Dawn of the Cursed Queen: Deluxe Special Edition (Gods and Monsters)
Amber V. Nicole
by Lauren Palphreyman
Aurora has narrowly escaped the Wolf King, but survival comes at a steep price: the bite mark branded onto her skin binds her to him as his property. As the Wolf King hunts for his prize, Aurora finds herself ensnared in a volatile power struggle for the throne. To survive, she must forge a precarious alliance with Blake, a ruthless and feared alpha who was once her enemy.
Their fates are now inextricably linked by a tether that ensures her own demise should she choose to strike him down. Caught in a web of forbidden desires and shifting loyalties, Aurora struggles to maintain her autonomy while navigating the intense, unsettling bond that pulls her toward Blake. As her own wolf nature begins to awaken, she uncovers whispers of a dormant, ancient evil rising in the north—a threat far greater than the petty squabbles of the Wolf Throne.
With her heart torn between conflicting allegiances and enemies closing in from every side, Aurora must decipher the dark secrets buried in the north and determine whom she can truly trust. In a world where wolves play for keeps, she must decide where she belongs before the coming darkness consumes the Kingdom of Men and Wolves alike.
Heather B. @fantasyromantasyAMAZING!
"“ʟᴇᴛ ᴍᴇ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ʏᴏᴜ. ᴊᴜsᴛ ᴏɴᴄᴇ. ᴘʟᴇᴀsᴇ.” The chokehold this series has me in is insane. I did an immersive read (tandem audio/eyeball reading) and could LITERALLY not put the book down. I am obsessed with these characters & this world. I'm so torn on which team I am (IYKYK). This series has everything I want in a romantasy: enemies-to-lovers tension, touch her & ☠️ vibes, forbidden love, political intrigue, and just the right amount of spice to keep the story sizzling. The plot and pacing flows so effortlessly that I flew through it, completely wrapped up in the magic of the world and its characters. The story is filled with an intense and vivid setting, and so many jaw dropping moments that left me on edge with every twist. The world-building is intricate yet not overwhelming and the romance is perfectly woven in. The chemistry between all of the MCs was straight up electric!!!! So much happened in this sequel and there are still so many questions that I have. I can't wait to see where their relationship goes with all the obstacles and foreshadowing that are coming with the next book! I have sooo many theories!!! This book will be living rent free in my brain for a long time and I’m feral for the next book! 𝓣𝓻𝓸𝓹𝓮𝓼 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓥𝓲𝓫𝓮𝓼: 🐺 Wolf Shifter Romantasy 🐺 Princess x Alpha 🐺 Captive Heroine 🐺 Enemies to Lovers 🐺 Love Triangle Done RIGHT 🐺 Forbidden Romance 🐺 Humans vs Wolves War 🐺 Morally Gray MMC 🐺 Political Intrigue 🐺 Found Family 🐺 Hidden Plots & Agendas 🐺 Primal Heat & Tension “ᴡʜᴇɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴛɪᴍᴇ ᴄᴏᴍᴇs, ʟɪᴛᴛʟᴇ ʀᴀʙʙɪᴛ, ɪ ᴡɪʟʟ ɢɪᴠᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ᴇᴠᴇʀʏᴛʜɪɴɢ ɪ ʜᴀᴠᴇ. ɪ ᴘʀᴏᴍɪsᴇ.” ["
February 9, 2026 Verified Purchase
trudiecreadsSatisfying continuation
"Audiobook 4/4 ⭐️ Story 4/4 ⭐️ The Night Prince delivers a rich, immersive world that’s easy to sink into, with emotional depth that adds real weight to the story. The characters shine—especially the swoon-worthy MMCs—making this a genuinely fun and satisfying continuation of the series. The relationships feel layered and intense, and the stakes keep you invested from start to finish. On audio, Shane East as Callum, Sean Masters as Blake, and Zara Hampton-Brown as all remaining voices gave excellent performances. That said, I do wish the audiobook had been produced in full duet. There were several scenes where dialogue from Callum or Blake was voiced by the female narrator, which pulled me out of the moment. If I hadn’t been reading along, it would have been genuinely confusing at times. Narration quirks aside, this installment deepens the world and the emotional connections in a way that makes it hard not to keep going. A strong continuation with memorable characters and plenty of heart—definitely worth the read (and mostly worth the listen). ["
January 26, 2026 Verified Purchase
Amy N.better than Book 1.
"I have to tell you I enjoyed this book better than the first which is rare for me. I cannot think of another series or sequel I have enjoyed more than the first book. The reason for this is all about Blake. His character is 100% what makes this plot move. Even though we're taken along on Aurora's POV, the uncertainty of Blake's motivations for every move he makes on the chessboard of the Wolf Kingdom and every word that comes out of his mouth keeps the tension of the story which sucks the reader in. Suspension of Disbelief is handled perfectly thanks to Blake. I couldn't decide through most of the book whether I was team Callum or team Blake. Part of me thinks this trio is reenacting the mythology that Aurora has been learning about in Book 1 and Book 2. And honestly, at the end of this book I just feel for Blake because this individual has never felt unconditional love from anyone at any point in time. How amazing would his character be if he felt unconditional love from his mother or his lover or SOMEONE???!? I also agree with the reviewer who said that Callum was annoying in this book. He doesn't seem to have anything appealing outside of his muscular body or mischievous grin. His character lost any depth it was starting to have in Book 1. I kind of want Aurora to choose Blake simply to throw a wrench in the predictability of all of this, and to save him from the darkness inside of him. I could also do without all the foul language. It detracts from the story to be honest. ["
May 11, 2026 Verified Purchase
HelenMy expectations were blown!
"Wow! I loved this second book. I tend to go into these types of books blind and the ride this book took me on was wild and so much freaking fun!! Coming off The Wolf Prince, I was sort of expecting more of the same Outlander-esque read. Wow, I was wrong. Yes, there are still shadows of that show and perhaps some ACOTAR coded moments, but this book was so good. It was heart-pounding, frustrating, romantic, hold your breath, dipped in darkness fun. I literally couldn’t put it down. Every moment felt like I was at the good part and that’s so huge for me when I’m reading a fantasy. The push/pull between Callum and Rory, the enemy vs friend between Rory and Blake all explode in this book and I was 100% invested in how everything was going to work out. The action, the fighting, the relationships were all working together. So so good! I had moments where I was frustrated with both Rory and Callum for being too weak when I just wanted them to say what was on their minds but I think that was part of the pull I felt in this book. It’s a trilogy so now I’m waiting, impatiently, for book 3. Callum, Blake and Rory are all bound together in the second book. Blake and Rory are tied together after he saved her life and Callum is grateful but also jealous of their connection. Determined to find a way to sever the bond, Rory spends her time trying to decipher what it is that ties them together as she and Callum share a new level of intimacy as she faces her own wolf. The question is, will she turn and how will she handle it? Rory is haunted by shared dreams with Blake and pressured by outside forces to find a way to fit in as she’s neither wolf nor human. Callum is forced to deal more with politics as he tries bring the kingdom together. While Rory researches and adjusts to her new world, Blake is cold and warm and hot and filled with a darkness that seems to invade Rory. His deceptions and games always seem to present but there’s an undercurrent of something else in his shadows that Rory can’t quite identify. Filled with action and demons, a battle for good and new foes at every turn, this book pulses with an intensity that swept me away. Absolutely loved despite a few imperfect moments and totally recommend. A really great ride! 5 stars. 2 peppers. ["
August 8, 2025 Verified Purchase
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