Book Review: Carnage by Shantel Tessier

Title: Carnage

Author: Shantel Tessier

Series/Standalone: L.O.R.D.S. (Book #5)

Genre: Dark Romance, Adult

Pages: 628

Publisher: Indie Published

Year Published: 2023

Format: Ebook (Kindle Unlimited)

"A PUPPET

The men in the secret society known as the Lords think they rule the world. And in a way, they do. Each has sold their soul to the devil at a young age in exchange for power and wealth. Like anything else, they have different levels of success. The more they're willing to serve, the more power they have.

Among them are the Spade brothers, who run Carnage. It's where the Lords who have not held up their oath go to live out the rest of their lives in shackles. Tucked away from the world as if they never existed.

I VOW. YOU VOW.  WE VOW.

I once belonged to a Lord- Saint Beckham Carter. Although nothing was holy about him, I still kneeled as if he could grant me eternity in a world where only evil existed.

At the time, I willingly vowed to be his and allowed him to share me with his "brothers." But things changed. And what I thought couldn't get any better got exceptionally worse. So I did the only thing I could and ran from him, knowing I could never return.

Now he's found me and dragged me back to his hell, where he will make me his pet. The world already thinks I'm dead, so no one will miss me. And I'm just another name on a long list of those who will never know freedom.

What he doesn't know is why I ran from him in the first place. A Lord doesn't listen to reason, so it's not like he'd care anyway. Saint was born a Lord, and he will die as one.

If life has taught me anything, it's that we all pay for our sins. And Saint will never let me forget that my place is at Carnage, serving him on my knees until death is granted."

My Rating:5/5

This was so over-the-top, crazy, and intense, as most of the books in this series are. But if you wanted to see Shantal Tessier take the series to a whole new level, I would highly recommend. Seeing what caused Saint to be the character we see in the first half of the series was super interesting, and then getting more context for the subplot that has run through all the other books so far. I'm looking forward to continuing the series soon.

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Book Review: Sabotage by Shantel Tessier

Title: Sabotage

Author: Shantel Tessier

Series/Standalone: L.O.R.D.S (Book #4)
Genre: Dark Romance, New Adult, 

Pages: 229

Publisher: Self-Published

Year Published: 2022

Format: Ebook (Kindle Unlimited)

"COLTON

Raylee Lexington Adams is my stepsister and the one woman in the world who can make my blood boil.

She's vindictive, a lot of crazy and absolutely stunning.

I hate everything about her except for when she's on her knees begging me to use her as my own personal toy. 

We've been playing a game of cat and mouse for far too long. We have used each other for our own sick pleasure.

I've ruined every relationship my little princess has ever had. A sure way that she'll come crawling back to me, begging me for what only I can give her when another man fails her.

But I'm tired of watching others get a piece of what is mine. So, I did what any rational man would do- I staked my claims, showed the world that she belonged to me, and I'm going to do whatever it take to make her believe it too.

RAYLEE

Colton Remington Knox is a man I despise but can't say no to.

He's what any girl would call a walking red flag. But I've never claimed to be a smart woman when it comes to men. Why should he be any different?

I've always managed to hold my own against him. But this time, he's gone too far. Posting a video of me on my knees for him, for what? To brag? Embarrass me? He's acting like he doesn't know me very well.

Colt wants to play a game? I'll do whatever it takes to make sure I win. No matter what it costs me.

People already think I have no dignity, so why let them down?"

My Rating: 2/5

After realising the starting plot points, I wanted the start of this, but there was something about how certain things were handled at the end that just disappointed me. I wanted a little more thoughtfulness towards a certain trigger warning, but that's why trigger warnings exist right? It wasn't my favourite in the series, but I look forward to the next one.

Sidny

Book Review: The Sacrifice by Shantel Tessier

Title: The Sacrifice

Author: Shantel Tessier

Series/Standalone: L.O.R.D.S. (Book #3)

Genre: New Adult, Dark, Romance

Pages: 644

Publisher: Self-Published

Year Published: 2023

Format: Ebook (Kindle Unlimited)

"HIS LADY

A Lord is to marry after he graduates from Barrington University, an elite college for the rich. A Lady's job is to help him fit into a world unaware of his secret society. The Lord does not get to choose who he spends the rest of his life with. But there is always an exception to the rule. And I just so happen to be his.

I VOW. YOU VOW. WE VOW.

I was to wed a Lord of my parents' choosing. Wealth can't buy you everything or I would have had freedom years ago. Instead, my strict parents made sure I lived a dull life in a mansion resembling a prison.

But on my wedding day, I was handed over to another man- an even more ruthless Lord that my family hated.

Tyson Riley Crawford only wanted me for his revenge. I'm nothing more than a debt to be paid. I didn't have a say in the matter. So when I said my vows before the congregation, I knew I'd break them. Consequences be damned.

Too bad I underestimated my husband and didn't realize he was more determined to punish me than I was to succeed at escaping. He'll make me choke on those words I used to bind myself to him.

Yet even he couldn't have seen what our future held. Ultimately, we're all just pawns in a game that none of us can win unless you're willing to pay the ultimate sacrifice... and even that may not be enough."

My Rating: 4.5/5

Before we get into it, this is a dark romance. It's messed up and has a lot of things that may not be for everyone. I highly recommend reading a trigger warning list before you start any books in this series. This one was my favourite so far in the series. It leaned into our main character's life story and after seeing Tyson in the first two books, it was exciting to see within his world with the Lords. The plot twists in this one were exactly the overtop thing I needed and the smut was insane.

I look forward to continuing the series and learning more about Carnage. 

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Book Review: The Sinner by Shantel Tessier

Title: The Sinner

Author: Shantel Tessier

Series/Standalone: The L.O.R.D.S (Book #2)

Genre: Dark Romance, Adult Fiction, 

Pages: 640

Publisher: Self-Published 

Year Published: 2022

Format: Ebook (Kindle Unlimited)

"LITTLE DEMON

I was raised in a world where money and power are at your fingertips. My father is a LORD, a very respected member of a secret society that knows no bounds. When tragedy struck my family, we discovered we weren't untouchable. Just when I thought life couldn't get any worse, I was shown what hell is really like. Then he came and saved me. The devil disguised as my personal hero. But of course, nothing is for free. Not when a soul is up for grabs.

I VOW. YOU VOW. WE VOW.

Easton Bardley Sinnett- Sin- uses his power for his own sick pleasure. Like a typical Lord, he never thought about the consequences of his actions. I grew up with him, obsessed over him, craved him. He was who I pictured when I imagined doing things my body shouldn't want.

One day, I realized he was not who I thought he was. It didn't change anything, though, because I was already too far gone. If anything, I fell for him harder.

Every now and then, someone enters your life who flips it upside down. Sin wrecked me in the worst way, and I thanked him for it by serving on my knees.

As they say, nothing lasts forever. Men like him never stay with a woman like me. I'm what they use, not keep. So when he threw me away, I shouldn't have been all that surprised.

My body had always craved the darker side of love. The kind that left bruises and scars. I was what most would call unholy. And when the devil whispered in my ear that he loved me, I was more than determined to show him just how devoted I could be.

My Rating: 4/5

These books are not for the faint of heart. You definitely have to know what you're getting into if you're picking up a dark romance of any kind please check the trigger warnings. For me, this was fun and shocking but it did what it set out to do. The plot twists were outrageous in the best way and I can't even count how many times I said, "What the fuck?" I am excited to see where the series goes from here, now that the author has expanded the universe. 

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Book Review: The Ritual by Shantel Tessier

Title: The Ritual 

Author: Shantel Tessier

Series/Standalone: The L.O.R.D.S Series (Book #1)

Genre: Dark Romance, New Adult, Fiction

Pages: 628

Publisher: Self-Published

Year Published: 2021

Format: Ebook (Kindle Unlimited)

First Line: "A Lord takes his oath seriously."

"THE CHOSEN ONE

I vow. You vow. We vow.

Barrington University is home of the Lords, a secret society that requires their blood in payment. They are above all- the most powerful men in the world. They devote their lives to violence in exchange for power. And during their senior year, they are offered a chosen one.

People think growing up with money is freeing, but I promise you, it's not. My entire life has been planned out for me. I never got the chance to do what I wanted until Ryat Alexander Archer came along and gave me an option for a better life. He offered me what no one else ever had- freedom.

I chose to be his. He made me believe that anyway, but it was just another lie. A way that the Lords manipulate you into doing what they want.

After being sucked into the dark, twisted world of the Lords, I embraced my new role and allowed Ryat to parade me around like the trophy I was to him. But like all things, what started out as a game soon became a fight for survival. And the only way out was death."

My Rating: 3.75/5

This book has trigger warnings a mile long so please before you read any dark romance find a trigger warning list and make sure that the content is something you feel safe to consume. That being said this book was really fun for a dark romance, the plot went so many different directions, the spicey scenes were insane, and the world was fascinating. Was it a literary classic, probably not. Would I read it again? Absolutely. I will be continuing on with the series. 

Thanks for reading,

Sidny