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The Vengeance Duology #1
Vengeance Becomes Her
He will regret awakening the monster within me.
Cast against a shadowed low fantasy world, this tale of feminine rage, dark magic, and desire follows Rhiannon in her bloody pursuit of vengeance.
Death came for Rhiannon disguised as love. She survived, barely. Now, she will do anything to get her revenge and finally claw her way back to herself. But the forces against her are greater and more sinister than one man, and she's not the only one in danger.
Fear for the women of Larindia and beyond propels Rhiannon down an increasingly dangerous path that illuminates an insidious evil that has lurked in the shadows of her world as she seeks to stop the man who took everything from her. She will get her retribution, but will her thirst for blood destroy her in the process?
Please note this book contains dark themes and explicit content that is meant for adults only. Please find full content advisory on author's social sites.
Cast against a shadowed low fantasy world, this tale of feminine rage, dark magic, and desire follows Rhiannon in her bloody pursuit of vengeance.
Death came for Rhiannon disguised as love. She survived, barely. Now, she will do anything to get her revenge and finally claw her way back to herself. But the forces against her are greater and more sinister than one man, and she's not the only one in danger.
Fear for the women of Larindia and beyond propels Rhiannon down an increasingly dangerous path that illuminates an insidious evil that has lurked in the shadows of her world as she seeks to stop the man who took everything from her. She will get her retribution, but will her thirst for blood destroy her in the process?
Please note this book contains dark themes and explicit content that is meant for adults only. Please find full content advisory on author's social sites.
379 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 7, 2022
62 people are currently reading
991 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 77 reviews
July 1, 2022
I just wanted to first start out and say THANK YOU to the author for sending me an ARC of this book! This is my first ARC and I was so excited!
Ok to start out I just want to say. Sometimes we don’t vibe the way we want with books. And that is OKAY. We are not going to absolutely love every book we read. That being said, I was just not vibing with the book unfortunately.
I think Rhiannon(love this name btw) is one strong bad a** chick! Girlie has been THROUGH it and got back up on her feet and made herself a force to be reckoned with. That being said, I think there was a lot of repetitiveness in her goals and what she was wanted to accomplish. Homegirl was out for BLOOD with any man that wronged her and honestly I can’t say I blame her. She’s got this wild spirit that I loved about her character. Also seeing a body positive/ plus size FMC. I LOVE THAT. I love that I feel seen when books include a plus size heroine.
Where do I start with Tristian…the man was giving what he needed to give. This harden man opened up to Rhiannon and they had those little sparks I love to see. Is it bad that I was wanting MORE from them😂 I may be greedy.
And don’t get me wrong those spicy scenes(yes PLURAL, my friends) will get your heart pumping.
Silas was the man that is so easy for every reader to hate. I was itching to get to the end to see what would happen.
Now when I got to the end, things started really picking up and I was feeling like I was speed watching a movie play out! I’m very interested to see where things go in the next book.
Overall, the book had some very enjoyable and cute moments. But I did feel like the book was choppy in places and how the paragraphs didn’t really flow together. I also would have really liked more back story to the different places in this story, magical powers/entities, etc.
I am excited to see where this story goes!
Ok to start out I just want to say. Sometimes we don’t vibe the way we want with books. And that is OKAY. We are not going to absolutely love every book we read. That being said, I was just not vibing with the book unfortunately.
I think Rhiannon(love this name btw) is one strong bad a** chick! Girlie has been THROUGH it and got back up on her feet and made herself a force to be reckoned with. That being said, I think there was a lot of repetitiveness in her goals and what she was wanted to accomplish. Homegirl was out for BLOOD with any man that wronged her and honestly I can’t say I blame her. She’s got this wild spirit that I loved about her character. Also seeing a body positive/ plus size FMC. I LOVE THAT. I love that I feel seen when books include a plus size heroine.
Where do I start with Tristian…the man was giving what he needed to give. This harden man opened up to Rhiannon and they had those little sparks I love to see. Is it bad that I was wanting MORE from them😂 I may be greedy.
And don’t get me wrong those spicy scenes(yes PLURAL, my friends) will get your heart pumping.
Silas was the man that is so easy for every reader to hate. I was itching to get to the end to see what would happen.
Now when I got to the end, things started really picking up and I was feeling like I was speed watching a movie play out! I’m very interested to see where things go in the next book.
Overall, the book had some very enjoyable and cute moments. But I did feel like the book was choppy in places and how the paragraphs didn’t really flow together. I also would have really liked more back story to the different places in this story, magical powers/entities, etc.
I am excited to see where this story goes!
August 5, 2022
I don't know what I was really expecting when I started this book. I had read reviews saying that it was awesomely feminist, badass revenge, with a sweet romance, and light fantasy...all of which were correct. However there are a lot of things that left me really unhappy about this story.
----
What I liked:
Tristan. He's a fucking sweetheart and realistic heartthrob.
The body inclusivity throughout. The main character is a confident plus size woman, and every character was a believable person, not full of unrealistic rippling muscles and delicate frames.
What I didn't like:
Pretty much everything else. More specifically, the main character is fucking awful, her motives for going on this revenge kick are pretty weak, and the way she treats the people around her like shit is unforgivable.
The villain is really weak and lame. His motives for doing what he does are pure incel power trip shit. I almost laughed when he gave his reasoning to the MC. It was really underwhelming.
The third person POV. I hate 3rd person but if done well, I can deal. This was not. There was no reason for it to be in 3rd person since we only ever saw anything from the MCs POV.
----
Overall, very unhappy with this book. I really wanted to DNF at the 50% mark but I coasted my way through, skimming the majority of the rest of the book. I was so bored and frustrated. I don't care what happens next at all. The MC doesn't deserve happiness and doesn't deserve Tristan. I feel nothing for anyone except for him.
----
What I liked:
Tristan. He's a fucking sweetheart and realistic heartthrob.
The body inclusivity throughout. The main character is a confident plus size woman, and every character was a believable person, not full of unrealistic rippling muscles and delicate frames.
What I didn't like:
Pretty much everything else. More specifically, the main character is fucking awful, her motives for going on this revenge kick are pretty weak, and the way she treats the people around her like shit is unforgivable.
The villain is really weak and lame. His motives for doing what he does are pure incel power trip shit. I almost laughed when he gave his reasoning to the MC. It was really underwhelming.
The third person POV. I hate 3rd person but if done well, I can deal. This was not. There was no reason for it to be in 3rd person since we only ever saw anything from the MCs POV.
----
Overall, very unhappy with this book. I really wanted to DNF at the 50% mark but I coasted my way through, skimming the majority of the rest of the book. I was so bored and frustrated. I don't care what happens next at all. The MC doesn't deserve happiness and doesn't deserve Tristan. I feel nothing for anyone except for him.
July 5, 2022
First off, a big thank you to the author for sending me an ARC of this book! The minute I came across teasers for VBH I knew I wanted to read it. Definitely check the trigger warnings on the author's site before picking this up.
Vengeance Becomes Her wastes no time in diving right into the story. Rhiannon is betrayed by Silas in the one of the most soul cutting ways (literally), left for dead and drained of almost everything after confessing her love for him. What follows are months of recovery, training, and a single-minded purpose of revenge that propels her forward.
What I liked about this book? Quite a bit!
- Our FMC is badass, plus-size, and in her upper 20's - a combination that is sadly rare to see in a fantasy novel. The way Rhiannon is described and written about is beautiful and I loved the way the author made sure we knew she is a plus-sized character all throughout the book. Oh, and that such characters are absolutely stunning and desirable!
- The "f*ck the patriarchy" vibes are also extremely prevalent throughout the story. It is a feeling that most women will probably relate to as we see not only Silas betray Rhiannon, but every male-dominated institution fail her as well. It's no wonder she spirals into a hate-filled tunnel of revenge.
- The main love interest, Tristain, was overwhelmingly patient and kind (sometimes to a fault tbh). But the friends-to-lovers trope with bits of pining in the beginning was very sweet to watch unfold.
- We get multiple strong women as side characters (or at least introduced to them). I'd love to see how Kira and Samara are developed and fleshed out more in the next book. The fact that our group is mainly made up of women and only one man is a nice flip on the stereotypical groups found in fantasy settings. Oh, and female friendships are always a plus!
So why the three stars if I've already listed how many things I enjoyed about this book? Overall, I think this book has fantastic ideas with lovable, complex characters with representation we absolutely need in this genre! It's just lacking that richness that could really push a book from "okay" to "amazing".
- The pacing of VBH had me struggling to get into it in the beginning and then left me underwhelmed in later parts of the book. I know Rhiannon needed to spend time building up her strength and training for what's to come, but I'm not sure it needed that many pages dedicated to that portion. Especially because once we finally leave on our quest to find Silas, it feels far to simple and short of a journey before we discover him.
- Some of the writing flowed really well, and I feel like once Tristain is introduced the banter gets a lot more fun. But there were still a lot of choppy paragraphs and dialogue that would snap me out of the book.
- Two words: world building. I needed so much more of it. Magic is real? How do those systems work? What are people's beliefs in this world? Their politics? All of these things might be unnecessary to the actual plot of the book but they are the details that bring a world to life for a reader.
All in all, Vengeance Becomes Her was a fun, dark read and I'll be interested to see how Rhiannon's story continues in the next book!
Vengeance Becomes Her wastes no time in diving right into the story. Rhiannon is betrayed by Silas in the one of the most soul cutting ways (literally), left for dead and drained of almost everything after confessing her love for him. What follows are months of recovery, training, and a single-minded purpose of revenge that propels her forward.
What I liked about this book? Quite a bit!
- Our FMC is badass, plus-size, and in her upper 20's - a combination that is sadly rare to see in a fantasy novel. The way Rhiannon is described and written about is beautiful and I loved the way the author made sure we knew she is a plus-sized character all throughout the book. Oh, and that such characters are absolutely stunning and desirable!
- The "f*ck the patriarchy" vibes are also extremely prevalent throughout the story. It is a feeling that most women will probably relate to as we see not only Silas betray Rhiannon, but every male-dominated institution fail her as well. It's no wonder she spirals into a hate-filled tunnel of revenge.
- The main love interest, Tristain, was overwhelmingly patient and kind (sometimes to a fault tbh). But the friends-to-lovers trope with bits of pining in the beginning was very sweet to watch unfold.
- We get multiple strong women as side characters (or at least introduced to them). I'd love to see how Kira and Samara are developed and fleshed out more in the next book. The fact that our group is mainly made up of women and only one man is a nice flip on the stereotypical groups found in fantasy settings. Oh, and female friendships are always a plus!
So why the three stars if I've already listed how many things I enjoyed about this book? Overall, I think this book has fantastic ideas with lovable, complex characters with representation we absolutely need in this genre! It's just lacking that richness that could really push a book from "okay" to "amazing".
- The pacing of VBH had me struggling to get into it in the beginning and then left me underwhelmed in later parts of the book. I know Rhiannon needed to spend time building up her strength and training for what's to come, but I'm not sure it needed that many pages dedicated to that portion. Especially because once we finally leave on our quest to find Silas, it feels far to simple and short of a journey before we discover him.
- Some of the writing flowed really well, and I feel like once Tristain is introduced the banter gets a lot more fun. But there were still a lot of choppy paragraphs and dialogue that would snap me out of the book.
- Two words: world building. I needed so much more of it. Magic is real? How do those systems work? What are people's beliefs in this world? Their politics? All of these things might be unnecessary to the actual plot of the book but they are the details that bring a world to life for a reader.
All in all, Vengeance Becomes Her was a fun, dark read and I'll be interested to see how Rhiannon's story continues in the next book!
July 22, 2022
I knew when I picked it up that I would love it but I didn’t think I’d love it THIS MUCH.
Loved the plot and the execution. I just thought that the alliance between the women happened a little too quickly, but that’s the only critique I have.
I need the sequel, like… NOW.
(I was lucky enough to receive and ARC of this book but my reading slump made me take too long to read it🥲)
Loved the plot and the execution. I just thought that the alliance between the women happened a little too quickly, but that’s the only critique I have.
I need the sequel, like… NOW.
(I was lucky enough to receive and ARC of this book but my reading slump made me take too long to read it🥲)
June 26, 2022
I'd like to thank the author for sending me an eArc of this book.
from the second i came across vbh on tiktok i knew i wanted to read it, and i am so grateful that i was approved for an arc. rhiannon is a badass, plus sized, vengeful, warrior that i would give my whole life for. the writing was just chef's kiss and had me wanted to get to the next page/chapter as soon as possible. the entire cast of characters was just so good (even evil, no good, rotten silas).
i’m supposed to just move on with my life after that ending??? nope. i’m 23 inside a fantasy…
make sure to check the trigger/content warnings provided by Alexis Maness.
from the second i came across vbh on tiktok i knew i wanted to read it, and i am so grateful that i was approved for an arc. rhiannon is a badass, plus sized, vengeful, warrior that i would give my whole life for. the writing was just chef's kiss and had me wanted to get to the next page/chapter as soon as possible. the entire cast of characters was just so good (even evil, no good, rotten silas).
i’m supposed to just move on with my life after that ending??? nope. i’m 23 inside a fantasy…
make sure to check the trigger/content warnings provided by Alexis Maness.
July 8, 2022
AMAZING!!!!!!
Loved it! An amazing dark fantasy that truly captivated my attention and left me gripped until the end. A must read!
Loved it! An amazing dark fantasy that truly captivated my attention and left me gripped until the end. A must read!
July 2, 2022
Loved! I cannot wait for book two and to get to know some more badass female characters!
July 26, 2022
I was absolutely ready to love this book.
There are so many tropes that are fantastic — plus sized FMC in her late twenties, revenge tale, morally grey MC, working through trauma, female empowerment, and all wrapped up in a fantasy setting. The prologue was enticing and beautiful, exciting me beyond belief. And then I started the rest…
Unfortunately, I really didn’t love it and struggled so much I finished this book at 85%.
This book seems self-indulgent, and that’s fantastic for the author but difficult as a reader. I wanted to identify and love this but I couldn’t. The pacing is far too slow in the beginning, and then important scenes in the latter half feel far too rushed. The relationship and intimacy between Tristan and Rhiannon were great, but felt far too “Insta-lovey” and fast. Likewise, the addition of the fellow badass girls into the group was great in theory, but the execution felt… unbelievable?
Light fantasy can be done right, but there was much of this world that was unknown. How does the magic work? Why are the beliefs of the people as they are? What is the history of the world? There were too many things left unsaid, which made it hard to immerse myself in this world, even when I really really wanted to.
Further, much of the writing is disjointed and took away from the immersion of reading. The prologue was stunning and I wish that level of care was taken with the rest of the novel; but alas, it was not.
I am sure there are people who can look past these faults and enjoy the many amazing things this story offers. Unfortunately, that reader is not me.
Well done to Alexis on a great debut, and I really can’t wait to see them and their work grow!
There are so many tropes that are fantastic — plus sized FMC in her late twenties, revenge tale, morally grey MC, working through trauma, female empowerment, and all wrapped up in a fantasy setting. The prologue was enticing and beautiful, exciting me beyond belief. And then I started the rest…
Unfortunately, I really didn’t love it and struggled so much I finished this book at 85%.
This book seems self-indulgent, and that’s fantastic for the author but difficult as a reader. I wanted to identify and love this but I couldn’t. The pacing is far too slow in the beginning, and then important scenes in the latter half feel far too rushed. The relationship and intimacy between Tristan and Rhiannon were great, but felt far too “Insta-lovey” and fast. Likewise, the addition of the fellow badass girls into the group was great in theory, but the execution felt… unbelievable?
Light fantasy can be done right, but there was much of this world that was unknown. How does the magic work? Why are the beliefs of the people as they are? What is the history of the world? There were too many things left unsaid, which made it hard to immerse myself in this world, even when I really really wanted to.
Further, much of the writing is disjointed and took away from the immersion of reading. The prologue was stunning and I wish that level of care was taken with the rest of the novel; but alas, it was not.
I am sure there are people who can look past these faults and enjoy the many amazing things this story offers. Unfortunately, that reader is not me.
Well done to Alexis on a great debut, and I really can’t wait to see them and their work grow!
Read
January 14, 2023Thank you and content warnings
Thank you so much for your interest in Vengeance Becomes Her, my first full-length novel. Please note the content warnings below before reading as it is a very dark story that deals with trauma and content that may be very triggering for some.
Content warnings:
Depression
Suicide attempt
Thoughts of self-harm
Violence against women
Blood and gore
Explicit violence (including murder)
Misogyny
Sexual Harassment
Explicit sex
Blood Play
Knife Play
Manipulation
Verbal abuse (talking down to character)
Brief amnesia (temporary lapse in memory)
Some horror elements (including body horror)
Reference to alcoholism
Reference to parental death
Frequent alcohol consumption
Profanity
Snakes
Thank you so much for your interest in Vengeance Becomes Her, my first full-length novel. Please note the content warnings below before reading as it is a very dark story that deals with trauma and content that may be very triggering for some.
Content warnings:
Depression
Suicide attempt
Thoughts of self-harm
Violence against women
Blood and gore
Explicit violence (including murder)
Misogyny
Sexual Harassment
Explicit sex
Blood Play
Knife Play
Manipulation
Verbal abuse (talking down to character)
Brief amnesia (temporary lapse in memory)
Some horror elements (including body horror)
Reference to alcoholism
Reference to parental death
Frequent alcohol consumption
Profanity
Snakes
June 5, 2023
DNF at 15%
When too many things are in the ridiculous category this early, I know it's only going to get worse as the story goes.
He left his journal? Really?
She's still alive, like he left before she was dead? That's not his MO
She's hollowed out, empty, angry, with brittle white hair, zero energy and no longer secure in her sense of self to the point she is suicidal but still immediately starts flirting with his brother? "Like what you see, Tristian?"
Um? What!?!
If it gets better, I don't care.
When too many things are in the ridiculous category this early, I know it's only going to get worse as the story goes.
He left his journal? Really?
She's still alive, like he left before she was dead? That's not his MO
She's hollowed out, empty, angry, with brittle white hair, zero energy and no longer secure in her sense of self to the point she is suicidal but still immediately starts flirting with his brother? "Like what you see, Tristian?"
Um? What!?!
If it gets better, I don't care.
August 20, 2022
A dark low fantasy story about a woman’s vengeance against the men who have wronged her - 3.75 ⭐️
This story was beautifully written even though it had dark & painful themes, they were all explored with purposeful intent.
I really enjoyed exploring vengeance through a woman’s perspective of anger & grief, a refreshing & real take on a ‘villainous’ tale.
It had just enough fantasy / magical elements to satisfy my need for that in the story - but it could have been told without them too, I felt like the story would have been the same.
The spice was fantastic & so refreshing to read about a full figured woman being adored. The way the author described her body in such unabashed truth was something I really appreciated & hope to read more of in the future.
The only thing I wish had happened, was for there to be a bit more world building at the beginning of the story. I honestly thought it was set in a modern world until about the 20/30% mark when I realised they were training with swords.
Other than that it was a dark & twisted, but refreshing take on a vengeful woman’s tale.
( I also appreciated the authors thorough content warnings as there are some heavy scenes )
I will be picking up book 2 - because… THAT ENDING!
This story was beautifully written even though it had dark & painful themes, they were all explored with purposeful intent.
I really enjoyed exploring vengeance through a woman’s perspective of anger & grief, a refreshing & real take on a ‘villainous’ tale.
It had just enough fantasy / magical elements to satisfy my need for that in the story - but it could have been told without them too, I felt like the story would have been the same.
The spice was fantastic & so refreshing to read about a full figured woman being adored. The way the author described her body in such unabashed truth was something I really appreciated & hope to read more of in the future.
The only thing I wish had happened, was for there to be a bit more world building at the beginning of the story. I honestly thought it was set in a modern world until about the 20/30% mark when I realised they were training with swords.
Other than that it was a dark & twisted, but refreshing take on a vengeful woman’s tale.
( I also appreciated the authors thorough content warnings as there are some heavy scenes )
I will be picking up book 2 - because… THAT ENDING!
July 9, 2022
Can we please talk about how good this book is!! Alexis comes right out the gate with probably the best book plot ever. You've got this amazing powerful female main character who stays consistently badass throughout the entirety of the book. She radiates fierce energy that you just can't help but fall in love with. She was definitely out for blood, which was made known pretty frequently from start to finish.
Tristan definitely had some loveable and hate-able moments which actually made me like him even more, if that's possible? By the end everything was moving so quickly I really wanted to see where it would go. And getting to the end, I was crying for more, because I desperately need to know what happens next!
Cannot wait for book two, absolutely loved this one!
Tristan definitely had some loveable and hate-able moments which actually made me like him even more, if that's possible? By the end everything was moving so quickly I really wanted to see where it would go. And getting to the end, I was crying for more, because I desperately need to know what happens next!
Cannot wait for book two, absolutely loved this one!
Read
November 2, 2023Clearly a labor of love with lots of beautiful illustrations and thick lovely paper, but I got tripped up by a lack of emotional subtlety at the beginning of the story. I got the impetus for revenge, but the magical and emotional violation didn't move me as I was reading it.
May 31, 2024
DNF at 90%
I really wanted to love this book. I kept pushing through and pushing through. When I got to 90% and still wasn’t liking it I had to let it go. I adore this author from tik tok and I liked her book The Tide that Binds but this book was so repetitive and wasn’t capturing me. I liked the idea behind the story and I liked little sections of it here and there.
I really wanted to love this book. I kept pushing through and pushing through. When I got to 90% and still wasn’t liking it I had to let it go. I adore this author from tik tok and I liked her book The Tide that Binds but this book was so repetitive and wasn’t capturing me. I liked the idea behind the story and I liked little sections of it here and there.
August 20, 2022
I…I loved this book and I am a bit, I don’t know I’m a haze because this was so much more than I expected. If you love love love a strong FMC who stands in her truth and doesn’t let anyone, anything, or what others think govern her choices or her life. Rhi is going to be top of you bad-a$$ heroines list. There wasn’t a lot of spice in this book but the detail of what is in here is HOT! This is book one so there is a little bit of a cliffhanger, but it’s more of a “stay tuned” than a “what the heck.”
May 12, 2023
Likable characters, but I feel like we “circled the wagon” with the plot for VBH. Also, in too many places, the story dragged and I hate to say it but I lost interest too many times.
I stayed beside her though 😂 but yeah, this was just okay for me.
I stayed beside her though 😂 but yeah, this was just okay for me.
July 7, 2022
Vengeance Becomes Her is a dark, low fantasy, revenge story. What should have killed Rhiannon made her stronger violent.
I found the prologue gripping; I was immediately drawn in and ready for revenge. The premise was great, and I loved the banter/tension between Rhiannon and Tristain, as well as the ‘smash the patriarchy’ vibes which felt very relevant. It was also nice to see a group with women as the majority, each with their own established skills, and to have a plus size main character who loves her body.
Unfortunately, I felt the story fell a little flat; there was a lot of build up to what felt like a bit of a rushed ending. It would have been good to see a bit more world-building and more of a gradual learning around the magic system.
Overall I enjoyed this book and will be reading the second one when it releases.
Please check trigger warnings, the author has an extensive list linked on her socials.
(ARC Review - I received a free copy of this book from the author)
I found the prologue gripping; I was immediately drawn in and ready for revenge. The premise was great, and I loved the banter/tension between Rhiannon and Tristain, as well as the ‘smash the patriarchy’ vibes which felt very relevant. It was also nice to see a group with women as the majority, each with their own established skills, and to have a plus size main character who loves her body.
Unfortunately, I felt the story fell a little flat; there was a lot of build up to what felt like a bit of a rushed ending. It would have been good to see a bit more world-building and more of a gradual learning around the magic system.
Overall I enjoyed this book and will be reading the second one when it releases.
Please check trigger warnings, the author has an extensive list linked on her socials.
(ARC Review - I received a free copy of this book from the author)
July 12, 2022
Not what I expected it to be. I was so excited to read this and was extremely let down. Most of the story is just her whining about wanting vengeance and feeling sorry for herself. She transformed from being confident and loving her body into this whiney insecure I'm so ugly because I'm pale and my hair is brittle. I'm so weak because my strength is gone so I'm gonna kill myself. 🙄 The whole time I'm thinking, get your ass up. Work out and get a grip and a haircut. Nothing really happens until the end and the whole relationship with Tristan made zero sense. Does she really need another man right now? The story is completely different from description. I will not be continuing on. ✌🏾
July 13, 2022
If you are looking for a book with "Eff the patriarchy" vibes and a truly morally grey heroine, you've got to read this one. Lots of times, I see "morally grey MC" as a selling point for books and then you find out the character is a little stabby with a heart of gold. Rhiannon is *truly* morally grey and has reason to be.
Nearly killed by the man she loves, she seeks out revenge and makes friends and finds love again along the way. She also finds out that she's exceptionally good at getting vengeance against men who behave terribly.
I think there's a lot of us who need to read that kind of book right now. If you're one of those folks, definitely pick Vengeance Becomes Her.
I can't wait to find out what Rhiannon does next.
Nearly killed by the man she loves, she seeks out revenge and makes friends and finds love again along the way. She also finds out that she's exceptionally good at getting vengeance against men who behave terribly.
I think there's a lot of us who need to read that kind of book right now. If you're one of those folks, definitely pick Vengeance Becomes Her.
I can't wait to find out what Rhiannon does next.
July 19, 2022
4 stars for Tristain.
3.25 for the plot.
All my love for that man.
3.25 for the plot.
All my love for that man.
July 8, 2022
disclaimer: an arc was provided to me by the author free of charge in exchange for an honest review. thank you alexis!
rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️.75/⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
okay so i did enjoy this a lot! i liked the chemistry between rhiannon and tristain, although in hindsight tristain is a very generic good guy character. i'd like to see more variety from him in the sequel.
i LOVED how rhiannon is described physically. there is no room left to question if she's fat or not - she's fat, plain and simple. i actually marked each instance of her size being described and it was over 40 times. but not in a bad or cringe way! alexis did a great job of using a variety of descriptors that felt super authentic and realistic.
despite all the good, this book definitely has it's issues. as several other reviewers have said, i feel like the world building was too minimal. how does magic work? what's the political climate? do the people have religious beliefs and customs? i think any (or all) of these would've fleshed the world out nicely. the pacing also felt wonky. we spent a loooooong time in the build up and so little time doing the revenge thing. like the first half was so long and the last half was way too fast for me.
overall the book feels... unpolished. i don't know what the editing process looked like, but the final book reads more like a first or second draft. i didn't find any typos or misspellings, but there were frequent run-on and fragments sentences - not in like an aesthetic way, but in a oof-this-is-hard-to-read way. here are two direct examples (don't worry these aren't spoilers!)
"Her insistence driving Rhiannon to action."
"Demand heavy in his eyes."
like they're awkward. and there are several times she has nice aesthetic fragment sentences so i'm not sure what happened. i also think there needed to be more (and varied) punctuation, and i think that would've helped with the run-on issues.
ultimately, i did really enjoy this book, and i'm excited for the sequel, but i really hope to see alexis's writing grow and evolve. i'd love more worldbuilding and more page time for the side characters. i would definitely recommend this is you're looking for a feminist revenge book, just be aware of what you're getting into.
also definitely check alexis's link tree for full content and trigger warnings - this deals with some heavy and violent stuff
linktr.ee/Authoralexiscmaness
thank you again to the author for the arc of this book!
rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️.75/⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
okay so i did enjoy this a lot! i liked the chemistry between rhiannon and tristain, although in hindsight tristain is a very generic good guy character. i'd like to see more variety from him in the sequel.
i LOVED how rhiannon is described physically. there is no room left to question if she's fat or not - she's fat, plain and simple. i actually marked each instance of her size being described and it was over 40 times. but not in a bad or cringe way! alexis did a great job of using a variety of descriptors that felt super authentic and realistic.
despite all the good, this book definitely has it's issues. as several other reviewers have said, i feel like the world building was too minimal. how does magic work? what's the political climate? do the people have religious beliefs and customs? i think any (or all) of these would've fleshed the world out nicely. the pacing also felt wonky. we spent a loooooong time in the build up and so little time doing the revenge thing. like the first half was so long and the last half was way too fast for me.
overall the book feels... unpolished. i don't know what the editing process looked like, but the final book reads more like a first or second draft. i didn't find any typos or misspellings, but there were frequent run-on and fragments sentences - not in like an aesthetic way, but in a oof-this-is-hard-to-read way. here are two direct examples (don't worry these aren't spoilers!)
"Her insistence driving Rhiannon to action."
"Demand heavy in his eyes."
like they're awkward. and there are several times she has nice aesthetic fragment sentences so i'm not sure what happened. i also think there needed to be more (and varied) punctuation, and i think that would've helped with the run-on issues.
ultimately, i did really enjoy this book, and i'm excited for the sequel, but i really hope to see alexis's writing grow and evolve. i'd love more worldbuilding and more page time for the side characters. i would definitely recommend this is you're looking for a feminist revenge book, just be aware of what you're getting into.
also definitely check alexis's link tree for full content and trigger warnings - this deals with some heavy and violent stuff
linktr.ee/Authoralexiscmaness
thank you again to the author for the arc of this book!
July 7, 2022
She was done living at the mercy of men
⭐️I received a free advanced reader copy⭐️
Please read the trigger warnings before reading.
Overall I rated this book 4 stars. The spice level was on the lower side, however, the scenes were really great and made me want more. There is definitely a romance story in here, but I don’t think that was entirely the focus of this book. Be warned, it does end on a cliffhanger, so if you’re looking for a book to be wrapped in a bow, this is not it. Good world building. My only issue with this narrative is especially the first half of the book a good number of sentences started with “she” and “Rhiannon” and that was repetitive for me, but it was easy enough to move on. Loved seeing plus-size representation- NOT as a negativity. She was confident as he11. Even Tristain wasn’t the typical “wall of muscle and steel” often seen in romance books. If you are in dire need of a bada$$ heroine, supportive man, and making the men of the world who hurt women suffer? This is a good book to read in these times when you’ve had enough.
Non spoiler plot- This book is an allegory for SA. The trauma, the betrayal, the grief, losing yourself, not recognizing the person in the mirror, putting the pieces back as best as you can, struggling how to move forward. I may have not handled it the same Rhiannon, but that’s the best part. There’s no “right” way to deal with your own trauma. People will tell you how to move on, how to live after, tell you that you have support, but it’s not the same. Trust and lack of communication end up being a driver of a lot of the conflict, so be prepared to be frustrated with the characters. Is getting revenge going to heal that broken part of your soul, no matter the cost? The point is, they are human and they have their own faults.
⭐️I received a free advanced reader copy⭐️
Please read the trigger warnings before reading.
Overall I rated this book 4 stars. The spice level was on the lower side, however, the scenes were really great and made me want more. There is definitely a romance story in here, but I don’t think that was entirely the focus of this book. Be warned, it does end on a cliffhanger, so if you’re looking for a book to be wrapped in a bow, this is not it. Good world building. My only issue with this narrative is especially the first half of the book a good number of sentences started with “she” and “Rhiannon” and that was repetitive for me, but it was easy enough to move on. Loved seeing plus-size representation- NOT as a negativity. She was confident as he11. Even Tristain wasn’t the typical “wall of muscle and steel” often seen in romance books. If you are in dire need of a bada$$ heroine, supportive man, and making the men of the world who hurt women suffer? This is a good book to read in these times when you’ve had enough.
Non spoiler plot- This book is an allegory for SA. The trauma, the betrayal, the grief, losing yourself, not recognizing the person in the mirror, putting the pieces back as best as you can, struggling how to move forward. I may have not handled it the same Rhiannon, but that’s the best part. There’s no “right” way to deal with your own trauma. People will tell you how to move on, how to live after, tell you that you have support, but it’s not the same. Trust and lack of communication end up being a driver of a lot of the conflict, so be prepared to be frustrated with the characters. Is getting revenge going to heal that broken part of your soul, no matter the cost? The point is, they are human and they have their own faults.
August 2, 2022
The fuck the Patriarchy vibes in this book were outstanding and came at just the right time. Rhiannon is a super confident and strong plus size main character who I love. Rhiannon and Tristain's relationship made me so happy. I love their dynamic. Every badass needs their own personal cinnamon bun (in my opinion). 🖤
Something the author did that I loved is that Rhiannon loves her body. She, a fat woman in a fantasy world, loves the body she's in. So much so that even when she's working out and getting fit, she's not looking to lose weight. She just wants to become stronger. It's a nice change from the typical 'lose weight to get revenge' trope.
Rhiannon's story was interesting, but I found myself struggling to get through parts of it, even when there were things actively happening. The pacing just felt off and a bit choppy at times, so there'd be a chapter that absorbed me and then there were chapters that left me counting how many pages I was from finishing it.
It took awhile for anything to really happen after she was betrayed. I get she needed to heal, but the story didn't really start picking up until maybe 50ish% through.
I'm hoping book 2 will have a better pacing to it because, overall, I did enjoy this story and am looking forward to the next installment. I would encourage others to read it for the fat representation, fuck buddies to lovers and revenge plotline.
So for the reasons listed above, I'm giving this book a 3⭐️ rating because it was good, I enjoyed it, but there's also room for improvement.
Thank you so much Alexis for having me be apart of your PR team. Even though this book was gifted to me by the author, all thoughts are my own. 🖤
Something the author did that I loved is that Rhiannon loves her body. She, a fat woman in a fantasy world, loves the body she's in. So much so that even when she's working out and getting fit, she's not looking to lose weight. She just wants to become stronger. It's a nice change from the typical 'lose weight to get revenge' trope.
Rhiannon's story was interesting, but I found myself struggling to get through parts of it, even when there were things actively happening. The pacing just felt off and a bit choppy at times, so there'd be a chapter that absorbed me and then there were chapters that left me counting how many pages I was from finishing it.
It took awhile for anything to really happen after she was betrayed. I get she needed to heal, but the story didn't really start picking up until maybe 50ish% through.
I'm hoping book 2 will have a better pacing to it because, overall, I did enjoy this story and am looking forward to the next installment. I would encourage others to read it for the fat representation, fuck buddies to lovers and revenge plotline.
So for the reasons listed above, I'm giving this book a 3⭐️ rating because it was good, I enjoyed it, but there's also room for improvement.
Thank you so much Alexis for having me be apart of your PR team. Even though this book was gifted to me by the author, all thoughts are my own. 🖤
July 5, 2022
I would like to thank the author for the Advanced Reader Copy, and this will be an honest review
My rating is balancing between 3,75 - 4 and I will tell why:
Well, I have to say that this book made me a little confused at first, I add some trouble to going deep into the story. I was still surprised along the way, I think this book is the building of the plot as it’s focused on Rhiannon’s struggles toward healing but also revenge.
Rhiannon was stricken by love, her body and her state of mind need time to heal, she has loved and almost died for it - this will not be left unpunished. She’s focused on taking her revenge and making the man who took everything from her suffer. However, revenge doesn’t taste sweet and her lover is not the only thing to fear, something is lurking for her in the shadows.
Rhiannon is an interesting character who finds out how strong she really is; in a world controlled by men, she knows that she has to rise and stand on her own if she wants justice to be made. She could just live her life, being grateful to be alive but what happened to her broke something in her, she lost a piece of herself, she’s not even sure that vengeance would help her to regain what she lost. Throughout her journey, she will not be alone - a man will stand with her, for her, but can she really trust him…
Even if I was confused, I want to know what will happen next and what the characters will do to overcome everything they had to face !!
My rating is balancing between 3,75 - 4 and I will tell why:
Well, I have to say that this book made me a little confused at first, I add some trouble to going deep into the story. I was still surprised along the way, I think this book is the building of the plot as it’s focused on Rhiannon’s struggles toward healing but also revenge.
Rhiannon was stricken by love, her body and her state of mind need time to heal, she has loved and almost died for it - this will not be left unpunished. She’s focused on taking her revenge and making the man who took everything from her suffer. However, revenge doesn’t taste sweet and her lover is not the only thing to fear, something is lurking for her in the shadows.
Rhiannon is an interesting character who finds out how strong she really is; in a world controlled by men, she knows that she has to rise and stand on her own if she wants justice to be made. She could just live her life, being grateful to be alive but what happened to her broke something in her, she lost a piece of herself, she’s not even sure that vengeance would help her to regain what she lost. Throughout her journey, she will not be alone - a man will stand with her, for her, but can she really trust him…
Even if I was confused, I want to know what will happen next and what the characters will do to overcome everything they had to face !!
July 8, 2022
First of all I want to say a massive thank you to the author for a copy of the book (I won’t be using the ‘A’ word because I want the review to go on the z0n as well lol)
And secondly my honest thoughts on this book were that it came at a great time. Myself, and a lot of other people, are understandably enraged by the decisions being made for us in the US right now and I really enjoyed the way my anger was able to be expressed through Rhiannon. Many humans have been mistreated/hurt/abused/etc by men and to experience a character who was unapologetic about her reaction to being hurt was refreshing.
I think a common theme in the book for me was a struggle with the pacing and the details? At times I felt the author was trying to tell me how to feel instead of making me feel it and by not quite going into the details, or by talking a lot about several key factors and not so much some of the nuisances, it made me not feel as connected to the characters as I could have been.
I enjoyed the plus size rep, the unapologetic appreciation of self, and PHEW girl the sexy scenes ATE.
Despite certain things not being my particular favorite I have a deep appreciation for what the author was trying to get across in this book and once more I want to thank her for not only sending me a copy but writing it.
Love yourself fully.
And secondly my honest thoughts on this book were that it came at a great time. Myself, and a lot of other people, are understandably enraged by the decisions being made for us in the US right now and I really enjoyed the way my anger was able to be expressed through Rhiannon. Many humans have been mistreated/hurt/abused/etc by men and to experience a character who was unapologetic about her reaction to being hurt was refreshing.
I think a common theme in the book for me was a struggle with the pacing and the details? At times I felt the author was trying to tell me how to feel instead of making me feel it and by not quite going into the details, or by talking a lot about several key factors and not so much some of the nuisances, it made me not feel as connected to the characters as I could have been.
I enjoyed the plus size rep, the unapologetic appreciation of self, and PHEW girl the sexy scenes ATE.
Despite certain things not being my particular favorite I have a deep appreciation for what the author was trying to get across in this book and once more I want to thank her for not only sending me a copy but writing it.
Love yourself fully.
July 13, 2022
Where to begin with this book? I suppose the beginning is always the best place and this certainly opens with a bang. The journal entry/letter that opens the book is filled with the heroine's palpable rage and pulled me in right away. I have a deep love in my heart for women being allowed to be angry, because too often we're told our anger is inconvenient or unseemly, and Rhiannon has every right to be furious. She is angry and violent and unapologetic in all of her glory.
I also want to talk about her body type here because this is one of the few fantasy books I've ever read with a plus sized MC and I was a little worried going in(not the fault of the author, just a worry in any form of media when it comes to plus sized bodies). Any fears I had were entirely unfounded. She is treated as a person worthy of desire, allowed to be sexual without crossing into fetish territory, and her size has nothing to do with the story.
It is wonderfully refreshing to have a character be described in a way that makes my eyes light up and go "hey that could be me!", especially in fantasy as it is one of my favorites.
A great read and I cannot wait for the second book to come out!
(Also thank you to the author for including a pronunciation guide at the start! It was incredibly helpful and I always appreciate when authors take the time to do that.)
I also want to talk about her body type here because this is one of the few fantasy books I've ever read with a plus sized MC and I was a little worried going in(not the fault of the author, just a worry in any form of media when it comes to plus sized bodies). Any fears I had were entirely unfounded. She is treated as a person worthy of desire, allowed to be sexual without crossing into fetish territory, and her size has nothing to do with the story.
It is wonderfully refreshing to have a character be described in a way that makes my eyes light up and go "hey that could be me!", especially in fantasy as it is one of my favorites.
A great read and I cannot wait for the second book to come out!
(Also thank you to the author for including a pronunciation guide at the start! It was incredibly helpful and I always appreciate when authors take the time to do that.)
July 29, 2022
Thank you to Alexis for the ARC in exchange for an honest review! Please check for TW/CW at author's linktree
The story follows Rhiannon who is betrayed after confessing her love for him. I know we all feel betrayed after confessing our love and it is unrequited but the betrayal is so much deeper and darker.
I love the strong female main character, plus size representation, f*ck the patriarchy, and friends to lovers trope. I really enjoyed reading female plus size and how they are just as desirable and beautiful. The journey Rhiannon goes through to become who she is is gritting and hard.
Even though I enjoyed the story the pacing was slow overall and picked up toward the end of the book. Some parts of the story were repetitive and lacked some details that I think would have pushed the story from okay to amazing. The last thing is world building which I think would have bumped this up this story.
Overall, I really enjoyed the story, the plus size representation and strong female characters. Even with the story shortcomings I would still recommend this book and continue on with the next book to find out how Rhiannon pulls through this.
The story follows Rhiannon who is betrayed after confessing her love for him. I know we all feel betrayed after confessing our love and it is unrequited but the betrayal is so much deeper and darker.
I love the strong female main character, plus size representation, f*ck the patriarchy, and friends to lovers trope. I really enjoyed reading female plus size and how they are just as desirable and beautiful. The journey Rhiannon goes through to become who she is is gritting and hard.
Even though I enjoyed the story the pacing was slow overall and picked up toward the end of the book. Some parts of the story were repetitive and lacked some details that I think would have pushed the story from okay to amazing. The last thing is world building which I think would have bumped this up this story.
Overall, I really enjoyed the story, the plus size representation and strong female characters. Even with the story shortcomings I would still recommend this book and continue on with the next book to find out how Rhiannon pulls through this.
August 19, 2022
This is my official request to the author that I would like for Rhiannon to sit on my face, thank you🤠
ANYWAY, I can see this book not vibing with some people but it was AMAZINGA FOR ME.
A lot of this book is about the FMC, Rhiannon, dealing with trauma. We go with her through her journey of moments of weakness, selfishness, everything. And that's honestly my favorite part about this book.
This one is not an easy one. At some points it was hard to read from Rhiannons POV. Some of her thoughts and feelings are dark. And that's OK. From the beginning, we know that this story is about revenge but what the author didn't say was that she was going to do an amazing job at showing every part of the journey. As I said before, we follow Rhiannon through everything so at times she *can* be annoying. But I loved it honestly. Of course the fmc is going to be annoying or whiney at some points. She's struggling and trying to come to terms with the fact that someone she trusted and cared for betrayed her so horrendously. This book is honestly amazing and now I need it in paperback, audio, and hardback.
Tristan, the love interest, melts me every single time😭 I love him so much😭. He was so patient and understanding with Rhiannon and I just 🥺🥺
Silas, the villain, is a POS and I would gladly burn him alive🤠
This book is *chefs kiss*
ANYWAY, I can see this book not vibing with some people but it was AMAZINGA FOR ME.
A lot of this book is about the FMC, Rhiannon, dealing with trauma. We go with her through her journey of moments of weakness, selfishness, everything. And that's honestly my favorite part about this book.
This one is not an easy one. At some points it was hard to read from Rhiannons POV. Some of her thoughts and feelings are dark. And that's OK. From the beginning, we know that this story is about revenge but what the author didn't say was that she was going to do an amazing job at showing every part of the journey. As I said before, we follow Rhiannon through everything so at times she *can* be annoying. But I loved it honestly. Of course the fmc is going to be annoying or whiney at some points. She's struggling and trying to come to terms with the fact that someone she trusted and cared for betrayed her so horrendously. This book is honestly amazing and now I need it in paperback, audio, and hardback.
Tristan, the love interest, melts me every single time😭 I love him so much😭. He was so patient and understanding with Rhiannon and I just 🥺🥺
Silas, the villain, is a POS and I would gladly burn him alive🤠
This book is *chefs kiss*
June 26, 2022
Excuse me while I pick my jaw up off the floor! The last 25% of this book had me in a chokehold. Y’all, this was so good. Alexis Maness, I am ready for book 2, and I need more of these amazing character’s journey! First of all, I’d like to thank the author for sending me an ARC of this book. The imagery used and the writing style are phenomenal. This story follows Rhiannon, who is nearly killed by her, at the time, boyfriend Silas, and her journey in seeking revenge. On the way she meets Tristain, Silas’s brother who prefers to carry out justice the traditional way. A romance blooms between the two of them in the most delicious way… amazing banter and lots of spicy moments. This book is low fantasy, but it touches on multiple modern day issues that are extremely relevant. The amount of DMs I sent Alexis Maness about feeling seen or relating to aspects Rhiannon… She is such a diverse character, and I absolutely love her! Spicy, revenge plot, plus-size representation, relevant themes… go ahead and add to cart and preorder this book! This is an adult fantasy with a romance subplot, 18+ for sexual content and themes. Check out Alexis Maness’s link in her bio for a full list of triggers.
June 28, 2022
Just finished this ARC and I like it!
I love plus-size heroine rep in Rhiannon. She embraced it and use it as part of her charms! You go, girl! I also adore her determination and big heart. Silas is, well, evil, but also intriguing. Tristain is an absolute cinnamon roll, we have to protect his guy at all cost. I also love Samara and Kyra! Also Delphine! But of all character traits, I love that Rhiannon is unapologetic in her revenge journey. Honestly, she deserves that sweet revenge on Silas.
The world building and story pacing were pretty great. I just wish we have more "clues" leading to that conclusion about what "power" behind Silas action and most importantly, how Rhiannon got to counter it. Yes, we get to learn about that but in my opinion, it was too far back and we need whispers/clues before so it wouldn't feel as sudden. But other than that, I enjoyed this book a lot!
It was dark, brutal, has heavy themes, but also there are sweet and funny moments!
That was a great read :)
< Review copy received from author in exchange with an honest review >
I love plus-size heroine rep in Rhiannon. She embraced it and use it as part of her charms! You go, girl! I also adore her determination and big heart. Silas is, well, evil, but also intriguing. Tristain is an absolute cinnamon roll, we have to protect his guy at all cost. I also love Samara and Kyra! Also Delphine! But of all character traits, I love that Rhiannon is unapologetic in her revenge journey. Honestly, she deserves that sweet revenge on Silas.
The world building and story pacing were pretty great. I just wish we have more "clues" leading to that conclusion about what "power" behind Silas action and most importantly, how Rhiannon got to counter it. Yes, we get to learn about that but in my opinion, it was too far back and we need whispers/clues before so it wouldn't feel as sudden. But other than that, I enjoyed this book a lot!
It was dark, brutal, has heavy themes, but also there are sweet and funny moments!
That was a great read :)
< Review copy received from author in exchange with an honest review >
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