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The Butcher #1
Flawed
"You are this beautiful thing I want to destroy."
Blood.
That's the only memory he carries from a childhood he does not remember. And now it is all he knows. Blood is his life.
Knox Bishop has done a lot of horrible things, all at the command of the man who holds his leash. It's a matter of loyalty for him. Allegiance to the man who saved his life when he was a child. So he goes where he is needed and does what he is told. He tortures. He kills. He kills. He tortures. It is an unrelenting cycle that he constantly craves and can never quite satisfy.
Until her.
Eighteen year old Lacey Barnes distributes her assets to fund her dreams. Medical school is the end game and she is determined to get there by any means necessary. But a family member's careless mistake derails her plans and now she must pay a price in order to save him.
She goes to Knox willingly offering him the only valuable thing she has. Herself. In doing so he allows her into his world, a world she quickly realizes is void of any light and hope for escape is utterly elusive. But escape is something she finds that she no longer wants.
"He lays a path of pleasure laced agony for me to follow and I do. Stupidly I follow him down the blinding darkness of his euphoric hell."
Disclaimer: This is book is intended for mature audiences (18+) due to description of violence and sexual situations.
Blood.
That's the only memory he carries from a childhood he does not remember. And now it is all he knows. Blood is his life.
Knox Bishop has done a lot of horrible things, all at the command of the man who holds his leash. It's a matter of loyalty for him. Allegiance to the man who saved his life when he was a child. So he goes where he is needed and does what he is told. He tortures. He kills. He kills. He tortures. It is an unrelenting cycle that he constantly craves and can never quite satisfy.
Until her.
Eighteen year old Lacey Barnes distributes her assets to fund her dreams. Medical school is the end game and she is determined to get there by any means necessary. But a family member's careless mistake derails her plans and now she must pay a price in order to save him.
She goes to Knox willingly offering him the only valuable thing she has. Herself. In doing so he allows her into his world, a world she quickly realizes is void of any light and hope for escape is utterly elusive. But escape is something she finds that she no longer wants.
"He lays a path of pleasure laced agony for me to follow and I do. Stupidly I follow him down the blinding darkness of his euphoric hell."
Disclaimer: This is book is intended for mature audiences (18+) due to description of violence and sexual situations.
281 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 8, 2014
76 people are currently reading
6212 people want to read
About the author
Francette Phal
12 books1,302 followersFrancette lives in Massachusetts with her amazingly supportive husband of ten years and her darling two year old son. Reading amazing books has led her to writing and she’s dabbled in fan-fiction before self-publishing her own works. She’s constantly thinking up new stories to write and does her best work when music is playing in the background. Romance is where she’s most comfortable but she hopes to one day venture in mystery novels. She has a weakness for coffee ice cream, tropical fruits and a good glass of wine.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 393 reviews
August 5, 2015
4.5 I Want My Mama Now Stars
Do you like dark romance that have a redeemable hero that slowly succumbs to his inevitable love for the heroine? Perhaps an anti-hero that has what you'd like to think is a semblance of a conscience? Well fuck that and your delicate sensibilities! Because you sure as fuck won't find it here!
I'm serious. This book is like the love child that would result if Seduced In The Dark and Dexter ever had wild monkey sex and then had a baby that was seriously fucked in the head. Holy mother this was all sorts of fucked up. It was also Francette Phal's best book to date. If you're like me and have read every other book that this author has written, then you know she leans towards the super angsty, a little gritty, a lot dark, and seriously fucked up stories. Well, this is her most dark and fucked up yet.
If you're looking for an anti-hero that is unapologetically flawed (pun intended), meet Knox. A serial killer, a cold and brutal borderline sociopath. This is not a man that will make your happy place tingle. This is a man that will have you quivering in fear and questioning your sanity because you find yourself liking it...and then finding that your happy place tingles. (Just don't expect that till pretty much the very end of the book)
Lacey is a product of her circumstances. A high school senior who has all the skills to get into the best universities...if only she wasn't constantly taking care of her junky mother and a brother that she's constantly bailing out of trouble.
Your heart will break for this girl and everything that she goes through. The author spares no gritty or painful detail when it comes to what she deals with on a daily basis.
But then her life takes an unimaginable turn when she meets him.
If you're looking for a book that is dark but has this undercurrent of a budding romance, this is NOT that. Not at all. At least not yet. There is nothing soft or even redeeming about Knox in this book. He is a cold and ruthless bastard. There are scenes of borderline non-consent. There are also scenes of extremely graphic violence. Knox doesn't look at the Lacey and all of a sudden become a different person. Fuck no! He's just as cold and ruthless with her...
Yeah. Exactly.
This book takes you deep into the underbelly of a Boston crime family. It's depraved, and dark, and violent. It spares no details and makes no excuses. There's murder, rape, human trafficking, and then there's the beautiful faces with the ruthless hearts that run it all. It's fucked up is what I'm trying to tell you here. Don't expect any moments of light or any dose of happy.
Through all this the author manages to build an inexplicable connection between a predator and his prey. This truly goes to show you Francette's talent as a writer because as depraved as it was, you'll believe it, you'll actually find yourself rooting for this couple at the end and yet you won't have the slightest idea why.
I can honestly tell you that this is one of the darkest books I've read to date. When I finished it I wanted a hug, a shot, and my mama...maybe not in that exact order. I can also tell you that it was a book I couldn't put down for even a second. If the second book was already out, I'd be diving straight into it because it was THAT good.
Notice that I barely gave you any details about the plot? That's because it's best that way. Trust me when I say you don't want to read any reviews before reading this one because you'll just ruin the entire effect. You want to experience it along with the characters; the surprises, the secrets, the revelations, everything.
This is part 1 of a 2 book series and it does end with a cliffy. A big one in my opinion. A cliffy so bad that I'm practically foaming at the mouth for the next book. But I recommend you read this right away anyway, if anything just to experience the crazy along with me. As a matter of fact I'm still trying to find my sanity after finishing this and loving it as much as I did.
ARC courtesy of author in exchange for an honest review
For more reviews visit
Have you ever looked at something so beautiful, so utterly alluring that you just wanted to destroy it? That's what you are to me. You are this beautiful thing I want to destroy.
Do you like dark romance that have a redeemable hero that slowly succumbs to his inevitable love for the heroine? Perhaps an anti-hero that has what you'd like to think is a semblance of a conscience? Well fuck that and your delicate sensibilities! Because you sure as fuck won't find it here!
I'm serious. This book is like the love child that would result if Seduced In The Dark and Dexter ever had wild monkey sex and then had a baby that was seriously fucked in the head. Holy mother this was all sorts of fucked up. It was also Francette Phal's best book to date. If you're like me and have read every other book that this author has written, then you know she leans towards the super angsty, a little gritty, a lot dark, and seriously fucked up stories. Well, this is her most dark and fucked up yet.
If you're looking for an anti-hero that is unapologetically flawed (pun intended), meet Knox. A serial killer, a cold and brutal borderline sociopath. This is not a man that will make your happy place tingle. This is a man that will have you quivering in fear and questioning your sanity because you find yourself liking it...and then finding that your happy place tingles. (Just don't expect that till pretty much the very end of the book)
Lacey is a product of her circumstances. A high school senior who has all the skills to get into the best universities...if only she wasn't constantly taking care of her junky mother and a brother that she's constantly bailing out of trouble.
Your heart will break for this girl and everything that she goes through. The author spares no gritty or painful detail when it comes to what she deals with on a daily basis.
But then her life takes an unimaginable turn when she meets him.
If you're looking for a book that is dark but has this undercurrent of a budding romance, this is NOT that. Not at all. At least not yet. There is nothing soft or even redeeming about Knox in this book. He is a cold and ruthless bastard. There are scenes of borderline non-consent. There are also scenes of extremely graphic violence. Knox doesn't look at the Lacey and all of a sudden become a different person. Fuck no! He's just as cold and ruthless with her...
Yeah. Exactly.
This book takes you deep into the underbelly of a Boston crime family. It's depraved, and dark, and violent. It spares no details and makes no excuses. There's murder, rape, human trafficking, and then there's the beautiful faces with the ruthless hearts that run it all. It's fucked up is what I'm trying to tell you here. Don't expect any moments of light or any dose of happy.
Through all this the author manages to build an inexplicable connection between a predator and his prey. This truly goes to show you Francette's talent as a writer because as depraved as it was, you'll believe it, you'll actually find yourself rooting for this couple at the end and yet you won't have the slightest idea why.
I can honestly tell you that this is one of the darkest books I've read to date. When I finished it I wanted a hug, a shot, and my mama...maybe not in that exact order. I can also tell you that it was a book I couldn't put down for even a second. If the second book was already out, I'd be diving straight into it because it was THAT good.
Notice that I barely gave you any details about the plot? That's because it's best that way. Trust me when I say you don't want to read any reviews before reading this one because you'll just ruin the entire effect. You want to experience it along with the characters; the surprises, the secrets, the revelations, everything.
This is part 1 of a 2 book series and it does end with a cliffy. A big one in my opinion. A cliffy so bad that I'm practically foaming at the mouth for the next book. But I recommend you read this right away anyway, if anything just to experience the crazy along with me. As a matter of fact I'm still trying to find my sanity after finishing this and loving it as much as I did.
ARC courtesy of author in exchange for an honest review
For more reviews visit
November 15, 2014
”Have you ever looked at something so beautiful, so utterly alluring that you just wanted to destroy it? That’s what you are to me. You are this beautiful thing I want to destroy.”
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This story is written with the povs of Lacey, Knox and Latia all of which were well done and disturbing. Lacey Barnes is a high school prostitute who has been turning tricks trying to save money for college and eventually medical school. She supports her drug addicted mother and her get rich quick schemer brother. She will never let them fall and always bails them out no matter the trouble or the price tag. School is terrible since the students know about her prostitution endeavors but Lacey does have one friend, Tyler.
This time her brother, Dante has gotten himself in deep financial trouble with some really dangerous people. Que in Knox Bishop, an assassin with serial killer tendencies who attacks Dante for the money he owes the Russian organization. Lacey steps in to protect her brother and gets mixed up with Knox. Knox is taken with Lacey and she is given a deal of twenty-five sessions with Knox in his vault for the$25,000 her brother owes.
Latia is Knox’s adoptive sister and the daughter of Yuri the head of this Russian crime family. She is a bit of a two face, kind and giving to the public while trafficking young girls for a profit with aspirations of taking over her father’s organization upon his death. Latia is also obsessed with Knox and so the story progresses.
"It amuses me to manipulate your emotions, to see how much I can give you before I rip it all away again."
"You have this one fundamental flaw, Lacey. And that is your foolish need to control everything around you, when really, you are the one meant to be controlled all you need is the proper hand to steer you. This inherent need you have for pain goes beautifully with my need to cause it."
Latia interferes with Knox and Lacey's arrangement and thus the story takes a terrible turn.
"Please don't let them take me. I belong to you."
"Everything I do now is for her, to protect her. She is the only one that sustains me. The only person in this world I cannot do without. She is the one person I will not share. She is mine."
Overall this was a well written story that was twisted with just the right about of hope for a romantic ending someday. Please be warned this is a cliffhanger ending and I don’t even see the next book listed… shame on me for not checking before I went in. I’m told that book two is due sometime mid 2015.
November 6, 2014
FULL REVIEW TO COME
"Brave, stupid little girl, you can't even begin to imagine all the things I'm going to do to you.
I have one request. I ask that before you start reading this book you have a look at my shelves, that's my one and only warning. If you're a fan of Francette's work like I am. Then you'll know that when you start one her books, you should expect a few things.
1. Angst (more like angst fest)
2. Drama (Family drama to be exact)
3. Tortured main characters (and I mean torture yo)
4. You're going to have to find that zen place inside of you and try to stay there throughout the book.
Now that I've got that out of the way, I should mention that this book is probably the darkest that Francette has ever written. So maybe you'll understand why I was a bit thrown when I started it. I've read darker but this book was pretty dark, and Knox was pretty cold in the beginning.
"Every time you fight me, I want to rip into you...I want to reach inside you and tear you apart."
"Brave, stupid little girl, you can't even begin to imagine all the things I'm going to do to you.
I have one request. I ask that before you start reading this book you have a look at my shelves, that's my one and only warning. If you're a fan of Francette's work like I am. Then you'll know that when you start one her books, you should expect a few things.
1. Angst (more like angst fest)
2. Drama (Family drama to be exact)
3. Tortured main characters (and I mean torture yo)
4. You're going to have to find that zen place inside of you and try to stay there throughout the book.
Now that I've got that out of the way, I should mention that this book is probably the darkest that Francette has ever written. So maybe you'll understand why I was a bit thrown when I started it. I've read darker but this book was pretty dark, and Knox was pretty cold in the beginning.
"Every time you fight me, I want to rip into you...I want to reach inside you and tear you apart."
November 16, 2014
4 FLAWED STARS ★★★★
"You have this one fundamental flaw, Lacey. And that is your foolish need to control everything around you, when really, you are the one meant to be controlled, all you need is the proper hand to steer you."
I think one of the best things about these reads is that I can never expect how dark it can be, which makes it highly exciting for me before I dive in. It's easy to say that it's a dark read but there's just so many angles that this sub-genre could cover, whether it'd be pain-inflicting, torture-inducing or some form of psychological abuse.
I've never read this author's work before but oh boy, this one definitely covered ALL of the above. *gulps* It literally made my heart pitter-patter as the author displays depravity in its truest and coldest form that had me hugging my kitty plushie as I read this.
Flawed begins with 18-year old Lacey, an ambitious girl who has her eyes set on medical school but coming from a troubled family with an addict of a mum and an elder brother who gambles his money away, Lacey has only ever known one thing. Survival.
It's really hard not to sympathize with Lacey's character and there is not an ounce of selfish bone in that girl as she puts everyone's needs above hers. The author's writing was fantastic in a way that lets you connect with Lacey and lets you feel the fear and trepidation in a young girl who has to sell herself just to make ends meet.
And then there's Knox, the anti-hero that you'd hate to love. I must say that I was enamoured from his character from the get-go. The author allowed us to tap into his disturbing, twisted mind and even with that, you'd be left conflicted on how you should feel about him. I definitely do not condone his actions at all; it made me squirm, it made me wanna hack him into pieces but at the same time, I was still drawn to him like a moth to a flame. To put it mildly, I love AND hate Knox at the same time; he was definitely an enigma that you'd want to learn more about.
There were several scenes that even myself as an avid dark reader found it almost difficult to read, my heart and mind were tortured as I gripped the edges on my Kindle tightly while reading them. These are very complex characters you'll meet and there is simply no sugar-coating on whatever happens in this book. Like I said earlier, depravity at its finest.
Overall, Flawed certainly brings out the dark in a dark read. It's alluring, it's twisted and it's certainly not for the faint-hearted. It deals with some aspects that few readers might not be comfortable with and only showing a tiny glimmer of romance.
Although it ends with a nail-biting cliffhanger, I'm very excited and eager to see where the author will bring the story and its flawed characters in the next instalment.
Flawed is the first part in a 2-part series and the sequel is due in 2015.
ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
"You have this one fundamental flaw, Lacey. And that is your foolish need to control everything around you, when really, you are the one meant to be controlled, all you need is the proper hand to steer you."
I think one of the best things about these reads is that I can never expect how dark it can be, which makes it highly exciting for me before I dive in. It's easy to say that it's a dark read but there's just so many angles that this sub-genre could cover, whether it'd be pain-inflicting, torture-inducing or some form of psychological abuse.
I've never read this author's work before but oh boy, this one definitely covered ALL of the above. *gulps* It literally made my heart pitter-patter as the author displays depravity in its truest and coldest form that had me hugging my kitty plushie as I read this.
Flawed begins with 18-year old Lacey, an ambitious girl who has her eyes set on medical school but coming from a troubled family with an addict of a mum and an elder brother who gambles his money away, Lacey has only ever known one thing. Survival.
It's really hard not to sympathize with Lacey's character and there is not an ounce of selfish bone in that girl as she puts everyone's needs above hers. The author's writing was fantastic in a way that lets you connect with Lacey and lets you feel the fear and trepidation in a young girl who has to sell herself just to make ends meet.
"I know I am the one constant in this never ending cycle of fuckery. I don't know who I killed in my past life, but it seems I'm paying for it in this one."
And then there's Knox, the anti-hero that you'd hate to love. I must say that I was enamoured from his character from the get-go. The author allowed us to tap into his disturbing, twisted mind and even with that, you'd be left conflicted on how you should feel about him. I definitely do not condone his actions at all; it made me squirm, it made me wanna hack him into pieces but at the same time, I was still drawn to him like a moth to a flame. To put it mildly, I love AND hate Knox at the same time; he was definitely an enigma that you'd want to learn more about.
"And my past assumptions that she is just like me, flawed, empty inside, reaching blindly in the darkness for something, anything to grab and annihilate just to feel alive."
There were several scenes that even myself as an avid dark reader found it almost difficult to read, my heart and mind were tortured as I gripped the edges on my Kindle tightly while reading them. These are very complex characters you'll meet and there is simply no sugar-coating on whatever happens in this book. Like I said earlier, depravity at its finest.
"Have you ever looked at something so beautiful, so utterly alluring that you just wanted to destroy it? That’s what you are to me. You are this beautiful thing I want to destroy."
Overall, Flawed certainly brings out the dark in a dark read. It's alluring, it's twisted and it's certainly not for the faint-hearted. It deals with some aspects that few readers might not be comfortable with and only showing a tiny glimmer of romance.
Although it ends with a nail-biting cliffhanger, I'm very excited and eager to see where the author will bring the story and its flawed characters in the next instalment.
Flawed is the first part in a 2-part series and the sequel is due in 2015.
ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
October 15, 2016
What. The. Hell. Was. That!
This book just totally CAPTIVATED me,I LOVED it,it's one of my favourite books ever. Describing it as "Dark and disturbing" is an understatatement this is a crazier version of Dexter but i loved it, these kind of books brings the sadist in me, The dark side that i chose to ignore, This Author did a brilliant job in taking the reader into the troubled mind of Knox,I could feel every emotion he was going through, it makes me wonder if i’m as fucked up as these characters are! PS: the cover is amazing!
I NEED BOOK 2 NOW!
This book just totally CAPTIVATED me,I LOVED it,it's one of my favourite books ever. Describing it as "Dark and disturbing" is an understatatement this is a crazier version of Dexter but i loved it, these kind of books brings the sadist in me, The dark side that i chose to ignore, This Author did a brilliant job in taking the reader into the troubled mind of Knox,I could feel every emotion he was going through, it makes me wonder if i’m as fucked up as these characters are! PS: the cover is amazing!
I NEED BOOK 2 NOW!
February 7, 2017
“You will always have a choice with me, Lacey, but you must be prepared for the consequences.”
“Flawed” is a dark, gritty and disturbing at times read that will definitely blow your mind. It’s not the darkest book I’ve read, but it was for sure a mindfuckery. a mindfuckery with so many dark themes. I think, this is the first book I’ve read that has so many. However, I can’t complain. I devoured it, I enjoyed and I want more! This author is not a new author to me, so I can say for sure that “Flawed” is the best book I’ve read from her. The plot, the writing, everything was better. This book it’s not only dark. It’s intense, at times even sexy in a strange way and it doesn’t have any romance.(at least this installment) It's just...DARK
“I know I am the one constant in this never ending cycle of fuckery. I don’t know who I killed in my past life, but it seems I’m paying for it in this one.”
Lacey is an 18 years old girl who was forced to grow up too fast. To provide for her drug addict mother and for her loser brother "Mr. Let’s-Find-a-Get-Rich-Quick-Scheme", she prostitutes herself. Despite the fact her family is a broken one, Lacey has dreams and goals. She dreams to go to college and eventually to medical school.
Her life changes when she meets Knox.
“I’m not what you would call normal. The word has no meaning to me. But I’ve been pretending to act normal.”
Knox is dark. He’s a sociopath. He’s an assassin with serial killer tendencies who has no conscience. He actually enjoys killing people. The moment she meets Lacey, he becomes fascinated with her. She intrigues him like no other. He wants to have her, to test her limits, to capture her, to torture her.
Lacey knows Knox is a dangerous man. However, she’s drawn to him. If at first she thought she figured out who Knox is, soon she will find out he's not like her usual johns. Her body seems to have a mind on its own. It responds to her captor and she can’t do anything about it. She doesn’t know how his mind works, one minute he makes her want him and the next he makes her hate him.
“I can smell how badly you want to be controlled. And rest assured, Lacey, there will only ever be one man who pulls your leash. (…) Me.”
Katia is Knox’s adoptive sister. She is manipulative, cold and almost the female version of Knox. She has a human trafficking organization and she cares only for two things – to have more power and to have Knox for herself.
Things get complicated when Katia finds out about Lacey and wants to get rid of her.
The story is told from three poinst of view (Lacey, Knox and Katia) which I found very interesting. Each of them is captivating in their own way.
Lacey is a great heroine. She’s strong, she wants to have a future, to become someone. She doesn’t want to be like her mother and brother. My heart really broke from her. She is smart and she also has a big heart. She wants to help her family, even if they don’t care too much for her. Lacey just wants someone to care for her, to value her and maybe even love her.
I really admired her tenacity and I also admired her strength when it comes to her “relationship” with Knox. She’s determined to fight and not let Know destroy her spirit. She is a survivor and a fighter.
It was a great to be in Knox’s head. I really enjoyed his POV. At times, like Lacey I felt a little confused by him. There's no doubt he's an intriguing man. I must admit I’m more fascinating by him, than the other characters. I really hope he will redeem himself in the future.
Lacey and Knox’s relationship practically doesn’t progress at all. In the end, Knox remains the captor and Lacey the captive. I can only hope in some way, everything will change in the future for them. Anyway, there’s a strong connection between them and you can really feel it. The sex scenes are not always consensual and they are intense and violent.
The cliffy in the end?!?Gahhh!!!I want the next book so bad!NOW!
All in all, “Flawed” was a captivating dark read with fascinating characters and great writing and I can’t wait for the next installment!
“Everything I do now is for her, to protect her. She is the only one that sustains me. The only person in this world I cannot do without. She is the one person I will not share.She is mine.”
March 14, 2015
Title: Flawed (The Butcher, #1)
Series: The Butcher #1
Author: Francette Phal
Release Date: 10th November, 2014
Rating: 4.5 "I start to hum" Stars
Cliffhanger: Yes
HEA:
To say I enjoyed this read is an understatement. Francette Phal emotionally took me further than I was willing to go without being prepared. I read the blurb and although it read dark, I wasn't prepared for how dark the story would go. I loved it and I don't know how to feel about that.
I am not weak. I have never been weak. I fight. Despite the odds, I always fight.
Lacey is an 18 year old girl who lives a desperate life, she's a survivor and does what she needs to with the little she has. With a mother and brother in name only, her misplaced need to protect them results in her being placed in cold, uncaring clutches of Knox.
Lacey is one my favourite characters by far. She is loyal to those who don't deserve it, sacrificing herself when she should be protected. She's a fighter when most would be broken. I felt her trepidation, her fear, her horror and gave her my tears. I also felt her inner turmoil, her confusion, her want.
I know I’m built differently, everything in me has been arranged backwards. My thought patterns are abnormal. Emotions blunted. I never understood why people feel the need to make connections.
Knox is quite possibly insane, I felt true conflict when it came to my feelings towards him. He is not kind, he is not patient, he feels nothing and disturbingly I wanted more. I didn't enjoy the things he did but I did enjoy being inside his head, ironically I found it calmer than the chaos he brought. The small glimpse we get of his past gives me hope that he's not lost and his action at the end have me surprisingly championing him.
There isn't much that takes place behind closed doors, as readers we are exposed to it all. As much as it was hard to take at times, I rejoice in the commitment the author displayed in her characters. It was a dark read and she made no allowances. I'm excited and nervous to see where the story goes from here, I know it won't be easy on frazzled nerves but I can't wait all the same.
ARC kindly Provided in exchange for an honest review. Thank You!!
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February 23, 2016
DNF@ 55%
Well, here we are again with another "dark romance." You know, the kind where the hero is twisted beyond redemption and then sees that one special gal who simultaneously brings out his darkest urges and desires like no other woman before. Ahh, bliss!
To no one's surprise, this book did not impress me. I shouldn't have read this (well, more than half) but that gorgeous watercolor cover sucked me in.
The similarities to Dexter are astounding. Like Dexter, Knox is an emotionless killer. Like Dexter, Knox kills in rooms covered in plastic. Like Dexter, Knox has a sister he cares for. Like Dexter, Knox has childhood memories only of blood and a lullaby.
But unlike Dexter, Knox suddenly sees a young girl and decides to put his penis in her.
To me, the urge of a psychopath to kill and the urge to have sex are best kept separate, at least for a while. Both are so strong they almost can't exist at the same time. Part of the reason Dexter was so awesome was because of his urge to NOT have sex (I realize he wanted to after a while, but he didn't just jump right on the sex bandwagon).
As if that weren't bad enough, Lacey is one of those female characters who decides she LIKES what the sadistic "hero" does to her against her will. I stopped reading after their first of twenty-five "sessions" together, where he has her trussed up in such a way that she can't even move. He spanks her multiple times with a wooden paddle or something, then anally rapes her. Then she's happy that he's pleased with her. What kind of person did that make her, she wonders?
PLEASE, NOT AGAIN. Let's not sugarcoat abuse as pleasure. I don't care how bad you want your hero to be, but can we not have him physically harm the heroine? Can we not have him rape her? Or drug her? Yes, he can extort her. I'm perfectly okay with that.
As if all that wasn't bad enough, the grammar in this book leaves much to be desired. Misused words ran rampant ("remakes" for "remarks," "conscious" for "conscience"), the dialogue tags were inexcusable, and the tenses switched constantly. It's Santa Claus, not Santa Clause, and Grim Reaper, not Grim Creeper.
I will never know how this ends, and I will never read the sequel. There is literally no way the author can redeem Knox for me or make him exciting to read about. HE IS NO DEXTER.
Well, here we are again with another "dark romance." You know, the kind where the hero is twisted beyond redemption and then sees that one special gal who simultaneously brings out his darkest urges and desires like no other woman before. Ahh, bliss!
To no one's surprise, this book did not impress me. I shouldn't have read this (well, more than half) but that gorgeous watercolor cover sucked me in.
The similarities to Dexter are astounding. Like Dexter, Knox is an emotionless killer. Like Dexter, Knox kills in rooms covered in plastic. Like Dexter, Knox has a sister he cares for. Like Dexter, Knox has childhood memories only of blood and a lullaby.
But unlike Dexter, Knox suddenly sees a young girl and decides to put his penis in her.
To me, the urge of a psychopath to kill and the urge to have sex are best kept separate, at least for a while. Both are so strong they almost can't exist at the same time. Part of the reason Dexter was so awesome was because of his urge to NOT have sex (I realize he wanted to after a while, but he didn't just jump right on the sex bandwagon).
As if that weren't bad enough, Lacey is one of those female characters who decides she LIKES what the sadistic "hero" does to her against her will. I stopped reading after their first of twenty-five "sessions" together, where he has her trussed up in such a way that she can't even move. He spanks her multiple times with a wooden paddle or something, then anally rapes her. Then she's happy that he's pleased with her. What kind of person did that make her, she wonders?
PLEASE, NOT AGAIN. Let's not sugarcoat abuse as pleasure. I don't care how bad you want your hero to be, but can we not have him physically harm the heroine? Can we not have him rape her? Or drug her? Yes, he can extort her. I'm perfectly okay with that.
As if all that wasn't bad enough, the grammar in this book leaves much to be desired. Misused words ran rampant ("remakes" for "remarks," "conscious" for "conscience"), the dialogue tags were inexcusable, and the tenses switched constantly. It's Santa Claus, not Santa Clause, and Grim Reaper, not Grim Creeper.
I will never know how this ends, and I will never read the sequel. There is literally no way the author can redeem Knox for me or make him exciting to read about. HE IS NO DEXTER.
June 30, 2015
4.5 Disturbing Stars!
One thing I learned from Flawed: Never read a book this fucking awesome if the second book isn't out yet! But, hell,
I was so engaged in reading this that I couldn't even blink much less breathe for a second. It's raw and gritty and dark throughout the book! The hero and heroine are so messed up and flawed and I was invested in them!
Lacey isn't your average heroine. At eighteen years old, she's already been through hell. Having a mother who's addicted to drugs and a brother who does nothing but fuck up, her life is pretty much messed up. She sells herself no matter how much she abhors it, but sex is her job, the only way she knows how to live and achieve her goals. And her family and her dreams are at the top of her priorities. At some point, things in her life seem to turn much worse when she learns that her brother owes a huge debt to those who work for the Khitrova family, in which she then meets the dark and brooding Knox Bishop, where she offers herself to pay off her brother's debt.
Knox is someone you would dare not cross paths with. Working for the Khitrova family, he kills for a living without remorse and tortures the victims he prey on. He is every bit fucked up, a psychopath who craves putting his knife on someone else's body and ripping their organs out until there's nothing left. The constant hunger to kill someone has consumed his entire being, until he meets Lacey Barnes, sister of the man who owes a huge debt to the Khitrova family. One look at her and he decides that he wants her, and plans to have her no matter the consequences.
To be honest, it was kind of scary to be in Knox's head. You will see in his perspectives just how fucked up of a man he was. He's definitely an anti hero, but there is something in him that just basically draws me in, and I hate to love this man despite his flaws. When Lacey comes to him to offer herself to pay off her brother's debt, I was screaming at her and telling her to run and never look back! But another part of my messed up mind wants her to go to him.
These two are so complex and flawed that you will deeply feel the depths their characters. I love Lacey's strength. She may not have the easiest life, but she's a survivor and I adore her for it. It surprised me to know at first that she's only eighteen. I mean, aren't eighteen-year-olds supposed to have sleepovers and pajama parties at night? Not have a guy on top of you grunting his own pleasure in a cheap motel? But, as I said, Lacey isn't your average heroine. And that makes me love her even more.
Knox, as Lacey has described, is dark, lethal and intense. He's thirty-two or thirty-three years old, years older than our heroine. He stalks and follows Lacey, desperate to know everything about her as if she was his next target. I just love his stalkerish behavior. Sometimes, it bordered on obsession. He was very possessive too, seeing red when a guy friend touches Lacey in school, or threatening a maniac teacher who harassed her. No matter how scary it was to be in his head, I love it just as equally. The things Knox did in this book were beyond horrifying. It was gut-wrenching that I'm surprised I did not puke my guts out. Knox is a sadist, and Lacey was his equal: the lightness to his dark, this beautiful willing thing he wanted to destroy.
One of the things I loved about this book was that the author did not hold back anything. The scenes were dark and intense all the way, which ends in a major cliff hanger, leaving us in a state of desperation thinking what's about to happen next. I hope the next book will be due soon. I don't think I will be sleeping soundly tonight, or the many days that will follow, for that matter. *sighs* Overall, I enjoyed reading this book. But beware: some scenes contain explicit descriptions of non-consensual sex, S&M, degradation, human-trafficking and graphic violence.
Fans of dark books will love this.
One thing I learned from Flawed: Never read a book this fucking awesome if the second book isn't out yet! But, hell,
I was so engaged in reading this that I couldn't even blink much less breathe for a second. It's raw and gritty and dark throughout the book! The hero and heroine are so messed up and flawed and I was invested in them!
Lacey isn't your average heroine. At eighteen years old, she's already been through hell. Having a mother who's addicted to drugs and a brother who does nothing but fuck up, her life is pretty much messed up. She sells herself no matter how much she abhors it, but sex is her job, the only way she knows how to live and achieve her goals. And her family and her dreams are at the top of her priorities. At some point, things in her life seem to turn much worse when she learns that her brother owes a huge debt to those who work for the Khitrova family, in which she then meets the dark and brooding Knox Bishop, where she offers herself to pay off her brother's debt.
He's immense, intense, and lethal. His eyes... God, his eyes are the most frightening and beautiful thing I've ever seen. There is no escaping them. No escaping him.
Knox is someone you would dare not cross paths with. Working for the Khitrova family, he kills for a living without remorse and tortures the victims he prey on. He is every bit fucked up, a psychopath who craves putting his knife on someone else's body and ripping their organs out until there's nothing left. The constant hunger to kill someone has consumed his entire being, until he meets Lacey Barnes, sister of the man who owes a huge debt to the Khitrova family. One look at her and he decides that he wants her, and plans to have her no matter the consequences.
It would be smart of me to live her alone. Her brother will live to see another day. But her...
I release a sharp breath and jam my fingers through my damp hair. And then I smirk. Her fate has been decided. She will not be so lucky. Not this time.
To be honest, it was kind of scary to be in Knox's head. You will see in his perspectives just how fucked up of a man he was. He's definitely an anti hero, but there is something in him that just basically draws me in, and I hate to love this man despite his flaws. When Lacey comes to him to offer herself to pay off her brother's debt, I was screaming at her and telling her to run and never look back! But another part of my messed up mind wants her to go to him.
These two are so complex and flawed that you will deeply feel the depths their characters. I love Lacey's strength. She may not have the easiest life, but she's a survivor and I adore her for it. It surprised me to know at first that she's only eighteen. I mean, aren't eighteen-year-olds supposed to have sleepovers and pajama parties at night? Not have a guy on top of you grunting his own pleasure in a cheap motel? But, as I said, Lacey isn't your average heroine. And that makes me love her even more.
Knox, as Lacey has described, is dark, lethal and intense. He's thirty-two or thirty-three years old, years older than our heroine. He stalks and follows Lacey, desperate to know everything about her as if she was his next target. I just love his stalkerish behavior. Sometimes, it bordered on obsession. He was very possessive too, seeing red when a guy friend touches Lacey in school, or threatening a maniac teacher who harassed her. No matter how scary it was to be in his head, I love it just as equally. The things Knox did in this book were beyond horrifying. It was gut-wrenching that I'm surprised I did not puke my guts out. Knox is a sadist, and Lacey was his equal: the lightness to his dark, this beautiful willing thing he wanted to destroy.
She's a part of me now, her touch, her smell, every single beat of her heart, and all that she is has been permanently etched within the dark recess of my soul. Everything I do now is for her, to protect her.
She is the only one that sustains me. The only person in this world I cannot do without. She is the one person I will not share. She is mine.
One of the things I loved about this book was that the author did not hold back anything. The scenes were dark and intense all the way, which ends in a major cliff hanger, leaving us in a state of desperation thinking what's about to happen next. I hope the next book will be due soon. I don't think I will be sleeping soundly tonight, or the many days that will follow, for that matter. *sighs* Overall, I enjoyed reading this book. But beware: some scenes contain explicit descriptions of non-consensual sex, S&M, degradation, human-trafficking and graphic violence.
Fans of dark books will love this.
April 15, 2016
I don't even know where to begin with this one. Talk about sick and twisted! I don't think there was a single character in this book, aside from Lacey and maaaaybe Tyler, that was not completely irredeemable. That being said, I love dark, depraved stories with an Alpha that you love to hate. So, this disturbing story was right up my alley!
Lacey is a survivor. At eighteen, she's had to grow up quick and is the sole source of support for her junkie mother and deadbeat brother. To keep a roof over their heads, she sells the only thing she has...herself. When her loser brother digs himself into a hole he can't get out of, she comes to his rescue yet again, making a deal with the devil to save his pathetic life.
Knox is, in many ways, the epitome of evil. He is the type of monster that stars only in your worst nightmares. He's a sadistic killer that gets off on the suffering of his targets. Until Lacey enters his world, he doesn't have an ounce of empathy and seems to be lacking any trace of humanity. He's scary...REALLY scary!
Katia has been Knox's kindred spirit since her mob boss father brought him home one day when they were young children. Her cruelty and penchant for brutality is masked by her public facade of a doting daughter and humanitarian. This woman is despicable! Behind her carefully crafted image is a woman that perpetrates the vilest of crimes without concern or remorse.
As Lacey turns Knox's world upside down, he begins to feel things that he's never felt. Lacey is drawn to Knox, despite being smartly terrified of him. When Katia takes note of the change in Knox, whom she'd always thought of as hers, she sets a plan in motion to end whatever is going on between Knox and this high school aged prostitute.
The story ends in a cliffhanger that will drive you to near insanity. There is bound to be a major shake-up, but we'll have to wait until the next book to see where this story takes us. I am in need of the next book desperately!
In case you haven't figured this out already, this story will not sit well with many readers. It is violent, gritty and seriously disturbing. There are multiple graphic scenes, including non-consensual sexual acts/dubious consent, bondage, sadism, etc. It is dark and not for the faint-hearted. If you like dark stories that make you cringe, then this may be the book for you!
Lacey is a survivor. At eighteen, she's had to grow up quick and is the sole source of support for her junkie mother and deadbeat brother. To keep a roof over their heads, she sells the only thing she has...herself. When her loser brother digs himself into a hole he can't get out of, she comes to his rescue yet again, making a deal with the devil to save his pathetic life.
Knox is, in many ways, the epitome of evil. He is the type of monster that stars only in your worst nightmares. He's a sadistic killer that gets off on the suffering of his targets. Until Lacey enters his world, he doesn't have an ounce of empathy and seems to be lacking any trace of humanity. He's scary...REALLY scary!
Katia has been Knox's kindred spirit since her mob boss father brought him home one day when they were young children. Her cruelty and penchant for brutality is masked by her public facade of a doting daughter and humanitarian. This woman is despicable! Behind her carefully crafted image is a woman that perpetrates the vilest of crimes without concern or remorse.
As Lacey turns Knox's world upside down, he begins to feel things that he's never felt. Lacey is drawn to Knox, despite being smartly terrified of him. When Katia takes note of the change in Knox, whom she'd always thought of as hers, she sets a plan in motion to end whatever is going on between Knox and this high school aged prostitute.
The story ends in a cliffhanger that will drive you to near insanity. There is bound to be a major shake-up, but we'll have to wait until the next book to see where this story takes us. I am in need of the next book desperately!
In case you haven't figured this out already, this story will not sit well with many readers. It is violent, gritty and seriously disturbing. There are multiple graphic scenes, including non-consensual sexual acts/dubious consent, bondage, sadism, etc. It is dark and not for the faint-hearted. If you like dark stories that make you cringe, then this may be the book for you!
November 23, 2014
4.5 STARS
Dark themes are one of my favourite genres to read
Lately it has become very disappointing and I feel easily bored by them.
There are a storm of dark books available and it seems like lots of authors are trying to swim in this waters. Only a few of them are successful, in MY opinion.
I lost count of how many books I have started this year and decided not to carry it on. My reading time is precious to me. If I am not feeling it, I just move on: next, please!
Therefore I feel that I need to give this one recognition, because Francette Phal got me out of my dark funk!
The story is consistent, believable and with an original plot. The H are EVIL, his sister is X2 EVIL and the h a very likeable girl with a big heart explored by her leech family.
IT IS A DARK BOOK. One of the darkest I have read lately.
Stay away if you are not into dark reads
For readers who decide to read it be aware you will need big balls AND guts
A shame I will have to wait #2 considering this ended on a huge cliff hanger!
Dark themes are one of my favourite genres to read
Lately it has become very disappointing and I feel easily bored by them.
There are a storm of dark books available and it seems like lots of authors are trying to swim in this waters. Only a few of them are successful, in MY opinion.
I lost count of how many books I have started this year and decided not to carry it on. My reading time is precious to me. If I am not feeling it, I just move on: next, please!
Therefore I feel that I need to give this one recognition, because Francette Phal got me out of my dark funk!
The story is consistent, believable and with an original plot. The H are EVIL, his sister is X2 EVIL and the h a very likeable girl with a big heart explored by her leech family.
IT IS A DARK BOOK. One of the darkest I have read lately.
Stay away if you are not into dark reads
For readers who decide to read it be aware you will need big balls AND guts
A shame I will have to wait #2 considering this ended on a huge cliff hanger!
January 17, 2015
TITLE: Flawed
SERIES: (The Butcher, #1)
AUTHOR: Francette Phal
GENRE: Adult Fiction
RELEASE DATE: November 10th 2014
MY RATING: ★★★★★
5 Mind F*ck Stars
Another book that was recommended by a friend on here and yet again another one I loved!! BUT I really kind of don't have any ideas on what I sat down and inhaled!! All I know is that I loved it!! But ask me what I read and I have no freaking idea!!
I've not read anything by this author before *inserts wtf expression here* but after reading this I am a fan!!
And another *WTF emoticon added here* I must be one sick puppy because I didn't find this dark, but can understand why some would..
I will treat you like a favourite toy and break you simply because I can..
RUSSIAN MOB
Oh and why oh why are all sick sadistic males in these book handsome devils!! *mind f*ck coming right at you*
AN ASSASSINATION WITH SERIAL KILLER TENDENCIES
The scalpel, and drill are Knox's all time favourite tools to use when it comes to disposing, taking out a threat, nuisance or just for the sheer hell of it..
I WANTED HER SO I TOOK HER
When I killed, it was to stop the trum, stop the lullaby, and satiate the burning crave inside myself..
A PROSTITUTE
Sex is all I've known, my body is the only thing I have to offer, so I use it to sell sex
I follow her, I watch her, I study her
IN THE HANDS OF A SADISTIC KILLER
BEAUTIFULLY FLAWED
Enter Lacey (an eighteen year old girl) who loves her family fearlessly who will do anything to help them, even if circumstances don't warrant her unconditional love..
Have you ever looked at something so alluring that you just want to destroy it? That's what you are to me. You are this beautiful thing I want to destroy
Lesson number one:
Never expect gentleness from me
Expect cruelty
Expect Agony
Expect to crave my brutality
Will definitely be wanting to get my hands on the next instalment due to this big mother bugga of a cliffy!! That made my heart rate speed up!!
February 20, 2017
2.75 stars
Lacey is straight-A student by day, hooker by night, and a future doctor to-be. She has a million and one problems and they all lead back to her degenerate brother and useless mother.
Her POV bored me for the most part and her actions confused me. She was non-combative at school and repeatedly shied away from confrontations with a bullying classmate, but had no problem attacking a 6"4 enforcer and his assisting thugs.
I liked some elements of this story and found Knox's perspective to be more interesting, but then it turned out that I didn't really like him much, or Lacey, really. I just couldn't connect with either of these characters. I tried! But Lacey was obsessed with enabling her family members and the lack of medical details surrounding Knox's harvesting activities made this story feel very unrealistic for me. I also hated the way Knox treated Lacey, overall.
There were lots of excellent reviews on this book and plenty of my GRs buddies enjoyed this story, but this was a case of it's-me-not-you syndrome.
Lacey is straight-A student by day, hooker by night, and a future doctor to-be. She has a million and one problems and they all lead back to her degenerate brother and useless mother.
Her POV bored me for the most part and her actions confused me. She was non-combative at school and repeatedly shied away from confrontations with a bullying classmate, but had no problem attacking a 6"4 enforcer and his assisting thugs.
I liked some elements of this story and found Knox's perspective to be more interesting, but then it turned out that I didn't really like him much, or Lacey, really. I just couldn't connect with either of these characters. I tried! But Lacey was obsessed with enabling her family members and the lack of medical details surrounding Knox's harvesting activities made this story feel very unrealistic for me. I also hated the way Knox treated Lacey, overall.
There were lots of excellent reviews on this book and plenty of my GRs buddies enjoyed this story, but this was a case of it's-me-not-you syndrome.
March 16, 2015
3.5-4 "The lullaby and the thrum" stars!
Flawed is no love story. It is dark, violent, and depraved. This was definitely my scene.
Lacey Barnes isn't your typical high school senior. When she's not studying to get good grades, watching out for her drug addict mother, and keeping tabs on her older trouble-making brother, she sells her body. Being a prostitute is what she needs to do in order to escape her life. She has dreams of attending medical school, so she needs all the money she can get.
When her brother runs into trouble, yet again, Lacey is there to bail him out. The money that is required in order to spare his life is more than she has. So, she offers her next best asset. Sex.
Adopted into the life of the Russian underworld, Knox has always known evil. However his brand of evil is something he needs to feed the beast. He loves to kill. There is nothing better than having a body at his mercy to slice, dice, and splay open. This need has been with him ever since he was young. His table is hardly ever empty, thanks to the business that his family deals in.
When Knox uncharacteristically goes with some of his fathers' employees to attempt to shake down someone for money that is owed, he runs into the debtors sister. Even though she is very young, she is extremely strong, and fiercely protects her brother. He is intrigued.
A plan has been set. Knox has paid the debt, but now wants Lacey to be at his nefarious beck and call to pay him back. She is now his property to do with as he pleases. His sexual appetite is just as vicious as his job.
As Lacey's world is spun on its axis, she is confused about where her life has taken her. Knox is twisted and harsh, yet she is starting to crave him. His protectiveness. It's something she's never had. Someone to look out for her.
When someone comes between them, they will pay. And they will pay with blood.
Whoa! Yes people, this was a dark read. But I guess having Butcher in the title, would probably clue you in on that. With top-notch writing, Francette Phal dragged me deep into this debased story, and I really did enjoy it.
Even though it took a while for things to start moving along, I was still enraptured by the flow and the content. The first half was a lot of background and build-up, but once things started moving, this was so hard to put down.
When it comes to Knox, there is no way you cannot picture Dexter Morgan. The two are incredibly similar. The only differences, is how they acquire there victims, and Knox's sexual proclivities. I think this fact made Knox relatable, and maybe even...likable. Which is hard to pull off for an anti-hero/psychopath. Even though he was completely cruel and unyielding, I still liked the guy. I also could be biased, as I am a huge fan of these types of men.
I also really liked the tough heroine, Lacey. This girl has gone, and is going through hell, yet she still keeps her chin up. I still think it's a little weird that she is still in high school though. As much as I liked her personality, some of her decisions and things she did bothered me a little.
And then there is my favorite character, Katia.
Seriously evil, and I loved her. She is Knox's adopted sister. What a fucked-up and sinister character she turned out to be. She was definitely a great add to this crazy story. She's totally heartless and scarier than hell. I ate up all of the chapters on her POV, because let's face it, bitches can be interesting.
Overall a pretty good dark read. I docked it a little for slow start, some things that were unoriginal to me, and a lacking on the hot factor. I'm still not sure why I wasn't feeling the heat, but it was lacking on my end.
I will say the ending...major cliffhanger. I am biting my nails in anticipation to what happens next for everyone. It was very exciting, and I'm dying to see how everything turns out!
Only if you are not opposed to the truly dark and gritty read, would I recommend.
Flawed is no love story. It is dark, violent, and depraved. This was definitely my scene.
Lacey Barnes isn't your typical high school senior. When she's not studying to get good grades, watching out for her drug addict mother, and keeping tabs on her older trouble-making brother, she sells her body. Being a prostitute is what she needs to do in order to escape her life. She has dreams of attending medical school, so she needs all the money she can get.
When her brother runs into trouble, yet again, Lacey is there to bail him out. The money that is required in order to spare his life is more than she has. So, she offers her next best asset. Sex.
Adopted into the life of the Russian underworld, Knox has always known evil. However his brand of evil is something he needs to feed the beast. He loves to kill. There is nothing better than having a body at his mercy to slice, dice, and splay open. This need has been with him ever since he was young. His table is hardly ever empty, thanks to the business that his family deals in.
When Knox uncharacteristically goes with some of his fathers' employees to attempt to shake down someone for money that is owed, he runs into the debtors sister. Even though she is very young, she is extremely strong, and fiercely protects her brother. He is intrigued.
A plan has been set. Knox has paid the debt, but now wants Lacey to be at his nefarious beck and call to pay him back. She is now his property to do with as he pleases. His sexual appetite is just as vicious as his job.
As Lacey's world is spun on its axis, she is confused about where her life has taken her. Knox is twisted and harsh, yet she is starting to crave him. His protectiveness. It's something she's never had. Someone to look out for her.
When someone comes between them, they will pay. And they will pay with blood.
Whoa! Yes people, this was a dark read. But I guess having Butcher in the title, would probably clue you in on that. With top-notch writing, Francette Phal dragged me deep into this debased story, and I really did enjoy it.
Even though it took a while for things to start moving along, I was still enraptured by the flow and the content. The first half was a lot of background and build-up, but once things started moving, this was so hard to put down.
When it comes to Knox, there is no way you cannot picture Dexter Morgan. The two are incredibly similar. The only differences, is how they acquire there victims, and Knox's sexual proclivities. I think this fact made Knox relatable, and maybe even...likable. Which is hard to pull off for an anti-hero/psychopath. Even though he was completely cruel and unyielding, I still liked the guy. I also could be biased, as I am a huge fan of these types of men.
I also really liked the tough heroine, Lacey. This girl has gone, and is going through hell, yet she still keeps her chin up. I still think it's a little weird that she is still in high school though. As much as I liked her personality, some of her decisions and things she did bothered me a little.
And then there is my favorite character, Katia.
Seriously evil, and I loved her. She is Knox's adopted sister. What a fucked-up and sinister character she turned out to be. She was definitely a great add to this crazy story. She's totally heartless and scarier than hell. I ate up all of the chapters on her POV, because let's face it, bitches can be interesting.
Overall a pretty good dark read. I docked it a little for slow start, some things that were unoriginal to me, and a lacking on the hot factor. I'm still not sure why I wasn't feeling the heat, but it was lacking on my end.
I will say the ending...major cliffhanger. I am biting my nails in anticipation to what happens next for everyone. It was very exciting, and I'm dying to see how everything turns out!
Only if you are not opposed to the truly dark and gritty read, would I recommend.
May 5, 2015
I'm finally posting my review!
Before I begin describing the trauma of reading this book I want to say that this is a 5 star read and this may be the longest review that I have ever written. I apologize in advance for my long winded review, but I can't figure out how to make this any shorter. Phal has created a world so dark and disturbing that it was truly the most emotionally difficult book that I have ever read. I took breaks reading this book because I found myself constantly on the verge of tears. Scene by scene I swung from teary eyed to horrified denial of what I was reading. Reading FLAWED for me was like watching a horror movie through splayed fingers. I didn't want to experience what was being revealed but I couldn't pull myself away. This book has no romance and was not titillating in any way for me. There's nothing safe, sane, or consensual about the interactions in this one. If you think this book contains racy BDSM between two consenting adults you are so very very wrong. There are no book boyfriends or wistful sighs to be found within this story. What happens in this story is not something I would wish for anyone to ever experience.
Lacey is a young woman in her Senior year of high school, but she is far from the typical student. Lacey is the daughter of a drug addict who is in the full grips of her addiction. Lacy's mother is not only criminally neglectful and verbally abusive but she also exposes Lacey to the seedy side of addiction by bringing her johns and pimp into their home. Lacey is responsible for making sure that she and her mother are fed, clothed, and have a place to live. This would be bad enough if Lacey were able to make the money to shelter and care for them legally, however Lacey has to make money the only way that she's been shown how. Lacey is an 18 year old prostitute. During a time in her life where she should be dreaming of college, proms, and sweet romantic crushes Lacey has to navigate the dark world of men whose taste run towards young women who are willing to sell their bodies for money. Lacey has a brother who is absolutely no help at all. Not only does Dante not provide the safety and shelter that an older brother should, he makes Lacey's life infinitely harder. Lacey has taken on the role of savior and protector of her small family and she is willing to do anything, sacrifice anything, to fulfill that role. This sense of devotion to her family is ultimately what seals her fate with Knox.
Knox is the darkest character that I have ever come across. Knox is not just broken. From what is revealed he is likely shattered beyond repair. Knox thrives on killing and dismembering his victims. I will admit that when I began FLAWED I thought that Knox would be a copy of the character Dexter with some sort of horrible BDSM bent that went heavy on the sadism. I was so very wrong. While there are similarities in their back stories, Knox is incapable of having a relationship with another person that could look anything like "normal". Knox is so far gone that when he has a fleeting moment of empathy he struggles to even recognize it for what it is. Experiencing a positive emotion is so foreign to Knox that it both confuses and angers him to the point of violence.
Katia is another evil entity that is part of this story. Katia is raised as a sister to Knox and is the only person that he has a relationship with. Yet their relationship is warped and dangerous as well. Katia may be proof that some people are just born defective and through life experiences become monstrous over time. Katia sees Knox as belonging to her and she won't let anything or anyone stand between them. Katia has an evil empire of her own that she is cultivating with plans to expand via her father's Russian mafia empire.
Before reading FLAWED I thought that I was pretty thick skinned when it came to reading dark themed stories. I haven't read tons of dark books, but I thought that I could handle reading this one as well as I have a few previous books. How wrong and naive I was. Knox and Lacey, especially Lacey will be with me for a long time. I usually finish a book and immediately pick up the next, but I had to wait until the next morning to start a new and definitely lighter read. I also try to write my reviews quickly so that I don't forget anything but I waited a bit to write this one. I really needed to step away from this story. There is absolutely no softness, no safe corners in this story; no strong yet comforting caresses, no sweet words of praise will be found here. Knox completely breaks Lacey. She was already cracked and fractured by the life that she was leading. Being placed in the path of Knox sealed her fate and guaranteed that if she ever puts herself back together there will be pieces missing. Lacey's sense of self was barely being held together by her dream of college and a medical school. Hope for a chance to live a better life and help her family out of their awful existence was the only thing that kept her broken pieces together. Knox recognized that she had something inside that allowed her to continue to have hope after every bad incident life threw at her. Lacey's perpetual hope both fascinates and angers Knox and he does what is natural to him. Knox sets out to destroy the hope in her that seems to have been denied to him in the most horrendous and sadistic ways imaginable.
I always complain and bemoan cliffhangers and FLAWED ends in a big one. This is the first and possibly the only time that I will ever say that I am grateful for a cliffhanger. I don't think that I could have experienced any more of the horror that is happening in this world. I need a break from this story. A few months or a year to recuperate sounds like a good idea to me! If you are feeling brave and want to read an ominously dark read that will have you questioning whether there is goodness to be found in every soul pick up FLAWED. I will definitely be reading the next book. I can't not know what happens next.
You can find more from me at Monlatable Book Reviews
http://www.monlatablereviews.com/
This was emotionally the hardest book that I have ever read. How Phal managed to write this is beyond me. I'm all over the place. I don't know how to process this well enough to write a review. I will make an attempt at coherent thought soon...
Before I begin describing the trauma of reading this book I want to say that this is a 5 star read and this may be the longest review that I have ever written. I apologize in advance for my long winded review, but I can't figure out how to make this any shorter. Phal has created a world so dark and disturbing that it was truly the most emotionally difficult book that I have ever read. I took breaks reading this book because I found myself constantly on the verge of tears. Scene by scene I swung from teary eyed to horrified denial of what I was reading. Reading FLAWED for me was like watching a horror movie through splayed fingers. I didn't want to experience what was being revealed but I couldn't pull myself away. This book has no romance and was not titillating in any way for me. There's nothing safe, sane, or consensual about the interactions in this one. If you think this book contains racy BDSM between two consenting adults you are so very very wrong. There are no book boyfriends or wistful sighs to be found within this story. What happens in this story is not something I would wish for anyone to ever experience.
Lacey is a young woman in her Senior year of high school, but she is far from the typical student. Lacey is the daughter of a drug addict who is in the full grips of her addiction. Lacy's mother is not only criminally neglectful and verbally abusive but she also exposes Lacey to the seedy side of addiction by bringing her johns and pimp into their home. Lacey is responsible for making sure that she and her mother are fed, clothed, and have a place to live. This would be bad enough if Lacey were able to make the money to shelter and care for them legally, however Lacey has to make money the only way that she's been shown how. Lacey is an 18 year old prostitute. During a time in her life where she should be dreaming of college, proms, and sweet romantic crushes Lacey has to navigate the dark world of men whose taste run towards young women who are willing to sell their bodies for money. Lacey has a brother who is absolutely no help at all. Not only does Dante not provide the safety and shelter that an older brother should, he makes Lacey's life infinitely harder. Lacey has taken on the role of savior and protector of her small family and she is willing to do anything, sacrifice anything, to fulfill that role. This sense of devotion to her family is ultimately what seals her fate with Knox.
Knox is the darkest character that I have ever come across. Knox is not just broken. From what is revealed he is likely shattered beyond repair. Knox thrives on killing and dismembering his victims. I will admit that when I began FLAWED I thought that Knox would be a copy of the character Dexter with some sort of horrible BDSM bent that went heavy on the sadism. I was so very wrong. While there are similarities in their back stories, Knox is incapable of having a relationship with another person that could look anything like "normal". Knox is so far gone that when he has a fleeting moment of empathy he struggles to even recognize it for what it is. Experiencing a positive emotion is so foreign to Knox that it both confuses and angers him to the point of violence.
Katia is another evil entity that is part of this story. Katia is raised as a sister to Knox and is the only person that he has a relationship with. Yet their relationship is warped and dangerous as well. Katia may be proof that some people are just born defective and through life experiences become monstrous over time. Katia sees Knox as belonging to her and she won't let anything or anyone stand between them. Katia has an evil empire of her own that she is cultivating with plans to expand via her father's Russian mafia empire.
Before reading FLAWED I thought that I was pretty thick skinned when it came to reading dark themed stories. I haven't read tons of dark books, but I thought that I could handle reading this one as well as I have a few previous books. How wrong and naive I was. Knox and Lacey, especially Lacey will be with me for a long time. I usually finish a book and immediately pick up the next, but I had to wait until the next morning to start a new and definitely lighter read. I also try to write my reviews quickly so that I don't forget anything but I waited a bit to write this one. I really needed to step away from this story. There is absolutely no softness, no safe corners in this story; no strong yet comforting caresses, no sweet words of praise will be found here. Knox completely breaks Lacey. She was already cracked and fractured by the life that she was leading. Being placed in the path of Knox sealed her fate and guaranteed that if she ever puts herself back together there will be pieces missing. Lacey's sense of self was barely being held together by her dream of college and a medical school. Hope for a chance to live a better life and help her family out of their awful existence was the only thing that kept her broken pieces together. Knox recognized that she had something inside that allowed her to continue to have hope after every bad incident life threw at her. Lacey's perpetual hope both fascinates and angers Knox and he does what is natural to him. Knox sets out to destroy the hope in her that seems to have been denied to him in the most horrendous and sadistic ways imaginable.
I always complain and bemoan cliffhangers and FLAWED ends in a big one. This is the first and possibly the only time that I will ever say that I am grateful for a cliffhanger. I don't think that I could have experienced any more of the horror that is happening in this world. I need a break from this story. A few months or a year to recuperate sounds like a good idea to me! If you are feeling brave and want to read an ominously dark read that will have you questioning whether there is goodness to be found in every soul pick up FLAWED. I will definitely be reading the next book. I can't not know what happens next.
You can find more from me at Monlatable Book Reviews
http://www.monlatablereviews.com/
This was emotionally the hardest book that I have ever read. How Phal managed to write this is beyond me. I'm all over the place. I don't know how to process this well enough to write a review. I will make an attempt at coherent thought soon...
February 21, 2015
holy crap. WHAT DID I JUST READ?! It was so messed up and yet at the same time, so deliciously hot!
okay, so let me compose myself...let's start with the characters Lacey and Knox
Lacy is the quintessential tortured heroine. The book starts with her story; a teenager who has to sell her body for money to pay for her leaching brother and mom's various habits. You immediately feel for her and wonder just how much worse life can get for her- and then she meets Knox and you realize that answer is that her life can get worse...much worse... Will she learn to accept her new life that now involves pain and complete and utter submission to a man who clearly is after her blood? Nope..not telling!!
Knox ...what can I really say about Knox? Picture a Patrick Bateman type man and add in crazy and kinky sexual needs. Yep, that's him. Simply put, he tortures and kills for a living. The torture scenes are pretty graphic, but nothing that I couldn't stomach. As the book goes on, you see just how depraved of a mind Knox really has. It seems that killing someone is the only way to quench his hunger and his ever growing need to cause pain.
Except, it's not just killing someone that gets him off- it's the screams, cries, and blood of the person that really tickles his fancy. He is truly a messed up man and he doesn't deny it at all. He knows there is something VERY wrong with the way his mind works and he simply just embraces it.
When Lacey comes into his life, we see a bit of a shift in the way Knox thinks. He wants her; plain and simple. But it's not love he wants, he wants everything about her- including her screams and pain. It's truly crazy to read what is going through his mind during Lacey's captivity with him. It's so damn creepy!!!
And yet with all of this, there is simply something that is so damn sexy about him. Does that make me messed up? Yeah, maybe... I know what you're thinking while reading this:
Just read this book and you will see what I am talking about!!!!
June 30, 2015
One, two Knox is coming for you. Three, four there's going to be lots of blood and gore!
My biggest flaw... the greatest sin, was trying to save my family, but you can't outrun the devil. My brother's time is up, he's gambled one too many times, putting us on a serial killer's radar.
Hands down a five star read, now I'm anxious for book two. So good couldn't put down and even after the lasting affects is wow, spine tingling, crap in your pants, shocking!
My biggest flaw... the greatest sin, was trying to save my family, but you can't outrun the devil. My brother's time is up, he's gambled one too many times, putting us on a serial killer's radar.
Hands down a five star read, now I'm anxious for book two. So good couldn't put down and even after the lasting affects is wow, spine tingling, crap in your pants, shocking!
March 26, 2016
5 STARS!!
THIS BOOK BLEW ME AWAY!
Expect excessive quoting, I highlighted half the book.
Gather around my dark friends, this is a must read for lovers of sociopaths. Knox is high on my list, I'm addicted to his sadistic side. Well, I think all sides of Knox are sadistic. I'm in love, my dark heart belongs to Knox.
“Lesson number one, never expect gentleness from me here.” His breath is so harsh against my ear it’s like an insult. He grips my hair, fisting a handful around his hand so that my head tilts back, almost touching his shoulder. “Expect cruelty,” he pants, with a brutal forward lunge. “Expect agony,” his teeth scrape along my neck before he clamps down on flesh and I can do nothing but moan at the added pain. “Expect to crave my brutality.” His every thrust coincides with a tug of my hair. He takes his time, makes sure that it hurts, that I respond, that I groan. Forcing me to arch back to meet those long, painstaking thrusts."
I guess I better talk about the story. Lacey is your not so average high school student, getting by with selling her body. Saving money for college is her dream, but coming in second to bailing her drug addicted mother and loser brother out. Her brother mixed business with the wrong people, leaving Lacey to pick up the pieces, selling her soul to the the devil. That devil is Knox. Take me to hell, Knox. I'm telling you he is swoon worthy for us darkies. Like change your panties, buy extra batteries, and make you are not around anyone while reading.
"He pounds into me like he hates me, like I’m his worst enemy, his fingers digging into my hips as he yanks me back to meet each and every one of his violent thrusts."
Knox was adopted by the leader of one of the largest crime families. He doesn't have much of his memories from child hood, he doesn't know his mother, and doesn't have a clue why he was adopted into this family. There are some amazing twists and turns that blew me away, I can't go into detail, but I'm hooked. I need the next book right this minute. I have to warn you, this is book one of the series, and it leaves us hanging of a cliff. I might consider rereading this before the next one comes out, I don't reread, but this was that damn good.
I'm a 100% fan of Francette Phal after reading this book. The depth, the character development was written beautifully. I read this book a couple of weeks ago and I still can't get it out of my head. Just Amazing.
THIS BOOK BLEW ME AWAY!
Expect excessive quoting, I highlighted half the book.
Gather around my dark friends, this is a must read for lovers of sociopaths. Knox is high on my list, I'm addicted to his sadistic side. Well, I think all sides of Knox are sadistic. I'm in love, my dark heart belongs to Knox.
“Lesson number one, never expect gentleness from me here.” His breath is so harsh against my ear it’s like an insult. He grips my hair, fisting a handful around his hand so that my head tilts back, almost touching his shoulder. “Expect cruelty,” he pants, with a brutal forward lunge. “Expect agony,” his teeth scrape along my neck before he clamps down on flesh and I can do nothing but moan at the added pain. “Expect to crave my brutality.” His every thrust coincides with a tug of my hair. He takes his time, makes sure that it hurts, that I respond, that I groan. Forcing me to arch back to meet those long, painstaking thrusts."
I guess I better talk about the story. Lacey is your not so average high school student, getting by with selling her body. Saving money for college is her dream, but coming in second to bailing her drug addicted mother and loser brother out. Her brother mixed business with the wrong people, leaving Lacey to pick up the pieces, selling her soul to the the devil. That devil is Knox. Take me to hell, Knox. I'm telling you he is swoon worthy for us darkies. Like change your panties, buy extra batteries, and make you are not around anyone while reading.
"He pounds into me like he hates me, like I’m his worst enemy, his fingers digging into my hips as he yanks me back to meet each and every one of his violent thrusts."
Knox was adopted by the leader of one of the largest crime families. He doesn't have much of his memories from child hood, he doesn't know his mother, and doesn't have a clue why he was adopted into this family. There are some amazing twists and turns that blew me away, I can't go into detail, but I'm hooked. I need the next book right this minute. I have to warn you, this is book one of the series, and it leaves us hanging of a cliff. I might consider rereading this before the next one comes out, I don't reread, but this was that damn good.
I'm a 100% fan of Francette Phal after reading this book. The depth, the character development was written beautifully. I read this book a couple of weeks ago and I still can't get it out of my head. Just Amazing.
November 12, 2014
4.5 Bad Habits Stars
I needed someone to hold me close and stroke my hair while reading this one. I needed my blankie, some chocolate chip mint ice cream, some potato soup and my momma. All the things that give you comfort because this is one disturbing read. Disturbingly Amazing. Dark. Hurtful. Destructive.
The story starts by introducing different characters that you trust are going to collide. But once you get to know them, you are hoping they won't. Some of them are not so nice. "Not so nice" like Dexter is not so nice. They all have some bad habits.
Lacey is a high school senior with lots of potential. She makes great grades despite the fact that she is taking care of her druggie mother and loser brother. Taking care of them is habit she can't break no matter how destructive it is to her. Oh, and the other thing about Lacey....she's a prostitute. It's how she ekes out the little money she has to keep ahead of the bills.
Things have never been easy. Hell, It wouldn't be my life if it were.
Knox is the adopted son of a Russian mobster. He is a serial killer how really likes his job. He is totally whacked. But in a calm, cool, collected, sexy, but not fun way. No, nothing fun about Knox. His bad habit is that he enjoys using his knives a little too much.
Lesson number one, never expect gentleness from me here.
There are several other characters you come to care about or loathe. The brother, the best friend, the adopted sister. Oh, the adopted sister. She is pretty damn horrible.
When Lacey and Know finally cross paths, it is not all sunshine and unicorns. Lacey does not melt his cold heart. He does not swoop in to save her from her life of pain and humiliation. He adds to it.
I will treat you like a favorite toy and break you simply because I can. In this room, you are an object, my object.
There are some really hard parts to read. You have very little sympathy for most of them. Knox is not some misunderstood sweetie with a soft inner soul. Lacey is not what you think. Or even what she thinks she is.
...though my mind screams at me to rebel, to cut free the invisible strings of his puppetry, my body's hunger is so much stronger.
Flawed is a total mind melt. And the end....it will leave you wanting more. As in the end of the freaking book. Yes, it ends in cliffhanger. I hate those. Be warned...this is a dark read. I just want my woobie and a glass of wine. And book 2. I really need book 2.
I needed someone to hold me close and stroke my hair while reading this one. I needed my blankie, some chocolate chip mint ice cream, some potato soup and my momma. All the things that give you comfort because this is one disturbing read. Disturbingly Amazing. Dark. Hurtful. Destructive.
The story starts by introducing different characters that you trust are going to collide. But once you get to know them, you are hoping they won't. Some of them are not so nice. "Not so nice" like Dexter is not so nice. They all have some bad habits.
Lacey is a high school senior with lots of potential. She makes great grades despite the fact that she is taking care of her druggie mother and loser brother. Taking care of them is habit she can't break no matter how destructive it is to her. Oh, and the other thing about Lacey....she's a prostitute. It's how she ekes out the little money she has to keep ahead of the bills.
Things have never been easy. Hell, It wouldn't be my life if it were.
Knox is the adopted son of a Russian mobster. He is a serial killer how really likes his job. He is totally whacked. But in a calm, cool, collected, sexy, but not fun way. No, nothing fun about Knox. His bad habit is that he enjoys using his knives a little too much.
Lesson number one, never expect gentleness from me here.
There are several other characters you come to care about or loathe. The brother, the best friend, the adopted sister. Oh, the adopted sister. She is pretty damn horrible.
When Lacey and Know finally cross paths, it is not all sunshine and unicorns. Lacey does not melt his cold heart. He does not swoop in to save her from her life of pain and humiliation. He adds to it.
I will treat you like a favorite toy and break you simply because I can. In this room, you are an object, my object.
There are some really hard parts to read. You have very little sympathy for most of them. Knox is not some misunderstood sweetie with a soft inner soul. Lacey is not what you think. Or even what she thinks she is.
...though my mind screams at me to rebel, to cut free the invisible strings of his puppetry, my body's hunger is so much stronger.
Flawed is a total mind melt. And the end....it will leave you wanting more. As in the end of the freaking book. Yes, it ends in cliffhanger. I hate those. Be warned...this is a dark read. I just want my woobie and a glass of wine. And book 2. I really need book 2.
November 24, 2014
Wow.....just WOW this book was DARK DARK DARK!!!!!IT is not for the faint of heart.
This book had me on edge and I could not put it down until I was finished.I cannot wait for book 2.
I say that this story is totally f**ked up but in the best possible way!!!!
If you are a fan of dark,raw and gritty , this book is for you!!!
This book had me on edge and I could not put it down until I was finished.I cannot wait for book 2.
I say that this story is totally f**ked up but in the best possible way!!!!
If you are a fan of dark,raw and gritty , this book is for you!!!
December 21, 2015
☆☆☆☆☆ 5 The Spider and His Fly Stars ☆☆☆☆☆
"I do sex for money. Money that I’m going to use to help me get out of this fucking cesspool that is my life. I can’t lose sight of that. It’s the only thing I have. I need to break free. Get the hell out of here and never look back."
Lacey is an 18 year old, high school senior prostitute. She does what she can to survive the less than ideal life she is forced to live. With a drug addicted mom and a scheming brother to drag her down over and over, Lacey is repeatedly forced to bail her family out of darkness.
Her brother leads Lacey into a very bad situation, owing a dangerous crime family $25 thousand dollars.
Lacey is left with no choice, Lacey offers the one thing she knows well...herself, her body, to repay the debt.
Lacey also just offered herself to the one evil being that will pay the debt off with one choice.....she becomes his.
Knox is dark and evil. He is a paid serial killer. Killing is what he knows, what he craves. (I can't deny that a sexy, kilker just does it for me!)
"Every opportunity I get to whet my appetite, this limitless hunger for gore and death, I will do anything to make it happen."
Knox has Lacey right where he wants her. The debt will be repaid on his terms. Lacey will become his toy. A toy he will break on his own terms, in his own satisfyingly cruel way.
"I’m going to savor every second of your agony.
Have you ever looked at something so beautiful, so utterly alluring that you just wanted to destroy it? That’s what you are to me.
You are this beautiful thing I want to destroy.”
Lacey is submitted to Knox' cruelty but deep down she is craving the evil touch of this man. No amount of pain is hiding the beautiful intoxication she feels with Knox.
Just when Lacey and Knox form a strange and connecting gravitational link to each other, Knox and Lacey's dark world is unraveled by a presence neither sees coming.
"Please don’t let them take me. I belong to you."
Knox prepares for a battle where blood will be spilled and lives will end.
Miss Francette Phal...... THIS WAS AMAZING!!!!!
I have held out on reading this because book 2 is not released yet, but I needed....NEEDED, darkness and THIS book is everything I love in DARKNESS!!!!
"I do sex for money. Money that I’m going to use to help me get out of this fucking cesspool that is my life. I can’t lose sight of that. It’s the only thing I have. I need to break free. Get the hell out of here and never look back."
Lacey is an 18 year old, high school senior prostitute. She does what she can to survive the less than ideal life she is forced to live. With a drug addicted mom and a scheming brother to drag her down over and over, Lacey is repeatedly forced to bail her family out of darkness.
Her brother leads Lacey into a very bad situation, owing a dangerous crime family $25 thousand dollars.
Lacey is left with no choice, Lacey offers the one thing she knows well...herself, her body, to repay the debt.
Lacey also just offered herself to the one evil being that will pay the debt off with one choice.....she becomes his.
Knox is dark and evil. He is a paid serial killer. Killing is what he knows, what he craves. (I can't deny that a sexy, kilker just does it for me!)
"Every opportunity I get to whet my appetite, this limitless hunger for gore and death, I will do anything to make it happen."
Knox has Lacey right where he wants her. The debt will be repaid on his terms. Lacey will become his toy. A toy he will break on his own terms, in his own satisfyingly cruel way.
"I’m going to savor every second of your agony.
Have you ever looked at something so beautiful, so utterly alluring that you just wanted to destroy it? That’s what you are to me.
You are this beautiful thing I want to destroy.”
Lacey is submitted to Knox' cruelty but deep down she is craving the evil touch of this man. No amount of pain is hiding the beautiful intoxication she feels with Knox.
Just when Lacey and Knox form a strange and connecting gravitational link to each other, Knox and Lacey's dark world is unraveled by a presence neither sees coming.
"Please don’t let them take me. I belong to you."
Knox prepares for a battle where blood will be spilled and lives will end.
Miss Francette Phal...... THIS WAS AMAZING!!!!!
I have held out on reading this because book 2 is not released yet, but I needed....NEEDED, darkness and THIS book is everything I love in DARKNESS!!!!
November 17, 2016
El género "Dark Romance" es... un poco... extraño. Sinceramente, no sé cómo clasificarlo. Lo único de lo que estoy segura es que no es para todos e, insisto, hay algo que no termina de cerrarme.
Acepto que este tipo de libro es como un cachetazo, te mueve algo, te motiva a seguir leyendo o bien lo dejás porque te asquea, que no es mi caso. Leo la historia desde afuera, sin compenetrarme demasiado o tengo la sensación de que voy a perder la perspectiva y comenzaré a pensar que este tipo de romance está bien.
Este, como "Pennies" (Pepper Winters), no es romance, sino una historia medio psicótica de una heroína tan buena que hasta las protagonistas boludas de Flor Bonelli palidecen al lado de ella. Lacey es una adolescente que: va a la secundaria, vive en un hogar disfuncional donde la madre es una drogadicta prostituta y el hermano un hijo de put4 vividor, la viola uno de sus proxenetas, duerme en un auto, trabaja como prostituta para sacar adelante a su ¿familia?. Y a pesar de que los demás no dan una mierda por ella, la pobrecita Carmelita descalza, lo da todo por ellos y los saca de cualquier atolladero en el que estén metidos.
En una de esas incursiones por el bien de todos, se encuentra con Knox, un personaje caricaturesco del asesino serial promedio. Sólo que él además de matar, en este caso, quiere ponérsela =_=. Y Lacey acepta y oh, descubre que también le va ese asunto de la violación anal (...), que le gusta que le peguen con un látigo, que le escriban "Knox" con un cuchillo en el abdómen, que la violen con un arma...
Put4 que los parió.
La verdad, lo único que reconozco de esta novela es que es como un cimbronazo. Te mueve un poco de tu comodidad del HEA de todas las novelitas de amor que leo desde hace años. Pero sigue sin ser romance por más de que te lo cataloguen como tal con esa palabrita agregada de "Dark".
Acepto que este tipo de libro es como un cachetazo, te mueve algo, te motiva a seguir leyendo o bien lo dejás porque te asquea, que no es mi caso. Leo la historia desde afuera, sin compenetrarme demasiado o tengo la sensación de que voy a perder la perspectiva y comenzaré a pensar que este tipo de romance está bien.
Este, como "Pennies" (Pepper Winters), no es romance, sino una historia medio psicótica de una heroína tan buena que hasta las protagonistas boludas de Flor Bonelli palidecen al lado de ella. Lacey es una adolescente que: va a la secundaria, vive en un hogar disfuncional donde la madre es una drogadicta prostituta y el hermano un hijo de put4 vividor, la viola uno de sus proxenetas, duerme en un auto, trabaja como prostituta para sacar adelante a su ¿familia?. Y a pesar de que los demás no dan una mierda por ella, la pobrecita Carmelita descalza, lo da todo por ellos y los saca de cualquier atolladero en el que estén metidos.
En una de esas incursiones por el bien de todos, se encuentra con Knox, un personaje caricaturesco del asesino serial promedio. Sólo que él además de matar, en este caso, quiere ponérsela =_=. Y Lacey acepta y oh, descubre que también le va ese asunto de la violación anal (...), que le gusta que le peguen con un látigo, que le escriban "Knox" con un cuchillo en el abdómen, que la violen con un arma...
Put4 que los parió.
La verdad, lo único que reconozco de esta novela es que es como un cimbronazo. Te mueve un poco de tu comodidad del HEA de todas las novelitas de amor que leo desde hace años. Pero sigue sin ser romance por más de que te lo cataloguen como tal con esa palabrita agregada de "Dark".
October 20, 2014
***ARC in exchange for honest review***
Francette Phal makes dark erotica so sexy. Flawed has a very interesting concept. We have an 18-year old high school girl with getting in to medical school as her end game. Lacey reminds me of a saying "doing what you need to get what you want". It's a loose saying but the bottom line is the same. Yes she's a prostitute. She has a family, a bad one, but she loves them and feels a certain responsibility toward them. She fails to see, or maybe she's just afraid to admit, that her family is the main reason she has to do what she has to do to get to where she wants to be. I felt bad for her. Knox is an enigma you just want to crack. Dude was hella cray, it's true. But, I'll reiterate, Francette Phal makes dark erotica so sexy. The way she spins the characters and reveals backgrounds is a talent in itself. All of her stories are on point for me. I yelled at some of the characters in rage, cursed some out, and barely contained the urge to flip my kindle. I love when a book makes me feel those emotions. That's when I know it's really good and one of my top favorites. Do yourself a favor, grab Flawed! Then, kick back and enjoy...
Francette Phal makes dark erotica so sexy. Flawed has a very interesting concept. We have an 18-year old high school girl with getting in to medical school as her end game. Lacey reminds me of a saying "doing what you need to get what you want". It's a loose saying but the bottom line is the same. Yes she's a prostitute. She has a family, a bad one, but she loves them and feels a certain responsibility toward them. She fails to see, or maybe she's just afraid to admit, that her family is the main reason she has to do what she has to do to get to where she wants to be. I felt bad for her. Knox is an enigma you just want to crack. Dude was hella cray, it's true. But, I'll reiterate, Francette Phal makes dark erotica so sexy. The way she spins the characters and reveals backgrounds is a talent in itself. All of her stories are on point for me. I yelled at some of the characters in rage, cursed some out, and barely contained the urge to flip my kindle. I love when a book makes me feel those emotions. That's when I know it's really good and one of my top favorites. Do yourself a favor, grab Flawed! Then, kick back and enjoy...
March 19, 2016
Knox is a yummy bad guy. He’s horrible and awful; he makes no bones about it either. Love him for that. And he has a great vault for taking all of his needs to a fab level of depravity. What more could I ask for, right? Well, for starters – more sex between the MCs would be nice. You would think a tale about an 18 yr old high school senior/prostitute and a cold-blooded killer/sadist would have more sexy times than this. Nope. Too much of the beginning was about her school schedule and messed up family. Could’ve done without a good chunk of all of that and still given a thorough understanding of Lacey’s character IMO. This also needs a good editing scrub for the missed and misused words. Has potential though. I’d be willing to read book 2, but apparently this has been stalled for about 2 years now, so I won’t be holding my breath ;)
April 25, 2015
"Everything I do now is for her, to protect her. She is the only one that sustains me. The only person in this world I cannot do without. She is the one person I will not share. She is mine."
Here's me actually wanting to read the sequel immediately (because usually I take a break in series, meaning I can't go on reading several books about the same characters in one go) and I find out, there is none yet. Not even a release date. Or a name. Leave me alone.
September 11, 2015
5 Don't End it There Stars
Lacey:An honor student prostituting herself so she can survive and go to college. Her family is beyond fucked up. A druggie mother and a brother who only wants to get rich quick. She looks out for everyone and continually gets them out of trouble.
Knox:A sadistic serial killer called "The Butcher" who is a lot like Dexter. He uses other people to judge his emotions and lost his mother at a very young age in a very horrible way. He was taken in by a Russian Mafioso and now works for him. He's possessive, beautiful, and really quite evil.
I hum while I work, like one of Snow White's dwarfs, only I'd be called Stabby.
What follows is not a sweet love story. It's dark and dirty with humiliation and BDSM thrown in. Lacey is extremely confused over her submission and her body's responses in the face of such brutality. Knox is starting to actually feel something and he doesn't like it. The only person that likes it less is Katia, Knox's adoptive sister. The wolf in sheeps clothing.
Katia has gone too far!!
This is a cliffhanger ending! A great read that had me feeling so many emotions. Anger, sadness, fear, and loathing.
Lacey:An honor student prostituting herself so she can survive and go to college. Her family is beyond fucked up. A druggie mother and a brother who only wants to get rich quick. She looks out for everyone and continually gets them out of trouble.
Knox:A sadistic serial killer called "The Butcher" who is a lot like Dexter. He uses other people to judge his emotions and lost his mother at a very young age in a very horrible way. He was taken in by a Russian Mafioso and now works for him. He's possessive, beautiful, and really quite evil.
I hum while I work, like one of Snow White's dwarfs, only I'd be called Stabby.
What follows is not a sweet love story. It's dark and dirty with humiliation and BDSM thrown in. Lacey is extremely confused over her submission and her body's responses in the face of such brutality. Knox is starting to actually feel something and he doesn't like it. The only person that likes it less is Katia, Knox's adoptive sister. The wolf in sheeps clothing.
Katia has gone too far!!
This is a cliffhanger ending! A great read that had me feeling so many emotions. Anger, sadness, fear, and loathing.
December 8, 2014
I give stars too eagerly I know but I have to tell my buddies this is an epic read, five stars is not enough. It's not a stand alone but f**k me, you gotta read it if you like dark books. It's on another level girls seriously epic sh*t storm
November 15, 2014
1 Flaw....the slow start!
everything else? BRING ON BOOK TWO!!!
everything else? BRING ON BOOK TWO!!!
November 24, 2014
Flawed (The Butcher #1) by Francette Phal
4.5 stars!!
This book is dark, disturbing, disgusting, distasteful, deviant, depraved, in fact everything a DARK read should be. If you have a queasy stomach this is definitely not the right book for you. This book is definitely not for the faint of heart. Be prepared to be scared, shocked, appalled, stunned in fact dumb struck, this is one sick ride!
I have loved everything that Francette Phal has written, she has shocked me many times but this book took the “shock factor” to a whole new level. I went in totally blind as she is one of those authors that I automatically read, so I was totally unprepared. To be honest, I still feel a bit sick. This is the first book of a series so be prepared, but I will say this is definitely one of those stories that could not be completed in one book. This book was a page turner from start to finish and even though I felt guilty that I should be reading it and enjoying it, I did also feel a bit disgusted in places.
There are quite a few disturbing scenes in this book, I have to say I did feel that sometimes the content was put there more to shock you than anything else, but bearing in mind the f**ked up characters that we are dealing with in this book I can actually see them doing it and that worries me! It also makes me wonder what the hell is going to come in book 2!
Lacey is in high school and just shy from graduating, she has high aspirations to get out of her current life and be the student that she desperately wants to be. She is clever and has university places lined up, scholarships are on the table and she needs every dollar that she can get to sustain herself through this new phase of her life. Her father is nowhere to be seen, her mother is a prostitute that has a severe drug problem and her brother is equally as bad. He is a total waste of space and her mother and brother are total leeches and take advantage of the loving and giving heart that Lacey has. She will do anything for her f**ked up family including becoming a prostitute herself to pay the bills, keep a roof over their head, bail her mother and brother from no end of problems and whatever is left to fund her university pot. Her school life is crap, her ex-best friend taking great delight in telling everyone how she earns her money, the school halls are constantly ringing with bullies vile diatribe and cruel pranks, she really does have an awful life, yet she is still such a beautiful person, inside and out.
Knox…hmmm what can I say about him…he is definitely the man that you will hate to love, after all how could anyone love him? He is a hit man for the mob, but not a bullet to the head kind of guy, no he punishes and tortures in the most sadistic fashion. He has dark, base needs that need to be fulfilled and nothing satisfies these urges more than torture and we get it detailed in all its gory, blood curdling glory. However, I loved Knox and I cannot believe I am actually saying it, there was something about him…how did he get this way? What happened? He has definitely been hurt in the past, we do get to see little snippets of possible causes and I am sure more will come to light going forward but he is a dark and brooding enigma and someone I desperately want to know more about.
Katia is Knox’s step sister, she is the daughter of the mob boss but she has her own hidden agenda. It seems this woman will do anything and everything to get what she wants in life, she is evil personified. It would not surprise me if she actually does not have a heart, what keeps her alive is the pure evil running through her veins. She is a force to be reckoned with.
This book is told in all POV’s, so we get to hear from Lacey, Knox and Katia. Francette Phal has woven an extremely intricate and layered plot with all characters having their own agenda. As I said above this is dark, extremely dark, macabre and is more a psychological thriller with a very faint undertone of romance and at this moment it is extremely faint. It covers murder, torture, BDSM and is a total mind f**k, not so much in trying to understand what could be going on but in the fact that you are enjoying reading, despite the sick, lead feeling you have in your stomach. Francette Phal is quickly becoming the queen of dark, how she manages to dream up these Flawed characters is beyond me. It is sick, it is twisted, but like a moth to a flame I could not stop reading. It did get way out of my comfort zone in places but could I stop reading…NO!
I am not going to go into the plot at all, this is one of those reads that you need to decide if you are going to read or not and when you make that choice go in blind. Be prepared to be shocked, but more importantly be prepared to read a book that will take you on a journey, one that you have never been on before and will probably never want to go on again, yet despite the “stops” you won’t want to get off, but continue till the end of the line. I can’t wait for book 2, there is so much still to happen but I will put on my big girl panties, brace myself and dive right back in. Francette Phal, all I can say is how on earth are you still sane? I don’t want to know where the inspiration for this story came from but keep writing.
www.theromancecover.com
4.5 stars!!
“Everything I do now is for her, to protect her. She is the only one that sustains me. The only person in this world I cannot do without. She is the one person I will not share. She is mine.”
This book is dark, disturbing, disgusting, distasteful, deviant, depraved, in fact everything a DARK read should be. If you have a queasy stomach this is definitely not the right book for you. This book is definitely not for the faint of heart. Be prepared to be scared, shocked, appalled, stunned in fact dumb struck, this is one sick ride!
I have loved everything that Francette Phal has written, she has shocked me many times but this book took the “shock factor” to a whole new level. I went in totally blind as she is one of those authors that I automatically read, so I was totally unprepared. To be honest, I still feel a bit sick. This is the first book of a series so be prepared, but I will say this is definitely one of those stories that could not be completed in one book. This book was a page turner from start to finish and even though I felt guilty that I should be reading it and enjoying it, I did also feel a bit disgusted in places.
There are quite a few disturbing scenes in this book, I have to say I did feel that sometimes the content was put there more to shock you than anything else, but bearing in mind the f**ked up characters that we are dealing with in this book I can actually see them doing it and that worries me! It also makes me wonder what the hell is going to come in book 2!
“But then all that changes when I see that look of nothingness on her face. And my past assumptions that she is just like me, flawed, empty inside, reaching blindly in the darkness for something, anything to grab and annihilate just to feel alive, returns with a vengeance.”
Lacey is in high school and just shy from graduating, she has high aspirations to get out of her current life and be the student that she desperately wants to be. She is clever and has university places lined up, scholarships are on the table and she needs every dollar that she can get to sustain herself through this new phase of her life. Her father is nowhere to be seen, her mother is a prostitute that has a severe drug problem and her brother is equally as bad. He is a total waste of space and her mother and brother are total leeches and take advantage of the loving and giving heart that Lacey has. She will do anything for her f**ked up family including becoming a prostitute herself to pay the bills, keep a roof over their head, bail her mother and brother from no end of problems and whatever is left to fund her university pot. Her school life is crap, her ex-best friend taking great delight in telling everyone how she earns her money, the school halls are constantly ringing with bullies vile diatribe and cruel pranks, she really does have an awful life, yet she is still such a beautiful person, inside and out.
“I have learned not to depend on anyone else for my well-being but myself.”
Knox…hmmm what can I say about him…he is definitely the man that you will hate to love, after all how could anyone love him? He is a hit man for the mob, but not a bullet to the head kind of guy, no he punishes and tortures in the most sadistic fashion. He has dark, base needs that need to be fulfilled and nothing satisfies these urges more than torture and we get it detailed in all its gory, blood curdling glory. However, I loved Knox and I cannot believe I am actually saying it, there was something about him…how did he get this way? What happened? He has definitely been hurt in the past, we do get to see little snippets of possible causes and I am sure more will come to light going forward but he is a dark and brooding enigma and someone I desperately want to know more about.
“You have this one fundamental flaw, Lacey. And that is your foolish need to control everything around you, when really, you are the one meant to be controlled, all you need is the proper hand to steer you. This inherent need you have for pain goes beautifully with my need to cause it.”
Katia is Knox’s step sister, she is the daughter of the mob boss but she has her own hidden agenda. It seems this woman will do anything and everything to get what she wants in life, she is evil personified. It would not surprise me if she actually does not have a heart, what keeps her alive is the pure evil running through her veins. She is a force to be reckoned with.
This book is told in all POV’s, so we get to hear from Lacey, Knox and Katia. Francette Phal has woven an extremely intricate and layered plot with all characters having their own agenda. As I said above this is dark, extremely dark, macabre and is more a psychological thriller with a very faint undertone of romance and at this moment it is extremely faint. It covers murder, torture, BDSM and is a total mind f**k, not so much in trying to understand what could be going on but in the fact that you are enjoying reading, despite the sick, lead feeling you have in your stomach. Francette Phal is quickly becoming the queen of dark, how she manages to dream up these Flawed characters is beyond me. It is sick, it is twisted, but like a moth to a flame I could not stop reading. It did get way out of my comfort zone in places but could I stop reading…NO!
I am not going to go into the plot at all, this is one of those reads that you need to decide if you are going to read or not and when you make that choice go in blind. Be prepared to be shocked, but more importantly be prepared to read a book that will take you on a journey, one that you have never been on before and will probably never want to go on again, yet despite the “stops” you won’t want to get off, but continue till the end of the line. I can’t wait for book 2, there is so much still to happen but I will put on my big girl panties, brace myself and dive right back in. Francette Phal, all I can say is how on earth are you still sane? I don’t want to know where the inspiration for this story came from but keep writing.
“It sickens me, this revolting mental state I have spiralled into and yet, given the chance to escape his labyrinth of iniquity, I would not take it.”
www.theromancecover.com
July 19, 2016
I don't care if the hero is a serial killer, a romantic version of Dexter, psycho wacko or a priest my only rule is that he can not hurt the heroine.
This fucker does exactly that so for me it is a NO NO!
I bet that at the end of story she is going to love him and crave his beatings....Hurray! for the domestic violence and asholes whose beat woman and choke them with their magnificat weapons! Romantic....
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