What do you think?
Rate this book
RELIC #3
King & Queen
Running into your one night stand is always awkward.
It’s especially awkward when said hunky hookup pulls you into a secret war over fossils and a kidnapped, newly awakened Albertosaurus shifter.
As if my life wasn’t already a mess (understatement), now I’m cruising through Canada hunting down an ancient monster who tried to kill us, attempting to get my social media career off the ground, and ignoring my feelings for my one time fling.
Royal is hot as fire, funny, brilliant and has a thing for dinosaurs almost as much as I do.
Probably because he is one.
Bonus.
It’s especially awkward when said hunky hookup pulls you into a secret war over fossils and a kidnapped, newly awakened Albertosaurus shifter.
As if my life wasn’t already a mess (understatement), now I’m cruising through Canada hunting down an ancient monster who tried to kill us, attempting to get my social media career off the ground, and ignoring my feelings for my one time fling.
Royal is hot as fire, funny, brilliant and has a thing for dinosaurs almost as much as I do.
Probably because he is one.
Bonus.
214 pages, ebook
First published May 21, 2021
66 people are currently reading
468 people want to read
About the author
Maz Maddox
44 books688 followersMaz Maddox is the odd lovechild between a unicorn, dinosaur and vampire. The outcome is a human-like figure who inherited aspects of all three. She is a champion of logic and science, adores beauty and whimsy, and has a slight streak of darkness that dances the line of genius and insanity.
Residing in the wild land of cowboy boots and Shiner beer, Maz spends her time with her two dogs and a husband who she adores, and is constantly demanding that science gives her a pocket sized triceratops. The efforts of these demands have yet to be fulfilled.
When she’s not pining over the lack of chihuahua sized ornithischia, she’s a writer who loves crafting adventures tales sprinkled with humor, a hefty helping of romance, and topped with a happy ending.
Residing in the wild land of cowboy boots and Shiner beer, Maz spends her time with her two dogs and a husband who she adores, and is constantly demanding that science gives her a pocket sized triceratops. The efforts of these demands have yet to be fulfilled.
When she’s not pining over the lack of chihuahua sized ornithischia, she’s a writer who loves crafting adventures tales sprinkled with humor, a hefty helping of romance, and topped with a happy ending.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 348 reviews
June 14, 2021
I really enjoyed this third book in the RELIC series, but the first story still remains my absolute favorite.
Circumstances forced dino-shifter Royal into the field and out of his usual role as the IT "guy in the chair", which landed a very human Blaise squarely in his lap, as they tried to stop a string of robberies and save a newly-emerged T-Rex shifter from a gang of fossil thieves.
Both Royal and Blaise were a lot of fun, but I do have to admit that I enjoyed the book more after raptor shifter Dalton and his geologist boyfriend, Simon, showed up in Canada to lend a helping hand. Dalton always makes everything so much better. : )
The story was fairly steamy, almost right from the start, but the main drama centered around Blaise's fear of being left yet again, insisting that he "can't do complicated", which Royal respects and doesn't push. Well, not too much, at least.
I liked The Big Showdown scene at the club in Toronto, but I'm not the biggest fan of drag, so I would've been fine if that "La Cage aux Folles" aspect of the rescue had been left out entirely.
Of course, the story ended with the beginning of an HEA, so I was pleased with where the story left off, especially since there's a potential *new* RELIC member who might get his own book, prolonging the series a bit more.
I'd rate this one at just over 4 stars and definitely recommend it to fans of the series.
-----------------------------------------------
This book is *FREE* with Kindle Unlimited membership.
See All My Latest Reads (Review Quick-Links)
-----------------------------------------------
August 20, 2021
I really enjoyed this third book in the RELIC series, but the first story still remains my absolute favorite.
Circumstances forced dino-shifter Royal into the field and out of his usual role as the IT "guy in the chair", which landed a very human Blaise squarely in his lap, as they tried to stop a string of robberies and save a newly-emerged T-Rex shifter from a gang of fossil thieves.
Both Royal and Blaise were a lot of fun, but I do have to admit that I enjoyed the book more after raptor shifter Dalton and his geologist boyfriend, Simon, showed up in Canada to lend a helping hand. Dalton always makes everything so much better. : )
The story was fairly steamy, almost right from the start, but the main drama centered around Blaise's fear of being left yet again, insisting that he "can't do complicated", which Royal respects and doesn't push. Well, not too much, at least.
I liked The Big Showdown scene at the club in Toronto, but I'm not the biggest fan of drag, so I would've been fine if that "La Cage aux Folles" aspect of the rescue had been left out entirely.
Of course, the story ended with the beginning of an HEA, so I was pleased with where the story left off, especially since there's a potential *new* RELIC member who might get his own book, prolonging the series a bit more.
I'd rate this one at just over 4 stars and definitely recommend it to fans of the series.
-----------------------------------------------
This book is *FREE* with Kindle Unlimited membership.
See All My Latest Reads (Review Quick-Links)
-----------------------------------------------
May 25, 2021
4.5 “Ceratopsians would break your heart. Momma never warned me about that” stars
“If you come with me, with us, you wouldn’t be doing this alone. You’d be with me, with my family. We’d stand with you every step, help you find something you want to do.” I laughed. “You don’t need me to save you. You’ve proven that. But if you let me stand with you, I will. You can be my herd. I...I love you, Blaise.” “You’ve known me five minutes,” […] “That’s all it took.”
Remember how I was saying, yesterday, that I do not like shifters? Apparently that isn’t true, I do enjoy shifters, if they’re dinosaurs. Mostly a pansexual dinosaur and his human genderqueer boyfriend.
I had so much fun reading this book and I loved every second I spent reading it. And yes, I am giving this 5 stars only because it was totally ridiculous and t it made me laugh so much and I loved it for it. I had such a good time reading this book.
Brief summary
Royal is a pansexual dinosaur shifter. He’s sent to Calgary on a mission on a fossil site to see if there could be a new dinosaur shifter there. While there, he goes in a bar and he meets Blaise, who’s 26 years old and genderqueer. They have sex in the middle of the club and then go their separate ways. Turns out Blaise wants to he a science journalist and work in a museum so he goes to the fossil site too. So they meet up on the fossil site and they start a journey to find a evil bad guy who is stealing pieces out of fossils.
I don’t really have the brain power to write a really long review right now so here are some of my favourite things in the book:
▪️I loved the humour, the banter between Blaise and Royal was truely lovely
▪️Blaise had abandonment issues and I loved how Royal gave him a found family and stuck around, it was so sweet
▪️ I loved how royal saw blaise as part of his herd, damn that was so sweet.
▪️I loved how Royal was this big bad ass dinosaur but he was also so damn sweet and a good guy
▪️ Royal was so respectful of blaise and I loved it so much
▪️Blaise was really damn fierce and I loved him so much.
▪️I loved Royal in his dinosaur form, he was so sweet and protective of Blaise, it was lovely to see.
▪️I loved all the references in this, mostly the Birdcage ones and the TMNT ones.
▪️I loved when they all dressed up dinosaur themed drag queens, that was just the best.
▪️I loved how they talked about their feelings and how there wasn’t any big relationship drama at 75%, i’m always a big fan of that.
▪️I loved all of the dinosaur fights.
I had such a good time reading this book and I loved every seconds I spent reading it, this book was such a trip.
I received an ARC of this book, and this is my honest review.
“If you come with me, with us, you wouldn’t be doing this alone. You’d be with me, with my family. We’d stand with you every step, help you find something you want to do.” I laughed. “You don’t need me to save you. You’ve proven that. But if you let me stand with you, I will. You can be my herd. I...I love you, Blaise.” “You’ve known me five minutes,” […] “That’s all it took.”
Remember how I was saying, yesterday, that I do not like shifters? Apparently that isn’t true, I do enjoy shifters, if they’re dinosaurs. Mostly a pansexual dinosaur and his human genderqueer boyfriend.
I had so much fun reading this book and I loved every second I spent reading it. And yes, I am giving this 5 stars only because it was totally ridiculous and t it made me laugh so much and I loved it for it. I had such a good time reading this book.
Brief summary
Royal is a pansexual dinosaur shifter. He’s sent to Calgary on a mission on a fossil site to see if there could be a new dinosaur shifter there. While there, he goes in a bar and he meets Blaise, who’s 26 years old and genderqueer. They have sex in the middle of the club and then go their separate ways. Turns out Blaise wants to he a science journalist and work in a museum so he goes to the fossil site too. So they meet up on the fossil site and they start a journey to find a evil bad guy who is stealing pieces out of fossils.
I don’t really have the brain power to write a really long review right now so here are some of my favourite things in the book:
▪️I loved the humour, the banter between Blaise and Royal was truely lovely
▪️Blaise had abandonment issues and I loved how Royal gave him a found family and stuck around, it was so sweet
▪️ I loved how royal saw blaise as part of his herd, damn that was so sweet.
▪️I loved how Royal was this big bad ass dinosaur but he was also so damn sweet and a good guy
▪️ Royal was so respectful of blaise and I loved it so much
▪️Blaise was really damn fierce and I loved him so much.
▪️I loved Royal in his dinosaur form, he was so sweet and protective of Blaise, it was lovely to see.
▪️I loved all the references in this, mostly the Birdcage ones and the TMNT ones.
▪️I loved when they all dressed up dinosaur themed drag queens, that was just the best.
▪️I loved how they talked about their feelings and how there wasn’t any big relationship drama at 75%, i’m always a big fan of that.
▪️I loved all of the dinosaur fights.
I had such a good time reading this book and I loved every seconds I spent reading it, this book was such a trip.
I received an ARC of this book, and this is my honest review.
May 23, 2021
Sexy & Sassy & Sparkly!! 4.5 Frilly Stars!!
What do you get when you pair a hunky dino shifter with a sassy, genderqueer queen? Sparks & Sparkles, that’s what!
Another fun-filled adventure in this stellar series!
I don’t know which is my favorite.
I may have to go with this one since we also get a Dalton and Simon cameo 💞💞
Here’s the skinny:
Royal (IT guy)
Blaise (Dino influencer wannabe)
Vandalized fossils
Missing new Dino shifter!!!
Largest of all dinos!!
A car named Dolores
A viral video
A drag show
Shoop!
And a daring rescue 😱❤️🦖
Oh, there’s love & sex & all that 😉😉
Who is next? Could it be the mysterious Yu???
💚💚💚
My rec? This series is FUN! I’d start at the beginning because: DALTON!
What do you get when you pair a hunky dino shifter with a sassy, genderqueer queen? Sparks & Sparkles, that’s what!
Another fun-filled adventure in this stellar series!
I don’t know which is my favorite.
I may have to go with this one since we also get a Dalton and Simon cameo 💞💞
Here’s the skinny:
Royal (IT guy)
Blaise (Dino influencer wannabe)
Vandalized fossils
Missing new Dino shifter!!!
Largest of all dinos!!
A car named Dolores
A viral video
A drag show
Shoop!
And a daring rescue 😱❤️🦖
Oh, there’s love & sex & all that 😉😉
Who is next? Could it be the mysterious Yu???
💚💚💚
My rec? This series is FUN! I’d start at the beginning because: DALTON!
May 23, 2021
ᴛʜʀᴇᴇ⋆²⁵ sᴛᴀʀs ✰
ᴍᴏᴠɪᴇ ʀᴇᴄ ~ Jurassic Park
✨~ᴛʜᴇ ᴏᴠᴇʀᴀʟʟ ᴍᴏᴏᴅ~✨
*☄× King & Queen was such a fun ride start to finish. I love the RELIC team and getting back into the RELIC series was such a blast. This series, in a word, f-u-n. It is just so much fun. The characters are such a hoot, the RELIC team are already near and dear to my heart, and each book feels like an adventure.
*☄× While KING & QUEEN isn't my favorite book of the series - Smash and Grab will always have my heart - it was still a worthy addition to the overall series. Royal was such a great character and I loved getting to know him better in this book. Plus, his companion and love interest, Blaise Fite, was amazing. These boys needed his glitter, glam, and drag queen energy. Moreover, this book, and series, makes me want to geek out over Paleontology. Like, Montana is a motherfuckin' T-REX!! so cool. Oh and the RELIC series is just so freaking funny. Seriously, each book has made me laugh out loud.
*☄× I would say what kept this book from being a solid four star read was the distinct lack of connection between Blaise and Royal. I just. . . didn't feel the chemistry between them. They gave off more friend vibes vs. romantic vibes. In fact, I'd say Royal//Dalton have more chemistry vs. Blaise//Royal. If anything their personalities felt a bit too similar. I loved Royal and Blaise separately, but together? ehhhh, they were okay. This might've been because it didn't seem like their relationship had time to develop and grow. We kept bouncing around from one place to the next, which while fun, didn't leave a lot of time for Royal and Blaise to bond. Ultimately, I was just a tat disappointed that I didn't end up falling in love with Royal and Blaise as a couple. I think my expectations may have been a touch high, because I really loved Baha and Jackson's book, Sink or Swim. Plus, Dalton and Simon are, to put it simply, my OTP.
*☄× Ultimately, while I didn't love KING & QUEEN, I still had a great time reading it. The premise of both this book, and series, is great, the characters are truly outstanding, and I am eager for more books set in this world. I think if you love MM romance, shifter-romances, dinosaurs of any kind, light hearted adventures, and a dash of romance, then you should 1000% check this series out. I personally, cannot wait for Montana's book and I'm looking forward to seeing more of the newest RELIC recruit, Henry.
❝Your feed is all dicks and dinos.❞
❝No it’s not,❞ . . . ❝I got boobs and botanicals too. I’m a man of complex taste.❞
❝I think they call that being a pansexual disaster.❞
❝Nah. I’m a pansexual storm. Watch out because I’ll blow you away.❞
ᴍᴏᴠɪᴇ ʀᴇᴄ ~ Jurassic Park
✨~ᴛʜᴇ ᴏᴠᴇʀᴀʟʟ ᴍᴏᴏᴅ~✨
*☄× King & Queen was such a fun ride start to finish. I love the RELIC team and getting back into the RELIC series was such a blast. This series, in a word, f-u-n. It is just so much fun. The characters are such a hoot, the RELIC team are already near and dear to my heart, and each book feels like an adventure.
*☄× While KING & QUEEN isn't my favorite book of the series - Smash and Grab will always have my heart - it was still a worthy addition to the overall series. Royal was such a great character and I loved getting to know him better in this book. Plus, his companion and love interest, Blaise Fite, was amazing. These boys needed his glitter, glam, and drag queen energy. Moreover, this book, and series, makes me want to geek out over Paleontology. Like, Montana is a motherfuckin' T-REX!! so cool. Oh and the RELIC series is just so freaking funny. Seriously, each book has made me laugh out loud.
❝Is that a Giganotosaurus?❞ Simon asked with pure delight. ❝Look at the skin coloring. How interesting.❞
❝No, really. I’m fine. Your concern is embarrassing,❞ I deadpanned, placing my items on the counter.
❝Sorry, Royal,❞ Simon said after a beat. ❝Are you okay?❞
❝He’s fiiiine,❞ Dalton added like me being an appetizer wasn’t a big deal. ❝Takes more than a big sharp tooth to hurt my Daddy Tops.❞
*☄× I would say what kept this book from being a solid four star read was the distinct lack of connection between Blaise and Royal. I just. . . didn't feel the chemistry between them. They gave off more friend vibes vs. romantic vibes. In fact, I'd say Royal//Dalton have more chemistry vs. Blaise//Royal. If anything their personalities felt a bit too similar. I loved Royal and Blaise separately, but together? ehhhh, they were okay. This might've been because it didn't seem like their relationship had time to develop and grow. We kept bouncing around from one place to the next, which while fun, didn't leave a lot of time for Royal and Blaise to bond. Ultimately, I was just a tat disappointed that I didn't end up falling in love with Royal and Blaise as a couple. I think my expectations may have been a touch high, because I really loved Baha and Jackson's book, Sink or Swim. Plus, Dalton and Simon are, to put it simply, my OTP.
Then he laid down near the pile, totally proud of himself. His frill was flushed red, his nostrils flaring. He pushed the pile towards me. ❝Oh.❞ I blinked at the sticks and vegetation before me. ❝That’s for me, isn’t it? Well, that’s...very sweet, Royal. Thank you.❞ I don’t know how, but I swear he looked like he was beaming.
*☄× Ultimately, while I didn't love KING & QUEEN, I still had a great time reading it. The premise of both this book, and series, is great, the characters are truly outstanding, and I am eager for more books set in this world. I think if you love MM romance, shifter-romances, dinosaurs of any kind, light hearted adventures, and a dash of romance, then you should 1000% check this series out. I personally, cannot wait for Montana's book and I'm looking forward to seeing more of the newest RELIC recruit, Henry.
November 2, 2021
4 stars- “There’s no room for modesty in drag, baby.”
When I picked the first book of this series and read the blurb, I had this WTH?? moment. Because a bunch of dinosaur-shifters turned vigilantes working together to stop the illegal fossil trade is not supposed to be anything other than WTH.
But, a few pages in the book and I was a believer, now I read this series(and Maz Maddox in general) for snarky, quirky raptor shifters. Mind you Quirky is the keyword here. Just like the previous two books this one too entertained me with its sassiness, just the right amount of OTT action, and a lot of talk about dinosaurs.
Before picking the book, I thought it's going to be about our big T.rex, Montana but no this book is the story of Royal, the only vegetation dinosaur in the group. He is the IT guy for the group but then he was asked to visit Canada to rescue a new Dinosaur shifter.
In Canada, Royal(king) meets the Blaise(queen). Blaise is a human, a dino-enthusiast and a wannabe science communicator. Oh!! and he is a femme guy who loves being a drag queen whenever he can afford it. So, we have a drag-show on the page too.
As I already mentioned I love the quirkiness of this series. Here, too, I found both the MCs lovable and the appearance of side characters, Dalton and Simon(from book 1), a delightful surprise.
"Note to self, find a gay super-spy movie. If one does not exist, email Netflix".
This series
1. Smash and grab-4 stars
2. Sink and swim-4 stars
3. King and queen- 4 stars
P.S- This is one series that I couldn't read continuously not because of my mood but because I was waiting for the audiobook by Kirt Graves. He has done such a marvelous job, that I want to re-listen it in the future.
When I picked the first book of this series and read the blurb, I had this WTH?? moment. Because a bunch of dinosaur-shifters turned vigilantes working together to stop the illegal fossil trade is not supposed to be anything other than WTH.
But, a few pages in the book and I was a believer, now I read this series(and Maz Maddox in general) for snarky, quirky raptor shifters. Mind you Quirky is the keyword here. Just like the previous two books this one too entertained me with its sassiness, just the right amount of OTT action, and a lot of talk about dinosaurs.
Before picking the book, I thought it's going to be about our big T.rex, Montana but no this book is the story of Royal, the only vegetation dinosaur in the group. He is the IT guy for the group but then he was asked to visit Canada to rescue a new Dinosaur shifter.
In Canada, Royal(king) meets the Blaise(queen). Blaise is a human, a dino-enthusiast and a wannabe science communicator. Oh!! and he is a femme guy who loves being a drag queen whenever he can afford it. So, we have a drag-show on the page too.
As I already mentioned I love the quirkiness of this series. Here, too, I found both the MCs lovable and the appearance of side characters, Dalton and Simon(from book 1), a delightful surprise.
"Note to self, find a gay super-spy movie. If one does not exist, email Netflix".
This series
1. Smash and grab-4 stars
2. Sink and swim-4 stars
3. King and queen- 4 stars
P.S- This is one series that I couldn't read continuously not because of my mood but because I was waiting for the audiobook by Kirt Graves. He has done such a marvelous job, that I want to re-listen it in the future.
March 9, 2025
My favourite thing about this is how much the author knows about dinosaurs and lovingly describes their frills, colour patterns and spiny protuberances. I also love the originality of a team of dinosaur shifting vigilantes working together to stop the illegal fossil trade. Unfortunately I wasn’t overly invested in the characters and skimmed a lot but I recommend for anyone keen for some low angst silliness.
May 12, 2021
I received an ARC from GRR and this is my honest review.
I liked this book alot, and I enjoyed it.
The charcaters were both lovable..
-Blaise: the femme dragqueen with sass to spare.. he's larger than life, bithnin personality and attitude.
- Royal with the heart of gold, the big bad herbivore of a regaliceratops. He's literally larger than life🤣 with equipment to match.
- The banter was fun and flirty. Both characters dont take anythikg lying down and are ready to "throw down" whenever danger is there.
- Interesting Plot...suspenseful and fast paced.
- Great steam, a bit steamier than the other two in the series.
What I didn't like though... is the connection between the two MCs. The feelings kind of came out of nowhere. They knew each other for 5 mins... I know that sometimes instalove works, and personally I love it when it's written right. Here though, it was very abrupt. So that took awaybfrom the romance and connection between the two MCs. If the ILYs came in the epilogue, I would've been much happier with the overall book...maybe this is just me though.
I liked this book alot, and I enjoyed it.
The charcaters were both lovable..
-Blaise: the femme dragqueen with sass to spare.. he's larger than life, bithnin personality and attitude.
- Royal with the heart of gold, the big bad herbivore of a regaliceratops. He's literally larger than life🤣 with equipment to match.
- The banter was fun and flirty. Both characters dont take anythikg lying down and are ready to "throw down" whenever danger is there.
- Interesting Plot...suspenseful and fast paced.
- Great steam, a bit steamier than the other two in the series.
What I didn't like though... is the connection between the two MCs. The feelings kind of came out of nowhere. They knew each other for 5 mins... I know that sometimes instalove works, and personally I love it when it's written right. Here though, it was very abrupt. So that took awaybfrom the romance and connection between the two MCs. If the ILYs came in the epilogue, I would've been much happier with the overall book...maybe this is just me though.
June 17, 2024
”King” Royal and a part-time (Drag)Queen? Count me in 🥰
Royal is the computer expert in the RELIC team, but he gets sent away to Canada to a fossil site because Montana (the T-Rex unofficial RELIC boss) suspects that there might be a newly “awakened” shifter there.
He’s right ofc, because Montana is right most of the time. What he didn’t anticipate: it’s not an uneventful search & rescue mission: there are others at the site, too, who take an interest in the newly awakened shifter. And everything gets live streamed on the internet - by Blaze, a human who hooked up with Royal in the previous night, and who sneaked to the digging site hoping to take some closeups of the fossils there.
Blaze… is quite unique. Totally ott, a drama queen, fierce and sassy and vulnerable and absolutely lovable. He’s self identifying as a femme gay man, and he’s a former drag queen (named Sarah Bottoms) - a thing that is quite useful in the ensuing chase&rescue mission.
I had a lot of fun again, and I loved that Simon and Dalton joined the mission. Did I love it as much as the previous book? Not quite, but I still had a blast. And am I the only one who thinks that we haven’t seen the last of that Argentian shifter? What’s the reason he’s carving out rectangles out of fossils?
Maybe we’ll get some answers in the next book which I’m picking up right away ☺️
Royal is the computer expert in the RELIC team, but he gets sent away to Canada to a fossil site because Montana (the T-Rex unofficial RELIC boss) suspects that there might be a newly “awakened” shifter there.
He’s right ofc, because Montana is right most of the time. What he didn’t anticipate: it’s not an uneventful search & rescue mission: there are others at the site, too, who take an interest in the newly awakened shifter. And everything gets live streamed on the internet - by Blaze, a human who hooked up with Royal in the previous night, and who sneaked to the digging site hoping to take some closeups of the fossils there.
Blaze… is quite unique. Totally ott, a drama queen, fierce and sassy and vulnerable and absolutely lovable. He’s self identifying as a femme gay man, and he’s a former drag queen (named Sarah Bottoms) - a thing that is quite useful in the ensuing chase&rescue mission.
I had a lot of fun again, and I loved that Simon and Dalton joined the mission. Did I love it as much as the previous book? Not quite, but I still had a blast. And am I the only one who thinks that we haven’t seen the last of that Argentian shifter? What’s the reason he’s carving out rectangles out of fossils?
Maybe we’ll get some answers in the next book which I’m picking up right away ☺️
October 3, 2021
"Ceratopsians would break your heart. Momma never warned me about that.
[4.2] this series is officially my go-to for low angst, comically delightful fun, and a surprisingly educational experience intertwined with a highly entertaining plotline (me googling dinosaurs left and right 🦖🦕).
this time we have Royal (pansexual Regaliceratops-shifter-IT-hacker-man out in the field) and Blaise (genderqueer firecracker of a drag queen with a love of dinosaurs). the story was indeed instalovey and the ILYs arguably premature, but quite frankly, if i were caught in the middle of an epic dinosaur showdown and almost got eaten, my headspace would be in "there's no time to waste" mode 🤣
not to mention the surprise Dalton/Simon tag team with this installment's couple to save a newly shifted dino man, going full undercover Mulan in fierce drag queen fashion--absolutely brilliant! 😎👑
i know Maz Maddox has five books tentatively planned for this series, and i can't wait for more! (especially Montana's & Henry's stories, no complaints if they happen to be one of our upcoming pairings 😉 i'd love to learn more about Yu, too!)
p.s. shout out to the Yuri on Ice mention--Victor is everyone's dream husbando #facts
May 13, 2021
Maz Maddox just wrote the most amazing book and I'll be damned if I'm not pimping dino romance for the rest of my days!
But really - so, so, so, SO good.
Dalton continues to be one of the best characters I have read in a long time, and everything about Blaise and Royal is just *chef kiss* a perfect romance. I think they are my favorite couple now in the series!
Maz's writing is just so wonderful, it feels so effortless, so natural, witty, and fresh. I enjoy all the pop-culture references so effortlessly thrown in there, and how beautifully things like a crush and a first kiss, and hand holding are explained through Blaise's POV.
I would definitely recommend people read this series in order since things sorta build around previous books? There is a strong found family vibe in this series, and in this book especially. I just love this group of dino dudes and their mates. (Can we find a way to make the humans immortal too???)
I know people probably think - dinosaurs?! But trust me - this series is excellent. Maz knows her shit about dinosaurs and you can tell.
But really - so, so, so, SO good.
Dalton continues to be one of the best characters I have read in a long time, and everything about Blaise and Royal is just *chef kiss* a perfect romance. I think they are my favorite couple now in the series!
Maz's writing is just so wonderful, it feels so effortless, so natural, witty, and fresh. I enjoy all the pop-culture references so effortlessly thrown in there, and how beautifully things like a crush and a first kiss, and hand holding are explained through Blaise's POV.
I would definitely recommend people read this series in order since things sorta build around previous books? There is a strong found family vibe in this series, and in this book especially. I just love this group of dino dudes and their mates. (Can we find a way to make the humans immortal too???)
I know people probably think - dinosaurs?! But trust me - this series is excellent. Maz knows her shit about dinosaurs and you can tell.
May 24, 2021
Best book of the series!
Gosh I so wish that the author would write more dinosaur shifter stories! Each of these books was a wonderful trip into the what if! The author knows dinosaurs and a good love story!
Gosh I so wish that the author would write more dinosaur shifter stories! Each of these books was a wonderful trip into the what if! The author knows dinosaurs and a good love story!
September 3, 2023
⭐️ 3.5 stars ⭐️
In the third installment of the RELIC series, we follow Royal, tech-wiz of the team, and Blaise, femme genderqueer with a thing for dinosaurs - lucky him he finds one in the flesh.
King and Queen has the same cuteness and adventure-filled plot as the previous books, just maybe a little less interesting. I wasn’t as invested in this one.
I am intrigued by Henry though, so hopefully we get to know more about him.
In novels they described kisses like electrical storms or feeling sparks flying. But that wasn’t a storm. That was an earthquake.
In the third installment of the RELIC series, we follow Royal, tech-wiz of the team, and Blaise, femme genderqueer with a thing for dinosaurs - lucky him he finds one in the flesh.
Ok, Blaise. This is why you’re going to be the first to die in an apocalypse. Oh, big scary monster? Let me look at how many fucking fingers it has.
King and Queen has the same cuteness and adventure-filled plot as the previous books, just maybe a little less interesting. I wasn’t as invested in this one.
I am intrigued by Henry though, so hopefully we get to know more about him.
July 6, 2025
Such a fun & silly series
May 15, 2021
I'll be honest. I was never a dinosaur nerd. Ever. I love history, find them fascinating, but I never obsessed over them. And, when I go looking for something new to read, books with shifters are not high on my list of preferences. So if you'd told me a few years ago that one of my favorite series over the last year features not only shifters, but dinosaur shifters, I would have advised you to seek professional help.
But here we are in 2021, on the third book of a fascinating and entertaining series featuring just that. Royal and Blaise charmed me, just as Dalton and Simon did in Smash and Grab. (Baha from Sink or Swim is my spirit animal, and I love him deeply.)
I love Maz Maddox's sense of humor, and the way her love for dinosaurs shines through. This is an opposites-attract, forced-proximity, road trip, action-adventure treat of a book, and I absolutely CANNOT WAIT for Montana's book.
But here we are in 2021, on the third book of a fascinating and entertaining series featuring just that. Royal and Blaise charmed me, just as Dalton and Simon did in Smash and Grab. (Baha from Sink or Swim is my spirit animal, and I love him deeply.)
I love Maz Maddox's sense of humor, and the way her love for dinosaurs shines through. This is an opposites-attract, forced-proximity, road trip, action-adventure treat of a book, and I absolutely CANNOT WAIT for Montana's book.
August 9, 2021
My least favourite of the series so far -- I liked the couple but didn't love them -- but there is one scene, near the end, that was such a brilliant sequence of events (I'll give you a hint, it has to do the second part of the title), and the images in my head were great.
I don't know if every RELIC member is getting a book but if they are I imagine Montana will be last. Is it too much to hope he gets paired up with the new addition? Would be so down for that.
I don't know if every RELIC member is getting a book but if they are I imagine Montana will be last. Is it too much to hope he gets paired up with the new addition? Would be so down for that.
January 26, 2024
May have a dino shifter kink now, cannot confirm or deny. 🤭
Just do yourself and read these, it’s worth it for the found family vibes and to have a silly little tehe time and then move on. I love these silly fun Dino’s more than I care to admit 🥰
Just do yourself and read these, it’s worth it for the found family vibes and to have a silly little tehe time and then move on. I love these silly fun Dino’s more than I care to admit 🥰
November 3, 2021
3.75 my favorite of the series by kind of a wide margin
December 29, 2021
Probably my favorite in the series so far.
March 3, 2025
This was mostly okay. Royal wasn’t the best MC, and Blaise had to carry most of their interactions, but it was still enjoyable.
I liked that it was set in Canada, and props to Kirt Graves for saying 'Torono' instead of 'Toronto.' A bit unrealistic, though, that they drove from Saskatchewan to Toronto so fast, but hey, this is a book about dino-shifters, so I was already in Delululand.
I liked that it was set in Canada, and props to Kirt Graves for saying 'Torono' instead of 'Toronto.' A bit unrealistic, though, that they drove from Saskatchewan to Toronto so fast, but hey, this is a book about dino-shifters, so I was already in Delululand.
May 17, 2021
Dinosaurs have all the fun
I enjoyed this quirky , fun , steamy , dino shifter story.
This book is not only entertaining ; it's also educational and very interesting. The research for writing this book must have been extensive. It's very well written.
I enjoyed this quirky , fun , steamy , dino shifter story.
This book is not only entertaining ; it's also educational and very interesting. The research for writing this book must have been extensive. It's very well written.
August 12, 2021
ReRead : not going to lie didn't love this as much the second time around especially Blaise but still leaving the rating the same.
[I received a digital arc for an honest review]
It's a fact that I love the sh*t out of the RELIC series by Maz Maddox and King + Queen was a fantastic addition to it!
Royal is completely at home behind his computer screens and doing behind the scenes work for the RELIC team. When his boss assigns him to go out in the field to check a site for a new Dino shifter he's a bit hesitant. Royal is uncomfortable being in the field but a nice hookup in a club the night before with a Dino enthusiast twink puts him in good spirits. Blaise is living out of his car and waiting for his next big break in the science communication scene. When he can't get access to a dig sight he decides to sneak in to get the pictures for his media page. Things go far from smoothly, and he finds himself witness to Royal shifting and a fight between him and other. Royal just so happens to also be the one-night stand that rock his world the night before. Blaise's life is forever changed, and he finds himself on the run with his one-night stand dinosaur.
How epic would it be to have a hunky dinosaur boyfriend?
Oh, your boyfriend is a doctor. That's neat. Can he stab theropods with his nose?
One reason [besides HELLO Dino shifters] that makes this series great is the characters.
Royal is a pansexual Regaliceratops shifter. He is quick with 80s pop culture references and is always up for a good prank. He is happy his brothers are finding love but doesn’t have that in his sights right now. Enter Blaise in a flourish of dinosaur jewelry, makeup and a smart mouth that Royal only wants to shut up by kissing him silly. Once his secret is out to Blaise they connect on a deeper level than just physical.
“I leaned down to tease a kiss that was just out of reach.
“It was the triceratops necklace, wasn’t it?”
“It was you,” he purred, liquefying my bones with his tone.
“The necklace was just the cherry on top.”
Blaise, while his life is a somewhat of a mess, is just a drag queen dinosaur enthusiast who wants to share his passion for the past with the internet while smashing gender boundaries. He's strong-willed, fierce, sarcastic, and I loved the banter between him and Royal. Even though he stumbles upon more than he could ever imagine when he finds his hookup shifting into a beautiful dinosaur, he holds it together surprisingly well. His acceptance of himself and everything thrown at him made him one of my favorite characters.
I loved King & Queen just as much as the first in the series. Each book has a unique to the dinosaur finding his mate and this was the perfect way for Royal to fall and fall hard. Plus since Dalton is my forever Dino boo, I was ridiculously happy when he and Simon showed up to help out with the action. With the addition of the new Albertsaurus, I can’t wait to see where this adventure heads next.
[I received a digital arc for an honest review]
It's a fact that I love the sh*t out of the RELIC series by Maz Maddox and King + Queen was a fantastic addition to it!
Royal is completely at home behind his computer screens and doing behind the scenes work for the RELIC team. When his boss assigns him to go out in the field to check a site for a new Dino shifter he's a bit hesitant. Royal is uncomfortable being in the field but a nice hookup in a club the night before with a Dino enthusiast twink puts him in good spirits. Blaise is living out of his car and waiting for his next big break in the science communication scene. When he can't get access to a dig sight he decides to sneak in to get the pictures for his media page. Things go far from smoothly, and he finds himself witness to Royal shifting and a fight between him and other. Royal just so happens to also be the one-night stand that rock his world the night before. Blaise's life is forever changed, and he finds himself on the run with his one-night stand dinosaur.
How epic would it be to have a hunky dinosaur boyfriend?
Oh, your boyfriend is a doctor. That's neat. Can he stab theropods with his nose?
One reason [besides HELLO Dino shifters] that makes this series great is the characters.
Royal is a pansexual Regaliceratops shifter. He is quick with 80s pop culture references and is always up for a good prank. He is happy his brothers are finding love but doesn’t have that in his sights right now. Enter Blaise in a flourish of dinosaur jewelry, makeup and a smart mouth that Royal only wants to shut up by kissing him silly. Once his secret is out to Blaise they connect on a deeper level than just physical.
“I leaned down to tease a kiss that was just out of reach.
“It was the triceratops necklace, wasn’t it?”
“It was you,” he purred, liquefying my bones with his tone.
“The necklace was just the cherry on top.”
Blaise, while his life is a somewhat of a mess, is just a drag queen dinosaur enthusiast who wants to share his passion for the past with the internet while smashing gender boundaries. He's strong-willed, fierce, sarcastic, and I loved the banter between him and Royal. Even though he stumbles upon more than he could ever imagine when he finds his hookup shifting into a beautiful dinosaur, he holds it together surprisingly well. His acceptance of himself and everything thrown at him made him one of my favorite characters.
I loved King & Queen just as much as the first in the series. Each book has a unique to the dinosaur finding his mate and this was the perfect way for Royal to fall and fall hard. Plus since Dalton is my forever Dino boo, I was ridiculously happy when he and Simon showed up to help out with the action. With the addition of the new Albertsaurus, I can’t wait to see where this adventure heads next.
May 27, 2021
A Joyfully Jay review.
4 stars
King & Queen is the third book in Maz Maddox’s RELIC series, featuring a really fun world of dinosaur shifters. The premise here is that the shifters went into some sort of hibernation state way back when and are now awakening in human form for the first time. So far we have met a lot of the RELIC team, but they have all been “awakened” for a while, so it was fun here to see the story highlight a brand new shifter just becoming unearthed. The highlight of this series for me is the obvious love Maddox has for dinosaurs and the way the books have such rich detail, without being overwhelming. I enjoy the way the shifters have some of the dino traits in human form, and the insight into their minds when they are shifted. I find myself getting excited about dinosaurs too as I read, and Maddox really brings them to life.
Read Jay’s review in its entirety here.
4 stars
King & Queen is the third book in Maz Maddox’s RELIC series, featuring a really fun world of dinosaur shifters. The premise here is that the shifters went into some sort of hibernation state way back when and are now awakening in human form for the first time. So far we have met a lot of the RELIC team, but they have all been “awakened” for a while, so it was fun here to see the story highlight a brand new shifter just becoming unearthed. The highlight of this series for me is the obvious love Maddox has for dinosaurs and the way the books have such rich detail, without being overwhelming. I enjoy the way the shifters have some of the dino traits in human form, and the insight into their minds when they are shifted. I find myself getting excited about dinosaurs too as I read, and Maddox really brings them to life.
Read Jay’s review in its entirety here.
June 3, 2021
This series is SO much fun!
Royal and Blaise are a fantastic addition and I was thrilled with Dalton and Simon's parts in the story too. The banter and snark, the dino wooing his mate, a new "foster dino", along with some drag, chases and danger make this a great installment. I cannot wait for the next one!
Royal and Blaise are a fantastic addition and I was thrilled with Dalton and Simon's parts in the story too. The banter and snark, the dino wooing his mate, a new "foster dino", along with some drag, chases and danger make this a great installment. I cannot wait for the next one!
dnf-2023
June 13, 2023DNF @75%
Really not loving Royal or Blaise, or the plot, or the narration. Blaise felt like a caricature and the narration reflected that. Royal was supposedly an IT nerdy awkward guy who wasn't comfortable away from his computer, but also managed to completely assimilate into the world with 0 adjustment and be a sexy suave hunk. They meet and fuck on a dancefloor in a random club, then decide they will only be friends and continuously fuck up being platonic. Royal's excellent at thinking up stories, can track everything from his phone remotely, knows everything and anything. Apparently, I can suspend disbelief for books 1 and 2 but draw the line here. 🥹
This features a plot of tracking down a newly awakened shifter, chasing down a fossil vandalizer, lots of social media and gushing about dino education.
On to the next in the series.
Really not loving Royal or Blaise, or the plot, or the narration. Blaise felt like a caricature and the narration reflected that. Royal was supposedly an IT nerdy awkward guy who wasn't comfortable away from his computer, but also managed to completely assimilate into the world with 0 adjustment and be a sexy suave hunk. They meet and fuck on a dancefloor in a random club, then decide they will only be friends and continuously fuck up being platonic. Royal's excellent at thinking up stories, can track everything from his phone remotely, knows everything and anything. Apparently, I can suspend disbelief for books 1 and 2 but draw the line here. 🥹
This features a plot of tracking down a newly awakened shifter, chasing down a fossil vandalizer, lots of social media and gushing about dino education.
On to the next in the series.
May 18, 2021
This is such a wonderful story! I actually haven’t read the first book in this series (which I will remedy shortly) but between the previous book and this one I have really fallen in love with dinosaur shifters!
One thing I love about this series is that it makes me want to learn more about dinosaurs. I look up each dinosaur mentioned. I never would have thought I’d be into dinosaur shifters but I love them! Dinosaurs are fascinating and I love that Maz Maddox has created this series. You can tell she loves dinosaurs and that she knows her stuff. That makes this story so much better.
I loved Royal and Blaise! I thought they had so much chemistry. Royal being pansexual and Blaise being genderqueer was so great to see in a book. I don’t think we get enough stories representing all types of sexualities and genders. The fact that Blaise is also a drag queen was brilliant!
I highly recommend this book. I have fallen for these characters and will read the first book soon. I am looking forward to Yu’s story but I am very interested in Malcolm!
ARC provided in exchange for review
One thing I love about this series is that it makes me want to learn more about dinosaurs. I look up each dinosaur mentioned. I never would have thought I’d be into dinosaur shifters but I love them! Dinosaurs are fascinating and I love that Maz Maddox has created this series. You can tell she loves dinosaurs and that she knows her stuff. That makes this story so much better.
I loved Royal and Blaise! I thought they had so much chemistry. Royal being pansexual and Blaise being genderqueer was so great to see in a book. I don’t think we get enough stories representing all types of sexualities and genders. The fact that Blaise is also a drag queen was brilliant!
I highly recommend this book. I have fallen for these characters and will read the first book soon. I am looking forward to Yu’s story but I am very interested in Malcolm!
ARC provided in exchange for review
June 13, 2022
Another solid addition to this series! Even though these stories have a insta-love element (all our couples so far have formed ‘love bonds’ within a week or two of meeting) and I’m generally not a fan of insta, Maddox has made it work for me. I’m really enjoying the relationships and the dino-mate/pack bond thing that happens. Maddox doesn’t simply tell us, she shows us the bonds, it happens quickly but I accept it and am happy with it because it makes sense, Maddox makes me believe it.
I absolutely adored the pan rep with Royal and the genderqueer rep with Blaise even before reading Maddox’s note to readers about both elements at the end of the book but the note made me love it even more, particularly since Maddox mentions she’s pan, as am I, and both my daughters are as well 💗💛💙
Love and hugs y’all, take care 😘 Happy Pride!
I absolutely adored the pan rep with Royal and the genderqueer rep with Blaise even before reading Maddox’s note to readers about both elements at the end of the book but the note made me love it even more, particularly since Maddox mentions she’s pan, as am I, and both my daughters are as well 💗💛💙
Love and hugs y’all, take care 😘 Happy Pride!
November 7, 2021
OMG, I love this series & each book keeps getting better. Blaise is a genderqueer drag queen who loves dinosaurs, he wears a Triceratops necklace (they are a close relative to the Regaliceratops). Royal is part of RELIC and a Regaliceratops, which are one of my favorites. He is big and bad, but he is the tech nerd. He is happiest behind his computers. When Montana finds two new fossil sites, he sends Royal to check out the one in Alberta. He is not happy to go out into the field. So on the way to the site, he meets a guy at a club & they hook up. Imagine his surprise when he runs into Blaise at the site & Blaise gets more then he bargained for, finding out that there are dinosaur shifters. At the site that Royal was sent to investigate, a new shifter has awakened & he is an Albertosaurus & he is confused and doesn't know what is going on. The bad guys end up making off with him & it's now up to Royal to find him & get him back to Montana so he can help him come to terms with what is going on. There is a dinosaur shifter, a Giganotosaurus, who is working with the bad guys. Blaise takes the knowledge of dinosaur shifters pretty much in stride & teams up with Royal to find the missing shifter. Along the way, they realize that they really like to be together & they start to fall in love. It's hard as they know it's only temporary as Royal will head back to the states & Blaise has been offered his dream job. IMO you don't really need to read the books in order as they are geared to specific MC's and the other couple make appearances, but don't really play a huge part in that particular story.
I received a copy of this book from Gay Romance Review and this is my honest review.
So glad it came out in audio
I received a copy of this book from Gay Romance Review and this is my honest review.
So glad it came out in audio
May 24, 2022
I have fallen in love with this amazing series and all the Dinosaur shifters. They all have such great personalities that suit their inner dino! Each book sees a different Dino find the man for him.
Royal is our next Dino up and I loved getting to know about him. He is the tech guy in the team and is sent of on a mission. That leads him to meet Blaise a Dinosaur Influencer. They meet in a club and have a fumble in the backroom. The two meet again at a dig site where they come upon fossil thief's and a newly awakened dino.
I love all the missions these guys go and it adds some mystery to the book. The romance happens slowly, but you can see how much they want each other straight away. Blaise is just a darling and he has some amazing personality. He drag persona was a delight and it was great seeing him introduce Royal, Dalton, and Simon, to the joys of drag.
They were both very sweet together and it is mainly focused on the mystery. We do get a couple of sex scenes and I was glad they weren't added for the fun of it. Sometimes books can have far too many of them! I just liked seeing their relationship blossom as they truly got to know each other.
It was great seeing the rest of the RELIC crew and Dalton was a riot as always. The guys have a beautiful bond together and I am so happy watching the banter between the. I just can't wait for when Montana gets his book. He has been through so much and I just want him to get his own HEA!
Royal is our next Dino up and I loved getting to know about him. He is the tech guy in the team and is sent of on a mission. That leads him to meet Blaise a Dinosaur Influencer. They meet in a club and have a fumble in the backroom. The two meet again at a dig site where they come upon fossil thief's and a newly awakened dino.
I love all the missions these guys go and it adds some mystery to the book. The romance happens slowly, but you can see how much they want each other straight away. Blaise is just a darling and he has some amazing personality. He drag persona was a delight and it was great seeing him introduce Royal, Dalton, and Simon, to the joys of drag.
They were both very sweet together and it is mainly focused on the mystery. We do get a couple of sex scenes and I was glad they weren't added for the fun of it. Sometimes books can have far too many of them! I just liked seeing their relationship blossom as they truly got to know each other.
It was great seeing the rest of the RELIC crew and Dalton was a riot as always. The guys have a beautiful bond together and I am so happy watching the banter between the. I just can't wait for when Montana gets his book. He has been through so much and I just want him to get his own HEA!
September 16, 2023
One night, he was swallowing down my dick; the next, we were trying to outrun a pissed-off theropod who was ready to slaughter us both.
When Royal’s ONS stumbles across his secret in a big way (and live streams it 🤦🏼♀️) he has to do damage control and keep Blaise with him. It doesn’t hurt that Blaise is a gorgeous, sassy drag queen that Royal would like to hook up with again.
Another road trip romance with dino shifters, drag, TMNT and Yuri!!! on Ice references, and more! I love the variety of representation here (Royal is pan and Blaise is genderqueer) and the solid found family vibes. We get lots of time with Dalton & Simon as side characters and it’s just so, so fun. The personalities of these four mesh really well 🥰 They also rescue a brand new dino shifter who if I’m not mistaken is the love interest for the group’s leader in book 5!
These are short adventure/romances with a bit of spice - really fun especially if you’re a dino nerd 🦕🩷
When Royal’s ONS stumbles across his secret in a big way (and live streams it 🤦🏼♀️) he has to do damage control and keep Blaise with him. It doesn’t hurt that Blaise is a gorgeous, sassy drag queen that Royal would like to hook up with again.
Another road trip romance with dino shifters, drag, TMNT and Yuri!!! on Ice references, and more! I love the variety of representation here (Royal is pan and Blaise is genderqueer) and the solid found family vibes. We get lots of time with Dalton & Simon as side characters and it’s just so, so fun. The personalities of these four mesh really well 🥰 They also rescue a brand new dino shifter who if I’m not mistaken is the love interest for the group’s leader in book 5!
These are short adventure/romances with a bit of spice - really fun especially if you’re a dino nerd 🦕🩷
Displaying 1 - 30 of 348 reviews