Kept by Evelyn Flood

4 Stars

Kept in a cage her entire life, Zella never knew anything else until she was broken out and held by Maverick, Ryder, and Enzo. They are dark and dangerous men who don’t feel they are good enough for Zella. They have blood on their hands and have dark tastes and she’s innocent. The more time they spend together the more she wants them even with all their dark edges. Will they be able to keep her safe from the man who kept her or will he get her back?

Modern day retelling of Rapunzel with a why choose twist. It was a dark retelling which makes sense when you consider the original fairy tale. Zel is very Pollyanna esq character while the guys are as dark as a character can be. All of them have issues they are working on. I loved that the guys weren’t sure what to do with Zel and when they realized they all wanted her didn’t think they deserved her. It just worked for me, but I have a love of a well written retelling of a fairytale.

Book 1 Forbidden Fairytales

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Den of Monsters by Avery Song

 

3 Stars

People with debt are required to attend the masquerade to clear it. Esmerelda was never supposed to go but her father’s debts were too much and she enters where she meets Joaquin, Talon, Dagger, Croix, and Creed. They may be evil men but she wants to see their monstrous selves. The more she reveals and the more debt she clears the stranger things become. Will she take out those who want her dead and get her men?

I enjoyed this story up until the end. It was going along quite nicely and I was digging finding out all the secrets this book had to give until the last couple of chapters. Then it was bam let’s change everything and make it seem like everyone was aware and set it all up to get Esmerelda “father”. It was just very jarring that it was all turned on its head and made to seem like she was now aware of everything. It just didn’t work for me. I will be reading book two when it comes out in January because I did like the writing.

Book 1 Devils Serenade

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