Wonderfully Wicked

The Dreamcaster Series #1

by C.J. Burright

Dreams can be deadly...

She’s an ordinary girl with a nightmare problem

For as long as she can remember, Kalila Montgomery has been tormented by creatures from her nightmares. Doomed to a solitary life with her cats, she’s determined to go down fighting. Until the man of her dreams— literally— kidnaps her and claims to know a cure. If only she could believe him.

He’s no ordinary hero

Lydon v’al Endrian will stop at nothing to be free of the V’alkara, a dangerous brotherhood who feed on dreams. But the key to his freedom, sassy dreamcaster Kalila, might be his toughest challenge yet. No matter how much she protests, he intends to keep her safe from the V’alkara, even if it requires the ultimate sacrifice.

But a girl can dream … can’t she?

Now on the run with a man she can’t quite trust or resist, Kalila must decide— fight for her dreams of a normal life … or embrace a power she doesn’t want, to save Lydon.

Genres: Paranormal, Romance, Fantasy, Paranormal Romance, Vampires

300 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 13, 2014

About the author

***Sign up for C.J.'s newsletter!***

Once upon a time, a girl with flat hobbit feet dreamed of adventures in the woods with an elven hero, fighting off orcs and saving magical rings. All grown up now, C.J. Burright resides in Oregon (at least she got the trees). While she faces her duties at the law office day job, she avoids writing legal thrillers and instead turns toward romance—contemporary (sometimes with a supernatural flair), paranormal or fantasy. With a 5th Dan Black Belt in Tae Kwon Do, it’s no surprise she prefers feisty heroines who aren’t afraid to jump into the fight. Her slivers of spare time are spent working out, gardening, playing the latest Assassin’s Creed, and rooting on the Seattle Mariners, always with music. She shares a house with her husband (not elven, alas, but a fine alternative) and a devoted cat herd while missing her daughter from afar. C. J. is represented by Brittany Booker of The Booker Albert Literary Agency. Find her on Facebook, Twitter (@CJBurright), Instagram, Bookbub, and Goodreads.

Reviews

[Dianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

C.J. Burright Celebrates the Release of 

Beautifully Burned with a GODIVA TRUFFLES Giveaway!

Click on Banner to Enter! - Ends September 6

Wonderfully Wicked, just the title screams READ ME, because I’m not thinking of a group of bad guys, I’m thinking, oh, yeah, it’s going to be getting hot here! I had no idea that hotness would spill over to the heroine’s temper, attitude and the reactions of our slightly dark hero, too! C.J. Burright has written a tale that walks on the dark side, that deals with creatures that go bump in the night, and they come in a variety of races, powers and agendas.

We all experience nightmares, but for Kalila it is a lifelong curse that has left her alone and isolated. She is a dreamcaster. Could it be that her monsters are real? Is her curse a form of power for another? He was in her nightmares and now he is in her world. Lydon has been sent to capture Kalila. The brotherhood of the V’alkara feed on dreams and bringing this dreamcaster in will gain him his long sought freedom. Little did his soulless heart know, this argumentative, and feisty woman will awake feelings he never thought existed within him, anymore.

There is no way Kalila will become a victim, but when the very man sent to take her becomes her greatest and only ally, she finds she will do anything to keep him safe from those who would harm him for his actions. Fierce advocates for each other, one bad decision made in good faith may mean the end of both of them.

Looking for action, great dialogue, fierce characters and a smoldering attraction that is forbidden? Want it all wrapped up in a shiny new package in a world filled with darkness? I have to say, C.J. Burright has followed a new path in urban paranormal romantic fantasy and is an excellent guide. Meet characters you instantly root for, sneer at the evil powers that seek supremacy and chuckle at two people who refuse to give in and admit their attraction to each other, because who couldn’t love a person that takes you to the edge of your endurance? Great imagination, great writing, lots of tension of every kind, proving that even your worst nightmares can have a silver lining!

I received this copy from C.J. Burright in exchange for my honest review.

Series: The Dreamcaster Series - Book 1
Publication Date: October 27, 2015
Publisher: C.J. Burright
Genre: Paranormal Urban Fantasy
Print Length: 268 pages
Available from: Amazon
For Reviews & More: http://tometender.blogspot.com

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 No rest for the wicked Stars.

Kalila Montgomery has since she's been a child had nightmares. She has never been able to lead a normal life. Her only friend is Mel who also has her own special talents.

Kalila has been having a reoccurring nightmare where she is murdered by a tall, blond, handsome and lethal man.
Lydon the black, the Angel of Ruin, the scourge is tasked with bringing Kalila back to White is master of the V’alkara they need her to feed off her dreams to survive.

Lydon is reluctant to do it but has no choice. Because of Kalila he begins to have a conscience. He has a theory to save himself he must save Kalila. It's like the V’alkara are a collective. Resistance is futile.

Every time I thought that the book was progressing Kalila would go back to being a stubborn mule and Lydon wouldn't answer any questions. Really quite tiring and that's putting it mildly to be honest. I lost interest at the 70% mark.

The book is well written and I'm positive that it will be a hit for most people. Alas it just wasn't for me. I have the second one and I will read it.

Review can also be found @ http://jerisbookattic-reviewblog.blog...

[Ingrid Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well...color me black!! This book sank its claws on me and wouldn’t let me go!


It's a new premise of a book. One I haven't read before. It involves dreams!!!! And the way CJ Burright managed to weave reality and fiction, along with the dream state was wonderful.

The book is fast paced and with good characters.

It's a kaleidoscopic book!!! Sometimes you are up and in the next blink you are down. You are in dreamland and suddenly back in reality

Trust felt like being naked at the beach. No protection, completely vulnerable to sand, sun, and the occasional seagull droppings. Total suck potential….Kalilia Montmomery

All Kalila Montgomery wanted was to have a normal life, to be able to sleep without her nightmares, but not just normal nightmares, but once that can come to life that can hurt the people around her.

Being an orphan and passed from house to house, knowing an attack can come at any moment, she learned to defend herself, against those who would harm her, and of never being afraid, never letting her come to life nightmares get her.

Little did she know that her knight in shining armor would come clad in black, could turn into any of her nightmaress, and with the promise of death on his eyes.


The Black, as his peers call him, is the baddest of the bad. One rung lower that The White. His job is to bring back a dreamcaster so they can extract her nightmares.

There was just one small problem…. She summoned him, and suddenly his bleak life came awake, and he found himself looking to the future with something akin to hope. But how to help Kalila and still keep on living??

“Something wicked this way comes?” “From every direction, but let’s not get ahead of ourselves.”

The banter between the main characters is funny, charged, and complicated.

Definitely a series that I’d like to keep reading!

Why the 4 stars? Well, there are parts where I had to reread the chapter because suddenly I was lost, I kind of lost track of where the action was taking place, or though I’d skipped some part because thing didn’t add up, I think the author’s imagination was charging ahead while her writing was trotting behind. And couldn’t quite project what her mind was showing her. But on her defence I think is a very complicated reality in her book.

All in all, I liked the book.

If you want to read more of my review visit me at: www.isatho2000.wordpress.com

C.J. Burright

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you're even a little bit of a fan of the "Immortals after Dark" series, or the "Black Dagger Brotherhood" series, I really do believe you'll love this one. It's as if the two had a baby and produced this wonderfully written and witty book. The characters are well developed, and overall the storyline is great. I did feel as though the plot was a bit dragged out, and at times got confused on some of the characters abilities. There were times when I felt like that author just expected you to know certain things, rather than explaining it. As of right now, I won't be continuing with this series, as I have a ton of others I'd rather put before it. However, I can definitely see myself coming back to it at some point!

[Sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

How to explain this one...? Kalila is a dreamcaster. She has nightmares, only the things she dreams about become real. Lydon is a V'alkara. Kind of a demon thing that feeds on her nightmares? He's sent to retrieve her and bring her back to the V'alkara (ugh with the apostrophes already) enclave where his brethren will drain her of her nightmares, oh, and also her life. But, shocker, he falls in love with her. Can he rescue her from her fate, her nightmares, and even himself?

Eh.

This wasn't my favorite, for a few reasons. I don't mind fantasy, horror, or supernatural romance. But the amount of explaining and backstory that these genres requires can seriously grate on my patience. Also, the whole inventing words for all of these "new" things in a world... annoying. All the random apostrophes everywhere? Also annoying. Other things that bothered me: a plot that meanders (seriously, Lydon just "rescues" her and then seems to have no idea what to do with her), a surprise mythical virgin and a convenient wedding, and characters that die and then are miraculously brought back to life with little explanation. The characters were also not my favorite. Lydon is an alpha male and usually I'm all about the broodiness, but his self-loathing and waffling over his feelings just felt self-indulgent and contrived to me. Kalilia, while she's clearly suffered, is also one of those heroines who just refuses to listen to anything resembling common sense.

All that being said... I liked the tertiary characters in this book. They were creatively drawn and funny and ultimately, more engaging than the main characters. I liked that Kalila is a fighter. The sex, when it finally happens, is well done.

*Thanks to Netgalley for a free copy of this title in exchange for an honest review.*

[Krista · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the new adult genre, too often do we see the typical contemporary romance story played out. I've said to many bookish friends that there needs to be more new adult dystopian or fantasy books out there. So, when I learned of WONDERFULLY WICKED, I had to applaud C.J. Burright for reaching inside my head and my heart and giving me what I wanted.

Kalila - Lils as those who know her best call her - is a dreamcaster, which means she can make her nightmares come to life. One day, she's kidnapped and taken to a fortress in the Pacific Northwest where she's promised she'll be safe. She soon learns she's anything BUT safe, and the one who imparts that wisdom is none other than her kidnapper, Lydon. The worst of the worst. But, Kalila can't deny her attraction to him, and she soon learns way more about him and her own abilities than she had ever bargained for.

I loved Kalila. She's exactly what I need in a heroine - someone who isn't afraid of making the hard choices but she's not so hard that they don't affect her. She doesn't have many people in her life that she's close to, but those that are, she holds very dear. She knows her abilities come with problems, and she jumps at the possibility that they could finally be taken away. I empathized with Kalila - actually meeting the monster in your closet must be terrible. So, I get why the initial things that are told to her when she reaches apparent safety seem so alluring.

But, the allure of Lydon is much stronger. Her relationship with him is adorable. She has this very volatile love/hate relationship with him right off the bat. I mean, he kidnapped her! It's understandable she should hate him. But, there's this instinctual pull toward him too that she just can't deny no matter how much she wants to. Their words with each other are biting and caustic and completely adorable.

Lydon was the same. He was brought up to kill and destroy. He's literally the worst of his kind, and his task was to find Kalila and essentially destroy her. He just can't do it, and he spends a large portion of the book trying to convince himself to go back to the unfeeling bastard he has been his whole life. When he finally gives up and gives in was a great part of the book.

This book was also very frustrating in that both Kalila and Lydon believe the other could never truly love the other. They never really communicate properly until the very, VERY end. I thought I would scream waiting for that point to actually arrive.

The premise of the dreams coming to life and what that means is a super cool one. I was, however, a little confused as to how the dreamcasters worked with the V'alkara. It was explained throughout the book in bits and pieces, but it feels like there were too many layers to the concept, which muddied the waters a bit. I get that the V'alkara can control the nightmares that Kalila can manifest. I think if it would've stopped there, it would've been perfect, and this could've been a five-star book. But, there was more there about how the dreams must sustain the V'alkara, and the naming of them by the dreamcaster and the dreamwalking... it got to be a bit much.

But, the romance is what I ultimately read NA books for, and in this case, it was great. It wasn't nearly as steamy as some I've read - it was rather tame in that regard, actually. But it didn't diminish the intensity of Kalila's and Lydon's relationship in the least. I definitely would recommend this book to any fantasy or NA fan.

[Kristina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kalila Montgomery is anything but normal, she’s a dreamcaster. As a dreamcaster, Kalila’s nightmares take shape and come to life. She’s forced to live away from others, because her nightmares tend to bring harm to those that have the misfortune of sleeping anywhere near her. She’s content with having one friend, who just happens to be a prophetess who accepts Kalila and her dreams. Sometimes Kalila’s dreams also give her knowledge of what’s going to happen in the future and one of those dreams tells her to look out for a man that will be the death of her, literally. Unfortunately for her, that man has targeted her to be his escape from the V’alkara brotherhood.

Lydon v’al Endrain and his brotherhood are at the mercy of dreamcasters. Unable to survive with nightmares, they depend on the nightmares that people like Kalila supply, they feed on their dreams. Lydon is not a normal V’alkara, he doesn’t sit back being content with taking orders from Master White. He knows that there are other ways to “cure” the V’alkara’s weakness and he’s ready to branch out on his own. He just needs to convince Kalila that she’s better off with him, and the best way to do that is to kidnap her. Kalila is anything but ready to trust the man that she has visions of drinking her blood, she’s feisty, sassy, and will use whatever means necessary to fight for her freedom, even if that means unleashing her worst nightmares. Kalila and Lydon must learn to trust each other and learn to listen to their hearts if they are to beat the brotherhood and be free to live their lives, with or without Kalila’s dreams to aid them.

To say there is a lot going on in this book is putting it mildly. C.J. Burright, the author, has a lot of information and material that she must pass on to the reader to help them understand Kalila’s and Lydon’s world, and it’s not an easy task. Because there was so much going on, and I didn’t feel like I had a lot of information to go off of, I felt lost for several chapters. I found myself getting frustrated and putting the book down, I kept forcing myself to pick it up and read a few more pages. It wasn’t until I reached about Chapter 9, that I started to understand and appreciate the book. I usually don’t give a book that long to get me hooked, but I knew I didn’t want to give up on it. I’m glad I didn’t. The characters finally grew on me once I appreciated who they were and what abilities they had. Once I figured out how the brotherhood really depended on the dreamcasters and the real trouble that Kalila was in I couldn’t put the book down. I think this is a book I would read again, now that I know what’s going on and I think it would help me appreciate the beginning of the book a lot more. I wish there were a better way to write the book where the reader could understand what was going on without losing the action. This is a great book once you know what’s going on and how all the characters fall into place. My advice, stick with it and give it time, Lydon and Kalila grow on you.

*I Received a free ecopy of this book in exchange for an honest review*
*Contains Sexual Content*

[books are love · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was pardon the expression wicked good. I did not put it down. Read straight through even at the dinner table. The premise of the story is fascinating and the idea that maybe one dreamcatcher has many V'alkaras that are hers is dizzying. I frankly hope and dream that only Lydon is hers in the end. She is making a mistake any way you slice it at the end of this book. Big big mistake yup uh huh no two ways about it.

So she is traced by Lydon the black V'alkara but to his surprise he is allured by her. Finds her to be amazing and fascinating. Even loves her although this is not what his kind are for and him especially. He is what every nightmare is made of. People fear and cower before him. But not Kalila she is stubborn and fights him every step. As she sends some unkind words to him she leaves doubts in his mind as to if she could ever love him and him hers. He still perseveres though. gives up his life for her twice no actually three times. He uses monsters from her dreams to protect her and even comes close to death so she can live. He convinces her to hate her at one point so that she can have a life. But as things unravel and she sees all his past statements were true things naggle at her. This is while he is being tortured. She realizes what he did and finds she cannot live without him. Took you long enough sistah...I mean come on. Problem being when she goes to rescue him, the v'alkara that she tells Lydon she likes the uncaring evil one is there and she comes up against him and the white. Alun the one that Lydon again risks everything to save for her is there as well and in the end he is manipulated by the White. Never thought white would be a evil colour while black turns out to be a beautiful array of rainbows and sunshine who knew. Anywhoo...to save Lydon or attempt to she summons Dax (the evil one) and he begins to feel her beauty within wash over him and he feels that she is his dreamcatcher. Meanwhile Lydon fights off death and claims the one he loves and she finally admits to him she cannot live without him and Dax finds her.

while this is going on Dunhle is the new white and changing the ways of the V'alkara and feels Dax is hers. Alun is in love with her. Gwen is I don't know at the moment and Mel is with the V'alkara.

A cliffhanging ending that has you wondering the conviction of her emotions and how much she will betray those she loves and how weak she will be. Fight dangit for Lydon he has gone through h e double hockey sticks for you!!!

a beautifully written love story that seems to end like Romeo and Juliet at least I hope this isn't the case in the end of this series but for now it looks to be. A great story with a wicked theme

[Priyanka · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was just surfing through Netgalley titles and randomly came across this book and I am so glad that I requested it and got accepted for it because I loved reading this book!

Its description was kinda making me feel like its maybe not going to be my kind of book, but romance and paranormal are my kind of genre, so I dived in. After reading the first page I got a little weird vibe from Lydon and I think that's what the author was aiming at. But then it picked on and I loved him!

Kalila, is our heroine, she has these nightmares which come to life. She knows that its not normal and all she wants is a normal life. But she is a dreamcaster and Lydon, our hero, has been sent to capture her.

Lydon is a V’alkara. They feed on dreams and he plans to gain freedom by gaining this dreamcaster's trust. But he can't let anyone harm Kalila, who awakes these feelings inside him, he never thought existed.

Kalila is a very strong, stubborn, feisty and sassy character. She will fight fiercely for freedom. and she must trust Lydon for that and he ends up becoming her ally. Whereas their banter was fun to read, it was a little difficult for me to not get frustrated when they were being stubborn. But they grow on you. Give them a little time and you end up adoring them.

I really like the world C.J. Burright created. I loved the writing style. But I am giving it 4 stars because I had to reread few chapters to understand what is actually happening. It was a little complicated in middle but then the story progresses and then I felt like I was on track. Having said that, I really liked this story and I can't wait to dive into the second book because that epilogue has me on the edge of my seat!

*ARC provided via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. *

Check out http://abooklionshideaway.blogspot.in/ for more reviews.

[IC · Rating 3 out of 5]

*Thank you Netgalley for the review copy*

I chose this book from the cover because the cover looks sexy and dangerous.

Wonderfully Wicked is about a dreamcaster named Kalila Montgomery who has very vivid nightmares at night. She has had them as long as she can remember and has tried everything to get them to stop.

Until the literal man in her nightmares shows up and takes her away. His name is Lydon v'al Endrian and he needs to her to save him.

So, what I think of Wonderfully Wicked. It had a great concept of a dreamcaster and then these brotherhood of V'alkara who need her so they can take her dreams because they do not dream.

The thing is, there was really no history or backstory to these V'alkara and how Kailia is even a dreamcaster. Seriously, there was nothing. It was kind of like the author expected you to already know the world but it's the first book in a series I am assuming.

The whole time while I was reading this, there was no credibility because nothing was really explained. What Lydon needed Kalila to do to save him, how the V'alkara came to be, etc.

That is why I give it three stars because it had an interesting concept but needed a lot more explaining and history.

[S · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hi guys! This is my first time writing a review so bear with me...

I really enjoyed this book because it started off with rapid pace action and jumped right into the story. The book didn't drag on, so that was a relief! I really liked Kalila because she was such a strong heroine who kept her composure when she knew she was in deep crap! I loved Lydon because he was such a flirt and his banter with Kalila kept me on my toes! I overall really enjoyed the book and I can't wait to see what happens in the next book, especially with the whole Dax situation.

[Hailee (haibooklovers) · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF.

Usually if I can’t finish a book, I don’t leave a review at all. How can I review half of something?

This one merited an exception. I made it halfway through and have not one idea what is going on. The world-building is nonexistent. The characters are flat and repetitive. There doesn’t seem to be a plot. Nope.

[Tiffany Tinkham · Rating 4 out of 5]

A dreamcaster is a person that dreams things and can make the dreams real.

In this story you meet a dreamcaster and her handsome savior who has a wicked side. This story is pretty good but there was a few times that I nearly got confused at what was happening.

[Gwessie Tee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Recieved in return for an honest review,
This was very much an amazing read, haven't read anything like it before and am fascinated by it. I was captivated, any who love romance with paranormal including adventure will very much enjoy this book, I'm new to CJ Burright's books but wow am I glad to have done so and will no doubt collect as many as I can.

[A Klue · Rating 4 out of 5]

Though not my usual genre, this NetGalley avid romance reviewer decided to take a chance on this Twilightish like book by C.J. Burright. I’ll be the first to admit I’m a tough sell sometimes, so this author needed to grab my attention and not let go. Well, folks, that’s exactly what happened here. From the moment Kalila, a dreamcaster, is caught dreaming of Lydon, a V’alkara, while he is entering her bedroom with orders to abduct her, I was hooked. Sure, I’m usually all about a realistic plot, but when reading this type of book you truly do have to throw that notion out the window and just go with it, leaping right into it. Pretty much like Lydon is able to do, literally. This handsome devil can jump six ways to Sunday, in any/all directions, at lightning speed, not to mention shape shift and enter/manipulate dreams. Wrapping his arms around Kalila and whisking her off to safety may not be in his job description, but he’s sure dang good at that, too.

Did I enjoy this one? For the most part, I really did. I loved Kalila, the sassy, never let them see your fear/doesn’t back down from even her worst nightmare heroine. Lydon played his alpha protective but torn between his unexplainable desire to protect Lalila, his forced obligation to serve his evil master, and his own yearning/plans to finally be free role to perfection. However, the dreams/nightmare factor and the whole enslaved V’alkara brotherhood tended to keep hijacking the storyline, leaving little time for an in-depth romantic storyline.

Throw in the rather large cast of sub-characters and the non-stop “Oh, no, we’re in trouble again!”, it all started to feel rather exhausting/overwhelming, folks. Constantly on the run, looking over their shoulder was action packed but, again, left little time for romance. It isn’t until around 50% the main couple share their first kiss and not too many follow that. They aren’t intimate until the very end, folks. Kalila’s conflict over what to do about Dax, another V’alkara who near the end insisted/almost had her convinced she was supposed to wind up with him, had me doing a doubletake and, for just a second, worried. You see, Dax needed her nightmares, as well. It was briefly implied she contemplated asking Lydon if he would be OK with her doing whatever was necessary to help Dax, which, I’m pretty sure meant an intimate encounter. Fortunately, that never occurred, and Dax gets his own HEA in the next book.

There are quite a few unexpected twists and turns, heart-stopping moments, some gruesome, graphic violence/even torture, one attempted rape scene, even a little bit of humor (I giggled aloud when Kalila contemplated dreaming about the V’alkara bad guys having pillow fights, wearing fluffy robes, and playing with puppies), but ultimately a HEA for Kalila and Lydon. For this avid true romantic at heart, that’s what ultimately matters.

Beautifully Burned, the next book, now awaits. I’m debating whether to give myself some space before delving into more dark V’alkara drama though. It will feature Dax finding getting a dreamcaster of his own.

Title: Wonderfully Wicked, Series: The Dreamcaster Series (Book 1), Author: C.J. Burright, Pages: 263, stand-alone but part of a series, paranormal romance, heroine is a virgin, only a few steamy scenes, one attempted rape scene, implied past inappropriate touching by a foster parent, push each other way, only a couple very steamy scenes, hero risks it all to save his girl, gruesome/graphic violence/torture, no cheating, no love triangle, no OW/OM drama, V'alkara need dreamcaster's nightmares.

Book 1 - Wonderfully Wicked, 10/27/15, Pages: 263, (Kalila and Lydon)
Book 2 - Beautifully Burned, 8/23/16, Pages: 274 (Dax and Ella)

(This review is based on ARC ebook received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest, unbiased opinion. No monetary compensation was made. There is no relationship/affiliation between the reviewer and the author/publisher.)

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

(I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review).

In a week fraught with chaos, sleepless nights, and the general stress of getting an entire website and blog rebuilt, I needed a good distraction. Usually I would go for something light and funny, maybe a good YA romance, but with a review schedule to keep that just wasn't going to happen. As it turns out, WONDERFULLY WICKED was a wonderful distraction to make me forget everything else while I was reading.

Characters: If you haven't noticed, we have a thing for sass here at the Dragon Blog, and holy hopping hell-bunnies did C.J. ever deliver some sassy characters. Seriously, if I use the term 'sweetness' when addressing someone, it's all C.J.'s fault. Lydon v'al Endrian is a character full of mystery. He's handsome, deadly, dangerous, and utterly charming depending on the moment. Kalila is just the type of female character I love to find. She's tough, sassy, vulnerable, and full of heart. These are characters you can't help but want to get to know better.

Relationships: There was so much to love in the relationship between Kalila and Lydon. The dynamic between the two of them was like nothing I've read before. There were a few other relationships throughout the book that made the story even better. Mel and Kalila were great. Every girl needs that one friend that might as well be a sister, and to see that written into a story was great. Then there's Lydon and Gwen. The history there is awesome.

World Building: The details of the world of dreamcasters and V'alkara were woven into the story. Don't expect to go into this book understanding how it all fits together. There is much to learn, and much that we learn right along with Kalila. The way C.J. wrote it works. She drew me into this rather insane and terrifying world, and I loved it.

Too Perfect or Perfectly Flawed: In a world where the heroine would really just like a good night's sleep without her nightmares wreaking havoc, there was no pretense of simple perfection here. The flaws in these characters and their choices made for a perfectly compelling story.

Jen's Final Rating: 5 STARS full of wonderful sass for a story that kept me guessing. When does the next book come out?

Psychocat's Final Rating: 5 CLAWS - She found a couple of characters to admire for all the wrong reasons. Seriously? This cat has major issues. C.J., can you send me the address for the Alderwood? I have a package to send them.

[Emmeline (The Book Herald) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book from Ravenrock Publishing, LLC via NG in return for an honest review.

"A woman whose nightmares made her valuable to the V'alkara, made her quarry. Made her dangerous."

Kalila Montgomery doesn't know what the heck is going on.
Her life has never been normal, her nightmares literally come into fruition, and if that's not creepy enough, the beau of her dreams...well, is technically going to murder her.
Nice...real nice.
The V'alkara are a race that survive on nightmares, if they don't, they shrivel into hollow shells of nothingness.
So when one night Kalila is woken up and creatures from her nightmares lends a hand in her abduction, she has not idea what to do.
Especially when Lydon v'al Endrian waltzes his way into her affections.

Okay, so this book. It was nice, it's very, very romantic.
As in, 95% of the book is romance.
So sometimes i just stared at the words and went.."oh dear..."
However, if very romantic and dramatic are your thing then you will thoroughly enjoy this one.
Not to say i didn't like it, i appreciated the story, i liked the originality and the writing.
However, there is insta-love. Fair warning.

The characters were interesting. To be perfectly honest, while i enjoyed the book, i didn't really connect with the characters, nor did i agonize over their plight.
...Lydon, i have a bit of a love-hate relationship with him and the same goes with Kalila.

Their characters are multifaceted if that makes sense, there's not simple surface description for them.
Apart from the fact that Lydon is your typical dark and brooding character with a sensitive loving soul. Despite the horrors he committed which were actually kind of omitted from this story and not really described as much. It's just implied that he did really awful things.
However, because it didn't go in depth on what those things were, i didn't feel a sense of redemption from this love story...ya know?

This book, I would say is NA due to some mature contents within.

Well that's that!

Stay Awesome my lovelies!

-The Book Herald
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[Meradeth Houston · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm sitting here trying to find the best way to put my review and having a little trouble with it. Considering I generally don't have any trouble saying what I thought about a book, this puzzles me. It's mainly because I'm a bit torn on Wonderfully Wicked: there were aspects that I utterly loved and couldn't get enough of, and others that I just wanted *more* of. First off, lets start with what I loved: the concept behind this story is utterly fascinating, original (at least to me) and really caught my attention. Also, Kalila (a very interesting name, btw) struck me as interesting and entertaining with her inner dialogue. I liked her instantly and found her arc to fit just right. Now, the thing that I found myself wanting more of was delving deeper into the world that these people live in. It seemed incredibly interesting and I just wanted, well, more insight. I recognize that Kalila didn't have access to a lot of information, but Lydon did, and I felt like there could have been a bit more background on their origins, what other sorts of things they do, and well, just general stuff. I guess I was just curious to find out more :) Anyhow, overall this was a seriously interesting book and Lydon was quite a lot of fun (I almost wrote dreamy, but the pun there was just too much!), and distinctly yummy (even if he needed to be hit over the head a few times due to his actions). Definitely one to check out if you can!

[Mana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quickie review: This is a great paranormal read with unique creatures and characters that you'll fall in love with. The concept alone is reason enough to read this novel, but it also great steamy scenes between the two MCs.

In-depth review:
I was sent a copy of this book for an honest review and I have to say I LOVE it. I devoured it within a day and I wish I would have paced myself.

The story itself deals with dreams, prophets, and creatures able to manipulate nightmares. It is action packed, which can sometimes leave the reader confused with information overload. But a quarter way through the book, you'll be sold on the characters and the world.

What had to be the best part is the protagonist. Not only is she spunky, smart, and fierce despite her 5'2" frame, but she's a virgin AND that doesn't annoy me. I have been so tired of the virginal protagonists in the new adult world that I was honestly surprised that I didn't care until I figured out why. Her virginity didn't define her. Lils wasn't mousy or timid. She was always strong even if she was unsure or new to something. She's such a strong protagonist despite everything being against her favor which might make her on of my favorite characters.

The original premise and world will have you reeling from this actions driven plot that has its fair share of steamy scenes and a satisfying ending that is hopefully opening up the possibility for more installments.

[Olivia · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Wonderfully Wicked" is a perfectly titled book, which creates a world of dreamcasters, prophets, and V'alkara. The V'alkara are a species which have lesions in their brains that cause them not to dream and thus are prone to insanity and a short lifespan. Dreamcasters project dreams which can be used to feed the V'alkara but also frighten your average mortals. Kalila is a dreamcaster who has been plagued by nightmares for as long as she can remember. Lydon is a V'alkara who was sent to retrieve Kalila and bring her back to be harvested and killed. However, upon meeting her, there is some insta-love and he cannot do it and seeks to protect her instead.

Kalila has a unique voice which makes her seem pretty flippant at times (sometimes inappropriate times). The insta-love is always a little hard for me to believe, but Burright has made it into a bond thing that was destined and caused the instant connection/lust (described as them being salt and pepper shakers, which I enjoyed). The plot was so amazing and these new types of characters so interesting, I don't think I needed the romance aspects, but it was believable by the end of the book.

Overall, it's a light and fun read that will make you laugh, roll your eyes, and continue reading right until the end! Please note that I received this book through netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

[P Leslie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book from net gallery for an honest review.

Kalila is a dreamcaster but she dreams of a day when she can get rid of the curse of having awful nightmares.

Lydon is a V'alkara and they feed off nightmares cast by dreamcasters. He's been assigned to keep tabs on her and eventually bring her in to extract and harvest her dreams. However, he doesn't anticipate the powerful emotions he feels for her. He wants everything from her but to help her she must trust him and ultimately claim him.

Can Kallila trust Lydon? Will he succeed in keeping her safe?

This was an incredible story, which was intense, exciting, yet it warmed and broke your heart. I liked Kalila: she's feisty, defiant and strong minded. Lydon was intense, chilling, yet caring and protective. Both complemented each other nicely and neither were overbearing. The book provides both of their perspectives which was very insightful. My heart broke towards the end - Lydon proves his worth by making the ultimate sacrifice. Lydon frees and protects her from her nightmares whereas, Kalila saves Lydon from the darkness that haunts him.

Beautiful yet powerful story and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it. The author has written an exceptional book and I really liked her writing style. I'm definitely adding her to my favourite author list.

[Ishita · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was definitely an intriguing book to start off after my spree on romance reviews. The main story run along a thin line bordering dreams and reality. The fantasy element was dealt with right from the start of the first chapter, and it definitely kept me captivated enough to finish the book in one single day. The plot line is fast paced with complete justice done to mystical and fantastical elements which kept the setting alive for me.

The characters of Kalila Blake and Lydon v’al Endrian were given a promising start right from the beginning and each character has been beautifully detailed out as you leaf through the story. Introducing new characters hints of a promising success to future Dreamcaster series, which has actually excited me for more.

The elements of the story may have been mystical and fictional, however the story actually makes sense because of the simplicity of the language and a clear flow throughout the narrative. I had no complaints with the entirety of the book, however the cover image does not justify the title and the story of the book. It looks way too simple and detracts from the theme of dreams.

My opinion: This is definitely a better version of fantasy than what Twilight offered.

My rating: 4 out of 5

[Kyra Halland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Breathtakingly romantic and exciting contemporary fantasy, Wonderfully Wicked follows Kalila, who has been haunted by realistic nightmares all her life, as she falls into danger - and love - with a mysterious man who appeared as her killer in her dreams. Lydon is not what she expected - he might not even be human, and he has other ideas about what to do with her than kill her. With Lydon, Kalila discovers the truth behind her nightmares and the strange destiny ahead of her.

The writing is vivid, the characters sharp and well-drawn. Sometimes I wished Kalila had a little bit less of a chip on her shoulder, but given her background (a childhood and adolescence spent bouncing from one dysfunctional foster home to another), I can see why she'd be wary even when the evidence says she doesn't have to be. Lydon is dreamy (no pun intended) and tormented, and even when his actions appeared to be those of the evil man Kalila feared he was, I just knew that deep down inside, in spite of himself, he was honorable.

Wonderfully Wicked is a lot of fun, and I look forward to more of Kalila and Lydon's adventures.

[Linda Rea · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved the idea of this book, it wasn't what I expected at first. I thought it was going to go so far into fantasy that I would get confused but I didn't. It's a story of a woman Kalila and the nightmares that she has had since she was five years old. Lydon appears in her dreams and he is trying to kill her. She has a best friend Melanie that is a future seer and she see good things about Lydon in Kalilas dreams. Lydon appears in her awake state and uses one of her own dreams to convince her to trust him and that others like him are out to get her. She trusts him but they have to take Mel with them to save her too.
Everything that happens really happens in a dream state and the underlying problem is you aren't sure where reality begins and dreams end. There are lots of different characters along the way that help Kalila and Lydon but also confuse them so they are not sure where their loyalties lie. I would ruin the story if I tell you more but my eyes did water from time to time.
Reviewed on behalf of Once Upon an Alpha

[Rhenna Morgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such an enjoyable book! It’s tough to find unique concepts in the paranormal genre, but CJ Burright has managed to do just that with Wonderfully Wicked. The concept is fresh, the writing easy on the “ears”, and the descriptions vivid. Her characters are likeable and well-developed, each having their own uniqueness.

I think the thing she does best though is tension. Well, tension and brooding heroes.  The chemistry between Kalila and Lydon kicked off quick and kept me turning the pages. I can’t tell you how many times I growled—in a good way—wanting the two to find their way to each other.
I’d highly recommend the purchase. It’s a solid read all the way around.

[Gabby (What's Beyond Forks?) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full Review at: What's Beyond Forks?

Wonderfully Wicked is the first book in The Wicked Series by C.J. Burright. This book had me so completely entranced, it was crazy. I loved every bit of it. Dreamcasters are used and ultimately killed by the V'alkara. Lydon and Kalila were snarky and sarcastic. They're bantering was fun and witty. I couldn't get enough. Wonderfully Wicked was dark, and seductive, and very unexpected. I loved it! I

Wonderfully Wicked by C.J. Burright was kindly provided to me by the author for review. The opinions are my own.

[Sofiraindrop · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review by NetGalley.
She hates nightmares and he rejoices in them, but can they work together towards their goal?
This book was the perfect length and I loved the characters! And that ending left me thirsty for more!! I'm going to read the second one for sure!
The one thing that really got on my nerves was how he was supposed to be 'calculating' but almost everything was spur of the moment. That didn't make sense to me. Other than that, it was pretty well-rounded.
This book is perfect if you are looking for adventure with sweet romance and loyal friendships. A little fantasy with that, and tachán! A great YA was born.

[Speed · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the world that Burright introduced me too. I was delighted and did not put the book down until I was finished. I loved Lydon's wit, bravery, protective,bad boy but sweetly vulnerable personality towards Kalila. The story weaved a world of dreams and at times I was hard pressed to decipher what was a dream and what was actually happening. But that's the genius in this book, you have to think and make your mind adapt to what you're reading. It was intriguing and I liked it a lot.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book in exchange for my honest review. I loved reading about Kalila and Lydon. Will he be able to save her form the V’alkara? Lydon is literally the man of her dreams but can she trust him and that he want to save her?

[Pamela · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rated 3.5