Memento Mori

The House of Machiavellianism #2

by Julie Anne Addicott, Addicott

Salem Frost

My firebird. My obsession.

He’s belonged to me since the moment I first saw him.

Every heartbeat in his chest is mine. Every breath he takes is on borrowed time.

I’ll watch his skin blacken in the flames of my own making before I let anyone else get close to him.

In this life and the next, Justice is mine.



Justice Bane

Salem Frost doesn’t break rules; he incinerates them, along with anyone who stands in his way.

His world is an abattoir disguised as paradise.

I can run. I can hide. I can escape.

But the truth burns hotter than any fire he’s ever set.

Part of me wants to be consumed.

Genres: Dark

ebook

About the author

Update from Addicott Publishing.

As of October 2025, the author no longer writes under this name. Any books added here as of 01/10/2025 have not been approved by Addicott Publishing.

Most books by Addicott are exclusively available from the author’s store. Please consider leaving your reviews there instead.

Addicott Publishing asks that readers refrain from adding reviews (regardless of rating) to My Name is Tryst and Love Lost Her Way. The editions of the books listed here are no longer published or available to the public.

Note: All legal rights to the titles listed on this site, and specifically to My Name is Tryst and Love Lost Her Way, belong to J. Addicott and Addicott Publishing. Any attempt to copy, reproduce, or distribute these titles without express written permission from Addicott Publishing will result in legal action.

Addicott Publishing.

Reviews

[Jenni]

@64%
It seems I accidentally got on the DNF train and can't seem to get off 🥲

I tried, I really tried but I just can't with this book. And it's not even because it's super dark and f'd up—I read Danse Macabre a while back and gave it 4 stars. I just can't get anything out of this one, this time.

My biggest issue is Justice, sorry but he’s so damn annoying! One minute he’s saying how he needs and wants Salem and is begging him to fuck him, and the next he’s complaining that he doesn’t want this and whining that Salem won’t let him go. Make up your mind already!! Seriously 😂 so frustrating, I cannot. It's just the same, constant back-and-forth with them.

"While escaping is at the forefront of my mind, I'm too hungry to do anything about it yet. I make a full breakfast of eggs, toast, fruit, and coffee ... After spending too much time thinking about Salem, I decide to shower in the ensuite bathroom."
So you're in a ”hurry” to escape from your captor but decide to make a god damn brunch and take a shower?? Yeah, makes sense - NOT 🤡

And honestly, I don’t care at all about the characters in this book; they all annoy me somehow. Also, I’m not enjoying how the timeline jumps all the time.

Not rating this because, well, it was a DNF, and I'm not sure if it's the book, or if my tastes have changed since Danse Macabre or just not in the mood for a book like this, but this just isn't doing it for me. Hopefully others like it better.
There’s a chance I will finish this later but.. I doubt it.

[My Dark Romance · Rating 5 out of 5]

~~~~~~~~ April 2026 ~~~~~~~~

MEMENTO MORI
Book two | The House of Machiavellianism


⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️
🖤🖤🖤🖤

This book is one of my most anticipated books ever since I read Danse Macabre. And to no surprise to anyone who loves Julies’s books as much as I do, it’s another masterpiece. Book one absolutely floored me and now Salem and Justices story has done the same.
These books are brutal, bloody but beautiful.
I adore Justice. He’s such a beautiful soul. He’s been through it with his family and also with Salem who has stalked him and captured him, only to send him on the run again. Justice never feeling safe but also wanting to be brutally consumed by Salem.
Salem is broken and love is something he longs for but isn’t even sure he’s capable of. I feel so much for him.
This push and pull relationship between them started in childhood and there’s no fighting it, not even with fire 🔥

This series is secret society on steroids.
A brotherhood of abandoned children taken in and adapted into human fresh eating predators.

The TW list is long here are a just few of them:
🔥 Trauma bonding
🔥 Sibling abuße
🔥 Fire play
🔥 Cannibalism
🔥 Brutality (graphically detailed)
🔥 Setting things on fire (including people)
🔥 SA (grape)
and more. The full list is on Julie’s website. Which is also the only place you can buy her books. Please remember these books are PITCH BLACK 🖤

SALEM FROST
My firebird. My obsession.
He’s belonged to me since the moment I first saw him.
Every heartbeat in his chest is mine. Every breath he takes is on borrowed time.
I’ll watch his skin blacken in the flames of my own making before I let anyone else get close to him. In this life and the next, Justice is mine.

JUSTICE BANE
Salem Frost doesn’t break rules; he incinerates them, along with anyone who stands in his way. His world is an abattoir disguised as paradise.
I can run. I can hide. I can escape.
But the truth burns hotter than any fire he’s ever set. Part of me wants to be consumed.

‼️ NOT A ROMANCE ‼️

[Eddy Munoz · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was all over the place with my feelings for this book. Towards the beginning/middle i was getting 4-5 star feelings but then towards the end i was starting to get pissed off. The stakes / dynamics were so clear in the first book. The tension and angst between Diablo and Killian was so palpable and i really understood their obsession with each-other and their need to be in each other’s lives no matter how destructive it was. However i did NOT feel this with Salem and Justice. My biggest question for Salem is….WHY? Like deadass why are you doing this to this innocent guy. Why do you want him so much??! And in the process of wanting him you are slowly destroying every single part of his life but what is the fkn reason lol. Do you even like him? Or are you just blindly obsessed.

My favorite part of this book was the found family. I loved the scenes with the dead boys. I would love a story on the dead boys.

In the end i enjoyed my time with this book over all. But i just don’t feel a true connection between the couple.

[James · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Justice and Salem are back, and if there's one thing you can count on with these two, it's that things are never going to be straightforward.

This book follows Justice and Salem as they navigate a new phase of their lifelong relationship. It's wild, violent, unpredictable and, at times, completely unhinged. Yet beneath all the chaos, there's an undeniable desire and an almost irrefutable connection between them that makes it impossible to look away.

Both characters are struggling to find their footing in their new roles in Newhaven. Justice is stepping into his position as a member of the House of Machiavellianism, while Salem is coming to terms with something he seems to have known all along, even if he wasn't ready to admit it (he loves Justice). But protecting the person you love when you're surrounded by danger can come at a devastating cost, and Salem is learning that loving Justice might ultimately be the very thing that destroys him.

There are plenty of subplots woven throughout this book, and one of my personal highlights was getting glimpses of Killian and Diablo again. After investing so much time in their story in the previous book, it was genuinely lovely to see them again and discover that, much like Justice and Salem, they've managed to beat the odds. Sometimes, a little reassurance that your favourite characters are still standing is all you need!

And then there's Miles and Alex. Those two are absolutely wild. You could see something unhinged was coming, but knowing something is coming and actually witnessing it unfold are two entirely different things. With Newhaven up in smokes and the dust still settling on an unexpected alliance, the twist and turns of Miles and Alex’s obsession added another layer of intrigue to an already chilling book.

Their ending was every bit as crazy as you'd expect, but was it deserved? I'll leave that one for you to decide. 👀

Overall, Memento Mori is a chaotic, violent and unpredictable ride that certainly isn't for the faint of heart. It pushes the boundaries our your own morality, keeps you guessing and reminds you that love in this world is rarely simple, safe or sensible.

And honestly? I'm not afraid to admit that I thoroughly enjoyed every bit of the madness. J. Addicott has delivered another wild instalment, and I'm here for it.

[gettinglostINAbook · Rating 5 out of 5]

“You never had a choice, Justice.” “By loving me, you became a part of your own destruction.”

Memento Mori by Addicott
The House of Machiavellianism series #2
Horror Erotica
Salem & Justice

Returning to a series never felt so good. Memento Mori picks up after Danse Macabre and covers the storyline of Salem and Justice. They were never a question of if, only when. Bound since childhood, orbiting each other like something dangerous and inevitable, yet held apart by scars that refuse to fade.

And Salem, knows that moment he gives in, it’s over. So to protect his heart, they fell into a brutal cycle of chase, stalking, capture and escaping. When Justice finally starts to rise, shedding that victim skin piece by piece, it’s so damn satisfying to read.

I loved that we also got a lot of Diablo, Liam, his brothers in crime, and our brat Killian. They anchor, they protect each other, and they challenge, they shape the story in ways that make every moment hit harder.

This is NOT a romance, it’s brutal, obsessive, consuming. The kind that grips your throat and whispers, “I will burn your whole world down”. But there is so much more going on, secret societies, a world of hunting, gore and a lot of blood, revenges, politics and a past that comes to hunt them in every way possible.

So, if you want a story that keeps you glued to every page, please step into the House of Machiavellianism. Just don’t expect to leave the same or in one piece.

[Dylan Gallagher · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book isn’t as gruesome as the first, but it is fantastic nonetheless. I absolutely adore the way J. Addicott writes. She never hides the ugly parts of her stories or shies away from the gruesome, while still having a meaningful story to tell. The darkness is never there simply for shock value; she’s asking the reader difficult questions. Can a person be changed through trauma and conditioning? Is evil something we’re born with, or is it something that is grown and cultivated over time?

I found this book to be far more psychological than the first, which I really appreciated. It gave the story its own identity rather than simply trying to recreate what came before. While it certainly has its fair share of gore, it isn’t as relentless as the first book. Justice and Sal’s story is one of obsession and fear. If they finally surrender to one another, will the whole world burn with them?

These books are not romances, so take the author’s content warnings seriously and don’t expect softness or comfort. These aren’t those kinds of stories.

[Kim BookJunkie ~ Editor & Proofreader · Rating 4 out of 5]

5-star story/characters
3-star editing/proofing

Julie Anne Addicott is one of my favorite authors, and this is one of the best books I’ve ever read. However, it took me way, way, way longer to get through this book than usual. I can’t pinpoint exactly what it was, but I had to put it down about 70% in, taking a break to read something else in between. Basically, it’s a 10-star story, but it needs l a more meticulous editor to tighten it up and make it easier to read.

[Gini Rex · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bloody, brutal and beautiful.

Salam and Justice are two beautifully broken souls and I love them.

Two people who need each other more than then need life.

Addicott’s words are not for everyone, but they sure as fuck are for me.

*you must read Danse Macabre first*

Do not jump into this world if you have no idea what you’re getting into. But if you have found your way here, then I think it’s meant to be.

Always broken, always beautiful.

[Zuli]

I think I'm just not in the mood for this book right now. It's a shame since it was one of my most anticipated releases :( But I don't want to underrate it, so I'd rather come back to it later.

[Ashley Dead.inside_but_reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Please review all the CWs/TWs on the authors site before going into this one. This is a Pitch Black almost horror story revolving around a secret Society of hedonistic C@nnibals. Do not just jump in! Also this is not a stand alone. This is book 2 in The House of Machiavellianism and the Books need to be read in order. LAST THING...This is NOT a Romance! This is a book again about a secret society and a man who has a decades long obsession with another. Do these two men find a way to coexist with each other...yes they do...BUT it's a long and bloody road to get there.

🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶

We meet Salem in Book 1 as one of the 3 boys Loren "saved" from the asylum. We also get a brief glimpse of his interaction with Justice and man do those two just pull you in. You need to know the history and where their story goes!
Salem has been obsessed with Justice since he was born and he held baby Justice in his arms. His obsession only grew with time. When Salem participated in setting a fire at his school that lead the the deaths of a teacher and some classmates he was shipped to the asylum where he met Loren and basically started a whole new life. Salem never forgot Justice though, everything he did in his life was to get back to Justice and ensure that when he did get back to him he didn't immediately decimate him. When he finally stepped back into Justice's life he incinerated anyone and everything until it was only Justice left standing. It didn't matter how far Justice went, Salem always pulled him back. This is the final time though, Justice has hit a breaking point and the question now is will he burn out in the fires Salem has set or create an inferno of his own that will reshape both of them?
This was amazing....just mind blowing in the best way! Addicott writes the most disturbingly brutal beautiful (deep down) stories and this one is no different.
If you feel prepared enough to venture into this world these are stories that burrow into your chest and stay there to the point they are part of you now.

[Endlessly02]

Don't know how to rate it, but on the lower side. For me, the first book was better than this one. I didn't expect love and rainbows at all, but I expected tension, chemistry between the characters, seeing some development between them through the book, but I was left disappointed. In the first one you could def feel the perfect match between Diablo and Killian and them matching each others freak even if their characters were different, but here don't know why it felt flat. For the whole book I waited for the moment to actually feel and be convinced that Justice felt anything at all for Salem and really wanted to be with him, despite fear and the feeling that his only choice was to stay with Salem, just because he did not have any other choice and not because he actually wanted it (not sure if I make sense right now, but it all felt very forced).
I also expected to have at least a bit of attention to Salem opening up to Justice and 'letting him in' and them talking about anything at all. Also for most of the book we see repetitive scenes and a lot of accent put on Salem needing to let Justice in and be vulnerable with him and open up to him and then we got almost nothing like that, except veeeery small moments. It was kinda suggested it happened behind the scene, but I feel it was something important to be done on page so me, as a reader can connect better and understand the characters.

[ConversationsWith APRIL · Rating 4 out of 5]

Addicott is one of the few pitchblack authors that I trust. She’s an author that provides more than just the depravity of a characters mind and world. Addicott will provide the context, back story behind the monsters she constructs. In Salems and Justices story she gives the backstory into how the two became connected, how the obsession started and the threat behind that obsession. The bond and brotherhood that Salem shares with Diablo and Liam is one that I will always be a fan of because of the dark construction of it. While there were area’s of the book that were written with careful execution, there were other area’s that felt a bit disconnected. I understood Salem’s fear of love considering the trauma with his mother. I understood Justice’s weakness considering his trauma with Alex. As a reader I wished the ending was a little more flushed out. It’s hard to speak on the disconnect I felt because Salem and Justice makes sense to me but by the end I was left with the thought…..WILL HE REALLY RUN AGAIN???

[Mrss_yoshi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, this book exceeded my expectations, it did not disappoint me at all.
Yes it wasn't quite as dark as Danse Macabre but it was just as good.
Having been introduced to Justice in Danse Macabre I was really excited to read his story.
Justice and Salem were inevitable,they were always going to end up together, either alive or dead as one cannot exist without the other.
I loved that Killian featured a lot in this book as I absolutely loved him as loved him a bit more after this.
Please read the trigger warnings before proceeding as this is pitch black , if you are easily shocked, have a weak stomach or find some subject matters hard this is definitely not the book for you.

[TINA | DejaLu✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Truly, no books like the ones she writes. They’re dark. There’s not frilly romance. Her characters love in the best way they can with the ones that can accept them as they are. Sal and Justice were no different.

Childhood trauma, pyro, obsessed, fear, cannibalism, wanting to be loved… all here with all the triggers. Not for the faint of heart, this one.

⬇️
My firebird. My obsession. He’s belonged to me since the moment I first saw him. Every heartbeat in his chest is mine. Every breath he takes is on borrowed time. I’ll watch his skin blacken in the flames of my own making before I let anyone else get close to him. In this life and the next, Justice is mine.

Salem Frost doesn’t break rules; he incinerates them, along with anyone who stands in his way. His world is an abattoir disguised as paradise. I can run. I can hide. I can escape. But the truth burns hotter than any fire he’s ever set. Part of me wants to be consumed.

[Raerae · Rating 4 out of 5]

Didn't love this sequel as much as the first book, but I still enjoyed it. I dont think it was as deprived and f*cked up as the first one.

[Allison · Rating 5 out of 5]

FRTC

[read_with_lara · Rating 5 out of 5]

𝐖𝐞 𝐩𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐮𝐬
𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐚 𝐟𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐧𝐞
𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐈 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐧𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐥𝐞𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐠𝐨
𝐁𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐦𝐲 𝐡𝐨𝐦𝐞

𝕾𝖆𝖑𝖊𝖒 & 𝕵𝖚𝖘𝖙𝖎𝖈𝖊

[Lisa]

4.5 🌟