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City of Gods and Monsters (House of Devils)
Kayla Edwards
4.1
Dawn of the Cursed Queen: Deluxe Special Edition (Gods and Monsters)
by Amber V. Nicole
Published Sep 29, 2026
Categories
About this book
In the wake of a cataclysmic battle, the balance of power shifts as Nismera, the ruthless Goddess of War, seizes control of the realms. Her iron grip leaves the once-mighty Samkiel, the true king, forced into exile. As his powers wane and his resources dwindle, Samkiel finds himself navigating a fractured world where his former allies are scattered and his enemies are closing in.
At the center of this turmoil is Dianna, whose heart is heavy with the burden of harrowing secrets and the guilt of past choices. Fearing for Samkiel’s life after their narrow escape, she attempts to distance herself from him, believing that sacrifice is the only way to ensure his survival. Samkiel, however, refuses to let her go, viewing her as the anchor in his crumbling reality.
Their relationship, defined by deep devotion and agonizing restraint, faces its ultimate test as they struggle to bridge the gap between protector and protected. As the clash between gods and monsters intensifies, they must decide if their bond is strong enough to withstand both the weight of their pasts and the encroaching darkness of a throne stolen by deception. In a world of shifting alliances, only one question remains: who will survive the dawn?
Available Formats
Paperback: $14.24 Hardcover: $30.71
What readers are saying
Jessica S.Dawn of the Cursed Queen
"I swear this series just keeps getting better. The Dawn of the Cursed Queen pulled me right back in, and I was fully locked into these characters all over again. The emotional weight in this one really hits, and the connections between the characters feel so intense and layered that it’s hard not to get completely wrapped up in it. The story expands the world in a way that actually adds depth instead of just throwing more at you. Everything feels bigger here, the stakes, the tension, the emotional fallout, and you can feel it building the entire time. There’s this constant sense that something is coming, and it keeps you hooked. The pacing felt really solid for me. It balances those heavier emotional moments with enough movement in the plot that I never felt stuck. Every chapter felt like it mattered, which made it really easy to stay invested. Overall, this series continues to get better with each book. ["
May 4, 2026 Verified Purchase
YoRoxyGrlTheme song: We found love in a hopeless place; GET THE TISSUES!
"I've said it before and I'll continue to yell it...READ THIS SERIES!!! Do not sleep on this author/series, seriously! One of my absolute favorite adult fantasy romance series thus far in my reading journey, and I just know this is gonna be FIRE by the time she's done with it! Book 3 did NOT disappoint and picks up right where we left off at the end of book 2. Now let me pause, because I want to give a massive handclap to the author for blessing us with another "previously on" summary at the beginning before we dive back into everything. Dianna was our host for book 2 and Cameron is our host for book 3. Authors that do this are the real MVPs, for real. Y'all eat away our brains for a whole year waiting on y'all to continue these fantastic stories, only for us to forget half of the story and cast by the time the next book comes out...so THANK YOU to the ones who help us out so we don't have to do a whole re-read. LMAO. We get so much MORE in book 3 (especially new characters!) and I gotta say, this woman is a genius of an author and world/plot creator. I am in awe of this author. She has truly created such a deep and infinite story and universe. It was already massive, but this book just made it even bigger, and something tells me it's only going to keep growing. The creatures are so original to this story; the magic/power systems are just next level wild; the relationships and dynamics are just so intense and deep. Everything just feels so well thought out and explored, not superficial at all. I mean, we are dealing with centuries and millenia-old beings after all, so I would expect things to be deep and heavy with a lot of these characters. And she delivers every time. The evolution of Dianna & Samkiel's relationship over the course of this series thus far has just been so darn good, and so ORGANIC!!! Like just the realness of their struggles and progression, both as individuals together and then as a couple together, has been just fantastic, despite this being fantasy. It's part of the secret sauce that really gives this book and series that ZAH! This progression just continues to amaze me in book 3. Our babies do manage to get a little bit of time to recover and get back to a better place, but of course, peace doesn't last for long when an even crazier being is trying to take over the Universe and all... Of course, this author would not be herself if she didn't bring the SPICE, and TDOTCQ brought the heat boiii! YUMMM-O! I also loved that pretty much all our villains (well except Nismera, because...well she's just a raging c word) were out here finding love despite all the bull mess. Cue Rhianna's "We found love in a hopeless place" please. LMAO! All those twisties at the end though! My goodness! I mean, it's to be expected at this point and she does them so damn well. There's still so much mystery to come and other things to be revealed and I cannot WAIT! And of course, that knockout cliffy at the end was just ridiculous and I was cursing the author so hard. Again, QUEEN. This book/series STAYs on my short list of automatic recommendations for a good, solid adult fantasy romance because it just DOESN'T MISS! So do yourself a favor and start this series asap. Unfortunately it's not complete as of now, but honestly, I think it's one that will stand the test of time so it's not gonna bother you in the least if you need to re-read it later. Enjoy and happy reading!!! ["
May 30, 2024 Verified Purchase
DanGreat, but slower than the first two
"I struggled a bit to get through the frist half. I think the central issue being one of people not talking just did not click the same way as Diana's processing grief. Still a great mix of plot and spice, I enjoy how it is setting up spinoff series. ["
May 24, 2025 Verified Purchase
LauraaaaEmotional, action-packed and addictive
"***SPOILERS AHEAD*** "Perhaps it was truly a funny thing not to realize how broken or damaged you were until someone came along and picked up every single fractured piece and showed you how just being you was enough." Ugh this books. This series. My heart. 🖤 The world building is immense, galactic and kept me on my toes. I'm a sucker for a map so would've like a more in-depth map of the realms as I was a bit confused with the bouncing around. The descriptions of "New Rashearim" was lovely and I could so vividly see that castle. While the previous two books were packed full of action, this book was more on the character development and calmer side, but I loved it. The action scenes that we did get were so epic. Dianna is a FORCE. 🖤 I think Dianna and Samkiel might be my favourite ever book couple. Dianna is feisty, sassy and Samkiel is her peace. The slow, little moments between them had my heart racing and my eyes tearing. The love they have for each other is legendary, both of them would burn the world for each other. I just wish Dianna wasn't so reckless sometimes and actually listened to her gut when it was "screaming" at her... "Samkiel leaned against the tub with his eyes closed as I used the bubbles to mold the longest part of his hair into a ridge along the top of his head." "If he was the sun, by the old gods, she was the moon. Powerful, dark, and overbearing at times. She never left him, nor he her, as if they danced around each other for eternity....He was sunlight, pure and radiant, but as he stepped closer to me, he drew farther into the darkness. I was that darkness." 🖤 I loved all the additional POV's and the insight we got into each character. The misunderstood villain trope is so compelling and this book provided so much insight into the actions of certain characters. The only complaint I had was that I would've loved to see more from The Hand. I missed their banter and can't wait to get them back in the next book. 🖤 The spice...damn Amber Nicole knows how to write a good smutty scene. This series will have a permanent place on my bookshelf. Exciting and compelling, this story has me on the edge of my seat and I cannot WAIT to see how this series progresses. LOVE LOVE LOVE. ["
July 3, 2024 Verified Purchase
