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Empathy #2

Desolate

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Ryan:
I was a son,
A friend,
A brother,
A psychopath.

Eighteen years of being in a psyche ward; I was released into the world. Things have changed, Blake is married to Melody and is a father to my new fixation, Cereus. My beautiful niece who knows nothing of my existence. When consequences of past sins begin playing tricks on me, old cravings demand to be satisfied.

There is no cure for my kind of sickness.

I am void of everything but obsession.
I can’t love,
I can’t feel,
I am Desolate.

Warning: this book contains dark themes and explicit sex, read with caution. Desolate is the second book to the international bestselling title, Empathy. Please read book one to truly enjoy this title.

215 pages, Paperback

First published January 29, 2015

124 people are currently reading
2419 people want to read

About the author

Ker Dukey

74 books4,808 followers
Ker Dukey is an International bestselling author based in the United Kingdom.
Genres include:
Dark Romance, Psychological Thriller, New Adult Romance, Romantic Suspense, and Erotic Romance. Ker, is an international bestselling author, with over thirty titles published. Her titles have held multiple #1 bestseller banners and have had rights sold to numerous countries.

In addition to being an author, Ker is an annoying wife and a mother of three children + one dog (who thinks he's human.) She has a passion for reading and binge-watching crime documentaries.

Find her on social media, where she loves interacting with her readers.

My readers' group: http://bit.ly/darKERgroup
My newsletter: https://landing.mailerlite.com/webfor...
Twitter: https://twitter.com/KerDukeyauthor
Website: http://kerdukeyauthor.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kerdukey/
Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2kuKWJl
Bookbub: https://tinyurl.com/y68uazav

PA: terriesin@gmail.com


REPRESENTATION:


lbla
lorella belli literary agency
54 Hartford House
35 Tavistock Crescent
Notting Hill
London W11 1AY
tel. + 44 (0) 20 7727 8547
fax. + 44 (0) 870 787 4194
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5 stars
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 413 reviews
Profile Image for Jennifer Kyle.
2,610 reviews5,400 followers
February 12, 2015
4.5 Empathy Stars
"I'm blood and bone
Genetic make up, creating my
appearance as human
Blood bonds us
A connection tethers us
But if a soul makes us truly human
What does that make me"
description

This story takes the characters of Empathy eighteen years into the future. The story is told from Melody, Blake and Ryan’s povs. Blake and Melody are happily married and have a seventeen year old daughter, Cereus. They are trying for another child to add to their happy family. This is a Ker Dukey story, so all seems perfect until this happens…

”Your brother wasn’t sentenced to prison though, Mr. Braxton. He was diagnosed with an illness that has since been treated and cured to such a degree that he no longer poses a risk to the public or himself.”

description

Ryan has been playing everyone to the point that he is released into a group type home where he will amuse a reader with the way he plays on humiliating and destroying others for personal enjoyment. He is such a sick puppy and his thoughts are disturbingly entertaining.

”You know”, I growled, “if you want attention you could just change your birthday on Facebook to today. Think of all your friends wanting to send their best wishes to fucked up little Jodie.”

Ryan makes contact with niece, Cereus. She is a high school senior who turns out to be the closest thing to any sort of bond/relationship he has ever experience. Poor Blake is trying to track Ryan and keeps Melody in the dark all the while Ryan has already been getting closer and closer to his Cereus.

Ryan and Cereus scenes were just fantastic…

”He reminds me of you in that way.”

“Me? She thinks I’m charming? Apart from the odd time here and there I’ve never been anyone else around her other than me. I use charm to manipulate people. It’s all a façade, but not with her.”


Don’t get me wrong, there are dead bodies left in Ryan’s wake and a few other deaths that may or may not be connected to him as well. I loved how the author didn’t stray gifting a reader with wow love cured him scenarios but still there was enough to keep a girl crush acceptable to a reader without questioning my own sanity.

description

Kudos to the writing and the storyline although the good doctor aspect was a bit much, I still loved this one. Is it weird that I even want more??

description


Profile Image for Eda**.
721 reviews435 followers
February 1, 2015

** 5 “moonflower” STARS **

“You’re going straight to hell, Ryan.”

Souls go to hell and I’m lacking that vital component to make me human. I’m not going to hell. I’m the living hell, staring her right in the face.



Wowing Eda with the sequel to a fantastic book happens RARELY. Very rarely, in fact. Usually, I am left disappointed after exciting myself to death waiting for the continuation of a story that I loved and finding something rather mediocre in my hands when it's finally released. Not with this book though. This one was as good as the first, maybe more so...

Looking deep into the twisted and dark mind of Ryan Braxton was extraordinary to say the least. Those of you that know me might have noticed that I am seriously into psychopaths and people with mental illnesses. That would be because Psychiatry has always been a Medical branch that has fascinated me with it's diversity and depth. In books, when an author can hold a mirror for us to taste the bitterness, the loneliness and the confusion of a psychopath's state of mind, and actually manage to sound realistic while doing it, I can't help but fall in love with that work.

Ker Dukey mesmerized me with both her writing style and her storytelling, falling into the category of authors that hold a special place in my heart. Thank you for creating a character I am partly ashamed to admit that has won my heart over, regardless of his evil ways. Or maybe exactly because of them... ;)



Ryan Braxton is being released from the prison he's been locked inside for the last 18 years. A prison for the twisted. A prison for the insane. A prison for the damaged people that society has cast away, to stay out of the light, never to be seen and spoken about. But Ryan is being set free now. Fooling the pathetically self-absorbed doctors to believe they have “cured” him, playing them to think he is “safe” to have a life outside of the doors of the ward has been like a piece of cake.

I’m not sick and I’m not broken. I’m DESOLATE, born empty, lacking a soul. You can’t fix what was never broken. The believe they have though, with help from me. So now, I WILL PLAY THAT ROLE.
~ RYAN



Melody and Blake have carried on with their lives without him. They've been happy while he was trapped inside a place with loons much worse than himself. They've created a new life, a life including a 17-year-old girl, Cereus , his niece. Ryan has a singular goal for when he is once again free: To find Cereus. The need to meet her and to know her is ever consuming. He wants to look into her green eyes, same as her mother’s, and delve into her mind.

“She’s like a silhouette cast from my own shadow.”
~ RYAN

The more Ryan and Cereus spend time together, the more potent their bond becomes. Cereus knows love, but that doesn’t make Ryan hate her, like it would with everybody else. Taking what is precious to her and watching her break doesn't ignite Ryan's blood and excite him, like it would with everybody else. Ryan doesn't want her blood spilt, her tears rolling down her cheeks or her soul breaking into half, like he would with everybody else.

For the first time in his life, Ryan is feeling something more than pure obsession or sharp indifference towards someone and he is confused. What is this? Can it be...LOVE?

“Love is a weakness.”

“Love is a strength. It bonds us.”

“How can it, if I don’t feel it?”

Because I will feel it for us both.

What I loved most about this book was the fact that, even if it was just to manipulate and play with the people around him, we still got to see the vulnerabilities inside Ryan in a few scenes. I believe, feeling unique, outside the circle and utterly different from everybody else might not always be a good feeling...and that was very evident in some of Ryan's words.

“Sometimes I wished I knew what it was I was supposed to feel because it was almost lonely inside my head knowing everyone around me felt things I didn't.”
~ RYAN

You see,...



...but he showed that he could love fiercely and sacrifice himself for another human being, which was beautiful, let me tell you.

“I can feel your pulse in the brush strokes. You will live forever in the image I create of you. Your memory taunts me; I know what you are and that I shouldn't miss you, BUT I DO.
~ CEREUS

My review for Book#1: EMPATHY

** ARC kindly provided by the author for an honest review!! ♥ **
Profile Image for ✦❋Arianna✦❋.
790 reviews2,552 followers
February 7, 2017
★★★★4.5 STARS★★★★
description

Told from three POVs, “Desolate” is an intriguing story that hold my attention from the beginning. While I enjoyed Blake and Melody’s POVs, I loved being in Ryan’s head, a psychopath killer, an evil, ruthless man, a man without a heart, soul or a conscience. “Desolate” was dark and twisted and I loved every minute of it.

“I only ever feel a release from the empty darkness consuming me when I feed it by inflicting some form of hurt or humiliation on another.”


description

The story is set 18 years after “Empathy”. Blake and Melody are happily married with a beautiful and smart young girl who's 17, Cereus. They are happy, successful and they want to try for another baby. Ryan has been locked for the last 18 years in Psychiatric Institution. All these years he manipulated the nurses and even his doctor. He did what he loves the most, he played with their minds.

description

They think he poses no risk to the public, so he is released. He knows Blake is married with Melody and he knows about Cereus as well. He needs to know her, be in her presence, so he goes after her. Blake finds out his brother was released, but wanting to protect Melody he chooses not to tell her about it.

description

Ryan gets to know Cereus. He likes her, he likes how she thinks and her personality. He admires her and he knows she is different. If in the past he wanted and tried to hurt Blake and Melody, he doesn’t want to hurt Cereus. He doesn’t hate her like he should and he treats her as if she’s his equal and that’s a first for him.

“Cereus becomes the only one left in color amongst the darkening fog that is me threatening to devour the world. She’s different; she has my blood in her veins.”


I really enjoyed this second book in the series. Maybe even more than the first book. First and foremost, I must admit I was expecting something darker. I know, I know, this was a dark enough read, but I expected something different. This doesn’t mean I didn’t enjoyed it. I loved the twist and turns. I didn’t see them coming, I didn’t expected the story to progress like it did.

Like I said, being in Ryan’s head was fascinating. Not only he’s manipulative, but he also is charismatic. He’s smart, he knows how human mind works and he knows how to get what he wants. In my humble opinion, Ryan was portrayed very well as a psycho. Now, I’m not an expert, but I read enough dark/twisted/disturbing books, to say this. Ryan remains a psycho till the end, but he also has a human side. He’s “more human” with Cereus that he is/was with others. I must say I liked Ryan and Cereus’s relationship – how they are with each other, how easy they talk with each other. What I didn’t expect was But I liked it!

Overall, a fantastic read!

description


Profile Image for ~♡AB♡~.
986 reviews682 followers
January 31, 2015
★★★★ 4 Stars ★★★★



Wow, just when I thought I'd read it all Ker Dukey comes up with this. I don't know how she comes up with the sick and twisted things that make up the evil mind of Ryan, but bravo to her for writing it.

This book is set eighteen years after Empathy and is told in the point of view of Ryan, Blake and Melody. Blake and Melody are happily married and have a seventeen year old daughter, Cereus.

When Ryan is release from the psych ward where he has been residing all these years, he has one goal - to go after his niece. But what he isn't expecting is to find that she has a lot in common with him, she makes him feel like someone finally understands him. But the urge to kill is always there.

Ryan's release is causing a rift between Blake and his wife and Melody is at a loss as to what to do to save her marriage. Added to that Cereus is drifting away from her and their relationship is also changing.

When a spate of murders take place, Blake is determined to put stop to his brothers viciousness once and for all.
_ _ _ _

Ryan was seriously deluded, he is probably one of the most awful characters I have ever read but I couldn't help laughing my arse off at his degrading and disgusting comments. He was evil and he didn't give a flying fuck what kind of destruction he left in his wake. As a book character he was FABULOUS! A true psychopath.

This really isn't a romance story, but it is a continuation of Blake & Melody's journey as a couple. The question is, can Ryan be redeemed? Well I thought so, he learned that he was capable of loving someone, even if he couldn't show it or admit it. A perfect ending, although there is definitely room for one more book...

ARC received from author in exchange for an honest review

Profile Image for warhawke.
1,548 reviews2,235 followers
November 10, 2016
Genre: Dark Suspense
Type: Book 2 of 3 from Empathy series
POV: First Person - Multiple
Rating:




After eighteen years of institutionalization Ryan Braxton used what he knew best and wiggled his way out to freedom. A lot had changed since he last breathed fresh air but the urges were ever present and reawakened as he learned about Cereus, his latest obsession.



I was intrigued by book 1 ending and wonder how the story would go. I'm glad it took readers through some unexpected turns.

“I only ever feel a release from the empty darkness consuming me when I feed it by inflicting some form of hurt or humiliation on another.”


I like Ryan before, but I wasn't on his team. I ended up changing my alliance by the end of this book lol! It was good to see how he coped with the changes and how he evolved.



Cereus was not someone I expected her to be. I was drawn to her by her situation and how she connected to Ryan. There were only bits if her side shown and I'm looking forward to see how it will be nurtured.

He molds and conforms to the person he’s with. He can be your best friend, your boyfriend or your brother, and you would never know the demon is sitting there staring at you and designing your demise, until it’s too late.


Desolate follows the journey of a psychopath and how it affected the people around him. It is an engaging companion to the previous book with a promising next chapter

Books in the series:
Empathy (Empathy, #1) by Ker Dukey Desolate (Empathy, #2) by Ker Dukey Vacant (Empathy, #2.5) by Ker Dukey Deadly (Empathy, #3) by Ker Dukey


For more reviews/reveals/giveaways visit:


Profile Image for CC.
1,252 reviews730 followers
September 12, 2016
4.5 Stars!

description

Eighteen years after Empathy, we are reunited with Ryan, Blake and Melody. With Ryan institutionalized for this duration, Blake and Melody formed a family together and have a high-school aged daughter named Cereus. Until now, they have enjoyed the peace knowing Ryan isn’t walking the streets. Not known to sit idly by, Ryan manipulates his way into sanity and earns his freedom. As the older brother, Blake uses his influence to protect his family knowing how Ryan’s madness truly has no bounds.

“I was born with a superior genetic predisposition and all the naysayers are just ants, jealous of what they can’t understand.”

With his release, Ryan must fight his bloody demons in order to maintain his façade but being a man of self-restraint isn’t exactly his forte. To his surprise, and for the first time in his life, Ryan has a new fascination that may unleash a force that he won’t be able to control.

“I’m not sick and I’m not broken. I’m desolate...”

What ensues is full of tension because Ryan is essentially a ticking time bomb but the plot becomes even more complex due to Cereus, as she adds an intriguing dimension to the storyline with her motives and beliefs. Of course, the dynamic between Ryan and Blake continues to percolate making you question what will happen next.

"It’s as if the world knows night has fallen with no stars to lighten the sky, only darkness remains leaking hell back upon them."

From the first page, Ker Dukey is building upon the plot developed in Empathy and it is unnerving because the possibilities and depths of Ryan’s depravity are endless. I loved getting reacquainted Blake and with the passage of time, both Blake and Ryan retain their easy, sexy charm but the deception is quite different between the two. Melody was her usual self but Cereus proved to be much stronger and multi-dimensional for me. Told between four POVs, the story feels direct and allows for emotional attachment to all characters despite their actions.

For me, this series just keeps getting better. Ryan is a fascinating character with his quirks, dark urges and superiority complex. He can be devastatingly charming or maliciously debasing in a blink of an eye. With the introduction of Cereus, I am quite curious to see how her story develops and parallels Ryan in the next novellas.

In Desolate, Ker Dukey successfully creates a world where monsters lurk and where mistaken perceptions can be very misleading and deadly. If you haven’t tried the Empathy series, I highly recommend it!




Empathy series:

Empathy (Empathy, #1) by Ker Dukey Desolate (Empathy, #2) by Ker Dukey Vacant (Empathy, #2.5) by Ker Dukey Deadly (Empathy, #3) by Ker Dukey The Empathy series Box set (Empathy #1-3) by Ker Dukey
Profile Image for Olga therebelreader.
894 reviews767 followers
August 24, 2015
3.5 stars

Ryan…what a scary psycho!
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This second installment of the Empathy series was dark, twisted, violent, degrading – not an ounce of sweet love, passionate romance.

It’s the story of Ryan’s release from the psychiatric clinic where he was being held and the consequences of his voidness and thirst for blood. The story focuses on Ryan’s twisted mood, thinking and behavior because of his mental disorder and on his plan to approach and hurt Blake, Melody and Cereus, his niece. Will he be able to turn his life around? Suffering, sorrow, heartbreak, misery, desolation … Will Ryan be able to emerge from the bleak and desolate midnight of his inhuman existence?

Ryan’s obsessive feelings for blood, death, dirty sex and his weird definition of justice and revenge make him a really creepy and horrifying character!
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If you are into the darker reads this is one fine plot. I do have some reservations though. It took a long time for me to get really connected and involved with the new characters.
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Sadly this didn't meet what I expected. It was well written but I felt something missing. I liked though how the characters from the first book fight with their own demons on a daily basis.

I would definitely recommend it to those who love a darkly captivating story that will shock you every step of the way.



Complimentary copy provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Raj.
284 reviews62 followers
February 8, 2015
4 'WTF' Stars

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This book was amazing. I loved Ryan. He was dark, soulless, straight forward, and funny.

“I’m not putting my lips anywhere near that stinking hole of yours. Fuck knows how many cocks you’ve had up in there, digging for a golden pussy and only ever finding a cheap, empty sack.”

I also LOVED his funny-unexpected-facts.

“You know, Colgate in Argentine translates to go hang yourself,”
I say and grin.
“Maybe your wife is trying to tell you something.”


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I liked Mel and Blake and their daughter Cereus, she was pretty cool. I loved her relationship with Ryan.

“Cereus becomes the only one left in color amongst the darkening fog that is me threatening to devour the world. she has my blood in her veins. I always knew she was unique like me from the first time I saw her picture.”

Then there was the dark parts that I loved. I loved the mystery, action and somewhat horror. I loved the darkness, and the shadows.

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I really enjoyed this book, even though I was kinda confused about the ending.
Is there going to be a third book?
I HAVE to know. I want more of Ryan. I want his darkness and his demons. Ker Duckey did an amazing job with this one and hopefully she'll make a third book.

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“Love is a strength. It bonds us"
Profile Image for Selene.
933 reviews265 followers
June 3, 2017
I loved book one of this series but this story didn't grab me in the same way. Melody and Blake's POV was a little on the dull side, but Ryan kept me engaged with all of his filthy thoughts and humorous dialogues. The connection between Ryan and Cereus seemed weak, but I'm intrigued about the next book up in this series. Overall, this was an okay read.
Profile Image for Natalie  ~ The Biblioholic.
2,713 reviews1,419 followers
January 6, 2020
Ryan was what you would call a troubled soul... you know, if he had a soul to be troubled. He spent 18 years in a prison psych ward with doctors trying to 'fix' him. One day, he convinced them he was cured and they let him out. Nevermind the fact that he killed a random stranger, sliced and diced two women and a college kid, and almost ended the lives of his brother, Blake, and Melody. Nope, nevermind all that. Or the reality that he probably would have kept on tormenting, torturing, and killing people because he fantasizes about it nonstop. Nope, disregard all that because... cured! Let's not even mention that he was surrounded by trained professionals who should be able to pick up on the idea that he's not indeed cured because he is in fact acting like he's cured. Because in order for this story to really get somewhere, Ryan needed to be out. And that's when the real fun begins!

I’m not sick and I’m not broken. I’m desolate, born empty lacking a soul. You can’t fix what was never broken.

So Ryan's out. Strange things are happening. By strange, I mean people are dying. People that are linked to the key characters of this story. And all of this is going on while Blake is keeping Ryan's release a secret from Melody, which is tearing them apart. Then there's Ryan getting closer to their daughter. That's a mess of massive proportions just waiting to happen. And then there's just Ryan. His constant manipulation and downright realness make him utterly ridiculous, delicious and entertaining. I don't know how I can love this man after everything he's done and plans to do, but I do. I adore him so much. I know the next books in the series are even more about him so I'll definitely be reading them. I can't get enough of this man!!
Profile Image for Vickie.
1,651 reviews63 followers
January 17, 2015
Finally we get Ryans story!!! Eighteen years after the events that happened in Empathy, we meet back up with Ryan and his family. Been sent to stay in a Psych hospital for nearly two decades, you would think it would change a man. That’s not the case with Ryan. Told starting from 8 months previous, it begins with Ryan still locked up and Blake living a ‘normal’ life with Melody. He’s working as a police captain, happily married and still loved up, got a teenage daughter Cereus and his life is good…until he returns a phone call and finds out that his brothers been released. So, of course, he keeps quiet and doesn’t tell Melody and decides he’ll keep an eye on Ryan.
Now I’m going to say here if you’re expecting Ryan to find redemption, a soul, some morals or feelings, whatever, you’re in for a disappointed.
After convincing his doctor that he’s cured, he gets released into the community. He’s already got his eye on Cereus and he’s determined to get closer to her.
(Just a little side note: this is not a sexual interest, it’s his niece, it is not creepy or incesty at all).
I really don’t want to go into the story, it’ll spoil it, I will say this book continued to surprise me. It had the things I’ve come to expect from Ker, hot sex, a brilliant story and likable characters along with a (pretty big) sprinkle of darkness, what I didn’t expect was Ryan. I am so happy Ker Dukey kept with Ryan’s character from the start of the first book all the way through this one. He is one sick little puppy. He’s got to be one of my all time favourite characters. He is so complex, he’s like an onion, layers on layers of craziness and insanity, and the worse thing was I could actually empathise with/understand him. He reads peoples weaknesses and pounces, getting what he wants from them. I actually think he’s quite genius, the way he plays people and situations. I LOVED this book, I’m a massive fan of Kers anyway and I had extremely high expectations after Empathy, I didn’t think she’d be able to mess with my mind anymore then she did but I’m pleased to say she did. I also thought this was more graphic compared with Empathy, it brought an extra something to certain chapters/parts. This is, in my opinion, her very best book, I think she did absolutely perfect with it. Now I’m off to stalk her to see if I can get more Ryan, cos I need more of his unique craziness.
Profile Image for Di Covey/TwistedBookReviews.
1,113 reviews216 followers
February 25, 2015


5 Simply Twisted Stars!

Ryan. Ryan. Ryan.

"I’m not sick and I’m not broken. I’m desolate, born empty lacking a soul. You can’t fix what was never broken."


Read the warnings. Desolate is the second book, read Empathy first, I forbid you to read my review until you've read Empathy.
Not for lovey dovey romance readers. Don't enter the dungeon if you don't like the beatings.

I was afraid. I was afraid that Desolate wouldn't live up to Empathy. Empathy is one of my top FAVORITE darks reads, I thought, "what if I don't like it, what if all my hopes and dreams of Ryan are demolished?" "What if he turns into one of them?" I prayed to the dark book Gods. "Please let Ryan be sick and twisted, don't let him turn soft."

I was Wrong. Wrong. Wrong.

Ker Dukey cooked up a five course meal with all my favorite twisted sides and delivered a tasty dessert of darkness!!! Desolate not only lived up, it may of surpassed my expectations. I loved every fucking word. I highlighted, giggled, and fell in depraved love for Ryan. There's your average psychopaths and there's Ryan. You get the picture?

"They don’t know what a world-class manipulator he is. He molds and conforms to the person he’s with. He can be your best friend, your boyfriend or your brother, and you would never know the demon is sitting there staring at you and designing your demise, until it’s too late."

I'm writing this review wondering how to convey my likeness for Ryan, without someone admitting me into the psych ward.

Eighteen years and Ryan's finally free. He's convinced the system that's he fixed, safe to interact with the general public. Nothing is more far from the truth than this, he's smart, manipulative, and completely addictive. I truly shocked myself... I'm laughing at his antics, being inside his head was exhilarating, wrong. I couldn't stop reading if I tried.

"Unlike with you, my compulsions are more demanding. They need to be fed. It’s like something inside claws at my skin.” I shiver. “I only ever feel a release from the empty darkness consuming me when I feed it by inflicting some form of hurt or humiliation on another."

Blake & Melody have no idea what is in store for them. This story took a direction I never saw coming. Is Ryan the hunter or the prey? He has this connection with Cereus, it's not love, because he doesn't feel that emotion. But it's a feeling, and that in it self was remarkable. I found myself wanting the LOVE. Like seriously, I never want the love. I wanted Ryan to find some sort of peace in a twisted way. I felt a bit sad for him. I'm not going to go in much more detail. No spoilers from me.

The End was left open. There could be more to come. I would love 10 more books about Ryan, his journey, his depraved thoughts, maybe even the dreaded HEA. Ker Dukey created a perfect sociopath/psychopath, she never strayed from his true nature, and gave us a need that can only be scratched by her. I'm addicted.

ARC kindly provided in exchange for an honest review.

Profile Image for Jamie ♡♡ submits to books ♡♡.
462 reviews170 followers
April 26, 2015
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OMG.....OMG.....THIS BOOK IS BEYOND AMAZING!!!! I am not even sure where to start. This book has so many angles the pull you by your hair and leaves you out of breath.

"I'm blood and bone. Genetic make up, creating my appearance as human. Blood bonds us. A connection tethers us But if a soul makes us truly human. What does that make me?"

This story continues on from Empathy 18 years later. Blake and Melody, married and living a life of love and happiness with the love of their lives, their 17 Year old daughter Cereus.

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Cereus is all the parts beautiful like her mother and all the parts dark and reclusive like her father and uncle. She doesn't make friends easily as she doesn't relate to the immature teenage livelihood. She doesn't seek out attention but that attention seeks her out by the eyes of her deranged uncle Ryan, she knows nothing about.

The secrets her parents have told her about her family's past begin to have light shed on them when Ryan appears from the darkness.

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Ryan weaves himself into Cereus' life and gains her trust and effection. Their bond to each other is electric. As she hides the truth from her parents. Ryan and Cereus realize their dark inner thoughts are connected in a bond created by the blood of family.

"She's different, she has my blood in her veins. I always knew she was unique like me from the first time I saw her."

As Ryan begins the release of secrets into Cereus' life, neither are aware of other evil that wants to play. Ryan's past comes back with pure revenge in her eyes and nothing will stop her revenge from taking the one person that all three dark hearts will protect
until death.....Cereus.

As Blake fights his demons to protect his family from Ryan, he learns that the evil he us fighting is not just Ryan's blackness but also the revenge of a woman broken by Ryan's evilness.

The evil darkness of these three world's clash and blood is shed, lives are shattered, hearts are broken and dark justice finally appears in their life.

As Blake, Melody and Cereus move on, their lives on a new journey, will the darkness remain hidden forever ?

"Don't drift through life fighting to be normal when your acceptional, just like your uncle."

The shadow of your past may always be watching.

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Nothing stays hidden forever...........

☆☆☆☆☆ 5 Love Is A Weakness Stars ☆☆☆☆☆

Huge surprise that made me jump out of my chair at the end.......BOOK 3.....VACANT!!!! Ker Dukey.....I think I love you!!
Profile Image for crίѕтίŋα•●Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ●•.
893 reviews230 followers
June 13, 2019
4.5 ⭐️

“Fate can be a cruel bitch but I always felt it was fate that made our worlds collide. Mel was my redemption; she taught me how to live again. My dark side still lingers but I have enough light in my life now that the dark remains as shadows. Mel opened me up to love and once I felt how powerful it can be there was no going back. Numbing the pain and hate doesn’t help when you finally open up and start letting yourself feel, it just makes you realize what a waste it was living frozen all those years.”
- Damian Blake

* * *
“I’m a real king. I didn’t live my life like cattle or conform to what society tells me is right. I broke rules, manipulated with calculated plans certain people’s whole perspective of their lives, and I did so with ease. I was born with a superior genetic predisposition and all the naysayers are just ants, jealous of what they can’t understand. The Doctors letting me leave this place are so fucking pathetic and self-absorbed that they would rather think they cured me than believe I could be this lucent in my manipulation of everyone including them. Medicine, therapy, imprisonment; none of it can cure me, but they refused to believe it and so I played them. I let them believe I can reform.”
- Ryan

* * *
“Humans are weak, me included. We are slaves to our needs, our cravings, our hunger . . . and I’m so fucking hungry.”
- Ryan
Profile Image for Kit.
348 reviews250 followers
May 14, 2015
Writing: ★★★★★
Story: ★★★★★
Characters: ★★★★★

Overall rating: 5 Stars

*****5 Sinisterly Delicious Stars****

"I'm high on the kill. My craving's being fed; it's therapeutic, I feel alive and in need of someone more worthy of my torment."
Oh yes, Ryan is back so buckle up for a wild ride!

Ryan has been locked away in a mental institution for 18 years, and now, he's out. He's manipulated the doctors and nurses, bending them to his will, for his entire incarceration. He's a twisted puppet master, and he's just been unleashed to pick up where he left off. Only this time he's had 18 years to think about how he's going to make other's pay.

Blake and Melody play main characters in this book, along with their 17 year old daughter, Cereus. Blake finds out that Ryan has been released, but instead of telling Mel, he keeps it to himself, believing he is keeping his family safe. Blake and Mel have never told Cereus about Ryan, she doesn't even know he exists, and she thinks her mom's parents died in a car accident before she was born. As far as Blake and Mel know, Ryan doesn't even exist to her, and she doesn't exist to Ryan.

But Ryan finds out about his beautiful niece, and sets his strings in place to pull her to him. To go after her to hurt Blake and Melody. Then he meets her, through one of her mutual friends.

I'm not sick and I'm not broken.
I'm Desolate, born empty lacking a soul.
You can't fix what was never broken.
Ryan realizes that he can't harm her. He doesn't feel love, or anything like that, but he does feel *something*, and that something makes him realize that he doesn't want to hurt her. She is a lot like him, they have those same dark urges, except Cereus *does* feel love. Something Ryan doesn't have the soul to feel.

Will Cereus find out that the new hot guy that she bumped into at the mall is really her uncle? A man she never knew existed? How will she react when she finds out. Will she keep her new found secret exactly that, a secret? Or will she run, seeing him for what he is?

You'll have to read the second in the Empathy series to find out!

This is *not* a stand alone book. But if you like dark and brilliant mindfuckery that will keep you on the edge of your seat, then this series is for you! Enjoy!!
Profile Image for Michelle.
2,103 reviews1,414 followers
November 13, 2015
Ker Dukey has me wickedly addicted to the Empathy Series. If I thought I Empathy was dark and twisted, Desolate was one fantastic sequel that was still a dark, twisted psychopathic thriller that played with your mind. In this book, we are focused more on Ryan and his dark thoughts after being released from the psychiatric ward after 18 years.

#Desolate_Ker

Ryan is still dark, manipulative, and deadly but his newest obsession is not of Blake and Melody but of their daughter Cereus. He sees his niece as a piece of him since hes feels a kinship to her. She has similar qualities that calms his craving from inflicting pain and killing her. He begins to form a friendship with her without her parent's knowledge. So when his brother, Blake learns of his release he begins to follow and suspect his brother is back to his need to kill since homicides begins to pile up that are similar to the dark cravings that Ryan seems to enjoy. So what happens when the craving of inflicting pain and blood begins to resurface? Can Blake protect his family from psychopathic brother?

Desolate was just as riveting and captivating as Empathy. This book still follows the same formula of being told in Blake, Ryan, and Melody's POV which allowed readers like myself to be fully engulfed into the story as their past begins to haunt and plague them. For 18 years, Blake and Melody thought they were safe now and so what happens when their past comes back with a vengeance. Desolate is a must read especially if you want to know more and what happens to the Braxton family!!!!

 photo f850f66983e102a20a1876a49cde93_zpstmvn0dma.gif

Review can also be found on Four Chicks Flipping Pages: http://fourchicksflippingpages.weebly...Ker Dukey
Profile Image for Brit.
Author 10 books157 followers
February 2, 2015
Advance Readers copy (ARC) provided for my blog for an honest review by the author via blog tour/release blitz

Title: Desolate
Series: Empathy, #2
Author: Ker Dukey
Source: eARC
Age Group: Adult
POV: First Person - 3 Different Characters
Genre: Dark Suspense / Thriller
Date Read: Jan 27th, 2015
Release Date: February 2nd, 2015
Overall Rating: 5+ Insanely Stars


Below is how I picture Ryan and Cereus, the review for the first book has my cast of Melody and Blake

Image and video hosting by TinyPic

Oh my God! This novel was phenomenal in every sense of the word. Ker Dukey mind is extraordinary. The way she writes is marvelous I can't get this story out my head because it's that outstanding. But I'm questioning my own sanity at this point. I have read lots of Ker Dukey's work and I'm 'head over heels' in love with the way she writes, the way she puts the characters together, how she transfers every twist and turns of her books.

They way she blends the POV's from all three characters together is sensational, I loved getting in the mind of Ryan. I loved how crazy 'fucked up' he is and that's where I question myself. Am I insane for liking Ryan? I really want more from this series and please tell me that wasn't the ending because that would just make me go crazy.

I loved how Ryan was with his niece, he said he didn't love but to me that was love at the end of the book maybe he will change, maybe he'll start caring. But this was an amazing series that just kept making me want more.
Profile Image for Helen Power.
Author 10 books629 followers
April 7, 2021
Desolate is a strong follow-up to Empathy--one that in my opinion, surpasses the original. Spoilers for the first in the series ahead!
With this book, we’re treated to the same three POVs--those of Blake, Melody and Ryan. The book is categorized as a dark romance, but I haven’t shelved it as just that. Sure, we get scenes with Blake and Melody who are still madly in love 18 years later, but the focus is on Ryan. He’s finally being released from the mental institution, but he’s far from “fixed”. He intends to meet his niece and have revenge on his brother and his wife, but when he meets her he sees part of himself in her. For the first time ever, he doesn’t want to destroy someone.
I had to read about thirty reviews before I got the spoiler I needed, so I’m going to put it here for those, like me, who were worried it would be a romantic love. It’s not a romantic love at all--100% platonic, and Ryan kind of takes on a fatherly role for Cereus. I say “kind of” because yikes he’s still very messed up. But their relationship is incredibly sweet in its own way.
I’ve categorized this book as a psychological thriller, because it honestly reads like one. There are lots of twists and turns in the plot, including a couple of reveals at the end that had me reeling.
4 stars!
Profile Image for Judith.
724 reviews2,942 followers
February 4, 2015
3/4 Stars

Story picks up many years after first book.Ryan was been in a mental Institution, rather than prison, and after 18 years he has avoided taking medication and managed to 'fool' doctors into believing he is cured and is released

He is still f*cked up though and develops an obsession/interest in Cereus, Blake and Melody' s daughter ( must stress his interest is not sexual )

Blake learns of his release but thinks he is protecting his family in not telling Melody....as a result he distances himself from Melody causing tension within their relationship

There are lots of twists and turns and the main problem for me was that for about 90% I really hated Ryan..I don't suppose we were supposed to like him but just found some aspects unbelievable...have to say he did redeem himself towards the end

I loved Blake and Melody throughout this book and the ending..well I'll still be interested in reading more

To summarize, I did enjoy it but not as much as the first book
Profile Image for Kim BookJunkie ~ Editor & Proofreader.
2,134 reviews55 followers
February 23, 2015
If you enjoyed EMPATHY then you absolutely need to read DESOLATE to find out what happens to Ryan, Blake, Melody and the newest family member Cereus (Blake and Melody's teenage daughter) 18 years after Ryan is committed! DESOLATE contains more of Dukey's brilliantly disturbing, psychological twists and turns. Like its predecessor, DESOLATE also has some smoking hot sex scenes yet this book doesn't revolve around Blake and melodies romance. Instead, this book tells the story of several interconnected relationships; relationships composed of people who are manipulative, cunning, sexy, psychotic, bizarre and fascinating! DESOLATE is an absolutely amazing book! I wanted to savor every word in this book yet it was so entertaining that I was done reading it much sooner than I had expected! Ker Dukey continues to impress me and very well may be the queen of mind-fuckery!!
Profile Image for  ~*~Princess Nya Vasiliev~*~.
1,174 reviews7 followers
February 26, 2015
Wow...

There are no words that I can use to articulate just how jacked up this novel is, and how jacked up it has left me. All I can say is I'm petrified of Ryan yet I still find myself trying to understand him. Maybe I never will.

All of this doesn't keep me from dying to read the next book in this series though.

**Be Warned**
This series is beyond Dark. Beyond Deranged. Beyond Crazy. All of it. Proceed with EXTREME Caution... And read in order, if you're brave enough to tackle it.
Profile Image for Pick a Book.
464 reviews100 followers
January 24, 2016
4, 5 "Que livro foooooda" estrelas

Assim que acabei EMPATHY, achei que iria ser interessante ler o livro do Ryan, mas fiquei adiando. Sei lá. Acho que tava com medo do livro dele. Mas, ai uma amiga que leu ficava me pedindo pra ler logo porque ela precisava surtar com alguém. E ela é o tipo de pessoa que tá só achando ruim os livros que anda lendo. E o fato dela tá surtando por um livro, fez minha curiosidade aumentar. Peguei o livro pra começar de verdade hoje, mas não tinha intenção de ler correndo. Comecei de tarde e agora, quase uma da manhã, terminei e tô na frente do computador escrevendo, simplesmente porque não posso manter esses sentimentos só pra mim. Agora entendo sua "surtação", Carol rsrs.

SÓ CONTINUE SE TIVER LIDO O PRIMEIRO LIVRO DA SÉRIE: EMPATHY.

- Humanize as pessoas, Ryan. - Meu médico me disse.

Esse é o problema; eu fiz isso. Humanos são fracos, incluindo eu. Somos escravos da nossa necessidade, nossos desejos, nossa fome... E, porra, estou com muita fome.


Eu não sei onde que li que o livro um e dois eram histórias separadas. Bobeira. Não acredite nisso. DESOLATE é claramente uma continuação. Inclusive tem vários POV's do Ryan e do Blake. E alguns da Melody também.

No epílogo do EMPATHY, descobrimos que se passaram 18 anos. Blake agora com 44 anos, Melody com 38, Cereus, a filha deles, com 17, e Ryan com 37 anos. E após 18 anos encarcerado em uma prisão para pessoas com problemas mentais, Ryan é solto. E ele sabe sobre sua sobrinha, sua nova obsessão.

Fiquei com medo da autora tentar forçar a gente a gostar dele e não foi isso que aconteceu. Ryan é quem é e estar dentro da cabeça dele foi surpreendentemente intrigante. Ver de perto a frieza dele foi foda. Ryan é muito louco. Estar em sua mente me deixou louca. Não gosto dele, mas sua personalidade, seu caráter, foi muito bem escrito. Para uma pessoa - como eu - que gosta de tentar entender a mente humana este é um grande livro. Eu me sinto meio louca por dizer isso, mas Ryan é um personagem interessante.

DESOLATE é um livro bem mais pesado que EMPATHY. Prepara o estomago, a cabeça e o coração. O livro vai o tempo todo te deixar tensa e depois dos 80% é um PQP atrás do outro. Nossa senhora! Sem brincandeira. A cada 1% eu abria o inbox do facebook e mandava mensagem pra uma amiga contando o que eu tinha acabado de descobrir, ai eu colocava o celular de lado e voltava para o kindle mais um PQP e ai de novo ia comentar kkkkk e foi assim até o final.

- Você vai direto para o inferno, Ryan.

Almas vão para o inferno e eu estou sem esse componente vital que me tornaria humano. Eu não irei para o inferno. Eu sou o inferno, olhando direto na cara dela.


Eu me surpreendi comigo nesse livro. Eu.. quase chorei em uma cena que eu achei que eu NUNCA iria chorar. Foi estranho. Pra você ter noção que esse livro invoca todo tipo de sentimento no leitor.

Achei esse muito melhor que o primeiro e agora to doida pra ler o VACANT e o DEADLY. Tomara que a autora mantenha o nivel. Virei fã dela com DESOLATE. Mostrou talento, coerência e soube supreender e prender esta leitora.

Se eu indico? Cê tá brincando? O quê que você ta fazendo aqui ainda! Sai daqui e corre pra ler esse livro porque é fooooooda!

- Você está a salvo comigo - eu a tranquilizo, e pela primeira vez eu digo a verdade. Não tenho planos para ela ainda.

- Isso é o que Serial killers dizem, - ela brinca, sem ideia do quão perto da verdade ela está.

- Já conheceu muitos, é? - ela ainda está relutante, posso perceber por sua postura rígida. - Que tal eu prometer não te matar esta noite?


Pick a Book - facebook page
Profile Image for Doris.
838 reviews32 followers
September 22, 2017
Wasn't to sure about this one at the beginning. But as per Ms Dukey she never seems to fail me when it come to a dark twisted story. This one center around the younger brother Ryan, our villain in book one. It's eighteen years later and he had conned the doctors to release him from the mental institution. He returns to where his older brother is and the havoc begins. This story has a lot of twists and turns and a different ending then what you would expect. Recommend it to those who enjoy the dark side!
Profile Image for Rea Nicole ✰.
318 reviews154 followers
February 27, 2015
I'm a real king. I didn't live my life like cattle or conform to what society tells me is right. I broke rules, manipulated with calculated plans certain people's whole perspective of their lives, and I did so with ease. I was born with a superior genetic predisposition and all the naysayers are just ants, jealous of what they can't understand. ~ Ryan

This book.
Is PHENOMENAL! I am BLOWN AWAY!


Desolate takes place 18 years after Empathy where Melody and Blake have raised a daughter and gone about their lives normally. Ryan, after being locked in a mental institution, is released into the world after he’s convinced doctors he’s cured. When he discovers he has a niece he becomes fascinated by her and obsessed with inserting himself in her life. Nothing is as it seems, and this book is just as full of action as the first!

Okay, this one got me. I didn’t see the ending coming and I couldn’t predict those twists! Wow! The first 30% of the book sets everything into motion and we gain an equal view into each character’s edition of Where Are They Now? Towards the middle we see Ryan’s influence take over and infect Blake’s family yet there isn’t a clear idea of what’s about to happen. At the end there are SOOO many twists and shocking revelations I couldn’t put the book down!

In Empathy, I couldn’t believe I fell for Ryan’s character since he was so demented. In Desolate, I accepted my book crush and found myself liking him more and more as he interacts with Cereus. The author sure knows how to write an EXCELLENT sociopath- it’s hard not to take some of his actions and make them human- nope he lets us know that everything he does is calculated; every nice moment is simply a means to an end. People are his puppets and he is in control.

As much as I adored Melody in the first book her side of the story took a backseat in this one and I became very fascinated (like Ryan) with Cereus. Cereus is so different, unique, and has a certain aura that is broadcasted through the pages. I would love to know her future; would love to know her story after Desolate. *crosses fingers* I saw a teaser for the next novella yet haven’t found a synopsis. PLEASE be Cereus’ story!!

After this book I am a huge fan of the author’s… I will need to read her other books. I loved the writing style- it kept my attention. Each scene was descriptive, engaging, and left me wanting to read more and more. I was disappointed the story ended- even though it was one HELL of an ending!! The ending was left open and I will patiently wait for more.



5 HIGHLY recommended stars~ 2015 favorite

Cereus becomes the only one left in color amongst the darkening fog that is me threatening to devour the world. She's different; she has my blood in her veins.

***
Get it on Amazon-> http://amzn.to/1wtfHDo
My theme song for the book "Apex Predator" by Otep (because Ryan is NOT an alpha male but THE alpha male) -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bxVkA...
Profile Image for Lelyana's Reviews.
3,412 reviews399 followers
December 9, 2017
*** 5 SOLID OMFG THIS BOOK F***ED WITH MY HEAD STARS!!!!***

"We are slaves to our needs , our cravings, our hunger... and I'm so fucking hungry...."

I was a son,
A friend,
A brother,
A psychopath.

Eighteen years of being in a psyche ward; I was released into the world. Things have changed, Blake is married to Melody and is a father to my new fixation, Cereus. My beautiful niece who knows nothing of my existence. When consequences of past sins begin playing tricks on me, old cravings demand to be satisfied.

There is no cure for my kind of sickness.

I am void of everything but obsession.
I can’t love,
I can’t feel,
I am Desolate.


OMG! This should make into a movie!
I can't stop reading until I finished it and I still cannot sleep after that. Ryan messed with my head.
How can I 'feel' for a psychopath , I dunno.
But I feel Ryan, I loved Ryan, just like Blake who still loved him after what happened 20 years ago, after whatever Ryan did, just like Cereus who loved him unconditionally.
I just, feel him.
"“You’re safe with me,” I reassure her, and for once I mean it. I have no plans for her yet.

“That’s what serial killers say,” she jokes, with no clue how close she is to the truth.

“Met many have you?” She’s still reluctant, I can tell by her stiff posture. “How about I promise not to kill you tonight?”

I really liked Cereus and Ryan close comfortable relationship.
Makes me remembered one Disney movie, Frozen... we don't need a Prince to be a hero , sometimes, blood is thicker than anything in the world. And that's what Ryan and Cereus had.

Oh and I loved how Blake still loved his baby brother!
"This is my kid brother. He came into this world lacking a soul and I couldn’t save him. I couldn’t make him have one and as much as I hate him for what he did, I still love the baby I held and raised when our worthless mother didn’t.(Blake)"

“Love is a weakness.”
“Love is a strength. It bonds us.”
“How can i if i don't feel it?”
“Because I will feel it for us both.”


~R :“I see the love in your eyes, brother. it always was your downfall, first with me and then melody.”

~B :“My love is not a weakness, Ryan. I wear my loves as an armor. It protects me from ending up like you.”


I dunno what Ker Dukey did to my head, and whatever she did, I'm definitely making her my stalking behavior target in the future. I need the next book, Ker! NOW!

...and finally, I'm touched for what Ryan wrote to his baby niece that he (denied). loved so much...
""Don't drift through life fighting to be normal, when you're exceptional, like your uncle" (Ryan)"


If you're an adrenaline junkies for a book to read, this one is highly recommended!!
Read now!!!
Profile Image for 1-Click Addict Support Group.
3,749 reviews490 followers
January 31, 2015
Oh my good effing god! Ker, Ker, Ker...woman, what is wrong with your mind? Wait, what is wrong with mine that I love the stories your twisted mind creates?

I thought Empathy was dark and twisted but Desolate is so much more. Ker upped her twistedness in this one. The twists so bloody you don’t see them coming. Seriously, my heart is still racing. I may have been a little scared there for awhile.

I know people will probably think I'm crazy for saying this - even I think it - but I loved Ryan in this. His twisted, demented brain made me want to squeeze him with a hug until his eyes popped out.

The three different characters POV’s could be a smidge confusing at times, sometimes I forgot who was talking, but it wasn't terribly bad. It helped that the three people were the same as in Empathy.

If you loved Empathy, you will love this more. PLEASE TELL ME THERE IS MORE!! I want more from this bunch. I'm not ready to let them go just yet.

Fans of dark reads, if you haven't one-clicked Empathy yet, you must do it now. Seriously, you are missing out on some great mindf--kery. Plus, I nominate Ker as queen of the dark and twisted. ~ Keisha, 5 stars
Profile Image for Terrie's Just Another Book B*tch.
161 reviews160 followers
February 2, 2015
If you're like me, you get the chills with excitement and fear when you think of Ryan...

It's eighteen years later and Ryan has a new playground. New damaged minds to manipulate, and fresh blood to spill. Don't think that he's forgotten his old playthings, because he hasn't. Eighteen years is a long time to dream of new ways to act out your twisted fantasies.

Blindly released,
this plague on humanity is out to spread his sickness upon the world again and Ryan has a new fixation.
Cereus, his niece, she has the beauty of her mother and the strength of her father. The perfect specimen to set his sights on.


description


description


Blake and Melody have built a beautiful life that is about to come crashing down. The thought of Blake and Melody having to suffer at Ryan's hands again just hurt my heart. They had already suffered through so much. Could they survive Ryan again.... Everything I could and want so desperately to tell you is a spoiler (and I just don't do that!) All I can say is if you loved Empathy You are going to die for Desolate!

With many books, you may need to do a reread to get a reminder, to touch base with your favorite characters before jumping into the next book. That's not the case with Empathy. It's a book that has stayed with us... called to us... haunted us even. The thought of Ryan's return may have struck you with trepidation and/or enthusiasm. Once again Ker Dukey transports us into the mind of a madman. Desolate is everything I expected it to be and more!


It's LIVE!!!

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