What do you think?
Rate this book
Legends of Kaminari #1
A Dream of Onyx Villains
A dynasty extinguished.
A legacy unclamied.
And a secret so deadly it would alter the tides of history.
I was still a helpless girl when the dreams first started.
Of black wings and terrifying, cruel eyes.
I was born into a world of darkness and death. A world ruled by merciless gods and tragic fates. Countless souls have been ripped apart by my shadows. Countless minds shattered in the blink of an eye. For centuries, I was trained to be the most ruthless of them all. Forged into a cold, heartless weapon, I’ve perfected the art of terminating worthless human lives.
I am indestructible.
Everlasting.
Immortal.
I am a princess of Hell, and yet...I have a single weakness that can destroy it all: him–the mysterious boy that disappeared without a trace. One that I could never forget. He was my savior when the nightmares began. A lifeline when I was too afraid to close my eyes. Ages have passed since my search for him began. Ages without a single clue as to what happened to him one cold, winter’s day.
I thought I had given up on him, but now the dreams have intensified, and I’m desperate to find him again. So desperate, that when I’m sent after my next target to the land where ancient scaled beasts still rule the skies, I’m willing to do anything, anything at all–even put up with the dangers that come in the form of an impossibly arrogant and incredibly tempting mortal man.
Because destiny had brought us together, but I will not let destiny keep us apart.
This is a very steamy epic dark fantasy romance with gods, dragons, and dragon shifters, inspired by Asian mythology, folklore, and legends. It contains coarse language, scenes of violence and death, as well as adult content. It is intended for mature audiences only. 18+ recommended.
A legacy unclamied.
And a secret so deadly it would alter the tides of history.
I was still a helpless girl when the dreams first started.
Of black wings and terrifying, cruel eyes.
I was born into a world of darkness and death. A world ruled by merciless gods and tragic fates. Countless souls have been ripped apart by my shadows. Countless minds shattered in the blink of an eye. For centuries, I was trained to be the most ruthless of them all. Forged into a cold, heartless weapon, I’ve perfected the art of terminating worthless human lives.
I am indestructible.
Everlasting.
Immortal.
I am a princess of Hell, and yet...I have a single weakness that can destroy it all: him–the mysterious boy that disappeared without a trace. One that I could never forget. He was my savior when the nightmares began. A lifeline when I was too afraid to close my eyes. Ages have passed since my search for him began. Ages without a single clue as to what happened to him one cold, winter’s day.
I thought I had given up on him, but now the dreams have intensified, and I’m desperate to find him again. So desperate, that when I’m sent after my next target to the land where ancient scaled beasts still rule the skies, I’m willing to do anything, anything at all–even put up with the dangers that come in the form of an impossibly arrogant and incredibly tempting mortal man.
Because destiny had brought us together, but I will not let destiny keep us apart.
This is a very steamy epic dark fantasy romance with gods, dragons, and dragon shifters, inspired by Asian mythology, folklore, and legends. It contains coarse language, scenes of violence and death, as well as adult content. It is intended for mature audiences only. 18+ recommended.
279 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 29, 2025
16 people are currently reading
501 people want to read
About the author
Isabella Khalidi
11 books100 followersIsabella Khalidi is an adult dark romance & fantasy author. Her novels are deep and complex, filled with scorching romance that leaves the reader breathless and yearning for more. From an early age she has shown love for ancient lore and mythology, igniting her dream of one day becoming a successful author.
The Snows of Nissa is her first published novel, with the Forgotten Kingdom Chronicles as her debut adult fantasy series.
Follow her on Instagram: isabellakhalidiauthor.
The Snows of Nissa is her first published novel, with the Forgotten Kingdom Chronicles as her debut adult fantasy series.
Follow her on Instagram: isabellakhalidiauthor.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 80 reviews
May 7, 2025
"A million butterflies take flight in my stomach as we hold each other’s gaze. I’m freefalling into an endless abyss, one that promises to burn and destroy me..." (Ch 18)
First off, this cover!!!! 😍😍😍
Proud and stubborn, Ravenna, a goddess and Princess of Hell, a destroyer and swallower of corrupt and evil souls, is tasked to go undercover as a human to spy on a rebel leader. Her destination is the Kingdom of Sota - a land of ancient and mythical warriors and dragons.
Though she is plagued by dreams -- nightmares, really -- and the only one that could keep them at bay had disappeared years ago... Constantine, the haunting, unforgettable boy of her past.
Then she meets Valkhar, a giant of a man, who's a whole other kind of plague to her system. He may very well be her ruin.
OMGee, this book! The banter, the lure and hook, the sizzle... addicting! And I need more of it, of them. Was too short!!! I devoured it, consumed it just as surely and wholly as Revenna did souls, except with much relish and zeal with a bittersweet aftertaste. Because now I'm going to be going through withdrawals. Sob. Love the illustrations, too, like an added bonus!
I NEED book 2. Right. Now.
eARC review.
First off, this cover!!!! 😍😍😍
Proud and stubborn, Ravenna, a goddess and Princess of Hell, a destroyer and swallower of corrupt and evil souls, is tasked to go undercover as a human to spy on a rebel leader. Her destination is the Kingdom of Sota - a land of ancient and mythical warriors and dragons.
Though she is plagued by dreams -- nightmares, really -- and the only one that could keep them at bay had disappeared years ago... Constantine, the haunting, unforgettable boy of her past.
Then she meets Valkhar, a giant of a man, who's a whole other kind of plague to her system. He may very well be her ruin.
OMGee, this book! The banter, the lure and hook, the sizzle... addicting! And I need more of it, of them. Was too short!!! I devoured it, consumed it just as surely and wholly as Revenna did souls, except with much relish and zeal with a bittersweet aftertaste. Because now I'm going to be going through withdrawals. Sob. Love the illustrations, too, like an added bonus!
I NEED book 2. Right. Now.
eARC review.
April 23, 2025
I've debated how many stars to give this reading because I did enjoy the reading experience but I don't feel as this book should get a great grading. Let me explain:
When I received the e-ARC copy, the first thing I noticed is that the pdf (yes, pdf) was over 290 pages long. And I don't exaggerate if I tell you that around 30/40 of those pages are just blank pages. Maybe even more.
So, as you can see, the story was short. Which does not necessarily need to be a bad thing, right? However, due to the short length, many, maaaaany things of the world building were left behind. Many others were assumed and a lot more unexplained. Just an example: how is her "divine form"? It's referenced plenty of times and never explained.
The FMC is quite stubborn and unapologetic, which is okay... if you don't make of this her whole personality.
She is the only one developed, though. Until half the book I did not know who the MMC was going to be. The rest of the characters, including the MMC are completely plain. We don't know their motivations, needs, likes, or even personality. They only appear when they have a direct interaction with the FMC -since it's her POV- and are not explained further besides that.
And the ending... well, it does finish with a cliffhanger. But, the way I see it, it should be better a cliffhanger to make you read a next chapter, not an end-of-book-I-want-you-to-read-the-following-book-cliffhanger.
All being said. I did enjoy the reading. It was a very short, very easy reading. Which is OK is that's what you're looking for.
When I received the e-ARC copy, the first thing I noticed is that the pdf (yes, pdf) was over 290 pages long. And I don't exaggerate if I tell you that around 30/40 of those pages are just blank pages. Maybe even more.
So, as you can see, the story was short. Which does not necessarily need to be a bad thing, right? However, due to the short length, many, maaaaany things of the world building were left behind. Many others were assumed and a lot more unexplained. Just an example: how is her "divine form"? It's referenced plenty of times and never explained.
The FMC is quite stubborn and unapologetic, which is okay... if you don't make of this her whole personality.
She is the only one developed, though. Until half the book I did not know who the MMC was going to be. The rest of the characters, including the MMC are completely plain. We don't know their motivations, needs, likes, or even personality. They only appear when they have a direct interaction with the FMC -since it's her POV- and are not explained further besides that.
And the ending... well, it does finish with a cliffhanger. But, the way I see it, it should be better a cliffhanger to make you read a next chapter, not an end-of-book-I-want-you-to-read-the-following-book-cliffhanger.
All being said. I did enjoy the reading. It was a very short, very easy reading. Which is OK is that's what you're looking for.
June 11, 2025
So what can I say about A Dream of Onyx Villains? Even the title tells you something about this book — to expect poetic prose. And indeed, the prose manages to maintain a dreamy atmosphere that is quite effective without veering into overly purple territory.
However, I read the Butterfly Book Club edition of this book, and it is FULL of grammar errors. This disappointing lack of polish was evident in two other Butterfly Book Club books that I read recently: ‘Kuxtal Academy’ and ‘By the Orchid and the Owl’.
Sadly, they don't seem to get a proofreader, or a copy editor, or whatever it's called — the person who picks up all the grammar mistakes. It’s truly a shame because the book itself is so beautifully produced. It features such beautiful art on the cover, fine art on the edges, and endpaper art. And it’s signed. So I wish they'd put the same attention into the actual proofreading. It’s a notable flaw that frequently jarred me out of the reading experience
Okay, let's talk about the actual story. It starts with a prologue, a pretty intriguing prologue, and I felt quite positive about continuing. Unfortunately, this book falls prey to a common pitfall I’ve noticed in a lot of books, that is, when the prologue is the strongest piece of writing in the whole book. Sadly, it gives you an expectation of the level of writing that will follow, and in so many cases where the writing deteriorates, it just sets you up for disappointment.
Chapter one then starts with our FMC, Ravenna, having a terrifying dream of being chased by an enormous black dragon. It's clever because the book itself has a pervasive dreamy tone throughout, and this also turns out to be a recurring dream and ultimately a prophetic one.
We then follow Ravenna for the rest of the book, and it's a really interesting setup right off the bat. She is this demigod-type being — the daughter of the king of Hell. It’s a sort of Greek-type hell because otherwise, she would be pure evil. But she's not, so it's more of a daughter-of-Hades-type scenario.
She also has a brother that we’re introduced to, and we gather, from their banter, that they have a complex relationship. But that’s all we get of him for the rest of the book. Her brother functions as a sort of Grim Reaper collecting souls from earth and bringing them to hell. Ravenna’s job is to torture them. She comes up with inventive methods to inflict pain on the condemned souls as retribution for the evil that they've done in their lives. And then she consumes their pain as a form of sustenance. I genuinely found all of this fascinating, and it opened up so many questions of how the plot would progress.
But that’s when her father sends her on this mission to Earth to infiltrate some kind of rebellion, and also where the book starts to fall apart. The exchange itself is weird because we have no knowledge of what her father seeks to gain. Like, why does he care? Why does Ravenna need to go? And how does this sort of job fit into her duties as the princess of hell?
Unfortunately, what follows is a contrived and fairly boring sequence of events. Ravenna takes on her mortal form and descends to Earth, very conveniently landing right where she needs to be, in this camp of rebel soldiers.
The author should have just made pinpointing places one of Ravenna’s supernatural abilities instead of letting Ravenna marvel over how lucky it was for her to arrive right where she needed to be. It’s so ridiculous and would have been an easy fix.
So then she's in this camp of rebels, and of course, that's when the story devolves completely. I didn’t really mind that Ravenna starts behaving like a nympho around all these men because it fits quite well with her being a princess of Hell. But it takes primary and total focus. Ravenna starts making eyes at all these various men, flirting outrageously, masturbating outdoors, and having bizarre sexual encounters with the leader. It just becomes a sex book but notably without that much smut, actually. It’s more just banter, her thoughts about these men, some kissing, and one oral scene.
And that's really unfortunate because it actually had an interesting setup. What I wanted to know more about is, what is the extent of her role in hell? Does she enjoy it, or does it make her uncomfortable? How has that affected her over time? Maybe she hates it and dreams of forming connections and having friends. What's her relationship with her father like? What's her relationship with her brother like? All that stuff.
But none of that is in the book. Ahhh. It’s a book that had potential, then wasted it on a rinse-repeat bad boy romance that doesn’t even feature much smut. It should have just gone the whole hog if that’s what the author wanted to do with this book, instead of edging the readers and not delivering.
Ravenna certainly doesn't do what she's supposed to be doing — gaining intel, hiding her true self, abstaining from using her powers, abstaining from dalliances with these men, etc. She behaves like a horny teenager, not an ancient, jaded demigoddess.
The one genuinely engaging aspect of the story is Ravenna's past connection with a human boy named Constantine, whom she met years ago on Earth. Her memories of their moments together, his mysterious disappearance, and her decades-long yearning for him hint at a deeper, more conflicted side to her. Constantine serves as the single redeeming element, the only character who seems to break through Ravenna’s brash exterior and elicit some introspection. However, this intriguing thread is never fully explored or resolved.
The author also attempts to portray Ravenna as a badass bitch, complete with preloaded Hollywood-style drop-the-mic one-liners. I am personally very tired of this portrayal of girl bosses, even though Ravenna’s dialogue is not the worst I’ve seen and didn’t make me role my eyes too often or too hard.
But I think that’s because we saw her act in her role in Hell initially. Without that scene her badass lines wouldn’t hit because she does nothing else once among the rebels to back it up.
The biggest problem with the book is that every other character besides Ravenna is astonishingly flat. We get some hints about who these rebels are and what they’re trying to achieve as a collective group to set up a bit of mystery, but as for the individuals themselves… They are little more than hard muscle and potential sexual partners, lacking any discernible depth, interpersonal drama or individual motivations.
Ultimately, ‘A Dream of Onyx Villains’ is a book of missed opportunities. It had some elements going for it — I liked the dreamy tone; it helped me buy into the weirdness of the book, to be quite honest. But yeah, overall this was a below average book on the plot and prose fronts.
It had an interesting setup and a bit of compelling backstory for Ravenna, but these bits were frustratingly underdeveloped and went unresolved.
By the end it felt like the author wrote this out in order to collect her thoughts for a better book that she’s planning to write; as if the majority of this is the backstory that shouldn't have been told, if you know what I mean, like this is the part of the story that helps develop a character for a book, but shouldn't be IN the book.
As for carrying on with the series, if the next one's as short as this one, I might; because, honestly guys, I read this book in about 4 hours, and that in itself can be quite a satisfying experience. To basically pick up a book, sit down, read the entire book, and close it on the last page. That made me feel good. It's very easy reading. So if you're in a reading slump, perhaps try it out. And I actually do want to know what happened and what will happen with Constantine. Everything about the rebels can be taken out imho.
However, I read the Butterfly Book Club edition of this book, and it is FULL of grammar errors. This disappointing lack of polish was evident in two other Butterfly Book Club books that I read recently: ‘Kuxtal Academy’ and ‘By the Orchid and the Owl’.
Sadly, they don't seem to get a proofreader, or a copy editor, or whatever it's called — the person who picks up all the grammar mistakes. It’s truly a shame because the book itself is so beautifully produced. It features such beautiful art on the cover, fine art on the edges, and endpaper art. And it’s signed. So I wish they'd put the same attention into the actual proofreading. It’s a notable flaw that frequently jarred me out of the reading experience
Okay, let's talk about the actual story. It starts with a prologue, a pretty intriguing prologue, and I felt quite positive about continuing. Unfortunately, this book falls prey to a common pitfall I’ve noticed in a lot of books, that is, when the prologue is the strongest piece of writing in the whole book. Sadly, it gives you an expectation of the level of writing that will follow, and in so many cases where the writing deteriorates, it just sets you up for disappointment.
Chapter one then starts with our FMC, Ravenna, having a terrifying dream of being chased by an enormous black dragon. It's clever because the book itself has a pervasive dreamy tone throughout, and this also turns out to be a recurring dream and ultimately a prophetic one.
We then follow Ravenna for the rest of the book, and it's a really interesting setup right off the bat. She is this demigod-type being — the daughter of the king of Hell. It’s a sort of Greek-type hell because otherwise, she would be pure evil. But she's not, so it's more of a daughter-of-Hades-type scenario.
She also has a brother that we’re introduced to, and we gather, from their banter, that they have a complex relationship. But that’s all we get of him for the rest of the book. Her brother functions as a sort of Grim Reaper collecting souls from earth and bringing them to hell. Ravenna’s job is to torture them. She comes up with inventive methods to inflict pain on the condemned souls as retribution for the evil that they've done in their lives. And then she consumes their pain as a form of sustenance. I genuinely found all of this fascinating, and it opened up so many questions of how the plot would progress.
But that’s when her father sends her on this mission to Earth to infiltrate some kind of rebellion, and also where the book starts to fall apart. The exchange itself is weird because we have no knowledge of what her father seeks to gain. Like, why does he care? Why does Ravenna need to go? And how does this sort of job fit into her duties as the princess of hell?
Unfortunately, what follows is a contrived and fairly boring sequence of events. Ravenna takes on her mortal form and descends to Earth, very conveniently landing right where she needs to be, in this camp of rebel soldiers.
The author should have just made pinpointing places one of Ravenna’s supernatural abilities instead of letting Ravenna marvel over how lucky it was for her to arrive right where she needed to be. It’s so ridiculous and would have been an easy fix.
So then she's in this camp of rebels, and of course, that's when the story devolves completely. I didn’t really mind that Ravenna starts behaving like a nympho around all these men because it fits quite well with her being a princess of Hell. But it takes primary and total focus. Ravenna starts making eyes at all these various men, flirting outrageously, masturbating outdoors, and having bizarre sexual encounters with the leader. It just becomes a sex book but notably without that much smut, actually. It’s more just banter, her thoughts about these men, some kissing, and one oral scene.
And that's really unfortunate because it actually had an interesting setup. What I wanted to know more about is, what is the extent of her role in hell? Does she enjoy it, or does it make her uncomfortable? How has that affected her over time? Maybe she hates it and dreams of forming connections and having friends. What's her relationship with her father like? What's her relationship with her brother like? All that stuff.
But none of that is in the book. Ahhh. It’s a book that had potential, then wasted it on a rinse-repeat bad boy romance that doesn’t even feature much smut. It should have just gone the whole hog if that’s what the author wanted to do with this book, instead of edging the readers and not delivering.
Ravenna certainly doesn't do what she's supposed to be doing — gaining intel, hiding her true self, abstaining from using her powers, abstaining from dalliances with these men, etc. She behaves like a horny teenager, not an ancient, jaded demigoddess.
The one genuinely engaging aspect of the story is Ravenna's past connection with a human boy named Constantine, whom she met years ago on Earth. Her memories of their moments together, his mysterious disappearance, and her decades-long yearning for him hint at a deeper, more conflicted side to her. Constantine serves as the single redeeming element, the only character who seems to break through Ravenna’s brash exterior and elicit some introspection. However, this intriguing thread is never fully explored or resolved.
The author also attempts to portray Ravenna as a badass bitch, complete with preloaded Hollywood-style drop-the-mic one-liners. I am personally very tired of this portrayal of girl bosses, even though Ravenna’s dialogue is not the worst I’ve seen and didn’t make me role my eyes too often or too hard.
But I think that’s because we saw her act in her role in Hell initially. Without that scene her badass lines wouldn’t hit because she does nothing else once among the rebels to back it up.
The biggest problem with the book is that every other character besides Ravenna is astonishingly flat. We get some hints about who these rebels are and what they’re trying to achieve as a collective group to set up a bit of mystery, but as for the individuals themselves… They are little more than hard muscle and potential sexual partners, lacking any discernible depth, interpersonal drama or individual motivations.
Ultimately, ‘A Dream of Onyx Villains’ is a book of missed opportunities. It had some elements going for it — I liked the dreamy tone; it helped me buy into the weirdness of the book, to be quite honest. But yeah, overall this was a below average book on the plot and prose fronts.
It had an interesting setup and a bit of compelling backstory for Ravenna, but these bits were frustratingly underdeveloped and went unresolved.
By the end it felt like the author wrote this out in order to collect her thoughts for a better book that she’s planning to write; as if the majority of this is the backstory that shouldn't have been told, if you know what I mean, like this is the part of the story that helps develop a character for a book, but shouldn't be IN the book.
As for carrying on with the series, if the next one's as short as this one, I might; because, honestly guys, I read this book in about 4 hours, and that in itself can be quite a satisfying experience. To basically pick up a book, sit down, read the entire book, and close it on the last page. That made me feel good. It's very easy reading. So if you're in a reading slump, perhaps try it out. And I actually do want to know what happened and what will happen with Constantine. Everything about the rebels can be taken out imho.
May 6, 2025
Thank you to Isabella Khalidi for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: 5 stars.
Genre(s): dark adult fantasy romance.
Overall impression: I don't know if I devoured this book or if it devoured me. I literally couldn't put it down until the last page. The tension between the main characters was palpable and I loved their snarky/flirty dialogue. The storyline was easy to follow and had some really interesting folklore and mythology elements. I can't wait to see how both the plot and romance develop in the next book.
Tropes:
➵ Shadow mommy
➵ Dragon shifter MMC
➵ Powerful MCs
➵ Slow-burn romance
➵ Forced proximity
➵ Enemies-to-?
➵ Touch her and die
➵ Dirty mouth MMC
➵ Morally black
➵ Hidden identity
➵ Recurring dreams
➵ Political intrigue
➵ Lost civilisation
➵ Rebel uprising
➵ Gods & goddesses
➵ Immortality
➵ Asian mythology
➵ Ends on a cliffhanger
⤷ Plot:
Very easy to follow with a sprinkle of mythology and folklore along the way. I could predict most of storyline but that didn't take any of the enjoyment out of reading it. Perfect for people that want equal parts storyline and romance.
⤷ Characters:
The personalities of Ravenna and Valkhar were my favourite part of the story. I loved the way they interacted with each other with snarky/flirty remarks, and a whole lot of tension. The romance was slow but steamy and I can't wait to see how their relationship changes over the course of the series.
The supporting characters were witty and interesting, though not as fleshed out as the main characters. I hope we get to see more of them in book 2.
⤷ World-building:
Very easy to follow. The mythology and lore were introduced slowly, so there was never a moment where you felt like you had too much information dumped on you at once. The settings were really well described too, so I felt like I could picture the scenes happening - which I always love in fantasy/sci-fi novels.
⤷ Writing:
I was able to finish the book in a solid 2-3 hr sitting, so it was very bingeable. The style was really easy to follow whilst not being overly simplistic. There were times when it was fairly lyrical and beautiful, often when Ravenna spiralled a bit when interacting with Valkhar. It was so well composed, I'm eager to go read more of Isabella's books.
⤷ Everything else:
The chapter headers/breaks and character artwork were absolutely gorgeous. The likeness of the characters was captured really well and it made the book feel like a special edition.
Statistics:
➵ Date read: 20/04/2025 (1 day).
➵ Page count: 279.
➵ Type: e-book.
➵ Volume: series.
➵ Special: direct from author ARC.
Social Media Links:
Instagram | TikTok | Threads
Follow for reviews, unboxings and book aesthetic videos.
Rating: 5 stars.
Genre(s): dark adult fantasy romance.
Overall impression: I don't know if I devoured this book or if it devoured me. I literally couldn't put it down until the last page. The tension between the main characters was palpable and I loved their snarky/flirty dialogue. The storyline was easy to follow and had some really interesting folklore and mythology elements. I can't wait to see how both the plot and romance develop in the next book.
Tropes:
➵ Shadow mommy
➵ Dragon shifter MMC
➵ Powerful MCs
➵ Slow-burn romance
➵ Forced proximity
➵ Enemies-to-?
➵ Touch her and die
➵ Dirty mouth MMC
➵ Morally black
➵ Hidden identity
➵ Recurring dreams
➵ Political intrigue
➵ Lost civilisation
➵ Rebel uprising
➵ Gods & goddesses
➵ Immortality
➵ Asian mythology
➵ Ends on a cliffhanger
⤷ Plot:
Very easy to follow with a sprinkle of mythology and folklore along the way. I could predict most of storyline but that didn't take any of the enjoyment out of reading it. Perfect for people that want equal parts storyline and romance.
⤷ Characters:
The personalities of Ravenna and Valkhar were my favourite part of the story. I loved the way they interacted with each other with snarky/flirty remarks, and a whole lot of tension. The romance was slow but steamy and I can't wait to see how their relationship changes over the course of the series.
The supporting characters were witty and interesting, though not as fleshed out as the main characters. I hope we get to see more of them in book 2.
⤷ World-building:
Very easy to follow. The mythology and lore were introduced slowly, so there was never a moment where you felt like you had too much information dumped on you at once. The settings were really well described too, so I felt like I could picture the scenes happening - which I always love in fantasy/sci-fi novels.
⤷ Writing:
I was able to finish the book in a solid 2-3 hr sitting, so it was very bingeable. The style was really easy to follow whilst not being overly simplistic. There were times when it was fairly lyrical and beautiful, often when Ravenna spiralled a bit when interacting with Valkhar. It was so well composed, I'm eager to go read more of Isabella's books.
⤷ Everything else:
The chapter headers/breaks and character artwork were absolutely gorgeous. The likeness of the characters was captured really well and it made the book feel like a special edition.
Statistics:
➵ Date read: 20/04/2025 (1 day).
➵ Page count: 279.
➵ Type: e-book.
➵ Volume: series.
➵ Special: direct from author ARC.
Social Media Links:
Instagram | TikTok | Threads
Follow for reviews, unboxings and book aesthetic videos.
August 16, 2025
This was one surprising read. It wasn't on my radar at all, I only found out about it by mistake while looking up another book 🫣
⇢ What to expect:
• Dragon Shapeshifters
• Gods & Goddesses
• Morally Black MCs
• Cocky a-hole MMC
• Shadow-wielding FMC
• Forced Proximity
• Hidden Identity
• Lost civilation
⤏ Thoughts
Ravenna, the FMC, won me over from the very beginning! Mainly because she gave me villain vibes, which felt like a fresh breath of air.
She’s the Soul Eater, a goddess from Hell, sent to Earth by her father to stop a rebellion from causing unnecessary slaughter of innocents in their pursuit of revenge.
She’s the type of woman who takes no shit, gets what she wants, follows her own set of morals, and is unapologetically herself 😌
Despite being a short book (276 pgs.), it managed to cover the important plot details, and it never felt rushed or lacking to me.
I also found out there’s a prequel series about Ravenna’s parents, and since this one is incomplete, I’ll probably read that next 👀
⇢ What to expect:
• Dragon Shapeshifters
• Gods & Goddesses
• Morally Black MCs
• Cocky a-hole MMC
• Shadow-wielding FMC
• Forced Proximity
• Hidden Identity
• Lost civilation
⤏ Thoughts
Ravenna, the FMC, won me over from the very beginning! Mainly because she gave me villain vibes, which felt like a fresh breath of air.
She’s the Soul Eater, a goddess from Hell, sent to Earth by her father to stop a rebellion from causing unnecessary slaughter of innocents in their pursuit of revenge.
She’s the type of woman who takes no shit, gets what she wants, follows her own set of morals, and is unapologetically herself 😌
Despite being a short book (276 pgs.), it managed to cover the important plot details, and it never felt rushed or lacking to me.
I also found out there’s a prequel series about Ravenna’s parents, and since this one is incomplete, I’ll probably read that next 👀
April 21, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️
This book was Soo much fun and absolutely left me wanting more. It was my first time reading about Dragon shifters and let me tell you I am INTRIGUED to say the least 👀
The writing and story were well done and easy to follow. I didn’t find myself getting overwhelmed with world building. The banter was fantastic as well. I love myself a witty FMC.
I also absolutely loved the character art sprinkled throughout the book! Definitely added to the reading experience.
I cannot wait for the next book in the series, I have a feeling things are going to heat up immensely. 👀
A Dream of Onyx Villans will be available May 5th 🖤
🌶️🌶️
This book was Soo much fun and absolutely left me wanting more. It was my first time reading about Dragon shifters and let me tell you I am INTRIGUED to say the least 👀
The writing and story were well done and easy to follow. I didn’t find myself getting overwhelmed with world building. The banter was fantastic as well. I love myself a witty FMC.
I also absolutely loved the character art sprinkled throughout the book! Definitely added to the reading experience.
I cannot wait for the next book in the series, I have a feeling things are going to heat up immensely. 👀
A Dream of Onyx Villans will be available May 5th 🖤
August 15, 2025
2.5 ⭐️
I have nothing to say other than it was too short to get an impression of the characters and the world-building, but I hope the second book will remedy that.
I have nothing to say other than it was too short to get an impression of the characters and the world-building, but I hope the second book will remedy that.
April 24, 2025
did i sign up for the arc based on the title and the cover? you betcha (i mean look at that cover!!)
did i fall in love with it because of the characters and the story? oh fuck ya! (to be read in a canadian accent)
first, i’m starting to love when authors include character art or story art throughout the book. Khalidi did just that and i’m forever grateful to her for it! i didn’t have to run to insta to see if art was available. it was right there, waiting for me! 😍
so, let’s talk about my new favourite characters. first, Ravenna. my first shadow mommy and she will likely always be #1 to me. she is a no-fucks-given, i-know-my-worth, don’t-test-me kinda gal and i want to be her friend. she knows who she is and doesn’t take anyone’s shit. even a tall af, tatted, hot, mysterious man with golden eyes like Valkhar. that man, oh my lord 🥵 they both truly hate each other, but the tension and chemistry will still smack you in the face!
filled with secret identities, lost civilizations, gods, dragons and dragon shifters, you do not want to pass up on the chance to read this book! it’s been over 24 hours since finishing this book and i’m still questioning everything. i cannot wait to get my hands on book two because i am REELING from that ending!
A Dream of Onyx Villains by Isabella Khalidi out May 5, 2025!
did i fall in love with it because of the characters and the story? oh fuck ya! (to be read in a canadian accent)
first, i’m starting to love when authors include character art or story art throughout the book. Khalidi did just that and i’m forever grateful to her for it! i didn’t have to run to insta to see if art was available. it was right there, waiting for me! 😍
so, let’s talk about my new favourite characters. first, Ravenna. my first shadow mommy and she will likely always be #1 to me. she is a no-fucks-given, i-know-my-worth, don’t-test-me kinda gal and i want to be her friend. she knows who she is and doesn’t take anyone’s shit. even a tall af, tatted, hot, mysterious man with golden eyes like Valkhar. that man, oh my lord 🥵 they both truly hate each other, but the tension and chemistry will still smack you in the face!
filled with secret identities, lost civilizations, gods, dragons and dragon shifters, you do not want to pass up on the chance to read this book! it’s been over 24 hours since finishing this book and i’m still questioning everything. i cannot wait to get my hands on book two because i am REELING from that ending!
A Dream of Onyx Villains by Isabella Khalidi out May 5, 2025!
May 28, 2025
This book just wasn't for me, I was close to DNFing it but powered through as it was from a subscription box. I feel like this is more of a novella as it is quite short and the font was bigger than im used to. A lot of pages were wasted with a whole page dedicated to a chapter title page. The story didn't feel very in depth with world building and i had no connection to the characters and I just wasn't a fan of the writing style. The spiciness felt really weird and cringe for me. I had high hopes as all the reviews I have read are 5 stars but was disappointed.
June 10, 2025
This a short book so I didn’t want to DNF but I definitely thought about it a lot😅
The writing style just wasn’t for me, I found it very choppy and not immersive at all. We learned next to nothing about the world/dragons. The actual storyline had the potential to be really good but ended up falling flat.
The romance was confusing …they hated eachother and then out of nowhere she belongs to him. They had 0 chemistry and about 5 conversations the whole time😅
I love me a badass fmc but I just found Ravenna annoying.
The writing style just wasn’t for me, I found it very choppy and not immersive at all. We learned next to nothing about the world/dragons. The actual storyline had the potential to be really good but ended up falling flat.
The romance was confusing …they hated eachother and then out of nowhere she belongs to him. They had 0 chemistry and about 5 conversations the whole time😅
I love me a badass fmc but I just found Ravenna annoying.
June 6, 2025
I don’t know how to feel about this book. But I do feel like some things are missing.
- the world building was underwhelming in my opinion
- the story is short but nothing really happens apart from a few murder parties
- the characters are a bit one dimensional: What was nice to read about an FMC who’s not a typical good girl. The MMC looks good we get it but how about some personality?
- the cliffhanger does not make me want to read the next book
- the world building was underwhelming in my opinion
- the story is short but nothing really happens apart from a few murder parties
- the characters are a bit one dimensional: What was nice to read about an FMC who’s not a typical good girl. The MMC looks good we get it but how about some personality?
- the cliffhanger does not make me want to read the next book
April 25, 2025
A Dream of Onyx Villains is Book 1 in the Legends of Kaminari Series and is a very steamy epic dark fantasy romance with gods, dragons, and dragon shifters, inspired by Asian mythology, folklore, and legends.
I’ve never read a book so fast in my life! I devoured this in one sitting. It was a little short, but it was very enjoyable, nonetheless. I couldn’t put it down and I loved everything about it. The confident and bad@$$ FMC, the morally grey mysterious MMC, and even all the side characters were well written! I enjoyed the dialogue, the banter, the humor, and all the sarcasm. Everything I love in a book. The story was unique, the world building is easy to follow, and the writing flowed really well. I loved the inspiration by Asian mythology, folklore, and legends. It was unique and well done. That cliffhanger though!
Also, the character art throughout the book was stunning.
I can’t wait for Book 2 and to find out what happens and where it goes!
Thank you to the author for a gifted eArc!
I’ve never read a book so fast in my life! I devoured this in one sitting. It was a little short, but it was very enjoyable, nonetheless. I couldn’t put it down and I loved everything about it. The confident and bad@$$ FMC, the morally grey mysterious MMC, and even all the side characters were well written! I enjoyed the dialogue, the banter, the humor, and all the sarcasm. Everything I love in a book. The story was unique, the world building is easy to follow, and the writing flowed really well. I loved the inspiration by Asian mythology, folklore, and legends. It was unique and well done. That cliffhanger though!
Also, the character art throughout the book was stunning.
I can’t wait for Book 2 and to find out what happens and where it goes!
Thank you to the author for a gifted eArc!
April 21, 2025
"A Dream of Onyx: Villains" is exactly what the title promises—my most unhinged, wildly indulgent fantasy dreams come to life, and then some. This isn’t just a book; it’s a full-blown obsession. We’re talking gods, dragons, dragon shifters, and myth-soaked magic all wrapped in a dark, sultry romance that does not hold back. It’s gloriously wicked, deliciously dramatic, and hotter than a dragon’s breath.
Now let’s get into it—Shadow Mommy Ravenna? I’d let her ruin my life. Twice. She’s that powerful blend of menace and magnetism I live for. And Valkhar… that devastatingly mysterious menace? He broods like it’s a profession, and I’d gladly major in him.
Just as I'm fully tangled in this glorious mess of power plays, secrets, and steamy stares—BAM. The book ends. On a cliffhanger. A cruel, soul-shattering, how-dare-you cliffhanger. Isabella, ma’am… what kind of emotional sabotage is this?! I need Book 2 like yesterday. I’m spiraling. I have theories. I have needs. And I am not okay.
Now let’s get into it—Shadow Mommy Ravenna? I’d let her ruin my life. Twice. She’s that powerful blend of menace and magnetism I live for. And Valkhar… that devastatingly mysterious menace? He broods like it’s a profession, and I’d gladly major in him.
Just as I'm fully tangled in this glorious mess of power plays, secrets, and steamy stares—BAM. The book ends. On a cliffhanger. A cruel, soul-shattering, how-dare-you cliffhanger. Isabella, ma’am… what kind of emotional sabotage is this?! I need Book 2 like yesterday. I’m spiraling. I have theories. I have needs. And I am not okay.
April 22, 2025
Oh man I liked this book. I flew through it and my mouth was hanging open when I realized I got to the end. That can’t be where it ends!!!
The drawings/art in this book is an absolutely gorgeous addition. I loveddd looking at the art, especially when a chapter ended/began. And the character art sprinkled throughout? It gave me exactly what I needed.
This book is spicy baby. We have a kind of enemies to lovers mixed with insta lust but the mmc and fmc can’t get together because of…reasons.
This book has a shadow mommy who is absolutely amazing. She doesn’t care about anything and doesn’t take anyone’s crap. The mmc is a dragon shifter (or is he?) and he is obsessed with our fmc.
I need the next book yesterday. I’m so sad that I have to wait for it.
Thank you so very much to Isabella Khalidi for an ARC of this book. All opinions are my own and are not influenced by the manner in which I received it.
The drawings/art in this book is an absolutely gorgeous addition. I loveddd looking at the art, especially when a chapter ended/began. And the character art sprinkled throughout? It gave me exactly what I needed.
This book is spicy baby. We have a kind of enemies to lovers mixed with insta lust but the mmc and fmc can’t get together because of…reasons.
This book has a shadow mommy who is absolutely amazing. She doesn’t care about anything and doesn’t take anyone’s crap. The mmc is a dragon shifter (or is he?) and he is obsessed with our fmc.
I need the next book yesterday. I’m so sad that I have to wait for it.
Thank you so very much to Isabella Khalidi for an ARC of this book. All opinions are my own and are not influenced by the manner in which I received it.
April 27, 2025
Isabella is creating a whole new adventure in the same world as The Forgotten Kingdom Chronicles and I am LOVING it. The FMC is strong and sassy with a “touch me and ☠️” attitude. Definitely like a couple characters we already know from TFKC. 👀
The MMC definitely rivals for the top OTTP MMC position, though he’s still mysterious and grumpy. I can’t wait to see more of him as the series continues.
The side characters? I’m in love with Ryker and Aran. Isabella has such a way with creating side characters that aid to the story while giving us lovable interactions that are sure to make you laugh
I genuinely cannot wait for this series to progress, especially after the *massive* cliffhanger she leaves us with! Get ready for a ride because dragons have entered the chat.
The MMC definitely rivals for the top OTTP MMC position, though he’s still mysterious and grumpy. I can’t wait to see more of him as the series continues.
The side characters? I’m in love with Ryker and Aran. Isabella has such a way with creating side characters that aid to the story while giving us lovable interactions that are sure to make you laugh
I genuinely cannot wait for this series to progress, especially after the *massive* cliffhanger she leaves us with! Get ready for a ride because dragons have entered the chat.
May 15, 2025
A Dream of Onyx Villains
A steamy fast-paced fantasy that hooked me from the start. I loved it. It was dark and possessiveness!
There were gods, dragons, secrets, legends, dreams, rebellions, and so much more packed in this exciting dark fantasy!
Ravenna was a dominant take charge character who was not afraid to get her hands dirty. I loved her fiery personality.
Valkhar was mysterious and swoon worthy. He was possessive and total alpha male. I can’t wait to read more about them.
The two of them together were explosive. The banter, the sizzling tension, and that cliffhanger ending…give me more please!
If you love dark fantasy with morally black characters who are unapologetic vicious and possessive along with gods, dragons, shadow mommy, dragon shifter MMC, slow burn, f*** it moment, hate to steam, spicy tension, ancient legends, forced proximity, touch her and xx vibes, and so much more then check this one out!
A steamy fast-paced fantasy that hooked me from the start. I loved it. It was dark and possessiveness!
There were gods, dragons, secrets, legends, dreams, rebellions, and so much more packed in this exciting dark fantasy!
Ravenna was a dominant take charge character who was not afraid to get her hands dirty. I loved her fiery personality.
Valkhar was mysterious and swoon worthy. He was possessive and total alpha male. I can’t wait to read more about them.
The two of them together were explosive. The banter, the sizzling tension, and that cliffhanger ending…give me more please!
If you love dark fantasy with morally black characters who are unapologetic vicious and possessive along with gods, dragons, shadow mommy, dragon shifter MMC, slow burn, f*** it moment, hate to steam, spicy tension, ancient legends, forced proximity, touch her and xx vibes, and so much more then check this one out!
June 30, 2025
Sorry did I get half a book??
This felt so rushed and chaotic, it was like reading a first draft of a story idea. The idea is there but there’s no exploration of the characters or the story AT ALL. Where’s all the information??
I read the Butterfly Book Club edition and when you take out all of the FULL chapter pages and empty pages…. And the size of the font (it felt like a kids book it was so huge) it must be what like 100 pages, 150 max? The book is beautiful and has great potential but it just felt like the 🌶️ scenes were written and then the rest was an afterthought and thrown together to call it a book.
This felt so rushed and chaotic, it was like reading a first draft of a story idea. The idea is there but there’s no exploration of the characters or the story AT ALL. Where’s all the information??
I read the Butterfly Book Club edition and when you take out all of the FULL chapter pages and empty pages…. And the size of the font (it felt like a kids book it was so huge) it must be what like 100 pages, 150 max? The book is beautiful and has great potential but it just felt like the 🌶️ scenes were written and then the rest was an afterthought and thrown together to call it a book.
June 9, 2025
Quick and Fun!
This is a quick and fun read!!!
I absolutely adore Ravenna, the main female character, because she’s not only a baddie BUT a verrrrry fun character!
She can literally make me laugh without trying too hard. She is so wild and unapologetic!!
Valkhar is also a fun character but so very mysterious. We didn’t really get much answers about who he is nor did we get any of his history or background.
All we know is he is hot, hotheaded, and so very unhinged when it comes to Ravenna.
There’s a bit of world-building but we were mostly kept in the dark on what exactly is going on. I am honestly so excited to unravel more of this world!!!
I WANT MORE
-ᴛʜᴀɴᴋ ʏᴏᴜ ꜰᴏʀ ᴛʜɪꜱ ᴀʀᴄ, ᴀʟʟ ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜᴛꜱ ᴀʀᴇ ᴍʏ ᴏᴡɴ-
This is a quick and fun read!!!
I absolutely adore Ravenna, the main female character, because she’s not only a baddie BUT a verrrrry fun character!
She can literally make me laugh without trying too hard. She is so wild and unapologetic!!
Valkhar is also a fun character but so very mysterious. We didn’t really get much answers about who he is nor did we get any of his history or background.
All we know is he is hot, hotheaded, and so very unhinged when it comes to Ravenna.
There’s a bit of world-building but we were mostly kept in the dark on what exactly is going on. I am honestly so excited to unravel more of this world!!!
I WANT MORE
-ᴛʜᴀɴᴋ ʏᴏᴜ ꜰᴏʀ ᴛʜɪꜱ ᴀʀᴄ, ᴀʟʟ ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜᴛꜱ ᴀʀᴇ ᴍʏ ᴏᴡɴ-
May 2, 2025
What a captivating, thrilling, fast pace read! Holy crap that just sucks you right in and holds you captive until you finish the book. Loved it. When is the next book because I want more.
April 11, 2025
Proofreader here, so I'm not going to give any details. Sorryyyy. It's another amazing read from Isabella, and you're going to love it! 😍
May 6, 2025
OBSESSED is an understatement.
First of all - we all need to be more like Ravenna - I absolutely love her! She’s sassy, no-nonsense and fierce!
The lore behind the story is so interesting and our MMC is just irresistibly infuriating 🤣
The perfect mix for a great dark Romantasy!
I can’t wait to read the next book.
First of all - we all need to be more like Ravenna - I absolutely love her! She’s sassy, no-nonsense and fierce!
The lore behind the story is so interesting and our MMC is just irresistibly infuriating 🤣
The perfect mix for a great dark Romantasy!
I can’t wait to read the next book.
May 10, 2025
I’m so excited to see where this series leads!! What an awesome first book!
I loved the tension between Ravenna and Valkhar 🫠 I’m also really interested to see how Ravenna’s character grows and changes throughout the series. I love how she’s the perfect blend of her mother and father 😉
“Father would understand.”
“Mother would approve.”
Thanks for the ARC, Isabella!
I loved the tension between Ravenna and Valkhar 🫠 I’m also really interested to see how Ravenna’s character grows and changes throughout the series. I love how she’s the perfect blend of her mother and father 😉
“Father would understand.”
“Mother would approve.”
Thanks for the ARC, Isabella!
April 20, 2025
ARC read
a dream of Onyx Villians by @isabellakhalidiauthor written so well!! What can I say? Dark Epic fantasy, Spicy 🌶️ touch her and 💀. Asian mythology and folklore dragons 🐉 gods and dragon shifters HELL YES This was so bingable I flew through this in a few hours it ticked all@the boxes as a dragon girly and fantasy lover this is the next best dark fantasy series you need to read ! I cannot wait to read the rest of legends of Kaminari!! I am so grateful I read the ARC 4.5 stars ⭐️ I need more!
a dream of Onyx Villians by @isabellakhalidiauthor written so well!! What can I say? Dark Epic fantasy, Spicy 🌶️ touch her and 💀. Asian mythology and folklore dragons 🐉 gods and dragon shifters HELL YES This was so bingable I flew through this in a few hours it ticked all@the boxes as a dragon girly and fantasy lover this is the next best dark fantasy series you need to read ! I cannot wait to read the rest of legends of Kaminari!! I am so grateful I read the ARC 4.5 stars ⭐️ I need more!
June 16, 2025
I actually think that this is the worst book I ever read and I regret every moment I spent reading it. There's no plot, no worldbuilding, no immersion, it's just all very weird, very fast-paced and sometimes disgusting. The characters are flat, the dialogues and interactions feel forced and the spice scenes are anything but tasteful.
May 5, 2025
"Run and hide, kitten, before the devil catches you."
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶🌶🌶
What you'll find in this book:
- Asian Mythology & Legends
- Dark Romance & Epic Dark Fantasy
- Spicy Spice
- Forbidden Romance
- Hate to ?
- Slow Burn
- Gods, Dragons & Dragon Shifters
- Lost Civilisation
- Secret Identities
- Forced Proximity
- Both Are Morally Black
- Dragon Daddy & Shadow Mommy
I'm not going to lie Isabella, you've left me with way more questions than answers but I can't even begin to be mad at you for it, because what an amazing start to a new series you have provided us with. This book gave us the introduction to the new host of characters you have created in a world steeped in deep rooted mythology and lore. I loved how this book is interwoven with the forgotten kingdom chronicles, having a certain favourite character reappear in this world set years since. This story has definitely left me hungry for more, I don't know what half of what we have discovered means and the jarring way in which the book ended only left me more confused. However, this book sets the tone for what I am sure will be an incredible series and I can't wait for more of the tension and spice between Dragon Daddy and shadow mommy.
We begin our story with Ravenna, the princess of hell, plagued by dreams of her missing mortal friend she feels she is loosing her grip on everything around her including her abilities to serve her kingdom. With her dreams intensifying and her shadows misbehaving, when she is tasked with infiltrating a rebellion within the mortal realm she seizes the opportunity, if only to use it to find the boy that haunts her dreams and gets her the closure that she so desperately needs. However, as she infiltrates the rebellion as tasked to do she has to go toe to toe with the most infuriating and possessive mortal man she has ever met, one she can't deny her attraction for. With the attraction between them burning brighter day after day, and as Ravenna begins to learn more about the people she has been sent to stop she realises there more than meets the eye to everything, but will she be able to work everything out before her nightmares catch up to her.
Ravenna is such an amazing FMC, Isabella has written her to be strong-willed and to bow to no one which I am all here for. Her snarky attitude and inability to keep her mouth shut was absolutely perfectly placed for a story like this. She is afraid of her nightmares as confusing as they are, but will face them anyway. Valkhar embodies a morally black alphahole, he's incredibly frustrating and always so damn pleased with himself. He enjoys pushing Ravenna's buttons while keeping her constantly at arms length. The interactions between these two have sparks flying and smoke smouldering in its wake, you just know when they eventually collide it is going to be cataclysmic. I feel like we have only just scratched the surface of both of these characters and what they are capable of. Alongside these two we also met a whole host of new characters as well as some we have already met before, and I cannot wait to learn more about the characters throughout the series.
Isabella's writing throughout this book was fabulous, she has created a lush new world with amazing creatures and landscapes while also holding enough back to maintain the air of mystery surrounding the story and the characters. The foundations have been laid for another series steeped in immaculate worldbuilding and beautifully complex mythology and lore. This read was a shorter one, and the pacing was non stop, but I wouldn't have wanted it any other way. The characters and the storyline brokered no room for this story to be the the slow and easy way. As I've mentioned before the whole plot let me hungry for more, we've only just started with these characters and this story and we are far from being done. What will happen next after that ending, I honestly have no idea, but I cannot wait to find out.
Thank you so much to the author for sending me an e-ARC to read and review!
Author: Isabella Khalidi
Series: Legends of Kaminari
Publisher: Independently Published
Release Date: May 5th, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶🌶🌶
What you'll find in this book:
- Asian Mythology & Legends
- Dark Romance & Epic Dark Fantasy
- Spicy Spice
- Forbidden Romance
- Hate to ?
- Slow Burn
- Gods, Dragons & Dragon Shifters
- Lost Civilisation
- Secret Identities
- Forced Proximity
- Both Are Morally Black
- Dragon Daddy & Shadow Mommy
I'm not going to lie Isabella, you've left me with way more questions than answers but I can't even begin to be mad at you for it, because what an amazing start to a new series you have provided us with. This book gave us the introduction to the new host of characters you have created in a world steeped in deep rooted mythology and lore. I loved how this book is interwoven with the forgotten kingdom chronicles, having a certain favourite character reappear in this world set years since. This story has definitely left me hungry for more, I don't know what half of what we have discovered means and the jarring way in which the book ended only left me more confused. However, this book sets the tone for what I am sure will be an incredible series and I can't wait for more of the tension and spice between Dragon Daddy and shadow mommy.
We begin our story with Ravenna, the princess of hell, plagued by dreams of her missing mortal friend she feels she is loosing her grip on everything around her including her abilities to serve her kingdom. With her dreams intensifying and her shadows misbehaving, when she is tasked with infiltrating a rebellion within the mortal realm she seizes the opportunity, if only to use it to find the boy that haunts her dreams and gets her the closure that she so desperately needs. However, as she infiltrates the rebellion as tasked to do she has to go toe to toe with the most infuriating and possessive mortal man she has ever met, one she can't deny her attraction for. With the attraction between them burning brighter day after day, and as Ravenna begins to learn more about the people she has been sent to stop she realises there more than meets the eye to everything, but will she be able to work everything out before her nightmares catch up to her.
Ravenna is such an amazing FMC, Isabella has written her to be strong-willed and to bow to no one which I am all here for. Her snarky attitude and inability to keep her mouth shut was absolutely perfectly placed for a story like this. She is afraid of her nightmares as confusing as they are, but will face them anyway. Valkhar embodies a morally black alphahole, he's incredibly frustrating and always so damn pleased with himself. He enjoys pushing Ravenna's buttons while keeping her constantly at arms length. The interactions between these two have sparks flying and smoke smouldering in its wake, you just know when they eventually collide it is going to be cataclysmic. I feel like we have only just scratched the surface of both of these characters and what they are capable of. Alongside these two we also met a whole host of new characters as well as some we have already met before, and I cannot wait to learn more about the characters throughout the series.
Isabella's writing throughout this book was fabulous, she has created a lush new world with amazing creatures and landscapes while also holding enough back to maintain the air of mystery surrounding the story and the characters. The foundations have been laid for another series steeped in immaculate worldbuilding and beautifully complex mythology and lore. This read was a shorter one, and the pacing was non stop, but I wouldn't have wanted it any other way. The characters and the storyline brokered no room for this story to be the the slow and easy way. As I've mentioned before the whole plot let me hungry for more, we've only just started with these characters and this story and we are far from being done. What will happen next after that ending, I honestly have no idea, but I cannot wait to find out.
Thank you so much to the author for sending me an e-ARC to read and review!
Author: Isabella Khalidi
Series: Legends of Kaminari
Publisher: Independently Published
Release Date: May 5th, 2025
May 2, 2025
This book has left me in a state of... I don't even know how to describe it. I have a lot of questions and the first is, how long do I need to wait for book 2? The second is did you really just do that to me? There are several others but no spoilers here guys.
I was fortunate enough to read this as an ARC and Isabella did not fail to hook me from the beginning. The characters are dynamic and I like the mixing of demons, gods and dragons. The lore behind the story is also fascinating, the history behind it has been well developed and included in the story telling to really give you an immersive read which ties in nicely with the world building. I find sometimes fantasy stories can go unnecessarily deep into the world building and over-describe everything but Isabella did not do that, there is the perfect level to create beautiful imagery but not overpower the entire book.
I actually want to know everything about the history of the Sarkanian Empire and the legend of the Raijin, not just the stories of the main characters and I think it could be a fabulous potential prequel or just a side book.
Ravenna is stunning, the way the vision of her is painted before you see the character art is perfection. Strong, sexy, dark and maybe a little bit evil, just *chefs kiss*.
I love her feisty attitude towards any man she comes into contact with. Shadow Mommy is a definitely a complete vibe and it was empowering and thrilling to have a strong dark FMC that has the main storyline.
The men in this story will have you questioning why choose? They are all so alluring and quite frankly hot AF.
Aran, Ryker and Terheon are your usual warrior hotties, dark and brooding, sarcastic and somewhat immature senses of humour, loyal to a fault and protective regardless of Ravenna's relationship with them.
Then there is Valkhar, or as I am calling him, the dark one. He's bigger, stronger, hotter and more self important then the others and you cannot help being drawn to him. Again, the picture painted of these men, had me drooling a little - I like a warrior type, you can blame a certain Night Court General for that. The way Valkhar and Ravenna interact is gloriously dark, their ultimate dislike for each other but strong pull towards each other causes friction, tension and again MORE QUESTIONS.
There are some very unique spicy scenes in this book and it was actually really refreshing to see a different take on this aspect of the story. I loved it and when you read it, you will understand why Shadow Mommy is a vibe.
There is backstory that had me asking wtf is going on from the first few chapters and because of this, I could not put this book down and devoured it in a day but as I said at the beginning of this review, I NEED BOOK 2 NOW PLEASE :)
I was fortunate enough to read this as an ARC and Isabella did not fail to hook me from the beginning. The characters are dynamic and I like the mixing of demons, gods and dragons. The lore behind the story is also fascinating, the history behind it has been well developed and included in the story telling to really give you an immersive read which ties in nicely with the world building. I find sometimes fantasy stories can go unnecessarily deep into the world building and over-describe everything but Isabella did not do that, there is the perfect level to create beautiful imagery but not overpower the entire book.
I actually want to know everything about the history of the Sarkanian Empire and the legend of the Raijin, not just the stories of the main characters and I think it could be a fabulous potential prequel or just a side book.
Ravenna is stunning, the way the vision of her is painted before you see the character art is perfection. Strong, sexy, dark and maybe a little bit evil, just *chefs kiss*.
I love her feisty attitude towards any man she comes into contact with. Shadow Mommy is a definitely a complete vibe and it was empowering and thrilling to have a strong dark FMC that has the main storyline.
The men in this story will have you questioning why choose? They are all so alluring and quite frankly hot AF.
Aran, Ryker and Terheon are your usual warrior hotties, dark and brooding, sarcastic and somewhat immature senses of humour, loyal to a fault and protective regardless of Ravenna's relationship with them.
Then there is Valkhar, or as I am calling him, the dark one. He's bigger, stronger, hotter and more self important then the others and you cannot help being drawn to him. Again, the picture painted of these men, had me drooling a little - I like a warrior type, you can blame a certain Night Court General for that. The way Valkhar and Ravenna interact is gloriously dark, their ultimate dislike for each other but strong pull towards each other causes friction, tension and again MORE QUESTIONS.
There are some very unique spicy scenes in this book and it was actually really refreshing to see a different take on this aspect of the story. I loved it and when you read it, you will understand why Shadow Mommy is a vibe.
There is backstory that had me asking wtf is going on from the first few chapters and because of this, I could not put this book down and devoured it in a day but as I said at the beginning of this review, I NEED BOOK 2 NOW PLEASE :)
May 27, 2025
BOOK I | LEGENDS OF KAMINARI
Hypnotizing and wildly compelling in all its bold expressions, A Dream of Onyx Villains, Isabella Khalidi‘s latest epic paints a new adventure entrenched in Asian mythology. Chronicling the tale of Ravenna, the fiercely powerful daughter of a familiar God of Death (hello, Cathal!), this daring heroine is charged with a mission that holds the fate of the world in her mighty hands. A complex princess of death with a battered heart to match, Ravenna has yet to be bested by any task she’s undertaken but this crucial mission finally presents a worthy opponent who not only dramatically chips away as her strongest boundaries but revives a heart that refuses to welcome the love of another.
A wildly addictive tale that keeps one’s attention firmly cemented in these exceptionally depicted pages, this novel beautifully sets the stage to a mesmerizing tale of a lost magical society of formidable warriors who value honor, loyalty and heritage above all else. Much like Khalidi’s previous novels, I was absolutely enamored by this series starter and was swept into an impeccably illustrated world where it’s impressive characters shined as boldly as it’s surrounding details. While the imaginative lore and complex conflicts kept me chasing every thrilling word right to its dramatic close, it is the central romance that left me utterly breathless. Much to my delight, Khalidi’s signature take on tremendous, deeply intoxicating romances is lavishly interpreted in this series as well. Without spoiling every ounce of goodness present in this narrative, Onyx Villains reveals a satisfying taste of an enthralling love story between two intense characters who express this connection in manner that alters the planes on which they exist. Simply extraordinary, a sensational series starter you’ll want to devour in one exhilarating sitting. ♥️
Congratulations, Isabella, what an incredible story you’ve once again skillfully spun. Thank you so much for allowing me to ARC read this novel. ✨
Hypnotizing and wildly compelling in all its bold expressions, A Dream of Onyx Villains, Isabella Khalidi‘s latest epic paints a new adventure entrenched in Asian mythology. Chronicling the tale of Ravenna, the fiercely powerful daughter of a familiar God of Death (hello, Cathal!), this daring heroine is charged with a mission that holds the fate of the world in her mighty hands. A complex princess of death with a battered heart to match, Ravenna has yet to be bested by any task she’s undertaken but this crucial mission finally presents a worthy opponent who not only dramatically chips away as her strongest boundaries but revives a heart that refuses to welcome the love of another.
A wildly addictive tale that keeps one’s attention firmly cemented in these exceptionally depicted pages, this novel beautifully sets the stage to a mesmerizing tale of a lost magical society of formidable warriors who value honor, loyalty and heritage above all else. Much like Khalidi’s previous novels, I was absolutely enamored by this series starter and was swept into an impeccably illustrated world where it’s impressive characters shined as boldly as it’s surrounding details. While the imaginative lore and complex conflicts kept me chasing every thrilling word right to its dramatic close, it is the central romance that left me utterly breathless. Much to my delight, Khalidi’s signature take on tremendous, deeply intoxicating romances is lavishly interpreted in this series as well. Without spoiling every ounce of goodness present in this narrative, Onyx Villains reveals a satisfying taste of an enthralling love story between two intense characters who express this connection in manner that alters the planes on which they exist. Simply extraordinary, a sensational series starter you’ll want to devour in one exhilarating sitting. ♥️
Congratulations, Isabella, what an incredible story you’ve once again skillfully spun. Thank you so much for allowing me to ARC read this novel. ✨
May 1, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
‘To all of us that dreamed of finding Prince Charming: May he rest in peace.
The Villain has entered the chat.’
Like I am absolutely feral over this book😍 I believe it’s taken the top spot for fave reads of 2025!! I read it in one sitting, it’s such a fun easy read!
‘Call me a villain. A cold hearted, emotionless monster. It will be a title I proudly carry like a f**cking diamond encrusted Celestial Crown.’ ❤️🔥❤️🔥❤️🔥 God I worship her- our FMC Ravenna… Princess of Hell herself 😍
Omg the sexual tension between our FMC and MMC from the second they meet- absolute perfection 👌🏻 I loved the whole hating each other / yet eye f**cking each other every chance they could🫠
“You disgust me.”
“The feeling is painfully mutual.”
🤤🤤🤤🤤🤤🤤🤤🤤🤤🤤🤤
And omg ‘Kitten’ has me feral!! Every time the word leaves his mouth, my toes curl🤭 Valkhar is top book boyfriend.
“Deny it all you want, Kitten, but deep down, you crave for me to order you around”
“And I know you would do such a good job at obeying me.”
Oh and did I mention he SPITS in her mouth…. 👄 he loves it, she loves it… I loved it!! 💦
“You’re my stray, Ravenna. My despicable, filthy little thief.” ❤️🔥❤️🔥
“No one touches you. No one, but me.”
THAT ENDINGGGGG- I knew it - I just knew it… but what do you mean it ends there🫠
“Run and hide, kitten, before the devil catches you.”
(Ps. I wouldn’t run—- just—- take me devil take me😇)
Also sorry this review has absolutely no mention of the storyline or plot— I just can’t get over how much I fancy the main characters 🤣 it has great plot too- an amazing history based storyline with Dragon shifters, a rebellion uprising in the making, gods at play, and a shadow mommy - like what more do you want?! Apart from book 2 like immediately, obviously…
‘To all of us that dreamed of finding Prince Charming: May he rest in peace.
The Villain has entered the chat.’
Like I am absolutely feral over this book😍 I believe it’s taken the top spot for fave reads of 2025!! I read it in one sitting, it’s such a fun easy read!
‘Call me a villain. A cold hearted, emotionless monster. It will be a title I proudly carry like a f**cking diamond encrusted Celestial Crown.’ ❤️🔥❤️🔥❤️🔥 God I worship her- our FMC Ravenna… Princess of Hell herself 😍
Omg the sexual tension between our FMC and MMC from the second they meet- absolute perfection 👌🏻 I loved the whole hating each other / yet eye f**cking each other every chance they could🫠
“You disgust me.”
“The feeling is painfully mutual.”
🤤🤤🤤🤤🤤🤤🤤🤤🤤🤤🤤
And omg ‘Kitten’ has me feral!! Every time the word leaves his mouth, my toes curl🤭 Valkhar is top book boyfriend.
“Deny it all you want, Kitten, but deep down, you crave for me to order you around”
“And I know you would do such a good job at obeying me.”
Oh and did I mention he SPITS in her mouth…. 👄 he loves it, she loves it… I loved it!! 💦
“You’re my stray, Ravenna. My despicable, filthy little thief.” ❤️🔥❤️🔥
“No one touches you. No one, but me.”
THAT ENDINGGGGG- I knew it - I just knew it… but what do you mean it ends there🫠
“Run and hide, kitten, before the devil catches you.”
(Ps. I wouldn’t run—- just—- take me devil take me😇)
Also sorry this review has absolutely no mention of the storyline or plot— I just can’t get over how much I fancy the main characters 🤣 it has great plot too- an amazing history based storyline with Dragon shifters, a rebellion uprising in the making, gods at play, and a shadow mommy - like what more do you want?! Apart from book 2 like immediately, obviously…
April 23, 2025
I had the pleasure of being an ARC reader for A Dream of Onyx Villains by Isabella Khalidi, I was absolutely absorbed in this from the start! I devoured the entire book within hours – it's totally bingeable.
Because the arc was sent in PDF format, I had to reformat to epub so I could properly read it, so I missed out on the amazing chapter art, but what I saw of it was a beautiful addition to the story!
Picture this: a mild-spiced fantasy world infused with Asian mythology, where gods, dragons, and an enigmatic shadow mommy named Ravenna roam. Her nightmares and childhood memories are so intriguing, but it's her encounters with rebels that steal the spotlight.
The banter between Ravenna and the men around her is delightfully entertaining, especially with the irresistible warrior dragon shifters. And let's talk about the sizzling chemistry between Ravenna and Valkhar—it’s electrifying, adding an exciting touch of spice to the story!
Here’s what you can look forward to:
Shadow mommy
Gods/Goddesses
Dragon shifters
Slow-Burn
Secret Identity
Recurring nightmares
Rebellion
Forced Proximity
Enemies to lovers
🌶️🌶️
The world-building felt a bit rushed due to the book's length, and I craved more depth there, but it didn’t stop me from enjoying the story. The pacing was spot-on, the dialogue was sharp and witty, and the mystery kept me swiping pages like crazy.
Just when things were getting super intense, bam! Cliffhanger hits you out of nowhere! I need more—more Ravenna, more Valkhar, more sexy warriors, and definitely more dragons. This book left me on the edge of my seat, begging for the next book!
Because the arc was sent in PDF format, I had to reformat to epub so I could properly read it, so I missed out on the amazing chapter art, but what I saw of it was a beautiful addition to the story!
Picture this: a mild-spiced fantasy world infused with Asian mythology, where gods, dragons, and an enigmatic shadow mommy named Ravenna roam. Her nightmares and childhood memories are so intriguing, but it's her encounters with rebels that steal the spotlight.
The banter between Ravenna and the men around her is delightfully entertaining, especially with the irresistible warrior dragon shifters. And let's talk about the sizzling chemistry between Ravenna and Valkhar—it’s electrifying, adding an exciting touch of spice to the story!
Here’s what you can look forward to:
Shadow mommy
Gods/Goddesses
Dragon shifters
Slow-Burn
Secret Identity
Recurring nightmares
Rebellion
Forced Proximity
Enemies to lovers
🌶️🌶️
The world-building felt a bit rushed due to the book's length, and I craved more depth there, but it didn’t stop me from enjoying the story. The pacing was spot-on, the dialogue was sharp and witty, and the mystery kept me swiping pages like crazy.
Just when things were getting super intense, bam! Cliffhanger hits you out of nowhere! I need more—more Ravenna, more Valkhar, more sexy warriors, and definitely more dragons. This book left me on the edge of my seat, begging for the next book!
April 30, 2025
This is the first book in the Legends of Kaminari series, an epic dark fantasy romance with gods, dragons and dragon shifters. While in the same universe as the author’s Forgotten Kingdom series, this is the story of the daughter of the MCs from that series. You do not need to have read the Forgotten Kingdom series first. I received an advance review copy and my thoughts are my own. Thank you to the author for my eArc.
Tropes and themes include:
✨Shadow mommy
✨Dragon daddy
✨Lost civilization
✨Secret identities
✨Both MCs are morally dark gray
✨Touch her and die
✨They want to hate each other
Rating: 4/5 Stars 2/5 Flames
Nickname: Kitten
The Lovely: I loved the FMC, Ravenna. She’s snark, smart, sarcastic and entirely over men pissing her off. And more than a bit stubborn. All of this hides her longing to know what happened to the one boy that cared about her, giving her character a bit of vulnerability and dimension.
The Mundane: While I loved the mythology and where I think the story is heading, I feel like too much was left unresolved. This felt more like a novella length introduction to the series than a true first book in a series. I would have liked to have seen more time spent on the MMC (we know very little about him) and progress in the story.
Recommendation: This introduction to the new dragon series sets up the world and the FMC, and introduces Us to the MMC and other characters. I’m excited to see where this goes and to find out the answers to several questions I have. If you like dark romance plus epic dark fantasy with dragons and shadows, I think you would like this book.
Tropes and themes include:
✨Shadow mommy
✨Dragon daddy
✨Lost civilization
✨Secret identities
✨Both MCs are morally dark gray
✨Touch her and die
✨They want to hate each other
Rating: 4/5 Stars 2/5 Flames
Nickname: Kitten
The Lovely: I loved the FMC, Ravenna. She’s snark, smart, sarcastic and entirely over men pissing her off. And more than a bit stubborn. All of this hides her longing to know what happened to the one boy that cared about her, giving her character a bit of vulnerability and dimension.
The Mundane: While I loved the mythology and where I think the story is heading, I feel like too much was left unresolved. This felt more like a novella length introduction to the series than a true first book in a series. I would have liked to have seen more time spent on the MMC (we know very little about him) and progress in the story.
Recommendation: This introduction to the new dragon series sets up the world and the FMC, and introduces Us to the MMC and other characters. I’m excited to see where this goes and to find out the answers to several questions I have. If you like dark romance plus epic dark fantasy with dragons and shadows, I think you would like this book.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 80 reviews