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Judas

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Blurb
Goddammnit, she's MINE!
This manhunt across the country is going to end in one way.
With her in my possession, and anyone who gets in my way, beneath the fucking dirt!


Themes and topics within this book are dark and may be triggering to some. This book is for mature audiences only.

629 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 1, 2025

32 people are currently reading
262 people want to read

About the author

Alair Novak

6 books130 followers

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5 stars
110 (64%)
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45 (26%)
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11 (6%)
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2 (1%)
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3 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 129 reviews
Profile Image for D.R. Brooks.
Author 2 books15 followers
August 1, 2025
“An idle mind is the devil’s playground—mine is prison.”

I honestly don’t even know where to begin because Judas completely wrecked me in the best possible way. This book was a rollercoaster of every single emotion I could possibly feel (and probably some new ones I didn’t even know existed). One minute, I was in tears (YES! Real tears this time Alair) and the next, I was laughing, smiling like an idiot, and kicking my feet. Alair absolutely knows how to screw with your emotions, and I loved every second of it.

So much happens in this book, and I truly never knew what was coming next. I was on the edge of my seat for most of it, devouring every chapter because I had to know how it all played out. The answers I was desperately hoping for from Babalon were delivered here, and the way the story tied together left me so satisfied. The only bittersweet part is that it’s over. I’m already missing these characters.

Oh yea, let’s talk about the spice for a second because… wow. Absolutely delicious. Perfectly balanced with the intensity and emotion of the story, it made me fall even harder for these characters.

This entire duet deserves infinite stars, it was that good! Judas was everything I wanted and more, and it solidified Alair as an author who can shatter my heart, mend it again, and leave me grateful for the wreckage.
Profile Image for Morgan.
177 reviews12 followers
December 22, 2025
I don't even know where to start. Ever have a moment in time where you experience something so deep, so gripping, so inexplicably impactful that it forever alters the course of your reality as you know it now and forever to be?

Yeah. Thats this duet.

My soul was torched and forever corrupted anew in Babalon. Judas sent me deeper into the center of the inferno, and God forget me because I never want to leave. Consider me dammned beyond any considerable salvation.

The story from Babalon continues in beyond magnificent fashion. The caverns of this plot taking you on a journey that will send you to places you never thought you could or would go. Characters reaching planes of development that can only be described as pure war and ascension beyond paper pages. These characters will forever live with me in body and soul, and that is something I haven't felt in my bones in almost a lifetime.

The Lito Duet transcends dark romance and is revolutionary for readers who enjoy a side of self inflicted emotional carnage with their escapes. And buckle up, because the best part is we aren't done yet.

2 Million/10.
Profile Image for Lauren Head.
683 reviews17 followers
August 1, 2025
The second part of Alair's debut, yes her debut, and I am absolutely telling you now! Don’t miss these two books! Alair sure knows how to bring you through emotional torture with her characters. Alair tells a story so deep you feel like youre right along side her characters! Whether that makes you wish you could hug them, slap them or maybe even fuck them I live the mental health aspect of it as well, showing how important it is to keep your mental health in check!
Profile Image for Kristy.
364 reviews38 followers
November 25, 2025
This duet was something else and to be a debut just wow! Alair built a world with emotions and characters that are unlike anything I’ve read so far. One minute you’re going noooo then next you’re going hell yes!! We meet a few new characters in this book along with the returning characters but in a different light. And get some answers about what happened while Nadia was in prison along with finding out what happened to Kace.
Profile Image for Alwaysdarkromance.
701 reviews37 followers
August 9, 2025
4.75⭐️

This was an amazing action packed, spicy, edge of your seat read! This duet was amazing for a debut author! She did an amazing job. You felt the characters, the emotions and like you were right there beside them! I loved it! Don’t sleep on this duet! Highly recommend!
Profile Image for Kswag.
396 reviews34 followers
August 13, 2025
The story was okay and I feel to be a bigger fan of the first book than I am the second. I kept thinking the book was a bit longer than I would have liked making it difficult to keep the pages turning. It was a solid story mainly due to the investment of the characters from the first book. I didn’t hate the book by any means I just didn’t love it.

3.5 stars
Profile Image for Miasia.
323 reviews12 followers
August 14, 2025
First off, this was a long fucking book dude😅 like when I thought it was going to end, IT KEPT GOING 💀

Ok to the real review, I that Babalon was wild, Judas? That shit was fucking WILD. The amount of times I said “what the fuck” and “for fuck sakes” is a whole ass new record.

Nadia has had it fucking ROUGH, if she didn’t end up with a HEA I would’ve fucking rioted. That girl was dealt a shit hand her entire life, finally it went her way.

Sadie….you are fucking SCARY but a total badass

Lucian…you’re still as fucked up and psycho as always 😅 I have never seen a character fuck up their redemption arc as many times as he did and STILL didn’t get it.

Daddy Kace…you’re an asshole dude. Like your thought process was ass backwards and it took Nadia kicking your ass to figure out you were wrong and fix it.

But over all this was one hell of a rollercoaster and was worth it.
Profile Image for nightlyreadingheather.
767 reviews97 followers
July 31, 2025
If you read Babalon, then you will DEFINITELY want to get to this second book asap!

There is a 17-year time jump, and Nadia is being released from prison on the hunt to find Sadie. We get glimpses into the past told in Dual POV to show what Nadia had been through in prison, her pregnancy, and even get to see Sadie grow up.

I adored the mental health rep and the fact that the author gave warnings when a chapter was going to be rough. She also included a breather after a rough or exciting chapter. I love this about this author! It makes you truly feel that she understands her readers, what they want and when it is going to be tough getting through it.

With this only being Alair's second book, I am very impressed with her writing style and look forward to so much more! 10/10
Profile Image for Tiffany.
5 reviews6 followers
August 1, 2025
“I want to be where the stars are born.”

This is the second part of Alair’s DEBUT…yes you heard me right DEBUT duet and I’m here to tell you that Judas is EVERYTHING.

Alair sure knows how to bring you through the ringer with her characters and tell a story so deep you feel like you’re walking right along side her characters, making you wish you could reach out and hug…or slap them. This book broke my heart, made me laugh, pissed me off, broke my heart again and then put it right back together.

This is everything you needed after Babalon and then some. Fantastic job Alair.
Profile Image for Jonnica.
231 reviews15 followers
August 1, 2025
Where should I even begin with this one!! After reading Babalon I knew I was going to dive head first into this one!! You had different characters that kept the story going in an intense way! Nadia goes after her daughter Sadie to protect her from Lucien but little did she know that Sadie was alot like him and there duo together kept things interesting! This book was so good I didnt want to stop reading! I cant wait to see what Alair has in store for us next!
Profile Image for Flor Espinoza Sanchez ♡.
310 reviews3 followers
August 14, 2025
⚠️ Please read the content warnings before reading the book ⚠️

What other words can you use to explain this duet other than perfection. I mean seriously, I was on the edge of my seat trying to discover everything that was happening and did happen in the first book. Everyone was dealt shitty cards when it came to the life they were given. When I tell you the amount of twists and turns you'll get from this book are literally jawdropping. I can't go into much detail without spoiling it and trust me when I say this is one of the books you don't want spoiled.

I can however say that despite everything, there is a happy ending and we're even given four epilogues 🖤 All of these characters become so loved the more I learnt about them in this duet. The emotional turmoil you exprience is very heartbreaking because it feels so raw, so vulnerable. The grief, the anger, the anguish, and the heartbreaking truths you feel them all and fuck do they hurt. I can't wait to see where the DWCI takes us but I do know I'm more then prepared for the chaos that will come with it.

Till death do them part or as one of them says "U--until the... cosmos... die."
Profile Image for Krystal.
30 reviews14 followers
September 15, 2025
The way I literally dropped EVERYTHING to read this when it came out! It was everything I wanted, needed, and so much greater than ANY expectation I could have had! I laughed. I cried! I was gitty and kicking my feet like a school girl with their first crush.

Having Nadia track down Sadie and get her back. Getting to have a relationship with her after everything. Finding out what happened all the years Nadia was in prison. The mental struggle she goes through with not only postpartum depression and just the grief of Kace being gone.

Seeing how Sadie grew up and her mental struggles as well. 10 outta 10 recommend this book!

Lucien got what was coming to him and it had me cackling every step of the way!

We get some new and interesting key players in this that fuel my NEED to know what comes next. The plot was deep. The action was packed! And the way that Alair tells stories is incredible.

Want the answer to the question in Babalon on if Kace is alive or not? You're gonna have to read Judas to find out!
Profile Image for Danielle Renno.
162 reviews3 followers
August 6, 2025
The first 30-40% of the book just felt like it dragged on - it was quite difficult to get through. I had questions after the first book so didn’t want to give up. Once it sped up, and Havok returned, I thought we were at a good spot. However, around 55-60%, I started to get bored again. Unfortunately, this one just wasn’t for me but I definitely think the duet is worth checking out if you like dark/pitch black romances and a morally grey FMC!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
1,116 reviews21 followers
February 7, 2026
Goddammnit, Sadie's Judas’s!

This manhunt across the country is going to end in one way.
With her in his possession, and anyone who gets in his way, beneath the fucking dirt!

YOU'RE MENTAL HEALTH MATTERS!!! Please read and pay close attention to the trigger warnings at the beginning of this book. There is some content and scenes in this book that are not suitable for all readers and could be triggering for others. Always remember that your mental health comes first at all times. Reader discretion is advised. Intended for readers 18+.

Tropes: Multi-POVs, Taboo, Dark Romance, Second Chance, Mental Health Rep, Serial Killers, Antihero/ Unhinged MMCs, Obsessive MMC, Spice/Heat, Religious Trauma, Captivity, Kidnapping, Double Agent, No Cliffhanger, HEA, Cross Country Bounty, OTT MMC, Revenge, Twits and Turns, Psychosis.

Judas is book 2 in The Lito Duet by Alair Novak. Just know that you MUST have read BABALON 1st in order to understand what is happening in Judas and who our characters are.

If I thought that Babalon left me wrecked then I didn’t know what it meant to be left wrecked after a book because Judas truly left me destroyed in only the best of ways possible. This book took me on a rollercoaster ride of emotions; some I never knew I could feel over a book and maybe some I never even knew existed. I went from being in tears to laughing and then the next I had this grin on my face that had me looking like an idiot.

There’s a lot going on in this book and a lot that happens, and you truly can’t predict what was going to happen next. For a lot of this book I felt like I was on pins and needles while I devoured every page with this carnal need to know what was going to happen next and how everything that Alair had set up was really going to play out.

I had this desperate thirst to find the answers that were left from Babalon were going to be found in these pages, and that I would soon find the ties that bound the storylines together and when it all clicked together, I was so satisfied. For me the only sad part for me is that this duet is over and it is time to say goodbye to these characters that I’ve come to love and care about. (I hate this anytime I finish a book or series honestly.)

Poor Nadia, she has not had it easy. Her entire life she has been dealt nothing but a crappy hand time after time and it was about time something went her way. I loved watching Nadia track her daughter Sadie down and how she never once gave up on Sadie. Nadia knew one was or another she would find her daughter. And Nadia swore that once she found her daughter, she would protect Sadie from Lucian at all costs, no matter what he did to Nadia.

And then once Nadia did find her daughter, the way she worked to build that relationship with her after everything they had both been through, it honestly made me cry. And then on top of that to learn the true extent of everything that Nadia had truly been through while she was in prison, God, that just gutted me.

I could understand from all that why Nadia had the mental struggles that she went through, why she delt with the postpartum depression and of course there was her grief over Kace being gone.

Sadie, that girl is one scary badass just like her mom. And seeing the way that Sadie grew up it explained why she had her own mental struggles as well, just like her mom. It was amazing to see that she was open to a relationship with her mom after all those years and that alone showed her true strength of character.

Lucian is still as psychotic as ever. I don’t think I have ever met another character have the opportunity at redemption and still manage to mess it up so many times as Lucian. I can’t believe he just didn’t get it. I do love that Lucian got what he had coming to him in the end and that had me laughing each and every step of the way.

Kace, Daddy Kace…God, you’re such a peen. I realize that your thought process is always backwards and you couldn’t realize it yourself and that it took Nadia kicking your butt to realize it for yourself and finally do something to fix it But, my Lord, even when you were wrong, I still couldn’t get enough of you Kace.

I do have to take a moment to talk about the spice that Alair included because it’s just monumental and delicious. And Alair has managed to walk a double edged sword and balance the spice perfectly with all the intensity and emotion of the overall story, and honestly that made me love these characters all the more.

I wish I could give this duet more than just 5 stars, it was so good! Judas was the second half of the duet that I was hoping and praying for and honestly it solidified Alair Novak as one of those authors who have the ability to rip my heart out of my chest and hold it in their hands in front of me, shatter it, mend it, put it back and have me saying thank you.

Now I can’t wait to read Sadie and Babel’s story.

I highly recommend this duet. In fact, I can’t recommend it highly enough.

Two of my Favorite quotes from this book were:

Till death do them part or as one of them says "U--until the... cosmos... die."

“An idle mind is the devil’s playground—mine is prison.”
Profile Image for Tehmeena.
173 reviews7 followers
July 31, 2025
Content Warnings;
Please take note of the trigger warnings. YOUR MENTAL HEALTH MATTERS!

~Thank you, the author, for the free Arc of this book. I'm leaving this review voluntarily.~

Tropes;
🖤𖤐𝓜𝓾𝓵𝓽𝓲 𝓟𝓞𝓥𝓼
𖤐🖤𝓣𝓪𝓫𝓸𝓸
🖤𖤐𝓓𝓪𝓻𝓴 𝓡𝓸𝓶𝓪𝓷𝓬𝓮
𖤐🖤𝓢𝓮𝓬𝓸𝓷𝓭 𝓒𝓱𝓪𝓷𝓬𝓮
🖤𖤐𝓜𝓮𝓷𝓽𝓪𝓵 𝓗𝓮𝓪𝓵𝓽𝓱 𝓡𝓮𝓹
𖤐🖤𝓢𝓮𝓻𝓲𝓪𝓵 𝓚!𝓵𝓵𝓮𝓻𝓼
🖤𖤐𝓐𝓷𝓽𝓲𝓱𝓮𝓻𝓸/𝓤𝓷𝓱𝓲𝓷𝓰𝓮𝓭 𝓜𝓜𝓒𝓼
𖤐🖤𝓞𝓫𝓼𝓮𝓼𝓼𝓲𝓿𝓮 𝓜𝓜𝓒
🖤𖤐𝓢𝓹𝓲𝓬𝓮/𝓗𝓮𝓪𝓽
𖤐🖤𝓡𝓮𝓵𝓲𝓰𝓲𝓸𝓾𝓼 𝓣𝓻𝓪𝓾𝓶𝓪
🖤𖤐𝓒𝓪𝓹𝓽𝓲𝓿𝓲𝓽𝔂/𝓚𝓲𝓭𝓷𝓪𝓹𝓹𝓲𝓷𝓰
𖤐🖤𝓓𝓸𝓾𝓫𝓵𝓮 𝓐𝓰𝓮𝓷𝓽
🖤𖤐𝓝𝓸 𝓒𝓵𝓲𝓯𝓯-𝓗𝓪𝓷𝓰𝓮𝓻
𖤐🖤𝓗𝓔𝓐

The way I drop-kicked my adult responsibilities to finally devour this! Where do I even begin with this book? It ruined me - in the worst and best possible way - I can't get over it. I made me cry, laugh, fall into stunned silence, almost made me throw my Kindle, but I made it to the end. The intensity of emotions Alair Novak is able to elicit within the reader is astounding. I am still thinking about it all. The unpredictability of the plotline is honestly what I appreciate and love, despite it giving me nail-biting anxiety by keeping on the edge of my f-cking seat. Usually, I'm able to somewhat get an inkling about a twist that might be coming up, but it did catch me off guard a few times. Feels like my mind has been peeled apart and been sewn back together again. Enjoyed every moment of it...

You do need to read the first book in this duet, Babylon, which did leave me reeling with questions, and Judas provided the answers to those in this sequel. The loose ends tie up here in a way that leaves the reader satisfied, and I got some much needed clarity. It was written so well from start to finish, even better than the first, and the story flowed seamlessly. The world building is addictive and alluring - certainly awakens the morbid fascination in me - and the characters are intriguing as always. The way Nadia doesn't give give up on finding her daughter Sadie, protecting her from Lucian? My Heart. But of course, things aren't always that easy, are they? Each character has their own struggles and growth, the challenges they face. And of course, Kace, Oh my Lordt! Will never get enough of him.

The spice, of course, is red-hot and scrumptiously dark. The pacing is very well done, in my opinion, didn't drag, and held my attention throughout the storyline. Many times, my jaw drops, my eyes tear up, my heart pounds, and my face scoffs in disbelief. This book has me in a choke-hold as tight as an iron fist. The aura this book gives off is one of being...unhinged, emotionally draining, and chaotic - yet fulfilling in the end. As exhausting as that may sound, I need more? I'm looking forward to Sadie & Babel's story!

Now, this is an extremely DARK, dark romance. It's not an easy read for the faint-hearted, so please do go through the trigger warnings very carefully before diving in. Your mental health matters! There is angst and grief, heartache and heartbreaking, delicious spice and intense vulnerability, plot-twists and action, pain and forgiveness, laughter, and more! If that sounds like your type of book, then please add this to your TBR.

Out of Fives; 🎪🖤
𖤐🖤𝑪𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓: ✨✨✨✨✨
🖤𖤐𝑺𝒑𝒊𝒄𝒆: 🔥🔥🔥🔥
𖤐🖤𝑹𝒐𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆: 🥀🥀🥀
🖤𖤐𝑨𝒏𝒈𝒔𝒕: 💔💔💔💔💔
𖤐🖤𝑫𝒂𝒓𝒌𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒔: 🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤
🖤𖤐𝑬𝒎𝒐𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔: 🎲🎲🎲🎲🎲
𖤐🖤𝑯𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒂𝒄𝒉𝒆: ❤️‍🩹❤️‍🩹❤️‍🩹❤️‍🩹❤️‍🩹
🖤𖤐𝑨𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏: 💥💥💥💥
𖤐🖤𝑽𝒊𝒐𝒍𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒆: 🔪🔪🔪🔪🔪
🖤𖤐𝑵𝒂𝒅𝒊𝒂: 🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷
𖤐🖤𝑲𝒂𝒄𝒆: 🩶🩶🩶🩶🩶
🖤𖤐𝑷𝒍𝒐𝒕𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒆: 🎬🎬🎬🎬🎬
𖤐🖤𝑷𝒂𝒄𝒊𝒏𝒈: ⏳⏳⏳⏳⏳
🖤𖤐𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝑫𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒍𝒐𝒑𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕: 🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆
𖤐🖤𝑾𝒐𝒓𝒍𝒅 𝑩𝒖𝒊𝒍𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈: 🌍🌏🌍🌍🌏
🖤𖤐𝑩𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝑹𝒆𝒄𝒆𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒅: 𝒆𝑨𝑹𝑪/𝑲𝒊𝒏𝒅𝒍𝒆.
𖤐🖤𝑺𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒔: (𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑳𝒊𝒕𝒐 𝑫𝒖𝒆𝒕 𝑩𝒐𝒐𝒌 2)
🖤𖤐𝑷𝒂𝒈𝒆𝒔: 630.
𖤐🖤𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒔: 57 (𝒊𝒏𝒄𝒍𝒖𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑷𝒓𝒐𝒍𝒐𝒈𝒖𝒆, 𝑬𝒑𝒊𝒍𝒐𝒈𝒖𝒆𝒔 & 𝑬𝒙𝒕𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒅 𝑬𝒑𝒊𝒍𝒐𝒈𝒖𝒆𝒔).
🖤𖤐𝑮𝒆𝒏𝒓𝒆: 𝑭𝒊𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏, 𝑫𝒂𝒓𝒌 𝑹𝒐𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆.
𖤐🖤𝑷𝒖𝒃𝒍𝒊𝒔𝒉𝒆𝒅: 1 𝑨𝒖𝒈𝒖𝒔𝒕 2025.
🖤𖤐𝑾𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝑰 𝑹𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒅: 𝒀𝒆𝒔.
𖤐🖤𝑶𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝑺𝒕𝒂𝒓 𝑹𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Profile Image for Dark Reader.
514 reviews18 followers
August 7, 2025
Wow, what a crazy wild ride. This is book 2 of a duet, and both are super dark - please check triggers before reading.

I can't say enough about this duet. Babalon was intense, and Judas maybe even more so. Technically this is dark romance - there's a HEA - but there's a ton of blood and gore, and if you read parts on their own you'd swear it's erotic horror. I loved every moment and was riveted the entire time.

I can't say too much about the plot without spoilers, but this starts out with the FMC, Nadia, who is getting out of prison for the things that happened in the first book. The MCs here are more mature, since time has passed, and it's interesting to see how time has changed them.

This story is so emotional - both Nadia and Kace shouldn't have been in the situations they were; he made a stupid mistake as a young man and was sentenced to max security prison for questionable reasons, and she started as a prison guard inspired by her family history and didn't really do anything wrong except fall in love (I mean, she was a little unhinged at times, but we'll let it slide). Both have so much past history and trauma, along with mental illness - the story unfolds from this place where everything conspires to ruin them. Even Lucien, who is in so many ways unredeemable, has been dealt a bad lot in life and hasn't received the support he needs to get through that.

I loved:
- The spice (omg the spice. Seriously.)
- The mental health rep and in-depth exploration of mental illness
- The descriptions of real bodies, scars and stretch marks and all
- The evolution and growth that happens to the characters with time and maturity
- The unflinching love of family and found family

Please do yourself a favor and read this one - it's amazing.

Thanks to the ARC team for an advance copy!
Profile Image for FinalGirlCultBookClub.
60 reviews2 followers
July 28, 2025
Words cannot express how I feel about this duet. We finally have the conclusion to their story and I feel like there's a huge void in me. Alair made me fall in love, broke my heart in a million pieces and slowly put it all back together. I'm still emotionally exhausted, but happy.

The main characters do have a HEA, but they GO THROUGH IT, you guys. This is what real relationships are like. I know we enjoy dark romance and our favorite tropes and a lot of unlikely scenarios (it's fiction after all!) but here we see how trust is rebuilt, how hard headed (with reason!) people finally come to accept forgiveness, and how pain and suffering can evolve into something beautiful.

The spice? I would give it 5/5 through the whole duet. Babalon had a fair amount of spice weaved into the plot. Judas, we finally get a lot of spice after like 60%, which is understandable. There HAD TO BE a lot of buildup for it to happen.

The characters? All of them were perfectly imperfect. I'm not going to lie. Most of the main characters WILL p!ss you off. They have real feelings and reasoning behind what they do.

The ending? Everything was neatly wrapped in a smutty bow. The epilogues and the teasers for what's next had me frothing at the mouth.

Will I read this again? This is a compliment. No. I will not. I will re-read things I highlighted when I need a romantic pick me up, but will not grab the book and read it from cover to cover. This had me on the proverbial chokehold. I haven't cried like this in months.

You guys, THIS IS HER DEBUT and I'm speechless. She will be an auto buy/read author for me.

Bravo, Alair!

Profile Image for Adeselna.
Author 2 books94 followers
August 3, 2025
**ARC was provided by the author in exchange for a review **

“Judas” is the second and last book in the “Lito Duet” series. The book starts seventeen years after Nadia was detained for her involvement with Kace. She now has one mission since she went to prison: find Lucien. Lucien is also free from jail, and he will do anything to attract Nadia back to him.

This is a book that I can barely write anything because anything can be a spoiler. But holy damn was this book really good. Lucien is still the insane person we meet in Babalon. Nadia is now seventeen years older, and she’s struggling with technology and adapting to a new world. She is still broken after the events of the first book, and it is hard for her to break free from those events. She is a woman on a mission, just like Lucien.

Lucien’s chapters are still *chef’s kiss. His insanity is amazing to read. He is the perfect mixture of crazy and then a little misfortune in life, with some insanity running in the family, clearly. We have a lot of POVs in this book, so it feels really good. “Babalon” was the story of Nadia and Kace, but “Judas” is focused mainly on Lucien.

It is a wild ride but a great ending to a very dark and twisted duet. It has violence, it has smut, it has religion poisoning everything, but most important, it has a HEA! I am really looking forward the next book, Alair has teased us with a little bit, and I am looking forward to meet the next characters!

Very recommend both books if you love some really intense themes of religion, insanity, with a lot of torture and violence.
Profile Image for Cassandra Barton.
106 reviews1 follower
February 11, 2026
This book is not here to be gentle. It doesn’t flirt with obsession—it grabs it by the throat and commits.

From the opening lines, the story establishes a relentless, dangerous pursuit that spans the country and strips away any illusion of safety. The male lead is not softened, redeemed, or misunderstood; he is unapologetically possessive, brutal in his devotion, and terrifying in his certainty that she belongs to him. The declaration “She’s mine” is not romanticized as a misunderstanding, but wielded as a threat, a promise, and a driving force behind every violent step he takes.

What makes this book compelling is how it leans fully into the psychology of obsession. The manhunt is less about distance and more about inevitability. There is no question of if he will reach her, only how much destruction will be left behind when he does. Anyone who stands in his way is not an obstacle—they are collateral. The prose mirrors this mindset: sharp, furious, and stripped of mercy.

Readers who enjoy dark romance will recognize the appeal immediately. This is a story for those who crave morally black characters, dangerous devotion, and the unsettling thrill of being hunted by someone who believes possession is destiny. It does not offer comfort or safety; it offers tension, dominance, and a steady descent into violence-fueled obsession.

This is not a love story for everyone—but for readers who want their romance feral, ruthless, and unapologetically dark, it delivers exactly what it promises.
Profile Image for Anna Claire.
190 reviews
August 11, 2025
4.5⭐️ MISS ALAIR GIRL THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT AND THAT ENDINGGGGG!!!!!!! (I love me an age gap hot damn!) but fr thank you SO much for the ARC of Judas!!!!!🖤🖤🖤

goodness where do I start?!?? The thorough amount of pain, grief, rage, lust, vulnerability, and growth shown by Nadia was all encompassing and I love being able to feel the emotion right there with the character, it makes the story & progress THAT much better!!!!!! Plus, Sadie?? Miss Sadie girl???? I CANNOT WAITTTTT to get more into her mind when she’s confidently Sadie herself!!!! She’s got so much to learn and I can’t wait hehehehehehe

This Debut Duet was a HIT!!! For me!!!! Truly huge props to @alairnnovak for this!!! The way I felt for Nadia 🫶🏻 Kace ❤️‍🩹 Sadie 🥹 Lucien 🤬🙁 and all the others was such a wild ride (mainly being I actually felt some sadness for Luc at the end when he came to terms that his break down was himself as a kid, I ONLY felt bad for that luc all the others can kick rocks)

But as an important note- this duet is DARK DARK! Pls be kind to your mind and proceed with caution if you’re up for it!!! Read the TWs and understand them, it’s SO worth reading this but if you can’t, totally okay!!! You are strong. You are loved. You are WORTH IT. 🖤

Truly my jaded black horror heart loved this and can’t wait for more of the DWCI Universe 😁😁😁
Profile Image for Tori Rose.
140 reviews6 followers
August 15, 2025
🔥𝖏𝖚𝖉𝖆𝖘 𝖇𝖞 𝖆𝖑𝖆𝖎𝖗 𝖓𝖔𝖛𝖆𝖐🔥

✨𝖆𝖛𝖆𝖎𝖑𝖆𝖇𝖑𝖊 𝖓𝖔𝖜✨
𝖔𝖗𝖉𝖊𝖗 𝖍𝖊𝖗𝖊🔗👉🏻 https://a.co/d/cVVwknO

🤎𝖗𝖊𝖛𝖎𝖊𝖜🤎
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️ ½

Holy hell!!! This book was an absolutely crazy ride but worth every emotional moment! This duet had quickly become one of my favorites! I don’t know how she does it but Alair has crafted this world so beautifully and I’m so addicted to the characters and stories. I want more now! I literally BAWLED my eyes out several times while reading this book…I was completely utterly wrecked!

This book picks up right where the last one ended when Nadia gets released from prison to find her daughter’s been kidnapped by Lucian. It follows Nadia’s journey to reunite with her daughter Sadie and we also get way more backstory between Nadia and Lucian. I won’t say much more because I don’t want any of the crazy twists and turns to be ruined. This book is a literal rollercoaster so be prepared for all the emotional highs and lows!

I will say that the spice is so delicious and spicy perfection! It’s not solely smut though it’s balanced thru the plot, emotions and intensity of the story perfectly! So hot though🔥

Overall, I definitely recommend this book to dark romance lovers just make sure to read book 1, Babalon, before jumping into Judas. I’m also SO excited for more books in this Darkwater Correctional world!

Profile Image for Tea_thegnomie.
28 reviews2 followers
August 1, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️- I had no clue what I was walking into here. I just knew it was gonna be intense and dark. You know what happened? These characters gripped me in my heart from the start and twisted. I WILL be rereading.

🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️- Judas was exactly how I like my romances - SPICY, emotionally wrecking, and very well detailed.

I couldn’t put this down, but also I never wanted it to end. Being the second part of the Lito Duet, it starts by answering your questions…and giving you more. With time skips and little changes in the wording, you’re sitting there trying to theorize everything! This is an EXPERIENCE.

Babalon’s drive brought me to tears a few times. Our girl is so mf strong. Seeing inside of Judas’ psyche was both fascinating and unnerving. His frequent breaks in his own thoughts pulls you right in and flips you around. You feel his mental fragility.

Who else is here? Well, take a jump and enter the DWCI universe to see.

There are truly no words that can summarize how I feel about this duet. You need to experience it for yourself. I’m eternally grateful I got to ARC them!

I’ve got many, many, MANY quotes but this early one stuck to me like glue.
—“My soul will devour hers then lick its f**k**g teeth clean.”
Profile Image for Danni Drummond.
284 reviews41 followers
July 31, 2025
Judas
The Lito Duet Book Two
By Alair Novak

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶🌶🌶


🖤Pitch black romance
🖤Cross Country Bounty
🖤Serial Unal¡ver
🖤OTT MMC
🖤Antihero
🖤Tab00
🖤Revenge
🖤Second Chances
🖤Mental Health Rep
🖤Twists and turns!


Nadia is back and on the hunt for Lucian and her daughter Sadie in this action packed Second instalment of the Lito Duet, lucky for her she has the help of her pr¡son family who has her back from inside by sending two of the world's most infuriating men to help her track Lucian down.
Lucian on the other hand is still up to his old twisted as f *k ways putting Sadie through the ringer, well trying 😅 because boy oh boy doesn't Sadie have some hidden secrets of her own!

What on earth will happen once a Scorned mother catches up to the man that's taken everything from her and will she make it in time?

Soooo many massive secrets 🙊 so much uncovered, hurt, betrayal, healing.

Get your comfort blankies ready and maybe a box of tissues, it's a long one with so many twists and turns you won't know whether you're coming, disgusted in yourself or need to breakdown.

Judas releases August 1st (today if you are here in Australia) 😘🖤
Profile Image for Kristyn.
121 reviews5 followers
August 8, 2025
It’s clear that Alair Novak cares deeply about her characters, her passion and attention to detail shine through in every interaction and inner monologue. She doesn't just write them; she lives with them, and it shows.

While I personally preferred Babalon, Judas offers a different kind of intensity. The shifting points of view and non-linear timeline add a richness that gives the story real depth. You’re not just watching events unfold, you’re fully immersed in the thoughts, traumas, and desires of each character. It creates a level of emotional intimacy that’s rare and compelling.

Without spoiling anything, I’ll just say we meet some new faces in Judas, and much like in Babalon, I found myself loving every single one of them - except Havok (and all of his aliases). I was originally going to pick a favorite new character to talk about in my reveiw, but honestly…I can’t choose!

Getting more of Nadia and Lucian’s backstory was a real highlight for me. Their past and childhood, the pain and complexity within really hit hard.

Alair doesn’t just live to emotionally destroy us though, she can write smut like nobody’s business. Phew!! Some scenes had me needing a little breather.

That said, Judas did feel heavy and long at times. There were moments I felt could’ve been tightened up, and others where I wanted less. Some pacing felt slightly off, but none of that took away from my overall experience.

All in all, Judas is a dark, gripping, and deeply human installment in the DWCI universe. I'm hooked and can't wait to see what comes next!

Thank you Alair Novak for providing this book for advanced review 🖤 All opinions are my own
Profile Image for ashp_reads1875.
120 reviews12 followers
August 4, 2025
……honestly I’m not sure what to even write for this review. I thought Babalon was freaking amazing (I devoured that in two nights) but Judas. Oh lord. The perfect follow up.

I went through every single emotion possible reading this. I am in awe of how Alair’s mind works. This story is going to follow me around forever. Everybody knows I have my favourite character in this series but the way I was invested in every single character in this book is unreal….None of them are perfect human beings and a lot of their actions will annoy the hell out of you but there are so many reasons behind everything they do.

I was hooked the whole way through and extremely annoyed when I had to put the book down to do normal life activities. The way Alair connects every little thing and there is not one character who isn’t important either in this story or any of the follow ups she has planned is truly remarkable.

There is so much more I want to say but I fear I would spoil the whole thing. You need to read the Lito Duet to fully grasp how little plot wise I can actually mention here. I cannot wait to read more Alair as she delves more into the DWCI world.
Profile Image for 🐷Shay loves books🐷.
257 reviews14 followers
August 6, 2025
Can we give a book 1000 stars? Because this duet deserves just that! OMG this book! This Duet!!! I have no true words on how amazing this is! Kept me captivated and entranced the entire time. I cannot wait to read more of Alairs writing! It’s amazing! I’ve been suggesting these books to everyone I know! I thought Babalon was the greatest thing ever and it is, but this book took me even further from that.
I loved the storyline, the characters, there is nothing about this book that I don’t love. We love to hate Lucien, but other than that, it’s absolutely pure perfection. A masterpiece that will withstand the test of time.
I love that we get to learn about each of their past and see where they came from and why they are who they are now! The growth and love that Kace and Nadia have for each other and Sadie is so good! We also get to meet new characters in this book that I just love!
You like a book with Touch her and die vibes, found family etc this book is one you absolutely need to read. It’s Very dark, so read your triggers, but it’s so worth forgetting those triggers and just push through because it will grab you and never let go!
Profile Image for Sam Goodin.
130 reviews7 followers
August 15, 2025
I really don't know how to even write this review without giving out very important spoilers. So lets keep it to the basics babe.
First off 🌶🌶🌶 chilli spice rating.
Second, this ending 🫠🫠🫠.
Excuse me while I melt over the HEA. If you read Babalon you needed an ending like this and Alair gave it to us.
Unlike Babalon this book didn't make me cry, I did get lost a little with the names and the past and present switching but it makes sense the further you read on.
CHECK THOSE WARNINGS!!!!
While I say that a lot with dark romance this book dives into some deep emotional/physical/and psychological shit. DO NOT go into this book blind. This book is heavy on the ptsd, anxiety, panic attacks, and mental problems that surround traumatizing events and are very detailed.
This book isn't heavy on the romance and has a thriller aspect to it, it also has a lot of twists and turns and deep plot points that I think will bleed into other books in the series. We met soooooo many new people and overall I think Ra and Ez might be book boyfriend material 😍😍
That's all you're getting from me. Happy Reading ♥️
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for chelovesbooks.
14 reviews1 follower
September 1, 2025
I am in a total chokehold. Just like Alair’s debut Babalon, I’ve been trying to process Judas.

Without spoiling anything, let’s just say this book is plot heavy and the spice was *chef’s kiss! This story left me wanting more pages to read. Unfortunately it took me a bit finish this book because of some eye issues, definitely not for the author’s lack of anything.

Will I forever recommend this book to other adults, yes 1000000%!

Is this duet for the faint of heart, no. Definitely read the triggers prior to anything because it is dark and there are some disturbing themes. It’s pretty savage and packs a punch.

Lastly, I found myself highlighting so many things because of how well written Judas is. I do have to say I had to decompress after this beautiful book just like the first. Mind. Completely. Blown. Also, I am a feral animal that’s begging for more!

I just want to thank the author for breaking into the dark romance scene the way she did because this duet is unlike anything I’ve read. She basically made a whole new dark romance genre in the form of “a prison romance.”
Profile Image for Paige Ridler.
122 reviews8 followers
October 17, 2025
⛓️‍💥Judas by Alair Novak💊

Ok so I was warned I would crash out….I did….I think the exact words that went through my little pea brain was “Wait what the fuck just happened?” about a million times. Did I love every minute and now miss this world? Fuckin oath.

I am lowkey at a loss of what to say, this duet had me questioning and going WTF the entire time and I 100% want everyone to read it too.

Nadia, fuck I love her, fiesty af, been through hell and back but still loves so fiercely and doesn’t let ANYONE give her shit.

Lucien, yeah look you got what you deserve. He’s still psychotic and I didn’t think that was going to change but I didn’t expect that though.

Beast, yeah you scare me just a tiny bit but also I loved being able to see your POV and character progression. Cannot wait for more.

Havok. Yeah just ok yup. Anywayyyy

This was a great conclusion to the Lito Duet and this was Alair’s debut duet!! So good. Also that cat scene, love it so much!!

Go read it and let me know your thoughts.

Tropes:
⛓️‍💥Kidnapping
💊Mental Health Rep
⛓️‍💥Unhinged MC’s (all them dude)
💊WTF Twists & Turns
⛓️‍💥Psychosis
💊Revenge

Rating:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/out of 5
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️.5/out of 5
Profile Image for Chasity Trimble.
504 reviews23 followers
August 9, 2025
Excited to read this one after reading Babalon, is an understatement. This book grabbed my attention from the start. The writing was exquisite and the detail gave me the insight as if I was there watching it all unfold.

The world building continues from the first book and was remarkable! The characters had depth and raw emotions that is felt through the writing. The pacing of the plot was addictive literally perfect, it kept me glued and at the edge of my seat. There were several instances where I was unnerved and was left gasping. Unexpected twists had me reeling. And the steam definitely had me clenching my thighs, oh so good without taking away from the storyline. Without hesitation, will be watching for more book from this author.

If you are one who enjoys a Dark intense read, one with multi POVs, strong FMC, unhinged MMCs, kidnapping, captivity, taboo, serial unalivers, angst, corruption, revenge then this book is one to grab! Just make sure you read Book 1 Babalon first and check the TWs.
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