What kind of fool would beg mercy from a vampire, even if he is a king?
Valdís
I have one hope to keep my lands and people out of the hands of my mother and sister. I must beg the vampire kings to grant me aid and just hope they aren’t hungry as people that annoy them have a way of disappearing.
Knox
I just want my time in charge to pass quickly, until she arrives, begging so sweetly. Her blood sings to mine and her attitude promises anything but the monotony of late. Her problems seem nothing more than a welcome diversion until they attack her in my castle.
The king may have mercy on my people but at what cost?
Rhiannon writes magical smut novels. She is an avid reader of many authors in a variety of genre though she tends more toward paranormal romance.
She has three former pound puppies that she dotes on and three daughters that she adores.
Rhiannon has lived in multiple states, though she is currently living in North Carolina. Wandering, witching, and reading with her puppies and husband are what she does when she isn't writing.
DNF 60%. Writing was just too bad to get immersed in story. All voices sound the same, everyone overused the word “awful” and dialogue is painful to read. Way too many POVs away from main action of the story. I guess the second star is because the universe set up seemed cool and there was a decent amount of action despite the lack of progress the love interests had made by the 60% point.
DNF. The writing was horrible, as others have stated, and I'll be the first to admit I will read almost anything. The characters and dialog were stilted, like the author was trying to convey a feeling without actually knowing how to do it. It keeps you at arms length from the story, making putting the book down easy.
Very high concept for a quick read made amusing by the castles and kings juxtaposed with modern smack-talking. Nothing wrong with it but it's not substantial or innovative enough to merit 3 Stars.
I needed more! Unfortunately this book lacked any real depth in my opinion. The narration felt kind of choppy and didnt flow well at some points. It was spicier than I expected and it didnt feel like it enhanced the story.
Im sorry, i thought it is going to be sexy, because the cover mammmm.....But it was boring to me, ok some parts were cool and interesting, but i didnt enjoy it a lot. I just didnt uzderstan the plot. :(
I’m just not fully sure I understand what I just read because it’s a lot of things happening and I’m unsure if I fully comprehend why they’re happening.
This one is light and quick despite the seriousness of some of the events that take place. With that being the case, it also feels a little odd. Valdis is a 70 year old woman among other long lives humans whose father passed and left her to inherit everything instead of his widow and her mother as is tradition. Her mother is not reading the will though and Valdis fears her mother is trying to steal her inheritance because of it. She escapes her home and runs to the home of her father's oldest friend Ingemar to try and get help. Instead, Ingemar locks her in a room in their home and tells Valdis she's to marry his son Pelos. Too bad then that Valdis takes off through a window and runs to the castle of the kings who long ago defeated a threat to their island and were blessed by the goddess to live forever. They rule the land, with each of the 5 still living kings ruling for some time before one of their brothers takes over. Currently, King Knox is in residence when Valdis arrives. She petitions Knox for the safety of her people and asks that he help with her mother and to keep their people safe, even if it means her death. Rumors say the kings are sometimes mercurial and will kill petitioners when they're deceitful or for other reasons depending on the king in charge at the time. Knox is more tame and Valdis not only gets Knox to agree to help with her petition but he realizes that she's their mate. The queen to the kings that they were told about and have been waiting for.
There's just not enough explained in the book, information is mostly glossed over without going into enough detail to make it worthwhile I felt. It's hard to get a feel for Valdis early so when she starts to object and talk out of turn to Knox, I was unsure if it's her personality in general or if she was just being bold in the moment. Valdis and Knox kind of do this tango of want before sealing things between them but the book is so short I didn't understand the purpose for it really, the build up and anticipation didn't last long enough for it to be satisfactory once they do cross that line. I'd have liked to learn more about the goddess, the beliefs of the people, and especially about Valdis' mother who seems to be getting some help from another being who is probably on the evil side and opposed to the goddess. That was thrown in at the end, but that tidbit and others just make me wonder why Valdis' mother didn't show her hand a bit sooner. I especially couldn't help but wonder why Knox didn't just kill Valdis' mother, Ingemar, and Pelos given that the former two not only came to the castle to petition for Valdis' return lying about her being mentally unwell and with the hopes of marrying her to Pelos, but once the latter two kidnap Valdis, I would've expected it. Particularly since at that point Knox was beyons the denial he'd been harboring about who Valdis was to him and his brothers. Made zero sense from that perspective. Then there's the difference between the truth and common knowledge about the kings which is mentioned but isn't followed up or delved into deeply enough for anything to really matter. Although I'm really interested in how the story will continue with the introduction of the next brother Malic, I don't see the value in reading on given the price of a book that 161 pages in print length. Fully fleshing the books out and taking more time on the first one or even keeping it as one book if it's going to be these short stories would be much better I think. There were typos throughout as well.
Overall, the story was okay and could've been so much better with the addition of details.
Firstly, my rating does not reflect how bad this book is. It is bad but I also didn't hate it.
Now, I have chosen to watch Sharknado so it is safe to say that I have no problem indulging in B-rate content. Even though, to be fair, calling this B-rate is disrespectful to B-rate content. Still, I have to remind myself that I probably should not seek out any more of this series.
This story has potential. The premise is good and the foundation leaves room for a lot to be built on. Why the author chose to turn it into a parody? I can't tell you.
I almost want to be one of those reviewers who explain the story to you but I have always disliked those reviews so let me try my best.
It's a vampire book so clearly, it is a paranormal series. The introduction of other paranormal beings was not made clear until we were wrapping up this book.
I like Valdis. But I don't know how or where to place her. Kind of like most of this story. Are we in medieval times or is it the 21st or 22nd century? I think this is an island like Atlantis but above water. However, how do you hold true to that plot line? Why wouldn't the residents of the island also seek out the outside world and what is this unknown force looking to gain in this modern world?
Too much is happening while we are trying to figure out what century we are in and how the social classes work. However, it is clear that Valdis (love the name btw) will be party to a harem of ancient vampire warriors.
Why can't we slow it down though and work on the dialogue? Everyone sounds like a teenage girl or a horny boy. Like, there is no way your guards are going to say, "Look at that ass." Even if they are thinking it. This entire book is going through an identity crisis.
However, the bones of the story are so good that I want to know what happens next. But while this book is currently free on Amazon, I cannot within good conscience pay to find out more ... Or can I?
See, now I am going through an identity crisis.
I could rant until the sun comes up but let me just say that the author took a good premise and turned it into a joke. For that I am sad.
This book fell middle-of-the-road for me. While I appreciated the overall premise and the promise of a dark, vampire romance, the execution left much to be desired. The concept had potential, with an intriguing setup that could have delivered a compelling blend of danger and allure. Unfortunately, the book failed to live up to these expectations, leaving me somewhat disappointed by the end.
One of the most significant issues for me was the world-building. It felt underdeveloped, as though much had been left out or glossed over. A rich and immersive world is crucial in stories that involve supernatural elements, particularly in a genre like vampire romance, where the atmosphere can make or break the experience. However, this book offered only glimpses of its universe, never delving deeply enough to give readers a clear understanding of the lore or setting. The lack of detailed world-building made the story feel shallow, as though it was missing the depth needed to fully engage the reader.
Additionally, I found myself yearning for more tension and intrigue. The promise of a dark romance—a hallmark of the genre—quickly fell by the wayside. The dynamic between the two main characters shifted abruptly, and this sudden development felt jarring and unearned. Without gradual buildup or emotional depth, the relationship lacked credibility, leaving me disconnected from their supposed bond. This lack of believability detracted from my overall enjoyment and made it difficult to invest in their journey.
Moreover, the reliance on familiar tropes, such as the evil mother and stepsisters, felt uninspired. While tropes can be effective when used creatively, this book leaned on them in a way that felt stale and unimaginative. Instead of adding complexity or fresh perspectives to these archetypes, they were presented in a predictable manner that added little to the story.
Overall, while the story had moments of intrigue and potential, it ultimately fell short of expectations. It wasn’t a bad book per se, but it lacked the spark needed to stand out. Unfortunately, this experience doesn’t leave me eager to explore more from this author or the series.
I hate to write negative reviews, but this was just lacking for me. Vampires? Cool. But the writing was juvenile at best. I definitely noticed a lack of overall editing and I felt like it was written by an immature teenager. No offense to the author -that’s just how I feel. While the plot had potential, the lack of editing and pretty unsophisticated character relationships was very noticeable to me and a weakness.
Further, while I love some smut reading once in a while, I do not like female writers having their leading women talk like men. The main character, while feminine in a lot of ways, uses cheap and vulgar sex language that sounds much more like what men like, not what most women like. Sexy language is fine, but vulgar is not sexy. It’s another example of immature and unsophisticated writing. I’m also not impressed by writing that rushes into sex -it’s just not sexy to me. I appreciate a slow burn.
Additionally, this appears to be the first book in a series where in subsequent books, the main character will be shared by 4 other vampire kings. While I have definitely noticed a growing online presence of readers who like the harem stories, I definitely do not. I will never understand people trying to imply that you can love multiple people as well as in monogamous relationships. It’s just not true and this makes the stories overall unenjoyable for me. However, if this is your thing, go for it. You’ll probably like it.
I personally am not going to read the rest of the series due to the above mentioned issues. I was surprised at how highly rated this book is. While I did finish it, it was more because it was a quick and easy read as opposed to being good. Overall, this was a no for me.
Okay so the story was intriguing enough so I wanted to read but the writing style was childish to me. Female MC was seventy years old but acted and talked like 16. Which was a major off to me. Knox is hundreds of years old king that was also acting like a 17 years old teenager. This whole story felt like I was reading underage romance/segss story. If the seggs parts were not detailed this would easily be teen novel. The magic system is not existing also to call it adult and not even young adult.
Also noone is respecting the king in this entire kingdom for some reason. Valdis is telling the king “f off” the first day that they met because he makes a snarky little comment about her sexiness. But she was afraid of him a mere moment ago. Lots of things are not making any sense. Also mother of Valdis is disrespecting the king in the throne room outright and getting away with it because king doesnt do anything against it.
The servants are easily entering the castle and kidnapping Valdis right in front of all mighty scary king that noone respects and he cant do anything about it. Such an alpha male. Lol.
Also too many POV’s in the book. There was 6 unnecessary different head voices. It took of the story telling point. It didnt add anything to the story as well.
And it started as fated mates novel but will and as reverse harem of 13 but now 5. Well. I wont be reading more anyways.
Okay, to be honest, I almost DNF'ed at 1/3 of the book, as the wording bothered me, and I was a bit bored. If you pick up this series, it's good to know that this 1st book is more world building and less fast-paced action. I'm happy that I kept on reading as I felt that the author found her footing in the story in the 2nd half of the book. Reading the preview of the 2nd book solidified this for me, as that doesn't read the same as the 1st half of the 1st book (in a good way). It's fated mates and instalove, and it's hinted that it'll be reverse harem, adding a partner in the next part probably.
3.5 stars I picked this up for free on amazon it took me a bit to get In to mostly because the book switched between a lot of different POV’s but I did really like both Valdis and Knox the main characters this was a quick read that I read in one sitting once I did get in the story I liked the plot and felt invested in the characters I kept saying to myself just one more chapter then I will sleep by the time I was adamant I would put the book down after my current chapter I notice I only had 40 minutes read time predicted so I just continued lol
Not the best written and definitely focusing more on the romance than the fantasy elements of the plot, but I see the potential and because this is a short read and we were left on a minor cliffhanger (she was just about to meet her second mate) I will continue this series. There were a lot of cliches/stereotypes in this, reminding me a bit of a wattpad story (like the evil mum poisoning the father for the inheritance and then intending to marry off the fmc to evil people). This is mainly three stars because I'm enjoying the vibes enough to continue, idk if I can really say it's *good*.
This book was free and it was worth the price. The dialogue was confusing with its consistent jump from medieval to modern day. I finished it for the sole reason that I never leave a book unfinished, but I should have made an exception for this one. Needs a lot of work grammatically. I proofread for a living so this was an eyesore. She should have budgeted for an editor and a proofreader before releasing it. I won’t be reading the rest. Too much strain on the little grey brain cells to decipher a lot of her writing.
Gosh… where do I start? I genuinely have no idea what time period this book is set in - one minute it’s giving bridgerton, the next they’re hopping out of an elevator into a sports car. It’s kind of written like the author has ADHD, it’s just all so rushed and over the place and it feels like a GCSE writing piece (if said writing piece was 18+) The smut was so so cringey imo (but can’t hate because maybe some people are into that)
DNF’d at page 10. Timeline was confusing, story rushed right into it with no detail of what was happening. The MFC said she was 70 but talked and acted like a 15 year old. The writing style seemed like a teenager wrote this for Creative Writing class. Supposedly seemed to be set during Old Maiden times but the MC said he has the “hots” for the main girl. Took me out.
Writing was off. Jumping all over the place, and no paragraph cuts. Just a big pile of jumbled mess.
Wow! After all the struggels of the book I read before this was a nice surprize. I enjoyed the Cinderella vibe and the tension built between King Knox and V. I had some difficulties pronouncing some names but it was mostly okey. And the story was also cool. Im absolutely checking out book 2!
This books was just so hard to read and to finish. The amount of typos encountered and sentences that ran on forever was too much for my brain. It was subpar at best, but needless to say, I will not be finishing the rest of the series. I barely made it through the first book, tf am I going to do with a series?! The sigh of relief when I reached the last page…… 😮💨
Mercy of the Vampire King (The Vampire Kings Book 1)
This was a cute story with a good storyline. It just didn’t draw me in like I had hoped though. I am sure there are other supernatural book lovers though that would really enjoy it. Read the book and make your own determination though.
I'm giving this a 2 because I'm in a slump right now & couldn't really process it, but I got the gist. But the main reason it's getting a 2 is because it teased her being mated to all 4 kings & I'm not in the mood for a why choose romance. I so very seldom care for them. So I won't be finishing this series because of it.
If you’re in the mood for a book that hits at the pleasure center of your brain, this is it. The characters are well written and the plot is engaging. The romantic scenes are each reminiscent of a favorite escapade with someone special from your past/present/future. Good stuff.
The story itself was interesting and would potentially have kept me hooked, but the narrative really did not take off for me. Every character's perspective is written in the first person and did not keep me involved in the story. Every time I was starting to keep pace with what was happening, the perspective changed to another person which didn't work for me.
The writing was like something feverishly scribbled in a teen's diary. There are some good ideas but the prose could be worked on and it needs an editor badly. This writer has promise, but I dnf'd because I lost interest. Too much telling not showing, like another reader said: too many POVs, and the writing style is a little too juvenile for me.