𝑜𝑢’𝑟𝑒 𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑖𝑘𝑖𝑛𝑔, 𝑒𝑡𝒉𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑙 𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑛.”
This is a story whose journey is dark and not for the faint of heart, I don't want to say too much because in my opinion this book needs to be entered a little blindly to fully savor its intensity. The writing is beautiful and the twists and turns are breathtaking. The characters' demons and traumas haunt the narrative and hit you when you least expect it leaving you on a roller coaster of emotions.
🖤 “𝐻𝑒𝑟. 𝐻𝑒 𝒉𝑎𝑠 𝑏𝑒𝑒𝑛 𝑑𝑟𝑎𝑤𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝒉𝑒𝑟 𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑦 𝑑𝑎𝑦.”
Veronica, our main character, is a very strong and resilient girl who also inspires the reader to want to get up and fight again.
Kael/Raidon on the other hand is a man divided in half who causes harm while entering his mind, one part is kind and charismatic while the other is darkness and obsession. And so is his love at times calm and kind at others destructive and consuming.
The ending leaves you breathless and many questions remain unanswered specifically to be found in the sequel, for this reason I can't wait for the second book of this duet.
🖤 “𝑌𝑒𝑡 𝒉𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝑠𝒉𝑒 𝑖𝑠. 𝐿𝑖𝑘𝑒 𝑎 𝑚𝑜𝑡𝒉 𝑡𝑜 𝑓𝑙𝑎𝑚𝑒, 𝑠𝒉𝑒 𝒉𝑎𝑠 𝑤𝑎𝑛𝑑𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑑 𝑡𝑜𝑜 𝑐𝑙𝑜𝑠𝑒, 𝑢𝑛𝑎𝑤𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑡𝒉𝑒 𝑖𝑛𝑓𝑒𝑟𝑛𝑜 𝑤𝑎𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑡𝑜 𝑑𝑒𝑣𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝒉𝑒𝑟.”
April 21, 2025
ARC REVIEW
Rating:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice:🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
I highly recommend everyone read the triggers beforehand this book is not for the week your mental health matters.
Firstly I would love to thank my wife for giving me the opportunity to read Venom and Black Swan the whole book was a true masterpiece I literally kept running to her instagram giving her my live actions reaction like literally go ask her the book was mind blowing like this book is a top read of my year I can’t to get the physical copy since all my theories was right.
Secondly let talk about Veronica and Raidon my baby daddy/ husband these two fit together on so many levels like yess keep looking at me Snow White the character development was on point like hold on I need them they are so hot like flabbergasted I need this on so many levels they made flustered in a good way had me kicking my feet blushing I felt so connected to them like they was written perfectly like Raidon come home the kids miss you anyways if you seen my reactions through out the book the broke broke my heart toward the end I can’t give over this like all my theories was right from the beginning I need book 2 asap.
Lastly I appreciate you so much for trusting me with your baby happy early release day I literally finish your book in one sitting also your paying for my therapy bills after our long talk.
Rating:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice:🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
I highly recommend everyone read the triggers beforehand this book is not for the week your mental health matters.
Firstly I would love to thank my wife for giving me the opportunity to read Venom and Black Swan the whole book was a true masterpiece I literally kept running to her instagram giving her my live actions reaction like literally go ask her the book was mind blowing like this book is a top read of my year I can’t to get the physical copy since all my theories was right.
Secondly let talk about Veronica and Raidon my baby daddy/ husband these two fit together on so many levels like yess keep looking at me Snow White the character development was on point like hold on I need them they are so hot like flabbergasted I need this on so many levels they made flustered in a good way had me kicking my feet blushing I felt so connected to them like they was written perfectly like Raidon come home the kids miss you anyways if you seen my reactions through out the book the broke broke my heart toward the end I can’t give over this like all my theories was right from the beginning I need book 2 asap.
Lastly I appreciate you so much for trusting me with your baby happy early release day I literally finish your book in one sitting also your paying for my therapy bills after our long talk.
April 21, 2025
ARC review (thank youuu 🫶)
🇫🇷 Je sors de cette lecture totalement retournée et avec beaucoup de questions.
Bien sûr j’étais préparée à terminer le livre sans tout comprendre étant donné que c’est une duologie et effectivement je reste perdue face à certains moments du livre.
Pour être honnête, j’ai vraiment beaucoup aimé le personnage de Kael car j’ai un penchant pour les MMC complètement dingues. Cependant Veronica m’a parfois soûlée, son personnage est complexe car j’ai du mal à entièrement l’apprécier mais je la comprends aussi, avec sa vie compliquée.
L'histoire est vraiment sombre il faut faire attention avant de se lancer.
Le début est lent pour placer le contexte mais la suite est vraiment intéressante !
🇬🇧 I finish this book completely overwhelmed and with a lot of questions.
Of course, I was prepared to finish the book without understanding everything, given that it's a duology, and I'm actually still lost thinking about certain moments in the book.
To be honest, I really liked Kael's character because I have a penchant for completely crazy and unhinged MMCs. However, Veronica sometimes bored me. Her character is complex, and I have a hard time fully liking her, but I also understand her, she had such a complicated life.
The story is really dark; you have to be careful before diving in.
The beginning is slow to set the context, but the rest is really interesting!
🇫🇷 Je sors de cette lecture totalement retournée et avec beaucoup de questions.
Bien sûr j’étais préparée à terminer le livre sans tout comprendre étant donné que c’est une duologie et effectivement je reste perdue face à certains moments du livre.
Pour être honnête, j’ai vraiment beaucoup aimé le personnage de Kael car j’ai un penchant pour les MMC complètement dingues. Cependant Veronica m’a parfois soûlée, son personnage est complexe car j’ai du mal à entièrement l’apprécier mais je la comprends aussi, avec sa vie compliquée.
L'histoire est vraiment sombre il faut faire attention avant de se lancer.
Le début est lent pour placer le contexte mais la suite est vraiment intéressante !
🇬🇧 I finish this book completely overwhelmed and with a lot of questions.
Of course, I was prepared to finish the book without understanding everything, given that it's a duology, and I'm actually still lost thinking about certain moments in the book.
To be honest, I really liked Kael's character because I have a penchant for completely crazy and unhinged MMCs. However, Veronica sometimes bored me. Her character is complex, and I have a hard time fully liking her, but I also understand her, she had such a complicated life.
The story is really dark; you have to be careful before diving in.
The beginning is slow to set the context, but the rest is really interesting!
April 22, 2025
I enjoyed reading Venom & Black Swan! This one is a 3.5 for me, rounded up for GR.
This one is definitely a bit darker, so I recommend checking the TW before just diving in. 🖤
The way Raidon/Kael's personality is explored definitely intriguing. I didn't find it hard to keep track of whose personality was in control because of how vastly different their personalities are! I will say, I do love me a morally grey MMC, and he delivered!
Veronica's childhood is steeped in trauma and this poor girl has been through the wringer. Her dad is a convicted serial killer, and were introduced to him briefly in the prologue. (I will say I'm looking forward to getting more about him because his personality does seem complex).
There's genuinely so much going on in this story that I did find myself having a hard time following it all at times. I think this is just for me, but I do find it more difficult to stay locked into a story with 3rd POV, so my mind wandered a bit. I don't feel like that is anything against the story though as I devoured this book in a day!
Overall I'm really looking forward to the next book and getting more out of this story and these characters because my mind was absolutely blown at some events toward the end of the book. Anyone looking for a dark and twisted story will probably thoroughly enjoy themselves with Venom & Black Swan!
This one is definitely a bit darker, so I recommend checking the TW before just diving in. 🖤
The way Raidon/Kael's personality is explored definitely intriguing. I didn't find it hard to keep track of whose personality was in control because of how vastly different their personalities are! I will say, I do love me a morally grey MMC, and he delivered!
Veronica's childhood is steeped in trauma and this poor girl has been through the wringer. Her dad is a convicted serial killer, and were introduced to him briefly in the prologue. (I will say I'm looking forward to getting more about him because his personality does seem complex).
There's genuinely so much going on in this story that I did find myself having a hard time following it all at times. I think this is just for me, but I do find it more difficult to stay locked into a story with 3rd POV, so my mind wandered a bit. I don't feel like that is anything against the story though as I devoured this book in a day!
Overall I'm really looking forward to the next book and getting more out of this story and these characters because my mind was absolutely blown at some events toward the end of the book. Anyone looking for a dark and twisted story will probably thoroughly enjoy themselves with Venom & Black Swan!
August 14, 2025
A DANCE ON THE RAZOR'S EDGE OF DANGER & LONGING, OF DARK DESIRE & TWISTED DEVOTION
Vivienne has endured more than anyone should. Living with the mistakes of her father’s crimes, her stepmother's abuse, being bullied, SA-ed & 🍇. Yet she still holds on to hope. Hoping for her freedom, for her happiness, for someone who will accept & love her for who she is. She’s strong, resilient, & stubborn in the face of a life that keeps trying to break her.
Then there’s Lucan Raskovic. A man living with the split personality with his unborn twin, Zev. One side is a saviour who wants to protect her at all costs. The other is a predator who wants to consume and possess her completely. The tension between them, is dangerous & magnetic.
The deeper I went, the heavier it got. Raw emotion, gut-punch moments, and scenes that left me in shock & speechless. It’s dark, unhinged, and at times deeply uncomfortable, but in a way that keeps you glued in, unable to put the book down.
The cliffhanger(s)? Yes, there is more than one. Cruel. By the time I was done, I was left in shock, caught of guard & desperate. I need book 2 yesterday 😫 I just want answers.
This book was intense, suspenseful, chaotic, heartbreaking & obsession wrapped in a beautifully haunting storytelling. I’m still reeling.
It is immersive & beautifully brutal 🖤💙
Vivienne has endured more than anyone should. Living with the mistakes of her father’s crimes, her stepmother's abuse, being bullied, SA-ed & 🍇. Yet she still holds on to hope. Hoping for her freedom, for her happiness, for someone who will accept & love her for who she is. She’s strong, resilient, & stubborn in the face of a life that keeps trying to break her.
Then there’s Lucan Raskovic. A man living with the split personality with his unborn twin, Zev. One side is a saviour who wants to protect her at all costs. The other is a predator who wants to consume and possess her completely. The tension between them, is dangerous & magnetic.
The deeper I went, the heavier it got. Raw emotion, gut-punch moments, and scenes that left me in shock & speechless. It’s dark, unhinged, and at times deeply uncomfortable, but in a way that keeps you glued in, unable to put the book down.
The cliffhanger(s)? Yes, there is more than one. Cruel. By the time I was done, I was left in shock, caught of guard & desperate. I need book 2 yesterday 😫 I just want answers.
This book was intense, suspenseful, chaotic, heartbreaking & obsession wrapped in a beautifully haunting storytelling. I’m still reeling.
It is immersive & beautifully brutal 🖤💙
April 25, 2025
Venom and Black Swan by Rue Knightly is mind-blowing and incredibly hot, and here is my spoiler-free review: It is the first book in the Birds of Sorrow duet that features our main characters, Veronica and Raidon. Both of them are battling with inner demons as a consequence of the traumas they are facing in their lives. But you get to see how they find and devour the darkest parts of each other when they are together. You tell me they go to the bookstore together, read together, and update each other on their reading progress. Isn't that so cute? They are not just cute but incredibly hot together. I loved the book's plot, and it is best to go in blind. I almost loved the mystique because we don't fully know what is happening, so I am very excited for part 2. Also, Veronica and Shiro's friendship is gold. In general, the whole concept was unique and addicting. I am a slow reader, but the good pacing and writing of the book made me not put it down. 4.5 stars!! Thank you to the author for the arc, and happy release day!!
April 27, 2025
A brand new dark romance, one that I am truly obsessed with. I literally saw a reel on insta a couple of months ago and was immediately drawn in, and ran and signed up for the arc. Luckily I was selected and got to read this amazing book in advance.
It was so unique and written so beautifully. This truly is one of those books where it’s good to go in blind because it just makes the experience much better. Besides that, I absolutely loved the characters, the setting, the mystery, the intrigue, the romance, literally everything 🤭
I cannot wait for the second book to come out, i have SO many questions 🫢
Thank you to the author for an arc!
It was so unique and written so beautifully. This truly is one of those books where it’s good to go in blind because it just makes the experience much better. Besides that, I absolutely loved the characters, the setting, the mystery, the intrigue, the romance, literally everything 🤭
I cannot wait for the second book to come out, i have SO many questions 🫢
Thank you to the author for an arc!
April 30, 2025
✩✩✩.5
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
~
Venom and Black Swan is the 1st Book in the Birds of Sorrow Duet by Rue that follows Veronica 🖤
~
What can you expect in this debut novel:
🦢Mental Health Rep
🖤Grumpy x Sunshine
🦢Multi Personality Disorder
🖤Bondage
🦢Dubcon
🖤Age-Gap
🦢Touch her & 💀
~
This one is on the darker side of things, so please be sure to check all trigger warnings before you go getting involved 🖤
~
Veronica had such a hard start to life and incredibly traumatic childhood, She is the apple of her dads eye, but he has his own issues, being a convicted serial unaliver being one of them, but I can’t wait to read more about him 🙌🏻
~
I love me a morally grey MMC, it is hard to keep track of which personality you are dealing with so do keep an eye on the headers 🫶🏻
~
I cannot wait for the next book to get me some answer because some of the stuff happening at the end of the book 🤯🤩
~
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
~
Venom and Black Swan is the 1st Book in the Birds of Sorrow Duet by Rue that follows Veronica 🖤
~
What can you expect in this debut novel:
🦢Mental Health Rep
🖤Grumpy x Sunshine
🦢Multi Personality Disorder
🖤Bondage
🦢Dubcon
🖤Age-Gap
🦢Touch her & 💀
~
This one is on the darker side of things, so please be sure to check all trigger warnings before you go getting involved 🖤
~
Veronica had such a hard start to life and incredibly traumatic childhood, She is the apple of her dads eye, but he has his own issues, being a convicted serial unaliver being one of them, but I can’t wait to read more about him 🙌🏻
~
I love me a morally grey MMC, it is hard to keep track of which personality you are dealing with so do keep an eye on the headers 🫶🏻
~
I cannot wait for the next book to get me some answer because some of the stuff happening at the end of the book 🤯🤩
~
April 29, 2025
This book was dark, intense, and really emotional. It’s not a cute love story it’s messy, raw, and full of pain, but that’s what made it so good.
The girl in the story isn’t weak she’s strong in her own way. And the guy? He’s dangerous, a bit crazy, and totally obsessed with her. The kind of man who would burn the world just to keep her🔥
The writing is beautiful but also sharp. Every chapter kept me hooked & I felt every emotion.
If you like:
• age gap romance
• powerful, broken characters
• dark secrets
• love that feels more like obsession
Then this book is for you💋
I need the second part now. I’m not okay after that ending🥲
The girl in the story isn’t weak she’s strong in her own way. And the guy? He’s dangerous, a bit crazy, and totally obsessed with her. The kind of man who would burn the world just to keep her🔥
The writing is beautiful but also sharp. Every chapter kept me hooked & I felt every emotion.
If you like:
• age gap romance
• powerful, broken characters
• dark secrets
• love that feels more like obsession
Then this book is for you💋
I need the second part now. I’m not okay after that ending🥲
April 24, 2025
This was intense.
Multiple personalities in the MMC. Switching between morally grey and pitch black personalities.
This books claims a beauty and the beast retelling, but I am not sure I see it.
The "touch her and 💀" trope is strong in this one.
There is a scene where he has her bent over and pleasures her while making her watch a video of him unaliving a person who assaulted her few hours prior.
Unhinged and morally black MMCs are worth a read.
5⭐️
4🌶
I appreciate the opportunity to read this as an ARC.
Multiple personalities in the MMC. Switching between morally grey and pitch black personalities.
This books claims a beauty and the beast retelling, but I am not sure I see it.
The "touch her and 💀" trope is strong in this one.
There is a scene where he has her bent over and pleasures her while making her watch a video of him unaliving a person who assaulted her few hours prior.
Unhinged and morally black MMCs are worth a read.
5⭐️
4🌶
I appreciate the opportunity to read this as an ARC.
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