Castle of Villains

by L. N. Reagan

As a half breed, Skarlette has spent her whole life being looked down upon. Even when she is a weapon for the royals of Ruellia, people turn up their noses in disgust of the faerie vampire. So when she bites her best friend and realizes a deadly secret, she flees. Three years after, Skarlette bides her time hiding from the royal family. But now the young prince, Kai Eveningglow, is in the same city, hunting down the very monster she has become.

When Kai manages to bring Skarlette back to the castle in Ruellia, she decides she is tired of carrying out the wishes of his wicked older brother, Ethan. She is going to burn this castle of villains to the ground. But when the vampiric king tells her of a prophecy, a prophecy only a half breed like Skarlette can fulfill, she must decide. Will she remain a pawn in the shadows, or will she rise from the ashes and become a villainous queen?



"Kai, I am the monster of everyone's nightmares."

"Menace, you are the monster of my dreams."

299 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 16, 2025

About the author

L. N. Reagan loves writing fantasy romance. From a young age, L. N. Reagan enjoyed reading books and getting lost in a story. Living in the PNW, many days are filled with rain which means many hours spent at home curled up with a good book. L. N. Reagan is a mom who loves taking her kids on adventures as well as curling up at home with all of her pets. She hopes her stories bring as much joy to her readers as others books bring to her.

Reviews

[Vixen]

Not sure on my rating currently... There are a lot of things I liked about this story. The concept, the world, and a lot of the main characters attributes but there was also a lot of this story that left me confused. I LOVED Reagan's Crowns of Love Duology so so much and did enjoy quite a bit of this story but mainly for the vibes. The Fae, the Vampires... the badassery.. and the way you could just tell how much feeling Reagan put into this book, how much of their own experiences, heartaches, traumas, and love they poured in... there is so much heart and self in this book that I think a lot of people could enjoy!

[Holly Cassani · Rating 5 out of 5]

arc review

oh. my. goodness. so good. flew through this. and it didn't end how I expected. so good. read it.

[Bree · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75🌟
2🌶
⚠️Check your trigger warnings ⚠️

Thank you to L. N. Reagan for the chance to read an advance copy of this unique story!

Our story starts work a 16 yo Skarlette who is the King's pet. She is a "half-breed" Fae and Vampire. She escaped her captivity after immobilizing her friend and the prince, Kai. In doing so, she discovers a deep secret and must run to keep it. 3 years later and Kai is determined to find the girl who got away. When they meet again, will they put the past aside or will secrets and social turmoil keep them apart?

Reagan created deep feeling characters. Skarlette is sassy and sarcastic to a fault. She has overcome deep-seated hatred pointed at her by both races as she belongs to neither. Despite her trauma and fear of relationships, she is fiercely protective of those she consists hers. Kai? Kai, our "spare" prince lives in his cruel brother's shadow. He's long known his brother will make for a vindictive king and felt helpless to stop it. That is until Skarlette's secret is revealed. He is unapologetically protective and unbelievably supportive of Skarlette. I just LOVE them!

I truly enjoyed this story and strongly encourage you to read it if you're looking for a fun fantasy! The only issue I had with this book (and this is 100% my subjective opinion), is the ending and how everything tied up just felt a little rushed and too clean. Am I unhappy with how it ended? ABSOLUTELY NOT! Reagan left it open for possible future books...and believe me the big bad gets what they deserved.

🥀Fated mates
👑Touch her and die
🥀Revenge plot
👑Friends to Lovers
🥀Trauma survivor

"I may be the villain, I may like being the villain, but I am still a person with emotions. Still a person capable of feeling love and loss."

"I want to show him the villain he has created over the years, prove to everyone that I am the monster they have created. I am truly sorry to everyone who thought my story was going to be different. If they wanted to see the badass female save everyone. . .well that isn't me and that's not my story. I am, and will always be the villain."

"the saying that villains don't have feelings, isn't entirely true. We are just better at hiding them than everyone else."

"I will be reborn through the ashes of this castle. I will burn it down a monster and rise from the ashes a villainous queen."

I received an advanced copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily. The above opinions are my own.

[Ally · Rating 3 out of 5]

I got this book as an ARC - thank you L.N. Reagan for letting me be a part of this team.

First thoughts when you start the book: OMG I love this!
The plot pulls you in right away! I was hooked in just the first couple chapters.

Our shadow mommy FMC Skarlette is a half fae half vampire badass that is not only the FMC of the story but also the "villain" - throughout the story she is used for her powers, looked down upon as a half breed and treated terribly by all. Throughout the book she learns more about herself, what her life could really be like if she lets it, and allows a chosen few to show her how they truly see her and it's not as a villain.

This book is a fast paced romantasy mixed with fae, vampires, fated mates and all the shadows, betrayal and chaos you want in a book. It is a very fun read and the plot definitely keeps you wanting more throughout the entire book.

However, there were many times throughout the book that the timeline left me completely confused. I thought it was a day and turns out weeks had gone by. There were conversations and events that happened in the book that I feel like were missing or I wish had been written in since I was so involved in this book. I really wanted more. I also wish the ending had had more time placed to it. I felt like it ended too abruptly and wish a certain character had gotten more of a send off.

I did love the FMC the most in the book. I feel like she was well thought out and her self reflection and growth in the book was very well done. I didn't have quite the connection with some of the other main characters including the MMC as I feel like more could have been written to increase their pull and connection to each other. But due to the fast paced nature I get why this wasn't the main focus - which I am also really happy that the main focus was Skarlette and her journey.

Overall I did like this book and anyone that likes vampires and fae should give this a read!

[Ellie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Castle of Villains had such a strong start, the opening pulled me right in, and I loved the whole idea behind the plot. A badass villain FMC who’s been used and underestimated, only to turn it all back on them and bring chaos? Yes, please.

There are some killer quotes sprinkled throughout, and the nickname “Menace” was honestly perfect for her. Kai, though… I wasn’t really sold on him for most of the book. I wanted him to fight harder for her. He did grow on me more toward the end, but it took a while.

The story itself was good, but it did feel a little rushed at times and there were moments that left me confused. Still, if you’re into villain FMCs, fae, vampires and a cast of morally grey characters, this one is worth a try.

Big thanks to L.N. Reagan for the ARC. These are my honest thoughts.

[readerari_ · Rating 3 out of 5]

ARC review of Castle of Villains
Release date: 16 September 2025

3⭐️
2🌶️

The story started strong which got me hooked. The pacing was consistent throughout the book, the premise was promising though sometimes felt choppy. Towards the end it felt a little rush though it ties up altogether. Some characters felt like they appeared or were introduced randomly. I am fond of vampire/fae worlds so that’s a highlight for me ☺️

Skarlette (FMC) embodies a strong half-breed character and this was consistent throughout the book. Kai (MMC) showed more character development and I enjoyed the change in his character pace. The romance between the two didn’t feel forced and there was chemistry and longing.

The writing was easy to get into and made it an enjoyable read.

Thank you to the author, L.N Reagan, for gifting me this eARC. All opinions in this review are my own.

[Shendel C · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finally, a vampire story I can get behind! Loved the mix of vampire and Fae. The FMC, Skarlette, is not just fierce, but also a shadow mama. Love it! I also loved the relationship between Skar and Prince Kai. He kneels for her! Swoon!

The story poses the question as to whether she is a villain because of her actions or if she isn’t truly a villain because she is simply getting retribution against those that used and tortured her...

The pacing threw me a few times because days or weeks would pass in a single sentence, but the action never stops and there is a constant wonder as to who is truly the villain of the story.

Great book for those that love an FMC who takes matters into her own hands - hail the Villainous Queen!

Thank you to the author for the early copy of this novel. All opinions are my own!

[FN · Rating 4 out of 5]

absolutely enjoyed this book, even with a few moments of confusion here and there. The author does a fantastic job portraying the FMC as someone who appears to be the villain, yet behind the story is a strong, determined, and resilient female who lives to survive the cruel world she did not deserve. I also loved how she was paired with an MMC whose motives are questionable at first, but ended up being the love interest who love her fiercely and unapologetically. What makes this story even more compelling is how it's filled with characters who could all be considered villains in their own right. It constantly keeps you guessing — who is truly the villain here? That lingering question, paired with the morally gray dynamics, makes the book all the more addictive. A dark and twisty read that enjoyed.

Grateful for the ARC opportunity.

[Maria Garcia · Rating 5 out of 5]

5☆

This book has truly surpassed my expectations. It features a remarkable female main character and a wonderful male main character. The female main character is a half-breed, being part vampire and part fae, while the male main character is a fae. Skarlette, a half-breed villain, was raised by a fae royal family and endured a difficult upbringing. However, she later discovers her role in a prophecy, destined to become the queen of the vampires. Throughout her life, she has formed one cherished friendship, and it turns out that the male main character is her destined mate.

[Alexandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a good book. I liked the prophecy aspect and the fact that Skarlette was powerful magically. It was also an interesting angle that she was two different magical races. I did not really connect with the MMC Kai. I did enjoy his nickname for Skarlette though.

[Bridgett Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thankful to have an ARC for this. 3.6 stars. Plot was amazing but I felt as if the story was too rushed and choppy. New characters just randomly make an appearance with little Interaction yet a big part of the story. It’s like this book was 50-75 pages longer but parts were cut out.

[Jessica Long · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading Skarlette's story. While it hurt to know how they treated her for being different, she never gave up, even when she wanted to. I wish there would have been more detail near the end of the book, it was very well written.

[Madison Shay · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25✨

Fated mates and a prophecy to fill.

I loved Skarlette! She reminded me a lot of Aelin from throne of glass! I enjoyed the added mystery throughout the book with the prophecy, fated mates, and the prince Ethan! Very easy to binge! It was also super easy to read, instead of needing a minute to get into the book I was able to quickly dive in.

[Allyson · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a tough one for me. I struggled to get through it and overuse of the word villain drove me crazy. Even the context in the use of the word villain would throw me off sometimes. I'm not sure if this was why I couldn't really get into the story or if it was the story itself that I wasn't interested in. Just overall this wasn't for me.

[Beth Riggs · Rating 5 out of 5]

I finished Castle of Villain's last night. I loved it! Is it going to be part of a series?? I could totally see it continuing.
Twist on the standard vampire book, Skarlette is half vampire/half Fae, making her even more dangerous and powerful. She's not treated very well in the Fae world, not quite in the vampire world either.
Kai, the Fae prince, is my favorite. I love the struggle that he and Skarlette had with their mate bond. His brother, Ethan, is waiting for their father to die so he can rul. Ethan also wants to rule over the vampires as well, and in order to do that... well, you'll see.
I really enjoyed it!