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Pretty Monsters Trilogy #1
Pretty Monsters
Welcome to Devil’s Crossing.Here monsters don’t hide in the shadows. They aren’t made of myth and magic either. Normal men are the things that go bump in the night, and I am the most dangerous of them all.I am vengeance wrapped in a pretty package, but you can call me Sin, everyone else does. I’m a ghost made of flesh and blood. Legally, I don’t exist. Sold into slavery as a child, I exist as nothing more than a weapon, bringing death where the boss of our underground syndicate directs me.Until the night Raven walks into the moonlight. She haunts me with her innocent beauty, showing me the life I’ll never have. One where blood isn’t caked under my nails, and hiding bodies wasn’t one of the top skills on my resume.She shouldn’t be here. She’s too pure for the evil in this house, but she belongs here more than I do. After all, she’s the princess, and this is her father’s kingdom. He stole my identity, my future, and someday he’ll take my life.Before he does, I’ll take something from him. Her.I might be bad for her, but her father’s world is worse. I’m exactly who she needs to escape it.Unless I break her first.This is a dark romance. Please check my website for the TW: www.kimberlycarrilloauthor.com
324 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 21, 2022
392 people are currently reading
1210 people want to read
About the author
Kimberly Carrillo
20 books299 followersKimberly Carrillo is a storyteller from the Pacific Northwest, currently living in a small town with her teenage son and a house full of pets. The author of the romantic suspense Destroy Series, and other books, Kimberly writes tales of beautiful, messy love. When she isn’t reading or out supporting her son at sports events she can be found moving a cat off her keyboard so she can help the heroine find the love that she deserves.
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www.kimberlycarrilloauthor.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 122 reviews
April 7, 2021
First read by this author. It wasn’t on my radar at all.
Premise: Raven comes home after being away at boarding school for her entire life and literally disrupts the life of Sin (I love this name by the way!). Sin lives at her house along side her brother, and best friend, Lucien doing “work” for their Dad.
The story line was definitely interesting and kept me intrigued throughout! I like the characters a lot, the author just kind of throws you in, so one second they are meeting and the the next they are in love but it works. There are several characters in this story and honestly I liked them all (well, the good ones that is)!!
Premise: Raven comes home after being away at boarding school for her entire life and literally disrupts the life of Sin (I love this name by the way!). Sin lives at her house along side her brother, and best friend, Lucien doing “work” for their Dad.
The story line was definitely interesting and kept me intrigued throughout! I like the characters a lot, the author just kind of throws you in, so one second they are meeting and the the next they are in love but it works. There are several characters in this story and honestly I liked them all (well, the good ones that is)!!
April 15, 2021
This book was so much fun- it was dark, thrilling, intense, sexy, and there were quite a few surprises along the way.
Pretty Monsters follow Sin and Lucien who both have been raised to be hit men for an evil powerful man. They always tried to ensure that the people they were tasked to take out were also bad guys- one choice they could make in a world where they had none. Sin has an escape plan, and is just trying to figure out the right way to make it happen. But his plans get moved up when they discover the wicked plans laid out for Lucien's sister, Raven. Immediately, they sweep Raven away and are on the run.
Sin is dangerous and haunted by a cruel past, and tries hard to keep his distance from Raven, but something about her just draws him in. Raven is assumed to be a young, naive, innocent woman who was hidden away in boarding schools most of her life, but she's got some secrets of her own, and isn't nearly the innocent she is expected to be.
I loved Raven's confidence and independence, she is such a great character. Sin is just this killer with a moral code, who ends up having a really big heart. Though he definitely screws up along the way as he fights his feelings for Raven, and finds himself vulnerable for the first time in a long time.
Pretty Monsters has an awesome cast of characters. There's a group of college guys that they meet along the way, and I totally thought they were just going to be "bros" but each of them has their own history that has bonded them in a friendship of understanding. I really liked this group and how they end up coming along side Sin, Raven, and Lucien.
This book is an absolute page turner, it was so hard to put down. Just fyi- there are some pretty intense sex scenes, but it really works with the way the story is told and the world the characters live in, or escaped from. I definitely recommend it, and I cannot wait to dive into the next book.
Pretty Monsters follow Sin and Lucien who both have been raised to be hit men for an evil powerful man. They always tried to ensure that the people they were tasked to take out were also bad guys- one choice they could make in a world where they had none. Sin has an escape plan, and is just trying to figure out the right way to make it happen. But his plans get moved up when they discover the wicked plans laid out for Lucien's sister, Raven. Immediately, they sweep Raven away and are on the run.
Sin is dangerous and haunted by a cruel past, and tries hard to keep his distance from Raven, but something about her just draws him in. Raven is assumed to be a young, naive, innocent woman who was hidden away in boarding schools most of her life, but she's got some secrets of her own, and isn't nearly the innocent she is expected to be.
I loved Raven's confidence and independence, she is such a great character. Sin is just this killer with a moral code, who ends up having a really big heart. Though he definitely screws up along the way as he fights his feelings for Raven, and finds himself vulnerable for the first time in a long time.
Pretty Monsters has an awesome cast of characters. There's a group of college guys that they meet along the way, and I totally thought they were just going to be "bros" but each of them has their own history that has bonded them in a friendship of understanding. I really liked this group and how they end up coming along side Sin, Raven, and Lucien.
This book is an absolute page turner, it was so hard to put down. Just fyi- there are some pretty intense sex scenes, but it really works with the way the story is told and the world the characters live in, or escaped from. I definitely recommend it, and I cannot wait to dive into the next book.
July 15, 2021
I hit pause on this book because I lost interest in it at first. then I try to finish it but I just can’t. I don’t think I like the style of writing
April 24, 2025
Im sorry - WHAT JUST FREAKING HAPPENED!?
September 14, 2022
The couple: Sin and Raven
Romance trope: Criminal organization
Series: Pretty Monsters
Length: 324 pages
Plot: Raven is finally home from her exile at boarding school, but her family home isn't really safe for her. On her first night home, she meets Sin, her brother's best friend, and is instantly attracted. He is as well, but he also knows a relationship with his boss's daughter isn't a good idea. But when Sin and Raven's brother Lucian discover that her father is going to force her into a marriage, they help her run away, stepping up their timetable to take down their father's criminal empire. He's not going to just let them go, though.
Commentary: My least favorite combined tropes: new adult and "so many friends." I like my romances to focus on the couple, and with all the extra friends next door, that wasn't always what happened. Not to mention, both Sin and Raven slept with other people during the story. They weren't exactly together, but they weren't exactly not - it was in the midst of them figuring out what they were to each other, and Sin purposefully slept with someone where she would see in order to push her away, so she slept with someone for revenge, but the person she slept with was in an almost-relationship with another member of the friend group. It was a mess and a half, and exactly what you would expect from a large, long-time group of friends who coincidentally all had violent trauma and useful secrets in their backgrounds. It was just so unbelievable and so messy and so distracting from the actual story. After working so hard to keep all their activities a secret, Raven spills to the first people she meets, and Sin keeps on spilling to them. Their lives depend on secrecy, so they tell all their secrets to the college kids next door. It did not make sense to me.
Next book in the series: Perfect Sin
Romance trope: Criminal organization
Series: Pretty Monsters
Length: 324 pages
Plot: Raven is finally home from her exile at boarding school, but her family home isn't really safe for her. On her first night home, she meets Sin, her brother's best friend, and is instantly attracted. He is as well, but he also knows a relationship with his boss's daughter isn't a good idea. But when Sin and Raven's brother Lucian discover that her father is going to force her into a marriage, they help her run away, stepping up their timetable to take down their father's criminal empire. He's not going to just let them go, though.
Commentary: My least favorite combined tropes: new adult and "so many friends." I like my romances to focus on the couple, and with all the extra friends next door, that wasn't always what happened. Not to mention, both Sin and Raven slept with other people during the story. They weren't exactly together, but they weren't exactly not - it was in the midst of them figuring out what they were to each other, and Sin purposefully slept with someone where she would see in order to push her away, so she slept with someone for revenge, but the person she slept with was in an almost-relationship with another member of the friend group. It was a mess and a half, and exactly what you would expect from a large, long-time group of friends who coincidentally all had violent trauma and useful secrets in their backgrounds. It was just so unbelievable and so messy and so distracting from the actual story. After working so hard to keep all their activities a secret, Raven spills to the first people she meets, and Sin keeps on spilling to them. Their lives depend on secrecy, so they tell all their secrets to the college kids next door. It did not make sense to me.
Next book in the series: Perfect Sin
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 7, 2020
I received an ARC from the author thru Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving my review. This story will take you for a ride and now I anxiously await book two to find out more. Sin and Raven have a chemistry that is explosive at times. They are both broken, damaged and desperately in need of change. To act on that will bring danger and more chaos to their already unwanted lives. Together Sin and Raven can stand stronger to fight. I enjoyed this story, there are some twists and turns amongst the suspense. I was not expecting the ending, nothing hinted at it in the blurb. That was the only problem I had with the book. The characters were great.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
December 15, 2020
Captivating and thrilling, Pretty Monsters had me from the get go. I'm a sucker for flawed or broken characters whose story arcs are long and torturous. Sin and Raven are everything I love about dark reads, and more.
That cliffie though...damn you, woman!
That cliffie though...damn you, woman!
August 19, 2022
4.5🤩🤩🤩🤩
"Innocents in Monsterland"
I should’ve known this book (series) was going to touch my kindred spirit button just by the author's dedication. EPIC!
Pretty Monsters is my introduction to Kimberly Carrillo’s writing. She’s so badass! I knew going into this read it was a dark romance. I’m not going to lie. I wasn’t ready for the worst of humanity in some of the characters.
Sin is a young man who was stolen from his family as a child, abused in every way possible, and trained to be an assassin. His captor Damien Blackthorne has manipulated him for nearly his entire life. His only friend is Lucien, Blackthorne’s son and heir to his evil empire. One fateful night, Sin meets Blackthorne’s teenage daughter, Raven. This poor girl, who is an incredible beauty, has been sheltered all her life, secreted away to boarding schools, and kept from her family. Her situation has led to a lonely life, but it has also made her smart, jaded, and someone who is always underestimated.
Let me begin with the villain of all villains. Damien Blackthorne is a vile piece of hot garbage. If you got a villain you love to hate, this animal would be right up there with GOTs Ramsey (yeah, it’s like that). Dude deals in flesh and whatever else he can get his filthy hands on.
The trio learn of Damien’s plans to marry Raven off to a rich dude whose father is known for his disgusting proclivities against women. Cue the runaway road trip. Sin, Lucien, and Raven (all aptly named, btw) take off and go into hiding until sexual tensions and violent tendencies force them to trust in a group of college students on their journey.
Sin and Raven have undeniable chemistry and attraction from the start. And it’s so explosive and butterfly-inducing. He’s fighting to keep his murderous hands off her and she’s fighting to make him see she’s not the innocent angel he’s built her up to be. Let me scratch the record right quick on the sex in this book: it is fornication nation! Everybody is getting some. Whenever they want and however they want. It’s almost a shock to the senses and I mean that in a good way. Consensual sex in this book isn’t had according to the dictates of western society. For a good part of the book, I had my mouth open because I couldn’t believe who was doing who and when and where they chose to do it! It was refreshing and necessary considering the dark world the book is set in.
Absolutely NOTHING meets the eye in Pretty Monsters. Ms. Carrillo handed out secrets like Oprah gave away cars. Sin, you get secrets! Raven, you get secrets! Lucien, you get secrets! Ford, Ted, Shane (part of the college group) YOU ALL GET SECRETS! The characters all seem a lot older than they are. It’s fairly easy for them to rationalize their feelings and behaviors. I think this is the genius of Ms. Carrillo’s writing. These personalities become almost relatable because you know they have all been through hell, which has likely made them mature faster than their counterparts. But we don’t actually learn, yet, how far into hell each of them has traveled.
There are very few adults this group can trust. Sin, Lucien, and Raven go from hiding to fighting to take down Daddy Blackthorne. More secrets are revealed and betrayal is had. There is one hell of a cliffhanger. But I’m not mad because I didn’t read this book during its original release. Again, this is book one in a series, so it was a great way to keep me coming back for more.
While there aren’t any scenes involving sex abuse, there is dialogue that alludes to past attacks. So, if you have triggers, this may not be the read for you.
Pretty Monsters is raw, intense, suspenseful, thrilling, and just so gritty, that it leaves you feeling spellbound. Two blacknificient thumbs up to Ms. Carrillo for this calculating creation!
"Innocents in Monsterland"
I should’ve known this book (series) was going to touch my kindred spirit button just by the author's dedication. EPIC!
Pretty Monsters is my introduction to Kimberly Carrillo’s writing. She’s so badass! I knew going into this read it was a dark romance. I’m not going to lie. I wasn’t ready for the worst of humanity in some of the characters.
Sin is a young man who was stolen from his family as a child, abused in every way possible, and trained to be an assassin. His captor Damien Blackthorne has manipulated him for nearly his entire life. His only friend is Lucien, Blackthorne’s son and heir to his evil empire. One fateful night, Sin meets Blackthorne’s teenage daughter, Raven. This poor girl, who is an incredible beauty, has been sheltered all her life, secreted away to boarding schools, and kept from her family. Her situation has led to a lonely life, but it has also made her smart, jaded, and someone who is always underestimated.
Let me begin with the villain of all villains. Damien Blackthorne is a vile piece of hot garbage. If you got a villain you love to hate, this animal would be right up there with GOTs Ramsey (yeah, it’s like that). Dude deals in flesh and whatever else he can get his filthy hands on.
The trio learn of Damien’s plans to marry Raven off to a rich dude whose father is known for his disgusting proclivities against women. Cue the runaway road trip. Sin, Lucien, and Raven (all aptly named, btw) take off and go into hiding until sexual tensions and violent tendencies force them to trust in a group of college students on their journey.
Sin and Raven have undeniable chemistry and attraction from the start. And it’s so explosive and butterfly-inducing. He’s fighting to keep his murderous hands off her and she’s fighting to make him see she’s not the innocent angel he’s built her up to be. Let me scratch the record right quick on the sex in this book: it is fornication nation! Everybody is getting some. Whenever they want and however they want. It’s almost a shock to the senses and I mean that in a good way. Consensual sex in this book isn’t had according to the dictates of western society. For a good part of the book, I had my mouth open because I couldn’t believe who was doing who and when and where they chose to do it! It was refreshing and necessary considering the dark world the book is set in.
Absolutely NOTHING meets the eye in Pretty Monsters. Ms. Carrillo handed out secrets like Oprah gave away cars. Sin, you get secrets! Raven, you get secrets! Lucien, you get secrets! Ford, Ted, Shane (part of the college group) YOU ALL GET SECRETS! The characters all seem a lot older than they are. It’s fairly easy for them to rationalize their feelings and behaviors. I think this is the genius of Ms. Carrillo’s writing. These personalities become almost relatable because you know they have all been through hell, which has likely made them mature faster than their counterparts. But we don’t actually learn, yet, how far into hell each of them has traveled.
There are very few adults this group can trust. Sin, Lucien, and Raven go from hiding to fighting to take down Daddy Blackthorne. More secrets are revealed and betrayal is had. There is one hell of a cliffhanger. But I’m not mad because I didn’t read this book during its original release. Again, this is book one in a series, so it was a great way to keep me coming back for more.
While there aren’t any scenes involving sex abuse, there is dialogue that alludes to past attacks. So, if you have triggers, this may not be the read for you.
Pretty Monsters is raw, intense, suspenseful, thrilling, and just so gritty, that it leaves you feeling spellbound. Two blacknificient thumbs up to Ms. Carrillo for this calculating creation!
November 3, 2024
“Are you my monster?”
“Only if you are my princess.”
HOLY WOW! I just read … no devoured my first Kimberly Carrillo book that I’d been shamefully hoarding. Oh my did Pretty Monsters blow me away!!! This heart-racing roller coaster of a romance brings the twists, turns, thrills, and feels. Pure addiction!
Pretty Monsters is a breathless brother’s best friend meets dark romance that’s forbidden and full of fire-hot tension. It stars the strong and stunning Raven and her brother’s best friend, Sin, who’s a dark knight: deliciously dirty and fiercely protective. Sin and Raven are drawn together like a moth to a flame with undeniable chemistry, a deep connection, and emotional intensity that touches everywhere.
Deliciously dark and daring, Pretty Monsters is an adrenaline-filled delight that kept me turning the pages, as I was dying to know how these twisted parts would come together. I was so dominated by this romance that owned every part of me. I lived and breathed this Beauty and the Beast-like story that stole every breath, every thought, and every feel like a thief in the night.
💋💋💋💋💋 heart-racing kisses
➡️ https://amzn.to/3As6Ycq
Reviewed on behalf of Bookalicious Babes Blog
“Only if you are my princess.”
HOLY WOW! I just read … no devoured my first Kimberly Carrillo book that I’d been shamefully hoarding. Oh my did Pretty Monsters blow me away!!! This heart-racing roller coaster of a romance brings the twists, turns, thrills, and feels. Pure addiction!
Pretty Monsters is a breathless brother’s best friend meets dark romance that’s forbidden and full of fire-hot tension. It stars the strong and stunning Raven and her brother’s best friend, Sin, who’s a dark knight: deliciously dirty and fiercely protective. Sin and Raven are drawn together like a moth to a flame with undeniable chemistry, a deep connection, and emotional intensity that touches everywhere.
Deliciously dark and daring, Pretty Monsters is an adrenaline-filled delight that kept me turning the pages, as I was dying to know how these twisted parts would come together. I was so dominated by this romance that owned every part of me. I lived and breathed this Beauty and the Beast-like story that stole every breath, every thought, and every feel like a thief in the night.
💋💋💋💋💋 heart-racing kisses
➡️ https://amzn.to/3As6Ycq
Reviewed on behalf of Bookalicious Babes Blog
January 20, 2022
When Sin meets Raven, he has no clue how she is, learning quickly that she’s he’s boss’s daughter, a daughter that has been kept hidden away from everyone and he could be killed for just being near her, she’s everything good and pure the opposite of him.
Raven never knew why she seemed to be kept away from everyone but finds out the reason by accident. Sin and Lucien aren’t happy about it and with Lucien learning other things his father was hiding they decide to leave, knowing they only have a small window before they will be noticed missing.
Although Raven knows that her father is dangerous, she knows that Sin is dangerous to, so dangerous she should be worried but she’s not.
Sin knows he’s the best to protect Raven, including from himself, but one mistake and he realises that she’s what he wants but did he push her to far away to never be able to get her back.
Does end on a cliffhanger.
Raven never knew why she seemed to be kept away from everyone but finds out the reason by accident. Sin and Lucien aren’t happy about it and with Lucien learning other things his father was hiding they decide to leave, knowing they only have a small window before they will be noticed missing.
Although Raven knows that her father is dangerous, she knows that Sin is dangerous to, so dangerous she should be worried but she’s not.
Sin knows he’s the best to protect Raven, including from himself, but one mistake and he realises that she’s what he wants but did he push her to far away to never be able to get her back.
Does end on a cliffhanger.
July 21, 2024
i’m actually very surprised with how good this book is. the plot was very interesting and engaging and made me start the second book right away
December 8, 2020
Amazing read. I’ve absolutely loved it and am definitely going to recommend this book next time. I don’t want to spoil anything, but I read this not knowing what to expect, but not let down!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
October 15, 2023
Unbelievable plot!!
I couldn't put this down!!! I had to see what Raven and Sin did next. This book is fast and furious and its hard to pull yourself out, a must read for any dark romance lovers!
I couldn't put this down!!! I had to see what Raven and Sin did next. This book is fast and furious and its hard to pull yourself out, a must read for any dark romance lovers!
June 11, 2021
“I’d burn down the world to protect her. If anything I’m more dangerous now than I ever have been, because now I have a reason to live.”
HOLY. SHIT. Y’all I can’t even right now. I went into this book not knowing anything about it. And I do mean nothing. Now, I don’t have any triggers that prevent me from being able to go into a book blind. That being said, this is a dark romance, so if you have triggers, this may not be the book for you.
Okay. Now that all of that is out of the way let’s get to the good stuff. The two main characters, Sin and Raven, along with Raven’s brother Lucien, end up going on the run pretty early on in the book. The reason? Raven’s father is basically an international crime lord and he plans on marrying 18 year old Raven to the 30 something year old son of a “business partner” to gain their backing for his run for governor. Yikes, right? That’s about all I can say plot wise because anything more gives away major spoilers.
I absolutely love Raven. She’s such a badass and while those around her think that she’s all innocent and naive, she repeatedly proves them wrong, and usually in spectacular ways. Her chemistry with Sin is off the charts and when those two interact I’m surprised the page doesn’t burst into flame. While I completely love Sin by the end of the book, there were definitely multiple times that if it was possible to reach through a book and throat punch a character, I would have done that to him. Yes, I know that he’s damaged because he had an incredibly shitty upbringing and he feels like he’s not good enough for Raven, but he still hurt my girl. Hence the need for throat punching, since I tend to get protective over my favorite characters.
I really enjoyed the secondary characters as well, and I loooooved Ford. Although that isn’t really surprising since he’s basically just a slightly less damaged version of Sin. What can I say? I have a type as far as male book characters go. And I love how this group of people, who for the most part have some similarly awful backgrounds, were able to find each other and become friends. I think in a completely unintentional and round about way, it shows the importance of found family.
All of that being said, at the end of the day, this book is insane and I loved every minute of it. Seriously, I cannot get these characters out of my head. I flew through this book and I’m going to go read the next book now, because the cliffhanger at the end of this one has killed me. I’m dead and buried, please send all future books in this series to my gravesite.
“He isn’t going to give up his future to save mine. I’m not the damsel in some fairytale. I’m a warrior, and it’s time he learn I can fight my own damn battles.”
HOLY. SHIT. Y’all I can’t even right now. I went into this book not knowing anything about it. And I do mean nothing. Now, I don’t have any triggers that prevent me from being able to go into a book blind. That being said, this is a dark romance, so if you have triggers, this may not be the book for you.
Okay. Now that all of that is out of the way let’s get to the good stuff. The two main characters, Sin and Raven, along with Raven’s brother Lucien, end up going on the run pretty early on in the book. The reason? Raven’s father is basically an international crime lord and he plans on marrying 18 year old Raven to the 30 something year old son of a “business partner” to gain their backing for his run for governor. Yikes, right? That’s about all I can say plot wise because anything more gives away major spoilers.
I absolutely love Raven. She’s such a badass and while those around her think that she’s all innocent and naive, she repeatedly proves them wrong, and usually in spectacular ways. Her chemistry with Sin is off the charts and when those two interact I’m surprised the page doesn’t burst into flame. While I completely love Sin by the end of the book, there were definitely multiple times that if it was possible to reach through a book and throat punch a character, I would have done that to him. Yes, I know that he’s damaged because he had an incredibly shitty upbringing and he feels like he’s not good enough for Raven, but he still hurt my girl. Hence the need for throat punching, since I tend to get protective over my favorite characters.
I really enjoyed the secondary characters as well, and I loooooved Ford. Although that isn’t really surprising since he’s basically just a slightly less damaged version of Sin. What can I say? I have a type as far as male book characters go. And I love how this group of people, who for the most part have some similarly awful backgrounds, were able to find each other and become friends. I think in a completely unintentional and round about way, it shows the importance of found family.
All of that being said, at the end of the day, this book is insane and I loved every minute of it. Seriously, I cannot get these characters out of my head. I flew through this book and I’m going to go read the next book now, because the cliffhanger at the end of this one has killed me. I’m dead and buried, please send all future books in this series to my gravesite.
“He isn’t going to give up his future to save mine. I’m not the damsel in some fairytale. I’m a warrior, and it’s time he learn I can fight my own damn battles.”
September 26, 2023
Usually if a plot is good I can let go of shitty writing. But the plot simply didn’t make sense. Two 21 year old highly trained assassins go on the run with one of their little sisters. They settle in a town and after 4 days of knowing each other, they spill all their secrets to a random group of college students. What assassins do you know do that? Not to mention the H and h only know each other for a week or two before they’re supposedly in love?? Safe to say I DNF THE FUCKING BOOK. (Sad bc the plot sounded so good and I had such high high hopes)
November 1, 2023
You can find this review and all my others over at Read Book. Repeat
I received an advanced copy of this book and am leaving this review voluntarily.
Sin is a ghost. He's a nobody, literally. Legally, he doesn't exist, and that's probably a good thing because most of his actions, they're not legal. He's a hitman, an assassin for the very rich, and very dangerous, Damian Blackthorn. He does what he's told, when he's told. But then he sees her. Raven. Stealing through the night in a nightgown that should be illegal, to gaze at the moon. Maybe it's because she's ethereally beautiful. Maybe it's because like him, she's trapped, a bird in a cage. Whatever the reason, he finds himself inexplicably drawn to her, and that's a problem because after all, she is Damian Blackthorn's daughter...
I was draw to the blurb of this story when I first read it, then I was drawn to the cover, because, let's be honest, it is very butterfly inducing. I wasn't expecting the sun and the earth, I just wanted an engaging story that kept me flipping those pages long after my self imposed bed time. And let me tell you, I got that, and more. I tend to get a little nervous these days when the spicy books that I pick up are New Adult ages. Raven is 18 and Sin is 21, so even though, they're considered adults in Australia, I still got a minute bit nervous. I had nothing to worry about though. The story and the characters were that enthralling for me, that ages be damned, the situations they got into, and how they got OUT of those situations, were actually believable, and I loved that about this. I have read some books where the characters are late teenagers, and I found it difficult to suspend disbelief enough with some of the actions and situations that those characters found themselves in and what they were capable of at the age they were. I did not get that with this book at all, and it made it THAT much better because while, yes, we all read to escape reality, but for me? I do need the story and the characters to have some level of realism to them. Whether that's in their flaws or whatever, as long as it's there, I find that I enjoy the story so much more. And I enjoyed this one SO much. Way more than I actually expected to.
The story was a simple, yet engaging one. There was a reveal that I didn't see coming, I hadn't picked it, so that was a huge bonus. This story is told through alternating points of view between Sin and Raven. I thoroughly enjoyed both POVs, though I did find myself gravitating towards Sin's perspective a bit more. In a multi-pov story, I'll tend to gravitate more towards one character's narrative, and not for any particular reason, just because. Don't take that to mean that I didn't like Raven's perspective at all, I did, and I was just as excited to jump back into her head as I was Sin's. I think I did find Sin's character possible a bit deeper and more engaging as he has a very complex and disturbing past which makes for an incredibly deep rabbit hole to fall down when it comes to character development. We haven't learned a lot about Raven at this point, so there's every chance that in the following instalments her character will gain even more dimension than it already has. Sin's story is an intriguing one and I'm dying to know how he ended up where he did.
The characters were absolutely wonderful. I really adored all of them. I did not expect the support characters that we ended up with, I was expecting this story to be centred around the three MCs and that be it. Instead, I was treated to a full cast of well fleshed out characters who all had such distinct personalities and voices. Initially I did not like Ford when we first meet him, I was on the verge of hating him if I'm honest, but then he surprised me. He fast became one of my favourite characters and watching the relationships between him and our MCs develop was beautiful and I was so here for it. I loved that Sin, the man who is a ghost, who does not feel because he can't risk it, managed to let this ragtag group of people in and find common ground with them. It was incredibly heartwarming. Don't get me wrong, as much as I love Sin, I wanted to punch him in the face a few times, even though I could understand why he was doing the things that he was, I still wanted to throttle him. I loved that Raven is such a strong character even though she's still relatively young. She has been through so much even though she's not really been allowed to live at all. As no time does she go against her instincts just to be more appealing to Sin, she is unapologetically herself and she only does things if she wants to. She comes across much more mature than her age and I feel like that really endeared her to me.
This book does have some delicious spice and I think I loved it so much more because there was surprisingly a lot of depth to it. It wasn't just smut for smut's sake, there was purpose and meaning behind it. We get to learn about Sin during these scenes, and get a glimpse into what he's been through, the things that he won't talk about. This is the kind of spice that I love that which is used to make the character connections and relationships deeper, and that has an actual purpose. It adds to the story in some way.
All in all, this was a surprising read that has me hanging for book 2. Yes, this one does end on a cliffhanger, but I feel like the wait will most definitely be worth it. If you're looking for a book that has spice, flawed and wonderful characters and a found family vibe. Give this one a go!
I received an advanced copy of this book and am leaving this review voluntarily.
Sin is a ghost. He's a nobody, literally. Legally, he doesn't exist, and that's probably a good thing because most of his actions, they're not legal. He's a hitman, an assassin for the very rich, and very dangerous, Damian Blackthorn. He does what he's told, when he's told. But then he sees her. Raven. Stealing through the night in a nightgown that should be illegal, to gaze at the moon. Maybe it's because she's ethereally beautiful. Maybe it's because like him, she's trapped, a bird in a cage. Whatever the reason, he finds himself inexplicably drawn to her, and that's a problem because after all, she is Damian Blackthorn's daughter...
I was draw to the blurb of this story when I first read it, then I was drawn to the cover, because, let's be honest, it is very butterfly inducing. I wasn't expecting the sun and the earth, I just wanted an engaging story that kept me flipping those pages long after my self imposed bed time. And let me tell you, I got that, and more. I tend to get a little nervous these days when the spicy books that I pick up are New Adult ages. Raven is 18 and Sin is 21, so even though, they're considered adults in Australia, I still got a minute bit nervous. I had nothing to worry about though. The story and the characters were that enthralling for me, that ages be damned, the situations they got into, and how they got OUT of those situations, were actually believable, and I loved that about this. I have read some books where the characters are late teenagers, and I found it difficult to suspend disbelief enough with some of the actions and situations that those characters found themselves in and what they were capable of at the age they were. I did not get that with this book at all, and it made it THAT much better because while, yes, we all read to escape reality, but for me? I do need the story and the characters to have some level of realism to them. Whether that's in their flaws or whatever, as long as it's there, I find that I enjoy the story so much more. And I enjoyed this one SO much. Way more than I actually expected to.
The story was a simple, yet engaging one. There was a reveal that I didn't see coming, I hadn't picked it, so that was a huge bonus. This story is told through alternating points of view between Sin and Raven. I thoroughly enjoyed both POVs, though I did find myself gravitating towards Sin's perspective a bit more. In a multi-pov story, I'll tend to gravitate more towards one character's narrative, and not for any particular reason, just because. Don't take that to mean that I didn't like Raven's perspective at all, I did, and I was just as excited to jump back into her head as I was Sin's. I think I did find Sin's character possible a bit deeper and more engaging as he has a very complex and disturbing past which makes for an incredibly deep rabbit hole to fall down when it comes to character development. We haven't learned a lot about Raven at this point, so there's every chance that in the following instalments her character will gain even more dimension than it already has. Sin's story is an intriguing one and I'm dying to know how he ended up where he did.
The characters were absolutely wonderful. I really adored all of them. I did not expect the support characters that we ended up with, I was expecting this story to be centred around the three MCs and that be it. Instead, I was treated to a full cast of well fleshed out characters who all had such distinct personalities and voices. Initially I did not like Ford when we first meet him, I was on the verge of hating him if I'm honest, but then he surprised me. He fast became one of my favourite characters and watching the relationships between him and our MCs develop was beautiful and I was so here for it. I loved that Sin, the man who is a ghost, who does not feel because he can't risk it, managed to let this ragtag group of people in and find common ground with them. It was incredibly heartwarming. Don't get me wrong, as much as I love Sin, I wanted to punch him in the face a few times, even though I could understand why he was doing the things that he was, I still wanted to throttle him. I loved that Raven is such a strong character even though she's still relatively young. She has been through so much even though she's not really been allowed to live at all. As no time does she go against her instincts just to be more appealing to Sin, she is unapologetically herself and she only does things if she wants to. She comes across much more mature than her age and I feel like that really endeared her to me.
This book does have some delicious spice and I think I loved it so much more because there was surprisingly a lot of depth to it. It wasn't just smut for smut's sake, there was purpose and meaning behind it. We get to learn about Sin during these scenes, and get a glimpse into what he's been through, the things that he won't talk about. This is the kind of spice that I love that which is used to make the character connections and relationships deeper, and that has an actual purpose. It adds to the story in some way.
All in all, this was a surprising read that has me hanging for book 2. Yes, this one does end on a cliffhanger, but I feel like the wait will most definitely be worth it. If you're looking for a book that has spice, flawed and wonderful characters and a found family vibe. Give this one a go!
November 25, 2024
prematurely rating this with 13 chapters left until i'm finished.
After that, Sin has zero redeemable qualities and Raven deserves better. Will update when i finish reading but I don't image my star rating going anywhere but down.
After that, Sin has zero redeemable qualities and Raven deserves better. Will update when i finish reading but I don't image my star rating going anywhere but down.
July 10, 2023
Bad
I really tried but I just couldn’t like this book. Had to skip ahead and the saw it ended on a cliffhanger anyway. Which is fine because I won’t remember what little I read of it anyway. Very unlikable characters and the so called story kept making me feel like I missed something but no it was just the bad writing. Hint to all authors: we need to LIKE the characters in some way and there was no like any of these. Yuck.
I really tried but I just couldn’t like this book. Had to skip ahead and the saw it ended on a cliffhanger anyway. Which is fine because I won’t remember what little I read of it anyway. Very unlikable characters and the so called story kept making me feel like I missed something but no it was just the bad writing. Hint to all authors: we need to LIKE the characters in some way and there was no like any of these. Yuck.
August 22, 2024
You want a book with too many people in it and the friends group are all messed up and shouldn't be around each other and everyone sleeps with everyone. Here you go. Raven was so annoying to me. Don't know why she is just so "great".
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 20, 2025
This is pretty awful. It’s not really a college romance either, so that’s mislabeled.
There’s just so much of this story that makes no sense and is utterly ridiculous.
Sin is introduced as a boy “adopted” by Damien Blackthorne, a man who is corrupt and trafficks all sorts of things, drugs, and people, he’s also raised an army of killers. Sin was taken in by Damien to be one of these killers. Sin is 21yo but doesn’t know his name. He assumes “Sinclair” is his first name, as it’s the only name he’s known and can’t remember having a surname. So goes by Sin. Then some chapters later, Sin is telling people his name is Jackson Sinclair. wtf!?!?! Where did that come from? Makes no sense.
Then you have this idea that Lucien, Damien’s also 21 yo son is Sin’s best friend and they two of them have gone out to do Damien’s bidding for years. But they only kill those who “deserve it” - child molesters, murderers, etc. And the two friends go on the run with Raven, Lucien’s younger sister who is 18yo and has been away at boarding school almost all her life. Damien wants to marry his daughter, Raven to some 30-something yo, who is abusive, which is why the guys take her away to save her. And within a couple days of being in a new place in hiding, Sin is trusting a group of guys and girls with all their secrets🙄🙄🙄 right, that makes sense.
So other than the super dumb story, and the really dumb, and immature supposed love between Raven and Sin, it’s just so immature and poorly written. Like it makes no sense much of the time, the editing was poorly done, the story isn’t very interesting and just has high drama in the form of everyone trading partners and having sex, or big reveals about these college friends they confide in all having their own dark pasts🙄🙄🙄 I had downloaded all three books in the trilogy and after getting 70% through this book (I don’t know how I did it!) I skimmed the rest of book 1 then just skipped to the end after 85%, and deleted all three books. So not worth the time it takes to suffer through.
Here’s other dumb things that don’t make sense in this book:
In Ch. 4, Raven says she was “never taught to drive at all.”
Then in Ch. 6, she’s upset that the guys won’t give her a turn to drive and says, “I do know how to drive” - so which is it?
So Raven says she had no friends at her all-girls school because she had security surrounding her at all times. But somehow she had time to lose her virginity to an assistant teacher which changes to the headmaster’s son later. What?! That makes no sense.
If Sin is such a tech genius who can do all sorts of stuff on computers why wouldn’t he be able to make a security system for himself? He thinks this after realizing Lucien was asleep in the living room after returning from work. And thinking he wants an alarm to ensure he wakes up. And Sin’s never woken before all the other times Lucien came back from work. The only reason he woke up is because Lucien woke him up by lifting the covers and being mad at Sin holding Raven in bed. So why did Sin suddenly seem upset that he didn’t wake seeing as he didn’t wake any of the mornings Lucien came in?
The time for Lucien sleeping also makes no sense. If he works all night and comes in during the wee hours of the morning why is he always waking up with Sin and Raven each morning too. The whole point was he’s supposed to be sleeping during the day so he should theoretically get the bedroom since he needs to sleep during the day when the others are awake.
The end is also ridiculous. If you don’t want to know, don’t read this.
There’s just so much of this story that makes no sense and is utterly ridiculous.
Sin is introduced as a boy “adopted” by Damien Blackthorne, a man who is corrupt and trafficks all sorts of things, drugs, and people, he’s also raised an army of killers. Sin was taken in by Damien to be one of these killers. Sin is 21yo but doesn’t know his name. He assumes “Sinclair” is his first name, as it’s the only name he’s known and can’t remember having a surname. So goes by Sin. Then some chapters later, Sin is telling people his name is Jackson Sinclair. wtf!?!?! Where did that come from? Makes no sense.
Then you have this idea that Lucien, Damien’s also 21 yo son is Sin’s best friend and they two of them have gone out to do Damien’s bidding for years. But they only kill those who “deserve it” - child molesters, murderers, etc. And the two friends go on the run with Raven, Lucien’s younger sister who is 18yo and has been away at boarding school almost all her life. Damien wants to marry his daughter, Raven to some 30-something yo, who is abusive, which is why the guys take her away to save her. And within a couple days of being in a new place in hiding, Sin is trusting a group of guys and girls with all their secrets🙄🙄🙄 right, that makes sense.
So other than the super dumb story, and the really dumb, and immature supposed love between Raven and Sin, it’s just so immature and poorly written. Like it makes no sense much of the time, the editing was poorly done, the story isn’t very interesting and just has high drama in the form of everyone trading partners and having sex, or big reveals about these college friends they confide in all having their own dark pasts🙄🙄🙄 I had downloaded all three books in the trilogy and after getting 70% through this book (I don’t know how I did it!) I skimmed the rest of book 1 then just skipped to the end after 85%, and deleted all three books. So not worth the time it takes to suffer through.
Here’s other dumb things that don’t make sense in this book:
In Ch. 4, Raven says she was “never taught to drive at all.”
Then in Ch. 6, she’s upset that the guys won’t give her a turn to drive and says, “I do know how to drive” - so which is it?
So Raven says she had no friends at her all-girls school because she had security surrounding her at all times. But somehow she had time to lose her virginity to an assistant teacher which changes to the headmaster’s son later. What?! That makes no sense.
If Sin is such a tech genius who can do all sorts of stuff on computers why wouldn’t he be able to make a security system for himself? He thinks this after realizing Lucien was asleep in the living room after returning from work. And thinking he wants an alarm to ensure he wakes up. And Sin’s never woken before all the other times Lucien came back from work. The only reason he woke up is because Lucien woke him up by lifting the covers and being mad at Sin holding Raven in bed. So why did Sin suddenly seem upset that he didn’t wake seeing as he didn’t wake any of the mornings Lucien came in?
The time for Lucien sleeping also makes no sense. If he works all night and comes in during the wee hours of the morning why is he always waking up with Sin and Raven each morning too. The whole point was he’s supposed to be sleeping during the day so he should theoretically get the bedroom since he needs to sleep during the day when the others are awake.
The end is also ridiculous. If you don’t want to know, don’t read this.
October 31, 2023
This has started with some mystery. We get Sin's POV for a majority of the beginning and he paints a picture of what their world is like. He does the world building for us. The writing style from this author is different, and I really like it. I can't quite pinpoint what it is for me that makes it different, but it adds a little something extra I think.
The writing is descriptive, but not too much that you glaze over and get lost. It really captures your interest and doesn’t let go. There are some parts, however, that are a little stilted and don’t quite flow as nicely, but it does not take away from the story.
Sin and Lucien are like brothers and have grown up together, whereas Raven was sent away to boarding school and Sin never knew Lucien had a sister. He is captivated the minute he sees her sneaking out and wants to see what it would be like to break her. Once both Lucien and Sin find out what their father has in store for Raven, they are adamant about protecting her. It means moving up their plans, but they will not see their father follow through with his plans. There's definitely a darkness within both Lucien and Sin and it's easy to see how haunted they by their past. Sin is broken, he struggles with emotion and finds it hard to connect with people. Lucien is the same, but he doesn't seem to have as many Demons as what Sin does.
Their journey putting distance between them and their father is an interesting one and Sin does what he can to fight his feelings and pushes Raven away. She's a strong character though, so she gives as good as she takes. They meet some friends along the way and while this part added some depth to the story, I did feel like things moved quite quickly once they met. Nevertheless, it still pulls you in and this group of friends seem to have their own baggage. One of them seems to have as much darkness as the trio.
Sin's character development was quite good. He went from only having Lucien to opening up and letting others in. The deeper we got, the more we found out about the other characters and the closer everyone got. There was tension and suspense going into the second half of this book and I was on the edge waiting to see what happens next! That plot twist threw a curve ball! I definitely didn't see that one coming! Loved this and I can't wait to read the rest!! Thank you!
The writing is descriptive, but not too much that you glaze over and get lost. It really captures your interest and doesn’t let go. There are some parts, however, that are a little stilted and don’t quite flow as nicely, but it does not take away from the story.
Sin and Lucien are like brothers and have grown up together, whereas Raven was sent away to boarding school and Sin never knew Lucien had a sister. He is captivated the minute he sees her sneaking out and wants to see what it would be like to break her. Once both Lucien and Sin find out what their father has in store for Raven, they are adamant about protecting her. It means moving up their plans, but they will not see their father follow through with his plans. There's definitely a darkness within both Lucien and Sin and it's easy to see how haunted they by their past. Sin is broken, he struggles with emotion and finds it hard to connect with people. Lucien is the same, but he doesn't seem to have as many Demons as what Sin does.
Their journey putting distance between them and their father is an interesting one and Sin does what he can to fight his feelings and pushes Raven away. She's a strong character though, so she gives as good as she takes. They meet some friends along the way and while this part added some depth to the story, I did feel like things moved quite quickly once they met. Nevertheless, it still pulls you in and this group of friends seem to have their own baggage. One of them seems to have as much darkness as the trio.
Sin's character development was quite good. He went from only having Lucien to opening up and letting others in. The deeper we got, the more we found out about the other characters and the closer everyone got. There was tension and suspense going into the second half of this book and I was on the edge waiting to see what happens next! That plot twist threw a curve ball! I definitely didn't see that one coming! Loved this and I can't wait to read the rest!! Thank you!
November 5, 2023
I don’t think I’ve ever been so happy someone got their drivers license!
And then immediately find tears in your eyes
The rollercoaster that was this book you guys. My Lord. There was push and pull with the MCs and then a whole cast of side characters and their relationships and then truly terrible bad guys who just refused to go away.
If you like plots where the characters have to really search to find the hope in their situation, don’t mind the story rushing into the “i love yous,” and morally dark men - you should start this series! Because a certain side character is getting his own book soon !!!
It does end on a cliff hanger, and it’s a trilogy, BUT all 3 books are out now and in kindle unlimited so don’t let that scare you off!
“Breaking her is going to be easy. And what a good little doll she'll be when I'm done.”
Sin is a great example of a morally dark character. He unalives, has a trigger warning filled backstory, but will burn the world down for his girl. He has morals, he just doesn’t know that he has them…at first, anyways. He learns how to love and how to find hope.
“Well, he can go deep throat a cactus, because I'm done with men and their mind games”
Raven is strong, bada**, and done being thrown around in her own dang life. She is a great match for Sin. She pushes him to experience new things and he grounds her in her newfound boldness.
“You should have run from me when we first met, princess. You don't belong in the dark with a monster, but now that you're here I'm too selfish to let you go."
Overall, the story was a bit rushed at times. This doesn’t bug me as much but it did kind of pull me out of the story and some of the sweeter moments. However, they were still heartfelt and the plot moved just as quickly so. This book started slower but once it got moving, boy did it MOVE. Right into a cliffhanger haha
Definitely worth the read if you like:
- forbidden romance
- dark romance
- mafia romance
- strong FMCs
- possessive men who unalive for you
- found family
And then immediately find tears in your eyes
The rollercoaster that was this book you guys. My Lord. There was push and pull with the MCs and then a whole cast of side characters and their relationships and then truly terrible bad guys who just refused to go away.
If you like plots where the characters have to really search to find the hope in their situation, don’t mind the story rushing into the “i love yous,” and morally dark men - you should start this series! Because a certain side character is getting his own book soon !!!
It does end on a cliff hanger, and it’s a trilogy, BUT all 3 books are out now and in kindle unlimited so don’t let that scare you off!
“Breaking her is going to be easy. And what a good little doll she'll be when I'm done.”
Sin is a great example of a morally dark character. He unalives, has a trigger warning filled backstory, but will burn the world down for his girl. He has morals, he just doesn’t know that he has them…at first, anyways. He learns how to love and how to find hope.
“Well, he can go deep throat a cactus, because I'm done with men and their mind games”
Raven is strong, bada**, and done being thrown around in her own dang life. She is a great match for Sin. She pushes him to experience new things and he grounds her in her newfound boldness.
“You should have run from me when we first met, princess. You don't belong in the dark with a monster, but now that you're here I'm too selfish to let you go."
Overall, the story was a bit rushed at times. This doesn’t bug me as much but it did kind of pull me out of the story and some of the sweeter moments. However, they were still heartfelt and the plot moved just as quickly so. This book started slower but once it got moving, boy did it MOVE. Right into a cliffhanger haha
Definitely worth the read if you like:
- forbidden romance
- dark romance
- mafia romance
- strong FMCs
- possessive men who unalive for you
- found family
April 23, 2024
dark and twisty from start to finish
This isn’t my first book by Kimberly Carrillo nor is it my first in this series. Well let me rephrase that. My first was pretty broken things which needs to be read after the pretty monsters trilogy for things to fully make sense. With the next novel coming out soon I decided it was time to start fresh and dive into the beginning.
Sin and Lucian have been trained their entire lives to kill. From a young age sin was sold into slavery and he has no name no past and no future. Lucian is rhetorical son of Damian Blackthorne and the one who keeps sin grounded. They don’t like what they do but know they have nochoice so they only go after the worst of the worst the world has to offer. They plan to eventually escape or die trying when raven ( Lucian’s sister and Damien’s daughter ) is brought out of hiding just to be locked away in the mansion. After learning that her fate in an arranged marriage would be worse than death the men grab her and run trying to keep her safe.
I love how freaking strong and feisty Raven is. Even though she is tiny that doesn’t mean she can’t hold her own against the two men who have sworn to protect her from the evil her father has planned for her. From the beginning, there is something about sin that draws her in to his darkness, a blackened soul he refuses to dirty her with. But they can’t keep their attraction to each other under control for long and despite hurting each other she is able to peirce the shield he has around his heart allowing him to feel for the first time in his life. They are running out of time to bring down Damien and expose his crimes.
This book is dark. This book is full of triggers. This book is also full of helplessness and surprisingly hope. Hope for a better future for not only raven but for sin and Lucian as well. Can they survive long enough to see that future come to fruition? Well this book ends on a cliff hanger so I guess you will need to read the series to find out.
This isn’t my first book by Kimberly Carrillo nor is it my first in this series. Well let me rephrase that. My first was pretty broken things which needs to be read after the pretty monsters trilogy for things to fully make sense. With the next novel coming out soon I decided it was time to start fresh and dive into the beginning.
Sin and Lucian have been trained their entire lives to kill. From a young age sin was sold into slavery and he has no name no past and no future. Lucian is rhetorical son of Damian Blackthorne and the one who keeps sin grounded. They don’t like what they do but know they have nochoice so they only go after the worst of the worst the world has to offer. They plan to eventually escape or die trying when raven ( Lucian’s sister and Damien’s daughter ) is brought out of hiding just to be locked away in the mansion. After learning that her fate in an arranged marriage would be worse than death the men grab her and run trying to keep her safe.
I love how freaking strong and feisty Raven is. Even though she is tiny that doesn’t mean she can’t hold her own against the two men who have sworn to protect her from the evil her father has planned for her. From the beginning, there is something about sin that draws her in to his darkness, a blackened soul he refuses to dirty her with. But they can’t keep their attraction to each other under control for long and despite hurting each other she is able to peirce the shield he has around his heart allowing him to feel for the first time in his life. They are running out of time to bring down Damien and expose his crimes.
This book is dark. This book is full of triggers. This book is also full of helplessness and surprisingly hope. Hope for a better future for not only raven but for sin and Lucian as well. Can they survive long enough to see that future come to fruition? Well this book ends on a cliff hanger so I guess you will need to read the series to find out.
November 10, 2023
I received a copy of this book from the publisher/author to review.
This is the first book in the Pretty Monsters Trilogy. This is the story of Sin and Raven and oh my what a story it is. Once you pick this book up you will not be laying it down. Sin when he was young was stolen away from his family. He was so horribly abused and forced to be trained as an Sassanian. Damien Blackborne has tormented him his entire life. However his only friend is Damien's son Lucien. I don't think he was aware that Damien had a daughter until the night he meets her and is knocked off his feet with how beautiful she is. She has been made to go to boarding schools and away from her family to hide her away from the world her father is in. To say she has a lonely life would be an understatement and it really broke my heart for both of them. Neither of them has really had a choice ever in how their life would be. However don't let that fool you. The girl is never to be underestimated. She is really smart a whole lot jaded and dangerous.
To say that I couldn't stand Damien might be the understatement. He is vile and deals in horrible things that would be nightmares to most of us. When it is revealed his plan to marry Raven off to a man who is maybe equally as horrible as her father, the road trip to escape begins for Sin, Raven and Lucien. guys I could not put this book down. I loved these characters so much. It is a story that will keep you on the edge of your seat. There is so much tension in this book that you can feel it oozing off the pages. You do not want to miss this book.
This is the first book in the Pretty Monsters Trilogy. This is the story of Sin and Raven and oh my what a story it is. Once you pick this book up you will not be laying it down. Sin when he was young was stolen away from his family. He was so horribly abused and forced to be trained as an Sassanian. Damien Blackborne has tormented him his entire life. However his only friend is Damien's son Lucien. I don't think he was aware that Damien had a daughter until the night he meets her and is knocked off his feet with how beautiful she is. She has been made to go to boarding schools and away from her family to hide her away from the world her father is in. To say she has a lonely life would be an understatement and it really broke my heart for both of them. Neither of them has really had a choice ever in how their life would be. However don't let that fool you. The girl is never to be underestimated. She is really smart a whole lot jaded and dangerous.
To say that I couldn't stand Damien might be the understatement. He is vile and deals in horrible things that would be nightmares to most of us. When it is revealed his plan to marry Raven off to a man who is maybe equally as horrible as her father, the road trip to escape begins for Sin, Raven and Lucien. guys I could not put this book down. I loved these characters so much. It is a story that will keep you on the edge of your seat. There is so much tension in this book that you can feel it oozing off the pages. You do not want to miss this book.
March 2, 2024
So far I love this series! But first thing readers should know, this is the first book out of a trilogy. I expect each book to end on big cliffhangers because this book certainly did! Raven basically has lived in a guilded cage designed by her father, Damian Blackthorn. Damian made sure to seclude Raven because he had plans for her. After Raven graduated she was forced to come home. Raven has a long lost brother, Lucian, who she hasn't seen in forever. Lucian's side kick and best friend is Sin. Both Lucian and Sin are forced to work for Damian and do his dark bidding. Sin was sold into slavery of Damian at a very young age and knows virtually nothing about his self. Sin's nickname is Ghost, for many reasons. When Damian revealed what his plan was for Raven, Lucian and Sin knew they had to act. Don't mistake Lucian and Sin for white knight's because their heart and souls are pitch black. I will say Sin is a real jerk and I loved to hate him. I don't know how Raven ever forgave Sin? Sin and Raven had explosive chemistry and a undeniable connection from the start. Sin was just determined to push Raven away for 101 reasons. Along the way Raven, Sin, and Lucian make new friends and allies. I do think Sin owed Ford an apology for that last scene. There's a big revelation at the end of this book and as I said before a big cliffhanger. I look forward to the next book.
I received a free copy of this book and voluntarily left this review.
I received a free copy of this book and voluntarily left this review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 21, 2023
Pretty Monsters Book 1
Absolutely flipping loved this. Starts off slow and oh man oh man does it HEAT up. I do believe this book needs a page devoted for TW because whew there is a lot. But I’m dark twist women and I have no TW. I feel like this book over all had my emotions going and the twist at the end 🤤😭. It’s definitely worth the read if your into slow burns and then the heat and spice kicks in. I did read this book in less then a day. I have no complaints honestly. Great intro and the plot I could kiss for the writers are definitely talented. Summary of the book because I don’t want to give away too much is Raven is FMC and Sin is the MC. Raven comes home from school and learns her father isn’t a good person and wants to sell her off to an evil guys son (he might be evil too) so sin and her brother take off in the middle of the night to save her. Sin was SA/beaten/neglect by ravens dads doings (prostituting him out). Sin is more the mouse and she the cat. If you wanna discuss it that way because of the trauma. But it’s definitely worth the read. I don’t want to give too much away because I feel like you have to read it and still be surprised. I don’t see why this book isn’t talked about more in my groups I’m in because there is some BDSM involved and it’s pretty spicy 🌶️. Enjoy my dark readers
@heaprmore
@kimberlycarrilloauthor
Absolutely flipping loved this. Starts off slow and oh man oh man does it HEAT up. I do believe this book needs a page devoted for TW because whew there is a lot. But I’m dark twist women and I have no TW. I feel like this book over all had my emotions going and the twist at the end 🤤😭. It’s definitely worth the read if your into slow burns and then the heat and spice kicks in. I did read this book in less then a day. I have no complaints honestly. Great intro and the plot I could kiss for the writers are definitely talented. Summary of the book because I don’t want to give away too much is Raven is FMC and Sin is the MC. Raven comes home from school and learns her father isn’t a good person and wants to sell her off to an evil guys son (he might be evil too) so sin and her brother take off in the middle of the night to save her. Sin was SA/beaten/neglect by ravens dads doings (prostituting him out). Sin is more the mouse and she the cat. If you wanna discuss it that way because of the trauma. But it’s definitely worth the read. I don’t want to give too much away because I feel like you have to read it and still be surprised. I don’t see why this book isn’t talked about more in my groups I’m in because there is some BDSM involved and it’s pretty spicy 🌶️. Enjoy my dark readers
@heaprmore
@kimberlycarrilloauthor
November 21, 2023
This is only my second read by this author. This book did not disappoint.
Beware- Kidnapping, r@pe, light bondage and more. So please check the trigger ⚠️.
Premise: Raven is brought home to Blackthorne Manor after finishing boarding school where she's live the majority of her life and shakes up Sins life. Sin and Lucien ( Ravens brother) learn of some nefarious plans involving Raven. They jump into action to try and save Raven from what could literally result in the death of her young life.
This plot fully engulfed me. While running from the only home they've only know our trio settles into an apartment to figure out their next steps. They become friends with their neighbors whom all become involved in their darkness. I love how Kimberly has written almost all the background characters because they each have their own stories and don't just fade from our memory as we read on. These characters grow as the story progresses.
This does end on a shocker of a cliffhanger and has me downloading book 2 to dive directly into it.
Quotes by Sin 🖤
"You can have everything, all of me, for as long as you want me," he promises.
"You should have run from me when we first met, Princess. You don't belong in the dark with a monster, but now that you're here I'm too selfish to let you go."
Beware- Kidnapping, r@pe, light bondage and more. So please check the trigger ⚠️.
Premise: Raven is brought home to Blackthorne Manor after finishing boarding school where she's live the majority of her life and shakes up Sins life. Sin and Lucien ( Ravens brother) learn of some nefarious plans involving Raven. They jump into action to try and save Raven from what could literally result in the death of her young life.
This plot fully engulfed me. While running from the only home they've only know our trio settles into an apartment to figure out their next steps. They become friends with their neighbors whom all become involved in their darkness. I love how Kimberly has written almost all the background characters because they each have their own stories and don't just fade from our memory as we read on. These characters grow as the story progresses.
This does end on a shocker of a cliffhanger and has me downloading book 2 to dive directly into it.
Quotes by Sin 🖤
"You can have everything, all of me, for as long as you want me," he promises.
"You should have run from me when we first met, Princess. You don't belong in the dark with a monster, but now that you're here I'm too selfish to let you go."
October 18, 2023
***Review copy requested and reviewed on behalf of OMGReads Blog***
This book is all over the place. The plot is so choppy the story and characters aren't developing organically and nothing makes sense. There are so many random "plot twists" that it's clear the author is trying for a ridiculous amount of shock factor instead of a well written, cohesive, story. Like what is happening?!?!?! And why are there so many random side characters that appear and drastically change all the time!?!?!?!?!
The main female character constantly is trying to say she's a warrior and can basically hold her own and go to battle, but the next second is pouting, crying, whining, and having melt downs. Also, she and her brother have an odd relationship, for what little they have. The insta love between the main characters, the meeting of "new friends", random kink/bdsm are all random! Literally nothing in this book makes sense and there isn't one ounce of flow!!
Additionally, the amount of sharing and random sexual encounters are borderline gross and make no sense. I don't mind books with cheating and other woman drama but these encounters seemed like another example of the author trying to get shock factor. Not a single character has any self respect.
February 26, 2024
This book is a captivating story of dark romance that kept me hooked from start to finish. It follows the journey of Sin, a lethal enforcer with a troubled past, and Raven, an innocent beauty who gets caught up in her father's sinister world. The story is a thrilling mix of danger and desire, exploring the complex relationship between Sin and Raven. Sin is torn between his deadly nature and his protective instincts towards Raven, which adds depth to their relationship. The narrative masterfully delves into themes of revenge, love, and redemption, set in a world where the real monsters are human. The narrators, Nathaniel Gray and Phillipa Miller have done an incredible job of bringing the characters of Sin and Raven to life. Gray's portrayal of Sin perfectly captures his complexity as a character, while Miller's rendition of Raven conveys her innocence and strength with equal prowess. Together, they navigate the intense themes of dark romance, danger, and desire, making the characters' tumultuous relationship even more compelling. Their interpretation of this gripping tale of vengeance, love, and redemption is utterly absorbing, keeping the listener engaged and eager to hear what happens next. Overall, this was an unforgettable audiobook experience.
September 29, 2021
Brand new author to me! So glad she reached out.
Raven is home from school, to a house and family that she doesn't really know. Or was ever part of. She has vague memories of her brother. But nothing solid. Then she meets Sin. A man with no past, present or future. He's an enigma to her and himself. Yet together they are force. When they find out that Raven is being pawned off to help her father, Sin, and Lucien decide that it's NOT going to happen.
Sin's been planning to run for years. He knew his usefulness was limited with the Blackthorn family. This opportunity with Lucien and Raven proves to be hard for Sin. Little by little he falls for Raven, knowing that Lucien will kill him if anything happens. Something keeps drawing them together, like moths to a flame. Sin needs to remember that they need to protect her, nothing more! He needs to keep his head in the game.
This was a quick enjoyable read. Sin is my favorite. He's dark and mysterious. The spark between Raven and Sin is tangible. From page one you are hooked into the story, you are tossed into the story as well.
Raven is home from school, to a house and family that she doesn't really know. Or was ever part of. She has vague memories of her brother. But nothing solid. Then she meets Sin. A man with no past, present or future. He's an enigma to her and himself. Yet together they are force. When they find out that Raven is being pawned off to help her father, Sin, and Lucien decide that it's NOT going to happen.
Sin's been planning to run for years. He knew his usefulness was limited with the Blackthorn family. This opportunity with Lucien and Raven proves to be hard for Sin. Little by little he falls for Raven, knowing that Lucien will kill him if anything happens. Something keeps drawing them together, like moths to a flame. Sin needs to remember that they need to protect her, nothing more! He needs to keep his head in the game.
This was a quick enjoyable read. Sin is my favorite. He's dark and mysterious. The spark between Raven and Sin is tangible. From page one you are hooked into the story, you are tossed into the story as well.
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