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

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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

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Review: Twilight Seeker - Pippa DaCosta

Stay in the light, avoid locked doors, and resist silver whispers.

Meet Lynher Aris. Hostess extraordinaire. By night, she entertains the Dark Ones passing through the Night Station: vampires, demons, shifters, and worse. By day, she undermines them all, working with the resistance to unravel their enslavement of the human race.

But Lynher has a dark secret of her own, and with the imminent arrival of Ghost—a vampire overlord few have seen but all fear—she must play her role as the queen of the Night Station to perfection, keeping the resistance and her secret safe, or risk losing everything, including the powerful Night Station itself.

A new gothic urban fantasy series by acclaimed fantasy & sci-fi author, Pippa DaCosta.

Daybreaker Series:
Twilight Seeker
Night Scourge (July 2020)

Visit Pippa DaCosta's website for more information

Review:
It's no secret that I'm a Pippa DaCosta fangirl so of course I've been eagerly waiting for Twilight Seeker ever since she first announced it but I'm going to say it here and now that she has completely outdone herself with this one. The story had me hooked from the first page with its brilliant world building and fantastic characters. Nothing is quite what it seems when it comes to the Night Station, it's magical, dangerous and full of secrets. I think we've only started to scratch the surface and I can't wait for the next book so we can dig down a few more layers.

Lynher is a great character, she's a normal human in a world full of demons, vampires and fae who all consider her prey. It is her job to run the Night Station and keep the peace amongst her guests but she's at a physical disadvantage compared to everyone around her so she's walking a very fine line keeping everything balanced. It's all about keeping up appearances and making sure the guests see her as someone to be wary of rather than someone they can walk right over. She's not completely powerless though and again I think we have a lot more to learn about what she's truly capable of.

While juggling the needs of her guests Lynher is also working alongside the human resistance doing everything she can to rescue as many humans as possible from slavery to the vampires and other supernatural races. Throw in characters like Rafe, the incubus who has been attempting to seduce her for as long as she can remember, and Just Jack, a new arrival at the Night Station who is obviously more than he seems, and I have absolutely no idea where this series is going to take us next. We've already had so many twists so while I have a few suspicions about certain people I'm pretty sure Pippa will turn everything on its head all over again in the next book.

Series like this are the reason I love urban fantasy and I'm so happy we only have to wait until July for the second book, Night Scourge, although if Pippa could write a little faster and let me have it sometime next week I definitely would't complain LOL.

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

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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

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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

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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

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Review: Deliverance - Pippa DaCosta

"You can't say no to a pistol in the face." ~ Caleb

Bren's missing with a bounty on his head, which isn't Caleb's problem, until Turner Candelario makes it Caleb's problem. But why does a pirate with an ax to grind suddenly want to work with the down-and-out captain who killed his sister?

Coded messages. Abandoned mining outposts. And Fran's keeping secrets.

The mission stinks worse than the iron mines, but what else is there to do in the Nine systems now Caleb's trying to fly-right? Besides, Bren's bounty looks mighty tempting.

One should be dead, but death didn't stop her before. Chitec is gone, the Nine systems left in disarray, and in the chaos, One moves among them like a ghost, seeing what others cannot: a new malevolent force rises. A force One has encountered before. And caught in the middle of it all? Brendan Shepperd.

Chitec was just the beginning. The true 1000 Revolution begins now...

The 1000 Revolution:
Falling (Short Story)
Betrayal
Escape
Trapped
Trust
Deliverance

Visit Pippa DaCosta's website for more information

Review:
I absolutely love Pippa DaCosta's 1000 Revolution series so I was thrilled when she announced she was writing a whole new series of books about these characters. Think of Deliverance as the first book in season two of the 1000 Revolution, it's the beginning of a whole new overarching plot but because it draws heavily on events that have gone before it's not really the best place to start if you're new to this world so I'd strongly recommend starting with the first book, Betrayal.

Anyway, this story picks up a few months on from the end of Trust. Caleb believes that One is dead and blames himself, he's been staying on planet running a bar but when Fran and the pirate Turner Candelario steal his ship to go hunting for his brother Caleb is forced to shake himself off and get back into the game. Brendan has been missing for weeks and there's a huge bounty on his head but just what did he do to deserve that? Meanwhile One has found herself a new body but she's also uncovered some very dark and dangerous secrets that she's uniquely qualified to deal with. There are reasons that she's not contacted Caleb to tell him she survived but it won't be too long before their paths cross as they're both thrown right back into another deadly fight for survival.

It was so much fun being back in this world. I'm glad I chose to reread the previous books first because I'd forgotten so much in the three years since the last release. These characters all have such complex histories and all love hoarding secrets so every time you think you have something worked out a new twist comes along and changes everything. Deliverance was just as action packed as I hoped it would be, there is danger around every corner and you never know what will happen next. I'm so glad we've got another 3 books to look forward to and I can't wait to spend more time in this world.

Source: Purchased

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Review: Her Dark Legion - Pippa DaCosta

“I’ve come too far to surrender now…”

Eledan’s nightmare has been unleashed upon the worlds and with Oberon gone, only the messenger crew stand in its way.

Kellee, Talen, Sirius, Sota, and Kesh. Together, they are stronger, but there are forces on Faerie who do not want the worlds saved, forces that would see the Messenger and her crew torn apart.

Queen to Faerie’s new king, Messenger and more to the saru, lover to some and a weapon to others, but who is Kesh Lasota really? A guiding light or an unwitting puppet?

Answers are coming.

The time for lies has passed.

And Kesh will soon learn some battles can’t be won alone.

The mind-blowing Messenger Chronicles comes to its explosive conclusion in Her Dark Legion.

Messenger Chronicles:
Her Glass Heart (Prequel short story) (Release date to be confirmed)
Shoot the Messenger
Game of Lies
The Nightshade's Touch
Prince of Dreams
Her Dark Legion

Visit Pippa DaCosta's website for more information

Review:
It's really hard when you pick up the final book in a series you loved, you want it to end on a high note but at the same time you don't want to have to say goodbye to the characters you've come to love and that's exactly the problem I had when I picked up Her Dark Legion. This series has been absolutely fantastic from the very first book, Pippa DaCosta has thrown twist after twist at us, we've had incredible highs but also a few devastating lows along the way and now it's finally time to say goodbye to Kesh and her boys.

I really don't want to say too much about what happens in this story, if you've read the rest of the series you'll already know to expect the unexpected and that trend definitely continues here. The stakes are higher than ever and danger is coming from all angles so it's not going to be easy for Kesh to come out of this alive. Sacrifices will need to be made and they're all going to have to face impossible decisions with consequences they can't even begin to imagine.

One thing I will say is that I loved seeing Kesh spend time with each of the men in her life. I've grown very attached to Kellee, Talen, Sirius and even Sota over the series and it was good to see that they all have an important role to play in this final book. Even Eledan, a character I've loved to hate, has a few redeeming moments although I'd never go so far as calling him a nice guy.

I hate that this series is over but I'm glad things ended the way they did, I know I'll return to these books again and again in the future and I'm equally as excited to see what Pippa will come up with next!

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

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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

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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

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Review: Prince of Dreams - Pippa DaCosta

“Oh what a tangled web we weave…”

Kesh fled Faerie as a queen killer. Now she returns as the Faerie King’s secret obsession. But on Faerie, nothing is as it seems, not even Kesh herself.

With days to stop Arran’s execution and the stoic guardian, Sirius, as her constant shadow, Kesh must weave her lies deep within Faerie’s courts where magic and whispers combine and conspire. Soon, Kesh learns there is more at stake than Arran’s life. Faerie is dying. Oberon’s reign is crumbling. The time to strike against the fae is now. But with Talen, Kellee and Sota a thousand light-years away, Kesh cannot succeed alone…

Beneath the courtly politics, the glittering facades, and the King’s fragile hold on his people, the Dreamweaver is locked in eternal slumber, dreaming of the day his Queen of Hearts will set him free… because he knows, Kesh Lasota has no other choice.

Kesh survived the Dreamweaver once before. Now all she has to do is control him.

But Faerie's Dreamweaver has other ideas for the peoples’ Messenger. He knows who, and what Kesh really is and he has every intention of using her to make all his dreams come true.

He takes your mind, makes it his, takes your soul, makes you cruel.
Dare you answer the Dreamweaver’s call?

Messenger Chronicles:
Her Glass Heart (Prequel short story) (Release date to be confirmed)
Shoot the Messenger
Game of Lies
The Nightshade's Touch
Prince of Dreams
Her Dark Legion

Visit Pippa DaCosta's website for more information

Review:
Following on from the end of the last book Prince of Dreams sees Kesh back in Faerie with Sirius, trying to find a way to stop Arran's execution, while Kellee and Talen are still back in Hallow trying to figure out a way to get to Faerie to rescue her. With both Oberon and Eledan trying to ensure Kesh's loyalty her newfound resolve to be the protector of Hallow and free her own people is being severely put to the test but she's come a long way from the girl we met at the beginning of the series and she's stronger than either of them imagine.

This series is just getting better and better and I loved the chance to explore more of Faerie and get to know Oberon a bit better. He is definitely not a character to be trusted but he's had a huge influence over Kesh's entire life and he's very good at pulling her strings. Not quite as good as Eledan though and he is doing his best to play her again now as he makes a bid for freedom. Kesh will do anything to save Arran but she could be making a huge mistake by placing her trust in Eledan so things are definitely about to get interesting.

I have to admit I missed seeing Kesh spending time with Kellee and Talen but I loved getting to know Sirius better. There is a lot more to his character than we first realised and I'm enjoying peeling back a few of those layers to see what is underneath. I also loved getting some of the story from Kellee's point of view and was glad to see him and Talen working together towards a common goal. They seem to have come to an understanding now and they're quite a formidable team when they're on the same page.

There is so much going on in this story that I was on the edge of my seat while reading it. This series is full of plots within plots and you can never quite tell what twist Pippa DaCosta will throw at us next so it's always a little worrying but that also makes it more fun to read. Kesh's harem is growing and there has been some fantastic relationship development across the series but I'm a little nervous that not everyone is going to get the happy ending that they deserve. I know which characters I'm rooting for though and I hope I don't end up completely heartbroken in the end - I know there was already one heart stopping moment here that nearly broke both Kesh and me!

I absolutely can't wait for the next instalment and I'm already a little devastated that it will be the final book in the series. I'm definitely not ready to say goodbye to these characters or this world yet but I trust Pippa to end it on a high note.

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

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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

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Review: The Nightshade's Touch - Pippa DaCosta

The unseelie—banished by Oberon long ago—are stirring awake, and there's one name on their poisoned lips: Nightshade.

Kesh is beginning to settle into her role as Halow's messenger, saving people from the fae with the help of Kellee, Talen, Arran and Sota, but if she has any hope of making her wrongs right, she must trust those around her. Without them, there is no Messenger. Friends, lovers, more. But one has a secret. A secret so dark it threatens to change everything Kesh believes in. A secret that could change the fate of Faerie, Halow, and all of humanity.

When the fae abandoned the stars long-ago, they left behind more than fairytales.

They left behind their monsters.

Messenger Chronicles:
Her Glass Heart (Prequel short story) (Release date to be confirmed)
Shoot the Messenger
Game of Lies
The Nightshade's Touch
Prince of Dreams
Her Dark Legion

Visit Pippa DaCosta's website for more information

Review:
The Nightshade's Touch picks up Kesh's story not long after the ending of Game of Lies, Kesh is still trying to settle into her role as messenger and the hope of humanity that is resting on her shoulders. She's still torn between her loyalty to Oberon and her growing feelings for Kellee, Talen and Arran (formerly known as Aeon). Kesh knows what they want from her and she wants to live up to their expectations but she spent her entire life following orders from Oberon and she's still struggling with the way Eledan messed with her head. I'm not really going to tell you any more about the plot of this story so you're just going to have to read the book yourself if you want to find out.

What I will say is that this book is just as good, if not even better, than the previous two. It has all the action that you'd expect but it also takes a bit more time to explain the world Kesh is living in, we learn more about Oberon and the seelie court as well as the unseelie creatures he has worked so hard to destroy. Most excitingly we finally start to dive into some of the many, many secrets that Kellee and Talen have been holding back all this time. We're finally starting to see some emotional pay off in terms of Kesh's developing harem too, this series has been really slow build on the romance side but with the amount of secrets and lies between all our main characters that is totally understandable and has made the slowly developing feelings so much more realistic. Now that Kesh is starting to be honest, not only with herself but also with her men, they are starting to build the trust that has been lacking between them previously and she is definitely rewarded for their efforts.

This wouldn't be a Pippa DaCosta book without some shock revelations and a huge twist at the end but I loved absolutely every minute of it and this left me desperate to get my hands on Prince of Dreams! This series really is getting better and better and I'm very excited to see how things will turn out after that shocking ending.

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

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Review: Game of Lies - Pippa DaCosta

The Messenger rocked your world, and now she's back. But have her lies finally caught up with her?

Trust doesn't come easy for Kesh Lasota. She survived life as a slave, survived the Dreamweaver's touch, but surviving Marshal Kellee and the mysterious Talen is a whole other game, one she's not sure she's ready for.

When the three are captured by a bloodthirsty fae general sweeping through the last of Halow's human colonies, the only weapons they have left are lies. And so Kesh must pretend to be the gladiator they all expect, while Kellee is forced to fight against her, and Talen is... Well, just who is Talen when he can command soldiers with a glance and move among the fae elite as though he belongs?

Trust doesn't come easy for Kesh Lasota, neither does love. She must survive both, or everything she's fought for will be lost forever, including her men.

The enchanting & mind-blowing Messenger series continues with more action, more romance, and more exciting twists. Add Game of Lies to your shelves today and sign up to Pippa's mailing list for all the latest news and cover reveals.

Messenger Chronicles:
Her Glass Heart (Prequel short story) (Release date to be confirmed)
Shoot the Messenger
Game of Lies
The Nightshade's Touch
Prince of Dreams
Her Dark Legion

Visit Pippa DaCosta's website for more information

Review:
It's no secret I'm a Pippa DaCosta superfan and I loved everything about Shoot the Messenger so I was ridiculously excited for this sequel and I'm very happy to say I wasn't disappointed. Game of Lies took everything I love about this series and ramped it up to a whole new level. Secrets, hidden identities, forgotten memories, simmering sexual tension, distrust, uneasy alliances, wicked enemies, questionable friends, it all mixes together into a perfect story that will have you gripped from the very first page.

It's really hard to review a series that comes with so many twists because I'd hate to give something away accidentally but Kesh and her allies are left facing an impossible enemy when they are captured by one of the most vicious fae war generals in the Halow system. The revelations at the end of the previous book pretty much destroyed the trust between Kesh, Kellee and Talen but the only way they're going to survive this mess is if they can find a way to get past that and work together once more. You can feel the tension building between all three of them but with so many secrets and lies between them they're definitely not in a good place for romance yet. We also get to meet a surprising new character who I'm really hoping will be joining the harem but I really can't talk about them without ruining a fabulous surprise so you'll just have to read the book for yourself to find out who I'm talking about!

Everything about this book was epic, from the fabulous world building and to the depth of the characters. Game of Lies couldn't have a more perfect title because it is 100% a story of lies and deception, one that will take everything you thought you knew and twist it in a new direction. I can't wait to see where Pippa DaCosta takes us next because it's sure to be a wild ride!

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

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Review: Shoot the Messenger - Pippa DaCosta

"Lies aren't her only weapons against the fae..."

In the Halow system, one of Earth’s three sister star systems, tek and magic—humans and the fae—are at war.

Kesh Lasota is a ghost in the machine. Invisible to tek, she’s hired by the criminal underworld to carry illegal messages through the Halow system. But when one of those messages kills its recipient, Kesh finds herself on the run with a bounty on her head and a quick-witted marshal on her tail.

Proving her innocence should be straightforward—until a warfae steals the evidence she needs. The fae haven’t been seen in Halow in over a thousand years. And this one—a brutally efficient killer able to wield tek—should not exist. But neither should Kesh.

As Kesh’s carefully crafted lie of a life crumbles around her, she knows remaining invisible is no longer an option. To hunt the fae, to stop him from destroying a thousand-year-long fragile peace, she must resurrect the horrors of her past.

Kesh Lasota was a ghost. Now she’s back, and there’s only one thing she knows for certain. Nobody shoots the messenger and gets away with it.

A new space fantasy reverse harem series where the guys are hot, the perils are many, and one rebel messenger holds the key to the survival of the human race.

REVERSE HAREM INFO: The Messenger Series is a slow burn reverse harem space-fantasy adventure. This series contains sexual encounters with multiple partners. The harem develops during the series. This series does NOT feature a love triangle.

Messenger Chronicles:
Her Glass Heart (Prequel short story) (Release date to be confirmed)
Shoot the Messenger
Game of Lies
The Nightshade's Touch
Prince of Dreams
Her Dark Legion

Visit Pippa DaCosta's website for more information

Review:
I'm a huge fan of Pippa DaCosta, she's yet to write a book I didn't love and the way she's always coming up with new ideas and trying new genres keeps her books fresh and exciting. As soon as she mentioned a new series with the tag line "fae in space" I was sold but then she threw in reverse harem and that just sealed the deal. I honestly think that Shoot the Messenger is her best book yet and that's really saying something considering she's written so many of my favourite series (the Soul Eater, Veil and 1000 Revolution just for starters!).

This is a futuristic sci-fi with a fantasty twist set in a time when the fae have been hidden from the humans for over 1000 years since the last big war. As the humans created more and more tek to keep up with fae magic our world became harder for the fae to survive in and since the last battle they've retreated to their home-world. No-one is under any illusion that the war is over but so far the fae have kept their distance and the humans have started to feel safe. Kesh has a unique ability to hide from tek and she uses that to remain off the grid, she earns her money delivering messages for the underworld but her life is turned upside down when the recipient of one of her deliveries is killed and she is framed for the murder. She is determined to prove her innocence but her evidence has been stolen by a warfae, someone who shouldn't even be in the same star system, and she has a Marshal hot on her tail and ready to bring her in.

I really don't want to go into any more detail than that because this is one of those books where you just need to sit back and enjoy the ride. This is a book with layer upon layer of secrets, lies, betrayals and so much more. Every time you think you have something figured out Pippa DaCosta will sucker punch you with yet another twist that you didn't see coming. The story is told from Kesh's point of view but none of the characters you'll meet, including our narrator, are completely good or evil. They're all hiding deep dark secrets and I think we've only scratched the surface of what is there to uncover. Kesh is a badass character, she's a fighter who knows how to look after herself but at the same time she has a vulnerable streak and she's also not always the most trustworthy person to have around. Life has taught her to expect betrayal and that it's better to be the one holding the knife rather than the one getting stabbed in the back so she doesn't always make choices I'd agree with but I found myself understanding her actions all the same.

As far as the other characters go I'm intrigued by both Kellee and Talon but we don't know either of them well enough to have uncovered their secrets yet. Both guys have done things that make me question their motives but they're also pretty sexy in their own ways so I'm definitely looking forward to spending more time with all three of the main characters! I loved Kesh's AI buddy Sota too, he's not around for the whole book but he brought a lot of humour to the story so I'm hoping we'll see more of him as the series continues.

Shoot the Messenger is the start of an exciting new series and it's one I can't wait to continue. If you like stories with multifaceted, three dimensional characters and even more complex plots, books that will screw with your mind and leave your head spinning, then this one is definitely for you. Bravo, Pippa, bravo!

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

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Review: Chaos Falls - Pippa DaCosta

"There are no other demons like me."

Restaurant owner, Hollywood socialite, Prince of Pride: Li'el is one of few demons left this side of the veil, and he has every intention of reveling in his new-found freedom.

But being the last demon in LA means that when mauled and shredded bodies are found within a few blocks of Li'el's popular Decadent-i restaurant, the list of suspects is a short one.

Add to that the suspicious death of a well-known reporter during one of Li'el's infamous after-parties, and he soon finds himself wanted for all the wrong reasons.

With the Dark Court gone and his powers waning, his reign at the top of the demon food chain could be over.

The Prince of Pride is about to discover there are worse creatures than demons in LA...

The demons are back in Chaos Falls, the third and final installment in the Chaos Rises series.

The Veil Series:
Wings of Hope (Novella)
Beyond the Veil
Devil May Care
Darkest Before Dawn
Drowning in the Dark
Ties That Bind
One for Sorrow (Novella)

Chaos Rises Series:
(Spin off from the Veil series)
Chaos Rises
Chaos Unleashed
Chaos Falls

Visit Pippa DaCosta's website for more information

Review:
It's no secret that I'm a huge Pippa DaCosta fangirl, I've loved every book she's ever written but the Veil books have a special place in my heart because it's the first of her series that I ever read & it's what got me hooked on her writing to start with. The Chaos Rises spin off series has been just as fantastic, if not better, than the original one and when Pippa announced that the book would be told from Li'el (Prince of Pride)'s point of view I was over the moon. His character has fascinated me from the first time we met him and throw in a guest appearance from Akil and you pretty much have the demon dream team right there.

I really don't want to say too much about this story but I will tell you that it was even better than I could ever have imagined. Li'el is such an incredibly complex character, he's lived for thousands of years, most of them on the other side of the Veil in the demon realm, but his time amongst humans has changed him. He definitely isn't a reformed man but he isn't pure evil anymore either, it takes time to dig deep into his motives and figure out what he really wants and I think half of the time he's not too sure of the answer to that question himself. Life should be much easier for him now that the tear in the Veil is closed but typically humans just don't know when to leave well alone and it shouldn't surprise anyone to hear they find a way to make an even bigger mess of things. Li'el is facing an impossible enemy and the only people he has to work with are just as likely to turn on him as they are to have his back.

Chaos Falls is full of twists, totally action packed and an emotional rollercoaster that will leave you breathless and smiling at the end. I loved getting the chance to see some familiar faces from the previous books and meeting some new ones but it was Li'el who totally stole the limelight, not that you could expect anything else from a Prince of Pride! This was a fitting end to a fantastic series, I'm sad it's over but it definitely went out with a bang and I'm looking forward to the next adventure Pippa is sure to take us on.

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

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