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The Pawn and The Puppet #3
The Puppeteer and The Poisoned Pawn
Skylenna's world stops revolving around Dessin as she learns of a new secret he's been hiding. Plagued with betrayal, anger, and paralyzing waves of confusion, Skylenna must put her feelings aside and focus on saving DaiSzek from the Vexamen Breed. But after tragedy strikes, she embarks on a journey alone to learn the dark, epic secrets of her past. The lost memories of her childhood. The missing pieces of Dessin's grand plan. Yet, what if this sinister truth is enough to tip her over the edge? What happens when the sweet, compassionate girl is gone, and all that's left is a monster born of irreversible trauma? Skylenna is no longer the helpless pawn to be moved across a board. In fact, it's time for her to take the strings and orchestrate the darkest puppet show to ever reach the stage of the Emerald Lake Asylum.
This book contains explicit content and dark elements and may be considered offensive to some readers. Check trigger warnings before reading. It is not intended for anyone under 18 years of age. Please store your files wisely, where they cannot be accessed by underage readers.
This is a dark dystopian society that is intended to be problematic. Please note that this is a fictional world and in no way reflects on the author's personal beliefs. We will see the society grow and correct its moral compass over the series.
This book gratuitous violence, mental health journey, grief, depression, death of a loved one, mention of suicide, gratuitous/ detailed torture, physical injuries (such as burn wounds), eating disorder, hallucinations, misogyny, mention of pedophilia, romanticized mental illness, gore, child abuse, mention of animal cruelty (what's vaguely mentioned will never actually happen) dismemberment, female oppression, degradation, starvation, body shaming, sexually explicit scenes, explicit language, religious trauma, horror.
This book contains explicit content and dark elements and may be considered offensive to some readers. Check trigger warnings before reading. It is not intended for anyone under 18 years of age. Please store your files wisely, where they cannot be accessed by underage readers.
This is a dark dystopian society that is intended to be problematic. Please note that this is a fictional world and in no way reflects on the author's personal beliefs. We will see the society grow and correct its moral compass over the series.
This book gratuitous violence, mental health journey, grief, depression, death of a loved one, mention of suicide, gratuitous/ detailed torture, physical injuries (such as burn wounds), eating disorder, hallucinations, misogyny, mention of pedophilia, romanticized mental illness, gore, child abuse, mention of animal cruelty (what's vaguely mentioned will never actually happen) dismemberment, female oppression, degradation, starvation, body shaming, sexually explicit scenes, explicit language, religious trauma, horror.
343 pages, Paperback
First published December 1, 2022
351 people are currently reading
6841 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 290 reviews
August 25, 2023
emotional damage
December 1, 2022
“𝑼𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒍 𝒉𝒆𝒍𝒍 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆𝒛𝒆𝒔 𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓.”
My heart has been broken by this series multiple times, but this book absolutely shattered me. The twists had my jaw on the floor and my mind running wild with theories that were all wrong. It’s very rare that I’ll love the third book in the series so much more than the first or second, but here we are. Don’t get me wrong, the build up of story and character development in the first two books was incredibly written, but this one was on another level. Even the spice was taken up a notch 👀😏
The reader being in the dark just as much as Skylenna kept me hooked because I was just as desperate for answers as she was. I got them and was floored by the story telling, by the raw feelings that bled from the pages as everything unraveled. It made me want to go back and reread book one to experience it all over again, to see it with deeper understanding. I promise you, Kane and Dessin’s reasons are worth the agonizing wait 😭
All that being said, this book was brutally beautiful from start to finish. Easily one of the best series I’ve read in awhile, a perfect blend of gothic meets dystopian romance with a paranormal edge to it. It still comes with heavy trigger warnings so please proceed with caution as it’s not going to be for everyone. If you can stomach the dark, disturbing, horror of the series worst parts then you’ll be absolutely enchanted by it’s best.
Excuse me while I impatiently wait for book 4 because of course that cliffhanger left me in shambles 🙃☠️
My heart has been broken by this series multiple times, but this book absolutely shattered me. The twists had my jaw on the floor and my mind running wild with theories that were all wrong. It’s very rare that I’ll love the third book in the series so much more than the first or second, but here we are. Don’t get me wrong, the build up of story and character development in the first two books was incredibly written, but this one was on another level. Even the spice was taken up a notch 👀😏
The reader being in the dark just as much as Skylenna kept me hooked because I was just as desperate for answers as she was. I got them and was floored by the story telling, by the raw feelings that bled from the pages as everything unraveled. It made me want to go back and reread book one to experience it all over again, to see it with deeper understanding. I promise you, Kane and Dessin’s reasons are worth the agonizing wait 😭
All that being said, this book was brutally beautiful from start to finish. Easily one of the best series I’ve read in awhile, a perfect blend of gothic meets dystopian romance with a paranormal edge to it. It still comes with heavy trigger warnings so please proceed with caution as it’s not going to be for everyone. If you can stomach the dark, disturbing, horror of the series worst parts then you’ll be absolutely enchanted by it’s best.
Excuse me while I impatiently wait for book 4 because of course that cliffhanger left me in shambles 🙃☠️
November 9, 2022
Extraordinarily written ART from Brandi, oh my god!
This is absolutely her best book yet. This book gave me every emotion under the sun! I laughed and I cried. I was heartbroken, and made whole again. The emotional rollercoaster this book sent me on.. But in the absolute best way. Book 2 left me with so many questions. This book answered all of them and more. There are parts of this book that are pure beauty and the writing is *chefs kiss* Brandi is an author to look out for. She’s going to take the world by storm
This is absolutely her best book yet. This book gave me every emotion under the sun! I laughed and I cried. I was heartbroken, and made whole again. The emotional rollercoaster this book sent me on.. But in the absolute best way. Book 2 left me with so many questions. This book answered all of them and more. There are parts of this book that are pure beauty and the writing is *chefs kiss* Brandi is an author to look out for. She’s going to take the world by storm
July 24, 2025
Bester Teil der Reihe!! <3 Hat emotional sehr weh getan...
December 1, 2022
This book has sent me on an absolute emotional rollercoaster. I have shed so many tears reading this book. I’m glad we got to have a glimpse inside some of the other characters heads, I feel like I know them all a lot better than I did previously. I can’t wait for the next instalment in the series and to see what comes next after the massive cliffhanger we’ve been left on!
March 20, 2024
R e v i e w :
The Puppeteer and the Poisoned Pawn is the third book in the Pawn and the Puppet series. Continuing right from the sequel’s explosive final, TP&TPP follows Skylenna as she is forced to uncover her mysterious past and her ambiguous future without her partner, Dessin, by her side. For the first time she has to learn to let go of everything that is holding her back in order to find and connect the missing pieces that will guarantee salvation, not for her, but for their whole world.
Like all of the previous books, The Puppeteer and the Poisoned Pawn is filled with heart-stopping romance, delicious horror, gripping action, and riveting, mind-turning twists. Yet, at the same time it manages to top what is already excellent by allowing the reader to plunge deeper into the story, by finally providing them with the so-needed answers to their questions. It is the type of twist in the story that makes you question everything, makes you drop your book and wonder, “how is this even possible?”
It’s masterful, darkly encompassing and absolutely mesmerizing. The author of this series really is the true master and puppeteer, as she will cleverly pull the strings of your heart and make you lose your mind as if you were a puppet. [5/5⭐️]
The Puppeteer and the Poisoned Pawn is the third book in the Pawn and the Puppet series. Continuing right from the sequel’s explosive final, TP&TPP follows Skylenna as she is forced to uncover her mysterious past and her ambiguous future without her partner, Dessin, by her side. For the first time she has to learn to let go of everything that is holding her back in order to find and connect the missing pieces that will guarantee salvation, not for her, but for their whole world.
Like all of the previous books, The Puppeteer and the Poisoned Pawn is filled with heart-stopping romance, delicious horror, gripping action, and riveting, mind-turning twists. Yet, at the same time it manages to top what is already excellent by allowing the reader to plunge deeper into the story, by finally providing them with the so-needed answers to their questions. It is the type of twist in the story that makes you question everything, makes you drop your book and wonder, “how is this even possible?”
It’s masterful, darkly encompassing and absolutely mesmerizing. The author of this series really is the true master and puppeteer, as she will cleverly pull the strings of your heart and make you lose your mind as if you were a puppet. [5/5⭐️]
January 10, 2024
-loud sigh-
I really want this series to work. I like the primary basis of the series, but these fantasy elements are so poorly contrived. And dear god, the progress driving? Talk about the cheapest way to do that.
This book makes moderately more sense than the second one, and that tells me more plotted story elements were used. As I said in the previous books review, this should not be a series. There's good material in her enough for a duology. This is getting hella stretched out where 60% of this book is just emo flashbacks and unsatisfying "character development".
Why am I still reading these? I don't know. I just WANT this concept to work. But this is getting stressful.
I really want this series to work. I like the primary basis of the series, but these fantasy elements are so poorly contrived. And dear god, the progress driving? Talk about the cheapest way to do that.
This book makes moderately more sense than the second one, and that tells me more plotted story elements were used. As I said in the previous books review, this should not be a series. There's good material in her enough for a duology. This is getting hella stretched out where 60% of this book is just emo flashbacks and unsatisfying "character development".
Why am I still reading these? I don't know. I just WANT this concept to work. But this is getting stressful.
July 10, 2023
This book has a series of trigger warnings about two pages long and I really went: 'huh, that wasn't too bad'
I'm highly concerned for my mental well being
I'm highly concerned for my mental well being
October 22, 2023
This series started with so much promise. One star for this latest book is exceedingly generous
September 7, 2024
This is a book series I could read a thousand times and never get tired of.
December 5, 2022
| 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐨𝐢𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐏𝐚𝐰𝐧
“’𝐈𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐚𝐧’𝐭 𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐮𝐧, 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐰𝐞’𝐥𝐥 𝐛𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝 𝐚 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐞.’“
Outstanding. I have nothing but amazing things to say about this book. I am completely obsessed with where the story has gone.
Looking back at The Pawn and The Puppet, Brandi’s debut to this series, readers will have NO CLUE what’s coming in the later books. I could never have imagined it going in the direction that it has. I have loved every single twist and turn!
The attachment I have for these characters is unmatched. Such phenomenal character development, especially Skylenna, in this book. The old Skylenna is no more. Watch out for her! She’s a fire-breathing dragon now 😮💨👏🏼
Brandi’s writing has improved so much since her debut. The way that I felt while reading TP+TPP was a rollercoaster. My heart raced faster than it ever has before. I experienced happiness, extreme sorrow, laughter, devastation, fear, ALL OF IT. Any book that makes me feel everything is a fave of mine.
Many questions that we’ve had are given answers to. So much history is revealed with Skylenna and Patient 13 and it was all so satisfying. The Puppeteer and The Poisoned Pawn is truly unforgettable for me.
Thank you @brandibookthought for the ARC. Love and support you always!
👉🏼 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐢𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞:
-villain arc
-cliffhangers
-dark/trigger-heavy romance
-plot twists
-emotional reads
-found family
-strong, bad-a** female MC
-multiple POVs
-flashbacks
-kindle unlimited books
#bookstagram #kindleunlimitedbooks #kindleunlimitedromance #thepawnandthepuppet #darkromance #romancereader #bookreview #bookreviewer #bookpost #bookphoto #romancebooks #bookaesthetics #bookish #books #bookobsession #spicybookstagram #bookstagrammer
“’𝐈𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐚𝐧’𝐭 𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐮𝐧, 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐰𝐞’𝐥𝐥 𝐛𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝 𝐚 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐞.’“
Outstanding. I have nothing but amazing things to say about this book. I am completely obsessed with where the story has gone.
Looking back at The Pawn and The Puppet, Brandi’s debut to this series, readers will have NO CLUE what’s coming in the later books. I could never have imagined it going in the direction that it has. I have loved every single twist and turn!
The attachment I have for these characters is unmatched. Such phenomenal character development, especially Skylenna, in this book. The old Skylenna is no more. Watch out for her! She’s a fire-breathing dragon now 😮💨👏🏼
Brandi’s writing has improved so much since her debut. The way that I felt while reading TP+TPP was a rollercoaster. My heart raced faster than it ever has before. I experienced happiness, extreme sorrow, laughter, devastation, fear, ALL OF IT. Any book that makes me feel everything is a fave of mine.
Many questions that we’ve had are given answers to. So much history is revealed with Skylenna and Patient 13 and it was all so satisfying. The Puppeteer and The Poisoned Pawn is truly unforgettable for me.
Thank you @brandibookthought for the ARC. Love and support you always!
👉🏼 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐢𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞:
-villain arc
-cliffhangers
-dark/trigger-heavy romance
-plot twists
-emotional reads
-found family
-strong, bad-a** female MC
-multiple POVs
-flashbacks
-kindle unlimited books
#bookstagram #kindleunlimitedbooks #kindleunlimitedromance #thepawnandthepuppet #darkromance #romancereader #bookreview #bookreviewer #bookpost #bookphoto #romancebooks #bookaesthetics #bookish #books #bookobsession #spicybookstagram #bookstagrammer
August 23, 2025
I don't know if I should rate this book or not as I'm not entirely sure I enjoyed it. I've never had as many mixed feelings about a series in my life.
What I love:
- the MMC (and others, but mostly him)
- twists I didn't expect
- the spice
What I don't love:
- medical trauma specifically (mental health is one thing. I'm talking IVs and feeding tubes)
- childlike prose (sometimes I feel like the writing is childish, and while I see the necessity to get the author's point across, it also seems to distract me from the story at times)
For better or for worse, this series will haunt me. I almost stopped reading at multiple points but have to continue because I have to know how it ends.
What I love:
- the MMC (and others, but mostly him)
- twists I didn't expect
- the spice
What I don't love:
- medical trauma specifically (mental health is one thing. I'm talking IVs and feeding tubes)
- childlike prose (sometimes I feel like the writing is childish, and while I see the necessity to get the author's point across, it also seems to distract me from the story at times)
For better or for worse, this series will haunt me. I almost stopped reading at multiple points but have to continue because I have to know how it ends.
May 20, 2025
The twist and turns in this book gave me a mild case of wiplash but i loved every second of it
March 7, 2025
4.25 ⭐️ sooo many answered questions and everything finally came together. I feel like the series could have ended here but we’ll see what happens in the next book.
June 8, 2025
Dieses Buch hat mich Seite für Seite zerrissen und wieder zusammen gesetzt.
Die Fragezeichen die sich über die anderen Bücher in meinem Kopf gebildet haben wurden in diesem Buch endlich beantwortet und es kamen neue hinzu.
Bedeutet also ich freue mich übelst auf den nächsten Teil
Die Fragezeichen die sich über die anderen Bücher in meinem Kopf gebildet haben wurden in diesem Buch endlich beantwortet und es kamen neue hinzu.
Bedeutet also ich freue mich übelst auf den nächsten Teil
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 7, 2022
5 stars, 1000/10 every time Brandi uploads teasers to Tiktok or Instagram I feel a piece of my soul fracture and I wonder how much pain I can take at a single time.
No amount of teasers could’ve prepared me for this book though because there aren’t the right words to explain how tense I felt reading it. It all depends on how connected you feel to the characters but being a reader of this series since the first release day after following the teasers for quite some time, I feel really attached to Dessin and Sky. I remember knowing from the first few chapters that this series was going to be phenomenal and even still, if not more so, I believe after book 3, that Brandi and the series have the potential to be one of the best dark, gothic, paranormal/fantasy-esque vibe series out there.
TP&TPP is hot and emotional and poetically written, and I expected 10/10 read for this but I wasn’t prepared to feel what I was feeling throughout.
Dessin and Sky have both come so far since the beginning. That initial introduction of Kane and Greystone throughout books 1 and 2 cemented the fact that DessinSky’s journey was going to be emotional and raw, but then seeing how the other personalities added to their relationship, along with other characters who served as obstacles or bonus elements (sighing because the smut was wow), really strengthened how I felt about them.
The dark, sickening, ominous vibe of the book keeps building and building, and if nothing else, the gothic element surrounding the asylum is a grip to hook you, but the characters and how they change throughout the unfolding plot are the final nail in what makes this series original and amazing to me.
It’s hard to express how much I adore the characters and personalities without giving spoilers because my reasoning for why they mean so much to me is further developed in TP&TPP, but I also think that tells a reader so much. The fact that the characters continue to develop even after many many many chapters of development furthermore expresses how wonderfully written the book is.
I wasn’t expecting to relate so much to Greystone, even after TM&TM, but even in moments where we’re meant to raise an eyebrow, I still found myself rooting for him and blushing at the things he said. Nobody will be Dessin the original for me, though because I really do love him and no amount of wrong doings will change that for me lol.
It’s strange to see how each personality alters how I viewed them as a whole, another element introduced in book 2, but everytime one alter took over they became my favorite for different reasons. They’re all so complex and the fact that Brandi was able to give them each different personalities despite being the same body is so impressive.
There were moments where I was crying wondering what was going to happen next and if I’d read the last section correctly because there was NO way I just read that right…but that’s the best kind of book, so if you thrive off of that emotional tug, book 3 will most definitely be your favorite (so far…) of the series.
I’m excited for what’s next but terrified for the condition of my heart. Reading this pre-release day is something I’m so grateful for, and I can’t wait enough for release day for everyone to read book 3 so we can start theorizing and gushing and crying about it.
No amount of teasers could’ve prepared me for this book though because there aren’t the right words to explain how tense I felt reading it. It all depends on how connected you feel to the characters but being a reader of this series since the first release day after following the teasers for quite some time, I feel really attached to Dessin and Sky. I remember knowing from the first few chapters that this series was going to be phenomenal and even still, if not more so, I believe after book 3, that Brandi and the series have the potential to be one of the best dark, gothic, paranormal/fantasy-esque vibe series out there.
TP&TPP is hot and emotional and poetically written, and I expected 10/10 read for this but I wasn’t prepared to feel what I was feeling throughout.
Dessin and Sky have both come so far since the beginning. That initial introduction of Kane and Greystone throughout books 1 and 2 cemented the fact that DessinSky’s journey was going to be emotional and raw, but then seeing how the other personalities added to their relationship, along with other characters who served as obstacles or bonus elements (sighing because the smut was wow), really strengthened how I felt about them.
The dark, sickening, ominous vibe of the book keeps building and building, and if nothing else, the gothic element surrounding the asylum is a grip to hook you, but the characters and how they change throughout the unfolding plot are the final nail in what makes this series original and amazing to me.
It’s hard to express how much I adore the characters and personalities without giving spoilers because my reasoning for why they mean so much to me is further developed in TP&TPP, but I also think that tells a reader so much. The fact that the characters continue to develop even after many many many chapters of development furthermore expresses how wonderfully written the book is.
I wasn’t expecting to relate so much to Greystone, even after TM&TM, but even in moments where we’re meant to raise an eyebrow, I still found myself rooting for him and blushing at the things he said. Nobody will be Dessin the original for me, though because I really do love him and no amount of wrong doings will change that for me lol.
It’s strange to see how each personality alters how I viewed them as a whole, another element introduced in book 2, but everytime one alter took over they became my favorite for different reasons. They’re all so complex and the fact that Brandi was able to give them each different personalities despite being the same body is so impressive.
There were moments where I was crying wondering what was going to happen next and if I’d read the last section correctly because there was NO way I just read that right…but that’s the best kind of book, so if you thrive off of that emotional tug, book 3 will most definitely be your favorite (so far…) of the series.
I’m excited for what’s next but terrified for the condition of my heart. Reading this pre-release day is something I’m so grateful for, and I can’t wait enough for release day for everyone to read book 3 so we can start theorizing and gushing and crying about it.
June 5, 2024
The author really made me eat my words! I said I wanted shock and I was given just that! This was by far the best book in the series. I was blindsided and emotionally damaged. I’m glad I continued reading. I kind of guessed that she was apart of the experiments and that it involved him and that she’d somehow break because of him. However I was shocked that it was all her plan and that she wasn’t a damsel in distress. Everything was revealed in this book. I believe the frustration from book one and two was worth it. I understand now. Also the ending I didn’t expect!
The only thing I didn’t like was that she told secrets she wasn’t supposed to and kept blaming Kane for everything. The fmc kept putting herself in bad situations and getting others hurt. She was just in the way all over the place at times.
I will also say I enjoy the side characters very much, Niles is so funny!
We definitely got the loaf and not the crumb!
The only thing I didn’t like was that she told secrets she wasn’t supposed to and kept blaming Kane for everything. The fmc kept putting herself in bad situations and getting others hurt. She was just in the way all over the place at times.
I will also say I enjoy the side characters very much, Niles is so funny!
We definitely got the loaf and not the crumb!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 11, 2022
⚠️⚠️⚠️(Check all TW before reading⚠️⚠️⚠️)
This was such a good book. I’m so excited for the next one. I went into this book with an open mind and oh boy the twist and turns. Brandi you out did yourself once again
This was such a good book. I’m so excited for the next one. I went into this book with an open mind and oh boy the twist and turns. Brandi you out did yourself once again
December 3, 2022
im gonna be honest, i skimmed the book.
will i read the next one? probably
will i read the next one? probably
August 31, 2024
This book tore me into tiny pieces and stitched me back together again! Skylenna’s growth was amazing and I definitely sobbed more than once! Easily one of my favorite series💖
May 4, 2025
„The Puppeteer and The Poisoned Pawn“ von Brandi Elise Szeker ist der dritte Band der düsteren Romantasy-Reihe „The Pawn and The Puppet“. In diesem Teil steht die Protagonistin Skylenna im Mittelpunkt, die nach einer schmerzhaften Enthüllung über Dessin ihren eigenen Weg geht. Sie begibt sich auf eine Reise, um die dunklen Geheimnisse ihrer Vergangenheit zu lüften und die fehlenden Teile von Dessins großem Plan zu entdecken.
Infos vorab:
Es ist notwendig, das erste und zweite Buch zu lesen, sonst kommt man nicht in die Geschichte hinein. Zudem bitte auch die Triggerwarnungen beachten.
Buch ist selbstgekauft und die Rezension meine eigene Meinung.
Wer die Bücher von Brandi Elise Szeker nicht kennt: Es beginnt mit einem dystopischen Liebesroman, der in einer Anstalt spielt. Ich hatte sofort „AHS Asylum“ Gefühle.
Ich habe schon das erste und zweite verschlungen, da mir das Setting und die Geschichte sowie Charaktere unheimlich gefallen haben. Ich kann mich einfach nur all den guten Bewertungen anschließen: es war so spannend, düster und emotional!
Gleich am ersten Tag habe ich fast 200 Seiten verschlungen, durch die Spannung und den guten Schreibstil. Skylennas Charakter wächst und formt sich, was ich wirklich liebe. Auch die Plottwists waren klasse. Ich kann es kaum erwarten, den nächsten Teil zu lesen.
Ich würde gerne 5+ geben.
Infos vorab:
Es ist notwendig, das erste und zweite Buch zu lesen, sonst kommt man nicht in die Geschichte hinein. Zudem bitte auch die Triggerwarnungen beachten.
Buch ist selbstgekauft und die Rezension meine eigene Meinung.
Wer die Bücher von Brandi Elise Szeker nicht kennt: Es beginnt mit einem dystopischen Liebesroman, der in einer Anstalt spielt. Ich hatte sofort „AHS Asylum“ Gefühle.
Ich habe schon das erste und zweite verschlungen, da mir das Setting und die Geschichte sowie Charaktere unheimlich gefallen haben. Ich kann mich einfach nur all den guten Bewertungen anschließen: es war so spannend, düster und emotional!
Gleich am ersten Tag habe ich fast 200 Seiten verschlungen, durch die Spannung und den guten Schreibstil. Skylennas Charakter wächst und formt sich, was ich wirklich liebe. Auch die Plottwists waren klasse. Ich kann es kaum erwarten, den nächsten Teil zu lesen.
Ich würde gerne 5+ geben.
January 6, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 5
🖤The Puppeteer and the Poisoned Pawn was an intense, emotional, and gripping read that completely pulled me back into this dark and twisted world. The tension is high from the start, the stakes feel real, and the psychological elements are as haunting as ever. This book kept me hooked, and I flew through it far faster than I expected.
That said, while I absolutely loved this installment, I did find myself missing Patient 13 and the asylum setting. The asylum has such a strong, eerie presence in the earlier books, and Patient 13 remains one of the most fascinating and unsettling parts of the series for me. I missed that claustrophobic atmosphere and the deep psychological focus tied to that place.😔🖤
Even so, the story delivers powerful character development, shocking moments, and emotional depth that more than make up for it. The writing is sharp, dark, and addictive, and the plot continues to evolve in ways that kept me invested the entire time.
Despite missing the asylum elements, this was still a five-star read for me, and I’m beyond excited to see where the series goes next🖤
🖤The Puppeteer and the Poisoned Pawn was an intense, emotional, and gripping read that completely pulled me back into this dark and twisted world. The tension is high from the start, the stakes feel real, and the psychological elements are as haunting as ever. This book kept me hooked, and I flew through it far faster than I expected.
That said, while I absolutely loved this installment, I did find myself missing Patient 13 and the asylum setting. The asylum has such a strong, eerie presence in the earlier books, and Patient 13 remains one of the most fascinating and unsettling parts of the series for me. I missed that claustrophobic atmosphere and the deep psychological focus tied to that place.😔🖤
Even so, the story delivers powerful character development, shocking moments, and emotional depth that more than make up for it. The writing is sharp, dark, and addictive, and the plot continues to evolve in ways that kept me invested the entire time.
Despite missing the asylum elements, this was still a five-star read for me, and I’m beyond excited to see where the series goes next🖤
November 7, 2022
You know the gif where the guy is sitting there rapidly blinking? That was me this entire book, just wildly overcome with disbelief.
**Spoiler FREE review!**
The Puppeteer and The Poisoned Pawn is book three in the dark romantasy series by @brandibookthought. While book 2 left me with so many questions and — to be honest — hella confused, book 3 answered EVERYTHING and gave clarity to an incredible plot line. Brandi has phenomenal way with describing the events and emotions happening within the story. So well that the reader feels as if they are living alongside of the characters. I cannot wait for book 4. 📚 🖤
You might like this series if…
• You are into dark romance
• You like unique dystopian fantasy worlds
• You enjoy suspense and twists
• You like spicy books
The Puppeteer and The Poisoned Pawn releases on December 1, 2022. Head to @brandibookthought and pre-order with the link in her bio. Please read ALL trigger warnings prior to beginning this series. It is very dark!
Genre: Dark Dystopian, Dark Romance, Romantasy
Tropes: Mine, Gangs All Here, Strong FMC, Spicy
⭐️: 5/5, a new favorite series
This book was received as an ARC, but this review is a reflection of my own thoughts.
**Spoiler FREE review!**
The Puppeteer and The Poisoned Pawn is book three in the dark romantasy series by @brandibookthought. While book 2 left me with so many questions and — to be honest — hella confused, book 3 answered EVERYTHING and gave clarity to an incredible plot line. Brandi has phenomenal way with describing the events and emotions happening within the story. So well that the reader feels as if they are living alongside of the characters. I cannot wait for book 4. 📚 🖤
You might like this series if…
• You are into dark romance
• You like unique dystopian fantasy worlds
• You enjoy suspense and twists
• You like spicy books
The Puppeteer and The Poisoned Pawn releases on December 1, 2022. Head to @brandibookthought and pre-order with the link in her bio. Please read ALL trigger warnings prior to beginning this series. It is very dark!
Genre: Dark Dystopian, Dark Romance, Romantasy
Tropes: Mine, Gangs All Here, Strong FMC, Spicy
⭐️: 5/5, a new favorite series
This book was received as an ARC, but this review is a reflection of my own thoughts.
May 24, 2024
THIS BOOK WAS EPIC!!!!
Sorry for shouting, but I can’t help it. I can’t contain my thoughts and feelings on this book. Holy crap.
I have been dodging spoilers for this series so hard. I usually love not knowing what will happen, and I was completely blindsided…I WAS SHOOK…by the events that unfolded early on. The shock and rage that rattled my bones…I contemplated if there was even a point to finish the series after that. So for the first time, I had to peak ahead in the book for reassurance that my heart would eventually mend. It didn’t stop the tears from flowing intermittently from about 25% to 65% of the book, and everything that happened in between left me speechless.
Skylenna’s journey of self discovery and revenge uncovered so many answers that I’ve had since I started this series. The missing pieces to the puzzle started coming together. But before all was revealed, she became an unstoppable force. Her inner monster was UNLEASHED. This is the part where the book takes a turn down horror street and my mouth could catch a million flies. Skylenna has just moved to the top of my badass FMC list. It was intense and horrifically satisfying. However, the memories that she regained…oh my heart. It made me fall in love with Kane and Dessin even more.
Then the plot twist that I had been waiting for gave way to another floodgate of emotions. AND the spice got spicy! 🥵 Okay, Greystone…🫠
This book was just…
I can’t…
Ugh, what am I even saying?!
I love it!!
My new Roman Empire.
And that cliffhanger…
Am I even ready for the next book?
Sorry for shouting, but I can’t help it. I can’t contain my thoughts and feelings on this book. Holy crap.
I have been dodging spoilers for this series so hard. I usually love not knowing what will happen, and I was completely blindsided…I WAS SHOOK…by the events that unfolded early on. The shock and rage that rattled my bones…I contemplated if there was even a point to finish the series after that. So for the first time, I had to peak ahead in the book for reassurance that my heart would eventually mend. It didn’t stop the tears from flowing intermittently from about 25% to 65% of the book, and everything that happened in between left me speechless.
Skylenna’s journey of self discovery and revenge uncovered so many answers that I’ve had since I started this series. The missing pieces to the puzzle started coming together. But before all was revealed, she became an unstoppable force. Her inner monster was UNLEASHED. This is the part where the book takes a turn down horror street and my mouth could catch a million flies. Skylenna has just moved to the top of my badass FMC list. It was intense and horrifically satisfying. However, the memories that she regained…oh my heart. It made me fall in love with Kane and Dessin even more.
Then the plot twist that I had been waiting for gave way to another floodgate of emotions. AND the spice got spicy! 🥵 Okay, Greystone…🫠
This book was just…
I can’t…
Ugh, what am I even saying?!
I love it!!
My new Roman Empire.
And that cliffhanger…
Am I even ready for the next book?
July 13, 2024
As much as i am a sucker for a slow burn, this one was a little bit of a let down. I feel like the way it was written didn't fully capture the burn and then the ignition of passion that comes (no pun intended) with it. I liked the storyline and that we get to fill in the information we were missing in the last two books as Skylenna is doing the same. That being said, the sex scenes felt really out of place especially considering the group is literally in the middle of prepping for war - if those scenes had been written after the war (that goes on in the fourth book) with the build up of sexual tension during the training/fighting/infiltration portions, I probably would have enjoyed the flow more.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 28, 2024
DIOS! ESE FINAL
Mira he llorado con este libro… COMO ME VAN A MATAR A DESSIN ÓSEA
Que entiendo que el desarrollo de Sky tenía que ser así pero mi corazón CASI NO AGUANTA
Plot tras plot tras plot me tiene enganchadísima y no puedo parar de leer
Niles… me dueles muchísimo y te quiero tanto tanto. En general en Found Family de esta saga es precioso y te hace enamorarte más de los personajes
Todo lo que pasó en el psiquiátrico está bien merecido y estoy muy a favor
El spicy me tiene loca, merece toda la pena esperar hasta este libro PORQUE NO PARAN y la tensión sexual es increíble
Además me encanta que tengamos más POV de otros personajes
Aún así me voy a esperar para leer el siguiente hasta que saquen la novela y me acabo de enterar DE QUE AÚN FALTA UNO MÁS ES QUE NO PUEDO 😭
Mira he llorado con este libro… COMO ME VAN A MATAR A DESSIN ÓSEA
Que entiendo que el desarrollo de Sky tenía que ser así pero mi corazón CASI NO AGUANTA
Plot tras plot tras plot me tiene enganchadísima y no puedo parar de leer
Niles… me dueles muchísimo y te quiero tanto tanto. En general en Found Family de esta saga es precioso y te hace enamorarte más de los personajes
Todo lo que pasó en el psiquiátrico está bien merecido y estoy muy a favor
El spicy me tiene loca, merece toda la pena esperar hasta este libro PORQUE NO PARAN y la tensión sexual es increíble
Además me encanta que tengamos más POV de otros personajes
Aún así me voy a esperar para leer el siguiente hasta que saquen la novela y me acabo de enterar DE QUE AÚN FALTA UNO MÁS ES QUE NO PUEDO 😭
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 5, 2025
There is so many pieces to this puzzle! And they are all falling into place, and I keep getting mind boggled.
I will say that this one is hard to follow along with, if you end up taking breaks. I was so busy this week that I hardly had time to read, and it was tough to remember all of the details that had been happening.
And like how does Brandi’s brain come up with all of this! Like it��s overwhelming but makes for such a good read.
I really loved getting to see Skylenna’s growth here, and she’s become such a badass and I am here for it.
And again with that ending?! I haven’t even checked how many books are in this series, but I’m starting the next one asap.
I will say that this one is hard to follow along with, if you end up taking breaks. I was so busy this week that I hardly had time to read, and it was tough to remember all of the details that had been happening.
And like how does Brandi’s brain come up with all of this! Like it��s overwhelming but makes for such a good read.
I really loved getting to see Skylenna’s growth here, and she’s become such a badass and I am here for it.
And again with that ending?! I haven’t even checked how many books are in this series, but I’m starting the next one asap.
March 31, 2025
Even when I thought the plot couldn't get more intriguing the author proved me wrong .
Compared to the first two books I also observed an improvement in the writing of this book .
At first I was so irritated by Kane and Dassin's secrecy but OMG the plot justified it so well.
One of my favorite part is the relationship of the group with DaiSzek and the dynamic between the entire team is incredible.
Also rooting for Ruth and Warrose.
Also Skylenna's unhinged side really reminds me of Lana Myers from the Mindf*ck series. ( I love her) .
Although I really liked the control over the spice in the first books but still it doesn't affect much of the storyline if you decide to skip it.
The plot remains intriguing. One of the best fantasy(ish) world settings, quite remarkable and fresh .
And the prophecy ohhhhh.
Compared to the first two books I also observed an improvement in the writing of this book .
At first I was so irritated by Kane and Dassin's secrecy but OMG the plot justified it so well.
One of my favorite part is the relationship of the group with DaiSzek and the dynamic between the entire team is incredible.
Also rooting for Ruth and Warrose.
Also Skylenna's unhinged side really reminds me of Lana Myers from the Mindf*ck series. ( I love her) .
Although I really liked the control over the spice in the first books but still it doesn't affect much of the storyline if you decide to skip it.
The plot remains intriguing. One of the best fantasy(ish) world settings, quite remarkable and fresh .
And the prophecy ohhhhh.
January 9, 2023
So. Many. Feelings.
Brandi has done it again and wrote something amazing! This had me all over the place and in my feelings. One minute, I thought I knew where the story was going and then BAM! Plot twist. I honestly cannot wait for book 4. The character development waa *chef's kiss* as was the whole plot. And we cannot forget to mention the spice. I very much enjoyed the spice.🌶🌶🌶
Brandi has done it again and wrote something amazing! This had me all over the place and in my feelings. One minute, I thought I knew where the story was going and then BAM! Plot twist. I honestly cannot wait for book 4. The character development waa *chef's kiss* as was the whole plot. And we cannot forget to mention the spice. I very much enjoyed the spice.🌶🌶🌶
December 6, 2022
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 🌶🌶
Wowwwwww! I loved it soooo much! The author packs in so many tropes, plot twists and quotes that make your heart actually ache. The villain plot line gave me actual shivers and Skylenna is such a badass main character and Dessin (plus all his others alters) are described so well and in such depth that I honestly feel so immersed in the world.
Brandi is such an amazing author and can’t wait for more of her books cause I WILL BE BUYING!!!!
Wowwwwww! I loved it soooo much! The author packs in so many tropes, plot twists and quotes that make your heart actually ache. The villain plot line gave me actual shivers and Skylenna is such a badass main character and Dessin (plus all his others alters) are described so well and in such depth that I honestly feel so immersed in the world.
Brandi is such an amazing author and can’t wait for more of her books cause I WILL BE BUYING!!!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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