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Fairy Tales From the Underworld #1
A Bedtime Story (Beauty Meets the Beast)
Fairy Tales From the Underworld
Part I: A Bedtime Story (Beauty Meets the Beast)
A traumance. A tragedy. A love story.
Fairy tales weren’t always about finding true love with Prince Charming. Once upon a time, they were dark stories about innocence lost, seeking through veiled attempts to make sense of life’s unfathomable hardships. Unfit parents turned to evil stepmothers, kindly neighbors became fairy godmothers, while alluring but dangerous men were presented under the guise of the Big Bad Wolf. Through their trials, the heroes were forever changed. For better or worse.
It is a tale as old as time. Good girl meets bad boy; the pure faces the corrupt. Loosely inspired by classic tropes, Fairy Tales From the Underworld breathes new life into age-old motifs, casting them against the backdrop of modern times. Beasts and monsters no longer lurk in shadows but now inhabit our protagonists, who are plagued by the ceaseless whispers of their inner demons.
A Bedtime Story is not a romance, but a raw erotic tale chronicling the twisted love affair between two profoundly broken souls: the child of the moon and the child of the underworld. Their paths were never meant to cross… And yet, by a twist of fate, Beauty meets the Beast, plunging into a world of lies, deceit and debauchery, where her only salvation lies in the hands of her captor.
As Part I of the Fairy Tales From the Underworld saga, this first installment delves deeply into the psyche of its characters, offering a poignant exploration of the relentless pull between torment and passion in the aftermath of trauma.
(Please note, this book contains graphic sexual content and deals with heavy subject matter, suitable for readers 18+.)
Original instrumental soundtrack by Lana Chacra available on all streaming services
Part I: A Bedtime Story (Beauty Meets the Beast)
A traumance. A tragedy. A love story.
Fairy tales weren’t always about finding true love with Prince Charming. Once upon a time, they were dark stories about innocence lost, seeking through veiled attempts to make sense of life’s unfathomable hardships. Unfit parents turned to evil stepmothers, kindly neighbors became fairy godmothers, while alluring but dangerous men were presented under the guise of the Big Bad Wolf. Through their trials, the heroes were forever changed. For better or worse.
It is a tale as old as time. Good girl meets bad boy; the pure faces the corrupt. Loosely inspired by classic tropes, Fairy Tales From the Underworld breathes new life into age-old motifs, casting them against the backdrop of modern times. Beasts and monsters no longer lurk in shadows but now inhabit our protagonists, who are plagued by the ceaseless whispers of their inner demons.
A Bedtime Story is not a romance, but a raw erotic tale chronicling the twisted love affair between two profoundly broken souls: the child of the moon and the child of the underworld. Their paths were never meant to cross… And yet, by a twist of fate, Beauty meets the Beast, plunging into a world of lies, deceit and debauchery, where her only salvation lies in the hands of her captor.
As Part I of the Fairy Tales From the Underworld saga, this first installment delves deeply into the psyche of its characters, offering a poignant exploration of the relentless pull between torment and passion in the aftermath of trauma.
(Please note, this book contains graphic sexual content and deals with heavy subject matter, suitable for readers 18+.)
Original instrumental soundtrack by Lana Chacra available on all streaming services
377 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 31, 2023
About the author
L.C. Moon
3 books195 followersAuthor of A Bedtime Story (Beauty Meets the Beast), the first installment of the Fairy Tales From the Underworld trilogy.
I’ve discovered the healing powers of writing and poetry ever since being the shy and lonely new kid at school upon arriving in Canada. I created my own world, spending hours making up stories to entertain myself. Since early adolescence, I’ve revisited pen and paper over the years following heartbreaks and a lifelong struggle with depression.
Words are powerful, stories can heal. Creating something beautiful from my pain became my medicine. I have many authors to thank for helping carry me through life’s most violent storms.
I like to explore the darker side of human nature. We all have our monsters, and I believe it is best we learn to understand them before we let them rule and consume us.
As far as I can tell from the 2014 edition reviews, my writing is divisive. It is not for everyone, and it is okay.
I thank each and every one of my readers. Your reviews mean more than you can ever know.
Please feel free to contact me here on Goodreads or at [email protected]
I'm now on Instagram :) @lcmoonattic
LC. Moon
I’ve discovered the healing powers of writing and poetry ever since being the shy and lonely new kid at school upon arriving in Canada. I created my own world, spending hours making up stories to entertain myself. Since early adolescence, I’ve revisited pen and paper over the years following heartbreaks and a lifelong struggle with depression.
Words are powerful, stories can heal. Creating something beautiful from my pain became my medicine. I have many authors to thank for helping carry me through life’s most violent storms.
I like to explore the darker side of human nature. We all have our monsters, and I believe it is best we learn to understand them before we let them rule and consume us.
As far as I can tell from the 2014 edition reviews, my writing is divisive. It is not for everyone, and it is okay.
I thank each and every one of my readers. Your reviews mean more than you can ever know.
Please feel free to contact me here on Goodreads or at [email protected]
I'm now on Instagram :) @lcmoonattic
LC. Moon
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 192 reviews
December 8, 2023
❥12/08/23
i will still be working on writing a new review, but i just wanted to add my rating back<3
❥11/30/23
i finished my reread on my flights yesterday!!! omg i devoured this…AGAIN😩i will just be editing my review a little bit and then i will post it sometime soon!🫶🏼
❥11/29/23
the book i chose to reread on my two flights today hehe🤭my review is down below! i probably won’t be writing a new review…i will just be editing my original one to make it more aesthetically pleasing and maybe adding some more quotes. little things like that!<3
thank you to my baby, l.c. moon, for gifting me a paperback of her book with the CUTEST little message inside🥹love you pookie🫂the cover is absolutely BEAUTIFUL! the link to preorder the paperback is down below…but if you would like to read it right away, that same link will bring you to the kindle version🤭
°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･
hi lovelies! i want to shine some beautiful light on an author who supports palestine🍉ilysm bestie!
the paperback version is available for preorder on amazon!! it releases on december 14, 2023<3
the kindle version is available now for those tho want to read it as soon as possible!!<3
❥︎ link for both kindle & paperback: a bedtime story
my spoiler free review is down below!!! there are some spoilers, but i marked that section so you will know when the spoilers start and when they end<3
4/5 toxic/heartbreaking ✰'s (arc review)🤭
okay i'm changing my rating from a 3 to a 4 simply because as much as this book broke me...it crosses my mind almost every day. i can't wait for the next two books.
i’m grieving 2 losses. my mind and uh, well, the other loss…we don’t need to talk about that rn. so sorry in advance because this review is just a mess and not my best, but this book really had me speechless so i’m surprised i got as far as i did😩
first things first. the rating. at one point this book was 4 stars, then at another point later on it was 3 stars, and then the ending happened and that ending…deserves 1 star😭but you know what? i’m not going to let the ending ruin my rating because there are two books left in this series so book one's ending isn't the true ending hehe. therefore, yes…i WILL be continuing. but that plot twist will be engraved in my mind until the day i finish this series.
i was eating this book up, i really was. it was in third person…and if you know me, i absolutely HATE third person, but i did not care. i was still very much enjoying it. i love dark romance and l.c. moon delivered! although this book really isn’t a romance…more of a twisted love story. imagine beauty and the beast meets mafia/bdsm…this book is not for everyone so please be sure to check trigger warnings<3
❥︎ plot summary:
laura spencer is a normal girl with a dark past. her brother, peter always coming to her rescue when she was little. peter was the only one who ever truly loved laura. peter gets involved with a russian mafia and ends up betraying them. kayne malkin, being part of that mafia…is now ordered to find peter and kill him, but when kayne takes laura to his people so they can make her tell them where her brother is…kayne realizes that he doesn’t want them to hurt or kill her so his solution? hold her captive.
❥︎ kayne malkin (captor):
all my morals thrown out the window :D he was crazy and toxic, but i fell for him…red flags where?👩🏽🦯 because when he starts saying things like:
- “i won’t let him hurt you.”
- “i’ll fight for you. i’ll kill for you. you’re mine. always. wherever you go. i’ll find you. always. there’s nothing i wouldn’t do for you.”
- “get on your knees. crawl to me.”
- “good girl.”
yeah…done for🫠there were some things he did that upset me, but it is a twisted love story so it was pretty much expected and i liked the way the fmc handled some situations. this man really gave her a bracelet that had a tracker in it which ends up saving her from getting assaulted outside of a bar…spoiler alert: kayne kills that man👏loved that. i also loved that kayne gifted her books cuz she loved reading🥲
❥︎ laura spencer (captive):
her character development was actually so good. i feel like people would find her really annoying at times because of the begging and pleading, but if i was help captive…i’d be the same way at first too😂not me saying at first as if i would fall in love with my captor…ANYWAYS. idek where i’m going with this. back to laura…my heart seriously broke for her😭😭i wanna cry just thinking about it and then it makes me think about the ending which also makes me wanna cry so let me just stop myself. i want to give this woman the biggest hug honestly.
*continues to add heartbreaking scene*
‼️tw: self harm‼️
he gently lifted her wrist and tilted its palm upward where a little faded scar could be seen. "you will never try this again."
she returned his gaze, studying his expression. after a moment, she slowly nodded her head.
"good." a faint smile crossed his face. he leaned and placed a soft kiss on her scarred wrist.
~this had me sobbing so bad. also this moment literally just melted my heart too. kayne was so hot and cold with laura…that’s what made these moments stand out😩
‼️spoilers in the rest of the review‼️
(please don’t read if you’re really interested in this book, i just needed to share my thoughts so when people finally read this book and stumble across my review, we can talk about it hehe)
kayne and laura end up getting married, but not out of love…it was kayne’s idea because getting married would ultimately protect her. let me just say that laura spencer and laura malkin are two very different people. like i said…the character development was good.
kayne has never loved anyone, but throughout this book you very slowly see him start to care about laura, deeply. it is a wild ride to say the least.
“never lie to me. never disobey me. never disrespect me.”
the hot and cold was crazyyyy. if she broke any of those three rules…he’d be so cold and then would instantly have regrets and comfort her. lmaoooo so very toxic, yes…but i always kept it in my mind that it’s not a romance…but a twisted love story.
yes there’s a cheating scene after they were married…but let me tell you, i feel like that was a pivotal point for laura and her character development.
❥︎ scene:
laura walked in with her chin up, taking measured and deliberate steps. she then bent down to meet the young girl at eye level. “geneviève, sweetheart. would you kindly get off my husband's dick? i would like a word."
laura really killed this woman…it was giving love quinn from the show “you” lmaooo. so even tho laura and kayne were married…they didn’t love each other, but that was slowly changing towards the end.
❥︎ ending:
i seriously don’t even wanna talk about it. all i wanna do is cry about it. kayne had just realized that he loved laura, but he never gets the chance to tell her…do y’all wanna know WHY!? well let me tell you. he literally got killed. the mmc…dead. absolutely heartbreaking. i was going back and forth between loving him and disliking him, but by the end i fell for him just like laura lmaooooo not us falling for the toxic man, but he just did so much for her to keep her safe…he did not deserve death. i don’t think he’s really dead. he can’t be😭l.c. moon EXPLAIN YOURSELF. i’ll be delulu until laura sees his dead body. i swear i just wanna cry because that plot twist was something i never saw coming…i was ready for kayne to get back to laura and confess his love. when i tell you guys i was speed reading to get to that point and it NEVER CAME. absolutely heartbroken. it kinda made me feel like how i felt after reading exodus by kate stewart…and i say kinda because no one can compare to domnic🥹my poor baby dom :( fuck ok let me not think about that. but yeah. that was the ending. i’m lost and will be patiently waiting for the second and third book. i know the second book introduces more mc’s and the third book has a happy ending, but i’m afraid it’s not gonna be the happy ending that i envision :( which would be kayne still being alive and him and laura living happily ever after🥲but um yeah this is the second loss i’m grieving other than my mind. i wasn’t expecting it so yeah :D now i’m sad.
thank you again to l.c. moon for sending me the arc!!! i enjoyed…until i didn’t :(
‼️spoilers over‼️
❥︎ special message to l.c. moon:
you’re my bestie hehe thank you so much for messaging me and forming a friendship with me! although our friendship is on thin ice after that ending😡jk…i can’t wait for the next two books. please heal my heart😭😭
a little add in (please read):
i’ve had time to process…i’m more calm, still very sad. i did speak to the lovely author of this book and she gave me very high hopes and honestly i’m truly excited to finish this series. i do encourage you besties to read this if you’re interested in a quick read about a twisted love story! yes this book broke my heart and left me speechless, but that is the power of a really good and well written book🤭🤭AND this is l.c. moon’s debut…she absolutely crushed it! <3
old uodate:
omg omg! so l.c. moon reached out to me and sent me an arc of her book. it’s her spin on beauty and the beast…a dark romance that has a deep, psychological driven plot. say no more…you had me at beauty and the beast/dark romance. i’m ready and am so so so excited to read/give a review for this book!!! a great way to start september too🤭🤭AND it’s rainy today hehe love the vibes🌧️ <3
i will still be working on writing a new review, but i just wanted to add my rating back<3
❥11/30/23
i finished my reread on my flights yesterday!!! omg i devoured this…AGAIN😩i will just be editing my review a little bit and then i will post it sometime soon!🫶🏼
❥11/29/23
the book i chose to reread on my two flights today hehe🤭my review is down below! i probably won’t be writing a new review…i will just be editing my original one to make it more aesthetically pleasing and maybe adding some more quotes. little things like that!<3
thank you to my baby, l.c. moon, for gifting me a paperback of her book with the CUTEST little message inside🥹love you pookie🫂the cover is absolutely BEAUTIFUL! the link to preorder the paperback is down below…but if you would like to read it right away, that same link will bring you to the kindle version🤭
°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･
hi lovelies! i want to shine some beautiful light on an author who supports palestine🍉ilysm bestie!
the paperback version is available for preorder on amazon!! it releases on december 14, 2023<3
the kindle version is available now for those tho want to read it as soon as possible!!<3
❥︎ link for both kindle & paperback: a bedtime story
my spoiler free review is down below!!! there are some spoilers, but i marked that section so you will know when the spoilers start and when they end<3
4/5 toxic/heartbreaking ✰'s (arc review)🤭
okay i'm changing my rating from a 3 to a 4 simply because as much as this book broke me...it crosses my mind almost every day. i can't wait for the next two books.
i’m grieving 2 losses. my mind and uh, well, the other loss…we don’t need to talk about that rn. so sorry in advance because this review is just a mess and not my best, but this book really had me speechless so i’m surprised i got as far as i did😩
first things first. the rating. at one point this book was 4 stars, then at another point later on it was 3 stars, and then the ending happened and that ending…deserves 1 star😭but you know what? i’m not going to let the ending ruin my rating because there are two books left in this series so book one's ending isn't the true ending hehe. therefore, yes…i WILL be continuing. but that plot twist will be engraved in my mind until the day i finish this series.
i was eating this book up, i really was. it was in third person…and if you know me, i absolutely HATE third person, but i did not care. i was still very much enjoying it. i love dark romance and l.c. moon delivered! although this book really isn’t a romance…more of a twisted love story. imagine beauty and the beast meets mafia/bdsm…this book is not for everyone so please be sure to check trigger warnings<3
❥︎ plot summary:
laura spencer is a normal girl with a dark past. her brother, peter always coming to her rescue when she was little. peter was the only one who ever truly loved laura. peter gets involved with a russian mafia and ends up betraying them. kayne malkin, being part of that mafia…is now ordered to find peter and kill him, but when kayne takes laura to his people so they can make her tell them where her brother is…kayne realizes that he doesn’t want them to hurt or kill her so his solution? hold her captive.
❥︎ kayne malkin (captor):
all my morals thrown out the window :D he was crazy and toxic, but i fell for him…red flags where?👩🏽🦯 because when he starts saying things like:
- “i won’t let him hurt you.”
- “i’ll fight for you. i’ll kill for you. you’re mine. always. wherever you go. i’ll find you. always. there’s nothing i wouldn’t do for you.”
- “get on your knees. crawl to me.”
- “good girl.”
yeah…done for🫠there were some things he did that upset me, but it is a twisted love story so it was pretty much expected and i liked the way the fmc handled some situations. this man really gave her a bracelet that had a tracker in it which ends up saving her from getting assaulted outside of a bar…spoiler alert: kayne kills that man👏loved that. i also loved that kayne gifted her books cuz she loved reading🥲
❥︎ laura spencer (captive):
her character development was actually so good. i feel like people would find her really annoying at times because of the begging and pleading, but if i was help captive…i’d be the same way at first too😂not me saying at first as if i would fall in love with my captor…ANYWAYS. idek where i’m going with this. back to laura…my heart seriously broke for her😭😭i wanna cry just thinking about it and then it makes me think about the ending which also makes me wanna cry so let me just stop myself. i want to give this woman the biggest hug honestly.
*continues to add heartbreaking scene*
‼️tw: self harm‼️
he gently lifted her wrist and tilted its palm upward where a little faded scar could be seen. "you will never try this again."
she returned his gaze, studying his expression. after a moment, she slowly nodded her head.
"good." a faint smile crossed his face. he leaned and placed a soft kiss on her scarred wrist.
~this had me sobbing so bad. also this moment literally just melted my heart too. kayne was so hot and cold with laura…that’s what made these moments stand out😩
‼️spoilers in the rest of the review‼️
(please don’t read if you’re really interested in this book, i just needed to share my thoughts so when people finally read this book and stumble across my review, we can talk about it hehe)
kayne and laura end up getting married, but not out of love…it was kayne’s idea because getting married would ultimately protect her. let me just say that laura spencer and laura malkin are two very different people. like i said…the character development was good.
kayne has never loved anyone, but throughout this book you very slowly see him start to care about laura, deeply. it is a wild ride to say the least.
“never lie to me. never disobey me. never disrespect me.”
the hot and cold was crazyyyy. if she broke any of those three rules…he’d be so cold and then would instantly have regrets and comfort her. lmaoooo so very toxic, yes…but i always kept it in my mind that it’s not a romance…but a twisted love story.
yes there’s a cheating scene after they were married…but let me tell you, i feel like that was a pivotal point for laura and her character development.
❥︎ scene:
laura walked in with her chin up, taking measured and deliberate steps. she then bent down to meet the young girl at eye level. “geneviève, sweetheart. would you kindly get off my husband's dick? i would like a word."
laura really killed this woman…it was giving love quinn from the show “you” lmaooo. so even tho laura and kayne were married…they didn’t love each other, but that was slowly changing towards the end.
❥︎ ending:
i seriously don’t even wanna talk about it. all i wanna do is cry about it. kayne had just realized that he loved laura, but he never gets the chance to tell her…do y’all wanna know WHY!? well let me tell you. he literally got killed. the mmc…dead. absolutely heartbreaking. i was going back and forth between loving him and disliking him, but by the end i fell for him just like laura lmaooooo not us falling for the toxic man, but he just did so much for her to keep her safe…he did not deserve death. i don’t think he’s really dead. he can’t be😭l.c. moon EXPLAIN YOURSELF. i’ll be delulu until laura sees his dead body. i swear i just wanna cry because that plot twist was something i never saw coming…i was ready for kayne to get back to laura and confess his love. when i tell you guys i was speed reading to get to that point and it NEVER CAME. absolutely heartbroken. it kinda made me feel like how i felt after reading exodus by kate stewart…and i say kinda because no one can compare to domnic🥹my poor baby dom :( fuck ok let me not think about that. but yeah. that was the ending. i’m lost and will be patiently waiting for the second and third book. i know the second book introduces more mc’s and the third book has a happy ending, but i’m afraid it’s not gonna be the happy ending that i envision :( which would be kayne still being alive and him and laura living happily ever after🥲but um yeah this is the second loss i’m grieving other than my mind. i wasn’t expecting it so yeah :D now i’m sad.
thank you again to l.c. moon for sending me the arc!!! i enjoyed…until i didn’t :(
‼️spoilers over‼️
❥︎ special message to l.c. moon:
you’re my bestie hehe thank you so much for messaging me and forming a friendship with me! although our friendship is on thin ice after that ending😡jk…i can’t wait for the next two books. please heal my heart😭😭
a little add in (please read):
i’ve had time to process…i’m more calm, still very sad. i did speak to the lovely author of this book and she gave me very high hopes and honestly i’m truly excited to finish this series. i do encourage you besties to read this if you’re interested in a quick read about a twisted love story! yes this book broke my heart and left me speechless, but that is the power of a really good and well written book🤭🤭AND this is l.c. moon’s debut…she absolutely crushed it! <3
old uodate:
omg omg! so l.c. moon reached out to me and sent me an arc of her book. it’s her spin on beauty and the beast…a dark romance that has a deep, psychological driven plot. say no more…you had me at beauty and the beast/dark romance. i’m ready and am so so so excited to read/give a review for this book!!! a great way to start september too🤭🤭AND it’s rainy today hehe love the vibes🌧️ <3
Want to read
January 6, 2016
I have learned from author that book 1 has a semi-sad cliffy and I have decided to put on hold until book 2 is out.
Book 2 will introduce new MCs which will be featured in Book 3 as well and have their HEA.
The BTS trilogy is more of a series than stand-alones as there is a back-story running throughout all three books.
Books in BTS trilogy should be read in order:
Book 1: A Bedtime Story - Cliffy
Book 2: Untitled
Book 3: Untitled - HEA
BLURB:
Laura Spencer. Young, pretty, introverted. She worked at a local deli, where she left more broken plates than collected tips. Apologizing to aggravated waiters and cowering from overfriendly male clients made up most of her social interaction. The only friends she had lived inside the pages of books or on movie screens, offering slim comfort during the long, dark nights of her lonely life. Every two weeks, a postcard was delivered through her mail. She lived for those deliveries.
Peter Spencer. Her brother, her lifelong protector and her only family. The only one who truly knew her, who would sacrifice it all for her. Peter made a bad decision, involving the worst kind of people.
Kayne Malkin. Tall, dark and handsome. He belonged to the Organization, the Quebec fraction of a ruthless Russian Mafia. He was known for many things. He killed and tortured for a living. He seduced and destroyed for pleasure. But above all else, he built his reputation on one trait only. Kayne Malkin never lied. Not to the men he interrogated, not to the women he set his sights on. He got what he wanted, while staring them in the eye. Honest and remorseless. Kayne Malkin’s assignment: The Peter Spencer case.
On the first warm spring night, while Montreal celebrated the passing of winter, Laura reluctantly accepted to accompany a coworker out on the town. Kayne smirked by himself seeing her arrive, all dolled up, looking uncomfortable. Lurking in the shadows, he patiently waited. The trap was set.
ARC provided to me by author L.C. Moon in exchange for an honest review.
October 23, 2023
This is Kayne and Laura’s twisted love story
I felt like this was A Retelling of the Story of Beauty and the Beast
Fairy Tales from the Underworld
Laura is the sister of Peter Spencer and due to that fact, she has found herself thrusted into a world she doesn’t Belong.
From the first time they’d exchanged looks, her life was never the same again. He’d taken her freedom first, then her body, then her brother. Did she even have anything left worth taking? She will soon find out that there is something else left for him to take from her
Laura started questioning herself ……. How do you fight an enemy that knows everything about you? And used your deepest regrets, worst fears, and repressed desires to destroy you from within
Kayne Malkin was Born under a lucky star. Blessed with looks. Showered with money. Gifted with charm and confidence, also he is second in command of the Russian mafia …..and he is stuck with the task of getting the Whereabouts from Peter’s sister, what could go wrong there?
He had stolen her. She was only ever meant to be a job. But he’d taken her prisoner instead.
Laura had somehow ventured behind enemy lines and slipped right under his shield…. Her juvenile expectations aggravated him to no end as well as it did me.
Not all fairy tales were meant to end well.
I truly hate Cliffhangers, I honestly tried to avoid them at all costs…….. And when I do read one. It’s usually one that. Has soon to be released Installment. Unfortunately. I was not as lucky with this particular trilogy……… I could tell you that I’m looking forward to reading the rest of the story , ….. I would recommend this book. If you could get past the fact that the next installment is not going to be released until January 1, 2025, then this is the perfect read for you.
Read
December 16, 2024EDIT & UPDATE - December 15, 2024 * *
Greetings to all my GR friends and readers!
My apologies if I haven't been super active the past few months... I have been toiling away at Part II of Fairy Tales From the Underworld (FTFTU). A decade overdue for some of you... which makes it all the more crucial for me to meet my deadlines 😥... But also, and most importantly, I have been blessed to welcome my second born son into the world this past September 👼🙏💖
Hard to believe it's already been one year since the rerelease of A Bedtime Story... 2024 sure had its challenges, but we also celebrated many humble triumphs (comprehensive, thoughtful reviews being among the most rewarding). Notably, I was beside myself we cracked, at our peak, top 1000 in erotica Kindle rankings 🫣
I am incredibly excited for 2025 as it should be an exciting one! A Bedtime Story will be made available on Kindle Unlimited sometime this January! 😁🤗
We have also had the opportunity to discover an amazing artist we have decided to work with for all three covers of the trilogy. And ahead of the release of The Buried Tale (Part II of FTFTU), we will be releasing A Bedtime Story with a new cover and blurb! 🤩😎
I've already updated the new blurb above. I feel it better captures the essence of FTFTU. Let me know your thoughts! 🤔
And of course, most of all, I can not begin to explain to you my excitement to share Part II with those of you awaiting it. ❤️ I will try and post relevant updates here on GR.
As 2025 fast approaches, I just wanted to take the opportunity to wish everyone Happy Holidays! And to share my gratitude for all of your support, and for all of life's blessings. I wish each and everyone of you health, peace, and love ❤️
EDIT & UPDATE - April 28, 2024 * *
Dearest GR friends,
First things first, I wanted to take the time to thank you; all my 2014 readers who stuck with me, all my ARC readers and new readers who took a chance on me, and all my GR friends who have been so incredibly kind and supportive. You have no idea how much it has all meant to me; how your reviews, comments and private messages have brought smiles to my face.
I also wanted to thank all of you who expressed your desire to purchase my book, even after receiving the electronic version for review purposes. Let me please express my infinite gratitude as an indie author: Your support means everything.
Well here we are now, almost six months after the release date. A Bedtime Story will still be available on NetGalley for the next two days! PLEASE feel free to get your copy at the link below 😊
NetGalley: https://www.netgalley.com/catalog/boo...
And if you can, please take a moment to share your review on Goodreads and/or your preferred distribution platform (Amazon/Apple Books/Kobo/Barnes and Noble...). The impact of reviews is immeasurable, and it is the simplest way to support all your favorites authors! 😊
Have you had the chance to listen to the original Soundtrack? It went viral on Spotify with over 500K streams, getting selected on "Discover weekly" and Netflix playlists!! 🫣🤗
If you haven't, here are a few samples from the trailers we put out for the release. As always, featuring the hauntingly somber and emotionally evocative instrumental compositions of the incredibly talented Lana Chacra, whom I have the honor to call my closest collaborator, friend... and sister.
https://www.goodreads.com/videos/2053...
And in case you missed it... the first trailer 😌
https://www.goodreads.com/videos/2044...
Thank you again for all your support, kindness and generosity of spirit. I consider myself lucky to be able to share my stories with you.
ORIGINAL POST: JUNE 29, 2023:
Dearest readers,
First and foremost, I owe you an apology and an explanation for my disappearing act. Please know what reading your reviews has meant to me over the years.
I had given you, in 2014, the best version I could of Kayne and Laura’s twisted love story. But not long after the publication, as I was going through personal struggles, my family was struck with tragedy. I retreated from the public sphere, retired my pen, and tried to heal. I never meant to leave my readers hanging.
Deep down, I always knew I would return, one day, to A Bedtime Story to finish the trilogy. It is a world I created over a decade ago that has stayed with me ever since.
Life works in mysterious ways, and the project (a book series with its original instrumental soundtrack) burst back to life in 2022. But instead of picking up where I left off, I felt compelled to revisit that first chapter of the trilogy. With a deeper understanding of my characters, I have worked over the past year on major edits. And though Kayne and Laura’s journey remains essentially the same, it has been rewritten almost word for word. Scenes and dialogues have been tweaked and expanded upon, delving much deeper into the characters’ psyches, with brand-new content also included.
With great humility and pride, I present to you the trilogy as it was always meant to be: a dark fairy tale about lost and broken souls, exploring themes of trauma, identity, and fate.
Fairy Tales From the Underworld Part I: A Bedtime Story (Beauty Meets the Beast) will be released in the Fall of 2023.
It will be followed by Part II: The Buried Tale (The Star-Crossed Lovers) and Part III: Ode to the Fallen (Down the Rabbit Hole).
Original instrumental soundtrack available at fairytalesfromtheunderworld.com and all major streaming platforms.
I thank each and every one of you who read A Bedtime Story in 2014. Though technically unnecessary, I sincerely hope you will want to rediscover Kayne and Laura’s story the way it was always meant to be told.
I look forward to meeting or reconnecting with you all down the road of the Fairy Tales From the Underworld.
Please never hesitate to reach out, there is no greater joy than connecting with readers.
Love, always.
L.C. Moon
Greetings to all my GR friends and readers!
My apologies if I haven't been super active the past few months... I have been toiling away at Part II of Fairy Tales From the Underworld (FTFTU). A decade overdue for some of you... which makes it all the more crucial for me to meet my deadlines 😥... But also, and most importantly, I have been blessed to welcome my second born son into the world this past September 👼🙏💖
Hard to believe it's already been one year since the rerelease of A Bedtime Story... 2024 sure had its challenges, but we also celebrated many humble triumphs (comprehensive, thoughtful reviews being among the most rewarding). Notably, I was beside myself we cracked, at our peak, top 1000 in erotica Kindle rankings 🫣
I am incredibly excited for 2025 as it should be an exciting one! A Bedtime Story will be made available on Kindle Unlimited sometime this January! 😁🤗
We have also had the opportunity to discover an amazing artist we have decided to work with for all three covers of the trilogy. And ahead of the release of The Buried Tale (Part II of FTFTU), we will be releasing A Bedtime Story with a new cover and blurb! 🤩😎
I've already updated the new blurb above. I feel it better captures the essence of FTFTU. Let me know your thoughts! 🤔
And of course, most of all, I can not begin to explain to you my excitement to share Part II with those of you awaiting it. ❤️ I will try and post relevant updates here on GR.
As 2025 fast approaches, I just wanted to take the opportunity to wish everyone Happy Holidays! And to share my gratitude for all of your support, and for all of life's blessings. I wish each and everyone of you health, peace, and love ❤️
EDIT & UPDATE - April 28, 2024 * *
Dearest GR friends,
First things first, I wanted to take the time to thank you; all my 2014 readers who stuck with me, all my ARC readers and new readers who took a chance on me, and all my GR friends who have been so incredibly kind and supportive. You have no idea how much it has all meant to me; how your reviews, comments and private messages have brought smiles to my face.
I also wanted to thank all of you who expressed your desire to purchase my book, even after receiving the electronic version for review purposes. Let me please express my infinite gratitude as an indie author: Your support means everything.
Well here we are now, almost six months after the release date. A Bedtime Story will still be available on NetGalley for the next two days! PLEASE feel free to get your copy at the link below 😊
NetGalley: https://www.netgalley.com/catalog/boo...
And if you can, please take a moment to share your review on Goodreads and/or your preferred distribution platform (Amazon/Apple Books/Kobo/Barnes and Noble...). The impact of reviews is immeasurable, and it is the simplest way to support all your favorites authors! 😊
Have you had the chance to listen to the original Soundtrack? It went viral on Spotify with over 500K streams, getting selected on "Discover weekly" and Netflix playlists!! 🫣🤗
If you haven't, here are a few samples from the trailers we put out for the release. As always, featuring the hauntingly somber and emotionally evocative instrumental compositions of the incredibly talented Lana Chacra, whom I have the honor to call my closest collaborator, friend... and sister.
https://www.goodreads.com/videos/2053...
And in case you missed it... the first trailer 😌
https://www.goodreads.com/videos/2044...
Thank you again for all your support, kindness and generosity of spirit. I consider myself lucky to be able to share my stories with you.
ORIGINAL POST: JUNE 29, 2023:
Dearest readers,
First and foremost, I owe you an apology and an explanation for my disappearing act. Please know what reading your reviews has meant to me over the years.
I had given you, in 2014, the best version I could of Kayne and Laura’s twisted love story. But not long after the publication, as I was going through personal struggles, my family was struck with tragedy. I retreated from the public sphere, retired my pen, and tried to heal. I never meant to leave my readers hanging.
Deep down, I always knew I would return, one day, to A Bedtime Story to finish the trilogy. It is a world I created over a decade ago that has stayed with me ever since.
Life works in mysterious ways, and the project (a book series with its original instrumental soundtrack) burst back to life in 2022. But instead of picking up where I left off, I felt compelled to revisit that first chapter of the trilogy. With a deeper understanding of my characters, I have worked over the past year on major edits. And though Kayne and Laura’s journey remains essentially the same, it has been rewritten almost word for word. Scenes and dialogues have been tweaked and expanded upon, delving much deeper into the characters’ psyches, with brand-new content also included.
With great humility and pride, I present to you the trilogy as it was always meant to be: a dark fairy tale about lost and broken souls, exploring themes of trauma, identity, and fate.
Fairy Tales From the Underworld Part I: A Bedtime Story (Beauty Meets the Beast) will be released in the Fall of 2023.
It will be followed by Part II: The Buried Tale (The Star-Crossed Lovers) and Part III: Ode to the Fallen (Down the Rabbit Hole).
Original instrumental soundtrack available at fairytalesfromtheunderworld.com and all major streaming platforms.
I thank each and every one of you who read A Bedtime Story in 2014. Though technically unnecessary, I sincerely hope you will want to rediscover Kayne and Laura’s story the way it was always meant to be told.
I look forward to meeting or reconnecting with you all down the road of the Fairy Tales From the Underworld.
Please never hesitate to reach out, there is no greater joy than connecting with readers.
Love, always.
L.C. Moon
August 10, 2017
SAY WHAT??? PRICE DROP ALERT FOR A Bedtime Story WILL BE ONLY $3.99 FOR A LIMITED TIME FOR HALLOWEEN. GO GRAB YOUR COPY NOW IT WILL BE GOING BACK TO $8.00 SOON.
AMAZON PURCHASE LINK:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00R...
4.5***Monster Stars
Kayne Malkin was 30 year old, cold blooded killer who worked for the Russian mob. He was tall, dark, and handsome. Peter Spencer had betrayed the mob and taken some important evidence with him, he just couldn’t handle the woman trafficking and had to get away from all of it. Peter knew the risk he was taking by leaving but he just couldn’t handle it. Therefore he left and had been running for over eight months. Kayne’s latest assignment was to find Peter’s only family, his sister Laura and get Peter’s location from her. When someone betrays the mob they pay with their life and there is no mercy.
Laura Spencer was 23 years old, living on her own with no friends or family other than her brother Peter. Even though she hadn’t seen him for a long time she knew he was on some sort of trouble. Peter would always write her postcards to keep in touch with her but she had to destroy it once she read them. It was the only thing she had from Peter that kept her waking up each morning. Her reality was that she did not have a social life other than work. She had couple of boyfriends that she ended relationships with before they got too serious because she was not able to have children and her past was too dark she didn’t want them to see who she really was. Her childhood left her traumatized grew up with no mother and her father would lock her in a dog cage days at a time as punishment if she didn’t obey. Peter would take some of the punishment and always get her out of the cage. She was traumatized and tried to live her life as normal as possible but she failed miserably. The only person who truly understood her was her brother Peter who at age 16 ran away and came back for her to save her from that miserable life her father had created. I loved Peter so much for it.
Kayne was all sorts of frustration, he had no feelings but somehow after watching Laura for two weeks and planning to bring her down to his organization for interrogation he saw something in her that he couldn’t stay away from. He wanted her for him; he wanted to make her his pet, his submissive to do as he pleased. He found out she was damaged and it pained him so. He wanted to help her and the only way he was able to do that was to take her in as a prisoner in his home. He knew that the mob wanted her for trafficking once she spilled where her brother was at and he wasn’t going to let that happened. Yes, he was annoying as hell like if she wouldn’t obey to what he said he would punish her. She was annoying too because she would cry a lot but the truth was she was scared of him having living in an abusing household made her brake easily.
He seduced her to trick her to get the brother’s location and he took care of his assignment which was to get the evidence peter had and kill him.
He promised her he wouldn’t kill him but regardless Peter died even if he didn’t do it himself. Peter knew it was the only way to save his sister and I was a sobbing mess around this. I couldn’t see straight after this chapter. When Laura found out she blamed Kayne and stayed away from him for a month. I didn’t blamed her, I hated him too. Gah…It’s paining me writing this right now, I feel like my chest is going to get out of my skin.
Kayne knew that she would never be able to trust him again and he understood but even after he completed his assignment he knew he couldn’t let her go. One, because he was a selfish motherfucker and in a sick way he somehow had fallen in love with her. Two, even if he let her walk away the mob would not want any kind of treat. They will still get rid of her and she will still have to die or worse put on their trafficking business. He wanted to save her so instead he married her. It was the saddest wedding ever. I wanted to punch and hit something. He got promoted a day after the wedding and left her for four weeks. She was already broken after childhood, her brother’s death and now Kayne and this horrific marriage however; she had fallen in love with this monster. She knew there was nothing waiting for her if she left. Kayne gave her the power and money as Mrs. Malkin. She had parties every night shopped every day and pretended her life was amazing while missing her monster who was trying to stay away longer so he didn’t have to see how much he had ruined his love.
However, when he finally returned, he was surprised to find a different Laura. She was stronger and determine and she ignored him like he meant nothing to her and that completely pissed him off and made me so happy. Two can play the same game motherfucker. She had hired new help and one girl in particular she purposely had hired her to test Kayne’s trust and see how far he could go at being a monster. Sadly she found it too quick that he was a sick fucker and it was because he couldn’t control her like he always wanted to. He would bend her but would never break her as he wanted to. She became cold and a killer like him. I was so not expecting the ending, like WTF did just happen?!! Honestly, I was shocked but I understood why it had to happen and now I can’t wait for the next book because the weak crying Laura has died with her beast and now the new Laura Kayne Malkin is going to get revenge and I hope everyone pays.
"ARC kindly provided to me by Author L.C., in exchange for an honest review, Thank you so much"
Book Series Order:
Purchase links:
AMAZON US
AMAZON UK
NOOK
KOBO
For more reviews/reveals/giveaways visit:
AMAZON PURCHASE LINK:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00R...
4.5***Monster Stars
“Maybe I am a monster. But I’m your monster. I’ll fight for you. I’ll kill for you. You’re mine. Always. Wherever you go. I’ll find you. Always. There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for you.” Kayne
Kayne Malkin was 30 year old, cold blooded killer who worked for the Russian mob. He was tall, dark, and handsome. Peter Spencer had betrayed the mob and taken some important evidence with him, he just couldn’t handle the woman trafficking and had to get away from all of it. Peter knew the risk he was taking by leaving but he just couldn’t handle it. Therefore he left and had been running for over eight months. Kayne’s latest assignment was to find Peter’s only family, his sister Laura and get Peter’s location from her. When someone betrays the mob they pay with their life and there is no mercy.
Laura Spencer was 23 years old, living on her own with no friends or family other than her brother Peter. Even though she hadn’t seen him for a long time she knew he was on some sort of trouble. Peter would always write her postcards to keep in touch with her but she had to destroy it once she read them. It was the only thing she had from Peter that kept her waking up each morning. Her reality was that she did not have a social life other than work. She had couple of boyfriends that she ended relationships with before they got too serious because she was not able to have children and her past was too dark she didn’t want them to see who she really was. Her childhood left her traumatized grew up with no mother and her father would lock her in a dog cage days at a time as punishment if she didn’t obey. Peter would take some of the punishment and always get her out of the cage. She was traumatized and tried to live her life as normal as possible but she failed miserably. The only person who truly understood her was her brother Peter who at age 16 ran away and came back for her to save her from that miserable life her father had created. I loved Peter so much for it.
“Worse than the fear of the life awaiting her, it was the stab of knowing she was leaving nothing worthy behind that hurt the most” Laura
Kayne was all sorts of frustration, he had no feelings but somehow after watching Laura for two weeks and planning to bring her down to his organization for interrogation he saw something in her that he couldn’t stay away from. He wanted her for him; he wanted to make her his pet, his submissive to do as he pleased. He found out she was damaged and it pained him so. He wanted to help her and the only way he was able to do that was to take her in as a prisoner in his home. He knew that the mob wanted her for trafficking once she spilled where her brother was at and he wasn’t going to let that happened. Yes, he was annoying as hell like if she wouldn’t obey to what he said he would punish her. She was annoying too because she would cry a lot but the truth was she was scared of him having living in an abusing household made her brake easily.
He seduced her to trick her to get the brother’s location and he took care of his assignment which was to get the evidence peter had and kill him.
“He moved down her body, kissing every inch of her, taking her breast in his mouth and swirling his tongue around her nipple as she moaned in response. His fingers then dipped down her belly and touched her wetness as he continued to kiss and nip her firm soft breast….He brought his mouth to her slit, his tongue continuing the sweet torture his fingers had initiated….He licked his lips with delight, staring at her hungrily as he removed his jeans and then lay his body over hers.” Kayne
He promised her he wouldn’t kill him but regardless Peter died even if he didn’t do it himself. Peter knew it was the only way to save his sister and I was a sobbing mess around this. I couldn’t see straight after this chapter. When Laura found out she blamed Kayne and stayed away from him for a month. I didn’t blamed her, I hated him too. Gah…It’s paining me writing this right now, I feel like my chest is going to get out of my skin.
“Take care of her.” Peter
“You have my word.” Kayne
“But he did come back for me. He found me. He saved me…And I didn’t. I didn’t save him…I didn’t…” Laura
Kayne knew that she would never be able to trust him again and he understood but even after he completed his assignment he knew he couldn’t let her go. One, because he was a selfish motherfucker and in a sick way he somehow had fallen in love with her. Two, even if he let her walk away the mob would not want any kind of treat. They will still get rid of her and she will still have to die or worse put on their trafficking business. He wanted to save her so instead he married her. It was the saddest wedding ever. I wanted to punch and hit something. He got promoted a day after the wedding and left her for four weeks. She was already broken after childhood, her brother’s death and now Kayne and this horrific marriage however; she had fallen in love with this monster. She knew there was nothing waiting for her if she left. Kayne gave her the power and money as Mrs. Malkin. She had parties every night shopped every day and pretended her life was amazing while missing her monster who was trying to stay away longer so he didn’t have to see how much he had ruined his love.
“His Laura, he’s loved her with the ferocity of a mother and her defenseless babe. He’s loved her with the awe that brought you to your knees in the presence of the divine. With his entire wretched being, he’d loved her, as a man hopelessly loves a woman. She would never know, she would never hear this from him. This one regret burned him alive as his heart bled out”. Kayne
However, when he finally returned, he was surprised to find a different Laura. She was stronger and determine and she ignored him like he meant nothing to her and that completely pissed him off and made me so happy. Two can play the same game motherfucker. She had hired new help and one girl in particular she purposely had hired her to test Kayne’s trust and see how far he could go at being a monster. Sadly she found it too quick that he was a sick fucker and it was because he couldn’t control her like he always wanted to. He would bend her but would never break her as he wanted to. She became cold and a killer like him. I was so not expecting the ending, like WTF did just happen?!! Honestly, I was shocked but I understood why it had to happen and now I can’t wait for the next book because the weak crying Laura has died with her beast and now the new Laura Kayne Malkin is going to get revenge and I hope everyone pays.
“Mrs. Malkin would rise. Mrs. Kayne Malkin would meet her cursed life in her best attire, with her eyes dry and her hair perfectly set. She would understand the necessity to survive, to remain strong. Mrs. Kayne Malkin would devote the rest of her life to avenge her Master.” Laura
"ARC kindly provided to me by Author L.C., in exchange for an honest review, Thank you so much"
Book Series Order:
Purchase links:
AMAZON US
AMAZON UK
NOOK
KOBO
For more reviews/reveals/giveaways visit:
February 7, 2015
*****FOUR STARS*****
{ARC Generously Provided by Author in Exchange for an Honest Review}
"You think God can help you? No, Laura, God can't help you. I may be a monster, but I'm the only one who can help you right now."
I know I've said this several times, but honestly, I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed reading this one. Whenever I receive an ARC from an author I've not heard of before, I go in with trepidation. Well, I really liked this story and will definitely be reading the next book in the series.
Laura Spencer is a young woman in a world of trouble because her brother, Peter, has gotten himself mixed up with the Russian mob. He is on the run and now the mob has targeted Laura in hopes of finding her brother.
Kayne Malkin is second in command of the Russian mafia and he is the one with the mission to abduct Laura and get the whereabouts of her brother out of her. He is sinfully gorgeous and sexy. He uses his charm to lure Laura in. Poor Laura naively accepts a ride home from Kayne and her nightmare begins. He brings her to his mob headquarters where she is brutally tortured. Something about Laura, draws Kayne to her. So he ends up asking the main boss if he can keep her and in turn, he will find out where her brother is hiding.
It won't be easy getting the info since Laura's loyalty is unwavering to her older brother. He is all the family she has. They've been through a horrific childhood together and Peter always kept her safe. Until now.
I got that feeling of being a little disturbed, because I was developing a huge crush on Kayne. It reminded me of how I felt when I fell hard for Caleb, in the "Captive in the Dark" series. So this story is a little similar to that but Laura isn't sold into sex slavery and she is an adult.
I know some people had issues with her crying all the time. Honestly, if I was kidnapped, tortured, locked in a cell, and my only sibling's life was being threatened, I would be hysterically crying too.
Little by little, Laura starts to fall for Kayne. I'm not sure if it's the "Stockholm Syndrome" or the fact that Kayne is incredibly HOT and oozes sex appeal. Although he never admits it to Laura, Kayne is also falling for her too. I was frustrated with him by the halfway mark. He kept playing mind games. One minute he is making her panties melt, and the next he is a complete bastard. I was getting really tired of the women he kept bringing back home, and Laura always walking in on him getting "serviced". Although I do know why he was doing it, I still was hoping for some hearts & flowers romance for the two.
This definitely is not a sweep you off your feet romance. At times it is dark. It's definitely not the darkest of reads but it has it's moments.
I'm not sure how I feel about the ending. Kayne's actions seem very out of character. My hope is that he had a plan and that everything is not as it appears to be. I SERIOUSLY HOPE the author had a trick up her sleeve with that ending!!!
I'd like to thank L.C. Moon for offering me this book!!
I hope book 2 will be out soon because that was some cliffy!!
{ARC Generously Provided by Author in Exchange for an Honest Review}
"You think God can help you? No, Laura, God can't help you. I may be a monster, but I'm the only one who can help you right now."
I know I've said this several times, but honestly, I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed reading this one. Whenever I receive an ARC from an author I've not heard of before, I go in with trepidation. Well, I really liked this story and will definitely be reading the next book in the series.
Laura Spencer is a young woman in a world of trouble because her brother, Peter, has gotten himself mixed up with the Russian mob. He is on the run and now the mob has targeted Laura in hopes of finding her brother.
Kayne Malkin is second in command of the Russian mafia and he is the one with the mission to abduct Laura and get the whereabouts of her brother out of her. He is sinfully gorgeous and sexy. He uses his charm to lure Laura in. Poor Laura naively accepts a ride home from Kayne and her nightmare begins. He brings her to his mob headquarters where she is brutally tortured. Something about Laura, draws Kayne to her. So he ends up asking the main boss if he can keep her and in turn, he will find out where her brother is hiding.
It won't be easy getting the info since Laura's loyalty is unwavering to her older brother. He is all the family she has. They've been through a horrific childhood together and Peter always kept her safe. Until now.
I got that feeling of being a little disturbed, because I was developing a huge crush on Kayne. It reminded me of how I felt when I fell hard for Caleb, in the "Captive in the Dark" series. So this story is a little similar to that but Laura isn't sold into sex slavery and she is an adult.
I know some people had issues with her crying all the time. Honestly, if I was kidnapped, tortured, locked in a cell, and my only sibling's life was being threatened, I would be hysterically crying too.
Little by little, Laura starts to fall for Kayne. I'm not sure if it's the "Stockholm Syndrome" or the fact that Kayne is incredibly HOT and oozes sex appeal. Although he never admits it to Laura, Kayne is also falling for her too. I was frustrated with him by the halfway mark. He kept playing mind games. One minute he is making her panties melt, and the next he is a complete bastard. I was getting really tired of the women he kept bringing back home, and Laura always walking in on him getting "serviced". Although I do know why he was doing it, I still was hoping for some hearts & flowers romance for the two.
This definitely is not a sweep you off your feet romance. At times it is dark. It's definitely not the darkest of reads but it has it's moments.
I'm not sure how I feel about the ending. Kayne's actions seem very out of character. My hope is that he had a plan and that everything is not as it appears to be. I SERIOUSLY HOPE the author had a trick up her sleeve with that ending!!!
I'd like to thank L.C. Moon for offering me this book!!
I hope book 2 will be out soon because that was some cliffy!!
March 25, 2015
To say that this book f#cked with my emotions would be putting it lightly! With characters that I loved one minute then wanted to murder in the next... I actually don't know how I made it through this book. For the life of me I still don't think I have these characters figured out, they were in such constant turmoil I found it impossible!
"You think God can help you? No, Laura, God can't help you. I may be a monster but I'm the only one who can help you right now."
Let's start from the beginning. Laura is a recluse when she accepts an invitation to go out and have some fun with a friend, it really is out of the norm behaviour for her. But she goes and there she notices Kayne watching her, there's obviously something different about him. Unlike all the other men leering at her, she finds herself intrigued and attracted to him.
Let's move along swiftly to where the real story starts and Laura discovers that Kayne is not who he says he is. Kayne is part of The Organization, the Russian Mafia. His job was to bring her in for interrogation about her brother who happens to have stolen some very important information from them. Ultimately whether she gave the information they needed or not her life would be forfeit. So Kayne takes her in as unwilling guest in his home. Laura is given an insiders glimpse into the dark and sadistic life Kayne leads.
"Are you going to kill me?" she blurted, out, surprised at her own bluntness. He stared at her right in the eye, his voice betraying no emotion. "Only if you make me...But don't worry, I won't let you."
At first Laura is just a challenge for Kayne, one of the many women he will ultimately break. But as time goes by he finds himself feeling just a little more for her than just carnal lust. She feeds his darkest desires yet she also brings out the good that there is in him. If there is such a thing.
He wanted to get inside her head, to turn her against herself, to hear her utter the words Yes, Master. He wanted to break her apart so he could put her back together again, over and over again.
Kayne and Laura's relationship was a constant tug of war. With Laura trying to resist her inevitable submission to Kayne's seduction. She tried fighting that side of her that enjoyed being at his mercy by using the side of her that realised the entire situation was just plain wrong.
So I've read my fair share of Dark books, but there are situations that aren't necessarily dark but they are my hard limit. So saying this book took me out of my element is pretty accurate. I never thought I'd see the day where I understood why Kayne did some of the things he did. I don't want to spoil but I have to put it out there.
I'll fight for you. I'll kill for you. You're mine. Always. Wherever you go. I'll find you. Always. There's nothing I wouldn't do for you."
I will say that this is not a normal romance... Of course. But it's also not dark in the way you might expect. It's more of an emotional beating like someone pounding your feels with a hammer. There is angst, scads of it. Don't expect a conventional ending.
The more he took from her, the more power she held over him. His little white lamb, who willingly penetrated the lion's den, for him. He would slaughter them all for her, would paint the world read and lay it's carcass at her feet.
ARC kindly provided by author in return for an honest review
December 11, 2014
4.5 not your typical bedtime story stars
This bedtime story is for the wicked and the strong, it's for people who have an open mind and are unafraid ...
Laura was lured into a false sense of fantasy, where flirtations with a handsome stranger were all but an illusion and the nightmare that followed was to be her reality. Forced to trade her mundane life with that of a horror story; how can she be surrounded by such beautiful things and be expected to live when the man behind it all is not one to trust. Three rules will ensure her survival, but is it asking too much ???
Alone in the world with everything to fear and nothing to lose, taken and stashed away by her captor, Kayne who is nothing more than a Monster.
Her innocence is challenged with dark fantasies and possibilities. Faced with the uglier side of life, will she let it suffocate and drown her or will she rise to the occasion. In 151 days her world will crumble and will be rebuilt; full of hate and vengeance.
A Bedtime Story is a debut novel, one you wouldn't think seeing how well it was written and the emotion it managed to pull out of you. It may seem like a another captive read, but it is so much more. Nothing was predictable; the journey, the depth of the characters and the reading experience. I can't even compare this to anything I have read yet, between the jaw-dropping moments, to the wishful thinking of hope and to the sadness that overwhelmed me.
I went through the motions, going from disliking the main characters to me gaining an understanding of them to sympathize enough to like them. I tend to romanticize everything in my head, and similar to another book I recently read, I found myself doing what the heroine did 'Seeking refuge in fantasy from a world she wasn't armed to face.' There were a few hot issues in this story that I tend to stay away from, but it's not something I would lower my rating for, because for this book to have the most impact it was all necessary to the overall storyline. In my head, it was almost like dark-twisted take on Beauty and the Beast, where she is given a better life trapped with a Monster that she could ever have alone and instead of a Beast we have a Handsome Monster, who keeps his beast just below the surface.
While there was some sense of ending, it is far from being done, there is so much to look forward too and I can't wait to read where this bedtime story will take us. Awesome read, recommended for those adventurous to try something different. Thanks to my dear friend Donna for sharing this dark gem with me.
ARC kindly provided by the author, in exchange for an honest review .
***Quotes above are taken from the ARC version of the book and may differ upon publication.
Video teaser: thebtsproject.com/song-and-video/vide...
Not all fairy tales were meant to end well.
This bedtime story is for the wicked and the strong, it's for people who have an open mind and are unafraid ...
The Monster and his captive...
Laura was lured into a false sense of fantasy, where flirtations with a handsome stranger were all but an illusion and the nightmare that followed was to be her reality. Forced to trade her mundane life with that of a horror story; how can she be surrounded by such beautiful things and be expected to live when the man behind it all is not one to trust. Three rules will ensure her survival, but is it asking too much ???
Never lie to me. Never disobey me. Neverdisrespect me.
Alone in the world with everything to fear and nothing to lose, taken and stashed away by her captor, Kayne who is nothing more than a Monster.
He wanted to get inside her head, to turn her against herself, to hear her utter the words yes, Master. He wanted to break her apart so he could put her back together again, over and over again.
Her innocence is challenged with dark fantasies and possibilities. Faced with the uglier side of life, will she let it suffocate and drown her or will she rise to the occasion. In 151 days her world will crumble and will be rebuilt; full of hate and vengeance.
A Bedtime Story is a debut novel, one you wouldn't think seeing how well it was written and the emotion it managed to pull out of you. It may seem like a another captive read, but it is so much more. Nothing was predictable; the journey, the depth of the characters and the reading experience. I can't even compare this to anything I have read yet, between the jaw-dropping moments, to the wishful thinking of hope and to the sadness that overwhelmed me.
I went through the motions, going from disliking the main characters to me gaining an understanding of them to sympathize enough to like them. I tend to romanticize everything in my head, and similar to another book I recently read, I found myself doing what the heroine did 'Seeking refuge in fantasy from a world she wasn't armed to face.' There were a few hot issues in this story that I tend to stay away from, but it's not something I would lower my rating for, because for this book to have the most impact it was all necessary to the overall storyline. In my head, it was almost like dark-twisted take on Beauty and the Beast, where she is given a better life trapped with a Monster that she could ever have alone and instead of a Beast we have a Handsome Monster, who keeps his beast just below the surface.
While there was some sense of ending, it is far from being done, there is so much to look forward too and I can't wait to read where this bedtime story will take us. Awesome read, recommended for those adventurous to try something different. Thanks to my dear friend Donna for sharing this dark gem with me.
ARC kindly provided by the author, in exchange for an honest review .
***Quotes above are taken from the ARC version of the book and may differ upon publication.
Video teaser: thebtsproject.com/song-and-video/vide...
Shelved as 'on-pause'
February 12, 2024On pause...
Many thanks to L.C. Moon for reaching out to give me the opportunity to read her book in exchange for an honest review! Looking forward to diving into this ARC! ⋆⭒˚｡⋆ ♥︎
Here we go! 💜
Many thanks to L.C. Moon for reaching out to give me the opportunity to read her book in exchange for an honest review! Looking forward to diving into this ARC! ⋆⭒˚｡⋆ ♥︎
November 24, 2023
2.5 stars rounded up, full Review on my blog!
I struggled to read this, and I had to force myself to continue. While I did enjoy parts of this book and I loved the idea of it, it was predictable though.
The writing was easy yet descriptive. The story was not particularly exciting, as I've read many similar plots in the past.
The story is broken up into the days corresponding to how long Laura has been held captive by Kayne at his personal estate, and alternates between both of their POVs, which is something I really liked.
I didn't really like Laura she was annoying and a little too complacent — there was little to no interrogation to aid in the whereabouts of her brother, and she hardly ever questioned the situation she was put into, she kind of just accepted things
Kayne is a high-ranking member of the mafia. They’ve had their eyes on Laura and are using her to get to her brother, Peter, who is a drug-using fugitive and has stolen information from them. Kayne and her brother, are really friendly with each other, and Kayne just so happened to know where Peter actually was... somehow, it really wasn't explained the best tbh. And then they had a chat, a heart-to-heart almost. Essentially, Peter knew why Kayne was there, to 'kill' him... but on Peter's terms,
Which was super predictable, mind you, this all happened BEFORE the 50% mark in the book. So at that point, I felt like it was over, what more could there be?
I did enjoy the smut. But I don't think their 'romance' was good, it was more like Kayne gaslighting her into loving him, especially after the whole brother situation, Kayne is the 'only' one left in her life so she kind of clings onto that.
The ending was really sad, yet felt rushed and chaotic.
Overall, I didn't necessarily think this was BAD, I just feel like it could have maybe been executed better; like it was missing something.
Thank you, L.C. Moon, for reaching out and sending me an ARC
_________________________________
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I struggled to read this, and I had to force myself to continue. While I did enjoy parts of this book and I loved the idea of it, it was predictable though.
The writing was easy yet descriptive. The story was not particularly exciting, as I've read many similar plots in the past.
The story is broken up into the days corresponding to how long Laura has been held captive by Kayne at his personal estate, and alternates between both of their POVs, which is something I really liked.
I didn't really like Laura she was annoying and a little too complacent — there was little to no interrogation to aid in the whereabouts of her brother, and she hardly ever questioned the situation she was put into, she kind of just accepted things
Kayne is a high-ranking member of the mafia. They’ve had their eyes on Laura and are using her to get to her brother, Peter, who is a drug-using fugitive and has stolen information from them. Kayne and her brother, are really friendly with each other, and Kayne just so happened to know where Peter actually was... somehow, it really wasn't explained the best tbh. And then they had a chat, a heart-to-heart almost. Essentially, Peter knew why Kayne was there, to 'kill' him... but on Peter's terms,
Which was super predictable, mind you, this all happened BEFORE the 50% mark in the book. So at that point, I felt like it was over, what more could there be?
I did enjoy the smut. But I don't think their 'romance' was good, it was more like Kayne gaslighting her into loving him, especially after the whole brother situation, Kayne is the 'only' one left in her life so she kind of clings onto that.
The ending was really sad, yet felt rushed and chaotic.
Overall, I didn't necessarily think this was BAD, I just feel like it could have maybe been executed better; like it was missing something.
Thank you, L.C. Moon, for reaching out and sending me an ARC
_________________________________
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April 29, 2024
✨Firstly, thank you to L.C. Moon for entrusting me to read her book in exchange for an honest review.✨
I was hoping I'd love this book so much but unfortunately this just wasn't for me.
The first in a trilogy of a dark mafia novel, A Bedtime Story finds Laura imprisoned by Kayne because her brother has gone missing and he and his associates need to know where he is.
If I'm being honest, I really struggled to read this book, I had to push hard to finish the story, I was disconnected from the characters and the plot, this felt really messy to me.
The start felt promising and had momentum, tension and character development but it quickly plateaued and became extremely predictable before the 20% mark for me.
The book was easy to read, the writing was enjoyable because it was descriptive enough, I felt the concept was okay (I didn't love it but it was okay), it had a dual POV which I loved about it.
I love dark, twisted & smutty books, there were parts of the books that I enjoyed in terms of those but overall this unfortunately fell short for me.
This plot just felt too predictable and unfortunately felt weak, it didn't feel like it was executed well.
The ending felt rushed and didn't make any sense to me if I'm being honest.
As much as I hoped I would, I couldn't for the life of me connect with Kanye or Laura.
Laura was an extremely wimpy character & was way too complacent for my liking.
Kanye wasn't a morally grey character to me at all, he just felt like a complete prick, I really didn't have much care for either one of those 2.
I really wanted to love this and was hoping I'd feel differently towards it, but this just wasn't my cup of tea and that's okay.
I was hoping I'd love this book so much but unfortunately this just wasn't for me.
The first in a trilogy of a dark mafia novel, A Bedtime Story finds Laura imprisoned by Kayne because her brother has gone missing and he and his associates need to know where he is.
If I'm being honest, I really struggled to read this book, I had to push hard to finish the story, I was disconnected from the characters and the plot, this felt really messy to me.
The start felt promising and had momentum, tension and character development but it quickly plateaued and became extremely predictable before the 20% mark for me.
The book was easy to read, the writing was enjoyable because it was descriptive enough, I felt the concept was okay (I didn't love it but it was okay), it had a dual POV which I loved about it.
I love dark, twisted & smutty books, there were parts of the books that I enjoyed in terms of those but overall this unfortunately fell short for me.
This plot just felt too predictable and unfortunately felt weak, it didn't feel like it was executed well.
The ending felt rushed and didn't make any sense to me if I'm being honest.
As much as I hoped I would, I couldn't for the life of me connect with Kanye or Laura.
Laura was an extremely wimpy character & was way too complacent for my liking.
Kanye wasn't a morally grey character to me at all, he just felt like a complete prick, I really didn't have much care for either one of those 2.
I really wanted to love this and was hoping I'd feel differently towards it, but this just wasn't my cup of tea and that's okay.
May 8, 2015
4 MONSTER STARS
This was certainly no bedtime story. This debut novel by L.C. Moon captured me almost from the beginning with this spellbinding and tumultuous tale. It still has me contemplating it.
I love captor/captive stories. I really can’t explain it because I’m not for all that it involves but I can’t resist…I’ve been total Stockholm Syndrome for some captors and in other books, downright lethal in wanting to kill the bastard.
This tale has been done before yet, it was so well written with this haunting darkness cloaking the story, the plot was perfectly mapped out and the character development was really well done and mesmerizing in see the MCs navigate each other.
I was a wreck reading this...
and still have no clue where I stand with Kayne Malkin, the captor/monster. At times I wanted to kill him with my bare hands and at other times, I felt “something” for him.
I went through the same turmoil with Laura Spencer, his captive. Laura was innocent but not naïve. Despite being in her early twenties, she’d lived and seen the darkness and had even gone to some pretty great lengths in her short life. She also has this insane tendency to welcome trouble.
“She had opened Pandora’s box and now faced the evil she had unleashed.”
Of course, Kayne was dangerous and darkness but he was also strong, good-looking and exuded power...
Kayne was used to taking women and making them his whores to do with as he wished and then discarded them without a second thought. Of course, Laura was different.
She wasn’t a whore and with him inadvertently saving her, he feels responsible for her and this eventually grows into more. But despite his feelings for Laura, Kayne is a monster. He has the beast and darkness in him.
“He wanted to break her apart so he could put her back together again, over and over again.”
“Maybe I am a monster. But I’m your monster. I’ll fight for you. I’ll kill for you. You’re mine. Always. Wherever you go. I’ll find you. Always. There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for you.”
And through this story, Laura is pushed and tested and brought to the brink time and time again. She was interesting in that I had my moments of wanting to shake her silly or scream at her but I also admired her because she was strong and she didn't shy away...
even when it would have been the smarter move.
This was no romance but there are moments of tenderness...
There was one aspect that had my heart in my throat and my stomach in knots A LOT.
This I could not get passed but it wasn’t a dealer break in me liking the story because there is a lot going on. And it added to the tension and angst.
This ends with a cliffhanger, of course. I usually have an idea to direction but I didn’t see it coming. I was surprised and I'm also still a bit unsure as to how I feel about it...
I would recommend this book. If you like a riveting dark read, BDSM, can handle some violence and are open to explore the depravity of humanity, this will have you glued to your seat.
This is part one of a three part series. I’m really interested in knowing where this goes.
Guest reviewer for SlutSistas Book Blog. For more reviews and blog posts.
This was certainly no bedtime story. This debut novel by L.C. Moon captured me almost from the beginning with this spellbinding and tumultuous tale. It still has me contemplating it.
I love captor/captive stories. I really can’t explain it because I’m not for all that it involves but I can’t resist…I’ve been total Stockholm Syndrome for some captors and in other books, downright lethal in wanting to kill the bastard.
This tale has been done before yet, it was so well written with this haunting darkness cloaking the story, the plot was perfectly mapped out and the character development was really well done and mesmerizing in see the MCs navigate each other.
I was a wreck reading this...
and still have no clue where I stand with Kayne Malkin, the captor/monster. At times I wanted to kill him with my bare hands and at other times, I felt “something” for him.
I went through the same turmoil with Laura Spencer, his captive. Laura was innocent but not naïve. Despite being in her early twenties, she’d lived and seen the darkness and had even gone to some pretty great lengths in her short life. She also has this insane tendency to welcome trouble.
“She had opened Pandora’s box and now faced the evil she had unleashed.”
Of course, Kayne was dangerous and darkness but he was also strong, good-looking and exuded power...
Kayne was used to taking women and making them his whores to do with as he wished and then discarded them without a second thought. Of course, Laura was different.
She wasn’t a whore and with him inadvertently saving her, he feels responsible for her and this eventually grows into more. But despite his feelings for Laura, Kayne is a monster. He has the beast and darkness in him.
“He wanted to break her apart so he could put her back together again, over and over again.”
“Maybe I am a monster. But I’m your monster. I’ll fight for you. I’ll kill for you. You’re mine. Always. Wherever you go. I’ll find you. Always. There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for you.”
And through this story, Laura is pushed and tested and brought to the brink time and time again. She was interesting in that I had my moments of wanting to shake her silly or scream at her but I also admired her because she was strong and she didn't shy away...
even when it would have been the smarter move.
This was no romance but there are moments of tenderness...
There was one aspect that had my heart in my throat and my stomach in knots A LOT.
This I could not get passed but it wasn’t a dealer break in me liking the story because there is a lot going on. And it added to the tension and angst.
This ends with a cliffhanger, of course. I usually have an idea to direction but I didn’t see it coming. I was surprised and I'm also still a bit unsure as to how I feel about it...
I would recommend this book. If you like a riveting dark read, BDSM, can handle some violence and are open to explore the depravity of humanity, this will have you glued to your seat.
This is part one of a three part series. I’m really interested in knowing where this goes.
Guest reviewer for SlutSistas Book Blog. For more reviews and blog posts.
April 18, 2015
4 DARK STARS
"For as long as I'm your Monster,
I will always find you."
First of all I would like to say how happy I was when the author contacted me, asking if I would like to read this book!!I really enjoyed it!It was a unique,brilliant,twisted,dark story!I was totally captivated with the story!I'm not the biggest fan of Dark stories but this one was fantastic!! I loved L.C. Moon's writing and I'm waiting to read more from her!!
Can you imagine that one night in a club can change your life???This is what happened in Laura who was out with a friend when she saw a mysterious man watching her.She finds herself intrigued to him.But this man wasn't exactly what she expected. Kayne is part of The Organization, the Russian Mafia and his job is to take information from Laura about her brother who stole something from the Organization!Kayne decide to take her in his home unwillingly!And this is were the dark parts of the story begins..
I loved being in Kayne's mind because I wanted to know him!There were moments I didn't like how he treat her sometimes but he was also protective!I loved Laura because at the beginning she starts as a week heroine but through the book she changes for the best!She is so sweet!!I loved their relationship which was compelling and fascinate me a lot!!
The ending really surprised me because I didn't see that coming!!I do not want to give away anything else, because I think what I said is enough to make you read it!!This is such a great book for people that like dark books!But if you are not one of them...then now is your chance to read your first!!!
ARC kindly provided by author in return for an honest review
"For as long as I'm your Monster,
I will always find you."
First of all I would like to say how happy I was when the author contacted me, asking if I would like to read this book!!I really enjoyed it!It was a unique,brilliant,twisted,dark story!I was totally captivated with the story!I'm not the biggest fan of Dark stories but this one was fantastic!! I loved L.C. Moon's writing and I'm waiting to read more from her!!
Can you imagine that one night in a club can change your life???This is what happened in Laura who was out with a friend when she saw a mysterious man watching her.She finds herself intrigued to him.But this man wasn't exactly what she expected. Kayne is part of The Organization, the Russian Mafia and his job is to take information from Laura about her brother who stole something from the Organization!Kayne decide to take her in his home unwillingly!And this is were the dark parts of the story begins..
I loved being in Kayne's mind because I wanted to know him!There were moments I didn't like how he treat her sometimes but he was also protective!I loved Laura because at the beginning she starts as a week heroine but through the book she changes for the best!She is so sweet!!I loved their relationship which was compelling and fascinate me a lot!!
The ending really surprised me because I didn't see that coming!!I do not want to give away anything else, because I think what I said is enough to make you read it!!This is such a great book for people that like dark books!But if you are not one of them...then now is your chance to read your first!!!
ARC kindly provided by author in return for an honest review
December 20, 2015
3.5 Monstreous stars
Laura's life changes one night and she will never be the same. Her brother has problems with the dark parts of the city and she is the way to get through him. This is where Kanye steps in, taking her in his home as a captive. He just has three rules for her to follow as long as she lives there.
Kayne thinks that Laura is a submissive character, but Laura doesn't always seem to follow these rules and things get tricky for her, especially when she has a haunting past to remind her that.
The two of them slowly come close, there will be unexplained actions and emotions, a posessive dangerous man, a scared, but challenging captive. Time is going to make this strange relationship between them evolve, but many things are going to happen in this time and our characters will never be the same after those events..
Laura was a character that really confused me. She was strong but she was also weak. She was stupid, but she was also smart. I couldn't understand how could she beg him, when he treated her like that? How could she feel things for him when he imprisoned her, threatened her, abused her and her brother's life was endangered because of him? I know, there were moments that made her fall for him and I get that. But there was a moment that really made me blink for her sanity.
Kayne was a cold hearted bastard. I can't say I'm a big fan of him, but I also understood him, felt for him, because I could see his inner struggle. We can see that when he compared himself to a wolf and a domesticated dog that wanted to just be with her, but the wolf would bare his teeth to the dog and he would become his usual cruel self. He couldn't be vulnerable and if he became a softie because of her he would lose everything. It was how he was raised to be. So I can understand the reasons that made him act that way, but on the other hand it doesn't mean I enjoyed him treating her like that. Specifically, I didn't like the It was one of the things that really bothered me and even though I could excuse him when he had to do this, I couldn't stomach when he did it just because.
That being said, I'm not sure what to feel about this hero. I liked him, but I also didn't. He was one of the asshole heros we hate to love and love to hate. I loved that there was character development on both parts, mostly on the heroine. The last part of the book and the ending was quite shocking, but somehow I'm laying all my hopes on a crow. I'm looking forward to reading the following book to see her in action, after the last events of the book.
This was a book that gave me so many emotions. I was overwhelmed when I finished reading it. I was angry, sad, but also pleased. This is hard for me to rate, because I honestly enjoyed reading this book, but I can't say I loved reading specific parts,plus a few pet peeves of mine made me lower my rating. I'm certain that I'm going to love the next book even more though and I would still recommend this book for friends who enjoy dark reads.
Copy was kindly provided by L.C. Moon in exchange for an honest review.
Laura's life changes one night and she will never be the same. Her brother has problems with the dark parts of the city and she is the way to get through him. This is where Kanye steps in, taking her in his home as a captive. He just has three rules for her to follow as long as she lives there.
"Never lie to me. Never disobey me. Never disrespect me."
Kayne thinks that Laura is a submissive character, but Laura doesn't always seem to follow these rules and things get tricky for her, especially when she has a haunting past to remind her that.
The two of them slowly come close, there will be unexplained actions and emotions, a posessive dangerous man, a scared, but challenging captive. Time is going to make this strange relationship between them evolve, but many things are going to happen in this time and our characters will never be the same after those events..
The more he took from her, the more power she held over him. His little lamb, who willingly penetrated the lion's den, for him. He would slaughter them all for her, would paint the world red and lay its carcass at her feet.
Laura was a character that really confused me. She was strong but she was also weak. She was stupid, but she was also smart. I couldn't understand how could she beg him, when he treated her like that? How could she feel things for him when he imprisoned her, threatened her, abused her and her brother's life was endangered because of him? I know, there were moments that made her fall for him and I get that. But there was a moment that really made me blink for her sanity.
Kayne was a cold hearted bastard. I can't say I'm a big fan of him, but I also understood him, felt for him, because I could see his inner struggle. We can see that when he compared himself to a wolf and a domesticated dog that wanted to just be with her, but the wolf would bare his teeth to the dog and he would become his usual cruel self. He couldn't be vulnerable and if he became a softie because of her he would lose everything. It was how he was raised to be. So I can understand the reasons that made him act that way, but on the other hand it doesn't mean I enjoyed him treating her like that. Specifically, I didn't like the It was one of the things that really bothered me and even though I could excuse him when he had to do this, I couldn't stomach when he did it just because.
That being said, I'm not sure what to feel about this hero. I liked him, but I also didn't. He was one of the asshole heros we hate to love and love to hate. I loved that there was character development on both parts, mostly on the heroine. The last part of the book and the ending was quite shocking, but somehow I'm laying all my hopes on a crow. I'm looking forward to reading the following book to see her in action, after the last events of the book.
This was a book that gave me so many emotions. I was overwhelmed when I finished reading it. I was angry, sad, but also pleased. This is hard for me to rate, because I honestly enjoyed reading this book, but I can't say I loved reading specific parts,plus a few pet peeves of mine made me lower my rating. I'm certain that I'm going to love the next book even more though and I would still recommend this book for friends who enjoy dark reads.
Copy was kindly provided by L.C. Moon in exchange for an honest review.
November 12, 2023
4 stars 💫
So many thanks to L.C. Moon for reaching out and offering me this book in advance!! I genuinely had so much fun reading this and so much fun talking to you about it!
Ok, so this book is WAYY out of my zone. I usually never read erotica, so this was a first for me.
Let’s start with the writing.
I could rave about this for hours on end. L.C. Moon’s ability to capture the very feeling of foreboding and foreshadowing is so incredibly impressive. This is definitely a spooky season curl up in your bed type of read, and her descriptions of the environment and the characters was beautiful. I could see Kayne’s looming mansion, the horrible parties they attended, and Laura’s gorgeous dresses, the whole atmosphere of the book was done so well. I absolutely adored the writing style and it kept me reading for sure.
I was very skeptical of the third-person narrative which kept switching POV’s in the middle of a chapter. However, as I continued to read, I began to enjoy the depth in which it provided, and it was interesting to see the inner dialogue of all the characters, not just the main ones.
The characters.
Laura Spencer. I have to admit, I was not a fan of our main character at first. There were times where the utter timidness of this girl drove me insane, but I’m not sure I could judge because obviously who knows what I would truly act like in her situation. But OMGG that character development was CRAZY GOOD. She went from begging and pleading for her life to this (minor spoilers):
“Geneviève, sweetheart. Would you kindly get off my husband's dick? I would like a word."
Considering her horribly tragic backstory and the trauma she endured over the course of the book, I’m in awe of her strength.
Kayne Malkin. I’m going to be so real with you guys rn: I’m not in ENTIRELY in love with him 😭 Yes, he could be sweet and hot 🤭 BUT in my opinion, I wouldn’t be able to entirely overlook that toxicity. I could see sososo many people folding for this man though (Ex: “Good girl. 🥵”), and I def did at some points in the book. But then I would get major whiplash the next second when he did some terrible thing to Laura. It is forewarned as a twisted love story, so that could just be me unprepared lol. The speeches where he proclaimed this:
I’m kind of down bad for men that would kill for their women, soooo that’s a green flag in my book 🤫 I cannot deny Kayne Malkin is one FINE man.
Sidenote- there was not way I couldn’t NOT mention my girl Tanya Malone in this review!! We’re name twins 😍 Maybe it’s the red hair, but she was giving me major Jessica Rabbit vibes
Also, I might be biased, but I love her violent, petty, and evil demeanor, and overall my fav character 💖
And an honorable mention to my bae Lucas 🫶 he wasn’t super significant in this book, but I’m hoping those were hints in the end that he’ll be bigger in the next books to come (👀 looking at you, L.C.!)
Kayne and Laura. Okay, seeing them slowly fall for each other was cute. Over the course of the book, their affection grew deeper, and you could really see that even in their thoughts. I can’t say too much about them without having spoiler flags everywhere, but I think if you go into this book knowing too much it won’t be as good as an experience. All you need to know is keep reading ;)
I saved the worst for last. The ending. IT WAS A CLIFFHANGER. LYNNNN MY GIRLLL HOW COULD U. My emotions were all over the place near the last few chapters. Istg I re-read the page where That was absolutely insane, omg, I am STILL in shock.
In conclusion, I NEED THE NEXT BOOK ASAP 🙏
Thanks again to L.C., and jsyk, this book is now available to pre-order! What are you waiting for??
A little reminder that this book is not for everyone and def check the trigger warnings before reading! There were a few moments where the BDSM and degradation were a little 'ehhh' for me.
pre-review:
i have so many thoughts! rtc.
thank you so much to L.C. Moon for granting me this ARC!! can't wait to start reading, seems like the perfect fall read 🤭🍂
So many thanks to L.C. Moon for reaching out and offering me this book in advance!! I genuinely had so much fun reading this and so much fun talking to you about it!
Ok, so this book is WAYY out of my zone. I usually never read erotica, so this was a first for me.
Let’s start with the writing.
I could rave about this for hours on end. L.C. Moon’s ability to capture the very feeling of foreboding and foreshadowing is so incredibly impressive. This is definitely a spooky season curl up in your bed type of read, and her descriptions of the environment and the characters was beautiful. I could see Kayne’s looming mansion, the horrible parties they attended, and Laura’s gorgeous dresses, the whole atmosphere of the book was done so well. I absolutely adored the writing style and it kept me reading for sure.
I was very skeptical of the third-person narrative which kept switching POV’s in the middle of a chapter. However, as I continued to read, I began to enjoy the depth in which it provided, and it was interesting to see the inner dialogue of all the characters, not just the main ones.
The characters.
Laura Spencer. I have to admit, I was not a fan of our main character at first. There were times where the utter timidness of this girl drove me insane, but I’m not sure I could judge because obviously who knows what I would truly act like in her situation. But OMGG that character development was CRAZY GOOD. She went from begging and pleading for her life to this (minor spoilers):
“Geneviève, sweetheart. Would you kindly get off my husband's dick? I would like a word."
Considering her horribly tragic backstory and the trauma she endured over the course of the book, I’m in awe of her strength.
Kayne Malkin. I’m going to be so real with you guys rn: I’m not in ENTIRELY in love with him 😭 Yes, he could be sweet and hot 🤭 BUT in my opinion, I wouldn’t be able to entirely overlook that toxicity. I could see sososo many people folding for this man though (Ex: “Good girl. 🥵”), and I def did at some points in the book. But then I would get major whiplash the next second when he did some terrible thing to Laura. It is forewarned as a twisted love story, so that could just be me unprepared lol. The speeches where he proclaimed this:
I’m kind of down bad for men that would kill for their women, soooo that’s a green flag in my book 🤫 I cannot deny Kayne Malkin is one FINE man.
Sidenote- there was not way I couldn’t NOT mention my girl Tanya Malone in this review!! We’re name twins 😍 Maybe it’s the red hair, but she was giving me major Jessica Rabbit vibes
Also, I might be biased, but I love her violent, petty, and evil demeanor, and overall my fav character 💖
And an honorable mention to my bae Lucas 🫶 he wasn’t super significant in this book, but I’m hoping those were hints in the end that he’ll be bigger in the next books to come (👀 looking at you, L.C.!)
Kayne and Laura. Okay, seeing them slowly fall for each other was cute. Over the course of the book, their affection grew deeper, and you could really see that even in their thoughts. I can’t say too much about them without having spoiler flags everywhere, but I think if you go into this book knowing too much it won’t be as good as an experience. All you need to know is keep reading ;)
I saved the worst for last. The ending. IT WAS A CLIFFHANGER. LYNNNN MY GIRLLL HOW COULD U. My emotions were all over the place near the last few chapters. Istg I re-read the page where That was absolutely insane, omg, I am STILL in shock.
In conclusion, I NEED THE NEXT BOOK ASAP 🙏
Thanks again to L.C., and jsyk, this book is now available to pre-order! What are you waiting for??
A little reminder that this book is not for everyone and def check the trigger warnings before reading! There were a few moments where the BDSM and degradation were a little 'ehhh' for me.
pre-review:
i have so many thoughts! rtc.
thank you so much to L.C. Moon for granting me this ARC!! can't wait to start reading, seems like the perfect fall read 🤭🍂
January 21, 2015
***3.5 Toxic Stars***
(Book provided by author in exchange for an honest review)
Laura Spencer lives a very simple life, she doesn't have any friends and her only living relative is her beloved brother Peter; the one person who's always loved her and protected her from a very dark childhood. Her brother is a drug addict and his addiction has made him make a grave mistake and now he's become a fugitive. The bad guys looking for Peter had found Laura instead and decided to kidnap her in order to get to him. Kayne Malkin is a cold blooded man, he grew up in a life of Mafia and followed his father's footsteps into the organize crime world. He's kidnapped Laura trying to get information about her brother's whereabouts, but there's something about her that stirs unknown feelings in him . From the moment Kayne kidnaps Laura he battles between the need to protect and break her; he enjoys knowing that she's terrified of him.
Laura has been taken to a world where cruelty has no boundaries, sex and brutality are always lingering around the halls of the beautiful mansion where she's being held captive. She's struggles trying to understand how the monster who took her can take her from terror to lust in the same breath. Laura and Kayne develop a toxic relationship; they both know is a dangerous thing playing with fire but neither can't help but crave the burn and the sweet agony their love represents. Kayne knows Laura deserves better and he wants to give her everything but he's also a selfish bastard so he can't find it in him to let her go. This strange situation will put Kayne in hot waters with the organization, he needs to find a way to keep her and protect her from those closest to him.
I've been craving a dark read for a while and so I dove right into this this one hoping it be it, unfortunately it didn't hit the spot and here's why: One, the writing style was very confusing to follow, the multiple pov's made it hard to understand and I had to re-read lines several times to really grasp what was happening. Two, and this is my personal taste, I hate weak and whiny heroines in a book; Laura got on my nerves from very early on, she hated Kayne but loved him, wanted to sleep with him but then would change her mind, she wanted to kiss him then to hurt him, you get my drift. I understood her struggle but c'mon it got old and repetitive really quick. Almost every decision she made she would change her mind within seconds and it drove me crazy.
Unlike other people I have to say I loved the ending, I loved how unexpected and twisted it was, I must say that the last 20% of the book was my favorite. For the majority of the story I kept thinking that this read was definitely not for me but on the last part it unexpectedly grabbed my attention, so much that left me craving for more. I really hope Laura gets her chance to shine and get revenge from those who wronged her, I hope that the darkness she's experienced will give her the edge she needs and take her from victim to victorious.
My BTS music playlist:
*Ultraviolence by Lana Del Rey
*All I Need by Within Temptation
*Fast As You Can by Fiona Apple
*Hostage by Sia
(Book provided by author in exchange for an honest review)
Laura Spencer lives a very simple life, she doesn't have any friends and her only living relative is her beloved brother Peter; the one person who's always loved her and protected her from a very dark childhood. Her brother is a drug addict and his addiction has made him make a grave mistake and now he's become a fugitive. The bad guys looking for Peter had found Laura instead and decided to kidnap her in order to get to him. Kayne Malkin is a cold blooded man, he grew up in a life of Mafia and followed his father's footsteps into the organize crime world. He's kidnapped Laura trying to get information about her brother's whereabouts, but there's something about her that stirs unknown feelings in him . From the moment Kayne kidnaps Laura he battles between the need to protect and break her; he enjoys knowing that she's terrified of him.
Laura has been taken to a world where cruelty has no boundaries, sex and brutality are always lingering around the halls of the beautiful mansion where she's being held captive. She's struggles trying to understand how the monster who took her can take her from terror to lust in the same breath. Laura and Kayne develop a toxic relationship; they both know is a dangerous thing playing with fire but neither can't help but crave the burn and the sweet agony their love represents. Kayne knows Laura deserves better and he wants to give her everything but he's also a selfish bastard so he can't find it in him to let her go. This strange situation will put Kayne in hot waters with the organization, he needs to find a way to keep her and protect her from those closest to him.
I've been craving a dark read for a while and so I dove right into this this one hoping it be it, unfortunately it didn't hit the spot and here's why: One, the writing style was very confusing to follow, the multiple pov's made it hard to understand and I had to re-read lines several times to really grasp what was happening. Two, and this is my personal taste, I hate weak and whiny heroines in a book; Laura got on my nerves from very early on, she hated Kayne but loved him, wanted to sleep with him but then would change her mind, she wanted to kiss him then to hurt him, you get my drift. I understood her struggle but c'mon it got old and repetitive really quick. Almost every decision she made she would change her mind within seconds and it drove me crazy.
Unlike other people I have to say I loved the ending, I loved how unexpected and twisted it was, I must say that the last 20% of the book was my favorite. For the majority of the story I kept thinking that this read was definitely not for me but on the last part it unexpectedly grabbed my attention, so much that left me craving for more. I really hope Laura gets her chance to shine and get revenge from those who wronged her, I hope that the darkness she's experienced will give her the edge she needs and take her from victim to victorious.
My BTS music playlist:
*Ultraviolence by Lana Del Rey
*All I Need by Within Temptation
*Fast As You Can by Fiona Apple
*Hostage by Sia
November 13, 2023
“In a perverse way, she thought, weren’t they perfect for each other? Who else but her Monster could truly understand her broken soul, meet her in her madness, find her in the depth of her despair, and somehow alleviate her from it all?
“Don’t you realize how easily I can crush you? Why do you come back to me?”
“Because you’ve seen my darkness and stayed. Sometimes, that’s all you need. Someone who can understand your pain. Even if it is the Big Bad Wolf.””
Twisted and beautifully constructed, A Bedtime Story (Beauty Meets the Beast) by L.C. Moon exposes the human soul stripped raw.
Don’t expect to find a sweet romance, or even a dark romance here. As the novel’s description cautions, “This is not a romance, but a raw and psychologically driven erotic tale, exploring themes of trauma and identity through the twisted love story of two broken souls.” A Bedtime Story is a modern fairytale about obsession, possession, and passion.
The novel invites readers to explore the painful side of love, the horror story side; to consider how trauma shapes who we are and how we love. It embodies the pain and sacrifice that is love, and the desperation to which it can drive a person.
I appreciated that Kayne was truly monstrous. In a lot of dark romances, the hero is described as “morally gray,” villainous, but is really just a misunderstood pick-me. Kayne is not that. He’s closer to amoral than morally gray and is unequivocally a “bad guy.” Though Laura evokes something within him—maybe empathy, maybe love—Kayne views her as a possession. Not until the end does he see her as an individual. Though he yearns to break her, Laura’s transformation is unlike anything Kayne could have predicted. And because of what he forced her to become, Laura is destined to be his demise.
Kayne is also highly charismatic. His appearance, words, and actions lure the reader in alongside Laura. You can understand why he captivates her—and how he keeps her. Though the setting is fantastical, the way Kayne manipulates Laura parallels tactics real abusers use. And just as Laura accepts her fate, readers can empathize with the reasons a person will stay in an abusive situation—convinced that enduring “your” monster is preferable to being at others’ mercy.
There is so much depth to this book, so many angles from which to examine it. I could definitely see myself rereading this book. Even now, there are so many more aspects of Laura and Kayne’s relationship and character development that I want to analyze here but will restrain myself. Every character is complex—even the villains have relatable (or, at least, understandable) backstories.
A Bedtime Story is not designed for safety or comfort (see TWs). This is a story about the war between logic and desire, mind and body—what we believe to be acceptable and the base things we crave, nonetheless. This is the rare type of book that combines all my favorite literary elements—volatile emotions, intertextuality, dysfunctional relationships, all-consuming love, trauma. Not to mention, it’s highly quotable. It’s definitely going to provoke variable responses from readers, but I have no doubt that it will find its audience. I am so grateful to L.C. Moon for reaching out with this ARC and cannot wait to see what else she has in store.
I rated this book four stars, but I could honestly see myself re-reading and increasing the rating. Even preparing to write this review, I noticed nuances I’d previously missed. Below are my two main criticisms but, as noted, I might change my mind.
1. In the early chapters, it is hard to get a sense of who the characters are. The reader feels distanced from the characters; their identities take a while to emerge. If you find yourself having a hard time getting into the book, I encourage you to read until at least the halfway point. It takes a while to orient yourself but by midway I was hooked.
2. I would have liked to see the book explore the theme of addiction even more. There is some comparison, but I wanted to delve deeper into how both Laura and Peter succumb to addiction in different ways, how their childhood may have motivated this inclination. Even just with the cigarettes—drawing parallels between Laura’s nicotine addiction and her budding relationship with Kayne. How withdrawal exacerbates Laura’s torment in captivity, and how she comes to associate Kayne with the relief of finally getting a fix. Laura absorbed into this relationship the way Peter is drawn to drugs. The reasons prompting these addictive tendencies, the need to seek escape. The drug-like qualities of a relationship. Etc.
This book is also a ‘technical’ four-star based on my established rating scale.
Rating Criteria:
⭐ - Creative? Yes.
⭐ - Engaging? Yes
⭐ - Offers educational value? Yes.
⭐ - Innovative? Transgressive? Yes.
⭐ - Foregrounds voices historically underrepresented in genre and/or mainstream lit? No.
TWs/Tropes (in no particular order) : stalking; mafia; beauty and the beast; kidnapping; suicide and suicidal ideation; self-harm; drug use; addiction; child abuse; sex-trafficking; bdsm; dub-con; murder; sexual assault; depression; marriage-of-convenience; miscommunication; infidelity; emotional abuse.
Add me on Instagram | StoryGraph | Fable
“Don’t you realize how easily I can crush you? Why do you come back to me?”
“Because you’ve seen my darkness and stayed. Sometimes, that’s all you need. Someone who can understand your pain. Even if it is the Big Bad Wolf.””
Twisted and beautifully constructed, A Bedtime Story (Beauty Meets the Beast) by L.C. Moon exposes the human soul stripped raw.
Don’t expect to find a sweet romance, or even a dark romance here. As the novel’s description cautions, “This is not a romance, but a raw and psychologically driven erotic tale, exploring themes of trauma and identity through the twisted love story of two broken souls.” A Bedtime Story is a modern fairytale about obsession, possession, and passion.
The novel invites readers to explore the painful side of love, the horror story side; to consider how trauma shapes who we are and how we love. It embodies the pain and sacrifice that is love, and the desperation to which it can drive a person.
I appreciated that Kayne was truly monstrous. In a lot of dark romances, the hero is described as “morally gray,” villainous, but is really just a misunderstood pick-me. Kayne is not that. He’s closer to amoral than morally gray and is unequivocally a “bad guy.” Though Laura evokes something within him—maybe empathy, maybe love—Kayne views her as a possession. Not until the end does he see her as an individual. Though he yearns to break her, Laura’s transformation is unlike anything Kayne could have predicted. And because of what he forced her to become, Laura is destined to be his demise.
Kayne is also highly charismatic. His appearance, words, and actions lure the reader in alongside Laura. You can understand why he captivates her—and how he keeps her. Though the setting is fantastical, the way Kayne manipulates Laura parallels tactics real abusers use. And just as Laura accepts her fate, readers can empathize with the reasons a person will stay in an abusive situation—convinced that enduring “your” monster is preferable to being at others’ mercy.
There is so much depth to this book, so many angles from which to examine it. I could definitely see myself rereading this book. Even now, there are so many more aspects of Laura and Kayne’s relationship and character development that I want to analyze here but will restrain myself. Every character is complex—even the villains have relatable (or, at least, understandable) backstories.
A Bedtime Story is not designed for safety or comfort (see TWs). This is a story about the war between logic and desire, mind and body—what we believe to be acceptable and the base things we crave, nonetheless. This is the rare type of book that combines all my favorite literary elements—volatile emotions, intertextuality, dysfunctional relationships, all-consuming love, trauma. Not to mention, it’s highly quotable. It’s definitely going to provoke variable responses from readers, but I have no doubt that it will find its audience. I am so grateful to L.C. Moon for reaching out with this ARC and cannot wait to see what else she has in store.
I rated this book four stars, but I could honestly see myself re-reading and increasing the rating. Even preparing to write this review, I noticed nuances I’d previously missed. Below are my two main criticisms but, as noted, I might change my mind.
1. In the early chapters, it is hard to get a sense of who the characters are. The reader feels distanced from the characters; their identities take a while to emerge. If you find yourself having a hard time getting into the book, I encourage you to read until at least the halfway point. It takes a while to orient yourself but by midway I was hooked.
2. I would have liked to see the book explore the theme of addiction even more. There is some comparison, but I wanted to delve deeper into how both Laura and Peter succumb to addiction in different ways, how their childhood may have motivated this inclination. Even just with the cigarettes—drawing parallels between Laura’s nicotine addiction and her budding relationship with Kayne. How withdrawal exacerbates Laura’s torment in captivity, and how she comes to associate Kayne with the relief of finally getting a fix. Laura absorbed into this relationship the way Peter is drawn to drugs. The reasons prompting these addictive tendencies, the need to seek escape. The drug-like qualities of a relationship. Etc.
This book is also a ‘technical’ four-star based on my established rating scale.
Rating Criteria:
⭐ - Creative? Yes.
⭐ - Engaging? Yes
⭐ - Offers educational value? Yes.
⭐ - Innovative? Transgressive? Yes.
⭐ - Foregrounds voices historically underrepresented in genre and/or mainstream lit? No.
TWs/Tropes (in no particular order) : stalking; mafia; beauty and the beast; kidnapping; suicide and suicidal ideation; self-harm; drug use; addiction; child abuse; sex-trafficking; bdsm; dub-con; murder; sexual assault; depression; marriage-of-convenience; miscommunication; infidelity; emotional abuse.
Add me on Instagram | StoryGraph | Fable
December 29, 2014
4.25 stars that I was totally unprepared for!
Well my first trip down L.C Moon's path and she lives at the intersection of Talent and WTF!
I was completely intrigued with the storyline when accepting this book for review, but I admit I went in cautiously...nothing could have prepared me for the little crazy mindf*** she dropped.
The short of it: Laura Spencer is basically an ordinary gal from a poor abusive background. She is caught in the crossfire of her missing brother's activities. Taken by a man of beauty and mystery she becomes a captive, held at first for information, then for pleasure.
Kayne Malkin is bad, thru and thru. He takes what he wants and lives a life of pleasure and death. His new target, Laura, should be an easy one, but he just cant seem to let her go...thus the story begins!
I was initially feeling an "Consequences" Vibe with this book...but NOPE, that is so not what I got. I have a hard time really even wrapping my mind around the story itself...I mean at no point is there much redemption to Kayne Malkin. Just when you think he is "good" he just cannot stop the inherent darkness that makes him. Poor Laura...
I am beyond impressed with this book! The Bad boy is bad. The captive acts like a captive...she is afraid, she is ashamed, and she is desperate. The connection between the Dominant Kayne and the submissive Laura is written perfectly...
You want heat?...done. You want frustration?...done. You want a bit of WTF is going on?...done. A Bedtime Story will keep you up pondering the OMG of it all. As for that ending...
I strongly recommend this book to all who like a good dark romance and who like the unexpected. Step out of the box and jump into this tale...you will not be sorry!
*book provided by author in exchange for honest review*
Well my first trip down L.C Moon's path and she lives at the intersection of Talent and WTF!
I was completely intrigued with the storyline when accepting this book for review, but I admit I went in cautiously...nothing could have prepared me for the little crazy mindf*** she dropped.
The short of it: Laura Spencer is basically an ordinary gal from a poor abusive background. She is caught in the crossfire of her missing brother's activities. Taken by a man of beauty and mystery she becomes a captive, held at first for information, then for pleasure.
Kayne Malkin is bad, thru and thru. He takes what he wants and lives a life of pleasure and death. His new target, Laura, should be an easy one, but he just cant seem to let her go...thus the story begins!
I was initially feeling an "Consequences" Vibe with this book...but NOPE, that is so not what I got. I have a hard time really even wrapping my mind around the story itself...I mean at no point is there much redemption to Kayne Malkin. Just when you think he is "good" he just cannot stop the inherent darkness that makes him. Poor Laura...
I am beyond impressed with this book! The Bad boy is bad. The captive acts like a captive...she is afraid, she is ashamed, and she is desperate. The connection between the Dominant Kayne and the submissive Laura is written perfectly...
You want heat?...done. You want frustration?...done. You want a bit of WTF is going on?...done. A Bedtime Story will keep you up pondering the OMG of it all. As for that ending...
I strongly recommend this book to all who like a good dark romance and who like the unexpected. Step out of the box and jump into this tale...you will not be sorry!
*book provided by author in exchange for honest review*
August 23, 2016
3, NO, 2 the F*CK HAVE I JUST READ stars
I'm not even sure about the rating...I might change my mind...
I'm currently nowhere and everywhere with my thoughts about this book...
need to think...
laters!
Ookaaaay, after the emotional tantrum i had and after some serious consideration, I've decided to change my rating from 3 to 2 stars
why?
well, first - annoying as fuck heroine (she's crying through out the whole book, then she pleads, then begs, then she's all of a sudden resilient and bold, then she's crying again and again and again...and in the end...well, that just did it, it tipped the glass over, or whatever the hell you wanna call it!!!)
second - antihero, I even liked him at first, I mean, him being a mafia killer and he was all danger, cruel, misterious and stuff...and he just ended up being a whore...he just fucked everything that moved with skirt like it's a part of his job?!...and then he's into a bdsm style too, but he kinda has a weird sense of "loving" smbd (like our heroine, which I can't determine what part of her personality would exactly be appealing to him in the first place...) after he fucks everything, then he fucks her without protection...then he fucks around again...but have NO mistake, he LOVES her BUT it's the WORLD of theirs that dictates the rules...
the fuck?! what?!
third - I can't even remember the third as if the first and the second reason weren't the fuck enough!!!!
I'm being generous by giving it 2 stars cause it did have some good scenes in it...
but it was just so without tact...
yeah,that's it, without a fucking tact
I'm not even sure about the rating...I might change my mind...
I'm currently nowhere and everywhere with my thoughts about this book...
need to think...
laters!
Ookaaaay, after the emotional tantrum i had and after some serious consideration, I've decided to change my rating from 3 to 2 stars
why?
well, first - annoying as fuck heroine (she's crying through out the whole book, then she pleads, then begs, then she's all of a sudden resilient and bold, then she's crying again and again and again...and in the end...well, that just did it, it tipped the glass over, or whatever the hell you wanna call it!!!)
second - antihero, I even liked him at first, I mean, him being a mafia killer and he was all danger, cruel, misterious and stuff...and he just ended up being a whore...he just fucked everything that moved with skirt like it's a part of his job?!...and then he's into a bdsm style too, but he kinda has a weird sense of "loving" smbd (like our heroine, which I can't determine what part of her personality would exactly be appealing to him in the first place...) after he fucks everything, then he fucks her without protection...then he fucks around again...but have NO mistake, he LOVES her BUT it's the WORLD of theirs that dictates the rules...
the fuck?! what?!
third - I can't even remember the third as if the first and the second reason weren't the fuck enough!!!!
I'm being generous by giving it 2 stars cause it did have some good scenes in it...
but it was just so without tact...
yeah,that's it, without a fucking tact
October 25, 2023
A Bedtime Story: Beauty Meets Beast (ARC)
“To all whom the darkness coveted,
and to those who loved them nonetheless”
❤︎ star rating: 4.25 ★★ ★ ★
❤︎ spice rating: 2.5🌶️🌶️
Retelling
Cat/Mouse
Dark Erotica
Touch Her And ☠️
I received this arc from the author in exchange for a honest review.
This was my first ever arc and book I read in 3rd person.
(I read a book earlier in the year with one chapter in third person, but that’s neither here nor there) it taken all of five minutes to get past that though, the story immediately sucks you in. There was no foreplay, no lube. we dive straight into the deep end.
The journey of emotions I experienced during this book. Joy, Anger, Sadness, are just a few I’ve yelled, cursed characters and reveled in their demise. I’ve cheered, I’ve argued and I’ve shared tears.
This was an experience, unlike any I’ve had since I’ve been back into reading. I haven’t read something that was so willing to be daring since I stopped reading (urban fiction)
There were things in this book that I didn’t think I would agree with… but I quickly got over that.
This book was a stimulant. My brain was on overdrive… I literally cannot wait to find out what happens next.
This is a beauty and beast retelling and absolutely NOT THE DISNEY VERSION. Think Unfeeling Mafia Boss with a kink for bdsm. But there were parallels to other stories and folklore.
This isn’t fantasy but the world building fully immerses you. I was completely captivated. This was controlled chaos for my emotions —and the toxic romance reader in me clung to the giant red flags and the dark morally grey man.
The writing was perfection, the 3rd party pov gives you an eagle eye look into the heads of every character.
Definitely Check TWs. This is beyond Dark Romance. It’s Darker, It Grittier, and completely psychologically driven. —But Also… Read Her. She’s worth it!
The mark of a good story to me is one that can make me feel deeply, and stay with me long after the experience. THIS WILL STAY WITH YOU. This… your brain will journey back to.
“To all whom the darkness coveted,
and to those who loved them nonetheless”
❤︎ star rating: 4.25 ★★ ★ ★
❤︎ spice rating: 2.5🌶️🌶️
Retelling
Cat/Mouse
Dark Erotica
Touch Her And ☠️
I received this arc from the author in exchange for a honest review.
This was my first ever arc and book I read in 3rd person.
(I read a book earlier in the year with one chapter in third person, but that’s neither here nor there) it taken all of five minutes to get past that though, the story immediately sucks you in. There was no foreplay, no lube. we dive straight into the deep end.
The journey of emotions I experienced during this book. Joy, Anger, Sadness, are just a few I’ve yelled, cursed characters and reveled in their demise. I’ve cheered, I’ve argued and I’ve shared tears.
This was an experience, unlike any I’ve had since I’ve been back into reading. I haven’t read something that was so willing to be daring since I stopped reading (urban fiction)
There were things in this book that I didn’t think I would agree with… but I quickly got over that.
This book was a stimulant. My brain was on overdrive… I literally cannot wait to find out what happens next.
This is a beauty and beast retelling and absolutely NOT THE DISNEY VERSION. Think Unfeeling Mafia Boss with a kink for bdsm. But there were parallels to other stories and folklore.
This isn’t fantasy but the world building fully immerses you. I was completely captivated. This was controlled chaos for my emotions —and the toxic romance reader in me clung to the giant red flags and the dark morally grey man.
The writing was perfection, the 3rd party pov gives you an eagle eye look into the heads of every character.
Definitely Check TWs. This is beyond Dark Romance. It’s Darker, It Grittier, and completely psychologically driven. —But Also… Read Her. She’s worth it!
The mark of a good story to me is one that can make me feel deeply, and stay with me long after the experience. THIS WILL STAY WITH YOU. This… your brain will journey back to.
May 20, 2015
I'm sorry but this book did not work for me!!
It was just a mess!
And that ending, seriously!
It was just a mess!
And that ending, seriously!
January 8, 2015
4.5 Best Bedtime Story Ever Stars!
Laura Spencer. Young, pretty, introverted. She had no friends. Only her brother Peter. Peter made a bad decision, involving the worst kind of people. Peters on the run sending Laura postcards every two weeks. Peters bad decisions leads Kayne to Laura.
Kayne Malkin. Tall, dark and handsome. He belonged to the Organization, the Quebec fraction of a ruthless Russian Mafia. He was known for many things. He killed and tortured for a living. He seduced and destroyed for pleasure. But above all else, he built his reputation on one trait only. Kayne Malkin never lied.
Kayne was sent to interrogate Laura to get information on her brother. After watching her for two weeks Kayne lures her into the lions den. While being interrogated Laura begs Kayne to help her. He finally tells her he will. If you remember...Kayne NEVER lies. He takes Laura to his home where she will follow his three rules:
Never lie to me. Never disobey me. Never disrespect me.
So Kayne and Laura's story begins. Laura hates being held in Kayne's home. Being locked inside, no phone, no internet and defiantly no way of getting to her mail to get her postcards. She quickly learns that if Master/Monster Kayne commands her to do something she better do it or there will be a punishment involved. I can honestly say that the sick twisted part of me was a bit sad that Laura didn't get punished as much as I wanted her to. lol
He wanted to get inside her head, to turn her against herself, to hear her utter the words yes, Master. He wanted to break her apart so he could put her back together again, over and over again. -Kayne
Kayne quickly learns that Laura can also make him break his own rules.
Maybe I am a monster. But I'm your monster. I'll fight for you. I'll kill for you. You're mine. Always. Wherever you go. I'll find you. Always. There's nothing I wouldn't do for you.
These two....damn!!! They spent a lot of time fighting each other. I wanted to jump in the book and choke them both!
He was no hero. He would always be the villain in the story.
I had no problems with all the different POV's. I also loved how chapter one started off as day zero and the next was day one of her being in Kayne's possession. The rest of the chapters followed each day after. 151 days:)
I hated and loved how the book ended. That's why I deducted half of a star off my rating.
Thank you so much for my free signed copy of your book L.C. Moon! Awesome job! Can not wait for more from you:))
Laura Spencer. Young, pretty, introverted. She had no friends. Only her brother Peter. Peter made a bad decision, involving the worst kind of people. Peters on the run sending Laura postcards every two weeks. Peters bad decisions leads Kayne to Laura.
Kayne Malkin. Tall, dark and handsome. He belonged to the Organization, the Quebec fraction of a ruthless Russian Mafia. He was known for many things. He killed and tortured for a living. He seduced and destroyed for pleasure. But above all else, he built his reputation on one trait only. Kayne Malkin never lied.
Kayne was sent to interrogate Laura to get information on her brother. After watching her for two weeks Kayne lures her into the lions den. While being interrogated Laura begs Kayne to help her. He finally tells her he will. If you remember...Kayne NEVER lies. He takes Laura to his home where she will follow his three rules:
Never lie to me. Never disobey me. Never disrespect me.
So Kayne and Laura's story begins. Laura hates being held in Kayne's home. Being locked inside, no phone, no internet and defiantly no way of getting to her mail to get her postcards. She quickly learns that if Master/Monster Kayne commands her to do something she better do it or there will be a punishment involved. I can honestly say that the sick twisted part of me was a bit sad that Laura didn't get punished as much as I wanted her to. lol
He wanted to get inside her head, to turn her against herself, to hear her utter the words yes, Master. He wanted to break her apart so he could put her back together again, over and over again. -Kayne
Kayne quickly learns that Laura can also make him break his own rules.
Maybe I am a monster. But I'm your monster. I'll fight for you. I'll kill for you. You're mine. Always. Wherever you go. I'll find you. Always. There's nothing I wouldn't do for you.
These two....damn!!! They spent a lot of time fighting each other. I wanted to jump in the book and choke them both!
He was no hero. He would always be the villain in the story.
I had no problems with all the different POV's. I also loved how chapter one started off as day zero and the next was day one of her being in Kayne's possession. The rest of the chapters followed each day after. 151 days:)
I hated and loved how the book ended. That's why I deducted half of a star off my rating.
Thank you so much for my free signed copy of your book L.C. Moon! Awesome job! Can not wait for more from you:))
June 10, 2023
4.5 stars
Two words Loved.It
I would like to say for a debut novel this story was phenomenal, but what I need to say is this story was phenomenal, full-stop!
For me to love a book I have to be able to connect with the characters. This story is narrated in such a way that you get to know Laura and Kayne intimately. The side characters are also well flesh out, as is the plot. Predictable it was not!
The sign of a truly engaging story is one you can't get out of your head, even when you have to put it aside, this is one of those. I reluctantly tore my eyes away needing sleep. Kayne and Laura followed me to bed, damn them, and demanded my attention the minute I woke up.
To be honest, I did initially struggle with the alternating POV's but once I got into the swing of it, I loved knowing exactly what each character was feeling/thinking as the story unfolded. It was like watching it in real time.
The story is a darker read, but beautiful as well, full of emotion. Not your typical 'love thy captor' tale! I liked that Laura didn't loose her identity along the way.
The ending? OMG never saw that coming! Loved it because of that, others might be outraged! There isn't a cliff hanger per say, but it is left open enough to be continue. I for one want more!!
Sorry for the nonsensical review, but this story has left my brain a pile of mush.
ARC provided by the author Which did not influence my review.
NB: Dark erotica, dubious consent, violence, crime. And one hell of an emotional roller coaster ride.
Two words Loved.It
I would like to say for a debut novel this story was phenomenal, but what I need to say is this story was phenomenal, full-stop!
For me to love a book I have to be able to connect with the characters. This story is narrated in such a way that you get to know Laura and Kayne intimately. The side characters are also well flesh out, as is the plot. Predictable it was not!
The sign of a truly engaging story is one you can't get out of your head, even when you have to put it aside, this is one of those. I reluctantly tore my eyes away needing sleep. Kayne and Laura followed me to bed, damn them, and demanded my attention the minute I woke up.
To be honest, I did initially struggle with the alternating POV's but once I got into the swing of it, I loved knowing exactly what each character was feeling/thinking as the story unfolded. It was like watching it in real time.
The story is a darker read, but beautiful as well, full of emotion. Not your typical 'love thy captor' tale! I liked that Laura didn't loose her identity along the way.
The ending? OMG never saw that coming! Loved it because of that, others might be outraged! There isn't a cliff hanger per say, but it is left open enough to be continue. I for one want more!!
Sorry for the nonsensical review, but this story has left my brain a pile of mush.
ARC provided by the author Which did not influence my review.
NB: Dark erotica, dubious consent, violence, crime. And one hell of an emotional roller coaster ride.
May 29, 2015
OMG
After finishing this book I seriously considered not writing a review, I mean I was asking myself how do I review this book? I don't know where to start or even how to describe how I feel about it, I will say if I was given the choice to go back and un-read it I would seriously consider it, it's frustrating to say the least, it's also brilliant and addictive, if this is the authors first novel then I'm literally at a loss for words, it's a stunning first book.
A 'friend' recommended it to me, she'd loved it, I read the synopsis and it sounded interesting but I was in the middle of another book and I'll admit I forgot about it, she kept reminding me so eventually I gave in and started reading and I can honestly say I wasn't prepared for this book.
Peter Spencer is in trouble with the wrong people, he's stolen information from the Russian Mafia and they can't let it go but they can't find him, they've no leads at all until they discover he has a sister Laura, now Laura lives a quiet life but that's all about to change. Kanye Malkin is given the task of bringing Laura in and he does but there's something about her something that doesn't let him leave her and so their story begins.
Kanye takes Laura back to his home where she's kept as a prisoner....
In a different life, with different upbringings and pasts their relationship would have been epic with their love for each other but here they are, who they've been moulded to be and it made difficult reading as they both hurt and hurt each other as they fight to make what they think is the best of the situation.
Personally I'm a huge fan of dual POVs so I love the way this is told and we need it because if we didn't know what they were thinking and feeling we'd be just as lost as they are,
At times I felt like banging their heads together to make them see what they could have but they never really stood a chance...or do they, could they beat the odds and each other and carve out a life together or will everything else get in the way.
While these two are undoubtedly the focus of the book it's so much more than just them, the world they live in, the people they deal with and the people they've become and this is a major thing, Kayne is more or less who he is although we see the changes Laura brings out in him but the big change is Laura as she adapts to the world which is now hers.
It's a difficult read and I understand fully when it describes itself as a love story but not a romance, I didn't understand before I read this but that sums it up perfectly.
I'm frustrated by it, I'm annoyed how it ended and yet I can't wait for the next one because I'm hooked, even if I don't want to be.
This review was hard to write and now the question is how do I rate it, I think while reading at some point I gave it every rating available and while I'm not totally happy with the end or even parts of it I can recognise that I've just read something very special.
May 27, 2015
Emotionally Exhausting
I've just finished reading this book and definitely had a love/hate relationship with this story. I love a taboo, dark, love story. I especially enjoy those with themes of captivity. So, I was sold the minute I read the blurb for 'A Bedtime Story'.
Overall, I liked the story. The storyline was right up my alley. It was well-written and wasn't plagued with grammatical errors. It also had just enough suspense to keep me intrigued, even when I was growing frustrated with the two main characters.
Kayne was a stereotypical emotionally-damaged, badass. He was controlling, dominant, and incredibly sexy. As expected, he was also a world-class A$$hole. In a nutshell, he was irresistible.
Laura is Kayne's polar opposite. She is sweet, innocent and good. A victim of circumstance, she gets pulled into Kayne's seedy world of crime when her older brother betrays some very dangerous people.
In spite of their circumstances, these two shared some great chemistry. Neither of them are comfortable with their growing feelings for the other and each fight it in their own way. Eventually, they submit to their desires and I could not have been happier!
On the flip side, I did spend a lot of time frustrated with the two main characters. Talk about whiplash! One minute Kayne and Laura are resigned to the fact that they cannot live without one another. Then, without any provocation, one of them has written the other one off again...for fifteen minutes or so, anyway.
Of course, all infringements are quickly forgiven with virtually no effort or thought put into making amends. All that build-up and anger, just wasted. It felt so anticlimactic.
This happened repeatedly throughout the book. I feel like maybe now I know what it feels like to be tortured to death, only to be revived and again tortured, over and over. After awhile, it was just cruel.
I also am not real happy with the ending or the "new" Laura. It is just effed-up. Brace yourself.
Yet, despite my frustration, I could not stop reading this book. That has to count for something, right? I also know that I'm too curious to see how things play out to quit this series. I know I'll be reading the next one when it is released.
I've just finished reading this book and definitely had a love/hate relationship with this story. I love a taboo, dark, love story. I especially enjoy those with themes of captivity. So, I was sold the minute I read the blurb for 'A Bedtime Story'.
Overall, I liked the story. The storyline was right up my alley. It was well-written and wasn't plagued with grammatical errors. It also had just enough suspense to keep me intrigued, even when I was growing frustrated with the two main characters.
Kayne was a stereotypical emotionally-damaged, badass. He was controlling, dominant, and incredibly sexy. As expected, he was also a world-class A$$hole. In a nutshell, he was irresistible.
Laura is Kayne's polar opposite. She is sweet, innocent and good. A victim of circumstance, she gets pulled into Kayne's seedy world of crime when her older brother betrays some very dangerous people.
In spite of their circumstances, these two shared some great chemistry. Neither of them are comfortable with their growing feelings for the other and each fight it in their own way. Eventually, they submit to their desires and I could not have been happier!
On the flip side, I did spend a lot of time frustrated with the two main characters. Talk about whiplash! One minute Kayne and Laura are resigned to the fact that they cannot live without one another. Then, without any provocation, one of them has written the other one off again...for fifteen minutes or so, anyway.
Of course, all infringements are quickly forgiven with virtually no effort or thought put into making amends. All that build-up and anger, just wasted. It felt so anticlimactic.
This happened repeatedly throughout the book. I feel like maybe now I know what it feels like to be tortured to death, only to be revived and again tortured, over and over. After awhile, it was just cruel.
I also am not real happy with the ending or the "new" Laura. It is just effed-up. Brace yourself.
Yet, despite my frustration, I could not stop reading this book. That has to count for something, right? I also know that I'm too curious to see how things play out to quit this series. I know I'll be reading the next one when it is released.
January 9, 2015
He'd been watching her for two weeks now, keeping track of her routine, her habits, and her correspondence.
He was excited, tonight, he would finally make contact. And yet he felt nostalgic, tonight, the job was over.
I’m absolutely stunned and blown away by this hauntingly beautiful debut! I’m almost at a loss for words after reading this! I couldn’t have picked a better dark book to start my reading year of 2015.
We begin with Laura, a young and very naïve woman, who learns quickly that her estranged brother screwed over the wrong type of people. Taken by Kayne Malkin, a superior in The Organization, Laura narrowly escapes extreme torture in exchange for her cooperation. Throughout the book Laura learns there is no going back, no matter what would happen to her brother she may never have her freedom again. But can she learn to love a monster?
From the beginning I knew Laura was definitely a different character than those I am used to reading about. In captivity-type romances usually the heroine either valiantly fights for her life, risking everything even her safety against all logical thought or attempts to deceive her captor by silently plotting. Laura was neither of these types; she accepted her situation very quick which is refreshing since she’s a different viewpoint in what a human being will do in extreme circumstances.
This novel was HEAVY with foreboding and looming foreshadowing. Kayne’s mother, Mrs. Drugov’s warning, and even Laura’s choice of fashion gave hints at what is to come. Laura evolves from a timid, meek and super submissive young woman into a dangerous and sexy woman. In the beginning she’d meet Kayne for dinner wearing her hair in a ponytail and adorning a cute pink sweater. About 60% she’s ditched that attire for womanly beige and classy heels. There is definitely a dark awakening occurring throughout the story- and not just a sexual one.
Reading the first half of this book I thought it was a great dark romance and thought “well this isn’t as dark as I thought it would be!” I was sorely mistaken…about 70% an arctic chill takes over and this book reaches a level of emotional darkness I haven’t yet experienced in all of the dark books I’ve read. The only words I can use to describe the overall feelings and tone of the book is falling into spiral of UTTER DESPAIR. I felt uneasy the rest of the night after finishing this one… something just wasn’t right… I was off kilter like I needed to read a fluffy romance to bounce myself back (nah).
The ending… WHOA…it’s ambiguous (but not a cliffhanger) and I desperately want to read book two! (I can wait though since I’ll need some recuperation time).
The writing itself was beautiful, poetic, and I found myself becoming lost multiple times reading some parts over a few times because they were so perfect. The novel has a dark and Victorian Gothic appeal to it and has a strong resemblance to Beauty & the Beast and also reminded me of a classic V.C. Andrews style as well. Read this now! It’s worth the price tag!
Warnings:
***
-> See the trailer video.
-> My personal theme song for the book Amy Lee ft. Dave Eggar "Lockdown".
->Find it on Amazon.
He was excited, tonight, he would finally make contact. And yet he felt nostalgic, tonight, the job was over.
I’m absolutely stunned and blown away by this hauntingly beautiful debut! I’m almost at a loss for words after reading this! I couldn’t have picked a better dark book to start my reading year of 2015.
We begin with Laura, a young and very naïve woman, who learns quickly that her estranged brother screwed over the wrong type of people. Taken by Kayne Malkin, a superior in The Organization, Laura narrowly escapes extreme torture in exchange for her cooperation. Throughout the book Laura learns there is no going back, no matter what would happen to her brother she may never have her freedom again. But can she learn to love a monster?
How delicious was the path to depravity, how he would love to show her.
From the beginning I knew Laura was definitely a different character than those I am used to reading about. In captivity-type romances usually the heroine either valiantly fights for her life, risking everything even her safety against all logical thought or attempts to deceive her captor by silently plotting. Laura was neither of these types; she accepted her situation very quick which is refreshing since she’s a different viewpoint in what a human being will do in extreme circumstances.
This novel was HEAVY with foreboding and looming foreshadowing. Kayne’s mother, Mrs. Drugov’s warning, and even Laura’s choice of fashion gave hints at what is to come. Laura evolves from a timid, meek and super submissive young woman into a dangerous and sexy woman. In the beginning she’d meet Kayne for dinner wearing her hair in a ponytail and adorning a cute pink sweater. About 60% she’s ditched that attire for womanly beige and classy heels. There is definitely a dark awakening occurring throughout the story- and not just a sexual one.
Don't be naive and dream up a romance.
Reading the first half of this book I thought it was a great dark romance and thought “well this isn’t as dark as I thought it would be!” I was sorely mistaken…about 70% an arctic chill takes over and this book reaches a level of emotional darkness I haven’t yet experienced in all of the dark books I’ve read. The only words I can use to describe the overall feelings and tone of the book is falling into spiral of UTTER DESPAIR. I felt uneasy the rest of the night after finishing this one… something just wasn’t right… I was off kilter like I needed to read a fluffy romance to bounce myself back (nah).
The ending… WHOA…it’s ambiguous (but not a cliffhanger) and I desperately want to read book two! (I can wait though since I’ll need some recuperation time).
The writing itself was beautiful, poetic, and I found myself becoming lost multiple times reading some parts over a few times because they were so perfect. The novel has a dark and Victorian Gothic appeal to it and has a strong resemblance to Beauty & the Beast and also reminded me of a classic V.C. Andrews style as well. Read this now! It’s worth the price tag!
Warnings:
***
-> See the trailer video.
-> My personal theme song for the book Amy Lee ft. Dave Eggar "Lockdown".
->Find it on Amazon.
September 18, 2015
I'm usually okay with BDSM books and alpha heroes who are evil. But I'm not sure why this one ticked me off fifty times worse than a spider does...
May 29, 2015
Brilliantly written...almost poetry in spots. I don't mean flowery...no, not superfluous or wordy or overly cryptic at all. It was the feeling of the descriptions that came across and added to the overall tone of the characters and storyline that was poetic.
I LOVED Kayne. Every twisted bit of his black heart. I'd follow him down those stairs and crawl any day. What I loved most – . Super schmexy in all the right dastardly ways.
I liked Laura. Ok, I more than liked Laura in the end…but I resented the cost I had to pay to get to liking her. I won’t reveal any hints about the end, but I’m sure you’ll agree if you’ve read it ;)
At the 80% point – I wanted to give this 10 stars!! The last 20% was a little angsty-er than I enjoy. I’m all for a character development that involves introspection and push/pull, but it was too much for me. I was literally taking breaks because it was making me feel…well angsty!...it’s so well written that I was feeling too much of what the characters were going through. I know that’s silly, but I wanted to smack both Kayne and Laura.
…pause while I picture what would happen if I dared to strike Kayne….give me a minute!....
Ok. I’m back. Overall – loved this story, loved the characters, wanna read the next one and hope beyond hope that
I LOVED Kayne. Every twisted bit of his black heart. I'd follow him down those stairs and crawl any day. What I loved most – . Super schmexy in all the right dastardly ways.
I liked Laura. Ok, I more than liked Laura in the end…but I resented the cost I had to pay to get to liking her. I won’t reveal any hints about the end, but I’m sure you’ll agree if you’ve read it ;)
At the 80% point – I wanted to give this 10 stars!! The last 20% was a little angsty-er than I enjoy. I’m all for a character development that involves introspection and push/pull, but it was too much for me. I was literally taking breaks because it was making me feel…well angsty!...it’s so well written that I was feeling too much of what the characters were going through. I know that’s silly, but I wanted to smack both Kayne and Laura.
…pause while I picture what would happen if I dared to strike Kayne….give me a minute!....
Ok. I’m back. Overall – loved this story, loved the characters, wanna read the next one and hope beyond hope that
December 31, 2014
☆ I received an RC via the author in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!! ☆
3.5-75 stars!!
**A Note to readers: For those of you who’s hard limits include: and a then this book may not be for you. :)
So, with that said…
The story in short: To sum everything up in a jiffy---The heroine’s dimwit brother messes up, BIG TIME, with the Russian mafia no less….and in comes, our male anti-heroine to collect his debt with the heroine. From there, you could say, “the rest is history” as Kayne Malkin is literally a wolf luring the poor little lamb Laura into his world, and from then on-- their worlds are forever changed with: love, lust, debt, ploys, blood, vengeance, and sacrifice.
★★★★★★
My thoughts:
A Bedtime Story was quite the baffling read if you ask me. It went in a totally different direction from what I had expected.
When I think of the literal impressions of what comes to mind of the title, A Bedtime Story, I picture a story that albeit rough and imperfect throughout—to being one full of surprises and happy endings with a pretty bow on top.
This is the complete opposite of what happens in this particularbedtime story.
Here, Laura-- the female protagonist’s, character development and evolution utterly shocked and surprised me. I get that in reads where it deals with the mafia, it's going to be intensely dark, gritty, and ruthless…but, I guess from my stand point, I didn’t expect Laura’s personality to alter drastically from that innocent, quiet girl to eventually becoming hardened and cunning.
Granted, it's only natural that she would be forced to to assimilate with Kayne’s world, so it would naturally change her a bit. It's just that, her character was just scandalous that it startled me a bit.
(++)Now add in Kayne, the ever enigmatic and mysterious one, to which I just did not know what to really expect from him or what to happen next...and you've got yourself a story!!
Definitely kept me on my toes with the thrill and suspense!!
My conclusion?:
A good read that perplexed me....kept me intrigued and wanting some more… AND! at times pissed me off like no other because it touched on some of my hard limits….
But over all, I liked it in my own way. Can't wait for bk2!! Gawd, I soooo need it!! I feel so unsettled by that ending!! Aahhh!!
3.5-75 stars!!
**A Note to readers: For those of you who’s hard limits include: and a then this book may not be for you. :)
So, with that said…
The story in short: To sum everything up in a jiffy---The heroine’s dimwit brother messes up, BIG TIME, with the Russian mafia no less….and in comes, our male anti-heroine to collect his debt with the heroine. From there, you could say, “the rest is history” as Kayne Malkin is literally a wolf luring the poor little lamb Laura into his world, and from then on-- their worlds are forever changed with: love, lust, debt, ploys, blood, vengeance, and sacrifice.
★★★★★★
My thoughts:
A Bedtime Story was quite the baffling read if you ask me. It went in a totally different direction from what I had expected.
When I think of the literal impressions of what comes to mind of the title, A Bedtime Story, I picture a story that albeit rough and imperfect throughout—to being one full of surprises and happy endings with a pretty bow on top.
This is the complete opposite of what happens in this particular
Here, Laura-- the female protagonist’s, character development and evolution utterly shocked and surprised me. I get that in reads where it deals with the mafia, it's going to be intensely dark, gritty, and ruthless…but, I guess from my stand point, I didn’t expect Laura’s personality to alter drastically from that innocent, quiet girl to eventually becoming hardened and cunning.
Granted, it's only natural that she would be forced to to assimilate with Kayne’s world, so it would naturally change her a bit. It's just that, her character was just scandalous that it startled me a bit.
(++)Now add in Kayne, the ever enigmatic and mysterious one, to which I just did not know what to really expect from him or what to happen next...and you've got yourself a story!!
Definitely kept me on my toes with the thrill and suspense!!
My conclusion?:
A good read that perplexed me....kept me intrigued and wanting some more… AND! at times pissed me off like no other because it touched on some of my hard limits….
But over all, I liked it in my own way. Can't wait for bk2!! Gawd, I soooo need it!! I feel so unsettled by that ending!! Aahhh!!
January 8, 2015
I was given this ARC in exchange for an honest review. Laura was a shy waitress, unknowingly already a pawn between a ruthless criminal organization, and her witless brother. Kayne is the Russian mobster set on her trail. At first she is just collateral damage, but maybe unfortunately for her, something about her sparks Kayne's personal interest. In much the way of the rabbit, spied by a wolf, this has disaster written all over it.
The Good:
1. I enjoyed the dark erotic points of the story.
2. The BDSM elements were hot.
3. The byplay between the two characters kept me invested.
4. Great Stockholm Syndrome tale.
5. Laura though submissive, isn't a complete doormat. She is also the most likable of the pair for me.
6. Kayne remains an alpha-hole throughout, without some lame attempt to redeem him.
7. I love a good fairytale retelling. This was a cool new dark erotic vision of a “Beauty and The Beast” theme.
The Bad:
1. One of the things that caught my attention was “Russian Mob” in the blurb. Yet this could have been any generic criminal organization. Nothing Russian was really explored, or indicated such as language, or culture besides names. This was a big problem for me.
2. This couple’s inability to talk to each other also drove me crazy.
Final Thoughts:
At first I was going to ding this a star for failing to deliver the Russian goods, but the end basically knocked me on my butt, regaining all my lost favor. Any Stockholm Syndrome fans might want to give this a go.
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