Price: $3.99
(as of Oct 01, 2024 19:08:03 UTC – Details)
I was fifteen when the Death King came for us.
With a mighty black dragon and the ability to command the dead, he raised an army of our fallen soldiers to fight for him—and conquered us in the night. My father, King Laurier of Scorpion Valley, couldn’t stop him. I tried to flee but came face to face with the man in black armor, the man who looked more like a god than a human. Instead of killing me, he chose to show me mercy…but it didn’t feel like mercy.
Not when the next ten years of my life are spent as a slave in the Arid Sands, digging for Black Diamonds from sunrise to sunset. I’m also the personal slave of General Titan—a man who has grown obsessed with me. The work under the hot sun is unbearable—but I prefer it to his company any day. I’ve never tried to escape because there’s nowhere to run in the desert, but all of that changes when I hear the news—that the Death King is coming.
I sneak out in the middle of the night to steal his dragon, but that backfires in my face—because you can’t steal a dragon. Khazmuda is no mindless beast. He can speak directly into my mind and hear my thoughts in return. The Death King is about to kill me, but Khazmuda changes his mind—because I have the gift.
The ability to speak with dragons.
The Death King spares my life once again and takes me back to his castle. He has no idea who I am, has no idea what he did to my family ten years ago. He asks me to fight for his cause—but he won’t tell me exactly what that cause is. And then he tells me he wants more from me…desires me more than any other because, like him, I have the gift.
I can’t deny he’s the most handsome man I’ve ever seen, with eyes black like midnight, a jawline as sharp as his dragon’s talons, the height of a mountain, and shoulders as broad as a stream. But no amount of attraction will ever change the fact that he destroyed my life. The answer is no—and it’ll always be no.
But the Death King doesn’t accept that answer.
Trigger Warning: Contains dark themes including rape and suicide.
ASIN : B0D758NQPC
Publisher : Hartwick Publishing (August 29, 2024)
Publication date : August 29, 2024
Language : English
File size : 1273 KB
Text-to-Speech : Enabled
Screen Reader : Supported
Enhanced typesetting : Enabled
X-Ray : Enabled
Word Wise : Enabled
Print length : 341 pages
Customers say
Customers find the story good, deep, and worth reading. They describe the book as a fun read with decent character development. Readers also mention the spice content is sweet and heartwarming. However, some find the MMC cringe-worthy and disgusting. Opinions are mixed on the writing quality, with some finding it good and raw talent, while others say it lacks in formatting and language.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
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laura bond –
I loved it! When I read the blurb, I wasn’t sure whether i would enjoy and I was very sceptical.However from the 1st page it captured me.It was fast paced but didn’t feel rushed, it also didn’t drag on as some books do where I tend to skim read.I’m very much looking forward to the next instalments
Casey –
Spice, Dragons, strong world building. Excellent characters and plot. This was such a great read – Canât wait for book two!
Marian Chawner –
What a fantastic start to a possible enthralling series. If youâre not into fantasy, mythical possible creatures and dark realistic material? This is not for you. Calista starts the book as a young 15 year old. Daughter of a King, having lost her mother whilst young . Her fatherâs kingdom is invaded and rather than fight he chooses another pathway. Hoping his daughter can escape. The invasion is successful, but Calista finishes up 7 long years a prisoner, in dreadful conditions, digging for black diamonds! Her jail or a General Titan abuses her bonds after 6 years of imprisonment and is most vile and cruel , whilst his bodily urges are met and her request to stop arenât. Taking is the name of the king that defeated her father. An apparent ruthless ruler who is on a quest to discover dragons, as he himself is bonded and rides a magnificent beast called Khazmund. Enough of the story the rest is to be totally enjoyed by the would be reader. There is dark sides, there is slight humour,there are secrets on both sides. Sizzling scenes , dramatic scenes and totally mystery and mistrust. Inferno another dragon makes an explosive appearance and the ending is one of sadness, loneliness, and total mistrust. However it is a cliffhanger and one you want resolved, but obviously the journey of these two main characters and the dragons have only just begun. So totally absorbing and positivity addictive. Time stands still whilst you read and you become mesmerised.
MADELAINE WOOLLEY –
Something is lacking
I can’t put my finger on it, but something is lacking in the writing. I’m not totally lost in the story like I get with other books similar. It’s a decent story, just not written to do it justice. Looking forward to the other books to find out what happens
Katrina –
what an ending I canât wait for the next book
Oh my gosh, this book was amazing! I was literally on the edge of my seat, clinging to every word, trying to uncover all the histories and traumas. The complexity of the story kept me guessing, and I was constantly trying to understand what was happening. Is this love, or is Penelope giving us something entirely different? I absolutely loved it! And hereâs the kickerâIâm not even a fantasy type of girl when it comes to dragons, vampires, and all that, but this? This was on another level. I seriously cannot wait for book 2!
Mary –
Call In sick!
That’s right! Call in sick, skip school, and don’t answer your door. You are not going to want to miss one single moment of this story. Beginning to end you will be on the edge of your seat. Now, I know going into a Penelope Barsetti book will be worth it, but this one is special. I loved the heroine/villain. I mean two in the same if you can believe that. The story is traumatic, vengeful, scary, and sweet all at the same time. A fantasy of kingdoms in a far away land and how survival can be either a godsend or your damnation. There is so much to find and discover in this story. So, I suggest you call in sick, turn your phone off, and turn down the lights. You will thank me later after you read this story of Kings, Queens, dragons, and connecting the dots to everything in between.
amber –
Solid 4.5
Even tho I wanted to absolutely smash the FMC at the end of the book. Granted, because Iâm here reading so I can see or envision things differently but holy smokes!The story is good, really good, and Iâll be eager to see how these two dance in the next book. There were a few editing kerfuffles (a scene where his shirt is described in some detail only to state in the next sentence âhe was shirtlessâ¦â Thereâs also the small matter, if you read Barsetti books, âhis big d*ckâ âhis fat d*ckâ And small tits which are nonetheless perfect. Which is cool, we just need some adjectives for the male appendage. And not everyone cries when they get there!?If you like your fantasy/romantasy dark, read it. Despite some harrowing TW, it isnât by far the darkest thing youâll read.
Kindle Customer –
Of course this was even better than I was expecting!
I’ve been craving another Penelope Barsetti fantasy read since I finished the Dirty Blood series. If you’ve read that series, you already know you’ll love this. No one does spice like her! Typically I read fantasy with less spice and I find it tiresome after the first couple encounters. But Penelope writes it so well it’s impossible to get tired of it. The build up is as good as the reward!She still writes a killer story to boot! The characters and world in this story are fully fleshed out. There’s nothing that feels empty or tedious or redundant. Everything she adds serves a purpose. Calista our MC has been through it. And her experiences aren’t just glossed over and used as a plot device. Penelope captures her shame and vulnerability so well you can’t help but root for her. She’s snarky and resilient. There wasn’t a single instance that I was rolling my eyes with annoyance at her. Talon is done so perfectly as a flawed MMC. He’s consumed by his own misery and can’t see past it. He’s used his own suffering to inflict suffering on others and you can tell that he’s going to come to terms with that fully by the time this series is done. The dragons are kind of an unexpected addition in that I didn’t realize how much they would add to the story.I’m dying for the next book. I gobbled this up in a day. I tried to savor it, but I knew that wasn’t going to happen in the first few pages. Read it!!!
Shaez –
What a start!!! Love it!
adventurous, dark, emotional, tense, medium-pacedPlot- or character-driven? PlotStrong character development? N/ALoveable characters? It’s complicatedDiverse cast of characters? YesFlaws of characters a main focus? YesRating: 4.75The Queen of cliffhangers strikes again; I can’t wait for book 2 to be released!! I am vested in the outcome of this story. This new dark fantasy romance series has started with fire!Calista witnessed her father’s death at the ‘hands’ of the Death King; for some reason, he decided to spare her life. She was fifteen. Several years later, they meet again. Calista has endured slavery and other abuses, but she still remembers who has placed her in this predicament. When he appears again, Calista tries to escape using his dragon, and again, he spares her – this time because his Dragon influences this.Talon, the Death King, has a mission; he is looking for dragons to help avenge what happened to him. When his dragon, Khazmuda, advises him that Calista has the ‘gift’ of communicating with dragons, he believes he can achieve his goal with her help. Therefore, he takes her to his kingdom and trains her. However, he also discovers he is very attracted to her and wants more.Calista remembers Talon, but he cannot figure out who she is. Will Calista use this tiny detail to her advantage? Although she finds him attractive, she also knows who and what he did to her. Will she find a way to avenge her father’s death, or will the attraction between them make her forget?This story is quite action-packed, but as it is a dark fantasy, there are trigger warnings. Please read those before proceeding. Can I also say I can’t believe I love Khazmuda? He is such a character and if the other dragons to come are like him….wow!Reasons I enjoyed this book:Entertaining, Page-turner, Twisted, Wonderful characters