Review: King of the Dark - Ariana Nash

From the author who brought you the award-winning Silk & Steel series comes a new dark MM high fantasy. 

"Your love is worthless, it's your hate I need." ~Prince Vasili Caville

When King Talos Caville surrendered the war to the elves, soldier Nikolas Yazdan vowed never to serve the royals again. He said the same to the prince who tried to buy his loyalty, and learned the Cavilles don’t take no for an answer.

Whipped for his insolence, Nikolas is forced into slavery in a palace full of vicious, brutal royals. And Prince Vasili Caville is the worst of all. Malicious and cruel, the prince is more viper than man, and someone inside the palace wants him dead. Nikolas would kill the prince himself if not for one thing: Julian, the prince’s personal guard and Niko’s light in the dark. If Nikolas doesn’t submit to Prince Vasili and discover who is plotting against him, Julian will suffer.

But there’s more wrong in the palace than just the prince. The king is on his deathbed, the ferocious elves are creeping closer to the great city of Loreen, and madness stalks the hallways. There’s poison in the Caville court, and if Nikolas doesn’t discover the real reason Prince Vasili tried to buy him with a bag of coin, the palace, the city, and everything he loves, will be lost forever.

King of the Dark is the first book in the slow burn, enemies-to-lovers Prince’s Assassin series. A gay Game of Thrones with a hint of Witcher thrown in, there are triggers, including but not limited to: reference to past abuse, attempted rape, dubious consent, reference to incest, torture, drug use and PTSD. High heat sexual content. The Prince’s Assassin is for 18+ only.

The Prince's Assassin Series:
King of the Dark

Visit Ariana Nash's website or Pippa DaCosta's website for more information

Review:
King of the Dark is the first book in a new M/M dark fantasy trilogy from Ariana Nash and it brings all the twists and turns you'd expect from this author to the table. I always go into her stories trying to expect the unexpected but she never fails to sideswipe me with something I didn't see coming and that's something I absolutely love about her books.

Niko was a soldier who fought on the front lines against the elves who are trying to invade his kingdom. He lost friends and family to the war but he continued to fight because he believed knew the danger the elves possessed and was determined to keep his home as safe as possible. Everything changed for him when his king surrendered to the elves and he now sees all his losses as pointless. Niko is bitter and angry at the world in general but the royal family in particular so when he is approached by Prince Vasili he initially refuses to be caught up in another plot by a royal. The prince isn't used to taking no for an answer though so when commanding Niko to do his bidding doesn't work he thinks nothing of resorting to imprisonment and torture to get what he wants. As Niko grows closer to Vasili's personal guard Julian he realises that he's going to have to start to play Vasili's games if he wants to make sure they both survive the internal squabbles of the royal court.

I really don't want to say much more about the story here so I'm going to focus on how much I enjoyed getting to know the characters. The way things unfold mean you're constantly learning new things and hidden secrets about each of the main players and it was really interesting to have my initial feelings about them all turned upside-down with each new revelation. The royal court really is a nest of vipers and nearly everyone you meet would happily stab their own mothers in their back for the chance to get what they want so it's very hard to know who to trust or to truly understand what most of them are capable of. Whenever I thought I had someone figured out something would happen to completely change my opinion and I think we've only just started to scratch the surface of what is really going on in this world.

King of the Dark was a fantastic start to this series and I honestly can't wait for the next instalment to see what happens next for my favourite characters.

Source: Received for free from the author in exchange for an honest review

Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

Paperback / Kindle:

Review: Primal Sin - Ariana Nash

Fallen for love. Risen for revenge.

Severn knows love. He knows how it feels to fight for love, and have it torn from his reach. He knows that when the killing fields are strewn with the dead, and love is all gone, only one thing keeps his demon heart beating:

Vengeance.

His life is now a web of lies. His act, a perfect one. His enemy, the guardian angel Mikhail, sits beside him, turns to him for guidance, and even loves him.

The time has come to make all the angels fall, beginning with the most powerful of them all.

Severn thought he knew love. But he’s about to discover that love takes no prisoners, and as demons and angels clash over London’s battle-weary streets, love will claim the souls of two destined enemies.

Primal Sin is a dark gay fantasy with a strong love-story. The series is brimming with savage desires, relentless lies and the bite of vengeance and is not for anyone easily disturbed by graphic scenes.

Primal Sin Series:
Primal Sin

Visit Ariana Nash's website or Pippa DaCosta's website for more information

Review:
For decades angels and demons have waged war on the streets of London and the killing fields have left it unrecognisable. Angels live in the aerie, a huge towering structure ruled by Guardian Mikhail, and they consider themselves protectors of humans. Below the Aerie is the Cauldron, a dark and dangerous underworld where demons prey on the unsuspecting and anything can be purchased for the right price.

Severn is Mikhail's right hand man, a fierce warrior respected by the rest of the angels and feared by demons, even though he lost his wings in battle and can no longer fly. But while Severn is seen as an ally he has ulterior motives and has spent the last decade planning is revenge against the person he blames for ruining his life. After Severn is brutally injured in battle once more Mikhail takes surprising steps to save his life and the bond that forms between them could be enough to doom the world.

Ariana Nash never fails to rip out my heart and stomp it into teeny tiny pieces and I love it so much that I just keep coming back for more! Love, revenge, betrayal and heartbreak this book has it all and then some, I was hooked from beginning to end. We're only just starting to explore this world but already I want to know more and I enjoyed getting to know the characters too. Mikhail initially comes across as quite cold and unfeeling but under the surface he's a boiling pot full of emotion and in the end that might just be his downfall. Severn on the other hand is full of rage and hatred, and with very good reason, but he is also more than he originally seems and as his hate and lust combine his attitude completely changes.

I honestly can't wait to see what happens next between these two, especially now a certain new character that appeared at the end of the book has been thrown into the mix. I know for sure that this is going to be a bumpy ride for everyone but I can't wait to enjoy the rollercoaster.

Source: Received for free from the author in exchange for an honest review

Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

Paperback / Kindle:

Review: Lost & Found - Ariana Nash

What use is a blade without a war?

After giving their lives to the Order, the Ashford assassins are in crisis. The battles are over, the war is no more, but assassins cannot retire from who they are.

Trey knows this. He may not have been an Assassin of the Order for long, but it was long enough to leave him scarred. Restless and heartsick, he returns to wandering, traveling from settlement to settlement, delivering tokens of love, not death.

Among his Order brethren at Ashford, he rediscovers the joy of careless pleasures and the thrill of knowing he'll be gone in the morning. But one assassin isn't so easily dismissed. Proud, powerful, and a self-centered prick, Sentinel Venali is everything Trey despises. But he fucks like there's no tomorrow, and right now, sex with no strings attached is exactly what Trey needs.

When fellow Order elves begin to take their own lives, the depth of the damage done by the war becomes apparent.

Trey has watched those around him buckle beneath their fears, powerless to stop their self-destructive path. He knows some cries for help are silent. And few need help more than the damaged Venali.

Tomorrow, Trey will be gone. Because staying means loving, and his cracked heart cannot withstand another break.

If only it were that simple to say goodbye.

***

Trey's novella takes place after events in the Silk & Steel trilogy. For the best experience, please read the Silk & Steel trilogy first. This novella does contain spoilers for the Silk & Steel series of novels.

Silk & Steel Series:
Sealed with a Kiss (Prequel short story)
Silk & Steel
Iron & Fire
Blood & Ice
Lost & Found (Novella)
The Black Prince

Visit Ariana Nash's website or Pippa DaCosta's website for more information

Review:
I highly recommend avoiding this novella until after you've read the Silk & Steel trilogy (Silk & Steel, Iron & Fire, Blood & Ice) because it does contain spoilers for the main story arc. However, once you've read that trilogy you really don't want to miss the chance to see Trey get his much earned happily ever after!

I've loved Trey since his first appearance in the prequel Sealed with a Kiss and his character has been brilliant throughout the series so I was really happy when Ariana Nash announced that she was giving him his own story. This is all about the Order Assassins and how a lot of them are struggling to find a new purpose for their lives now that the war is over and the elves and dragons are at peace. They've all watched friends and family members die, they've seen and done terrible things and now they've got to try and come to terms with that and figure out a way to move forward. It's not easy though and an increasing number of suicides amongst their number is starting to raise suspicion.

I don't remember much of Venali from the main series but he turned out to be an exceptional match for Trent. The two of them heat up the pages like nothing else and I think this might even be the hottest instalment in the series (which is really saying something to anyone who has read the other books!). Although their connection starts out with the physical I really enjoyed seeing the emotional connection build as they spent more time together. Throwing in the mystery of what is happening with members of the order and I flew through this novella. This story is highly recommended to fans of the Silk & Steel series and I just can't wait to see what Ariana Nash comes up with next.

Source: Received for free from the author in exchange for an honest review

Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

Paperback / Kindle:

Review: The Black Prince - Ariana Nash

In the war-torn rubble of the human world, can a rebel elf and a lost dragon prince find love, or will a dark threat tear them and their world apart forever?

A new land, a new court, a new king, but some things never change.

Broken in all ways, Akiem fled his life as the amethyst prince only to land at the mercy of the beautiful but deadly diamond king, Luceran.

Akiem knows dragons. He knows he’ll die today, tomorrow, whenever Luceran’s executioner brings down his axe, and maybe it’s all he deserves. He’s ready for death, craves it even, like he craves the elf with flame-red hair and a sly smile, the damn elf whose stolen kiss lit Akiem up in ways he didn’t know were possible.

Akiem doesn’t do males and he definitely doesn’t do elves. But some things do change.

Drifter, mercenary, lover — Zane is all those things. He’ll do almost anything for coin. But he doesn't do dragons and he definitely doesn’t do love.

It's not such a bad life for an elf. Better than the rest of his kin, living under the rule and whims of the dragon king, Luceran.

Working as a bodyguard in Bayston should have been quick coin in his pocket before moving on. But King Luceran has a new toy he parades at court. A dragon with eyes of gold and scales as black as night.

He probably shouldn’t have kissed him. Definitely should have killed him.

And now, moving on is the farthest thought from Zane's mind. Because Luceran's new toy is not like the other dragonkin. And maybe, just maybe, the terrible, beautiful beast has the key to freeing all the persecuted elves and unlocking Zane's restless heart.

Zane doesn't do love and he doesn't do dragons.

But with the arrival of the Black Prince, everything is about to change.

***

The Black Prince is part of the Silk & Steel world and takes place after events in Silk & Steel. It can be read as a standalone.

Silk & Steel Series:
Sealed with a Kiss (Prequel short story)
Silk & Steel
Iron & Fire
Blood & Ice
Lost & Found (Novella)
The Black Prince

Visit Ariana Nash's website or Pippa DaCosta's website for more information

Review:
If you'd asked me at the beginning of the Silk & Steel series if I wanted to read a whole book about Lysander's brother Akiem the answer would have been a resounding no, but by the time I'd read Blood and Ice, I'd definitely changed my mind. Anyway, as you might have guessed from the title, The Black Prince picks up Akiem's story after the end of the original trilogy. It was a very broken version of Akiem that fled across the ocean trying to escape his past and what he found there was a world very different to the one he grew up in but once more it's a world where he has no control over his own life.

Akiem has caught the eye of the dragon Luceran and nobody tells the diamond king no and lives. All Akiem can do is try to find a place for himself in Luceran's court, he just wants to fit in and not draw too much attention to himself but that becomes increasingly difficult when the king's brother starts trying to draw him into a conspiracy. Mercenary Zane is an elf who drifts from one place to the next earning whatever cash he can along the way but when he discovers a secret he's horrified by the actions of one of his own people. Then his friend is abducted and Zane knows he'll do whatever it takes to mount a rescue, even if that does mean seducing the king's latest pet dragon.

I'm not going to say much more about the story so you'll just have to read the book for yourself. What I will say is that Ariana Nash is extremely good at making me care about characters that are flawed. We all saw Akiem do terrible things in previous books yet I found myself really feeling for him here and wanting him to find some kind of happiness. After all Akiem grew up with the same mother as Lysander and although he was the favoured son that doesn't mean his life was easy. He did terrible things just to survive but the difference is he feels guilt for what he's done, he's now trying to make amends for his previous actions and that makes it much easier to forgive him. Zane was another great character, someone who doesn't always make the right choices but who tries to do the right thing. He's seen a lot of suffering in his life but that hasn't jaded him past the point where he can see the good in others.

This story was a great addition to the Silk & Steel world. It's set in a different country so it can be read as a stand alone but I think you'll appreciate how far Akiem has come much more if you know his story from previous books. All of the other characters are totally new though and there are definitely some interesting ones there so I'm kind of hoping we might end up getting a few more stories set in this world.

Source: Received for free from the author in exchange for an honest review

Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

Paperback / Kindle:

Review: Blood & Ice - Ariana Nash

An elven assassin. A dragon prince.
Three days they had together.
Three days was not enough.

There’s a traitor among the elves. A traitor who will stop at nothing to see Eroan pay for the crime of loving a dragon, and Eroan Ilanea will pay with blood.

Lysander has never been free to choose his fate. That is about to change. Finally, he learns what it means to be emerald, but knowledge is power, and power whispers its seductive curse into the ear of a broken prince.

Elf and dragon.
Leaders, lovers, fighters.
Fates entwined.

But as the dragonkin rise under a new king, will Eroan's and Lysander's boundless love save the world or destroy it forever?

***

The devastating and emotional bestselling Silk & Steel series concludes in Blood & Ice.

Silk & Steel is a m/m dark fantasy. The series has triggering content.

Silk & Steel Series:
Sealed with a Kiss (Prequel short story)
Silk & Steel
Iron & Fire
Blood & Ice
Lost & Found (Novella)
The Black Prince

Visit Ariana Nash's website or Pippa DaCosta's website for more information

Review:
This series has been an emotional rollercoaster from beginning to end. Eroan and Lysander's journey has been far from easy and they've both been tortured along the way but they're still determined to make a better future for their people. Eroan has done everything he can to get the elves to accept Lysander but they're still wary and a further betrayal by one of his own threatens to ruin everything. Lysander was always waiting for things to go horribly wrong so the betrayal doesn't come as such a shock to him but that doesn't make it any more welcome.

In Blood & Ice we get to find out exactly what Lysander is capable of and why the other dragons are so scared of him, we see Eroan make some difficult decisions about the people he's dedicated his entire life to protecting and there's a final showdown between the elves and dragons that ends in a way you probably won't be expecting. The characters we love face dangerous and difficult trials that will change them forever and some characters we hate will get their comeuppance. Nobody is safe in this world, enemies are closing in from all directions and nobody will come out unscathed.

This was a fabulous ending to the trilogy and it left me really excited to read Akiem's spin off book, The Black Prince. I'm very curious to see how much the world will change thanks to revelations at the end of this book.

Source: Received for free from the author in exchange for an honest review

Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

Paperback / Kindle:

Review: Iron & Fire - Ariana Nash

Alliances are forged and broken, friendships shattered, and despite the odds stacked against them, two hearts collide in this explosive sequel to Silk & Steel.

From his mother’s cage to a human one, but Lysander’s captors are the least of his concerns. Rumors of a monstrous bronze dragon ripple through human camps, a dragon tearing great holes in the world as though searching for something… or someone.

It’s just a matter of time before the bronze chief, Dokul, finds Lysander and makes good on his promises. And should he find him, Lysander knows Dokul will not be merciful.

Amidst the greatest of elven victories, Eroan failed. Failed his people, failed himself, and failed the dragon who saved him. But he will not falter. The dragonkin are in disarray, there will never be a greater opportunity to strike. Eroan Ilanea will not fail his people again.

But when rumors of the dragon prince’s survival reach him, he must choose: Fight for his people or fight for the prince who nobody thought to save?

***

Contains adult themes, triggering content, a bisexual elf, and a gay dragon shifter.

Silk & Steel Series:
Sealed with a Kiss (Prequel short story)
Silk & Steel
Iron & Fire
Blood & Ice
Lost & Found (Novella)
The Black Prince

Visit Ariana Nash's website or Pippa DaCosta's website for more information

Review:
Iron & Fire picks up the story several weeks from the end of Silk & Steel, Lysander has spent that time as a prisoner and while the humans haven't technically tortured him being stuck inside a cage hasn't been much fun. What's worse is the rumours of a giant bronze dragon that has been seen all along the coast, Lysander knows that Dokul is searching for him and he dreads what will happen when he does. Meanwhile, Eroan has returned to his people and is helping to spread the word about weapons that can be used to actually kill dragons, he's trying to convince the elves to work alongside humans so that they have a chance of destroying their enemy once and for all but after the last betrayal the elves are wary.

Eroan hasn't been able to forgive himself for Lysander's death so when he realises that the dragon may in fact be a prisoner he has a difficult decision to make. Should he risk it all to save a dragon when his entire life has been devoted to destroying as many of them as possible? It should be an obvious choice but without Lysander he wouldn't have survived his own captivity and now is his chance to return the favour. The only question is how many enemies will he make amongst his own people by doing what he knows is the right thing.

If you read the first book then you'll already know that this is a dark series, I'm going to warn you now that this book wasn't any easier to read. In fact certain scenes were incredibly difficult to get through so please take this warning seriously. There are rape scenes, both MM and MF, and I think that's important to know if it could be triggering for you. Having said that, no matter how painful parts of this book were to read it was still an excellent instalment to the series. It's not light and fluffy, instead it's gritty and raw but it also has a lot of heart and characters you'll find it easy to root for.

I love Lysander, for someone who has suffered so much he still has a huge amount of compassion for others. He takes some serious knocks in this book but in spite of that he tries to do the right thing. There were times when I really wanted to smack some sense into Eroan, I was angry with him for leaving Lysander to suffer for so long but at the same time I could understand that he was trying to do what was right for his people. Both of them have such complex histories and even when they make questionable decisions it's easy to see why they think and act the way they do. I so desperately want them both to find happiness but I have a feeling they're going to have to face a lot more hardship along the way.

Iron & Fire is a book that tore my heart out but that just proves how invested I am in these characters and this world and I can't wait to get my hands on the next book to see what happens next.

Source: Received for free from the author in exchange for an honest review

Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

Paperback / Kindle:

Review: Silk & Steel - Ariana Nash

A tormented dragon prince.
A captured elven assassin.
Duty demands they fight for their people but love has other plans.

Eroan, one of the last elven assassins, lives for one purpose: kill the queen.

He would have succeeded if not for her last line of defense: Prince Lysander. Now, captured and forced into the queen’s harem, Eroan sees another opportunity. Why kill just the queen when he can kill them all? It would be simple, if not for the troubled and alluring dragon prince. A warrior, a killer, and something else… something Eroan finds himself inexplicably drawn to.

Trapped in a life he despises, Lysander knows his time is running out.

If the queen doesn’t kill him for his failures, her enemies will. There’s nothing left to live for, until an elf assassin almost kills him. A stubborn, prideful, fool of an elf who doesn’t know when to quit. An elf who sparks a violent, forbidden desire in Lysander. If Lysander can’t save himself, maybe he can save the elf and maybe, just maybe… one stubborn elf will be enough to bring down the queen before her reign brings death to them all.

Silk & Steel is a 85,000 word full-length novel.

This series is a dark fantasy intended for mature readers.
Silk & Steel features gay and bisexual characters and encounters.

Silk & Steel Series:
Sealed with a Kiss (Prequel short story)
Silk & Steel
Iron & Fire
Blood & Ice
Lost & Found (Novella)
The Black Prince

Visit Ariana Nash's website or Pippa DaCosta's website for more information

Review:
I'm a huge fan of Pippa DaCosta's writing so when I found out she was writing a dark fantasy M/M story under the pen name of Ariana Nash I immediately added it to my wish list. Throw in the fact that the main characters of Silk & Steel are an elven assassin and a dragon prince and I just couldn't wait to get started! Anyone who has ever read any of Pippa's stories will know that she excels at detailed world building and tortured heroes and she has outdone herself on both of those fronts with this book.

Eroan is one of the few surviving members of the elven assassins, his whole life has been spent training to kill the dragon queen although he has always known that he is more likely to die in the attempt than to actually succeed. He came so close to achieving his goal but he was captured by the dragon prince Lysander and now he is being held prisoner in their stronghold. The only thing keeping Eroan going is his dream of ending the dragon queen once and for all but the longer he spends in captivity being tortured the slimmer his chances appear.

Lysander has been his mother's plaything since he was a child, nothing he ever did was good enough to earn her acceptance and the title prince is a mockery when he is just as much a prisoner of his circumstances as Eroan. Lysander has given up hope of surviving his mother but there is something about the fierce and proud elf that makes him long for a future he knows is impossible. Perhaps if he can just manage to save Eroan then his entire life won't have been wasted but to do that he's going to have to stand up to the woman who has made his entire life a misery.

You only need to read the blurb for Silk & Steel and the warnings it contains to know that this story is going to be a dark one, it's actually quite uncomfortable to read at times but in that best kind of ways where your heart hurts but you just can't stop reading. The characters are complex with believable motives and although there is a great forbidden romance bubbling along in the background it's definitely  a slow build which works perfectly in this situation. That's not to say there's no heat in this story because there's still plenty of sex happening, both of the M/M and M/F variety, but Eroan and Lysander have a long road to travel if they want any chance at a happily ever after and they're nowhere near the finish line yet.

I'm ridiculously excited to see where this series is going to take us, there have already been plenty of unexpected developments and I'm sure Ariana Nash is going to throw in a few more curveballs along the way. This is shaping up to be one heck of a ride!

Source: Received for free from the author in exchange for an honest review

Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

Paperback / Kindle:

Review: Sealed with a Kiss - Ariana Nash

Sealed with a Kiss is a fantasy m/m short story.

"You can have all of me for one night only. Say no, and I'll leave, but say yes and I'll give you a night you'll remember forever."

As one of the few remaining elven assassins, Eroan Ilanea doesn't have much time for pleasure. Until a messenger arrives from a nearby village and suddenly pleasure is all he can think about. The kind of pleasure he's never surrendered to before. The messenger is a tease, a vision of elicit delights, and he'll be gone in the morning.

This night, Eroan just might say yes...

Sealed with a Kiss is a short, sexy, m/m story that takes places several years before events in the novel Silk & Steel (to be published in 2019).

Genre: Dark fantasy
Heat level: Scorching

Pages: 42
Read-time: 20 minutes.

Ariana Nash is a pen name of international bestselling author Pippa DaCosta. Her Ariana Nash books are m/m adult reads.

Silk & Steel Series:
Sealed with a Kiss (Prequel short story)
Silk & Steel
Iron & Fire
Blood & Ice
Lost & Found (Novella)
The Black Prince

Visit Ariana Nash's website or Pippa DaCosta's website for more information

Review:
Pippa DaCosta is one of my favourite authors so when I found out she was writing a new series under the pen name Ariana Nash, it went straight to the top of my wish list. Sealed with a Kiss is only a short story but boy does it introduce us to this new world with a bang!

Here we are introduced to main character Eroan, an elvish warrior who works hard to protect his village from the dragons that are slowly destroying his realm. We don't know a lot about the world yet but this little taster did a perfect job of whetting my appetite for the first full length book, Silk and Steel, which is being published in January.

This is an m/m series and Ariana Nash takes no time in raising the heat levels between Eroan and a messenger who has arrived at the village with important news. Seriously, this is short but it's scorching and if this is any indication of what's to come in the rest of the series I can't wait to continue reading.

This story is available to purchase on Amazon or you can get a copy for free by signing up to Ariana Nash's newsletter so you have no excuses not to give it a try. If you like your stories hot enough to melt your kindle then you're going to love every minute of it!

Source: Received for free from the author for signing up to her newsletter

Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

Kindle: