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The Crystal Serpent #1

Vines of the Underworld

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Four brutal Fae Hunters are on a mission to save their dying world.
All hope of Faëheim lies now in the human realm, where a handful of people still harbor raw, primal magic.
Haunted by her problematic upbringing, Celeste struggles with mental health issues and excels in avoiding people whenever possible.
The last thing she expects is to draw the attention of the Fae Hunters and someone far more dangerous- the dreaded Prince of the Underworld himself .
Celeste is dragged into a deadly game of dark passion, cruel seduction, and ruthless politics. Captured by the powerful Fae warriors, she quickly learns that not all allies can be trusted and not all foes mean her harm.
How she handles the demons of her past might hold the key to her survival and the future of Faëheim.
Can a fragile, flawed mortal defy the odds, or will she pay the ultimate price?

Vines of the Underworld is a dark urban fantasy romance with multiple love interests. Please visit the author’s website for content warnings.
See you in the Underworld.

319 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 30, 2023

304 people are currently reading
911 people want to read

About the author

Jessica Griffin

7 books46 followers

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5 stars
86 (24%)
4 stars
95 (26%)
3 stars
91 (25%)
2 stars
52 (14%)
1 star
33 (9%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 82 reviews
Profile Image for Keri M.
433 reviews40 followers
July 28, 2024
I went into this thinking it was just a fantasy, but alas it was so much more. This has got to be one of the spiciest fantasy books I have ever read. Celeste is the Anchor to a fading Far realm and the only way for her to save it is to be with 3 Fae Males…. Yes like that. Can she survive it? Can she trust the Fae? Every choice has a price.
Author 6 books17 followers
October 6, 2023
Vines of the Underworld

I was honored to be an ARC reader for this interesting RH Fae fantasy. The author does an amazing job of world-building and setting up the characters. It’s a fast-paced quick easy read. There is some spice, but I don’t think it's overdone, it fits with the story.

Profile Image for Kendra Dawn.
161 reviews5 followers
September 30, 2023
I had the opportunity to read this as an ARC and it really felt like the best kept secret ever! Jessica Griffon has a great talent for world building so that the reader can easily immerse themselves with the characters. I had no trouble getting myself into the story. We get to read about the life of the main character, learn backstory on these Fae men, as well as the history of how the two worlds are interconnected without it being overly complicated and confusing.
Each chapter is told through the perspective of one of the main characters but done in the way that you are never confused who is tell the story. I found it interesting as the reader could build a better connection to that particular character rather than the bias of just one. IYKYK.
I will admit, this is probably the spiciest book I’ve ever read. That is not a complaint AT ALL. There were times that I was reading a scene that I audibly gasped…in a good way. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and cannot wait for the second book to drop because the ending left me hungry for more!
Profile Image for Terri West.
2,157 reviews
October 9, 2023
A beautifully written book, amazing worldbuilding. I enjoyed the characters and would have liked just a little more development in our MMCs. That said, I did like the dynamic that Celeste developed for each of these Fae warriors. I also really enjoyed Celeste, she truly did grow throughout. jessica has a specific type of writing, which is very descriptive and makes full use of the English language, a cleverly constructed work, I look forward to the next one.
656 reviews2 followers
May 14, 2024
Pregnant

I swear for dear life that this book made my ovaries come to life, I think it made me ovulate... So spicy 🔥🥵
Profile Image for Erin Rosalina.
22 reviews15 followers
January 21, 2024
I discovered this book through TikTok, and despite my initial enthusiasm, it proved to be a bit of a struggle for me. I appreciated the inclusion of mental health representation, which I feel is rare in fantasy books. However, I wished this aspect had been explored more deeply. I felt that Celeste's episodes and struggles were skimmed over.

The male characters in the story left me feeling irritated, as their treatment of Celeste seemed to embody elements of toxic masculinity. The rivalry among them, initially entertaining, became increasingly frustrating as the narrative unfolded.

The plot and world-building, unfortunately, felt confusing. I longed for more development and historical context to better understand certain aspects introduced in the story.

Connecting with the characters, particularly Celeste and the male main characters (MMCs), proved challenging. The majority of their interactions were almost entirely focused on the sexual aspects, and then suddenly there were mentions of love which confused me.

The pacing of the plot felt rushed, and I believe the book could have benefited from a more extended length, perhaps around 400 pages. I was losing interest in the book, but a sudden twist at the very end has left me curious and I will be reading the sequel. I'm hoping that the sequel will provide more of a back story and that the world building will be better developed.
Profile Image for Book.Wolf.
249 reviews1 follower
December 16, 2023
First off this book doesn't have a trigger warning page and it should. So i suggest looking up the triggers before reading.

The book does have some inconstancies, for example the fmc gets hurt but the next day/minute they seem to have magically disappeared. Also there were only a couple art pieces above a new paragraph while most of the book didn't, this i didnt really understand and the art seemed a bit unnecessary.

The spice almost starts as soon as you open the book and only gets more, the beginning of the book was also rushed like they wanted the beginning to be over with and tried to stuff multiple weeks into 1 day.
The first thing all the males see are her “heavy breasts and tiny waist”. All of the characters did lack a personallity it was all about the spice

The book did have some pretty exciting and terrifying scenes, the storyline was also pretty amazing eventho it does get a bit lost in all the spice.

But sometimes you just have the need to read a spicy book and this, this was very spicy and i loved it. And omg that cliffhanger, are you kidding me ?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Daphne de Jong.
114 reviews1 follower
September 27, 2023
Received an ARC of this book and found it a very promising premise.

First of all, the cover is gorgeous and relevant to the story!

I liked that the world building in the prologue felt like a narrator telling you the world's history. It made me curious to know more.

I liked the plot and the story it's promising to be. Celeste, the FMC, is on a real journey, and it shows.
The world is fun and dark, and so are the MMC's.

The writing in the book is not really my cup of tea. It's simple and straight to the point and mostly the reason for my 2 star rating. I like my books to be somewhat more complex in writing.

The ending of this book left me with many questions that make me want to know what happens in the second instalment of the series when it releases.

The spicy scenes were some of my favourite scenes in the book. Spicy rating: 3.5/5 🌶
Profile Image for Assh.
934 reviews1 follower
October 12, 2023
⭐⭐⭐⭐🌟 4.5 Stars

Dairell (le Prince) , Cyrell Lancebearer ( le guerrier - elfe noir) , Diaphonus the Fair (le Prêtre), Tarcyll Nightshade (le Maître Espion) , et Celeste (l'ancre, l'humaine)

M/M/M/M/F
Fantasy Romance
Chassseur de Fae

.

Celeste est agoraphobe et souffre d'anxiété.

.

Un monde humain et un monde magique complexe avec beaucoup de royaume qui ne s'entendent pas mais qui doivent se réunir pour sauvé leur monde. Mais la cerise sur le gâteau s'est une humaine, Celeste, qui porte ka puissance nécessaire pour les réunir.

💫
Woaw, c'était puissant et chargé de magie.
Il y a un trio avec l'elfe noir et le Prêtre, mais pour les autres ont dirait plus u´ jeu du chat et de la souris. Les scènes de sexe étaient un peu beaucoup mais l'histoire était tellement complexe et intéressante que cela est pardonné.

Le cliffangher de la fin était horrible et j'ai déjà hâte d'avoir le prochain tome pour savoir le pourquoi du comment de cette trahison et de savoir s'ils pourront réparer les erreurs commises. Mais surtout je DOIS connaitre la suite.



📖
Quatre chasseurs de fées brutaux ont pour mission de sauver leur monde mourant.
Tout espoir de Faëheim réside désormais dans le royaume humain, où une poignée de personnes abritent encore une magie brute et primitive.
Hantée par son éducation problématique, Celeste lutte contre des problèmes de santé mentale et excelle à éviter les gens autant que possible.
La dernière chose à laquelle elle s'attend est d'attirer l'attention des chasseurs de fées et de quelqu'un de bien plus dangereux : le redoutable prince des enfers en personne.
Celeste est entraînée dans un jeu mortel de passion sombre, de séduction cruelle et de politique impitoyable. Capturée par les puissants guerriers Fae, elle apprend rapidement qu'on ne peut pas faire confiance à tous les alliés et que tous les ennemis ne lui veulent pas du mal.
La façon dont elle gère les démons de son passé pourrait être la clé de sa survie et de l’avenir de Faëheim
Une mortelle fragile et imparfaite peut-elle défier tous les pronostics, ou paiera-t-elle le prix ultime ?

📕



🖋️

Quand la magie primitive de l'univers 'Le noyau devenu trop dense, il explosa, dispersant ses éclats et formant ainsi le Serpent de Cristal.

Les cristaux magiques bruts se dispersèrent dans l’éther, formant un reptile portant tous les royaumes sur son dos.

Certains domaines étaient abondamment dotés des dons du Serpent, et la magie prospérait dans ces terres, comme Faëheim. D’autres n’ont pas eu autant de chance et leurs habitants ont dû tirer leur subsistance de terres arides, luttant chaque jour pour leur survie contre les lois impitoyables de la nature. Pourtant, ils ont réussi contre toute attente, sans l’aide puissante des sortilèges et de la sorcellerie.

.

Faëheim étaient rarement impliqués dans les affaires humaines, laissant leur destin se dérouler dans tous ses tourments, mais cela était sur le point de changer.

Les Siphons sortirent de leur dimension sombre et attaquèrent, affamés après des éternités de faim, avides de la puissance de la magie pure.

L'éclat éternel de Faëheim s'est estompé à mesure que les Siphons dévoraient les pouvoirs de son peuple.
🖋
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for MrsKatattack.
9 reviews
January 27, 2025
I devoured this book in just two days, loving almost everything it had to offer. It’s a fantastic read with a great balance of plot and spice, but there are a couple of points that kept it from being a full 5-star experience for me.

Firstly, some of the transitions felt a bit blurry, leaving me flipping back a few pages to figure out how the characters got from one scene to the next. For example, there’s a moment where they’re at an art showing, and suddenly it seems like they’re in a nightclub without much explanation. This happened a few times throughout the book, making the flow a little confusing in places.

Secondly, while the spice in the book is definitely on the vulgar side (not a complaint from me!), it sometimes felt rushed. The intimate scenes occasionally gave the impression that the MMCs were a bit... let’s say, quick on the draw. Additionally, there’s one particular scene where the main antagonist pours out his true backstory and emotions, leading to an intimate moment. Instead of fully exploring this pivotal scene, it’s glossed over with a fade-to-black, which felt like a missed opportunity to highlight their deeper connection.

That being said, this book really struck a great balance between plot and spice. Despite a few minor hiccups, it was an engaging and enjoyable read, and I’d absolutely recommend it to others!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
20 reviews
September 24, 2023
I received an ARC of this book, and I was hooked from the 1st page and read it in one sitting!

The first 100 pages are full world building and setting up the roles of everyone. Let me tell you, it just doesn't stop.

Celeste's character just grows as soon as she's taken for her safety, and I want her to grow so much more.

The mix of Fae fantasy and steam punk themes was something I was intrigued by, and I was not let down.

And that ending! I can't believe it, I have so many questions I need the answers to!

Hands down a 4.5 ⭐️ and 4 🌶

I can't wait for the next journey of Celeste's journey!
Profile Image for Celeste.
76 reviews11 followers
January 16, 2024
One word - RELATABLE!

The FMC was so relatable for me, that it sucked me into the book instantly!

My name is Celeste
I love books, plants, wine, & video games just like the FMC!

I read that paragraph to my husband because I was shocked!

Besides that, the ending had my jaw on the floor. I didn't see that coming at all! 👀

It was a fun & spicy read! FOUR men 🥵

Thank you Jessica Griffin for this amazing ARC, I can't wait for the next one! My review is completely voluntary! 🖤
Profile Image for CaiReeds ⋆⁺₊⋆ ☾⋆⁺₊⋆.
73 reviews7 followers
February 6, 2024
I have one word...........HAWT.
I was boiling while reading this and I don't mean boiling mad..I mean boiling SWEATING.

I don't know what I expected from this book but it wasn't this and BOY was I in for a surprise. Jessica threw me right in, no mercy, no take backsies. Obviously if you're not into smutty books then swiftly walk the other way and never look this way again but if you enjoy your smut, especially when it involves the fantasy genre, then you are in for a TREAT with this book.

Thank you Jessica for this scrumptious piece of work, it was a wonderful break from other genres I have been reading and I am on to the next one!
Profile Image for Anna.
35 reviews1 follower
January 17, 2024
This was so dang good, the world building is phenomenal.

The spicy scenes partly were cringy to me, too unrealistic.
Mind trigger warnings!

Also the characters and their flaws, as reader I was swept away with rooting for them. The betrayal, the selfish decisions and actions captivated me.
I am anxiously waiting to start the second book, but I am so deeply invested in Celeste I don't want to start because maybe I won't like what happens next...
Profile Image for Allison.
39 reviews
September 30, 2023
You're a Human, in the human world, when out of nowhere you start running into extremely hot tall men everywhere. You think nothing of it, until you realize they're hunters... and they're hunting YOU.

Dark Romance, Reverse Harem, Possessive MMC, MMMF, Fantasy, oh & not to mention a WINGED MMC with a SPLIT TONGUE. Yep... 🥵🔥

🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ Delicious Spice Scenes - Book does have Plot, not just spice
Profile Image for Roberta Kime.
127 reviews8 followers
October 13, 2023
LOVED it
So spicy
Great story
Cannot wait for the next installment!!!!!
Profile Image for Em (FantasyEm).
158 reviews
May 29, 2024
THE ENDING 😭 This was a great first book and you can bet I’m running to the next one right now
Profile Image for Nadine.
106 reviews1 follower
October 5, 2023
Brilliant book ! Its very heavy on the smut , which im not mad at , i do wish there was more fantasy to the nook and more world building . I still gave it a 4* because its well written and i enjoyed reading the book.

I was lucky enough to get an arc ln this book
Profile Image for Ang.
113 reviews
October 5, 2023
⭐RH
⭐DP
⭐knife/fang play
🌶🌶🌶
Well what can I say other that how could you leave us with that cliffhanger. I really enjoyed this book lovely world building great character cannot wait to read more of celeste and her boys story. 3/5 spicy 
Profile Image for Charis Stewart.
87 reviews
December 9, 2023
Good read, very smutty 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ but I’m here for it!
Actually liked that it was a fantasy but set in a world similar to today…
Really liked the twist and the cliffhanger at the end… will definitely pick up the second book when it’s available.
36 reviews1 follower
October 1, 2023
10/10
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

This book was so dang spicy let me tell you 🥵🖤 why have 1 man when you can have multiple "3 at once"
this book will have you hating the men then the next second have you begging for more 😅😅
When the mwc became the feisty smart mouth instead of staying quiet 🖤 I love how she became who she wanted to be and not holding it in anymore 😊

This book ends on a cliff hanger
and had me yelling and cussing and wanting the next book now 😅🤣😂🖤🖤
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Meagan Staton.
33 reviews2 followers
September 30, 2023
I was lucky enough to receive this as an ARC, it's so amazing!! Different POVs, spicy and very well written!! Thank you so much for this opportunity!!
Profile Image for Kathy.
167 reviews
January 17, 2025
Fantastic!

This was such an interesting story. I absolutely loved the characters (even the Dreaded One). My heart is breaking for Celeste and hope she gets to kick butt in the next book.
Profile Image for Jacqueline Shumaker.
42 reviews1 follower
December 26, 2023
Jump into a fantasy world with beautiful characters, absolutely. The spice is high. The danger is high. It's dark and delicious. If you like fantasy that crashes into heavy smut, you will love this book. Watch out for the last few pages........
Profile Image for Theresa Styles.
160 reviews2 followers
November 14, 2023
Underworld
Reviewed in the United States on October 12, 2023
**READ TRIGGER WARNINGS ON AUTHORS WEBSITE**
Got to read this as an ARC reader & normally this isn't my type of read but I gave it a try as I wanted to read something different and I actually enjoyed this book. I enjoyed how much detail was given to build the scene of Faëheim. There are 4 MMC's from Kingdom
of Faëheim searching for the 1 MFC in the human world that holds the key to helping the Elf men save their Kingdom from completely being destroyed after it was already attacked. As Celeste (the MFC) is dealing with mental issues she thrown into another unknown world when she comes in contact with the 4 Main male characters which also throws her into a spicy world as well. The spice is a 4 out 5 for me as I love SPICY 🔥READS. This was my 1st ARC & I really enjoyed it. If you enjoy Faë, Elf hunters multi world fantasy books then Give this a try. I recommend this read & can't wait for book 2.
Profile Image for Stacey.
58 reviews
January 28, 2024
Just finished and my god is it amazing!!! After going through a really bad book slump (took over a week to read one book) I was instantly hooked!

I loved the twists, and turns throughout the book. Especially loved the characters and the development in plot and relationships. The guys are so different from each other, and let’s say I fell for a certain Prince of the Underworld.

The ending had left me totally reeling because it was not expected! I can’t wait for the next book because I need to know what happens!!

I just received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily
Profile Image for Jennifer.
97 reviews15 followers
March 12, 2024
4.25★
Review:
This book is set in both human land and fae land.
Celeste is a human that’s harboring a lot of magical power that she is not aware of, not until the hunters arrive.
The hunters hunt her and as soon as they meet her they’re obsessed with her. they don’t know if it’s the magic that have them obsessed or if it’s the human carrying it!
This book is so spicy and it’s full of secrets, surprises and betrayals!
I’m so mad about that cliffhanger and I really want that second book NOW!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 82 reviews

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