Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book

Kings of Afterlife #1

Vincent's Immortal Curse: Kings of Afterlife Book 1

Rate this book
Being faced with an uncertain future is nothing new for Ari, not when you lived each day under the control of a demonic cult. But now Ari lives with a new enemy and one she can no longer run from…her past.But soon she will discover that even her past can cling to their future and hold it captive in the form of a curse. So, with a murderer lurking in the shadows of their past and an Angel on the hunt, a killer is not the only thing out there for Vincent to find.For many lives are at stake but only one of those has the power to break an immortal curse and now Ari must decide, will she run from it and chance giving up her future or will she run straight into The Arms of a cursed… Angel King. ‘If there is one thing the past has taught us, it is that we can be immortalised in the things we create.’ Vincent Draven.

401 pages, Paperback

First published August 3, 2018

504 people are currently reading
780 people want to read

About the author

Stephanie Hudson

196 books2,319 followers
Stephanie Hudson is a #1 Amazon bestselling Author. She had dreamed of being a writer ever since her obsession with reading books at an early age. What first became a quest to overcome the boundaries set against her in the form of dyslexia, has turned into a life's dream.

Afterlife is the first book in the series of 12 books, with the story of Keira and Draven becoming ever more complicated in a world that sets them miles apart. The Transfusion Saga will also be a 12 book series once book 12 is released in May 2021. Other spin -off books and series are also available with lots more planned.

When not writing, Stephanie enjoys chatting with her fans and spending time with her friends. Being with her loving family as much as she can including her wonderful daughter Ava, sons Jack and Halen and supportive husband and personal muse Blake, who is there for her no matter what.



Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
1,150 (69%)
4 stars
336 (20%)
3 stars
128 (7%)
2 stars
29 (1%)
1 star
16 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 101 reviews
Profile Image for Marley.
191 reviews1 follower
August 6, 2018
What happened?

I loved the afterlife saga but this was definitely not on that level in the least. It kept jumping time way too much that I was rolling my eyes and smacking my kindle. What made those two ten times worse- causing my husband to be concerned that I’d gone mad- was the pages of detail we didn’t need. I’m all for detail but it requires a few sentences and I’m good. Not paragraph after paragraph. Then on top of that was the constant battle of Ari’s mind. I get it I really do. You want to bone Vincent I don’t need pages of the same thing chapter after chapter after chapter with no story since once again too much description was involved- not the good kind ladies, sorry! The best part for me was the cliffhanger and the book Stephanie and Blake are writing together. Hopefully the next will improve I’m going to try it just because it’s Stephanie but this just felt off, rushed, and chaotic.
Profile Image for Delphine.
316 reviews
August 8, 2018
2.5
Stephanie's strengths lie in character and world building. Her imagination is incredible - of that there is no doubt.

The issues with this book are largely down to pacing and—to put it simply—too many words. The more wordy a book, the slower the pace. Nothing happens for the first 20% of the book, but then it does improve. Inner monologue is all well and good when it is helping the reader understand the character, but it needs to be something more than filler otherwise the voice can sound like a whiney teenager. Compound this with the overwhelming number of grammatical mistakes and typos and the end result is a reader who is completely detracted from the story itself.

This book has incredible potential. It could be great.

Profile Image for Elodie.
Author 49 books203 followers
September 11, 2018
I was seriously torn about how many stars to give. For nearly a decade now, I’ve followed Stephanie on the Afterlife Saga journey, swallowing each book in the series within days. Of course, expectations are insanely high now.
Reading Vincent’s Immortal Curse was one hell of a ride for me. Starting the book, I was super thrilled. When I read more about the curse, I became angry because I couldn’t help but notice that Stephanie used the same plot as Lauren Kate in her Fallen Series (attention spoiler) with Ari being one of the fallen angels who, more or less, starts a new life every time, something that goes on for centuries. I was glad to see that the story veered off into another direction at some point, but then it started to drag a little. I love Stephanie’s writing style because she likes to point out every detail which makes her world and characters so realistic, but sometimes she tends to exaggerate (I don’t need 2 pages describing how jittery she feels with Vincent being in the same room, I’ve read all about that in the previous 9 books).
I’ve noticed a lot of reviewers pointed out that the jumps through present and past annoyed them. I love these things actually, and the way Stephanie used them gave great insight into what happened back in 1888, but, to be honest, sometimes it was a little much and frustrating as she tended to cut off the most exciting chapters. This was also what happened at the end, in my opinion. I have nothing against cliff-hangers, but this was no end at all if you ask me, and left way too many questions. The way the curse works is that they forget about their time as soon as they sleep with each other, right? So why is the curse suddenly only about Vincent “falling for an angel without wings”? Clearly, Ari is cursed just the same… very confusing.
And, even if it doesn’t have anything to do with this book, I was a lot more confused about the sneak-peek into “Devil In Me”. Should this be Book2 in Vincent’s story? Or something else entirely? Didn’t get it.
Also, I know that Stephanie’s book covers have always been quite “different”, but this cover didn’t call to me at all. You’d never guess what kind of genre lies behind that wrap-up. I would have thought it to be a YA book.
All the questions and nagging aside because pointing out the negative is always easier, the story was good, and I was relieved to finally understand why Ari and Vincent struggle so much with their relationship.
Dear Stephanie, I will always read all the books you produce because I love them with all my heart - I just hope you don’t get lost into your own world!
Profile Image for Toni.
1,507 reviews4 followers
May 1, 2021
Loved this book...but was hoping that it would not be continued... but alas, I will just have to read it again when the next one comes out.
Profile Image for Porsha.
29 reviews
September 8, 2018
Glad I didn't purchase this!

I chose to borrow this book for free from the kindle library after ready some of the reviews, and I'm happy I did. I've waited forever to finally get Vincent's story, and this was not it. This book was 10% Vincent and 90% Ari. The majority of the book is Ari running away from Vincent and having flash backs of her many former lives. Which yes, we needed her back story, but it shouldn't have monopolized this entire novel that I took from the title was suppose to be about Vincent. So at the end of this story, we still know absolutely nothing about Vincent other then he is cursed. No how's or why, just cursed. And it ends with a cliff hanger! Again this is Ari's story, not Vincent's. And if I'm honest about it, it was quit boring and in my opinion the worse book in this series. For those interested in reading this story, I say save yourself a few bucks and borrow it from the kindle library. If you don't have kindle unlimited, but own an actual kindle and have Amazon prime, your allowed one book borrow a month with kindle unlimited books. Hopefully part 2 of this story will actually be about Vincent.
Profile Image for Eve.
11 reviews
March 31, 2025
Gripping but leaves you wanting more

Vincent Immortal Course by Stephanie Hudson truly delivers a captivating story. The depth of Vincent and Arianna's characters allows readers to connect with them on a more profound level. Their journey is beautifully portrayed and further enriched through detailed storytelling, which I truly appreciated.

However, the dreaded cliffhanger strikes again—a narrative device that has left me somewhat disheartened. Since 2018, there's been no resolution, and it's frustrating to feel like these threads remain unfinished for years. I hesitated to start reading it, suspecting that I'd be left in the same situation, yearning for closure. This hesitation stemmed from past experiences with Stephanie Hudson's series. While the Afterlife series, Transfusion, and Hellbeast were immensely enjoyable and filled with dynamic characters and plots, works like Afterlife Academy and The Shadow Imp left lingering questions due to unresolved cliffhangers. Waiting so long for the continuation of a story diminishes its impact and leaves readers in a constant state of disappointment.

I would also like to address the pacing of the book. At times, it feels weighed down by filler content—unnecessary internal monologues, overly detailed descriptions of surroundings, or repetitive dialogue that doesn’t add significant value to the plot. These elements can make the book feel drawn out and cause readers like myself to skip through sections, searching for the substance that truly drives the story forward. Unfortunately, such moments detract from the overall enjoyment and dilute the power of the narrative.

As someone who refrains from reading reviews before diving into books, I base my choices heavily on ratings. While the ratings for Vincent Immortal Course were promising, the reading experience didn’t entirely meet expectations due to these drawbacks.

Let’s hope that in the future, Stephanie Hudson listens to her readers who anxiously await closure to stories like this one. Her imaginative worlds and compelling characters have such incredible potential, and tying up cliffhangers would elevate the reading experience for her devoted fans. Additionally, we hope she doesn’t forget the steamy, passionate moments we’ve come to love in her earlier works—they're an essential part of the connection we feel with the characters and their journeys, and seem to be dwindling as her stories progress. Here's to seeing these elements thrive again while enjoying the captivating resolutions her readers long for!
89 reviews4 followers
November 13, 2018
First, I have throughly enjoyed the Afterlife series. I was slightly disappointed at how many things were left open considering it was supposed to be the ending. However, knowing there would be a spinoff or 2 made me simmer down.

Sadly, I wasn't a fan of the YA Afterlife. It just confused me even more than I already was. I really wasn't excited for Vincent and Ari's story because I just can't make myself like Ari, but I needed to see if any progress was made in the storyline. Reading this story didn't change my opinion of Ari much at all and actually made me like Vincent a little less. The biggest disappointment is that I really expected there to be 1 book for each king and progress made towards all of the hangers from the Afterlife series. It was a TBC ending! Why? I'm just so sad that this fabulous series is turning into a sitcom. I truly understand the need for suspense in a series but there are just so many now. It just seems like there's just too many storylines open at one time. I get that everyone's ending it tied together but There should be a way to tell each story with some amount of closure at the end of each book. For example, this book. I just can't see any reason for a part 2 because from the beginning until almost the end was everything we already knew about the pair. This book should have begun with the ending and then completed.

Lucius is who I've been most excited to read more about but I see that it's a saga. Don't get me wrong. Keep Afterlife rolling but put some of the pieces in place while doing so. My main point is these stories don't seem like a spinoff at all. They are the Afterlife series without their main characters. If these books were steadily released under a month apart it would be acceptable but of course that's not possible. I'm positive that I read all of the books pertaining to the Afterlife series but I've lost the anticipation that I always had. I will most likely wait until they have all been written.
Profile Image for MaD.
717 reviews
November 14, 2018
So....I actually finished reading this awhile ago, but wanted to take my time, mull over the story, before leaving a review. Like most Afterlife readers, my first thought when I heard the title, I assumed we were going to delve into Vincent - his past, present, future - as he has been with us since we first met Kiera and the Draven's - learn as much about him as we now know Dom. Other reviews show readers disappointed. Not me!


Reading this story, it IS mainly about Ari - her past and present and the "connection" that she and Vincent share. But, in thinking, how is this different than the beginning of Afterlife? Afterlife starts with us learning about Kiera, her past and her meeting the Dravens. We don't truly learn much about Dom and their "connection" until the saga continues. Obviously, Ari is important and plays a central role in Vincent's life, so we need more information on her.

A lot of description and background? Yes. We have a new life to learn and I think that just adds to the overall picture. I can also appreciate how we get to find out what was happening between Ari and Vincent when they took off on Kiera and Dom to help Ari "find herself" - not a repeat of what occurred on both sides but what the reader was wondering while reading Kiera and Dom's story.

I don't know why I thought the "Kings" books would be one and done - impossible with the length of their lives! And, I, for one, cannot wait to uncover their stories.

Well done Stephanie - keep em' coming!
Profile Image for Tina.
960 reviews6 followers
October 15, 2021
Ok so I was a little unsure whether to read this, so many negative reviewers going on and on about going back and forth through Ari’s life but I didn’t find that an issue, every time it happened you knew it, the author made sure it was known. You also needed this to start to understand Ari’s life so we could finally see what she is, and why Vincent’s life is so tied to hers. No spoilers here as you need to read this to finally see what their relationship is.
I did find the story a bit slow but I’ll assume based on the ending that this is about to liven up, plus it was needed for Ari and Vincent’s story. We needed their history!!! It’s obviously a very long one, with so many unknowns. It was interesting to see this perspective, seeing Vincent in his role, and seeing how dominant he is, just like his brother, regardless of being an Angel. I always knew Ari was different but I never imagined how important she is to Vincent, or how the Hexad would change so many aspects for both Ari and Keira. Looking forward to seeing where this story goes. Loads of angst in this read, lots of sexual tension for reasons understandable in this read. It’s also very obvious how in love both Ari and Vincent are, some cute moments, and some banter. Some nice characters, very little from our favourite Dravens but I’m hoping this will change as the story continues. Slow start but I see this story hotting up.
Profile Image for Rachel .
2,250 reviews1 follower
October 4, 2018
Awesome start to the spin off series from the Afterlife Saga. We met Vincent a long time ago and if you're like me you wanted to know more about this mysterious sexy guy. We met Ari when she is lost and hurt, and has no idea who or what she is. With this book we get to go back to that first moment we met Ari and from her point of view, what her and Vincent have been up to on their search for answers. Loved everything about this book, new and exciting information where we see the Past and what it could mean. Ari is sweet, sassy and strong. Beautiful scenes that will make you love her more as we get to see more of her personality outside of Keira. Vincent is sexy, charming and intense. Every moment with him made him my new favorite. Each scene flowed naturally and made sense with where they are now. And if you wanted some answers we definitely get them along with some new questions that were exciting. As for the Afterlife Saga timeline, we still jump into the Past for these two but their current Present time is still after 'Cult Of The Hexad' happened, so we still need to get up to date to 'Happy Ever Afterlife Part 2 - Afterlife Saga' which I think will happen in the next book. Don't worry there is no recapping or repeat scenes, everything is all new content. If this is where the new spin-off series is leading to, then I am so excited. Can't wait for the next.
Profile Image for elisabeth rutman.
2 reviews
August 23, 2021
My 14th book in a row by this Author-

My main genre of reading is historical fiction, although after weeks of super heavy reading I like to take a break and read something I consider “fun”, a book where I can simply just read it without feeling the need to set it aside while I pick up my laptop excitedly learning about any tiny detail I may not know about from the section of history I’m reading.
I had the Afterlife book one in my library for a year, and figured “why not?”
Push ahead to reading, with a complete obsession, the 12 books in the series. Then like a total geek, the next two books which are about the same series but from the main Male protagonist(who taught me things about myself that I wish I could explore..sigh.)
Finally with no where else to go, like a lost puppy needing just one more scratch, I read THIS book!

YES, it does not disappoint. However, I would not recommend it for someone not already familiar with the background these people have come from. If a person simply picked up this book on kindle, and started to read it, I believe they might find many aspects very confusing….
As someone who read the series, not only was this book needed, but when it ended I almost screamed!!
Of course a complete cliffhanger, Stephanie Hudson Style!!
When of when will we get more of the “Kings” series, and know their “to be continued!!!

If you love Afterlife-read it
If you haven’t read Afterlife, read it NOW, then read this book.
Enjoy
Profile Image for Donna.
1,753 reviews1 follower
March 9, 2023
Vincent was one of my favorite characters in other books as he seemed level headed and compassionate. Not so much here. I’m not a fan of the dominate/submissive sex play for him and Ari. Aside from that, I can usually stay focused on a book despite minor interruptions. Not this one. Even without outside interference I find myself having to re-read sentences and paragraphs. It’s just not holding my interest.

Why in hell’s name doesn’t Ari tell Vincent about the curse? How does keeping it a secret benefit them?

When Vincent and Ari visit her former neighbor, doesn’t anyone besides me find it odd that both Lily and Ari’s “boyfriends” were named Vincent? Mrs. M doesn’t seem to catch that little glitch. Chapter 10 - Lily: “His name is Vincent, which he told me today means ’to conquer’ in Latin.”
Chapter 9 - “Yes, I’m Ari and my...um...” “I’m the boyfriend and my name is Vincent,” he added helping me out with the terminology.

The ending is stupid. Ari has already committed suicide in the past and it didn’t break the curse so why does she think it will this time? The Oracle told her she needed to attend the wedding in London (Dom/Keira) which will be a bit difficult if she’s dead.

This book was published in 2018. Where’s the sequel?
272 reviews3 followers
September 23, 2018
I love, love, love, The Afterlife Saga, I am a true Dravenite, but I was really disappointed in this book. I am a Kindle Unlimited member, so i'm glad I didn't pay for this book, I was able to read this book for free. "Vincent's Immortal Curse" was really not Vincent's story, but more Arianna's story. Ninety percent of the book was about her and her back story, there was not a lot of Vincent's story being told. Draven popped in from time to time, and Kiera was mentioned. This book ended with a lot of unanswered questions. There was an excerpt for the next book, "Devil In Me", but now I am confused, b/c it doesn't look like this book is the continuation of Ari and Vincent's story. Also, there are a bunch of spin-off books coming for each of the supporting characters in The Afterlife Series. I feel when an author has an outstanding series, and when that series ends, they should move on to something else, instead of writing a bunch of spin-offs, that usually aren't as good as the original series. I will be moving on from The Afterlife series, I just want to remember it as the wonderful series it is, and I suggest anyone who hasn't read it, should.
Profile Image for Peta-gay.
7 reviews
February 21, 2021
I didnt have much time this week to it read it myself as I was extremely busy. So I got the audio book and that's where my trouble started the narration was terrible she made the character's voice's that of a bad tv show from the 80's. Now for the story itself I don't know what happen with this story Vincent is one of my favorite characters, so when in this with high expectations let face Stephanie knows how to build a character but thos one was a fail with first 20% of the book being nothing but fluff to build the story the next bit was all the back-and-forth in time usually with not much new information the best part was what the Oracle had to say and ending with the cliffhangar. It could have been better hopefully the next one is.
Profile Image for Katrina.
1,364 reviews6 followers
February 16, 2021
Slow confusing start but picks up

I love stephs books but I put off reading this one as I wasn’t overly excited to read Vincent’s story. He was never one of my favourite characters and as he’s dravens brother in afterlife I didn’t think I’d be comfortable reading about his sex life.

The first few chapters were really confusing, it kept jumping about in the timeline and jumping between dreams/visions and reality. From about chapter 9 it got into a flow and picked up pace. By the end of the book I was sucked into the story and left wanting more. I will be reading the second book when it comes out
19 reviews1 follower
September 30, 2021
Hi Stephanie,
Just read this book, well all of them actually, I'm waiting for the next in this series, I'm very curious where Ari went when the girls went back in time. I thought they might have addressed it in this book but alas I will wait for the next. I liked this one. It was good to get some background on Vincent and Ari. I'm hoping to hear more about this curse and who would have been strong enough to place it as well as what Ari may have done to get into this status.Sorry trying not to put any spoilers in but I want to know how she came to be seeing how she was such a nice person and all. Hoping to keep reading more on this world and the next as you've made a fan out of me.
LeeAnn
324 reviews5 followers
October 27, 2018
epic as always 💖

Ohh how I love you Stephanie Hudson 😍.

This book gives us an insight in to ari's history we get chapters from the past as well as the present. We also get both points of views from both characters so we aren't missing a single thing. I really enjoyed ari and Vincent's story and i can't wait to see what happens next with them 😬. so much drama and passion all crammed in to one book this read is not to be missed.

don't forget to start with the amazing afterlife series first.
256 reviews4 followers
July 19, 2021
Fantastic read. So worth the wait.

I’ve loved Vincent from the beginning of the Afterlife saga. This story was without doubt one of my favourite reads this year.
Vincent has found his chosen but not under the best of circumstances.
Ari is trying to find out who she is. With Vincent’s help they unravel bits of her past along with the visions Ari gets things are starting to come together. However it’s not Ari that’s cursed it’s Vincent, but who has placed the curse?
I absolutely devoured this book. Hugely recommended to all who have read the Afterlife saga
Profile Image for Candace Tidwell.
326 reviews36 followers
August 8, 2018
Finally! Vincent's story is here.
Stephanie has once again written a superb addition to the Afterlife world. I dont know about you guys but this is one series and author that I just cannot get enough of.
Are you ready for answers? Well you may get a few but you also may have more questions when you finish reading this book. Either way, you will love it! Ari and Vincent's story is just beginning and it's going to be a wild ride. Buy the book and buckle in.
Profile Image for Mirinda Turner.
323 reviews
April 20, 2021
Ari and Vincent

This one took me a minute to get in the groove but once I did, well, it flew by as usual. I’ve been excitedly waiting for Vincent’s story. Loved every minute of it. It’s been great to get to know both Ari and Vincent’s characters. So when is the next one coming out? How long will my torture last before the next one is here? Absolutely love Stephanie Hudson’s books!!
Profile Image for Tara Dorough.
1,283 reviews4 followers
August 9, 2022
Vincent and Arianna's Story

Vincent's Immortal Curse, Kings of Afterlife book 1 by Stephanie Hudson finally let's us inside Vincent and Ari's story. It's full of twist and turns, ups and downs and love and heartache. I have it 4 stars only because the story seemed to drag on for too long before finally getting to the point. The point was worth the wait though. I can't wait to see what happens next as it ended on a cliffhanger.
Profile Image for Glenna Doss-Etzwiler.
71 reviews1 follower
May 28, 2024
I really enjoyed getting a glimpse into Vincent and Ari’s life while away from Afterlife. It filled in so many blanks and things just clicked as they not only look into Ari’s past, but discover things about Vincent’s past as well. There’s definitely some spice and I’ve so been waiting to see Vincent’s Bad Boy Side. He may be an angel but only outside of the bedroom. My only complaint is that this book ends on a cliffhanger and I really hope there will be a book 2.
Profile Image for Toni.
33 reviews2 followers
December 1, 2018
As always, I love Stephanie Hudson's writing and I am so pleased to be starting another journey with these wonderful Afterlife characters. I felt this missed some humour like the Afterlife saga, but understand there is scene setting before that can happen.
She has certainly left us with another cliffhanger, (grrrrrr) but can't wait to get my teeth into book 2!
15 reviews
December 2, 2020
After I read Afterlife, I read Vincent and Drave.. OMG these are awesome to read! I really wish their were more. Vincents Story needs to be completed (someday soon hopefully) and if Stephanie has time (in her seriously busy book schedule) I would love to read more of the "men's" versions of the story!
Transfusion from Lucius' point of view !
16 reviews9 followers
February 13, 2021
I very much enjoyed this book and Stephanie’s books, I am only giving it a 4/5 because I’m slightly disappointed. The book came out in 2018, it’s 2021 now, I just read all the Afterlife books and just read this which was labeled as book 1 of 1 only to reach the end and it say “To be continued...” had i known I would have moved on to the Transfusion series first. I hope book 2 comes out soon.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for V R.
33 reviews
June 2, 2022
Great

Amazing, it was hard to follow the story line when the characters are having flashbacks in different time period. Once the storyline got moving it was a little easier but still had to reread a few pages to make sure I was following the outline of events. Still a great read, can't wait for the next book!
151 reviews1 follower
July 27, 2022
What the H_ll!!!

I can't believe Ari and Vincent's story ends up as a continuation. I am beginning to think this author is stretching herself too thin with all the stories we waiting on to read the final stories on. Come on, how about giving us a final ending on one of these series, PLEASE🙏
1 review1 follower
November 1, 2022
Vincent and Arianna, tortured

to keep losing each other again and again. I was totally ensnared by their lives within the first 2 to 3 pages. It was intense and such a page turner. If you read any of the Afterlife Saga, you need to include this one as well. It will help to understand much of the background you feel you were missing.
1 review
November 10, 2022
Beware- No Ending

This book was published in 2018, as of 11/2022 the 2 nd book is not out. The author continues to release new books for her other series but this one must of been over looked. In the end of this book 1 it says, “to be continued” but it seems Stephanie Hudson decided it was not a priority.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 101 reviews

Can't find what you're looking for?

Get help and learn more about the design.