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The Poisoner #3
The Cannibal
The explosive final book in I.V. Ophelia’s darkly addictive Poisoner trilogy—a bestselling gothic romance series about a botanist who kills unsavory men, and the one man who's resistant to her deadly poisons while she finds herself intoxicated by his deadly charms...
432 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2026
About the author
I.V. Ophelia
8 books2,814 followersUSA Today Bestselling author I.V. Ophelia is known for the gothic vampire series The Poisoner. Born in small-town New England, she now haunts the streets of New York City, writing the most unhinged tales she can conjure. When not crafting gothic romance, she works as a full-time artist, hoards nineteenth-century gowns and antique furniture, dotes on her menagerie of pets, and plots her next literary transgression.
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April 25, 2026The end is near. Welcome THE CANNIBAL is the last installment of The Poisoner Series. The Duet audiobook will be available with the standard formats on release day!
The paperback will include sprayed edges on the first print run, just like Poisoner and Arachnid.
🖤 Last book in a trilogy
🖤 Vampire Society, Hierarchies, and Biology
🖤 Drama, Tension, Revenge
🖤 Found Family
🖤 Deadly Women
🥀Release Sep 1
🥀Sprayed edges limited to the first print run
🥀Spot gloss and embossing
🥀4 POVs
🥀Custom illustrated title page and chapter headers
🥀Duet audiobook
🥀Paperback preorders open!
Shop the series: https://www.simonandschuster.com/auth...
🖤 Last book in a trilogy
🖤 Vampire Society, Hierarchies, and Biology
🖤 Drama, Tension, Revenge
🖤 Found Family
🖤 Deadly Women
🥀Release Sep 1
🥀Sprayed edges limited to the first print run
🥀Spot gloss and embossing
🥀4 POVs
🥀Custom illustrated title page and chapter headers
🥀Duet audiobook
🥀Paperback preorders open!
Shop the series: https://www.simonandschuster.com/auth...
August 17, 2026
4.5⭐️ What a perfect conclusion to the trilogy. I feel like everything came full circle and we had a poetic and fitting ending. I am going to miss these characters dearly!! 😭❤️🩹🥹
August 25, 2026
I am so appreciative that I received an ALC of this, and props to the narrators because they did the dang thing and they fit the characters so well! However, this was a really disappointing ending to me.
The pacing was so slow, it felt like we were often going in circles and I was grasping to find the plot. I just can’t see the thread that ties the Poisoner to the Arachnid to the Cannibal.
Alina unfortunately, was extremely unlikable in this. It was like any and all critical thinking skills left the building. Silas didn’t have the same je ne sais quois that made me fall in love with him. Luka.. I’m still perplexed that he had a redemption arc but didn’t do anything to actually be redeemed?
Idk man I loved the Poisoner sfm and I will forever love it, but these last two books just weren’t it for me.
The pacing was so slow, it felt like we were often going in circles and I was grasping to find the plot. I just can’t see the thread that ties the Poisoner to the Arachnid to the Cannibal.
Alina unfortunately, was extremely unlikable in this. It was like any and all critical thinking skills left the building. Silas didn’t have the same je ne sais quois that made me fall in love with him. Luka.. I’m still perplexed that he had a redemption arc but didn’t do anything to actually be redeemed?
Idk man I loved the Poisoner sfm and I will forever love it, but these last two books just weren’t it for me.
September 9, 2026
★ 2.5
I loved the idea behind this story and thought the first book was brilliant, which is probably why I’m so disappointed that the last two books didn’t live up to that potential.
My biggest issue was the pacing. This book felt far too long for the amount of story it actually told, with a lot of repetition and long stretches that felt unnecessarily dry. Too much time was spent circling the same issues, and the story dragged for so long that, when the bigger revelations finally came towards the end, everything suddenly felt rushed. I wanted more time to sit with those moments and see the characters actually process everything that was happening.
It’s a shame because, with tighter editing and some of the slower parts cut down, I think this story could have had so much more impact. Unfortunately, this edition just wasn’t for me.
I’ll always consider The Poisoner brilliant, though, and I think I’m going to pretend it was a standalone and leave the rest of the story unanswered. That’s how I’m choosing to remember it.
I loved the idea behind this story and thought the first book was brilliant, which is probably why I’m so disappointed that the last two books didn’t live up to that potential.
My biggest issue was the pacing. This book felt far too long for the amount of story it actually told, with a lot of repetition and long stretches that felt unnecessarily dry. Too much time was spent circling the same issues, and the story dragged for so long that, when the bigger revelations finally came towards the end, everything suddenly felt rushed. I wanted more time to sit with those moments and see the characters actually process everything that was happening.
It’s a shame because, with tighter editing and some of the slower parts cut down, I think this story could have had so much more impact. Unfortunately, this edition just wasn’t for me.
I’ll always consider The Poisoner brilliant, though, and I think I’m going to pretend it was a standalone and leave the rest of the story unanswered. That’s how I’m choosing to remember it.
September 2, 2026
I could honestly cry over how disappointed I am with this series and especially with the last book. I was really looking forward to the ending because I enjoyed the first book SO much, but then the second and third books? Disappointment… And it honestly makes me so sad.
This book was SO slow. Everything took forever to happen! And the romance?! Silas had like, the bare minimum of chapters. He and Alina barely had any proper, longer conversations, and every time they finally started talking a little more, the chapter suddenly ended. Their first somewhat “longer” conversation was probably not even until halfway through the book.
I remember being around chapter 14 and literally thinking, where is Silas? Where is their interaction? 😭
Alina also annoyed me quite a bit and there were some moments where I just didn’t understand her behaviour. I was curious about her transformation and why she was struggling, but even that didn’t keep me interested for very long.
The multiple POVs annoyed me in the previous book too, and unfortunately that didn’t change here.
And the ending unfortunately didn’t satisfy me either. I’m genuinely sad about this because the first book was actually really good.
I don’t even know if 2⭐️ is too generous… I just wasn’t satisfied with it — neither the story nor the romance.
This book was SO slow. Everything took forever to happen! And the romance?! Silas had like, the bare minimum of chapters. He and Alina barely had any proper, longer conversations, and every time they finally started talking a little more, the chapter suddenly ended. Their first somewhat “longer” conversation was probably not even until halfway through the book.
I remember being around chapter 14 and literally thinking, where is Silas? Where is their interaction? 😭
Alina also annoyed me quite a bit and there were some moments where I just didn’t understand her behaviour. I was curious about her transformation and why she was struggling, but even that didn’t keep me interested for very long.
The multiple POVs annoyed me in the previous book too, and unfortunately that didn’t change here.
And the ending unfortunately didn’t satisfy me either. I’m genuinely sad about this because the first book was actually really good.
I don’t even know if 2⭐️ is too generous… I just wasn’t satisfied with it — neither the story nor the romance.
September 4, 2026
🖤 End of Trilogy
🩸 Vampire Politics
🖤 Women in STEM
🩸 Obsessive MMC
🖤 Multi POV
I am feeling so conflicted about this final installment. While I LOVED The Poisoner and The Arachnid, this series finale feels hollow and like it is lacking the charisma of the former books.
~ Spoilers for The Poisoner and The Arachnid ahead ~
*DO NOT READ AHEAD IF YOU HAVEN'T READ THE EARLIER BOOKS IN THIS SERIES*
•
Our little motley vampire crew finds themselves in a political battle in this final installment of The Poisoner series. Alina has woken up to a new world and a ravenous hunger that is inescapable. Silas is battling his father for sanctity of their nest. Phoebe is fielding political alliances. Luka is—well, he is Luka, but he is redeeming himself too.
•
Honestly, I hate to say it, but I'm disappointed. This book spends a lot of time going in circles with political matters to sort out and the setbacks of Alina's new existence. The slow pacing and circling plot points make it feel repetitive. While I still enjoyed myself and loved the writing, I feel that more time could have been spent on emotional nuance and less time could have been spent rehashing revolving issues. There is so much time spent on certain aspects that when the plot reveals happen, it is fairly obvious what direction the story is going.
On the other hand, some things happen in this book that are quite jarring and feel shock-factor heavy without giving the characters the space to process those shocking revelations. It felt like certain plot elements were rushed, especially towards the end of the story. The slow, repetitive mid-section makes the rushed, shock-factor reveals at the end feel even more jarring.
I also felt that the characterizations of our main characters felt *off*. Alina is mopey, Phoebe is harsh, Silas loses his sparkle—the characters didn't resonate as much in this book. We don't get much time with Alina and Silas together on the page either, which is massively disappointing after the fun dynamic they had in The Arachnid.
While I still love this series overall, this book was devastatingly missing some sparkle, which is incredibly disappointing for the series finale of a series that I love.
•
Thank you to Simon Maverick Books for the ARC of this book. All thoughts and feedback contained within this review are my own.
🩸 Vampire Politics
🖤 Women in STEM
🩸 Obsessive MMC
🖤 Multi POV
I am feeling so conflicted about this final installment. While I LOVED The Poisoner and The Arachnid, this series finale feels hollow and like it is lacking the charisma of the former books.
~ Spoilers for The Poisoner and The Arachnid ahead ~
*DO NOT READ AHEAD IF YOU HAVEN'T READ THE EARLIER BOOKS IN THIS SERIES*
•
Our little motley vampire crew finds themselves in a political battle in this final installment of The Poisoner series. Alina has woken up to a new world and a ravenous hunger that is inescapable. Silas is battling his father for sanctity of their nest. Phoebe is fielding political alliances. Luka is—well, he is Luka, but he is redeeming himself too.
•
Honestly, I hate to say it, but I'm disappointed. This book spends a lot of time going in circles with political matters to sort out and the setbacks of Alina's new existence. The slow pacing and circling plot points make it feel repetitive. While I still enjoyed myself and loved the writing, I feel that more time could have been spent on emotional nuance and less time could have been spent rehashing revolving issues. There is so much time spent on certain aspects that when the plot reveals happen, it is fairly obvious what direction the story is going.
On the other hand, some things happen in this book that are quite jarring and feel shock-factor heavy without giving the characters the space to process those shocking revelations. It felt like certain plot elements were rushed, especially towards the end of the story. The slow, repetitive mid-section makes the rushed, shock-factor reveals at the end feel even more jarring.
I also felt that the characterizations of our main characters felt *off*. Alina is mopey, Phoebe is harsh, Silas loses his sparkle—the characters didn't resonate as much in this book. We don't get much time with Alina and Silas together on the page either, which is massively disappointing after the fun dynamic they had in The Arachnid.
While I still love this series overall, this book was devastatingly missing some sparkle, which is incredibly disappointing for the series finale of a series that I love.
•
Thank you to Simon Maverick Books for the ARC of this book. All thoughts and feedback contained within this review are my own.
September 6, 2026
I overall enjoyed the conclusion to this story. Alina and Silas are equally obsessed with one another and have come a long way from Poisoner and Creature. Forbid anyone that stands in the way of their love and infatuation of each other as it’ll likely result in one’s death.
I was very intrigued to see how the trial would play out and how Alina would cope with her new life and the story did not disappoint with the mystery and revelations that came along the way.
My only gripe was towards the end it felt a bit rushed and I won’t say who but the way one of the characters stories was tied up lacked the feelings I thought the other characters would feel about the situation. Other than that I think this was a great gothic romance that had the revenge arc I was hoping for and that hauntingly beautiful love that’ll make you swoon.
I was very intrigued to see how the trial would play out and how Alina would cope with her new life and the story did not disappoint with the mystery and revelations that came along the way.
My only gripe was towards the end it felt a bit rushed and I won’t say who but the way one of the characters stories was tied up lacked the feelings I thought the other characters would feel about the situation. Other than that I think this was a great gothic romance that had the revenge arc I was hoping for and that hauntingly beautiful love that’ll make you swoon.
August 15, 2026
I really connected with the haunting feelings from the third book in this series! What started in the Poisoner as a fun dose of vampiric primal play turned into a series of moments where Alina struggles to find her place in a world where she’s at the bottom of the food chain and looking for some peace and community. She has endured a lot of pain, trauma, and loneliness.
Just when Alina has built something so healing and community-based in The Arachnid, that too all changes by the time we pick back up with The Cannibal.
We see her make sacrifices while she feels forgotten standing alone in a room filled with familiar faces. Alina is trying to understand the rules of vampiric society, and things are so chaotic no one really has the time to guide her, given the inconvenient timing.
I connected with the loneliness she struggles with as a result of so many losses and traumas. I like seeing the vulnerable sides of Alina, all while knowing she’s someone with a hard shell and doesn’t let people see the softer sides of her easily.
I also love that we get to see Alina reclaim her power and find her place in the world again. It’s a bittersweet ending but I loved it and wouldn’t change a thing.
Silas’ transformation was truly so fun to see as well. He started out as a morally black, villainous vampire and became someone with complex layers and capable of some truly beautifully poetic, romantic gestures and words.
Thank you for letting me read this early! What a beautiful gothic romantic horror story.
🥀Third Book In Trilogy
🥀Vampire Society, Hierarchies, and Biology
🥀Women In Stem
🥀Found Family
🥀Victorian Gothic Romantic Horror
🥀Check Your TWS
Just when Alina has built something so healing and community-based in The Arachnid, that too all changes by the time we pick back up with The Cannibal.
We see her make sacrifices while she feels forgotten standing alone in a room filled with familiar faces. Alina is trying to understand the rules of vampiric society, and things are so chaotic no one really has the time to guide her, given the inconvenient timing.
I connected with the loneliness she struggles with as a result of so many losses and traumas. I like seeing the vulnerable sides of Alina, all while knowing she’s someone with a hard shell and doesn’t let people see the softer sides of her easily.
I also love that we get to see Alina reclaim her power and find her place in the world again. It’s a bittersweet ending but I loved it and wouldn’t change a thing.
Silas’ transformation was truly so fun to see as well. He started out as a morally black, villainous vampire and became someone with complex layers and capable of some truly beautifully poetic, romantic gestures and words.
Thank you for letting me read this early! What a beautiful gothic romantic horror story.
🥀Third Book In Trilogy
🥀Vampire Society, Hierarchies, and Biology
🥀Women In Stem
🥀Found Family
🥀Victorian Gothic Romantic Horror
🥀Check Your TWS
September 5, 2026
5💫
What do you mean it’s over?! It feels bittersweet to say goodbye to these characters. This series rekindled my love for vampire books and I’ve been in my vampire era ever since I picked up The Poisoner last year. I will miss Alina and Silas dearly. Their relationship still being toxic, messy and obsessive just the way I want them to be.
What do you mean it’s over?! It feels bittersweet to say goodbye to these characters. This series rekindled my love for vampire books and I’ve been in my vampire era ever since I picked up The Poisoner last year. I will miss Alina and Silas dearly. Their relationship still being toxic, messy and obsessive just the way I want them to be.
September 3, 2026
Review of advanced readers copy received from NetGalley.
Mild spoilers might be present in the review.
I’m grateful for the provided copy.
I really liked the second book in the trilogy, so I was excited for the conclusion, but unfortunately I was disappointed.
It begun great, setting the scene of the dreadful consequences from the second book’s final, but after that it felt disjointed.
Luka’s bigger role in the second book was pushed to the side and we understood only very inconsequential things about him. Phoebe was insufferable and the twist made no impact because of that. On the contrary- I was relieved.
The “big bad” Alina was pushed to the side and dealt with like she is a toddler. We understood very little about the politics of vipera. Okay… they didn’t want to share with her. Well at least the other POVs could have shared with us.
I feel like I was left uninformed like Alina.
As for the romance.. I don’t even know what to say as Silas and Alina didn’t even interact for half the book. I didnt like most of their scenes, with the exception of the scene in the rain.
Mild spoilers might be present in the review.
I’m grateful for the provided copy.
I really liked the second book in the trilogy, so I was excited for the conclusion, but unfortunately I was disappointed.
It begun great, setting the scene of the dreadful consequences from the second book’s final, but after that it felt disjointed.
Luka’s bigger role in the second book was pushed to the side and we understood only very inconsequential things about him. Phoebe was insufferable and the twist made no impact because of that. On the contrary- I was relieved.
The “big bad” Alina was pushed to the side and dealt with like she is a toddler. We understood very little about the politics of vipera. Okay… they didn’t want to share with her. Well at least the other POVs could have shared with us.
I feel like I was left uninformed like Alina.
As for the romance.. I don’t even know what to say as Silas and Alina didn’t even interact for half the book. I didnt like most of their scenes, with the exception of the scene in the rain.
September 4, 2026
No one will be more surprised than me but… this book was painfully boring, dull, and disappointing.
I LOVED the first two books, but I made it to 50% of this one and felt like absolutely nothing had happened. I’d had enough of the endless descriptions of dresses, the sky, and everything else I didn’t care about. I needed more Alina and Silas, and my heart genuinely breaks thinking about how little of them I actually got. 😭
I’ve been reading reviews to find out how everything ends, and it seems like I’d already guessed quite a few things anyway. The whole situation surrounding Phoebe, though? THAT I did not expect. 👀
So, if anyone wants to spoil absolutely everything that happens from the 50% mark onwards for me, PLEASE DO. I want all the details without having to read another 200 pages 😭
I LOVED the first two books, but I made it to 50% of this one and felt like absolutely nothing had happened. I’d had enough of the endless descriptions of dresses, the sky, and everything else I didn’t care about. I needed more Alina and Silas, and my heart genuinely breaks thinking about how little of them I actually got. 😭
I’ve been reading reviews to find out how everything ends, and it seems like I’d already guessed quite a few things anyway. The whole situation surrounding Phoebe, though? THAT I did not expect. 👀
So, if anyone wants to spoil absolutely everything that happens from the 50% mark onwards for me, PLEASE DO. I want all the details without having to read another 200 pages 😭
August 1, 2026
Thank you so much for the ARC!
The Cannibal was a perfect ending to the Poisoner series. I went through all of the emotions, especially in the last 20% of the book. There were tears, anger that developed into all out rage, and more heartbreak but with Silas and Alina, there was no other way to end their story! I liked the multiple POVs, it adds depth to the story by getting into everyone’s head and see how they were coping with everything that was happening. I’m sad the series is over but it really was a fitting end for these two!
The Cannibal was a perfect ending to the Poisoner series. I went through all of the emotions, especially in the last 20% of the book. There were tears, anger that developed into all out rage, and more heartbreak but with Silas and Alina, there was no other way to end their story! I liked the multiple POVs, it adds depth to the story by getting into everyone’s head and see how they were coping with everything that was happening. I’m sad the series is over but it really was a fitting end for these two!
August 31, 2026
✨4 stars ✨
🌶️ 4 spice 🌶️
‘“You are my peace…a poison to die for.”
What to expect in this
* Third and final book in The Poisoner series
* Dark Paranormal Horror Romance
* Vampires
* Victorian Era
* Poison
* Secret societies
* Politics
* Gore/Violence/Murder
First off, thank you to Simon Maverick for allowing me to continue reading this series early in exchange for an honest review. This time, we have the e-arc of the final book in the series The Cannibal so let’s get settled cause I have some things to say.
Warning: There may be potential spoilers in this review for the previous two books, ‘The Poisoner’ and ‘The Arachnid’. Please read on with caution.
We have finally come to the end of the series and as one of the readers who was waiting each time for the next book I’m sad to say goodbye!
One thing that remained a standout to me in this series was Alina’s fierce nature and equip thinking. Poisoner, venomous, and leaving even the Vipera nervous, I was always so interested in how her character was going to react to certain scenes.
In this books, I do feel that the romance was a lot more…romantic. I don’t even know how to explain it. You will understand a bit more when reading the series. Silas and Alinas romance is anything but soft and sappy. They are violent, explosive, and a lot of the time a whole lot of toxic. This one kinda showed a little bit more of that ‘we are nearly to the end’ kind of romance.
After the events of the ending of The Arachnid, I was very curious on how things were going to play out. I did have my own idea of what to expect but in a way it turned out completely different from what I expected.
I also will say that this wasn’t my favourite book in the series. That isn’t saying I didn’t like it because that is far from the truth. I thoroughly enjoyed the book but there were times where I thought that moments with Alinas character weren’t really in touch with what we have seen with her in the past. It also felt that a large portion of the book diminished the capabilities that we know Alina has and painted her as this frail thing in my opinion. Especially now with her being a Vipera, I expected a complete opposite way that Ophelia would take it but she opted for a slower transition into that.
In saying that, towards the last half of the book we really saw that pick up and the fierce and intelligent character traits start to pick up again.
Sad that the series is over but am intrigued to see what we will get next from I.V. Ophelia. Genuinely gonna miss these characters.
Check TWs and CWs
Happy reading 🤍
🌶️ 4 spice 🌶️
‘“You are my peace…a poison to die for.”
What to expect in this
* Third and final book in The Poisoner series
* Dark Paranormal Horror Romance
* Vampires
* Victorian Era
* Poison
* Secret societies
* Politics
* Gore/Violence/Murder
First off, thank you to Simon Maverick for allowing me to continue reading this series early in exchange for an honest review. This time, we have the e-arc of the final book in the series The Cannibal so let’s get settled cause I have some things to say.
Warning: There may be potential spoilers in this review for the previous two books, ‘The Poisoner’ and ‘The Arachnid’. Please read on with caution.
We have finally come to the end of the series and as one of the readers who was waiting each time for the next book I’m sad to say goodbye!
One thing that remained a standout to me in this series was Alina’s fierce nature and equip thinking. Poisoner, venomous, and leaving even the Vipera nervous, I was always so interested in how her character was going to react to certain scenes.
In this books, I do feel that the romance was a lot more…romantic. I don’t even know how to explain it. You will understand a bit more when reading the series. Silas and Alinas romance is anything but soft and sappy. They are violent, explosive, and a lot of the time a whole lot of toxic. This one kinda showed a little bit more of that ‘we are nearly to the end’ kind of romance.
After the events of the ending of The Arachnid, I was very curious on how things were going to play out. I did have my own idea of what to expect but in a way it turned out completely different from what I expected.
I also will say that this wasn’t my favourite book in the series. That isn’t saying I didn’t like it because that is far from the truth. I thoroughly enjoyed the book but there were times where I thought that moments with Alinas character weren’t really in touch with what we have seen with her in the past. It also felt that a large portion of the book diminished the capabilities that we know Alina has and painted her as this frail thing in my opinion. Especially now with her being a Vipera, I expected a complete opposite way that Ophelia would take it but she opted for a slower transition into that.
In saying that, towards the last half of the book we really saw that pick up and the fierce and intelligent character traits start to pick up again.
Sad that the series is over but am intrigued to see what we will get next from I.V. Ophelia. Genuinely gonna miss these characters.
Check TWs and CWs
Happy reading 🤍
September 1, 2026
4/5 ⭐
With The Cannibal, we finally come to the end of Alina and Silas’s story and all the adventures they’ve been through with their nest. I love these two so much, and I already know I’m going to miss them terribly. 🥹❤️
This book gave us more POVs, which I really enjoyed. It was so interesting to see the story and the characters from different perspectives and get a little more insight into everyone.
That being said, the first two books - especially the second one - are still my absolute favorites.
The pacing in this one felt much slower to me and, at times, a little sluggish. I definitely missed the action and intensity from the first two books. On the other hand, I do understand why the pacing was slower, Alina is stepping into a completely new world and a completely new life, so there are a lot of things for her to discover.
One thing I absolutely loved, though, was following Alina’s experiments and research. 🧪 Through her research, we also got so much more clarity about their kind, their abilities, and the world she now finds herself living in.
Overall, though, I’m really happy with how everything turned out. I think the story developed in a good direction and that the characters got the endings they deserved.
Alina is definitely going to remain one of my favorite heroines for a very long time. She’s such a well-developed character - strong, interesting, and simply impossible not to love. I’ve loved watching her grow throughout the entire series, and I’m definitely going to miss her.
And Silas… what can I even say about him? 🤭❤️ He is permanently staying on my list of book boyfriends. No questions asked. 😂
A huge, huge thank you to I.V.Ophelia, Simon Maverick Books and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read all three books in this series. ❤️ It was such a pleasure to experience this story from beginning to end and to become so attached to these characters. 📚✨
With The Cannibal, we finally come to the end of Alina and Silas’s story and all the adventures they’ve been through with their nest. I love these two so much, and I already know I’m going to miss them terribly. 🥹❤️
This book gave us more POVs, which I really enjoyed. It was so interesting to see the story and the characters from different perspectives and get a little more insight into everyone.
That being said, the first two books - especially the second one - are still my absolute favorites.
The pacing in this one felt much slower to me and, at times, a little sluggish. I definitely missed the action and intensity from the first two books. On the other hand, I do understand why the pacing was slower, Alina is stepping into a completely new world and a completely new life, so there are a lot of things for her to discover.
One thing I absolutely loved, though, was following Alina’s experiments and research. 🧪 Through her research, we also got so much more clarity about their kind, their abilities, and the world she now finds herself living in.
Overall, though, I’m really happy with how everything turned out. I think the story developed in a good direction and that the characters got the endings they deserved.
Alina is definitely going to remain one of my favorite heroines for a very long time. She’s such a well-developed character - strong, interesting, and simply impossible not to love. I’ve loved watching her grow throughout the entire series, and I’m definitely going to miss her.
And Silas… what can I even say about him? 🤭❤️ He is permanently staying on my list of book boyfriends. No questions asked. 😂
A huge, huge thank you to I.V.Ophelia, Simon Maverick Books and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read all three books in this series. ❤️ It was such a pleasure to experience this story from beginning to end and to become so attached to these characters. 📚✨
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
4.5⭐️this was such a great ending to this series!! I was hooked from beginning to end👏🏼
always love a man who yearns, and Silas is absolutely doing that tehehehe - I just love them togehter 🫶🏼
I really didn’t think I would end up enjoying Luka’s character as much as I did, if I think back to how I felt about him after finishing The Poisoner 😂 so compliments to the chef aka I. V. Ophelia 😌
I think I have read too many fantasy books, because what was supposed to hit hard in the ending just had me in denial for an embarissingly long time 😂 I was like, “nope, something else happened”.. but no… it was what happened😭 I did guess the (main??) plot twist fairly early one, but I didn’t mind - it just made it more fun to look for clues to confirm me theory🤭
I really enjoyed how the ending played out and I just know Silas and Alina are going be together for always💗 and now I lowkey want to go back and reread The Poisoner 👀🖤
thank you to Netgalley for en eARC in exchange for an honest review
2.5/5 🌶️
always love a man who yearns, and Silas is absolutely doing that tehehehe - I just love them togehter 🫶🏼
I really didn’t think I would end up enjoying Luka’s character as much as I did, if I think back to how I felt about him after finishing The Poisoner 😂 so compliments to the chef aka I. V. Ophelia 😌
I think I have read too many fantasy books, because what was supposed to hit hard in the ending just had me in denial for an embarissingly long time 😂 I was like, “nope, something else happened”.. but no… it was what happened😭 I did guess the (main??) plot twist fairly early one, but I didn’t mind - it just made it more fun to look for clues to confirm me theory🤭
I really enjoyed how the ending played out and I just know Silas and Alina are going be together for always💗 and now I lowkey want to go back and reread The Poisoner 👀🖤
thank you to Netgalley for en eARC in exchange for an honest review
2.5/5 🌶️
September 11, 2026
I should’ve known but I was hoping it would be better
Book two was bad. This one was worse. It makes no sense cause book 1 was really good. This book is boring, confusing, disjointed, and an overall bad reading experience.
I kept wondering what was important and what wasn’t. Stuff was described in such detail I thought it would be significant only to not be. One example: the FMC’s wardrobe. Another example: the pearl rosary.
Chapters and scenes did not connect. It was like the author was trying to keep secrets from the reader which is ok if you plan on revealing the secrets at some point in the story.
I couldn’t get a vibe on any of the characters. I couldn’t tell if any of the characters actually liked each other including the MCs. To say this is the last book in a series that started off as an E2L Cat and Mouse, obsessive stalking romance, the main MCs barely interact in this book. In fact Silas is barely in the book.
I digress cause I don’t want to spoil the book
More than I have. I wanted to DNF at 15%. I pushed thru to about 85ish% and skimmed to the end.
I still can reread book one. It’s really good. I actually stopped in the middle of this book to reread B1 to make sure I really did enjoy it. This one and b2 I would not recommend at all. Just act like Alina taking a boat to America is the end.
Book two was bad. This one was worse. It makes no sense cause book 1 was really good. This book is boring, confusing, disjointed, and an overall bad reading experience.
I kept wondering what was important and what wasn’t. Stuff was described in such detail I thought it would be significant only to not be. One example: the FMC’s wardrobe. Another example: the pearl rosary.
Chapters and scenes did not connect. It was like the author was trying to keep secrets from the reader which is ok if you plan on revealing the secrets at some point in the story.
I couldn’t get a vibe on any of the characters. I couldn’t tell if any of the characters actually liked each other including the MCs. To say this is the last book in a series that started off as an E2L Cat and Mouse, obsessive stalking romance, the main MCs barely interact in this book. In fact Silas is barely in the book.
I digress cause I don’t want to spoil the book
More than I have. I wanted to DNF at 15%. I pushed thru to about 85ish% and skimmed to the end.
I still can reread book one. It’s really good. I actually stopped in the middle of this book to reread B1 to make sure I really did enjoy it. This one and b2 I would not recommend at all. Just act like Alina taking a boat to America is the end.
September 5, 2026
This is the closure I wanted. The pacing is great, the betrayal hurt, and the love between Silas and Alina deepened. I absolutely loved it 😭♥️
July 29, 2026
"A love as steadfast as arsenic, a pair as deadly as so. Dreadfully, indisputably, made for each other."🥀🩸
The Cannibal is by far my most anticipated read of the year alongside The Arachnid. I'm beyond honored to have had the chance to experience the finale early in ARC form. All thoughts are completely honest. I can confidently say that it's exceeded every expectation I had and then some!
I.V. Ophelia's skill as a writer truly shines through. There's some great use of foreshadowing and dread-inducing elements throughout that build to a crescendo. Alina's nightmare/dream scenes have become something I look forward to with each book. This was the first to turn one of my biggest fears into a dream scene, and it left me extremely uncomfortable and disturbed. In a good way. Kind of.
These are the characters we know and love, yet they still surprise us at every turn. Luka grows on you like a tumor. Phoebe is her chipper self and yet you'll feel the closest to her out of all three books. Silas is his ever-handsome, yearning self and yet there are still new depths to explore. And Alina, well you'll see… There are many revelations and reveals. You'll struggle to keep your jaw off the floor!
There's a beauty in this ending, but it also feels kinda bittersweet. I feel as though I've been stabbed with this being the end of The Poisoner books (though I know Ophelia has mentioned the possibility of books set in this universe in the future). Obviously, I knew this was coming, but ultimately, the journey from reading the indie OOP cover of The Poisoner freshly published with its fashion plates, to its traditionally published ending in 2026 has been one hell of a ride! We got the last two books so quickly.
I will never forget the connections I've made through this series, the opportunities or the creativity it inspires in me. I'll still have every reason to come back to it, and it's many editions time and time again.
Tread with caution because The Poisoner series will never leave you. You'll see Phoebe in every pink dress, Alina in every poisonous bloom and Silas haunting your every dream.
And let's be honest, NO REAL MAN COULD EVER BE SILAS. But, I'm still incredibly hopeful that we'll get an adaptation the likes of IWTV.
The Cannibal is by far my most anticipated read of the year alongside The Arachnid. I'm beyond honored to have had the chance to experience the finale early in ARC form. All thoughts are completely honest. I can confidently say that it's exceeded every expectation I had and then some!
I.V. Ophelia's skill as a writer truly shines through. There's some great use of foreshadowing and dread-inducing elements throughout that build to a crescendo. Alina's nightmare/dream scenes have become something I look forward to with each book. This was the first to turn one of my biggest fears into a dream scene, and it left me extremely uncomfortable and disturbed. In a good way. Kind of.
These are the characters we know and love, yet they still surprise us at every turn. Luka grows on you like a tumor. Phoebe is her chipper self and yet you'll feel the closest to her out of all three books. Silas is his ever-handsome, yearning self and yet there are still new depths to explore. And Alina, well you'll see… There are many revelations and reveals. You'll struggle to keep your jaw off the floor!
There's a beauty in this ending, but it also feels kinda bittersweet. I feel as though I've been stabbed with this being the end of The Poisoner books (though I know Ophelia has mentioned the possibility of books set in this universe in the future). Obviously, I knew this was coming, but ultimately, the journey from reading the indie OOP cover of The Poisoner freshly published with its fashion plates, to its traditionally published ending in 2026 has been one hell of a ride! We got the last two books so quickly.
I will never forget the connections I've made through this series, the opportunities or the creativity it inspires in me. I'll still have every reason to come back to it, and it's many editions time and time again.
Tread with caution because The Poisoner series will never leave you. You'll see Phoebe in every pink dress, Alina in every poisonous bloom and Silas haunting your every dream.
And let's be honest, NO REAL MAN COULD EVER BE SILAS. But, I'm still incredibly hopeful that we'll get an adaptation the likes of IWTV.
August 11, 2026
4.25 ⭐️ thank u to simon maverick books and netgalley for this arcccc they come in clutch for me for this series period.
i definitely liked this one better than the second!! it was much easier to read and follow and captured my attention more than the second. sad the series is over but also it was a perfect ending and i have no complaints whatsoever of how it ended!
the first book is still one of the best books ever lol and will always be recommending it as long as we carry it.
i was a lil confused at some parts tho like about phoebe and i don’t wanna give any spoilers in this review about it but that situation was kinda weird but did i misread it idk… anyway.
overall i did enjoy it! 😌😌
i definitely liked this one better than the second!! it was much easier to read and follow and captured my attention more than the second. sad the series is over but also it was a perfect ending and i have no complaints whatsoever of how it ended!
the first book is still one of the best books ever lol and will always be recommending it as long as we carry it.
i was a lil confused at some parts tho like about phoebe and i don’t wanna give any spoilers in this review about it but that situation was kinda weird but did i misread it idk… anyway.
overall i did enjoy it! 😌😌
May 3, 2026
First off, thank you to Edelweiss and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Otherwise, I’ll keep my actual review short until closer to publication. But OMG SO GOOD 1000000/10 the last 20% of this book had my jaw on the ground. An amazing end to an incredible series!
Otherwise, I’ll keep my actual review short until closer to publication. But OMG SO GOOD 1000000/10 the last 20% of this book had my jaw on the ground. An amazing end to an incredible series!
Want to Read
December 23, 2025Oh, my god! I can’t believe we are coming to the grand finale! This series has been such an emotional ride for me, and I am so excited to see where it goes!!
September 2, 2026
4/5 ⭐️
2/5 🌶️
I really enjoyed The Cannibal. It is MUCH better than The Arachnid, and it redeemed the series for me a bit after a second book that, looking back now, feels even more disappointing. But I’m still left with the feeling that this series never quite lived up to the incredible promise of The Poisoner.
The Poisoner was raw, sharp, funny, sexy, weird, and completely its own thing. I was obsessed with it. I was in awe of both the writing and the story, and it set my expectations for this series ridiculously high.
Books two and three feel different. They feel more heavily edited, more polished, and, frankly, like they got the corporate stamp that came with traditional publishing. While The Cannibal recaptures some of what I loved about the first book, it never quite gets that raw edge back.
Interestingly, finishing The Cannibal actually made me like The Arachnid less. I understand what that book needed to accomplish, particularly getting Alina where she needed to be for the final installment, but now that I’ve seen the entire story play out, it almost feels disconnected from the rest of the trilogy. So much of it feels like setup for a payoff that ultimately wasn’t big enough to justify how much the story slowed down to get there.
Thankfully, The Cannibal is a huge improvement. There’s a shocking death I absolutely did not see coming, another death that was EXTREMELY satisfying, some great reveals, and enough payoff to make me feel invested again. In the end, everything gets tied up in a surprisingly neat little bow, and I can appreciate a trilogy that actually gives me an ending.
But I’m still not completely satisfied with the direction the story ultimately took.
Maybe that’s the curse of having a first book as good as The Poisoner. I went into this trilogy after reading something that felt electric, and I kept waiting for that feeling to come back. The Cannibal got much closer than The Arachnid, and I genuinely enjoyed reading it, but it never made me feel the way The Poisoner did.
I’m glad I finished the series. I liked the ending. I liked this book. I just wish the trilogy had remained as raw, funny, sexy, sharp, and gloriously strange as the book that made me fall in love with it in the first place.
Thanks to IV, Simon Maverick, and NetGalley for the ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
2/5 🌶️
I really enjoyed The Cannibal. It is MUCH better than The Arachnid, and it redeemed the series for me a bit after a second book that, looking back now, feels even more disappointing. But I’m still left with the feeling that this series never quite lived up to the incredible promise of The Poisoner.
The Poisoner was raw, sharp, funny, sexy, weird, and completely its own thing. I was obsessed with it. I was in awe of both the writing and the story, and it set my expectations for this series ridiculously high.
Books two and three feel different. They feel more heavily edited, more polished, and, frankly, like they got the corporate stamp that came with traditional publishing. While The Cannibal recaptures some of what I loved about the first book, it never quite gets that raw edge back.
Interestingly, finishing The Cannibal actually made me like The Arachnid less. I understand what that book needed to accomplish, particularly getting Alina where she needed to be for the final installment, but now that I’ve seen the entire story play out, it almost feels disconnected from the rest of the trilogy. So much of it feels like setup for a payoff that ultimately wasn’t big enough to justify how much the story slowed down to get there.
Thankfully, The Cannibal is a huge improvement. There’s a shocking death I absolutely did not see coming, another death that was EXTREMELY satisfying, some great reveals, and enough payoff to make me feel invested again. In the end, everything gets tied up in a surprisingly neat little bow, and I can appreciate a trilogy that actually gives me an ending.
But I’m still not completely satisfied with the direction the story ultimately took.
Maybe that’s the curse of having a first book as good as The Poisoner. I went into this trilogy after reading something that felt electric, and I kept waiting for that feeling to come back. The Cannibal got much closer than The Arachnid, and I genuinely enjoyed reading it, but it never made me feel the way The Poisoner did.
I’m glad I finished the series. I liked the ending. I liked this book. I just wish the trilogy had remained as raw, funny, sexy, sharp, and gloriously strange as the book that made me fall in love with it in the first place.
Thanks to IV, Simon Maverick, and NetGalley for the ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
August 31, 2026
5 ⭐
What do you mean this is the end? I don't want it to be over.
But what an ending it was. 🥹
I’m a bit lost for words, but know this - I absolutely loved it.
The Cannibal concludes The Poisoner series and ties it up beautifully. It really feels like a full-circle moment, finally seeing Alina and Silas getting their happily ever after.
If I were to describe this book and this series in three words it would probably be Brutal and Hauntingly Beautiful. The Gothic aesthetic of this series will forever be one of my favorites.
My little gothic childhood heart who dreamed of being a vampire during the Gilded Age can't stop itself from loving this. It is everything I dreamed of and more, and why I keep this story close to my heart.
The story of the Poisoner and her Creature is not for the weak of heart, but despite its dark nature, it reads as deeply romantic. Silas who despite being of questionable character, spoiled and pompous, still stole my heart with his yearning, silver tongue, and deep devotion.
Alina Lis. You are and will forever be one of my favorite FMCs. She stole my heart from the start with her dark and witty comments, and it only grew as we got to know all her colours, I even love her more for her less desirable ones. She is not perfect, and she isn't intended to be. The Cannibal really was a full circle moment for Alina, and her and Silas' character growth is so captivating.
And I can't leave a review without mentioning their banter! I 𝓁𝒾𝓋𝑒 for the banter between these two. Dark, sarcastic, and just my kind of humor. Ugh, I just love them.
I already miss Ophelia’s writing. The prose isn't only beautiful in how they composed the sentences, but also in their descriptions. I could re-read this story for the writing style alone. It really enhances the gothic feel these books already contain.
All in all, a fantastic ending to this trilogy, and I’m in grief.
Thank you so much Simon Maverick Books and I.V. Ophelia for the opportunity to read this ARC! 🖤
What do you mean this is the end? I don't want it to be over.
But what an ending it was. 🥹
I’m a bit lost for words, but know this - I absolutely loved it.
The Cannibal concludes The Poisoner series and ties it up beautifully. It really feels like a full-circle moment, finally seeing Alina and Silas getting their happily ever after.
If I were to describe this book and this series in three words it would probably be Brutal and Hauntingly Beautiful. The Gothic aesthetic of this series will forever be one of my favorites.
My little gothic childhood heart who dreamed of being a vampire during the Gilded Age can't stop itself from loving this. It is everything I dreamed of and more, and why I keep this story close to my heart.
The story of the Poisoner and her Creature is not for the weak of heart, but despite its dark nature, it reads as deeply romantic. Silas who despite being of questionable character, spoiled and pompous, still stole my heart with his yearning, silver tongue, and deep devotion.
Alina Lis. You are and will forever be one of my favorite FMCs. She stole my heart from the start with her dark and witty comments, and it only grew as we got to know all her colours, I even love her more for her less desirable ones. She is not perfect, and she isn't intended to be. The Cannibal really was a full circle moment for Alina, and her and Silas' character growth is so captivating.
And I can't leave a review without mentioning their banter! I 𝓁𝒾𝓋𝑒 for the banter between these two. Dark, sarcastic, and just my kind of humor. Ugh, I just love them.
I already miss Ophelia’s writing. The prose isn't only beautiful in how they composed the sentences, but also in their descriptions. I could re-read this story for the writing style alone. It really enhances the gothic feel these books already contain.
All in all, a fantastic ending to this trilogy, and I’m in grief.
Thank you so much Simon Maverick Books and I.V. Ophelia for the opportunity to read this ARC! 🖤
September 2, 2026
I really liked book 1 and 2 in this series, and I was very exited to see how this series would end.
We got 4 POV´s in this book. The number of POV´s we got has increased for every book in the series and I really liked this. It feels like a good way to let us know the main characters better through each book. I will say that almost every character in this book annoyed me. Something has happened to Alina that makes her not herself anymore. Everyone around her treats her differently and like she is some weak link that has to be protected. They keep everything a secret from her because they don´t think she can handle knowing.. This made sence in the beginning, but it just never stopped.
The romance was dissapointing to me. First Alina and Silas are a lot of the time apart from each other. Silas himself was just annoying and not as he was in the first 2 books. And when Alina and Silas get some moments together I feel like they only have sex.
Luka is the only character I did like more in this book then earlier in the series.
I do in general really like this authors writing style. It is beautiful and gothic. She does a good job of describing basically everything and anything. I will say that in this book we got way to many long and slow descriptions all the time. Like very detailed how a dress looks and feels and when a person slowly walks throug a hallway and observes everything around them. I did feel like we got way to much of these descriptions and it made the book slow paced and boring.
Honestly to me this felt like a middle filler book instead of the end to a series. I did like the very last chapters. But other then that this was sadly a dissapointing end to this series.
We got 4 POV´s in this book. The number of POV´s we got has increased for every book in the series and I really liked this. It feels like a good way to let us know the main characters better through each book. I will say that almost every character in this book annoyed me. Something has happened to Alina that makes her not herself anymore. Everyone around her treats her differently and like she is some weak link that has to be protected. They keep everything a secret from her because they don´t think she can handle knowing.. This made sence in the beginning, but it just never stopped.
The romance was dissapointing to me. First Alina and Silas are a lot of the time apart from each other. Silas himself was just annoying and not as he was in the first 2 books. And when Alina and Silas get some moments together I feel like they only have sex.
Luka is the only character I did like more in this book then earlier in the series.
I do in general really like this authors writing style. It is beautiful and gothic. She does a good job of describing basically everything and anything. I will say that in this book we got way to many long and slow descriptions all the time. Like very detailed how a dress looks and feels and when a person slowly walks throug a hallway and observes everything around them. I did feel like we got way to much of these descriptions and it made the book slow paced and boring.
Honestly to me this felt like a middle filler book instead of the end to a series. I did like the very last chapters. But other then that this was sadly a dissapointing end to this series.
July 10, 2026
I don’t even know where to begin. This series is by far one of my favourite series ever. It is god tier!
I was so happy to dive back into this world and be reunited with Alina and Silas again. (Even Luka, yes I have a soft spot for him!)
I loved that we still got to see the strong, fierce and independent women Alina is, but I also really enjoyed that we got to see a vulnerable side to her as well.
There is a mystery going on throughout this and I honestly couldn’t put my finger on it. Usually I am quite good with guessing but I just couldn’t figure out where this was going - in a good way!
My heart was broken, I cried, laughed, giggled whilst kicking my feet. I had the best time reading this. My jaw was on the floor at the ending. Alina and Silas just compliment each other in every way and I will truly be sad to leave this world behind.
Thank you so much for the arc I. V. Ophelia and Simon Maverick.
I was so happy to dive back into this world and be reunited with Alina and Silas again. (Even Luka, yes I have a soft spot for him!)
I loved that we still got to see the strong, fierce and independent women Alina is, but I also really enjoyed that we got to see a vulnerable side to her as well.
There is a mystery going on throughout this and I honestly couldn’t put my finger on it. Usually I am quite good with guessing but I just couldn’t figure out where this was going - in a good way!
My heart was broken, I cried, laughed, giggled whilst kicking my feet. I had the best time reading this. My jaw was on the floor at the ending. Alina and Silas just compliment each other in every way and I will truly be sad to leave this world behind.
Thank you so much for the arc I. V. Ophelia and Simon Maverick.
September 2, 2026
The pace of this book was ridiculously slow; not much happened before the 50% mark.
The twist that Alina needed Vipera blood instead of human blood was obvious from the start, if only because of the book title.
None of the characters felt real anymore in comparison to the first book, aside from maybe Luka, which really grinds my gears because I don’t want to like the once-was rapist more than any of the other characters.
Maybe I missed it, but the twist of Alina and Phoebe sharing a mother didn’t make sense since Silas assured Alina that she wouldn’t reach childbearing years for like 20 years as a turned Vipera, but somehow the two sisters are less than a year apart in age?
I will say I liked how they cleaned up the problem in the end but it was also too little too late to save my impression of this book.
The twist that Alina needed Vipera blood instead of human blood was obvious from the start, if only because of the book title.
None of the characters felt real anymore in comparison to the first book, aside from maybe Luka, which really grinds my gears because I don’t want to like the once-was rapist more than any of the other characters.
Maybe I missed it, but the twist of Alina and Phoebe sharing a mother didn’t make sense since Silas assured Alina that she wouldn’t reach childbearing years for like 20 years as a turned Vipera, but somehow the two sisters are less than a year apart in age?
I will say I liked how they cleaned up the problem in the end but it was also too little too late to save my impression of this book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
my favorite trilogy of the year🥀
Overall Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5.0 stars.
Story Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5.0 stars.
Performance Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5.0 stars.
📄Pages: 432
📚Format: Physical Gifted ARC + Gifted Audiobook / 13h 9m
🌶️ Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
📖 Book 3 of The Poisoner Trilogy
🗓️ Pub Day: September 1, 2026
📲 Available on Kindle Unlimited!
Thank you so much Simon Maverick and I.V. Ophelia for the beautiful gifted physical ARC copy and the audiobook. This is my honest, voluntary review.
This story was so bittersweet and I ate it up so fast. I miss it already and made sure I read it before release day on September 1. I annotated this beauty and loved the feelings that I.V. elicited in me through the depth of the character and relationship development.
"Twenty-seven or two thousand and seven. I will love you in all those days, all those minutes in between until the last second. That will be the last moment that the world is anything more than a piece of earth, it will become my paradise lost."
I have been looking forward to reading this trilogy and I'm happy to say I binged it in 2 days. Dark romance trilogies are hard to nail and this felt like the Spit or Swallow duet, which is one of my all time favorites, mixed with dark romance elements that set this off for me. I absolutely adore I.V.'s writing and the gothic vibes of this trilogy. The setting in the 1890s made it very Romeo x Juliet-esque - reminisicent of the OG Shakespeare's dark romances.
I highly recommend immersive reading with the audiobook, because Matt Sykes, Sebastian Brown and Stephanie Willis performed incredibly to provide a beautiful experience. The vampire sounds made me feral. I'm a total sucker for gothic reads and will eat them up like I did this trilogy when they're written impeccably and performed amazingly.
A beautiful bond and connection between the FMC and MMC will get me every time - add the gothic vibes and immaculate imagery, and I'm sold as a fast fan of I.V.'s!
Tropes:
☠️ Dark Romance
☠️ Touch Her and Die
☠️ Predator v. Predator
☠️ Gothic
☠️ Morally Gray Anti-Hero and Anti-Heroine
☠️ Cat and Mouse
☠️ Forced Proximity
"Back on an especially bitter London night. The loneliest man and the loneliest woman, dancing under the quiet moon, nothing but the stars and barren rosebushes to bear witness to their budding beginning."
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Reena's Booksta
Reena's BookTok
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Blurb:
The explosive final book in I.V. Ophelia’s darkly addictive Poisoner trilogy –a bestselling gothic romance series about a botanist who kills unsavoury men, and the one man who's resistant to her deadly poisons while she finds herself intoxicated by his deadly charms…
She fears the hunger within. He fears the world without her.
Hidden away in a Manhattan mansion that's equal parts gilded cage and war room, Alina Lis is discovering she's no longer the woman she was . . . and may no longer be human at all.
But for now, she has far bigger things to worry about when her vampiric lover, Silas, prepares to face The Appraisal, an ancient trial where he'll answer for the mass murder of his father's Nest, as old rivalries and new alliances threaten to break them apart.
It seems like Alina’s only hope lies with Luka, a former enemy with a knack for keeping the peace. But something is festering inside Alina, as a hunger she's never felt before threatens to boil to the surface, imperiling both friends and enemies alike.
As betrayals mount, exposing chilling truths that have been brewing for years, Alina must decide what she's willing to become to save the man she loves – before the darkness within her destroys them for good.
The Cannibal delivers the gut punch that longtime fans of The Poisoner series have been waiting for, that will leave readers sated like they've received their own vampiric kiss.
Overall Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5.0 stars.
Story Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5.0 stars.
Performance Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5.0 stars.
📄Pages: 432
📚Format: Physical Gifted ARC + Gifted Audiobook / 13h 9m
🌶️ Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
📖 Book 3 of The Poisoner Trilogy
🗓️ Pub Day: September 1, 2026
📲 Available on Kindle Unlimited!
Thank you so much Simon Maverick and I.V. Ophelia for the beautiful gifted physical ARC copy and the audiobook. This is my honest, voluntary review.
This story was so bittersweet and I ate it up so fast. I miss it already and made sure I read it before release day on September 1. I annotated this beauty and loved the feelings that I.V. elicited in me through the depth of the character and relationship development.
"Twenty-seven or two thousand and seven. I will love you in all those days, all those minutes in between until the last second. That will be the last moment that the world is anything more than a piece of earth, it will become my paradise lost."
I have been looking forward to reading this trilogy and I'm happy to say I binged it in 2 days. Dark romance trilogies are hard to nail and this felt like the Spit or Swallow duet, which is one of my all time favorites, mixed with dark romance elements that set this off for me. I absolutely adore I.V.'s writing and the gothic vibes of this trilogy. The setting in the 1890s made it very Romeo x Juliet-esque - reminisicent of the OG Shakespeare's dark romances.
I highly recommend immersive reading with the audiobook, because Matt Sykes, Sebastian Brown and Stephanie Willis performed incredibly to provide a beautiful experience. The vampire sounds made me feral. I'm a total sucker for gothic reads and will eat them up like I did this trilogy when they're written impeccably and performed amazingly.
A beautiful bond and connection between the FMC and MMC will get me every time - add the gothic vibes and immaculate imagery, and I'm sold as a fast fan of I.V.'s!
Tropes:
☠️ Dark Romance
☠️ Touch Her and Die
☠️ Predator v. Predator
☠️ Gothic
☠️ Morally Gray Anti-Hero and Anti-Heroine
☠️ Cat and Mouse
☠️ Forced Proximity
"Back on an especially bitter London night. The loneliest man and the loneliest woman, dancing under the quiet moon, nothing but the stars and barren rosebushes to bear witness to their budding beginning."
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Blurb:
The explosive final book in I.V. Ophelia’s darkly addictive Poisoner trilogy –a bestselling gothic romance series about a botanist who kills unsavoury men, and the one man who's resistant to her deadly poisons while she finds herself intoxicated by his deadly charms…
She fears the hunger within. He fears the world without her.
Hidden away in a Manhattan mansion that's equal parts gilded cage and war room, Alina Lis is discovering she's no longer the woman she was . . . and may no longer be human at all.
But for now, she has far bigger things to worry about when her vampiric lover, Silas, prepares to face The Appraisal, an ancient trial where he'll answer for the mass murder of his father's Nest, as old rivalries and new alliances threaten to break them apart.
It seems like Alina’s only hope lies with Luka, a former enemy with a knack for keeping the peace. But something is festering inside Alina, as a hunger she's never felt before threatens to boil to the surface, imperiling both friends and enemies alike.
As betrayals mount, exposing chilling truths that have been brewing for years, Alina must decide what she's willing to become to save the man she loves – before the darkness within her destroys them for good.
The Cannibal delivers the gut punch that longtime fans of The Poisoner series have been waiting for, that will leave readers sated like they've received their own vampiric kiss.
September 10, 2026
Format: 📱
Spice: 🌶️🌶️
Series: book 3 of 3 - The Poisoner series
I love I.V. Ophelia’s gothic writing style, it really sets a precedent and expectation for the next book in the series and The Cannibal certainly delivers. It fixed any flaws I found in book 2 (mostly just a lack of Silas) and really helped round out and finish the story to a level I was hopeful for.
Alina got her finally got her revenge, but not before Levi twisted the metaphorical knife one more time 😩 Like I get it, I understand that it’s called The Cannibal, I do. But why does it have to be introduced like that?? She was my favorite 🥺
Silas certainly came a long way from a bored serial unaliver to the Sire of a whole nest and husband. Who knew he had it in him?? Also I wish Luka had some sort of HEA, I was a bit disappointed for him.
I’m excited to see what is new on the horizon for I.V. Ophelia, now that her debut series has come to an end. I’ve loved everything I’ve seen about Florescentia - can’t wait to dig into that soon!
Notable tropes & themes —
🩸 Vampires x Humans
💔 Dealing with 💀
🩸 Gothic Romance
💔 Vampiric Society & Politics/Hierarchy
🩸 Feminine Rage
💔 Familial Trauma
🩸 Deadly Women
💔 Found Family
I received this eARC from Simon Maverick Books | Simon Maverick as an opportunity to read and give my honest review.
Spice: 🌶️🌶️
Series: book 3 of 3 - The Poisoner series
I love I.V. Ophelia’s gothic writing style, it really sets a precedent and expectation for the next book in the series and The Cannibal certainly delivers. It fixed any flaws I found in book 2 (mostly just a lack of Silas) and really helped round out and finish the story to a level I was hopeful for.
Alina got her finally got her revenge, but not before Levi twisted the metaphorical knife one more time 😩 Like I get it, I understand that it’s called The Cannibal, I do. But why does it have to be introduced like that?? She was my favorite 🥺
Silas certainly came a long way from a bored serial unaliver to the Sire of a whole nest and husband. Who knew he had it in him?? Also I wish Luka had some sort of HEA, I was a bit disappointed for him.
I’m excited to see what is new on the horizon for I.V. Ophelia, now that her debut series has come to an end. I’ve loved everything I’ve seen about Florescentia - can’t wait to dig into that soon!
Notable tropes & themes —
🩸 Vampires x Humans
💔 Dealing with 💀
🩸 Gothic Romance
💔 Vampiric Society & Politics/Hierarchy
🩸 Feminine Rage
💔 Familial Trauma
🩸 Deadly Women
💔 Found Family
I received this eARC from Simon Maverick Books | Simon Maverick as an opportunity to read and give my honest review.
August 3, 2026
I had no idea what to expect but my god, this was perfection. And now I need to immediately go back to book one and re read them all again because I don’t want to leave Silas & Alina.
Alina is trying to navigate this new life of hers and it’s hard to so say the least. The nest is having issues and it leads you into so much suspense. I have always loved Silas, Alina, Phoebe and even Lucas but reading this makes me love them even more if that’s possible?
So much more in depth character information and really, more clarity on who to trust. It feels more high stakes in this book as well with Levi looming over them.
The way I.V. Ophelia writes is just absolutely top tier, it immediately draws you in with the world and the characters. The chemistry! Oh god the chemistry and banter is the best I’ve read in a book. The heartfelt emotions between the two and then the little references which makes me as a reader think back to the first book had me in tears.
Just an amazing ending to this series, and twists you will not see coming.
Thank you so much Simon Maverick Books for the E-ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Alina is trying to navigate this new life of hers and it’s hard to so say the least. The nest is having issues and it leads you into so much suspense. I have always loved Silas, Alina, Phoebe and even Lucas but reading this makes me love them even more if that’s possible?
So much more in depth character information and really, more clarity on who to trust. It feels more high stakes in this book as well with Levi looming over them.
The way I.V. Ophelia writes is just absolutely top tier, it immediately draws you in with the world and the characters. The chemistry! Oh god the chemistry and banter is the best I’ve read in a book. The heartfelt emotions between the two and then the little references which makes me as a reader think back to the first book had me in tears.
Just an amazing ending to this series, and twists you will not see coming.
Thank you so much Simon Maverick Books for the E-ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
September 1, 2026
I really loved this one!!
Once I had time to sit down and read, I DEVOUREDDD it!!!
I loved having more of the background info on Silas’ nest, and just the Vipera background/ systems in general.
The slow build into Alina and Silas meeting again- LOVED IT!
I also really enjoyed the suspense/ anticipation with Alina and what was happening to her after turning. How the friendship dynamics between everyone was written out- I liked how we got more info on everyone, rather than just having Silas and Alina’s POVs like in the previous books- it gave it so much more emotion and depth!!
Loved the slow build to their relationship and how everything played out up until the ending.
Again, I loved how there was so much more depth and emotion into what was going on with Alina- especially from her POV and in her mind which I LOVED!
I really couldn’t put it down- especially during the second half- I feel like this trilogy wrapped up so perfectly. Even though it was tragic and heartbreaking at times, this was a beautifully crafted story!
I really recommend reading this series!!
Once I had time to sit down and read, I DEVOUREDDD it!!!
I loved having more of the background info on Silas’ nest, and just the Vipera background/ systems in general.
The slow build into Alina and Silas meeting again- LOVED IT!
I also really enjoyed the suspense/ anticipation with Alina and what was happening to her after turning. How the friendship dynamics between everyone was written out- I liked how we got more info on everyone, rather than just having Silas and Alina’s POVs like in the previous books- it gave it so much more emotion and depth!!
Loved the slow build to their relationship and how everything played out up until the ending.
Again, I loved how there was so much more depth and emotion into what was going on with Alina- especially from her POV and in her mind which I LOVED!
I really couldn’t put it down- especially during the second half- I feel like this trilogy wrapped up so perfectly. Even though it was tragic and heartbreaking at times, this was a beautifully crafted story!
I really recommend reading this series!!
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