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The Kingdom of Deception
Centuries have passed since God turned His back on humanity, converting Earth into a hellish wasteland for angels that displeased him. The great Angelic Exodus set Fallen Angels free to roam and ravage the remnants of civilization, enslaving the weak and ruling with an iron fist. Among the shadows of despair, a few emerged as tyrants, the Hallowed Fallen, reigning over a broken world.
From the ashes of this despair rises Amara Ashenfall, sired by one of the very angels responsible for humanity's torment. When she is summoned into The Crucible— a harrowing rite of passage that all sired children must endure-her fate hangs in the balance. Thrust into the heart of the sinister Sanctum Metere, Amara faces a nightmarish transformation into a Nephilim, and indoctrination into the ranks of soldiers who serve the Hallowed Fallen.
As the brutal trials of The Crucible unfold, Amara finds herself ensnared in a web of violence, betrayal, and intrigue.It is here that she captures the cold, contemptuous gaze of her enigmatic instructor-an arrogant, mysterious man whose disdain for her burns as fiercely as her own hidden desire. together, they are engulfed in a tempest of conflicting loyalties and forbidden passions, each moment a haunting dance on the edge of life and death as she searches for truths he keeps hidden.
In a world where every choice could lead to salvation or death, Amara's world unfolds before her, truth becoming an ever shifting kaleidoscope. Will she rise to claim her destiny, or will fate spell the end of everything she holds dear? In this epic clash of wills, love and vengeance collide, and the line between hero and monster blurs into a gripping tale of survival against insurmountable odds.
From the ashes of this despair rises Amara Ashenfall, sired by one of the very angels responsible for humanity's torment. When she is summoned into The Crucible— a harrowing rite of passage that all sired children must endure-her fate hangs in the balance. Thrust into the heart of the sinister Sanctum Metere, Amara faces a nightmarish transformation into a Nephilim, and indoctrination into the ranks of soldiers who serve the Hallowed Fallen.
As the brutal trials of The Crucible unfold, Amara finds herself ensnared in a web of violence, betrayal, and intrigue.It is here that she captures the cold, contemptuous gaze of her enigmatic instructor-an arrogant, mysterious man whose disdain for her burns as fiercely as her own hidden desire. together, they are engulfed in a tempest of conflicting loyalties and forbidden passions, each moment a haunting dance on the edge of life and death as she searches for truths he keeps hidden.
In a world where every choice could lead to salvation or death, Amara's world unfolds before her, truth becoming an ever shifting kaleidoscope. Will she rise to claim her destiny, or will fate spell the end of everything she holds dear? In this epic clash of wills, love and vengeance collide, and the line between hero and monster blurs into a gripping tale of survival against insurmountable odds.
755 pages, Paperback
Published October 13, 2024
3 people are currently reading
45 people want to read
About the author
Luden Gray
2 books10 followersLuden Gray is a passionate writer and Master's of English Student. Luden describes themself as a lifelong learner of the writing discipline and is always looking to improve. A bookstore manager, and pet rescue volunteer, Luden stays busy but their fantasy worlds are always on their mind!
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
October 13, 2025
This book was SO GOOD. The writing and storyline was complex and kept me engaged the whole time. Seriously one of my favorite fantasy reads of the year and I can’t wait for the next book!!🔥🔥
June 26, 2025
Disclaimer: I’m not much a romance reader, at all. But an ARC copy of this book was sent to me with a promise for review, so I will be honest and thorough.
What do you get when you cross fallen angels that have no regard for humanity, a world ravaged by the ever encroaching doom of humanity under the thumb of the fallen, and one hard headed woman that’s hell bent on avoiding her destiny? Well, you get one heck of an action packed story… and I don’t mean just war action 😏😏😏🌶️🌶️🌶️
Amara Ashenfall is a sired child. She was born of one of the several fallen angels that now rule the ragged and depressed human lands she’s always known. Her mother was taken from her before she was old enough to hold any memory of it. And now, as she’s come of age, she’s expected to participate in The Crucible, a series of tests of her strength and overall composure, that end with her transitioning into a Nephilim. But she’s been on the run, not wanting to pursue her ‘destiny’. She craves human normalcy.
One day, approaching the next Crucible, she is captured by a mean, but heartbreakingly beautiful man that goes by the name of Cathmore. Turns out, he’s one of the instructors for the training that comes with the Crucible. He is absolutely abhorrently evil to her. In his eyes, as far as she can see, she is just a brat. But… is a part of her enjoying it? 🫣
This story takes Amara to places you won’t expect, both in her journey through the Crucible, as well as in several very dirty sexcapades. The end is devastating, and leaves you needing to know what happens next.
A solid and balanced mix of story and smut. Truly.
4⭐️s - docked one because of a trope that I personally just simply hate that was tacked on at the very end. Otherwise, will read the next one.
What do you get when you cross fallen angels that have no regard for humanity, a world ravaged by the ever encroaching doom of humanity under the thumb of the fallen, and one hard headed woman that’s hell bent on avoiding her destiny? Well, you get one heck of an action packed story… and I don’t mean just war action 😏😏😏🌶️🌶️🌶️
Amara Ashenfall is a sired child. She was born of one of the several fallen angels that now rule the ragged and depressed human lands she’s always known. Her mother was taken from her before she was old enough to hold any memory of it. And now, as she’s come of age, she’s expected to participate in The Crucible, a series of tests of her strength and overall composure, that end with her transitioning into a Nephilim. But she’s been on the run, not wanting to pursue her ‘destiny’. She craves human normalcy.
One day, approaching the next Crucible, she is captured by a mean, but heartbreakingly beautiful man that goes by the name of Cathmore. Turns out, he’s one of the instructors for the training that comes with the Crucible. He is absolutely abhorrently evil to her. In his eyes, as far as she can see, she is just a brat. But… is a part of her enjoying it? 🫣
This story takes Amara to places you won’t expect, both in her journey through the Crucible, as well as in several very dirty sexcapades. The end is devastating, and leaves you needing to know what happens next.
A solid and balanced mix of story and smut. Truly.
4⭐️s - docked one because of a trope that I personally just simply hate that was tacked on at the very end. Otherwise, will read the next one.
November 7, 2025
This is probably one of the most under-hyped books I’ve read in a long time. The characters, the plot, the spice, and the suspense had me absolutely hooked. Honestly, I stumbled across this book while doom scrolling through KU, and the blurb instantly caught my attention. I’m usually not into dystopian fantasy, but this one completely changed my mind. The ending wrecked me, and now I’ll be (impatiently) waiting for the next book, Luden Gray—no pressure!
December 7, 2025
I really enjoyed this book! looking forward to the next book this author comes out with!
April 8, 2025
This is one of the best books I have read!!! I went into this book thinking from the description that it was some action fantasy, with some spice. Boy was I wrong! If you are a smutty dark romance girlie, this book is for you! But even though the ending kinda wrecks your heart, the end was so good and sweet!!! And I hope with everything in me that there will be a second book soon!! This book had me not being able to pry my eyes off of these pages! I was going through all of the emotions with this book. I was crying, I was screaming, I was laughing, my mouth was gaping through some of these spicy scenes. Literally astonished by every page. And I am usually not this into a book. The only other book series that is apart of my favorites is of course, ACOTAR. This book be taking the top of the cake on my list. I have never been so into a book! This book has wrecked me!! Especially the end of the book with the epilogue, I was not expecting what happened! And that's with the whole book!! Like you can't predict what's going to happen because there is so much creativity the author can use with the storyline. I am so honored that I got a pre-signed copy from the author when I bought it! I didn't know the meaning of what the author signed in the book at the time, which is, "we are not mortals, we are eternity" but now, it be making me bawl😭💀. I'm telling ya'll this book is dark, but the ending is great, amazing, and sweet and I cannot wait to see where this story goes!! I hope with everything in me that Luden Gray becomes famous and I get to meet them, eventually shake their hand and tell them how good their book is....
November 14, 2025
I have a rule that anyone brave enough to write a book (let alone fantasy) AND self publish deserves at least a 3 in my eyes. The courage and passion: 5 stars.
So at first I could not stop reading this book, there are pieces that are amazing, pieces that make me uncomfy but I can respect the symbolism, and the writing is amazing. It’s also noticeably self published with quite a few typos/grammatical errors which I actually didn’t mind because it’s really freaking cool Luden published her own book. The fact the first book she wrote is this detailed and in depth is impressive. It’s giving fourth wing and hunger game vibes meet fifty shades of grey but darker.
I loved the first 200 pages. Truly LOVED them. Developed the characters and plot quickly which I loved, had me hooked and curious what the whole point was of everything, thought Luden’s writing was very impressive. Beautiful creativity woven throughout the pages.
Then 200-400 lost me for a bit. Not really my style. Chapter 14 needs a MUCH more significant trigger warning, I had nightmares. Then it picked up right as I thought the “why” of the whole storyline was coming to play and then it didn’t until literally the last 30-50 pages which I thought was a bummer.
It was A LOT of dark smut and I found myself being like ‘come on already help us understand the magic or the training better and dive into the war scenes more’—there was so much potential in some chapters but instead it felt a bit choppy and overdone with smut where story telling could’ve kept weaving in with smut organically accenting it.
All in all, it was great considering how hard fantasy is to write and it was Luden’s first book.
So at first I could not stop reading this book, there are pieces that are amazing, pieces that make me uncomfy but I can respect the symbolism, and the writing is amazing. It’s also noticeably self published with quite a few typos/grammatical errors which I actually didn’t mind because it’s really freaking cool Luden published her own book. The fact the first book she wrote is this detailed and in depth is impressive. It’s giving fourth wing and hunger game vibes meet fifty shades of grey but darker.
I loved the first 200 pages. Truly LOVED them. Developed the characters and plot quickly which I loved, had me hooked and curious what the whole point was of everything, thought Luden’s writing was very impressive. Beautiful creativity woven throughout the pages.
Then 200-400 lost me for a bit. Not really my style. Chapter 14 needs a MUCH more significant trigger warning, I had nightmares. Then it picked up right as I thought the “why” of the whole storyline was coming to play and then it didn’t until literally the last 30-50 pages which I thought was a bummer.
It was A LOT of dark smut and I found myself being like ‘come on already help us understand the magic or the training better and dive into the war scenes more’—there was so much potential in some chapters but instead it felt a bit choppy and overdone with smut where story telling could’ve kept weaving in with smut organically accenting it.
All in all, it was great considering how hard fantasy is to write and it was Luden’s first book.
December 13, 2025
This book is dark, immersive, and far more intense than I expected (in the best way)
The Kingdom of Deception takes place in a brutal world where God has abandoned humanity and Fallen Angels rule what remains of civilization. The setting immediately feels oppressive and unforgiving, where power, violence, and control dictate survival. The atmosphere is heavy, suffocating, and vividly imagined.
Our FMC is a sired child of one of the Fallen Angels, and she is trapped between a destiny she never chose and a deep desire for freedom and normalcy. Her forced participation in The Crucible, a harrowing rite that transforms both body and fate, is raw, tense, and emotionally draining.
The dynamic between Amara and her instructor adds a charged and unsettling layer to the story. Their interactions are hostile, complex, and laced with conflicting power and desire, creating a push-and-pull that is equal parts maddening and addictive. This relationship is tightly woven into the book’s larger themes of autonomy, control, and identity.
THE WRITING IS SO IMMERSIVE!! The trials are relentless, the stakes never feel distant, and the tension rarely lets up. This is a story about survival and whether someone can hold onto themselves in a world designed to break them down completely.
Dark, violent, and emotionally heavy, The Kingdom of Deception balances intense action, a grimly fascinating world, and a romance that walks the line between forbidden and dangerous. The ending hit hard and left me eager (and wrecked!!!!!) for what comes next.
The Kingdom of Deception takes place in a brutal world where God has abandoned humanity and Fallen Angels rule what remains of civilization. The setting immediately feels oppressive and unforgiving, where power, violence, and control dictate survival. The atmosphere is heavy, suffocating, and vividly imagined.
Our FMC is a sired child of one of the Fallen Angels, and she is trapped between a destiny she never chose and a deep desire for freedom and normalcy. Her forced participation in The Crucible, a harrowing rite that transforms both body and fate, is raw, tense, and emotionally draining.
The dynamic between Amara and her instructor adds a charged and unsettling layer to the story. Their interactions are hostile, complex, and laced with conflicting power and desire, creating a push-and-pull that is equal parts maddening and addictive. This relationship is tightly woven into the book’s larger themes of autonomy, control, and identity.
THE WRITING IS SO IMMERSIVE!! The trials are relentless, the stakes never feel distant, and the tension rarely lets up. This is a story about survival and whether someone can hold onto themselves in a world designed to break them down completely.
Dark, violent, and emotionally heavy, The Kingdom of Deception balances intense action, a grimly fascinating world, and a romance that walks the line between forbidden and dangerous. The ending hit hard and left me eager (and wrecked!!!!!) for what comes next.
November 18, 2025
This book blew me away! Do not take the trigger warning at the beginning lightly! This is dark, not just 'oh he stalked me and I love him dark' but genuinely the darkest side of humanity turned to words. This book calls morals into question, illustrates just how cruel people can be but also how deeply people can love. I'll never get over Cathmore, Kit and Elichai have my heart! Amara's resilience is so inspiring! I adore her character ARC and her strength. I need another book ASAP. I haven't felt like this about a book since.... well ever. This book doesn't fallow a classic blueprint that one would expect of a romantasy, it is instead brilliantly a work of its own. Finding out that this is the first published book by this author honestly blows my mind. And its self published? If this author had a publisher, this would hands down be a best seller. BRB telling everyone I know to read this so I can talk to more people about it.
June 20, 2025
The Kingdom of Deception by Luden Gray completely swept me away. I absolutely loved Amara- she’s bold, magnetic, and her dynamic with the male lead had me hooked from the very beginning. Their chemistry crackled on the page, and every interaction between them felt charged with both emotion and tension, I couldn’t get enough of them!! The story had a good balance of world building and information while still keeping the plot going strong. In my opinion, the balance between plot and spice was perfect —neither overwhelmed the other, which made the whole experience feel immersive and satisfying. I felt ALLLL the emotions throughout the story, and the ending wrecked me. This book had me in a chokehold, and I didn’t want it to end! I’m praying for a second book so I can keep myself immersed in this story! Until then, I’ll be waiting on more stories from Luden Gray 🤍
August 31, 2025
I honestly wasn’t prepared for how immersive this story would be. The lore alone is staggering the idea that God abandoned humanity and angels turned into overlords is both chilling and fascinating. What stood out to me was the atmosphere of Sanctum Metere. It’s oppressive, suffocating, and yet I could picture every cold hallway, every ritual, every cruel test. Gray’s writing is cinematic, and I often felt like I was watching a movie unfold in my head. Amara’s trials in The Crucible were raw and nerve shredding, and there were moments where I had to stop and breathe because the tension was relentless. Her push-and-pull dynamic with her instructor added a whole different layer equal parts maddening and addictive. By the end, I wasn’t just invested in whether she survived. I needed to know if she’d hold onto herself in a world designed to strip her bare.
August 18, 2025
This book kept me hooked. Especially from chapter 2 on. It’s the kind of story that lingers after you finish. Luden’s writing is immersive, detailed and lyrical at times. The pacing makes me feel on edge and deeply invested. The characters are multi layered and complex. I loved how they felt real and flawed at the same time.
This book explores betrayal, identity, trust, survival, personal growth and development in a way that felt intense. Expect very dark and emotional moments.
Without giving anything away, I can say that this story is full of unexpected turns and reveals that make you question everything. It’s a ride you’ll want to experience without spoilers. If you enjoy twisty plots, a lot of spice, and dark romantacy, then this book will be right up your alley.
This book explores betrayal, identity, trust, survival, personal growth and development in a way that felt intense. Expect very dark and emotional moments.
Without giving anything away, I can say that this story is full of unexpected turns and reveals that make you question everything. It’s a ride you’ll want to experience without spoilers. If you enjoy twisty plots, a lot of spice, and dark romantacy, then this book will be right up your alley.
June 20, 2025
I found this author on TikTok and WOW! Not an average tiktok find at all! This is a WRITER. Save for barely a handful of missed spelling issues and one missed editors note, the book itself is immaculate! This made me adore self published authors even more because the work you can tell was poured into this is so so good. The story is what really kept me though! The plot is immersive and really sunk its teeth into me. Ugh I really need someone to talk to about this book! Especially the ending!!!! I hope to see more from this author. (Hopefully even a sequel to this one).
November 15, 2024
Genuinely really enjoyed this book! One of my favorite things to do is read books from fresh authors! Especially ones local to my area! The female lead, Amara is such a badass and well thought out character, and her chemistry (or lack thereof) with the other characters is absolute *chefs kiss*!
Definitely give it a shot if you want to read work from a fresh artist who already is showing so much promise as an author!
Definitely give it a shot if you want to read work from a fresh artist who already is showing so much promise as an author!
August 20, 2025
Wow. Like?? Wow. I need more people to talk to about this!!
Cathmore has my heart, Kit and Elichai?? I adore them! Amara is such a badass! The world building is amazing, it’s not just thrown at you but peppered in so you grow to know it with the main character.
I need more! After that ending, I cried and thought about it for days. I really need more by this author! If you haven’t, read this immediately!
Cathmore has my heart, Kit and Elichai?? I adore them! Amara is such a badass! The world building is amazing, it’s not just thrown at you but peppered in so you grow to know it with the main character.
I need more! After that ending, I cried and thought about it for days. I really need more by this author! If you haven’t, read this immediately!
July 3, 2025
Bought this book on vacation and literally could not put it down. Read the entire thing in less than a week. You fall in love with the characters, there’s romance, suspense and mystery. The book is simply amazing. It inspired me so much to get back into reading but have yet to find another book that stole me away like this one. Can’t wait for the next one!!
May 7, 2025
So glad to find this little known book on here. I throughly enjoyed this adventure! Spice, romance, high stakes, a society of fallen angels? I was enthralled all the way through! So glad to have snagged a sign copy too <3
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews