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Dream in Darkness
The night is young, and you’re a winner. Enter the tent, become a sinner.
Yasmeena Al-Khalifa joined Hel’s Carnival as a means to an end, escaping the harsh conditions of Ira. Now that she’s a spy for The Devil’s Masquerade, she’s seeing more blood and death than she initially bargained for.
It’s a dog eat dog world, except the biggest enemy of the felion… are wolves.
Tempest Lupine—daughter of the leader of Pack Escalus—must pair up with Yasmeena for the performance of a a fake engagement, designed to bring their two warring species together.
As the battle between the felion and lupion continues, can Yasmeena and Tempest extinguish their fiery hate? Or will their flames grow into an inferno?
These violent delights might just meet a violent end.
Yasmeena Al-Khalifa joined Hel’s Carnival as a means to an end, escaping the harsh conditions of Ira. Now that she’s a spy for The Devil’s Masquerade, she’s seeing more blood and death than she initially bargained for.
It’s a dog eat dog world, except the biggest enemy of the felion… are wolves.
Tempest Lupine—daughter of the leader of Pack Escalus—must pair up with Yasmeena for the performance of a a fake engagement, designed to bring their two warring species together.
As the battle between the felion and lupion continues, can Yasmeena and Tempest extinguish their fiery hate? Or will their flames grow into an inferno?
These violent delights might just meet a violent end.
- GenresFantasy
306 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 4, 2026
2 people are currently reading
50 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
May 3, 2026
ARC review
From the cover art to the story inside, everything about this book is a delight. There’s rich lore and world building, enemies to lovers forced proximity sapphic love, so much queer representation and complex politics - all set in a sexy dangerous carnival.
* note this is the 2nd in a series and you’ll definitely want to read the first to truly understand the overriding plot threads and character backgrounds! Also, the first was just as good.
This is a rich world with multiple factions and rulers. Trans, ace and queer rep galore and it’s all delivered beautifully. There’s prejudice in this world, but it’s based on race and class and it’s a huge part of the plot.
The set up worked so well to introduce us to both characters. It’s dual POV and we get insight into the trauma that both Tempest and Yasmeena have suffered and to their motivations. I really loved seeing their relationship grow - and the tension between them ramp up - as they rehearse their performance for the carnival.
Tempest - fierce, sweet, vulnerable Tempest - goes through so much over the course of the story. She’s forced to confront not just her own feelings but the trauma and abuse of her past and the very real betrayals that are done TO her and demanded OF her in the present.
And Yasmeena - so much strength and patience. She bends like a willow but keeps her roots strong.
I absolutely cannot wait for the next book in the series where we - FINALLY- get Luc’s story (I hope!).
Thanks so much to the author for the review copy.
From the cover art to the story inside, everything about this book is a delight. There’s rich lore and world building, enemies to lovers forced proximity sapphic love, so much queer representation and complex politics - all set in a sexy dangerous carnival.
* note this is the 2nd in a series and you’ll definitely want to read the first to truly understand the overriding plot threads and character backgrounds! Also, the first was just as good.
This is a rich world with multiple factions and rulers. Trans, ace and queer rep galore and it’s all delivered beautifully. There’s prejudice in this world, but it’s based on race and class and it’s a huge part of the plot.
The set up worked so well to introduce us to both characters. It’s dual POV and we get insight into the trauma that both Tempest and Yasmeena have suffered and to their motivations. I really loved seeing their relationship grow - and the tension between them ramp up - as they rehearse their performance for the carnival.
Tempest - fierce, sweet, vulnerable Tempest - goes through so much over the course of the story. She’s forced to confront not just her own feelings but the trauma and abuse of her past and the very real betrayals that are done TO her and demanded OF her in the present.
And Yasmeena - so much strength and patience. She bends like a willow but keeps her roots strong.
I absolutely cannot wait for the next book in the series where we - FINALLY- get Luc’s story (I hope!).
Thanks so much to the author for the review copy.
May 6, 2026
This world just keeps getting better! Thank you to the author for an advance review copy for free. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
First, let me say that I loved being back in this world and seeing so much of Draven and Gemma! I love their dynamic and it feels like visiting family reading about this world again.
Now , I have to say I loved Dream in Darkness! I loved the tension, the fleeting moments that lead to so much more, the friendships and relationships being built, the brutal resolutions to several characters and even the politics! I hope with the potential novella and book 3 we get to see many more positive resolutions throughout Hel.
Tempest is a firecracker that’s been squashed (often violently) throughout her life. Yasmeena is exceptional, wants everyone to be safe and at peace. Their connection from the start was sizzling and it just kept getting hotter throughout. Having an arranged marriage brought them closer and who doesn’t love forced proximity;).
Im hoping we get to see more of these two in the next books (and the others!) Well written and perfectly paced imo. Highly recommend!!
First, let me say that I loved being back in this world and seeing so much of Draven and Gemma! I love their dynamic and it feels like visiting family reading about this world again.
Now , I have to say I loved Dream in Darkness! I loved the tension, the fleeting moments that lead to so much more, the friendships and relationships being built, the brutal resolutions to several characters and even the politics! I hope with the potential novella and book 3 we get to see many more positive resolutions throughout Hel.
Tempest is a firecracker that’s been squashed (often violently) throughout her life. Yasmeena is exceptional, wants everyone to be safe and at peace. Their connection from the start was sizzling and it just kept getting hotter throughout. Having an arranged marriage brought them closer and who doesn’t love forced proximity;).
Im hoping we get to see more of these two in the next books (and the others!) Well written and perfectly paced imo. Highly recommend!!
Review of advance copy received from Author
2.5 ⭐
I’m not entirely sure what I expected from this book beyond the blurb: an interspecies romance about Tempest, a Lupion/wolf, and Yasmeena, a Felion/cat-demon, who enter a fake engagement to unite two enemy species and end up catching feelings along the way.
Sadly, I had a hard time fully connecting with the characters. We do get glimpses of their pasts, but it never felt deep enough to really anchor me emotionally. I kept hoping that understanding their trauma would make me feel closer to them, but since it wasn’t explored in much detail, it came across more as surface-level information than something I could truly feel.
Overall, I felt a bit conflicted. I didn’t dislike the characters, but I wasn’t completely drawn to them either. Tempest was especially hard to warm up to at the beginning. I understood the pressure she was under and why she built such a guarded personality, and there were moments where her softer side showed through, which I appreciated. Still, her growth didn’t feel as impactful as I expected, especially when it came to her relationship with her father and some of the choices she made toward the end, which felt mostly unnecessary and self-inflicted.
Yasmeena, on the other hand, stood out to me more. She felt more grounded and interesting, and I enjoyed her perspective. However, I wish the story had given her more space to grow as well. There was a lot of potential there that I would have loved to see explored further.
Even though this is marketed as a monster romantasy, I’m not sure I’d personally call it a romance-heavy story. It felt much more focused on the political conflict between the species. The story really leans into the idea of uniting Lupions and Felions, which I can see working well for readers who enjoy that kind of plot. For me, though, it meant that the romance and character development took a bit of a backseat.
Speaking of the romance, I liked the enemies-to-lovers idea in theory, but the execution didn’t fully convince me. Their initial animosity felt more tied to external circumstances than to something deeply personal. With Tempest especially, the tension seemed to linger more out of pride than genuine emotional conflict. Yasmeena was more open to trying to understand her as a person, even though she started out prejudiced because of their species differences and Tempest’s behavior. Because of this imbalance, their dynamic didn’t feel as satisfying as I’d hoped. Their connection also leaned more physical than emotional for most of the book. Even Yasmeena acknowledges at one point that she doesn’t truly know Tempest and wants to understand her better. When they eventually started opening up, it felt like it happened quite late, almost near the end.
The worldbuilding, especially the magic system, wasn’t very prominent here either. To be fair, the author did mention that reading the first book is important to fully understand those elements, so I assume that groundwork was laid there.
One thing I did really enjoy was the found family aspect. The Devil’s Masquerade has a strong sense of camaraderie, even if it sometimes felt a bit overwhelming with so many characters involved. Still, those dynamics added a nice layer to the story, particularly on Yasmeena’s side. Tempest’s connections felt more limited in comparison, with her friendship with Taryn being the most noticeable.
Overall, this might just be a case of me going in with different expectations. I tend to focus a lot on character and romance development, so this didn’t fully click for me. But I can definitely see readers who enjoy political intrigue and morally gray characters getting much more out of it. I do think the author shows a lot of promise, and I’d be interested in seeing what she writes next.
Thank you to the author for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
I’m not entirely sure what I expected from this book beyond the blurb: an interspecies romance about Tempest, a Lupion/wolf, and Yasmeena, a Felion/cat-demon, who enter a fake engagement to unite two enemy species and end up catching feelings along the way.
Sadly, I had a hard time fully connecting with the characters. We do get glimpses of their pasts, but it never felt deep enough to really anchor me emotionally. I kept hoping that understanding their trauma would make me feel closer to them, but since it wasn’t explored in much detail, it came across more as surface-level information than something I could truly feel.
Overall, I felt a bit conflicted. I didn’t dislike the characters, but I wasn’t completely drawn to them either. Tempest was especially hard to warm up to at the beginning. I understood the pressure she was under and why she built such a guarded personality, and there were moments where her softer side showed through, which I appreciated. Still, her growth didn’t feel as impactful as I expected, especially when it came to her relationship with her father and some of the choices she made toward the end, which felt mostly unnecessary and self-inflicted.
Yasmeena, on the other hand, stood out to me more. She felt more grounded and interesting, and I enjoyed her perspective. However, I wish the story had given her more space to grow as well. There was a lot of potential there that I would have loved to see explored further.
Even though this is marketed as a monster romantasy, I’m not sure I’d personally call it a romance-heavy story. It felt much more focused on the political conflict between the species. The story really leans into the idea of uniting Lupions and Felions, which I can see working well for readers who enjoy that kind of plot. For me, though, it meant that the romance and character development took a bit of a backseat.
Speaking of the romance, I liked the enemies-to-lovers idea in theory, but the execution didn’t fully convince me. Their initial animosity felt more tied to external circumstances than to something deeply personal. With Tempest especially, the tension seemed to linger more out of pride than genuine emotional conflict. Yasmeena was more open to trying to understand her as a person, even though she started out prejudiced because of their species differences and Tempest’s behavior. Because of this imbalance, their dynamic didn’t feel as satisfying as I’d hoped. Their connection also leaned more physical than emotional for most of the book. Even Yasmeena acknowledges at one point that she doesn’t truly know Tempest and wants to understand her better. When they eventually started opening up, it felt like it happened quite late, almost near the end.
The worldbuilding, especially the magic system, wasn’t very prominent here either. To be fair, the author did mention that reading the first book is important to fully understand those elements, so I assume that groundwork was laid there.
One thing I did really enjoy was the found family aspect. The Devil’s Masquerade has a strong sense of camaraderie, even if it sometimes felt a bit overwhelming with so many characters involved. Still, those dynamics added a nice layer to the story, particularly on Yasmeena’s side. Tempest’s connections felt more limited in comparison, with her friendship with Taryn being the most noticeable.
Overall, this might just be a case of me going in with different expectations. I tend to focus a lot on character and romance development, so this didn’t fully click for me. But I can definitely see readers who enjoy political intrigue and morally gray characters getting much more out of it. I do think the author shows a lot of promise, and I’d be interested in seeing what she writes next.
Thank you to the author for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I want it messy and terrifying and real,” she says. “I want this to be real.”
I adored this world and I adored this book! The main characters stole my heart. I loved their chemistry, and the hate-to-love was chef's kiss, done so well. I absolutely loved the political aspects of the story along with the detailed background we got of each MC, and how that affected them and their decisions along the way. Not to mention, the forced proximity and tension were delicious. Returning to Hel's Carnival was amazing, and getting to know more of the inner workings and each of the carnies better. The found-family aspect was perfect. I literally had the best time in this world and with these characters and their story.
Things I loved:
Angry sapphic romance
Hate to love
Political engagement between two high conflict species
Found family
Mental health rep
Really cool magic system
The circus performance
✨
I adored this world and I adored this book! The main characters stole my heart. I loved their chemistry, and the hate-to-love was chef's kiss, done so well. I absolutely loved the political aspects of the story along with the detailed background we got of each MC, and how that affected them and their decisions along the way. Not to mention, the forced proximity and tension were delicious. Returning to Hel's Carnival was amazing, and getting to know more of the inner workings and each of the carnies better. The found-family aspect was perfect. I literally had the best time in this world and with these characters and their story.
Things I loved:
Angry sapphic romance
Hate to love
Political engagement between two high conflict species
Found family
Mental health rep
Really cool magic system
The circus performance
✨
May 4, 2026
April 2026 Small Business BookTok ARC Reviews (BookTome Edition): “Dream in Darkness” by Rose Santoriello
Note: This ARC was given to me for free by the author and I am reviewing this book voluntarily.
"The night is young, and you’re a winner..
Enter the tent, become a sinner..” - Rose Santoriello
From the author of the “Augury University” series and co-author of “The Tenth Muse: Vol. 1” comes the second installment in the “Wizard of Oz” and “Helleverse” inspired series “Hel’s Carnival”. Return to Planet Hel and immerse yourself in Santoriello’s world-building that acts as an interconnected spinoff universe to their previous Monsters Romance series! Expect more exposition on the lore of the Carnival’s performers, a Fake Marriage that will bring about fiery tension, and one character who will find themselves faced with a major ultimatum; duty or heart? I’d say more..But I’d hate to spoil the show! Curious to tune into Act 2 of “Hel’s Carnival”? Then don’t miss out on this book when it hits online shelves on May 4, 2026!
Rating: 5/5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice Meter: 5/5🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶
Tropes: Monster Romance, Fake Engagement, Enemies-to-Lovers, Forbidden Romance, Sapphic Romance, FF Romance, Wolfpack Leader’s Daughter FMC x Aerialist/Assassin FMC, Secrets & Lies Revealed, Self-Discovery & Healing, and Assassin/Circus Performing Found Family.
Trigger Warnings: (Full Descriptions Can Be Found in the Book).
Note: This ARC was given to me for free by the author and I am reviewing this book voluntarily.
"The night is young, and you’re a winner..
Enter the tent, become a sinner..” - Rose Santoriello
From the author of the “Augury University” series and co-author of “The Tenth Muse: Vol. 1” comes the second installment in the “Wizard of Oz” and “Helleverse” inspired series “Hel’s Carnival”. Return to Planet Hel and immerse yourself in Santoriello’s world-building that acts as an interconnected spinoff universe to their previous Monsters Romance series! Expect more exposition on the lore of the Carnival’s performers, a Fake Marriage that will bring about fiery tension, and one character who will find themselves faced with a major ultimatum; duty or heart? I’d say more..But I’d hate to spoil the show! Curious to tune into Act 2 of “Hel’s Carnival”? Then don’t miss out on this book when it hits online shelves on May 4, 2026!
Rating: 5/5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice Meter: 5/5🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶
Tropes: Monster Romance, Fake Engagement, Enemies-to-Lovers, Forbidden Romance, Sapphic Romance, FF Romance, Wolfpack Leader’s Daughter FMC x Aerialist/Assassin FMC, Secrets & Lies Revealed, Self-Discovery & Healing, and Assassin/Circus Performing Found Family.
Trigger Warnings: (Full Descriptions Can Be Found in the Book).
Review of advance copy received from Author
Book #2 of the Hel’s carnival series! Let’s get into it! We meet Tempest Lupine & Yasmeena Al-Khalifa as side characters in book one but it’s easy to slip into the world without previous knowledge of book one. I really enjoyed seeing the characters of the Devil’s Masquerade through Tempest & Yasmeena’s eyes. The political plots on this book series are always so well fleshed out and this book was no exception. I loved the chemistry between Yasmeena and Tempest and the sweet angst of their arranged engagement! I loved that Tempest came into her own and took her life into her hands. The ending felt right for them too!
Side note: I’m so excited to see what happens in the next book, I’ve been waiting for Luc’s story since book one! 💜
Features;
🐱Spy/Alpha Heir
🐺Felion/Lupion
😈Poc coded FMC
🗡️Aerialist duo
🧶Sapphic Romeo and Juliet vibes
🤡Political main plot
🎪Angst
🎡Slower burn
🎠Shower spiciness
Side note: I’m so excited to see what happens in the next book, I’ve been waiting for Luc’s story since book one! 💜
Features;
🐱Spy/Alpha Heir
🐺Felion/Lupion
😈Poc coded FMC
🗡️Aerialist duo
🧶Sapphic Romeo and Juliet vibes
🤡Political main plot
🎪Angst
🎡Slower burn
🎠Shower spiciness
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews