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Nightshade #1
Nightshade
A love so forbidden, it would shake the heavens.
My father called them messengers.
He once told me they walked among us, and that somewhere in this dark and godless city, there shined a faint sliver of hope. I had only to look for the signs.
Well, I’ve spent my whole life investigating the inexplicable, and all I've found are the unsettling vestiges of iniquity - the evidence of another world shrouded by the obscure. Purgatory to some, where depravity hides in shadows, and girls like me are little more than delicious bites of temptation.
Others call it Nightshade.
This peculiar place is where I first met the cold and callous recluse living in a decaying cliffside cathedral. Jericho Van Croix is the epitome of everything I’ve been told to fear. A raven-winged harbinger who wears intrigue like a warm black cloak. An enigma that I’m determined to unravel – even if it means getting closer than I should.
One touch is forbidden. Even so much as a kiss would be my demise. But the sin on his lips burns me up like a wild flame, and his growing infatuation weakens my resolve.
Giving him what he wants, though, will mean no chance for redemption, or escape. What's worse is, the signs I’ve followed yet failed to see all these years begin to unmask a terrifying reality:
That falling may be my only saving grace.
My father called them messengers.
He once told me they walked among us, and that somewhere in this dark and godless city, there shined a faint sliver of hope. I had only to look for the signs.
Well, I’ve spent my whole life investigating the inexplicable, and all I've found are the unsettling vestiges of iniquity - the evidence of another world shrouded by the obscure. Purgatory to some, where depravity hides in shadows, and girls like me are little more than delicious bites of temptation.
Others call it Nightshade.
This peculiar place is where I first met the cold and callous recluse living in a decaying cliffside cathedral. Jericho Van Croix is the epitome of everything I’ve been told to fear. A raven-winged harbinger who wears intrigue like a warm black cloak. An enigma that I’m determined to unravel – even if it means getting closer than I should.
One touch is forbidden. Even so much as a kiss would be my demise. But the sin on his lips burns me up like a wild flame, and his growing infatuation weakens my resolve.
Giving him what he wants, though, will mean no chance for redemption, or escape. What's worse is, the signs I’ve followed yet failed to see all these years begin to unmask a terrifying reality:
That falling may be my only saving grace.
676 pages, Paperback
First published October 29, 2021
About the author
Keri Lake
40 books6,780 followersAuthor of gothic romance who specializes in demon wrangling, vengeance dealing and wicked twists.
I love connecting with readers, so feel free to join my reading group: http://bit.ly/2lWjOFg
I love connecting with readers, so feel free to join my reading group: http://bit.ly/2lWjOFg
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,427 reviews
November 3, 2024
“𝓢𝓽𝓻𝓸𝓷𝓰 𝔀𝓸𝓶𝓮𝓷 𝔀𝓲𝓵𝓵 𝓪𝓵𝔀𝓪𝔂𝓼 𝓫𝓮𝓪𝓻 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓭𝓪𝓷𝓰𝓮𝓻𝓸𝓾𝓼 𝓫𝓾𝓻𝓭𝓮𝓷 𝓸𝓯 𝓪 𝔀𝓮𝓪𝓴𝓮𝓻 𝓶𝓪𝓷’𝓼 𝓹𝓻𝓲𝓭𝓮.”
“𝓐 𝓿𝓲𝓵𝓵𝓪𝓲𝓷 𝓲𝓼 𝓺𝓾𝓲𝓽𝓮 𝓬𝓪𝓹𝓪𝓫𝓵𝓮 𝓸𝓯 𝓵𝓸𝓿𝓮. 𝓘𝓽’𝓼 𝓸𝓷𝓵𝔂 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓶𝓪𝓽𝓽𝓮𝓻 𝓸𝓯 𝔀𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓱𝓮’𝓼 𝔀𝓲𝓵𝓵𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓽𝓸 𝓼𝓪𝓬𝓻𝓲𝓯𝓲𝓬𝓮 𝓯𝓸𝓻 𝓽𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓵𝓸𝓿𝓮 𝔀𝓱𝓲𝓬𝓱 𝓼𝓮𝓹𝓪𝓻𝓪𝓽𝓮𝓼 𝓱𝓲𝓶 𝓯𝓻𝓸𝓶 𝓪 𝓰𝓸𝓸𝓭 𝓶𝓪𝓷.”
˗ˏˋ ★ ˎˊ˗ 3.5 𝕊𝕥𝕒𝕣𝕤 ˗ˏˋ ★ ˎˊ˗
This one totally fit the vibe for a dreary fall day. And, I can't give away too much about the plot bc so much is spoilery. But lemme do my best with a review here...
The eerie, dark tone was spot on! The concept of Nightshade itself—where souls end up when they don’t believe in anything—was incredibly creative, adding layers of intrigue to the world with the demons, angels, and hybrid supernatural beings seemingly all at odds with each other and heightening the tension and mystery.
Although there were moments when I felt a bit confused or certain things didn’t quite add up, I suspect it might have been due to the slower pacing, which may have tested my attention span at times. Still, the darkness of the world was mesmerizing, and I loved experiencing its spooky, haunting vibes.
Speaking of the pacing - I definitely had issues here. The beginning was a slow start and it took a while for much of the story to start to unfold, but once it did - then it was off to the races for real. Towards the ending I really felt that many things were getting thrown at me 'last minute' style- I also didn't particularly love the ending. But it's a trope I'm not a fan of, I'm sure plenty of people will be okay with it.
The romance is a major slow burn. I appreciated that much more than the insta-love/lust that I normally get when I dip into dark romance.
Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone who likes a gothic and/or paranormal romance with spice and mystery, especially if you’re looking to get in the mood for the spooky season.
╰⪼ ❤️Angels and Demons
╰⪼ 🖤Morally Grey and Possessive MMC
╰⪼ ❤️Forbidden Romance
╰⪼ 🖤Super Slow Burn
╰⪼ ❤️Touch Her and Die
╰⪼ 🖤Reincarnation
╰⪼ ❤️Fated Mates/Soulmates
“I will look for you in the Nightshade. However long it takes, I will find you and bring you home. Remember me.”
“I’m far more selfish. I would burn down an entire city for one woman.”
“I was there. I remembered everything. Her. Us.” He held me tight, stroking his hand down my hair, and whispered in my ear. “Now you know why I can never let you leave.”
“𝓐 𝓿𝓲𝓵𝓵𝓪𝓲𝓷 𝓲𝓼 𝓺𝓾𝓲𝓽𝓮 𝓬𝓪𝓹𝓪𝓫𝓵𝓮 𝓸𝓯 𝓵𝓸𝓿𝓮. 𝓘𝓽’𝓼 𝓸𝓷𝓵𝔂 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓶𝓪𝓽𝓽𝓮𝓻 𝓸𝓯 𝔀𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓱𝓮’𝓼 𝔀𝓲𝓵𝓵𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓽𝓸 𝓼𝓪𝓬𝓻𝓲𝓯𝓲𝓬𝓮 𝓯𝓸𝓻 𝓽𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓵𝓸𝓿𝓮 𝔀𝓱𝓲𝓬𝓱 𝓼𝓮𝓹𝓪𝓻𝓪𝓽𝓮𝓼 𝓱𝓲𝓶 𝓯𝓻𝓸𝓶 𝓪 𝓰𝓸𝓸𝓭 𝓶𝓪𝓷.”
˗ˏˋ ★ ˎˊ˗ 3.5 𝕊𝕥𝕒𝕣𝕤 ˗ˏˋ ★ ˎˊ˗
This one totally fit the vibe for a dreary fall day. And, I can't give away too much about the plot bc so much is spoilery. But lemme do my best with a review here...
The eerie, dark tone was spot on! The concept of Nightshade itself—where souls end up when they don’t believe in anything—was incredibly creative, adding layers of intrigue to the world with the demons, angels, and hybrid supernatural beings seemingly all at odds with each other and heightening the tension and mystery.
Although there were moments when I felt a bit confused or certain things didn’t quite add up, I suspect it might have been due to the slower pacing, which may have tested my attention span at times. Still, the darkness of the world was mesmerizing, and I loved experiencing its spooky, haunting vibes.
Speaking of the pacing - I definitely had issues here. The beginning was a slow start and it took a while for much of the story to start to unfold, but once it did - then it was off to the races for real. Towards the ending I really felt that many things were getting thrown at me 'last minute' style- I also didn't particularly love the ending. But it's a trope I'm not a fan of, I'm sure plenty of people will be okay with it.
The romance is a major slow burn. I appreciated that much more than the insta-love/lust that I normally get when I dip into dark romance.
Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone who likes a gothic and/or paranormal romance with spice and mystery, especially if you’re looking to get in the mood for the spooky season.
╰⪼ ❤️Angels and Demons
╰⪼ 🖤Morally Grey and Possessive MMC
╰⪼ ❤️Forbidden Romance
╰⪼ 🖤Super Slow Burn
╰⪼ ❤️Touch Her and Die
╰⪼ 🖤Reincarnation
╰⪼ ❤️Fated Mates/Soulmates
“I will look for you in the Nightshade. However long it takes, I will find you and bring you home. Remember me.”
“I’m far more selfish. I would burn down an entire city for one woman.”
“I was there. I remembered everything. Her. Us.” He held me tight, stroking his hand down my hair, and whispered in my ear. “Now you know why I can never let you leave.”
September 11, 2022
a very solid paranormal romance.
KL is amazing when it comes to delivering atmosphere. the setting and vibes of her stories are always top notch, and this book is no exception. i loved the dark nature of nightshade. it definitely focuses more on the demon side of the whole angels vs demons struggle, and i thought it suited the story very well.
however, i did notice that some of the world-building didnt quite make sense. it didnt detract from the story itself, but there were just some things i caught that didnt quite match up.
regardless, this is an enticing beginning to a series. cant wait to see where the story goes next!
↠ 4 stars
KL is amazing when it comes to delivering atmosphere. the setting and vibes of her stories are always top notch, and this book is no exception. i loved the dark nature of nightshade. it definitely focuses more on the demon side of the whole angels vs demons struggle, and i thought it suited the story very well.
however, i did notice that some of the world-building didnt quite make sense. it didnt detract from the story itself, but there were just some things i caught that didnt quite match up.
regardless, this is an enticing beginning to a series. cant wait to see where the story goes next!
↠ 4 stars
April 6, 2023
“A villain is quite capable of love. It’s only the matter of what he’s willing to sacrifice for that love which separates him from a good man.”
Nightshade was a magnificent book!!! Keri Lake is a phenomenal storyteller and this book is her masterpiece! I love to read a book that you can tell that the writer has put their heart and soul into the book by how its written. Do yourself a favor and check out this new book, its not only one of the best gothic romances I've read in years but its my pick for book of the year! And I've read many great books this year. I loved the gothic atmospheric feeling to this book and the characters were fucking fabulous!! Jericho is are lead male. Most see him as the villain and fear him but he is charismatic and broody with a sexy sensuality that's off the charts and i loved his raw and often times possessive nature! Theirs nothing soft about this half angel/ half demon but the love and passion he feels for our heroine Farryn is burn the world down kind of eternal love and to read a love story like theirs that can reach across centuries is totally breath taking! What they both went through was horrific and it still amazes me how the ones that are supposed to be the god fearing and good ones are sometimes the worst monsters! I don't want to give much away about this book but I will tell you that theirs passion,love,betrayal and steamy😅 sex! What Jericho can do with those beautiful black wings of his was AMAZING! Damn you Keri Lake for ruining me for mortal men! I need me a Jericho Van Croix ASAP!!! I also want to mention Remy a fallen angel and ally to Jericho. I loved this fallen angel so much with his devil may care attitude and charm and his death made me cry like a baby! I couldn't read this book fast enough and it totally captived me! Don't let the fact that it is over 600 pages intimidate you! Its that fucking fabulous!! Thank you Keri Lake for writing another magnificent book and characters that will stay with me for a very long time!! I love gothic romance and I can wait for more stories by this truly amazing writer. Until next time Luv's💗💋
Nightshade was a magnificent book!!! Keri Lake is a phenomenal storyteller and this book is her masterpiece! I love to read a book that you can tell that the writer has put their heart and soul into the book by how its written. Do yourself a favor and check out this new book, its not only one of the best gothic romances I've read in years but its my pick for book of the year! And I've read many great books this year. I loved the gothic atmospheric feeling to this book and the characters were fucking fabulous!! Jericho is are lead male. Most see him as the villain and fear him but he is charismatic and broody with a sexy sensuality that's off the charts and i loved his raw and often times possessive nature! Theirs nothing soft about this half angel/ half demon but the love and passion he feels for our heroine Farryn is burn the world down kind of eternal love and to read a love story like theirs that can reach across centuries is totally breath taking! What they both went through was horrific and it still amazes me how the ones that are supposed to be the god fearing and good ones are sometimes the worst monsters! I don't want to give much away about this book but I will tell you that theirs passion,love,betrayal and steamy😅 sex! What Jericho can do with those beautiful black wings of his was AMAZING! Damn you Keri Lake for ruining me for mortal men! I need me a Jericho Van Croix ASAP!!! I also want to mention Remy a fallen angel and ally to Jericho. I loved this fallen angel so much with his devil may care attitude and charm and his death made me cry like a baby! I couldn't read this book fast enough and it totally captived me! Don't let the fact that it is over 600 pages intimidate you! Its that fucking fabulous!! Thank you Keri Lake for writing another magnificent book and characters that will stay with me for a very long time!! I love gothic romance and I can wait for more stories by this truly amazing writer. Until next time Luv's💗💋
October 23, 2021
5 STARS
I don't know how the woman does it, but her books just get thicker with each release. And this book? Well she REALLY THICK. So set aside some time, brace yourself and prepare for one hell of a ride. Literally.
I've seriously missed Keri's unique brand of world building. I loved her PNR series. But this world? Well it's just something entirely different.
Nightshade was unlike any book I've ever read. It was full of captivating and gritty world building. It had Keri's signature dark layers, but it was also incredibly unique. And the romance? One that defies everything, including time. My suggestion? Go into this completely blind. I will also say that if you've read Master of Salt & Bones, you'll appreciate this one even more.
Now about this book, what can I tell you? It had a bit of everything; angels, demons, monsters, and sinners. If there's one thing that I've learned about Keri's writing, she's not afraid to give you the very depths of human depravity. And this book takes you into the very pits of that darkness, but with a twist.
Van Croix is an enigma that I couldn't get enough of. He's captivating, cold, tortured, and something just...other. When each new layer of his gets peeled back, you get sucked in even deeper into this world. And let me tell you, there's a lot of it. The romance is a slow burn. The pacing was deliciously torturous but also perfect for the story.
Nightshade brought a dark and captivating world that I never wanted to leave. Full of vivid characters, spine tingling setting, and a romance unlike any I've ever read. In one word, I'm hooked. TOTALLY AND COMPLETELY HOOKED. SO GOOD
beta read
Find me on:
You are a mystifying enigma, Mister Van Croix.”
His gaze swung back to me, devouring me in one sweep. “And you are a frustrating distraction, Miss Ravenshaw.”
I don't know how the woman does it, but her books just get thicker with each release. And this book? Well she REALLY THICK. So set aside some time, brace yourself and prepare for one hell of a ride. Literally.
I've seriously missed Keri's unique brand of world building. I loved her PNR series. But this world? Well it's just something entirely different.
Nightshade was unlike any book I've ever read. It was full of captivating and gritty world building. It had Keri's signature dark layers, but it was also incredibly unique. And the romance? One that defies everything, including time. My suggestion? Go into this completely blind. I will also say that if you've read Master of Salt & Bones, you'll appreciate this one even more.
Now about this book, what can I tell you? It had a bit of everything; angels, demons, monsters, and sinners. If there's one thing that I've learned about Keri's writing, she's not afraid to give you the very depths of human depravity. And this book takes you into the very pits of that darkness, but with a twist.
Van Croix is an enigma that I couldn't get enough of. He's captivating, cold, tortured, and something just...other. When each new layer of his gets peeled back, you get sucked in even deeper into this world. And let me tell you, there's a lot of it. The romance is a slow burn. The pacing was deliciously torturous but also perfect for the story.
Nightshade brought a dark and captivating world that I never wanted to leave. Full of vivid characters, spine tingling setting, and a romance unlike any I've ever read. In one word, I'm hooked. TOTALLY AND COMPLETELY HOOKED. SO GOOD
beta read
Find me on:
November 2, 2024
➼ 3★
“The sun will turn into darkness, and the moon into blood. And the heavens will shake. But do not be afraid.”
╰┈➤ read this if you like:
★ dark, paranormal, gothic romantasy vibes
★ reincarnated love
★ angels & demons
★ 2 timelines
★ spicy spice
this book had potential, but i didn’t enjoy it much. i liked the story but the way the story is written is confusing imo. for a moment, i even considered to dnf it. the whole idea was intriguing, but it was badly executed. the pace alternates between really slow chapters that bore you to death, and really fast chapters that very much confuse you. i wasn’t interested at all in learning about the past timeline, which was very important for the story. my curiosity was specifically for the present one. tbh, i think the laziness of the writing is what makes you lose interest in the story.
honestly, it was hard to connect with the characters. i found jericho to be very manipulative and really possessive (and not the hot kind). hello stone age? i didn’t like him when he was just a baron either.
farryn was just bland. she didn’t give me any emotions whatsoever.
overall, this felt like a lost erection. i’m kinda disappointed ngl, i expected better. honestly, idk if i’ll ever read the second book because i’m not dying to know what happens. i just don’t care.
onto the next?😃
“My point is that beneath the earth lies the roots, dirt and worms, where everything decays in order to feed the beauty you find so perfect. In order for something to live, something must rot.”
“Strong women will always bear the dangerous burden of a weaker man’s pride.”
“Whether a witch, or an angel, a mother’s love is the same. Do not let this pain change your heart, My Lord. She would not have wanted that for you.”
“A villain is quite capable of love. It’s only the matter of what he’s willing to sacrifice for that love which separates him from a good man.”
“My love for you will never fade. Not even when this wretched world ceases to exist and the sun dies out to an everlasting darkness. My life, my soul. It is yours eternally.”
“Until we meet again, my love.”
October 31, 2021
Gothic dark PNR is now my favorite trope. I didn't see this book coming; let's just say I am beyond highly impressed. The author is so incredibly talented. Keri Lake wrote about a paranormal world that I could see unfolding in from of me, and she went into such great detail.
I apologize ahead of time; this will be a vague review. To get the full experience of this book, it is best to go in blind and be prepared to have your mind blown away.
What's a girl to do when you have so many questions unanswered? Our girl Farryn goes by any means to find the answers. What she finds is something out of this world and forbidden love that is deep with a unique bond.
The author paints a picture of an extraordinary world of heaven, hell, and purgatory. Demons and Angels, and throw in some witches. Oh, I can’t forget the cult society. Dreams vs reality and past lives.
As this book is fictional, there are some events based on our history. I was sucked in from chapter one, and from that point on the book makes you think. I was a little worried about the book being written between the past and present, plus the length of the book, that the plot would fizzle out. Rest assured, that never happened.
Let’s talk about Jericho. He is not only hot and has an obsessive love; he stole my heart. I always loved an alpha, grumpy man that was the villain of the story and would burn down the world for the one he love.
This book is a masterpiece, and I wouldn’t want anyone interested in it to lose out. I can’t wait to see what happens next. Nightshade is my first book by this author. I am in total awe of her writing and imagination. Needless to say, this will not be my last.
I apologize ahead of time; this will be a vague review. To get the full experience of this book, it is best to go in blind and be prepared to have your mind blown away.
What's a girl to do when you have so many questions unanswered? Our girl Farryn goes by any means to find the answers. What she finds is something out of this world and forbidden love that is deep with a unique bond.
The author paints a picture of an extraordinary world of heaven, hell, and purgatory. Demons and Angels, and throw in some witches. Oh, I can’t forget the cult society. Dreams vs reality and past lives.
As this book is fictional, there are some events based on our history. I was sucked in from chapter one, and from that point on the book makes you think. I was a little worried about the book being written between the past and present, plus the length of the book, that the plot would fizzle out. Rest assured, that never happened.
Let’s talk about Jericho. He is not only hot and has an obsessive love; he stole my heart. I always loved an alpha, grumpy man that was the villain of the story and would burn down the world for the one he love.
This book is a masterpiece, and I wouldn’t want anyone interested in it to lose out. I can’t wait to see what happens next. Nightshade is my first book by this author. I am in total awe of her writing and imagination. Needless to say, this will not be my last.
September 2, 2022
4.5 stars ✿
❝My love for you will never fade. Not even when this wretched world ceases to exist and the sun dies out to an everlasting darkness. My life, my soul. It is yours eternally.❞
hands down one of the best books I have ever read. it was captivating and riveting. in the back of my mind, I knew I wouldn't get any sleep if I read one of keri's books, but I decided to do it anyway. it always happens when I opt to read her books, and I have zero regrets.
❝Tell me to walk away, Farryn,❞ he whispered. ❝Tell me you don’t want me to grab you by the throat and fuck you against this wall right now.❞
plus, keri lake knows how to write a book. i was sucked into their world and it left me wanting more. I read it late at night, in classes, and on the train. I was so into it that I forgot to get off at the right station. also, this book is longer than the isle of sin & shadows, yet it still felt short. very short.
now excuse me while I dream of a world in which jericho van croix is my boyfriend and i will also be waiting impatiently for the second book.
⊹ playlist: nightshade .
❝My love for you will never fade. Not even when this wretched world ceases to exist and the sun dies out to an everlasting darkness. My life, my soul. It is yours eternally.❞
hands down one of the best books I have ever read. it was captivating and riveting. in the back of my mind, I knew I wouldn't get any sleep if I read one of keri's books, but I decided to do it anyway. it always happens when I opt to read her books, and I have zero regrets.
❝Tell me to walk away, Farryn,❞ he whispered. ❝Tell me you don’t want me to grab you by the throat and fuck you against this wall right now.❞
plus, keri lake knows how to write a book. i was sucked into their world and it left me wanting more. I read it late at night, in classes, and on the train. I was so into it that I forgot to get off at the right station. also, this book is longer than the isle of sin & shadows, yet it still felt short. very short.
now excuse me while I dream of a world in which jericho van croix is my boyfriend and i will also be waiting impatiently for the second book.
⊹ playlist: nightshade .
March 23, 2022
5 - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“The only torment I wish to inflict is my own. Touching you, and knowing that you will never belong to me. You will never be mine to keep from the world. I want to be good. If for no one else, then for you.”
Nightshade is hauntingly beautiful and a heartwrenching story of star-crossed lovers whose love transcends time and space. Even death bows to such love.
It is an exquisitely rendered gothic fairytale imbued with the paranormal that promises to create a story and a world layered in lush fantasy and sinister mysticism.
Be warned: this book is emotionally devastating but promises to deliver an unforgettable epic romance.
A love so forbidden, it would shake the heavens . . .
For starters, Nightshade is the first book in a duology and it's an adult gothic paranormal romance. The book includes some dark themes and you'll find the trigger warnings at the end of the review.
This book was... phenomenal.
I read the blurb but went in semi-blind with very little expectations. I knew by the end of it I'd be emotionally wrecked, I mean, that's a Keri Lake signature for those that are familiar with her books.
"You no longer belong to the church or these people. You are not bound by the laws of their world. From this night forward, I am your church. When you are lost, I am your shelter. When you are in pain, I am your elixir.”
Keri's intricate writing and storytelling never fails to blow me away and she elicits such strong emotions from me for her stories and characters.
I will refrain from writing a detailed summary of the story because dear reader I will not rob from you the utterly beautiful reading experience and I want you to allow the story to unfold itself to you.
The author does a fantastic job of playing with the dark/light themes. The hero is intense and extremely morally grey whereas the heroine is a of a pure heart whose life is belittled and shamed for being the child of a cursed woman. The hero seeps his darkness and sins into the heroine and she embraces it all.
"We were fated to be together. It is your light to which I am drawn. It feeds the dark thoughts in my head."
The story spans hundred of years and so you will experience this story from another heroine's POV taking place in the present day. All her life, 25-year-old Farryn was haunted by the mysteries and secrets about a world known as Nightshade her father was obsessed with. Nightshade is said to be a shadowed world likened to purgatory—but Nightshade nothing but a myth. Perhaps a myth no longer when the line between reality and fantasy begins to fade and it eventually brings Farryn to a raven-winged Harbringer known as Jericho Van Croix.
“You are a mystifying enigma, Mister Van Croix.” His gaze swung back to me, devouring me in one sweep. “And you are a frustrating distraction, Miss Ravenshaw.”
The characters in this book are richly multilayered and complex. If there is anything Keri Lake perfects, it's writing morally ambiguous characters. She does not shy away from writing characters that may not be redeemable.
“My love for you will never fade. Not even when this wretched world ceases to exist and the sun dies out to an everlasting darkness. My life, my soul. It is yours eternally.”
By now your are probably wondering about what to expect from the romance?
• It's deliciously angsty
• There are many heartfelt moments
• Prepare to be emotionally wrecked
• Sizzling chemistry
• Hot scenes (expect Light BDSM)
• A hot-as-sin brooding and morally grey/villain love interest (with black wings and tattoos)
She was trouble and temptation wrapped in a scent that would eventually drive me mad, unless I could stay away from her. Force myself, anyway. Nothing like having an enticing little snack, a vibrant soul, innocently cavorting about when you’re fucking starving.
The book does not end on a cliffhanger if you're wondering but the story does pause until the next book comes out.
Trigger Warnings: death, suicide, drug abuse, graphic content, sexual assault, violence, strong language.
“The only torment I wish to inflict is my own. Touching you, and knowing that you will never belong to me. You will never be mine to keep from the world. I want to be good. If for no one else, then for you.”
Nightshade is hauntingly beautiful and a heartwrenching story of star-crossed lovers whose love transcends time and space. Even death bows to such love.
It is an exquisitely rendered gothic fairytale imbued with the paranormal that promises to create a story and a world layered in lush fantasy and sinister mysticism.
Be warned: this book is emotionally devastating but promises to deliver an unforgettable epic romance.
A love so forbidden, it would shake the heavens . . .
For starters, Nightshade is the first book in a duology and it's an adult gothic paranormal romance. The book includes some dark themes and you'll find the trigger warnings at the end of the review.
This book was... phenomenal.
I read the blurb but went in semi-blind with very little expectations. I knew by the end of it I'd be emotionally wrecked, I mean, that's a Keri Lake signature for those that are familiar with her books.
"You no longer belong to the church or these people. You are not bound by the laws of their world. From this night forward, I am your church. When you are lost, I am your shelter. When you are in pain, I am your elixir.”
Keri's intricate writing and storytelling never fails to blow me away and she elicits such strong emotions from me for her stories and characters.
I will refrain from writing a detailed summary of the story because dear reader I will not rob from you the utterly beautiful reading experience and I want you to allow the story to unfold itself to you.
The author does a fantastic job of playing with the dark/light themes. The hero is intense and extremely morally grey whereas the heroine is a of a pure heart whose life is belittled and shamed for being the child of a cursed woman. The hero seeps his darkness and sins into the heroine and she embraces it all.
"We were fated to be together. It is your light to which I am drawn. It feeds the dark thoughts in my head."
The story spans hundred of years and so you will experience this story from another heroine's POV taking place in the present day. All her life, 25-year-old Farryn was haunted by the mysteries and secrets about a world known as Nightshade her father was obsessed with. Nightshade is said to be a shadowed world likened to purgatory—but Nightshade nothing but a myth. Perhaps a myth no longer when the line between reality and fantasy begins to fade and it eventually brings Farryn to a raven-winged Harbringer known as Jericho Van Croix.
“You are a mystifying enigma, Mister Van Croix.” His gaze swung back to me, devouring me in one sweep. “And you are a frustrating distraction, Miss Ravenshaw.”
The characters in this book are richly multilayered and complex. If there is anything Keri Lake perfects, it's writing morally ambiguous characters. She does not shy away from writing characters that may not be redeemable.
“My love for you will never fade. Not even when this wretched world ceases to exist and the sun dies out to an everlasting darkness. My life, my soul. It is yours eternally.”
By now your are probably wondering about what to expect from the romance?
• It's deliciously angsty
• There are many heartfelt moments
• Prepare to be emotionally wrecked
• Sizzling chemistry
• Hot scenes (expect Light BDSM)
• A hot-as-sin brooding and morally grey/villain love interest (with black wings and tattoos)
She was trouble and temptation wrapped in a scent that would eventually drive me mad, unless I could stay away from her. Force myself, anyway. Nothing like having an enticing little snack, a vibrant soul, innocently cavorting about when you’re fucking starving.
The book does not end on a cliffhanger if you're wondering but the story does pause until the next book comes out.
Trigger Warnings: death, suicide, drug abuse, graphic content, sexual assault, violence, strong language.
March 9, 2023
“𝘼 𝙫𝙞𝙡𝙡𝙖𝙞𝙣 𝙞𝙨 𝙦𝙪𝙞𝙩𝙚 𝙘𝙖𝙥𝙖𝙗𝙡𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚. 𝙄𝙩’𝙨 𝙤𝙣𝙡𝙮 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙢𝙖𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙤𝙛 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙝𝙚’𝙨 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙤 𝙨𝙖𝙘𝙧𝙞𝙛𝙞𝙘𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙬𝙝𝙞𝙘𝙝 𝙨𝙚𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙨 𝙝𝙞𝙢 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙖 𝙜𝙤𝙤𝙙 𝙢𝙖𝙣.”
I really don’t even know where to begin or how to accurately describe the book in just a few words. But all I can say is, WOW! I didn't expect it to be so enthralling.
After a long time, I got so much satisfaction from reading such solid and unique stuff. A master piece that truly hooked me from the first page and transported me to another world, making me feel as if I were there in every moment. There are many trigger points though, yet everything about it had pure intensity, and their love story was tragically beautiful and exceptionally delicious in its own way. Written in such a well-balanced manner, despite some disturbing parts, I was able to thoroughly enjoy it.
I really don’t even know where to begin or how to accurately describe the book in just a few words. But all I can say is, WOW! I didn't expect it to be so enthralling.
After a long time, I got so much satisfaction from reading such solid and unique stuff. A master piece that truly hooked me from the first page and transported me to another world, making me feel as if I were there in every moment. There are many trigger points though, yet everything about it had pure intensity, and their love story was tragically beautiful and exceptionally delicious in its own way. Written in such a well-balanced manner, despite some disturbing parts, I was able to thoroughly enjoy it.
October 28, 2021
⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️/5 🌶🌶🌶/5
OUT OCTOBER 29TH!
tw: Explicit Sexual Content, Crude Language, slow burn, paranormal, rape, violence, murder, gore.
I received an ARC for this book in exchange for a review and this is my HONEST opinion.
Now that we got all of these cute trigger warnings out of the way... Let me just say how gigantic the world building for this was. Your typical Keri Lake read, there is a reason she is one of my current favorites. If you are looking to jump into an universe with angels, demons, religious cults and an incredible tale with reincarnation and purgatory elements, this is for you.
My favorite thing about Keri is that you can tell how much work she puts into her books and how many times she edits them. For a book that is almost 700 pages long, you will not catch a single vocabulary repetition, you will not catch cringy dialogues or typos and that is something I pay attention to A LOT when it comes to indie authors.
I am used to this world, this is my style, this is what I look for, paranormal gothic romances are MY THING and this hits every single spot.
Again, I feel like I need to mention the size of this world building, the fact that Keri needed to commit to making this a DUOLOGY ladies and gents, will give you a clue about how incredible this is. This story will mess with your mind, will make you doubt what you know, will unlock some new kinks for you (eyepatch, *cough* *cough*) and FEATHER play *cough* *cough*.
All I gotta say is: angels, demons, witches, cults, past/present shifts (I love when stories are told like this and Keri is so good at it), male and female POV in the first person, gigantic world building, about to be a duology, ends on a *mild* cliffhanger, and you are going to get some fun new kinks. Doesn't get better than this. Just read it.
July 12, 2022
4.5 stars ⭐️
has to be one of the best gothic romance I’ve read till now! the writing was immaculate and the world building? freaking amazing. diving into book two immediately 💃
“You no longer belong to the church or these people. You are not bound by the laws of their world. From this night forward, I am your church. When you are lost, I am your shelter. When you are in pain, I am your elixir.”
has to be one of the best gothic romance I’ve read till now! the writing was immaculate and the world building? freaking amazing. diving into book two immediately 💃
October 31, 2021
Okay I am totally blown away. Review to follow.
April 17, 2022
„I will burn down this pathetic world for you. Only you. You are mine, always.“
Wheeew, it´s getting hot in here.
Let me introduce you to your new book boyfriend: Jericho Van Croix.
A hot, brooding warrior with black wings who is only soft for you? Yes please.
This book has four POVs, of which three occurre more often. It also switches from past to present but it reads easy and I didn´t have any problem with the switches. The story flow is really good as well as the character development. The world building is *chefs kiss*, there is a little murder mystery in it which I really liked. The ending was mind blowing. This book literally has it all, Fallen Angels, Cambions, Sentinels, you name it, it´s there.
Jericho is possessive with a big P, he´s also very protective of her. When this man says he´ll kill anybody who touches her, he means it. He is one of those „hates everybody but is only soft with her“ men. The steam in this is through the roof, the sex scenes are very explicit. The dirty talk Jericho does….
The only thing that makes me snicker a bit everytime I read it ss the name "Lustina" which seems a bit weird to me, but I´ll let that slide. Also one of the plot twists you could see coming, but that was the only thing that I would critique and it is essential for the plot, so we´ll let that slide as well.
Overall this book was amazing and really had me in a chokehold the whole time, I could barely put it down. The plost twists are amazing and kept me want to go. The ending had me wanting to read the next book immediatly. I don´t know how I am supposed to wait for the second book to be released……
Nevertheless I want to give a trigger warning. This book is a Dark Gothic Romance. There is a scene about attempted rape (not caused by the love interest) and also mentions of rape, torture, gory murders, suicide and explicit sex scenes. Please be aware of that.
Wheeew, it´s getting hot in here.
Let me introduce you to your new book boyfriend: Jericho Van Croix.
A hot, brooding warrior with black wings who is only soft for you? Yes please.
This book has four POVs, of which three occurre more often. It also switches from past to present but it reads easy and I didn´t have any problem with the switches. The story flow is really good as well as the character development. The world building is *chefs kiss*, there is a little murder mystery in it which I really liked. The ending was mind blowing. This book literally has it all, Fallen Angels, Cambions, Sentinels, you name it, it´s there.
Jericho is possessive with a big P, he´s also very protective of her. When this man says he´ll kill anybody who touches her, he means it. He is one of those „hates everybody but is only soft with her“ men. The steam in this is through the roof, the sex scenes are very explicit. The dirty talk Jericho does….
The only thing that makes me snicker a bit everytime I read it ss the name "Lustina" which seems a bit weird to me, but I´ll let that slide. Also one of the plot twists you could see coming, but that was the only thing that I would critique and it is essential for the plot, so we´ll let that slide as well.
Overall this book was amazing and really had me in a chokehold the whole time, I could barely put it down. The plost twists are amazing and kept me want to go. The ending had me wanting to read the next book immediatly. I don´t know how I am supposed to wait for the second book to be released……
Nevertheless I want to give a trigger warning. This book is a Dark Gothic Romance. There is a scene about attempted rape (not caused by the love interest) and also mentions of rape, torture, gory murders, suicide and explicit sex scenes. Please be aware of that.
October 12, 2024
5 stars!!! ★
MISTER VAN CROIX!! 👏🏼👏🏼 MY LORD (quite literally)
guys i know i sound like a paid actor with these high rated reviews but i swear keri's writing and storytelling is unmatched it just works for me 😭i loved everything - characters, world building, plot, gothic vibes. the duel timelines worked really well. i read 600 plus pages and i’d do it again in a heartbeat
✎what to expect
✧ angels/demons
✧ morally grey and possessive mmc
✧ big di- wings
✧ forbidden romance
✧ slow and i can't stress this enough slow burn
✧ touch her and ☠️ he will also burn the world for her
✧ reincarnation
✧ fated mates/soulmates
✎triggers
✦ religious cults
✦ suicide and murder
✦ explicit sex scenes including dub-con
✦ graphic violence
✦ sexual assault
✎some favorite quotes
“My love for you will never fade. Not even when this wretched world ceases to exist and the sun dies out to an everlasting darkness. My life, my soul. It is yours eternally.”
MISTER VAN CROIX!! 👏🏼👏🏼 MY LORD (quite literally)
guys i know i sound like a paid actor with these high rated reviews but i swear keri's writing and storytelling is unmatched it just works for me 😭i loved everything - characters, world building, plot, gothic vibes. the duel timelines worked really well. i read 600 plus pages and i’d do it again in a heartbeat
✎what to expect
✧ angels/demons
✧ morally grey and possessive mmc
✧ big di- wings
✧ forbidden romance
✧ slow and i can't stress this enough slow burn
✧ touch her and ☠️ he will also burn the world for her
✧ reincarnation
✧ fated mates/soulmates
✎triggers
✦ religious cults
✦ suicide and murder
✦ explicit sex scenes including dub-con
✦ graphic violence
✦ sexual assault
✎some favorite quotes
I have crossed the endless void of time and space, over the centuries I’ve waited, with a yearning to see your face once more. If you think that I could just let you go now, when fate has gifted me the impossible, then you’ve not yet met the depths of my obsession.
“You no longer belong to the church or these people. You are not bound by the laws of their world. From this night forward, I am your church. When you are lost, I am your shelter. When you are in pain, I am your elixir.”
“Tell me to walk away, Farryn,” he whispered. “Tell me you don’t want me to grab you by the throat and fuck you against this wall right now.”
“I say I am yours.” “Eternally.” “Eternally,” she agreed.
November 3, 2021
I'm obsessed with Keri's dark gothic romances!!😭 (and need to say that i LOVE her writing.)
I went into this blindly so i didn't know that it was going to be a paranormal gothic romance. I just saw that she has a new book out and knew that i need to read it. but tbh i didn't mind it at all. It's also my first paranormal book i've ever read and i'm always open to new genres.
What can i say? It has angels, fallen angels, demons, sentinels and i found the whole world building of Nightshade to be so eerie and disturbing.
“Nightshade is where you go when you don’t believe in anything."
And Farryn did not believe in Nightshade at all. Of course when someone tells you there is a paralel world where different creatures live and ppl go there after they die i would laugh too. But the search for her father and some answers made her believe in anything.
Jericho Van Croix is one of the most feared man in Nightshade.
"Death, they called me. The Reaper of Nightshade.
The ironic part being, the poor bastards were already dead. "
The story is going back and forth between past and present and tbh sometimes when i read a book like this i get bored with the past chapters but not here. I couldn't wait to find out more about this world and their history together.
This is mainly story about second chances, soulmates and a curse that lasts for decades.
I won't spoil anything, really is best if you know nothing bc there are some very interesting twists and turns.
And i can't wait for the second book!!
"My love for you will never fade. Not even when this wretched world ceases to exist and the sun dies out to an everlasting darkness. My life, my soul. It is yours eternally.”
🥺🥺🥺
I went into this blindly so i didn't know that it was going to be a paranormal gothic romance. I just saw that she has a new book out and knew that i need to read it. but tbh i didn't mind it at all. It's also my first paranormal book i've ever read and i'm always open to new genres.
What can i say? It has angels, fallen angels, demons, sentinels and i found the whole world building of Nightshade to be so eerie and disturbing.
“Nightshade is where you go when you don’t believe in anything."
And Farryn did not believe in Nightshade at all. Of course when someone tells you there is a paralel world where different creatures live and ppl go there after they die i would laugh too. But the search for her father and some answers made her believe in anything.
Jericho Van Croix is one of the most feared man in Nightshade.
"Death, they called me. The Reaper of Nightshade.
The ironic part being, the poor bastards were already dead. "
The story is going back and forth between past and present and tbh sometimes when i read a book like this i get bored with the past chapters but not here. I couldn't wait to find out more about this world and their history together.
This is mainly story about second chances, soulmates and a curse that lasts for decades.
I won't spoil anything, really is best if you know nothing bc there are some very interesting twists and turns.
And i can't wait for the second book!!
"My love for you will never fade. Not even when this wretched world ceases to exist and the sun dies out to an everlasting darkness. My life, my soul. It is yours eternally.”
🥺🥺🥺
April 26, 2023
This read exactly as advertised! Just hearing about this story in the Vigilante Vixens group had me hungry... and I'm still ravenous because I want more Jericho Van Croix!!
Nightshade was dark and depraved. Gothic and gruesome. Dirty and a bit disgusting. Nightshade was utterly delicious!!
Who knew reading over 600 pages of gothic PNR would be just what I needed?
I can't even give you anything about the plot or characters without giving some vital piece of this story away. Know that Jericho is an immortal who would make any woman want to be deserving of him. I love my soul, but... And Farryn was as annoying as any almost virginal, somewhat pure female would be, but she had a knack for hitting all of the right notes with me. So while she frustrated me, she made me cheer her on. While she had me rolling my eyes hard , she also made me smile and hope and dream.
I could have done without the extremely slow build , but then again, this story probably wouldn't have worked as well as it did if it were any faster. The world building was seriously on point!
Guessing the truth is easy, but knowing the truth, living the truth, understanding the truth... I'm still unsure what the truth really is. I'm kinda loving this opaque bubble I'm living in right now.
I want more.
I need more.
GIVE ME MORE!!
The end?
Find my full blog review here
Nightshade was dark and depraved. Gothic and gruesome. Dirty and a bit disgusting. Nightshade was utterly delicious!!
Who knew reading over 600 pages of gothic PNR would be just what I needed?
I can't even give you anything about the plot or characters without giving some vital piece of this story away. Know that Jericho is an immortal who would make any woman want to be deserving of him. I love my soul, but... And Farryn was as annoying as any almost virginal, somewhat pure female would be, but she had a knack for hitting all of the right notes with me. So while she frustrated me, she made me cheer her on. While she had me rolling my eyes hard , she also made me smile and hope and dream.
I could have done without the extremely slow build , but then again, this story probably wouldn't have worked as well as it did if it were any faster. The world building was seriously on point!
Guessing the truth is easy, but knowing the truth, living the truth, understanding the truth... I'm still unsure what the truth really is. I'm kinda loving this opaque bubble I'm living in right now.
I want more.
I need more.
GIVE ME MORE!!
The end?
Find my full blog review here
March 25, 2022
3.5*
I’ve read several of this authors books and loved them all. This one however didn’t fully win me over.
I loved the idea and the dark gothic feel. I liked the past and present, I was equally absorbed in both. It didn’t annoy me like it sometimes does when it switched.
I loved Jericho, I liked Lustina, I wasn’t sure about Farryn. Sometimes I liked her but other times she annoyed me and that I think was my problem. Plus I felt it was just too long.
I’ve read several of this authors books and loved them all. This one however didn’t fully win me over.
I loved the idea and the dark gothic feel. I liked the past and present, I was equally absorbed in both. It didn’t annoy me like it sometimes does when it switched.
I loved Jericho, I liked Lustina, I wasn’t sure about Farryn. Sometimes I liked her but other times she annoyed me and that I think was my problem. Plus I felt it was just too long.
Shelved as 'wishlist'
April 25, 2023Okay, so this is giving me R. Lee Smith vibes and I NEED IT
Lollll Goodreads is trying to say I read this but I did NOT
Lollll Goodreads is trying to say I read this but I did NOT
April 23, 2022
"I have crossed the endless void of time and space, over the centuries I’ve waited... If you think that I could just let you go now, when fate has gifted me the impossible, then you’ve not yet met the depths of my obsession."
I can't tell you how happy I am that I decided not to DNF this one... Because I nearly did there.
First of all, it was slow to pick up. It wasn't until the 20+% that I finally started to enjoy the story. It was that slow. My advice, don't give up early like I almost did. I assure you that things will pay off immensely.
Other than that, it also featured a dual timeline (something that I again, didn't fancy much of) but when things were finally cleared up, I went back and reread that other timeline carefully. I went into this book blindly, so maybe that's why I didn't see the whole plot.
All in all, I freaking love it. The world building and the plot, amazing. The characters, amazing. This is my perfect fantasy romance read here.
I can't tell you how happy I am that I decided not to DNF this one... Because I nearly did there.
First of all, it was slow to pick up. It wasn't until the 20+% that I finally started to enjoy the story. It was that slow. My advice, don't give up early like I almost did. I assure you that things will pay off immensely.
Other than that, it also featured a dual timeline (something that I again, didn't fancy much of) but when things were finally cleared up, I went back and reread that other timeline carefully. I went into this book blindly, so maybe that's why I didn't see the whole plot.
All in all, I freaking love it. The world building and the plot, amazing. The characters, amazing. This is my perfect fantasy romance read here.
October 27, 2024
5✨ i am blown away by this story. yet another incredible story from keri lake and i honestly still can’t wrap my mind around all this. it was fantastic.
i love farryn dammit. she was amazing. i felt so connected to her personality. her way of dissociating, her determination, her refusal to accept certain things was great. i just loved how she went about everything. she was so brave and daring by trying to figure everything and daring to to go to nightshade. it was just so wild and i loved it. i’m so looking forward to the continuation of her journey.
jericho. why is he amazing? why are men with wings always the best? i love his recluse vibe and his reputation and just everything about him. i love his immediate reaction to farryn while not understanding why or the scope of it. i just loved getting his pov and learning so much about him while still having so many questions when it comes to him. he’s lived through and experienced so much and i loved it. he was such a great character and i can’t wait to get more of him.
lustina. god i loved her. i loved getting her point of view and everything she went through and experienced and the progression of her relationship with the baron. i think getting so much of her pov was just the biggest benefit to the story. it was so crucial and pivotal to the whole story and made for an amazing plot/continuation.
keri lake’s mind never ceases to amaze me. truly i was just dumbfounded by this story. my fifth keri lake book and my fifth five star read of hers. this story was so magnificent. it felt like a cross between anathema and the isle of sin and shadows in some respects. everything with the past & present timelines, the multiple pov’s, the pentacrux and occult vibes, the demons and angels and everything was just so wow. and this undying, eternal, everlasting, fated, unyielding, unbreakable love is…i don’t even have the words to properly describe this book and how much i loved it. and the world building??? holy shit. so incredible and well done. i’m so excited to continue this story with infernium and see where it all goes. especially with this ending. just an amazing book.
“Strong women will always bear the dangerous burden of a weaker man’s pride.”
“A villain is quite capable of love. It’s only the matter of what he’s willing to sacrifice for that love which separates him from a good man.”
“My love for you will never fade. Not even when this wretched world ceases to exist and the sun dies out to an everlasting darkness. My life, my soul. It is yours eternally.”
“I have crossed the endless void of time and space, over the centuries I've waited, with a yearning to see your face once more. If you think that I could just let you go now, when fate has gifted me the impossible, then you've not yet met the depths of my obsession. It has no bounds where you're concerned, Farryn. I would fight all the evils of hell for you, but I do not possess the strength to set you free.”
“I will burn down this pathetic world for you. Only you. You are mine … Always.”
“There is no hell worse than being apart from you.”
• dark gothic fantasy romance
• ??? to lovers
• soulmates
• hate to love
• age gap
• degradation kink
• touch her & you die
• morally grey
• occult
•
• demons & angels & humans & more
• complete duology
i love farryn dammit. she was amazing. i felt so connected to her personality. her way of dissociating, her determination, her refusal to accept certain things was great. i just loved how she went about everything. she was so brave and daring by trying to figure everything and daring to to go to nightshade. it was just so wild and i loved it. i’m so looking forward to the continuation of her journey.
jericho. why is he amazing? why are men with wings always the best? i love his recluse vibe and his reputation and just everything about him. i love his immediate reaction to farryn while not understanding why or the scope of it. i just loved getting his pov and learning so much about him while still having so many questions when it comes to him. he’s lived through and experienced so much and i loved it. he was such a great character and i can’t wait to get more of him.
lustina. god i loved her. i loved getting her point of view and everything she went through and experienced and the progression of her relationship with the baron. i think getting so much of her pov was just the biggest benefit to the story. it was so crucial and pivotal to the whole story and made for an amazing plot/continuation.
keri lake’s mind never ceases to amaze me. truly i was just dumbfounded by this story. my fifth keri lake book and my fifth five star read of hers. this story was so magnificent. it felt like a cross between anathema and the isle of sin and shadows in some respects. everything with the past & present timelines, the multiple pov’s, the pentacrux and occult vibes, the demons and angels and everything was just so wow. and this undying, eternal, everlasting, fated, unyielding, unbreakable love is…i don’t even have the words to properly describe this book and how much i loved it. and the world building??? holy shit. so incredible and well done. i’m so excited to continue this story with infernium and see where it all goes. especially with this ending. just an amazing book.
“Strong women will always bear the dangerous burden of a weaker man’s pride.”
“A villain is quite capable of love. It’s only the matter of what he’s willing to sacrifice for that love which separates him from a good man.”
“My love for you will never fade. Not even when this wretched world ceases to exist and the sun dies out to an everlasting darkness. My life, my soul. It is yours eternally.”
“I have crossed the endless void of time and space, over the centuries I've waited, with a yearning to see your face once more. If you think that I could just let you go now, when fate has gifted me the impossible, then you've not yet met the depths of my obsession. It has no bounds where you're concerned, Farryn. I would fight all the evils of hell for you, but I do not possess the strength to set you free.”
“I will burn down this pathetic world for you. Only you. You are mine … Always.”
“There is no hell worse than being apart from you.”
• dark gothic fantasy romance
• ??? to lovers
• soulmates
• hate to love
• age gap
• degradation kink
• touch her & you die
• morally grey
• occult
•
• demons & angels & humans & more
• complete duology
November 4, 2021
5++ STARS!
Absolutely speechless! This might be my top read of 2021.
Now, I will be honest, I have not read a lot of fantasy. It is just such a huge genre and I have no idea where to begin. Earlier this year though, I read A Fate of Wrath & Flame and really enjoyed it. So when I saw that one of my very favorite authors was writing a gothic romance, I knew I had to read it.
I will say this to any reader who might be a fantasy, PNR, and/or gothic newbie like me, if you are maybe not sure if this is the kind of read for you. My very favorite sub-genre is dark, mafia romance. And with that sub-genre there is a ton of world building and hierarchy in the respective systems. I would say, if that kind of dynamic intrigues you, then you will for sure enjoy this book!! There are some definite parallels.
The best advice I can give you is to go into this book totally blind. In this review, I am going to be intentionally vague. Just do it. Jump in! It hits the ground running. For a book that I'm pretty sure is going to clock in at 600+ pages, for me, there were no lulls. It doesn't spend a ton of time with the world building up front (admittedly, a qualm I have with some fantasy/PNR I've read previously). I just want to get to the story. And this story absolutely does.
Nightshade is a truly unique read. It has Keri's signature darkness and grit that she truly does like no other, along with a dark underworld filled with some of the most depraved beings one can imagine.
And the leader of this underworld?
Jericho Van Croix
Talk about a ruthless, scarred hero who's been seriously pissed off for the last few centuries. This man's magnitude and the lengths he'll go for the woman he loves know no bounds. From the very start, every word between him and Farryn was pure crack! All the witty banter!
This is the ultimate spooky read. Nightshade and Blackwater Cathedral are as much a character in this book as our H/h are. I loved the author's description of this place. It allowed me to see it like a movie in my head.
The only other thing I will tell you is that if forbidden love is your thing, and if you are a fan of EPIC love stories, then THIS is the book!
But nothing comes easily for these two and they have to fight the darkest powers of the underworld to be together. This book really has it all: angels, demons, monsters... Also, an air of mystery and suspense to it. Oh, and, fret not, plenty of delicious steam too!
I work full-time, have two girls, three pets, a husband, and a mom who lives with us. My cup is (thankfully) very full...and busy! But I read this book in just about 48 hours, late into the wee hours of two nights in a row.
The author did announce that this is going to be a duology but I would not describe the ending as a cliffy ending at all. It's more of a .
Nightshades will take you to a dark and enchanting world that you will never want to leave. It's a slow-burn romance that spans centuries. The pacing is flawless and kept me completely invested the whole time. This is a masterpiece of a book that the author clearly poured her heart and soul into, and I would recommend it to all fans of dark romance who like a gritty, meaty story.
I immediately one-clicked Master of Salt & Bones and The Isle of Sin & Shadows upon finishing it and can't wait to read those ASAP!
"We were fated to be together. It is your light to which I am drawn. It feeds the dark thoughts in my head."
Absolutely speechless! This might be my top read of 2021.
Now, I will be honest, I have not read a lot of fantasy. It is just such a huge genre and I have no idea where to begin. Earlier this year though, I read A Fate of Wrath & Flame and really enjoyed it. So when I saw that one of my very favorite authors was writing a gothic romance, I knew I had to read it.
I will say this to any reader who might be a fantasy, PNR, and/or gothic newbie like me, if you are maybe not sure if this is the kind of read for you. My very favorite sub-genre is dark, mafia romance. And with that sub-genre there is a ton of world building and hierarchy in the respective systems. I would say, if that kind of dynamic intrigues you, then you will for sure enjoy this book!! There are some definite parallels.
"You no longer belong to the church or these people. You are not bound by the laws of their world. From this night forward, I am your church. When you are lost, I am your shelter. When you are in pain, I am your elixir.”
The best advice I can give you is to go into this book totally blind. In this review, I am going to be intentionally vague. Just do it. Jump in! It hits the ground running. For a book that I'm pretty sure is going to clock in at 600+ pages, for me, there were no lulls. It doesn't spend a ton of time with the world building up front (admittedly, a qualm I have with some fantasy/PNR I've read previously). I just want to get to the story. And this story absolutely does.
Nightshade is a truly unique read. It has Keri's signature darkness and grit that she truly does like no other, along with a dark underworld filled with some of the most depraved beings one can imagine.
"Nightshade is where you go when you don't believe in anything."
And the leader of this underworld?
Jericho Van Croix
Talk about a ruthless, scarred hero who's been seriously pissed off for the last few centuries. This man's magnitude and the lengths he'll go for the woman he loves know no bounds. From the very start, every word between him and Farryn was pure crack! All the witty banter!
"Unfortunately for you, you are precisely my type."
"Why is that unfortunate?"
"Because I will fuck you in all the worst ways."
This is the ultimate spooky read. Nightshade and Blackwater Cathedral are as much a character in this book as our H/h are. I loved the author's description of this place. It allowed me to see it like a movie in my head.
The only other thing I will tell you is that if forbidden love is your thing, and if you are a fan of EPIC love stories, then THIS is the book!
“You belong to me, Farryn. Should another man dare to lay so much as a finger on you, I will flay his hand and shine my boots with his skin.”
But nothing comes easily for these two and they have to fight the darkest powers of the underworld to be together. This book really has it all: angels, demons, monsters... Also, an air of mystery and suspense to it. Oh, and, fret not, plenty of delicious steam too!
“Tell me to walk away, Farryn,” he whispered. “Tell me you don’t want me to grab you by the throat and fuck you against this wall right now.”
I work full-time, have two girls, three pets, a husband, and a mom who lives with us. My cup is (thankfully) very full...and busy! But I read this book in just about 48 hours, late into the wee hours of two nights in a row.
The author did announce that this is going to be a duology but I would not describe the ending as a cliffy ending at all. It's more of a .
Nightshades will take you to a dark and enchanting world that you will never want to leave. It's a slow-burn romance that spans centuries. The pacing is flawless and kept me completely invested the whole time. This is a masterpiece of a book that the author clearly poured her heart and soul into, and I would recommend it to all fans of dark romance who like a gritty, meaty story.
I immediately one-clicked Master of Salt & Bones and The Isle of Sin & Shadows upon finishing it and can't wait to read those ASAP!
"You are my eternity."
November 13, 2021
"You belong to me."
Nightshade is a gothic paranormal romance set in the present and the past. Jericho Van Croix is a mysterious man who knows what he wants and will stop at nothing to keep it. When a young woman is struggling to find the truth, she lands safely in the arms of Jericho. However, with so many forces pulling them apart, it will take everything they have to find a way to fight to be together!
"It is your light to which I am drawn."Told in dual POV, Nightshade is a tangled and twisted story the spans the test of time. The connection between Farryn and Jericho Van Croix is unstoppable regardless of the evils fighting against them. The passion between these two is explosive and the depth of the love they share for each other knows no bounds. Although I would love to elaborate more on the intricate details of the story, I do not want to spoil anything for you. Be forewarned, the text is densely concentrated so you will need to devote your complete attention to grasping the connections between the characters and the true impact of the story.
"A villain is quite capable of love."Overall, Nightshade is a complex story full of action, suspense, and raw passion. Ms. Lake has crafted a romance that endures the test of time. If you are a fan of gothic romance, you will absolutely want to grab your copy today!
For more reviews/reveals/giveaways visit:
October 29, 2021
4.5 stars
Nightshade consumed me from beginning to end while also testing my patience. This story is really long and it slowly moves between the past and present while weaving a tale of love that never ends. The new world that Keri created is Nightshade which is a place between Heaven and Hell but it's dark and filled with nasty creatures and nasty souls. Farryn is a young woman plagued with nightmares and a strange mark on her arm. She finds her way to Nightshade where she meets Jericho a dark soul who is known as Death. She will also encounter Angels and Demons and realize nothing is as it seems. Keri ended the story at a perfect point which was not necessarily a cliffhanger just a pause till the next book but with knowledge that Farryn and Jericho will never be separated. I look forward to book 2.
***ARC Provided by Author***
Nightshade consumed me from beginning to end while also testing my patience. This story is really long and it slowly moves between the past and present while weaving a tale of love that never ends. The new world that Keri created is Nightshade which is a place between Heaven and Hell but it's dark and filled with nasty creatures and nasty souls. Farryn is a young woman plagued with nightmares and a strange mark on her arm. She finds her way to Nightshade where she meets Jericho a dark soul who is known as Death. She will also encounter Angels and Demons and realize nothing is as it seems. Keri ended the story at a perfect point which was not necessarily a cliffhanger just a pause till the next book but with knowledge that Farryn and Jericho will never be separated. I look forward to book 2.
***ARC Provided by Author***
October 13, 2024
if you are a looking for a wildly possessive and morally corrupt mmc with a tortured soul that would burn the world for her, look no further! jericho is in a league entirely his own. (which i’m learning is a trend with keri lake’s love interests. i’m obsessed with them) the mouth on that man, good lord!
like nocticadia, this felt different from the fantasy i usually read and it’s so refreshing to switch it up. i was confused in the beginning, but when things started to click i became completely enthralled in the story and didn’t want to stop reading. realizing i just need to start picking up more dark, gothic fantasies.
my only issue with this as that the pacing felt off at times. sometimes it felt dragged out, and then the end felt like so much happened in less than 100 pages.
like nocticadia, this felt different from the fantasy i usually read and it’s so refreshing to switch it up. i was confused in the beginning, but when things started to click i became completely enthralled in the story and didn’t want to stop reading. realizing i just need to start picking up more dark, gothic fantasies.
my only issue with this as that the pacing felt off at times. sometimes it felt dragged out, and then the end felt like so much happened in less than 100 pages.
November 4, 2021
⭐️4.75 alluring stars ⭐️
~𝑨 𝒗𝒊𝒍𝒍𝒂𝒊𝒏 𝒊𝒔 𝒒𝒖𝒊𝒕𝒆 𝒄𝒂𝒑𝒂𝒃𝒍𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆. 𝑰𝒕'𝒔 𝒐𝒏𝒍𝒚 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒎𝒂𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒐𝒇 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒉𝒆'𝒔 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒐 𝒔𝒂𝒄𝒓𝒊𝒇𝒊𝒄𝒆 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒘𝒉𝒊𝒄𝒉 𝒔𝒆𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒔 𝒉𝒊𝒎 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝒂 𝒈𝒐𝒐𝒅 𝒎𝒂𝒏 ~“
A gothic masterpiece with shades of otherworldly accents and hues of paranormal elements. Utter perfection.
Keri has concocted the perfect potion, an enticing world, a brand new vocabulary and language, alluring inhabitants, the lines between fantasy and reality blurs, unreality clashing with reason, magic warring with religion and vice versa. A forbidden impossible love, defying time and space, lost then found and then lost again… or is it all a big dream? This tale has it all.
I must admit, I was worried about the complexity of this new universe, afraid I would struggle to understand it all, losing the grasp on the plot. It turns out I didn’t need to! Keri’s writing skills eased me into Nightshde, guiding me through all the intricacies, no details was left to chance. I had no problem navigating this awesome new world, I understand the language and everything made perfect sense. The gripping narrative lured me in, I was so captivated by the story I didn’t realise time went by.
If you like fantasy, paranormal gothic romances then this is the perfect fit, you don’t want to miss the chance to read it, don’t let this story pass you by, I lost myself into this fantastic world so easily I never wanted it to end.
~𝑨 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒔𝒐 𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒃𝒊𝒅𝒅𝒆𝒏, 𝒊𝒕 𝒘𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒔𝒉𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒗𝒆𝒏𝒔~
I’m aware my review is very vague, the reason behind my lack of details is for you my fellow readers, I don’t want to deprive you of the joy of going into this journey with as little knowledge as possible so that you can fully enjoy this experience.
Be safe my friend and don’t jump over that cliffy too eagerly the fall may hurt a little 😉
February 17, 2024
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I loved this so much!!
I will read anything Keri Lake writes. This book was so intoxicatingly good I could not put it down.
“A villain is quite capable of love. It’s only the matter of what he’s willing to sacrifice for that love which separates him from a good man.”
Dark paranormal romance gothic vibes🖤
Angels & demons
Reincarnated love
Winged and tatted mmc 🫦
The spice 🥵🔥🔥🔥(vibrating feathers)… 👀🪶
“My love for you will never fade. Not even when this wretched world ceases to exist and the sun dies out to an everlasting darkness. My life, my soul. It is yours eternally.”
Keri Lake is without a doubt one of my favorite authors!
I will read anything Keri Lake writes. This book was so intoxicatingly good I could not put it down.
“A villain is quite capable of love. It’s only the matter of what he’s willing to sacrifice for that love which separates him from a good man.”
Dark paranormal romance gothic vibes🖤
Angels & demons
Reincarnated love
Winged and tatted mmc 🫦
The spice 🥵🔥🔥🔥(vibrating feathers)… 👀🪶
“My love for you will never fade. Not even when this wretched world ceases to exist and the sun dies out to an everlasting darkness. My life, my soul. It is yours eternally.”
Keri Lake is without a doubt one of my favorite authors!
May 2, 2023
3 Stars
SPOILERS for book 1 and 2
Not terrible by any means, it just dragged a lot. It took them forever to meet, and once they do (after reincarnation), I just didn't care for them much? I think it's because their love story pre-reincarnation was SO much better. I literally only kept reading for the flashback chapters. If the author would have made that the main storyline this would be a five star for sure.
In the present time, I didn't care for the characters at all. Even though the hero is the same person, I feel like what he did in their seperation and how he acts towards her now is just so forced. I get growth and he's a lot older and everything, but idk, compared to his younger self, it made it hard to like him in the present time. I hate how she goes along with everything. She just didn't seem like she had much of a personality..
One particular thing that annoyed me was the ow drama. It was super unnecessary to the story.
Basically the hero was forced to lose his memories I think for a few decades, and in that time, he basically would screw his whole staff of women. We get one scene where they are all begging to have sex with him, but he started to dream of the heroine and they didn't do it for him anymore. I hate how they still worked for him even after the heroine, and knowing that even while they are together, pretty much every woman there that she sees, he has had sex with. Even the first time they have sex again, was in the same place that he has sex with all the other women. One ow in particular, tries to cause drama and is over dramatic multiple times and yet the hero let's her continue working for him. Like, why??? He just seemed weak and he's really that obtuse that he thinks she wouldn't do something to try to run the heroine off? I thought he was smart.
I did like the premise of the story and the nightshade world, but i felt like the story didn't delve into it deep enough so it was hard to really get a full picture. Anyways, I may or may not try to read the second book, but based on reviews (she miscarries) I don't think I will.
Safety:
Past h is a virgin/current h is inexperienced
Seperation -not sure if he was with anyone while he remembered her, but had sex with a bunch of different women while he didn't remember
Ow drama- yes, explained above
Om drama- heros "friend" kisses heroine once
No other partners during duration of the story
Many triggers
SPOILERS for book 1 and 2
Not terrible by any means, it just dragged a lot. It took them forever to meet, and once they do (after reincarnation), I just didn't care for them much? I think it's because their love story pre-reincarnation was SO much better. I literally only kept reading for the flashback chapters. If the author would have made that the main storyline this would be a five star for sure.
In the present time, I didn't care for the characters at all. Even though the hero is the same person, I feel like what he did in their seperation and how he acts towards her now is just so forced. I get growth and he's a lot older and everything, but idk, compared to his younger self, it made it hard to like him in the present time. I hate how she goes along with everything. She just didn't seem like she had much of a personality..
One particular thing that annoyed me was the ow drama. It was super unnecessary to the story.
Basically the hero was forced to lose his memories I think for a few decades, and in that time, he basically would screw his whole staff of women. We get one scene where they are all begging to have sex with him, but he started to dream of the heroine and they didn't do it for him anymore. I hate how they still worked for him even after the heroine, and knowing that even while they are together, pretty much every woman there that she sees, he has had sex with. Even the first time they have sex again, was in the same place that he has sex with all the other women. One ow in particular, tries to cause drama and is over dramatic multiple times and yet the hero let's her continue working for him. Like, why??? He just seemed weak and he's really that obtuse that he thinks she wouldn't do something to try to run the heroine off? I thought he was smart.
I did like the premise of the story and the nightshade world, but i felt like the story didn't delve into it deep enough so it was hard to really get a full picture. Anyways, I may or may not try to read the second book, but based on reviews (she miscarries) I don't think I will.
Safety:
Past h is a virgin/current h is inexperienced
Seperation -not sure if he was with anyone while he remembered her, but had sex with a bunch of different women while he didn't remember
Ow drama- yes, explained above
Om drama- heros "friend" kisses heroine once
No other partners during duration of the story
Many triggers
March 13, 2024
jerichofarryn invented soulmatism
October 30, 2021
Genre: Gothic Paranormal Romance
Type: Book 1 of 2 from the duology
POV: Multiple characters, shifting POV
Rating:
Farryn Ravenshaw grew up surrounded by religion and symbolisms thanks to her eccentric father. Determined to solve the mystery that had been plaguing her, she took a risk that landed her on Jericho Van Croix’s doorsteps. But her quest proved to be nearly impossible and took her deeper than she could imagine.
There’s an element in the love story of this book that I have always been weak for. I won’t say it to avoid spoilers, but it was the fundamental theme that drove this very long book. I loved the storyline and the Gothic otherworldly world presented. However, at times I found it hard to keep up with all the details. This is the kind of book that requires full concentration to enjoy.
I enjoyed the characters with their significance and how they’re connected in the stories. I also loved how far they would go for something they believed in. The earlier parts of the book were more mellow but wrapped up in heart-thumping actions towards the end.
Nightshade is a story of revenge and boundless love. It would appeal to readers who enjoy a paranormal Romance in a Gothic setting.
💀⭕💀 . . . (F)BR With Twinsie CC . . . 💀⭕💀
For more reviews/interviews/promo visit:
Type: Book 1 of 2 from the duology
POV: Multiple characters, shifting POV
Rating:
Farryn Ravenshaw grew up surrounded by religion and symbolisms thanks to her eccentric father. Determined to solve the mystery that had been plaguing her, she took a risk that landed her on Jericho Van Croix’s doorsteps. But her quest proved to be nearly impossible and took her deeper than she could imagine.
There’s an element in the love story of this book that I have always been weak for. I won’t say it to avoid spoilers, but it was the fundamental theme that drove this very long book. I loved the storyline and the Gothic otherworldly world presented. However, at times I found it hard to keep up with all the details. This is the kind of book that requires full concentration to enjoy.
“A villain is quite capable of love. It’s only the matter of what he’s willing to sacrifice for that love which separates him from a good man.”
I enjoyed the characters with their significance and how they’re connected in the stories. I also loved how far they would go for something they believed in. The earlier parts of the book were more mellow but wrapped up in heart-thumping actions towards the end.
Nightshade is a story of revenge and boundless love. It would appeal to readers who enjoy a paranormal Romance in a Gothic setting.
💀⭕💀 . . . (F)BR With Twinsie CC . . . 💀⭕💀
For more reviews/interviews/promo visit:
June 15, 2023
finally, I finished this!! Gosh, I wanted to quit reading this book around 70% of it, I thought it would eventually get better, but this just never happened. The whole idea of the book was interesting but the execution was poorly done. At the start, my only motivation to keep reading it was the present timeline (it held my interest for a short time) bc the past was so uninsteresting, lustina's plot was so boring and once the romance with the baron started it became unbearable to read from so much cringe.
the main character, Jericho, is truly despicable, abusive, and sickly manipulative, and don’t even let me start with the fact that he saw farryn growing up (since childhood) and when she was a teenager he had some creepy and disgusting thought about her (he being an freaking adult). and no, the reincarnation trope is not an excuse to such behaviors. also, he forced her to get pregnant even when she CLEARLY didn’t wanted to💀 wtf is this excuse of a book.
A lot of things in this book bothered me, mainly the lazy writing and poorly development, an example of it being the “love" between the farryn/lustina and jericho, he went from despising her to loving her so suddenly, just because all of sudden he "remembered" her, c'mon, nobody with a brain cell really bought it. The writing is lazy and honestly the last 30% were the worst and most boring, I just wanted to finish it.
i will never accept books recommendations from some people again.
the main character, Jericho, is truly despicable, abusive, and sickly manipulative, and don’t even let me start with the fact that he saw farryn growing up (since childhood) and when she was a teenager he had some creepy and disgusting thought about her (he being an freaking adult). and no, the reincarnation trope is not an excuse to such behaviors. also, he forced her to get pregnant even when she CLEARLY didn’t wanted to💀 wtf is this excuse of a book.
A lot of things in this book bothered me, mainly the lazy writing and poorly development, an example of it being the “love" between the farryn/lustina and jericho, he went from despising her to loving her so suddenly, just because all of sudden he "remembered" her, c'mon, nobody with a brain cell really bought it. The writing is lazy and honestly the last 30% were the worst and most boring, I just wanted to finish it.
i will never accept books recommendations from some people again.
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