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The Poisoner #1
The Poisoner
Win a free print copy of this book!
7 days and 04:38:23
10 copies available
U.S. only
"Have you ever wondered how long it would take for a lethal dose of arsenic to kill you?
Thirty-five hours, twenty-nine minutes, and fifteen seconds.
I should know. I counted myself."
Amidst the gaslit alleys and cobblestone streets of Victorian London, two killers find themselves entangled in a waltz they cannot escape.
Alina Lis , a botanist and hobbyist poisoner, has a pastime of killing unsavory men in her twisted sense of poetic justice. When she targets the conceited playboy, Silas Forbes , only to find him in her apothecary the following week, she discovers human men are the least of her problems.
The pair’s unlikely association sparks gossip among affluent society. As their mysterious bond deepens, a chilling truth emerges—concealed identities, lurking foes, and questions as plentiful as the hydra’s head brew within this haunting Gothic tale of violent passion.
Will Silas and Alina find themselves in each other's arms, or will the shadows of their past keep them apart?
Thirty-five hours, twenty-nine minutes, and fifteen seconds.
I should know. I counted myself."
Amidst the gaslit alleys and cobblestone streets of Victorian London, two killers find themselves entangled in a waltz they cannot escape.
Alina Lis , a botanist and hobbyist poisoner, has a pastime of killing unsavory men in her twisted sense of poetic justice. When she targets the conceited playboy, Silas Forbes , only to find him in her apothecary the following week, she discovers human men are the least of her problems.
The pair’s unlikely association sparks gossip among affluent society. As their mysterious bond deepens, a chilling truth emerges—concealed identities, lurking foes, and questions as plentiful as the hydra’s head brew within this haunting Gothic tale of violent passion.
Will Silas and Alina find themselves in each other's arms, or will the shadows of their past keep them apart?
442 pages, Hardcover
First published May 6, 2024
3747 people are currently reading
61369 people want to read
About the author
I.V. Ophelia
4 books1,840 followersI.V. Ophelia is the author of the gothic vampire series The Poisoner. Born in small-town New England, she now haunts the streets of New York City, writing the most unhinged tales she can conjure. When not crafting gothic romance, she works as a full-time artist, hoards nineteenth-century gowns and antique furniture, dotes on her menagerie of pets, and plots her next literary transgression.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 3,773 reviews
May 25, 2024
Good marketing of the book but lacks substance. Held a lot of potential but it was a deeply flawed book for me. Don't get me wrong, I did enjoy it at times but if I really think about it, it was just the spice I liked and even that went wrong at the end.
✔️ Gothic erotica
✔️ Victorian era
✔️ Vampires
✔️ Enemies to lovers
The first half of this book is decent compared to the second half. But what bothers me is I couldn't connect to the story or to the characters at all. The story did not make much sense to me, especially towards the end. The characters as individuals suck to be frank. I liked the idea of Alina being a poisoner but it got old real quick as that was all there was to her. Same with Silas, the only thing going for him is he wants to play with his food. These two as individuals did not do much for me. It's only when they are together, things get interesting. The banter is enjoyable and the spice is well written, at least some of the scenes are, the rest just icked me. It is more lust than love imo.
For a book that is set in the Victorian era, it sure doesn't read like one. Yeah sure, the author tries to incorporate historical elements but it didn't really work out for me. Things seemed TOO modern.
The rape at the end seemed written for the sake of it. I don't understand the purpose and motive behind that. It seemed out of character and it absolutely disgusted me. Calling it anything other than rape will be lying and deceiving readers.
I was going to rate it 2.5 stars but then the rape happened and killed the book completely for me. So this is me rating it one for the chemistry between the two main characters and that's me being generous.
~•~•~
Time to give this gothic, enemies to lovers book a chance 👀
✔️ Gothic erotica
✔️ Victorian era
✔️ Vampires
✔️ Enemies to lovers
The first half of this book is decent compared to the second half. But what bothers me is I couldn't connect to the story or to the characters at all. The story did not make much sense to me, especially towards the end. The characters as individuals suck to be frank. I liked the idea of Alina being a poisoner but it got old real quick as that was all there was to her. Same with Silas, the only thing going for him is he wants to play with his food. These two as individuals did not do much for me. It's only when they are together, things get interesting. The banter is enjoyable and the spice is well written, at least some of the scenes are, the rest just icked me. It is more lust than love imo.
For a book that is set in the Victorian era, it sure doesn't read like one. Yeah sure, the author tries to incorporate historical elements but it didn't really work out for me. Things seemed TOO modern.
The rape at the end seemed written for the sake of it. I don't understand the purpose and motive behind that. It seemed out of character and it absolutely disgusted me. Calling it anything other than rape will be lying and deceiving readers.
I was going to rate it 2.5 stars but then the rape happened and killed the book completely for me. So this is me rating it one for the chemistry between the two main characters and that's me being generous.
~•~•~
Time to give this gothic, enemies to lovers book a chance 👀
May 29, 2024
1.50!
What was the point of this book? I am so sad that I could not enjoy it because 1, the cover was so pretty and 2, the idea of the book really intrigued me but it just disappointed me because there was no sense of direction for the plot and it became quickly overshadowed by smut. Don’t get me wrong some of the smut was very hot but when you write a book containing 80% smut, even that gets boring and repetitive. One of the things that I do not enjoy is when the first smut scene is before page 200 especially in a 500 paged book, for this the first smut scene came 80 pages in :(
As for the characters both Alina and Silas intrigued me at the start, I was actually enjoying their interactions, banter so much but then everything started loosing it charm and eventually got very dry and I feel like it was too long?? With excessive smut and not enough growth.
The romance…I liked it until I didn’t and that rape scene plus that blood scene had me gagging and all the enjoyment I felt bolted away. The start was really good and had potential but it got boring too quick.
I personally would not recommend it to anyone because there is barley anything of substance but if you want something set in the Victorian era with excessive smut…you would probably enjoy this.
__
There always comes a time when I overload my CR shelf because the concept of control and resistance is unknown to me 😍🤭
What was the point of this book? I am so sad that I could not enjoy it because 1, the cover was so pretty and 2, the idea of the book really intrigued me but it just disappointed me because there was no sense of direction for the plot and it became quickly overshadowed by smut. Don’t get me wrong some of the smut was very hot but when you write a book containing 80% smut, even that gets boring and repetitive. One of the things that I do not enjoy is when the first smut scene is before page 200 especially in a 500 paged book, for this the first smut scene came 80 pages in :(
As for the characters both Alina and Silas intrigued me at the start, I was actually enjoying their interactions, banter so much but then everything started loosing it charm and eventually got very dry and I feel like it was too long?? With excessive smut and not enough growth.
The romance…I liked it until I didn’t and that rape scene plus that blood scene had me gagging and all the enjoyment I felt bolted away. The start was really good and had potential but it got boring too quick.
I personally would not recommend it to anyone because there is barley anything of substance but if you want something set in the Victorian era with excessive smut…you would probably enjoy this.
__
There always comes a time when I overload my CR shelf because the concept of control and resistance is unknown to me 😍🤭
July 13, 2025
Wait I loved this stop!! The ending definitely threw me for a bit of a loop not the biggest fan of that but like I have high hopes that book two will make up for it! The spooky gothic vibes were IMMACULATEEEE this reminded me why love gothic romance so much.
Silas…. SIRRRRRRR give me a witty, flirtatious vampire MMC who’s absolutely insane and completely obsessed with her and I’m folding like a lawn chair. However I will need major groveling from him in book 2.
Our FMC Alina is known as “the poisoner” and poisons terrible men and gives Silas a run for his money god I adore her!! Silas and Alina’s dynamic was EVERYTHING, their banter was chefs kiss and constantly had me giggling and kicking my feet!
AND THAT CLIFF HANGER?!!!! I need the next book NOW!
Silas…. SIRRRRRRR give me a witty, flirtatious vampire MMC who’s absolutely insane and completely obsessed with her and I’m folding like a lawn chair. However I will need major groveling from him in book 2.
Our FMC Alina is known as “the poisoner” and poisons terrible men and gives Silas a run for his money god I adore her!! Silas and Alina’s dynamic was EVERYTHING, their banter was chefs kiss and constantly had me giggling and kicking my feet!
AND THAT CLIFF HANGER?!!!! I need the next book NOW!
March 17, 2024
ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTING. i loved every second of it.
May 26, 2024
Why do authors refuse to use the word rape in their content warnings?
I spent about a week reading this story and really enjoying it despite its many flaws. I had read the reader warning at the beginning of the book and assumed from the "Kink" section and the inclusion of the non/dubcon kink that the FMC and MMC would be involved in this and didn't think anymore of it until I got toward the very end of the book, chapter 48 to be exact.
What I read, sickened me to my stomach - I was not expecting it, at all. The reader is treated to a horrifically graphic scene of the FMC being raped by someone she thought was a friend, spanning over many pages. I was in shock reading this. So, I tried to swallow it down and kept reading, but the more I read, the worse I felt and the more angry I became. It is not often I feel anger when reading a book unless I feel I have been duped by an author.
The author made Silas, our MMC, seem like this impossibly larger than life figure, who could quite easily hold his own; he was in love with Alina and to him, she was his mate. So, I am thinking, Silas will surely get Alina away from her rapist at any cost... Silas does nothing. He sits back on his laurels and joins in with her rapist in a feeding frenzy with Alina, his supposed mate.
I haven't been this disgusted with a book since The Man Upstairs by Jade West.
Also, if you are going to write a book set in the Victorian era, surely one must use the language of the day? No one was speaking like an American, I can tell you that much. "Got it" and "I sure did" are not words that Victorians used.
I spent about a week reading this story and really enjoying it despite its many flaws. I had read the reader warning at the beginning of the book and assumed from the "Kink" section and the inclusion of the non/dubcon kink that the FMC and MMC would be involved in this and didn't think anymore of it until I got toward the very end of the book, chapter 48 to be exact.
What I read, sickened me to my stomach - I was not expecting it, at all. The reader is treated to a horrifically graphic scene of the FMC being raped by someone she thought was a friend, spanning over many pages. I was in shock reading this. So, I tried to swallow it down and kept reading, but the more I read, the worse I felt and the more angry I became. It is not often I feel anger when reading a book unless I feel I have been duped by an author.
The author made Silas, our MMC, seem like this impossibly larger than life figure, who could quite easily hold his own; he was in love with Alina and to him, she was his mate. So, I am thinking, Silas will surely get Alina away from her rapist at any cost... Silas does nothing. He sits back on his laurels and joins in with her rapist in a feeding frenzy with Alina, his supposed mate.
I haven't been this disgusted with a book since The Man Upstairs by Jade West.
Also, if you are going to write a book set in the Victorian era, surely one must use the language of the day? No one was speaking like an American, I can tell you that much. "Got it" and "I sure did" are not words that Victorians used.
May 8, 2024
girl what the fuck
July 11, 2024
i wasn’t going to write a review for this but then i realized i can’t relax without ranting about it
first of all, it was so so so boring. you would expect something more interesting from a book about a poisoner and vampire.
the book took a different turn around last 15%, i guess the author realized how boring the book was and decided adding something different but failed miserably. i personally don’t like reading about main character getting raped especially if she was raped in the past and has trauma because of it. i also don’t like when the hero is all tough when it comes to the fmc but weak against the villain. the night after fmc was raped, hero gets in the bed with her and her rapist because that was the only way he could get close to her🤔 and then tries to make her jealous with other girls on his lap🤣shut the fuck up and get away from her please.
death trope for the hero and every other character in the book except heroine please🙏🏼 you’re all liars and cheaters‼️
also the cliffhanger🤣 wish i knew this wasn’t a standalone so i wouldn’t bother reading it in the first place
~~~~
i’m really really really excited for this
first of all, it was so so so boring. you would expect something more interesting from a book about a poisoner and vampire.
the book took a different turn around last 15%, i guess the author realized how boring the book was and decided adding something different but failed miserably. i personally don’t like reading about main character getting raped especially if she was raped in the past and has trauma because of it. i also don’t like when the hero is all tough when it comes to the fmc but weak against the villain. the night after fmc was raped, hero gets in the bed with her and her rapist because that was the only way he could get close to her🤔 and then tries to make her jealous with other girls on his lap🤣shut the fuck up and get away from her please.
death trope for the hero and every other character in the book except heroine please🙏🏼 you’re all liars and cheaters‼️
also the cliffhanger🤣 wish i knew this wasn’t a standalone so i wouldn’t bother reading it in the first place
~~~~
i’m really really really excited for this
May 29, 2024
If Bride by Ali Hazelwood and Haunting Adeline by H.D.Carlton had a child🤡
And I MEAN it.
-mmc who is obsessed with fmc, stalks her, rapes her, playing games where she needs to hide or run from him.
-of course she likes it, but she doesn’t want to admit it because “she will let him win”
-mates
-KNOTTING or “matting”
-people trafficking
-fmc is kidnapped and raped by other men, and mmc needs to save her, but he needs time.
(But unlike Zade he doesn’t do anything to save her and just joins “the party”🙃)
Literally the worst premise ever.
ALSO he raped her during her period, called it A STRAWBBERY WEEK, ate this blood, and said "blood is blood"😃
NOPE
Pre-read:
A killer who murders boys for fun and a vampire who is obsessed with her? Sign me up.
And I MEAN it.
-mmc who is obsessed with fmc, stalks her, rapes her, playing games where she needs to hide or run from him.
-of course she likes it, but she doesn’t want to admit it because “she will let him win”
-mates
-KNOTTING or “matting”
-people trafficking
-fmc is kidnapped and raped by other men, and mmc needs to save her, but he needs time.
(But unlike Zade he doesn’t do anything to save her and just joins “the party”🙃)
Literally the worst premise ever.
ALSO he raped her during her period, called it A STRAWBBERY WEEK, ate this blood, and said "blood is blood"😃
NOPE
Pre-read:
A killer who murders boys for fun and a vampire who is obsessed with her? Sign me up.
June 12, 2025
updating my review because at the time of finishing my head was spinning and i couldn't process my feelings. this is a book that lives RENT FREE in my head and the amount of time i spend thinking about these characters is unhealthy.
from start to finish this book had sunk it's pointy teeth into me and it would not let go. the dark gothic victorian setting was atmospheric and honestly perfect. this was also an extremely good example of a TRUE enemies to lovers - in this case between our MMC Silas (<3) who is a sexy, obsessive, morally black, STALKER vampire (with a forked tongue i might add) and FMC Alina who is strong, intelligent, independant, endearing - oh and did i mention she's a woman of science who secretly poisons horrible men? my girl.
i feel like I.V. Ophelia took so many tropes i enjoy, executed them perfectly and put them all into this book. i'm not going to lie, on my initial read there were parts of the ending that really threw me - (i pray the next books heal me!!) but it has now been 7 months since i first read this book and i still think about it all the time so it's undoubtedly one of my favourite books ever.
from start to finish this book had sunk it's pointy teeth into me and it would not let go. the dark gothic victorian setting was atmospheric and honestly perfect. this was also an extremely good example of a TRUE enemies to lovers - in this case between our MMC Silas (<3) who is a sexy, obsessive, morally black, STALKER vampire (with a forked tongue i might add) and FMC Alina who is strong, intelligent, independant, endearing - oh and did i mention she's a woman of science who secretly poisons horrible men? my girl.
i feel like I.V. Ophelia took so many tropes i enjoy, executed them perfectly and put them all into this book. i'm not going to lie, on my initial read there were parts of the ending that really threw me - (i pray the next books heal me!!) but it has now been 7 months since i first read this book and i still think about it all the time so it's undoubtedly one of my favourite books ever.
March 18, 2024
"I am beginning to think he’s less interested in killing me and more interested in courting me."
RELEASE DATE: May 6th.
TROPES:
• Ghotic, erotic, horror, romance.
• Victorian era.
• Unreliable narrator.
• Erotic, but with a thriller plot.
• Rich playboy MMC.
• FMC in STEM.
• Poisoner x Vampire.
• Enemies to lovers (hard on enemies).
• A LOT of couple banter and flirting.
• MMC kills for his beloved, this is real romance.
CW : explicit sexual scenes. violence, gore, blood, use of substances, light BDSM, SA survivor, non/dub-con.
ARC REVIEW
Alina Lis, the Poisoner, is a botanist, her poisons are only supposed to kill evil men and she thinks it goes unnoticed until she attracts Silas Forbes, the Creature, kind of a vampire with modifications, a forked tongue and fascinating anatomy for Alina. One night at one of Alina's best friend's parties, she sees Silas feeding from a woman and it starts a game between them: she knows he will come find and kill her, and she intends to poison him first.
Let me start by saying I adore these characters, Alina is such a smart and unique character, she made a creature like Silas bend to her will so that's definitely mother behavior, I also think I.V. Ophelia was so thoughtful to write her having poliosis, I've never read any character with this. And Silas is flirty, funny, HOT, protective. I really like their personalities and think they have amazing chemistry because they're so different, but complete each other.
The side characters Phoebe and Viktor were also great, before I read this I thought I'd be more attached to them because usually the side characters are always more appealing to me than the main ones, but as much as I love Phoebe (and I do), Silas and Alina are still my favs.
I thought SilasAlina would be AddieLuc (from 'The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue') coded, and they kind of were, I love when the girl gets with the villain she hated, so they're definitely a darker and slutier version of AddieLuc. Their scenes consist of chasing/hunting, banter, flirtations, some protective scenes, and soft ones too. I thought we wouldn't be getting any softness, but this book surprisingly also served it in a few scenes.
The plot is good, you can see the writer did plan this perfectly and it IS an interesting book, there's a thriller and not just smut and banter, which I loved. It's set in the Victorian Era, and I have to admit we need more dark romance/erotica books set in this era because this one served.
As for the villain and a few other surprises in the book, they were predictable, it's fine by me because I just always predict at least half of the surprises before they happen. I just hope to see Silas' family more in the second book because I feel like the drama is just starting.
This story had such a great ending, an open one for now (considering it's part of a trilogy), I'm DYING to know what happens next and I hope the author is working on the sequel as I write this because I'm going INSANE.
What I disliked:
1. The scene where Silas uses his Scales on Alina without her consent (you'll know what I'm talking about once you read).
2. That scene of Luka and Alina (and rice).
3. And also the scene of Silas and Luka feeding at the same time.
Wtf was that? If my man saw me being hurt he wouldn't stop fighting the guy until he was dead, Silas failed Alina badly, and the fact that he didn't do anything made me laugh because how do you define yourself as a predator and killer if you won't even keep trying to kill your beloved's abuser?
What makes me sad it's that this happened in the second half of the book and from my point of view all these were so unnecessary, the book HAD POTENTIAL to be better without these.
While I did give this a 4-star rating, believe me when I say I still don't agree with these scenes I mentioned.
Thank you I.V. Ophelia for sending me the ARC in exchange for an honest review, this was one of my most anticipated reads and I can't wait for book II.
RELEASE DATE: May 6th.
TROPES:
• Ghotic, erotic, horror, romance.
• Victorian era.
• Unreliable narrator.
• Erotic, but with a thriller plot.
• Rich playboy MMC.
• FMC in STEM.
• Poisoner x Vampire.
• Enemies to lovers (hard on enemies).
• A LOT of couple banter and flirting.
• MMC kills for his beloved, this is real romance.
CW : explicit sexual scenes. violence, gore, blood, use of substances, light BDSM, SA survivor, non/dub-con.
ARC REVIEW
Alina Lis, the Poisoner, is a botanist, her poisons are only supposed to kill evil men and she thinks it goes unnoticed until she attracts Silas Forbes, the Creature, kind of a vampire with modifications, a forked tongue and fascinating anatomy for Alina. One night at one of Alina's best friend's parties, she sees Silas feeding from a woman and it starts a game between them: she knows he will come find and kill her, and she intends to poison him first.
Let me start by saying I adore these characters, Alina is such a smart and unique character, she made a creature like Silas bend to her will so that's definitely mother behavior, I also think I.V. Ophelia was so thoughtful to write her having poliosis, I've never read any character with this. And Silas is flirty, funny, HOT, protective. I really like their personalities and think they have amazing chemistry because they're so different, but complete each other.
The side characters Phoebe and Viktor were also great, before I read this I thought I'd be more attached to them because usually the side characters are always more appealing to me than the main ones, but as much as I love Phoebe (and I do), Silas and Alina are still my favs.
I thought SilasAlina would be AddieLuc (from 'The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue') coded, and they kind of were, I love when the girl gets with the villain she hated, so they're definitely a darker and slutier version of AddieLuc. Their scenes consist of chasing/hunting, banter, flirtations, some protective scenes, and soft ones too. I thought we wouldn't be getting any softness, but this book surprisingly also served it in a few scenes.
The plot is good, you can see the writer did plan this perfectly and it IS an interesting book, there's a thriller and not just smut and banter, which I loved. It's set in the Victorian Era, and I have to admit we need more dark romance/erotica books set in this era because this one served.
As for the villain and a few other surprises in the book, they were predictable, it's fine by me because I just always predict at least half of the surprises before they happen. I just hope to see Silas' family more in the second book because I feel like the drama is just starting.
This story had such a great ending, an open one for now (considering it's part of a trilogy), I'm DYING to know what happens next and I hope the author is working on the sequel as I write this because I'm going INSANE.
What I disliked:
1. The scene where Silas uses his Scales on Alina without her consent (you'll know what I'm talking about once you read).
2. That scene of Luka and Alina (and rice).
3. And also the scene of Silas and Luka feeding at the same time.
Wtf was that? If my man saw me being hurt he wouldn't stop fighting the guy until he was dead, Silas failed Alina badly, and the fact that he didn't do anything made me laugh because how do you define yourself as a predator and killer if you won't even keep trying to kill your beloved's abuser?
What makes me sad it's that this happened in the second half of the book and from my point of view all these were so unnecessary, the book HAD POTENTIAL to be better without these.
While I did give this a 4-star rating, believe me when I say I still don't agree with these scenes I mentioned.
Thank you I.V. Ophelia for sending me the ARC in exchange for an honest review, this was one of my most anticipated reads and I can't wait for book II.
June 5, 2024
I hate smut>plot so much
May 17, 2024
What a dreadful disaster.
The Poisoner is essentially Haunting Adeline, with the rapist being a vampire and the extremely obnoxious victim being a so-called poisoner who spends the entire active plot failing at being a poisoner. Though, there is no plot, save for the porn, porn, and more porn. Plus the author's rape fantasies.
The story begins with the protagonist, who is just SO not like other girls, attending her friend's party, where the author makes pitiful attempts at making the dialogue sound old-timey. Alina immediately stumbles on the vampire rapist murdering a young woman, and despite the fact that her entire profession is based on killing abusive men to protect women, she does absolutely nothing about this, and leaves the woman to be murdered by the vampire rapist. Totally makes sense for her character, right?
She then immediately starts being stalked by the vampire rapist, who is just a silly goofy guy playing some games! Cue the scenes cut straight from Haunting Adeline with names replaced and vampire fangs added, i.e. the stupid hide and seek bullshit. The vampire rapist gives Alina multiple serious injuries, such as a concussion and a gash in her head requiring stitches, and also torments her by leaving dead animals and body parts in her house. He makes several advances on her, in which she screams no and does not give him consent, but he does it anyway, and she magically ends up liking it because people, for some reason, love to romanticize abuse and rape. Again, Haunting Adeline.
The majority of the book completely lacks a plot, with chapters jumping around between instances of the vampire rapist tormenting Alina. The vampire rapist also, for some reason, has his own perspective in chapters, though this adds absolutely nothing to the story. He's extremely inconsistent, first saying he can't wait to murder her, then wanting to fuck her and murder her, then just wanting to fuck her, then saying he was never intending on murdering her at all and just wanted to have her to himself. Vampire rapist needs to get a hobby.
The only plotline that exists in this story is that Alina has accidentally poisoned some of the vampires, and the big bad mafia leader vampire is mad at her and wants to have her killed for that. However, her poisons never did anything to vampire rapist, so I'm not sure why big bad mafia man cares so much that someone is failing miserably at killing his little vampire babies. The poisons do not effect at them at all. But whatever. It's fine. The only plotline doesn't make sense and also doesn't play into the story at all until the very end.
Cue the part of the story where Alina is kidnapped by vampire rapist #2, who pretended to be her friend all along, and when he inevitably rapes her, she doesn't like it, even though vampire rapist #1 effectively did the exact same things to her but for some reason, she loved it. Neither had her consent, and yet... Another stupid Haunting Adeline-ism.
Vampire rapist #1, who is just so in love with Alina, does nothing about rapist #2 raping her, and instead goes to her bed in the middle of the night with him to feed on her and grope her without her consent. Huh. Almost like that's a common theme. Vampire rapist #1 literally murdered some random guy for being mean to her, but when another vampire rapes her, he doesn't care. Cute. Such a true romance, right? What a green flag of a man!
The book wraps up with a very anticlimactic ending, which doesn't surprise me, since there was no substance to the rest of the book anyway, I don't know why I thought the ending would be better. And for some reason, this isn't a standalone, because the author just NEEDS to write more vampire rape fantasy porn.
Don't take this the wrong way- I love a smutty book, and I'm into dark fantasy. This is not dark fantasy. This is rape and abuse, straight through, with the author pretending all of it (save for the second rapist part) is kinky and consensual. It is not consensual when Alina screams no at vampire rapist #1 for half of the book. This is a distasteful addition to the books that I've read, which is extremely sad because I was excited to read this book when I first read the synopsis.
So to sum it up; don't read this, except as a little piece of entertainment when you're bored in a reading slump. Or unless you also like romanticizing literal rape and assault.
As Tyra Banks said, "It's so bad, I want to give it a zero. But that's not possible, so I give you... a one."
The Poisoner is essentially Haunting Adeline, with the rapist being a vampire and the extremely obnoxious victim being a so-called poisoner who spends the entire active plot failing at being a poisoner. Though, there is no plot, save for the porn, porn, and more porn. Plus the author's rape fantasies.
The story begins with the protagonist, who is just SO not like other girls, attending her friend's party, where the author makes pitiful attempts at making the dialogue sound old-timey. Alina immediately stumbles on the vampire rapist murdering a young woman, and despite the fact that her entire profession is based on killing abusive men to protect women, she does absolutely nothing about this, and leaves the woman to be murdered by the vampire rapist. Totally makes sense for her character, right?
She then immediately starts being stalked by the vampire rapist, who is just a silly goofy guy playing some games! Cue the scenes cut straight from Haunting Adeline with names replaced and vampire fangs added, i.e. the stupid hide and seek bullshit. The vampire rapist gives Alina multiple serious injuries, such as a concussion and a gash in her head requiring stitches, and also torments her by leaving dead animals and body parts in her house. He makes several advances on her, in which she screams no and does not give him consent, but he does it anyway, and she magically ends up liking it because people, for some reason, love to romanticize abuse and rape. Again, Haunting Adeline.
The majority of the book completely lacks a plot, with chapters jumping around between instances of the vampire rapist tormenting Alina. The vampire rapist also, for some reason, has his own perspective in chapters, though this adds absolutely nothing to the story. He's extremely inconsistent, first saying he can't wait to murder her, then wanting to fuck her and murder her, then just wanting to fuck her, then saying he was never intending on murdering her at all and just wanted to have her to himself. Vampire rapist needs to get a hobby.
The only plotline that exists in this story is that Alina has accidentally poisoned some of the vampires, and the big bad mafia leader vampire is mad at her and wants to have her killed for that. However, her poisons never did anything to vampire rapist, so I'm not sure why big bad mafia man cares so much that someone is failing miserably at killing his little vampire babies. The poisons do not effect at them at all. But whatever. It's fine. The only plotline doesn't make sense and also doesn't play into the story at all until the very end.
Cue the part of the story where Alina is kidnapped by vampire rapist #2, who pretended to be her friend all along, and when he inevitably rapes her, she doesn't like it, even though vampire rapist #1 effectively did the exact same things to her but for some reason, she loved it. Neither had her consent, and yet... Another stupid Haunting Adeline-ism.
Vampire rapist #1, who is just so in love with Alina, does nothing about rapist #2 raping her, and instead goes to her bed in the middle of the night with him to feed on her and grope her without her consent. Huh. Almost like that's a common theme. Vampire rapist #1 literally murdered some random guy for being mean to her, but when another vampire rapes her, he doesn't care. Cute. Such a true romance, right? What a green flag of a man!
The book wraps up with a very anticlimactic ending, which doesn't surprise me, since there was no substance to the rest of the book anyway, I don't know why I thought the ending would be better. And for some reason, this isn't a standalone, because the author just NEEDS to write more vampire rape fantasy porn.
Don't take this the wrong way- I love a smutty book, and I'm into dark fantasy. This is not dark fantasy. This is rape and abuse, straight through, with the author pretending all of it (save for the second rapist part) is kinky and consensual. It is not consensual when Alina screams no at vampire rapist #1 for half of the book. This is a distasteful addition to the books that I've read, which is extremely sad because I was excited to read this book when I first read the synopsis.
So to sum it up; don't read this, except as a little piece of entertainment when you're bored in a reading slump. Or unless you also like romanticizing literal rape and assault.
As Tyra Banks said, "It's so bad, I want to give it a zero. But that's not possible, so I give you... a one."
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 10, 2025
The MMC gives gothic Jacks. Or is he a more flirty Draco Malfoy? Interesting premise of a cat and mouse game (or is she the cat??). I couldn’t really figure out when this story was set… pseudo Victorian era x gothic? I had a good time and will be picking up book 2.
If you’re reading other Goodreads reviews, please know that the newer version is revised and some of the criticism that people have about the original ending has been changed.
If you’re reading other Goodreads reviews, please know that the newer version is revised and some of the criticism that people have about the original ending has been changed.
September 1, 2025
THIS IS WHAT A DARK VAMPIRE ROMANCE SHOULD BE. I am fully in my vampire romance era and this is the book that's been missing from my life. This is a TRUE vampire romance that is very dark, has amazing gothic themes and at times could be a little gory. I mean it is a vampire romance🤣 So please make sure to read the triggers and warnings!
This book was SO good. It honestly had me hooked after the first chapter. I loved that the minor characters became such a huge part of the ending. There is so much that was left out and is still a mystery that I can not wait to devour the next book. I really hope this book gets picked up by a publisher because it is a great story that more people need to read.
“I want all of you, not just blood. I want every piece of flesh that clings to your bones and more. I want to own every expression that crosses that pretty face. Every hair on your head belongs to me, no part of it untouched by my hands.”
This book was SO good. It honestly had me hooked after the first chapter. I loved that the minor characters became such a huge part of the ending. There is so much that was left out and is still a mystery that I can not wait to devour the next book. I really hope this book gets picked up by a publisher because it is a great story that more people need to read.
“I want all of you, not just blood. I want every piece of flesh that clings to your bones and more. I want to own every expression that crosses that pretty face. Every hair on your head belongs to me, no part of it untouched by my hands.”
July 5, 2024
“The Poisoner” feels like you’re reading a bad fanfic of “The Poisoner”. Like if “Twilight”, “50 Shades of Grey”, “Empire of the Vampire” and “A Little Life” had a child.
“The Poisoner”’s promoting on Insta was a masterclass on marketing. The art, the promos, the taglines and the general premise of the story made me excited for the release of the book. The more I read of the book, the more it fell apart. Setting aside the occasional typos, repetitions, and the historical inaccuracies, there were a lot of contradictions and inconsistencies of who’s doing what where. Add to that that this is marketed and tagged as a vampire novel. It’s not. It has its own unique and different type of creature/monster (the vipera which are like snake lycans or something), and it should have been presented as such. The only thing vampiric about the creatures here is that they can’t die easy, don't age and drink blood. Everything else is an entirely different type of critter. This unique monster is one of the few positives about the book. It is easier to market and get the algorithm going if this is presented as vampire dark romance but it’s false advertisement and a miss on trademarking some really cool snake creatures, but I digress.
There was a kink list and a general author’s note that could have been a tw list, to be honest. Especially since half the kinks are actually triggers, and not one person who alpha/beta read this thought to ask for a needles warning. I’m not phobic but those descriptions were in 4K. But I guess “inappropriate use of rice” took precedent for the lolz. The minute detail SA scene followed by Alina blaming herself then Dr. Useless coming in and victim blaming her were really the cherry on top. But the rice, reader! The rice!
The writing in the beginning is good but it progressively deteriorates. The miscommunication between ALL the characters wasn’t helping either. Add to that things were either randomly revealed or swept under the rug. The way Alina mentions she’s a poisoner and kills men on the side, was so random and braggy. Like the author couldn’t wait to throw this in the first chapter instead of reveal it in a more natural way, for example Alina poisoning some weirdo. Where’s the suspense, the mystery? Instead we get “oh, btw, I give poison to women to kill men”. Why? How? How do these women know to seek you out, from an advertisement, like what?? Then a great deal of the book is spend saying not showing how she’s this great scientist and she’s barely in the apothecary. Despite being this great genius, Alina is described having fun quirks like forgetting to put on gloves while she handles toxic plants (so her fingers are constantly tinted for the aesthetic) or forgets to label vials with poisons. Interestingly enough, this wasn’t the worst of her quirky characteristics - she also forgets to sleep and eat. Ah, the classic mad scientist (or Mary Sue, as the story progresses and she is seen running tho and fro chased by men who are infatuated with her, fainting, banging her head 469 times until finally the concussion catches up to her).
I have to assume that Alina comes from a well to do background since she’s not making a living from the apothecary based on how rarely that place is open for business. But at the same time neither she nor Silas (who also comes from money, shocker) have zero servants or house keepers in their huge empty manors where they can play cat and mouse undisturbed for days. Feels weird.
Literally everyone is beautiful and rich, and for some reason the tabloids and the whole of London are talking about Alina and Silas. Okay?
In terms of the characters, Alina starts off as this badass, smart, independent, ahead of her time woman, who ends up as an epileptic Mary Sue (even before getting to the Nest) with two red flags fawning over her. There’s no rhyme or reason to everyone’s actions. The characters have bark but no bite. Silas is introduced as this cold hearted killer who enjoys putting “birdies” in their place only to apologise like a school boy when he cums in Alina’s mouth. Phoebe, who’s always described as being overbearing and needs to know where Alina is 24/7, is nowhere to be found when Alina is gone for a week without an explanation. It’s like Phoebe forgot about her second character trait other than being excited over pink dresses and gossip. This book did not do her justice. Even Dr. Hayes was better written and that man had no purpose for 90% of the story. Half the dialogues sound like 13 year olds are trying to outsmart each other, only to end up with the most immature and off banter.
It’s absolutely hysterical of me to say that the characters are behaving OOC but by god, they are, half the time I was going “who are you?” when Alina and Silas interacted. They were inconsistent in the way they talked and acted.
This review is getting too long so to wrap it up, I was disappointed by the story, the execution and the messy structure (it felt like chapters were missing, and I’m not talking about the ending). I won't be reading the rest of this series, nor would I recommend it.
Honourable mentions:
-FMC’s blood tastes extra sweet and delicious to the MMC
-Only the MMC’s spit can save FMC from dying of poison, what are the chances of that
-Miscommunication trope
-Last minute love triangle
-Strawberry week
-The Vipera not being able to recognise others like them when they’re all in the same room. Feels like a plot hole.
-If I had a dollar for every time Alina was described as putting something between a book to mark where she left off, I’d have enough for a refund.
-Mildly historically accurate lala land of Victorian England.
-Apparently people factchecked the news and science articles in Victorian England
-This takes place in 1890s but there were a lot of modern notions and things which stood out. Women writing and publishing papers under their names, light pollution, that one mention of Stockholm Syndrome.
-People being weirded out that someone is wearing all black when Victorians are notoriously known for going all out on mourning
“The Poisoner”’s promoting on Insta was a masterclass on marketing. The art, the promos, the taglines and the general premise of the story made me excited for the release of the book. The more I read of the book, the more it fell apart. Setting aside the occasional typos, repetitions, and the historical inaccuracies, there were a lot of contradictions and inconsistencies of who’s doing what where. Add to that that this is marketed and tagged as a vampire novel. It’s not. It has its own unique and different type of creature/monster (the vipera which are like snake lycans or something), and it should have been presented as such. The only thing vampiric about the creatures here is that they can’t die easy, don't age and drink blood. Everything else is an entirely different type of critter. This unique monster is one of the few positives about the book. It is easier to market and get the algorithm going if this is presented as vampire dark romance but it’s false advertisement and a miss on trademarking some really cool snake creatures, but I digress.
There was a kink list and a general author’s note that could have been a tw list, to be honest. Especially since half the kinks are actually triggers, and not one person who alpha/beta read this thought to ask for a needles warning. I’m not phobic but those descriptions were in 4K. But I guess “inappropriate use of rice” took precedent for the lolz. The minute detail SA scene followed by Alina blaming herself then Dr. Useless coming in and victim blaming her were really the cherry on top. But the rice, reader! The rice!
The writing in the beginning is good but it progressively deteriorates. The miscommunication between ALL the characters wasn’t helping either. Add to that things were either randomly revealed or swept under the rug. The way Alina mentions she’s a poisoner and kills men on the side, was so random and braggy. Like the author couldn’t wait to throw this in the first chapter instead of reveal it in a more natural way, for example Alina poisoning some weirdo. Where’s the suspense, the mystery? Instead we get “oh, btw, I give poison to women to kill men”. Why? How? How do these women know to seek you out, from an advertisement, like what?? Then a great deal of the book is spend saying not showing how she’s this great scientist and she’s barely in the apothecary. Despite being this great genius, Alina is described having fun quirks like forgetting to put on gloves while she handles toxic plants (so her fingers are constantly tinted for the aesthetic) or forgets to label vials with poisons. Interestingly enough, this wasn’t the worst of her quirky characteristics - she also forgets to sleep and eat. Ah, the classic mad scientist (or Mary Sue, as the story progresses and she is seen running tho and fro chased by men who are infatuated with her, fainting, banging her head 469 times until finally the concussion catches up to her).
I have to assume that Alina comes from a well to do background since she’s not making a living from the apothecary based on how rarely that place is open for business. But at the same time neither she nor Silas (who also comes from money, shocker) have zero servants or house keepers in their huge empty manors where they can play cat and mouse undisturbed for days. Feels weird.
Literally everyone is beautiful and rich, and for some reason the tabloids and the whole of London are talking about Alina and Silas. Okay?
In terms of the characters, Alina starts off as this badass, smart, independent, ahead of her time woman, who ends up as an epileptic Mary Sue (even before getting to the Nest) with two red flags fawning over her. There’s no rhyme or reason to everyone’s actions. The characters have bark but no bite. Silas is introduced as this cold hearted killer who enjoys putting “birdies” in their place only to apologise like a school boy when he cums in Alina’s mouth. Phoebe, who’s always described as being overbearing and needs to know where Alina is 24/7, is nowhere to be found when Alina is gone for a week without an explanation. It’s like Phoebe forgot about her second character trait other than being excited over pink dresses and gossip. This book did not do her justice. Even Dr. Hayes was better written and that man had no purpose for 90% of the story. Half the dialogues sound like 13 year olds are trying to outsmart each other, only to end up with the most immature and off banter.
It’s absolutely hysterical of me to say that the characters are behaving OOC but by god, they are, half the time I was going “who are you?” when Alina and Silas interacted. They were inconsistent in the way they talked and acted.
This review is getting too long so to wrap it up, I was disappointed by the story, the execution and the messy structure (it felt like chapters were missing, and I’m not talking about the ending). I won't be reading the rest of this series, nor would I recommend it.
Honourable mentions:
-FMC’s blood tastes extra sweet and delicious to the MMC
-Only the MMC’s spit can save FMC from dying of poison, what are the chances of that
-Miscommunication trope
-Last minute love triangle
-Strawberry week
-The Vipera not being able to recognise others like them when they’re all in the same room. Feels like a plot hole.
-If I had a dollar for every time Alina was described as putting something between a book to mark where she left off, I’d have enough for a refund.
-Mildly historically accurate lala land of Victorian England.
-Apparently people factchecked the news and science articles in Victorian England
-This takes place in 1890s but there were a lot of modern notions and things which stood out. Women writing and publishing papers under their names, light pollution, that one mention of Stockholm Syndrome.
-People being weirded out that someone is wearing all black when Victorians are notoriously known for going all out on mourning
May 7, 2024
I thoroughly enjoyed EVERY aspect of this book and was going to give it 5 STARS and name it one of the BEST romantasy I've read....until I reached the final chapters..
Wtf was that???? It was completely unnecessary and out of place. It left me feeling frustrated after being so invested in the preceeding 400 pages !!! That ending was so anticlimactic and massively disappointing. Idk if I will be continuing the series.
This had SO much potential for being a unique and intricate world with equally complex and atypical characters, but unfortunately, in the end, it turned out to be a massive letdown. I think I'm legit going through the first stage of grief right now cuz I wanted this book to be "THE ONE" so badly.
If I had to explain this in musical terms, it was exactly like the Hateno awards : everything was going so well 🥰😍😘 until someone SHARTED 💩💩💩 on their seat and the smell lingered in the room for the rest of the night....
Wtf was that???? It was completely unnecessary and out of place. It left me feeling frustrated after being so invested in the preceeding 400 pages !!! That ending was so anticlimactic and massively disappointing. Idk if I will be continuing the series.
This had SO much potential for being a unique and intricate world with equally complex and atypical characters, but unfortunately, in the end, it turned out to be a massive letdown. I think I'm legit going through the first stage of grief right now cuz I wanted this book to be "THE ONE" so badly.
If I had to explain this in musical terms, it was exactly like the Hateno awards : everything was going so well 🥰😍😘 until someone SHARTED 💩💩💩 on their seat and the smell lingered in the room for the rest of the night....
October 7, 2025
“I try to kill you, and you take it as flirtation?”
I was a gentleman. I liked to get to know my prey before I ate them. It was only polite.
this is a strong debut novel for the author, with an intriguing vampire story and complex characters. the victorian london setting heightens the gothic atmosphere and the sense of alina's misplacement in the world as a woman driven by her intellect and curiosity. there are fun details including the botany, the scientific knowledge of that current time, the fashion and propriety, and more to immerse yourself into the story's world.
It was humbling for a creature who’d spent all his life with no interest in this sort of thing just to choose me, the woman who had tried to kill him on multiple occasions. Maybe that was why he liked me.
one thing i would note as critique (spoiler)
I would give her anything, body, mind, and soul—if I had one. It was all hers to take.
an honest arc review <3
I was a gentleman. I liked to get to know my prey before I ate them. It was only polite.
this is a strong debut novel for the author, with an intriguing vampire story and complex characters. the victorian london setting heightens the gothic atmosphere and the sense of alina's misplacement in the world as a woman driven by her intellect and curiosity. there are fun details including the botany, the scientific knowledge of that current time, the fashion and propriety, and more to immerse yourself into the story's world.
It was humbling for a creature who’d spent all his life with no interest in this sort of thing just to choose me, the woman who had tried to kill him on multiple occasions. Maybe that was why he liked me.
one thing i would note as critique (spoiler)
I would give her anything, body, mind, and soul—if I had one. It was all hers to take.
an honest arc review <3
June 9, 2025
4 - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“Oh, my dearest Alina…I want to do such terrible, sickening things to you. I hope you know that.”
The Poisoner ensnared me by it's gothic Victorian allure and deadly decadence... it was as though I was indulging in shameless depravity but of a thrilling kind.
Even though my moralistic conscience did give me quite a kick towards the end and I was left deeply disturbed at that major turning point, especially after being in the thrall of the unholy charm and wickedness between a ravenous creature and a mischievous Poisoner—it truly felt like the author cast a spell.
I was quite intrigued by the Vipera lore and the grotesque lab experiments. It added a rich layer alongside the delightfully twisted romance which reeked of wanton desire and obsession.
The banter alone is exquisite. Brilliant. Addictive.
I listened to the audiobook while reading and the narrators did such an excellent job and I would give their performance 5/5! They truly captured every emotion and had me hooked from the very beginning.
The gothic backdrop does prepare you for the eerie and deeply disturbing scenarios that take place. Please remember this is a dark romance that circles around elements that are morally questionable or undeniably immoral. Just as the author have mentioned in her disclaimer, it does not mean an endorsement or romanticization but it's expected of dark settings.
Personal opinion, I've read far darker stories and I'm someone that is easily triggered by certain situations. But please do look up the content warnings before picking this up. I was unsettled by some scenes towards the end of the book and that's why I deducted a star.
Content warning from the book:
This is a Gothic Romance and includes explicit sexual scenes. The book also has elements of horror and mystery, which means there may be descriptions of violence, gore, and blood. These characters may take part in consuming substances that are inappropriate and should not be repeated. Some scenes include light BDSM, which in reality would be performed by experienced partners who have had extensive conversations about trust, consent, and boundaries. There is a discussion of a past sexual assault. Not all actions in this book were made for sexual gratification and should not serve as a reference for healthy or realistic sexual and emotional relationships. As always, depiction is not endorsement.
“Oh, my dearest Alina…I want to do such terrible, sickening things to you. I hope you know that.”
The Poisoner ensnared me by it's gothic Victorian allure and deadly decadence... it was as though I was indulging in shameless depravity but of a thrilling kind.
Even though my moralistic conscience did give me quite a kick towards the end and I was left deeply disturbed at that major turning point, especially after being in the thrall of the unholy charm and wickedness between a ravenous creature and a mischievous Poisoner—it truly felt like the author cast a spell.
I was quite intrigued by the Vipera lore and the grotesque lab experiments. It added a rich layer alongside the delightfully twisted romance which reeked of wanton desire and obsession.
The banter alone is exquisite. Brilliant. Addictive.
I listened to the audiobook while reading and the narrators did such an excellent job and I would give their performance 5/5! They truly captured every emotion and had me hooked from the very beginning.
The gothic backdrop does prepare you for the eerie and deeply disturbing scenarios that take place. Please remember this is a dark romance that circles around elements that are morally questionable or undeniably immoral. Just as the author have mentioned in her disclaimer, it does not mean an endorsement or romanticization but it's expected of dark settings.
Personal opinion, I've read far darker stories and I'm someone that is easily triggered by certain situations. But please do look up the content warnings before picking this up. I was unsettled by some scenes towards the end of the book and that's why I deducted a star.
Content warning from the book:
This is a Gothic Romance and includes explicit sexual scenes. The book also has elements of horror and mystery, which means there may be descriptions of violence, gore, and blood. These characters may take part in consuming substances that are inappropriate and should not be repeated. Some scenes include light BDSM, which in reality would be performed by experienced partners who have had extensive conversations about trust, consent, and boundaries. There is a discussion of a past sexual assault. Not all actions in this book were made for sexual gratification and should not serve as a reference for healthy or realistic sexual and emotional relationships. As always, depiction is not endorsement.
May 23, 2024
4.5 stars
I expected to like this book, but I seriously loved it. You give me vampires, a gothic atmosphere, witty banter, and a badass FMC and I will immediately start barking. I’m a dog for books like this. WOOF.
The banter between the two main characters was only shown up by the incredibly romantic things Silas would say about Alina. GOD, I love a Victorian era man. They are truly built different.
IV Ophelia definitely did her research on so many different things to write this book. It was atmospheric, filled with a TRUE enemies-to-lovers-to-I’mnotgonnasay. I laughed, I gasped, I loved the tension.
The book did end on a cliffhanger, and I honestly have no idea where this story is going to go next. I just know that I am chomping at the bit for the next book.
I expected to like this book, but I seriously loved it. You give me vampires, a gothic atmosphere, witty banter, and a badass FMC and I will immediately start barking. I’m a dog for books like this. WOOF.
The banter between the two main characters was only shown up by the incredibly romantic things Silas would say about Alina. GOD, I love a Victorian era man. They are truly built different.
IV Ophelia definitely did her research on so many different things to write this book. It was atmospheric, filled with a TRUE enemies-to-lovers-to-I’mnotgonnasay. I laughed, I gasped, I loved the tension.
The book did end on a cliffhanger, and I honestly have no idea where this story is going to go next. I just know that I am chomping at the bit for the next book.
May 13, 2024
While I liked this book I don’t think the warning was warning enough. As someone with sexual assault ptsd please enter the ending of this book with caution. It will probably take me a few days to get back to myself.
Edit after some thought: how dare you label that dub con when it was rape. How dare you even insinuate it could have been consensual. For myself and the women who have been put in positions of cooperate or die, how dare you.
Edit after some thought: how dare you label that dub con when it was rape. How dare you even insinuate it could have been consensual. For myself and the women who have been put in positions of cooperate or die, how dare you.
August 29, 2025
˙₊➴ ꒰ 1-star★ ꒱ ꒷⊹࣪˖
After the death of her father, Alina emerges from isolation and returns to society. But her reentry is anything but ordinary. At Phoebe’s lavish party, she stumbles upon a horrifying scene: a blonde-haired monster draining the life from a woman. The sight chills her to the core. Haunted by the brutality and fearing the threat such a being poses to the world, Alina becomes consumed by a single purpose. She is to create a poison powerful enough to destroy the creature and end its reign of terror.
⊹ ࣪ ˖ੈ Characters
⟡ Alina Lis - is the owner of the town’s apothecary, known for tending to the community’s ailments and offering care to those in need. But beneath her botanist and researcher exterior lies a darker secret: she is the infamous “Poisoner,” crafting lethal brews for women seeking justice in a world that often fails them.
⟡ Silas Forbes - is the monstrous creature haunting Alina’s every move. After spotting her at the party, he becomes obsessed, hungry not just for her blood, but for the thrill of seeing how she’ll react when he finally captures her.
⟡ Phoebe Aston - is Alina’s one and only friend, their bond forged through their fathers’ shared work in the pharmaceutical industry. Despite their differences in personality, style, and social status, they remain inseparable.
⟡ Viktor Kaskov - is the curly-haired researcher Alina encountered at one of Phoebe’s parties. With a passion for medicine and research, he offers to assist Alina with her own research and experiments.
⊹ ࣪ ˖ੈ Thoughts
Honestly, I’m still not sure how to feel about this one. The setup, blurb, and characters all seemed intriguing and full of promise at first, but as the story progressed, I found myself feeling lost😮💨
‧˚ ꒰ 🍷 ꒱ world & plot ₊˚⋆
If you know me, you know I’ll devour anything dark and gothic, so when I started this book, I was genuinely excited to soak in all the eerie, atmospheric vibes it promised to deliver. Unfortunately, I couldn’t really feel it. What is really there? Or was I just not feeling it cause the story wasn’t really pulling me in? The book was mostly Alina and Silas chasing, harming, and dragging (in a kinking kinda way❓) each other on the wooden floor, rocky path, or garden grass. That was the only thing going on until they developed into something much more.
It’s only after the 70% mark that things finally get interesting, which paints a better plot or opening to what the second book can give (yes, there's a second book, ofc there is 🫥).
‧˚ ꒰ 🐍 ꒱ characters ₊˚⋆
At the start, every character came in with such strong personalities that I was honestly giggling during those knife-to-the-throat standoffs between Alina and Silas. But as I mentioned earlier, that same cat-and-mouse dynamic dragged on for way too long. It became so repetitive and (sorry to be blunt) boring🥱. Alina’s identity as a poisoner started off strong but was quickly sidelined, only resurfacing in the last 10–20% of the book. As for Silas, he started off deathly 🚩 flaggish ↝ to wavering 🚩flaggish to ↝ useless 🚩 flaggish vampire in love. And Phoebe? Honestly, was she even relevant? She mostly existed to yap, throw parties, and hover around Alina without adding much to the plot. Tbh Viktor was the only character who stayed remotely interesting to follow, everyone else just became too uninteresting as the story went on 🤷🏻♀️
‧˚ ꒰ 🥀 ꒱ final thoughts ₊˚⋆
Honestly, this review could go on forever if I kept listing all my concerns, so I’ll just stop here. Despite everything I’ve pointed out, there were aspects I somewhat enjoyed, like the character dynamics, the poison research, and the lore surrounding the Vipera race. But beyond those, there wasn’t anything particularly mind-blowing that could’ve elevated the overall reading experience.
The story started off with a lot of promise, but as it progressed, it became too repetitive for me. Will I continue the series? Maybe if the second book dives deeper into the Vipera lore, I’d be willing to give it another shot. But if it sticks to the same patterns, this will remain a one-star read for me🫡
˚₊ ⟢┊pre-read 🖇️┊⊹࣪⋆
Best believe me when I say I'm scared to read this! But it's gothic, so imma start it anyway hehez + I wanted to give her work a try before requesting an arc of her new book✋🏻😬
❝ Have you ever wondered how long it would take for a lethal dose of arsenic to kill you? Thirty- five hours, twenty- nine minutes, and fifteen seconds. I should know. I counted myself. ❞
After the death of her father, Alina emerges from isolation and returns to society. But her reentry is anything but ordinary. At Phoebe’s lavish party, she stumbles upon a horrifying scene: a blonde-haired monster draining the life from a woman. The sight chills her to the core. Haunted by the brutality and fearing the threat such a being poses to the world, Alina becomes consumed by a single purpose. She is to create a poison powerful enough to destroy the creature and end its reign of terror.
⊹ ࣪ ˖ੈ Characters
⟡ Alina Lis - is the owner of the town’s apothecary, known for tending to the community’s ailments and offering care to those in need. But beneath her botanist and researcher exterior lies a darker secret: she is the infamous “Poisoner,” crafting lethal brews for women seeking justice in a world that often fails them.
⟡ Silas Forbes - is the monstrous creature haunting Alina’s every move. After spotting her at the party, he becomes obsessed, hungry not just for her blood, but for the thrill of seeing how she’ll react when he finally captures her.
⟡ Phoebe Aston - is Alina’s one and only friend, their bond forged through their fathers’ shared work in the pharmaceutical industry. Despite their differences in personality, style, and social status, they remain inseparable.
⟡ Viktor Kaskov - is the curly-haired researcher Alina encountered at one of Phoebe’s parties. With a passion for medicine and research, he offers to assist Alina with her own research and experiments.
⊹ ࣪ ˖ੈ Thoughts
Honestly, I’m still not sure how to feel about this one. The setup, blurb, and characters all seemed intriguing and full of promise at first, but as the story progressed, I found myself feeling lost😮💨
‧˚ ꒰ 🍷 ꒱ world & plot ₊˚⋆
❝ There was no need to change out of funeral attire, as men die every day— a cause for celebration. ❞
If you know me, you know I’ll devour anything dark and gothic, so when I started this book, I was genuinely excited to soak in all the eerie, atmospheric vibes it promised to deliver. Unfortunately, I couldn’t really feel it. What is really there? Or was I just not feeling it cause the story wasn’t really pulling me in? The book was mostly Alina and Silas chasing, harming, and dragging (in a kinking kinda way❓) each other on the wooden floor, rocky path, or garden grass. That was the only thing going on until they developed into something much more.
It’s only after the 70% mark that things finally get interesting, which paints a better plot or opening to what the second book can give (yes, there's a second book, ofc there is 🫥).
‧˚ ꒰ 🐍 ꒱ characters ₊˚⋆
❝ If he were something to be consumed, I feared I would not savor him and would selfishly eat him first—no time for saving the best bite for last. Only the need to have him remained.
I wanted more than to have her close. I wanted her to crawl under my skin and make a home out of my rib cage, for my heart would only beat for her. Not even a single pump of my atria was allowed if it was not for my dearest shadow, my chosen—my Alina. ❞
At the start, every character came in with such strong personalities that I was honestly giggling during those knife-to-the-throat standoffs between Alina and Silas. But as I mentioned earlier, that same cat-and-mouse dynamic dragged on for way too long. It became so repetitive and (sorry to be blunt) boring🥱. Alina’s identity as a poisoner started off strong but was quickly sidelined, only resurfacing in the last 10–20% of the book. As for Silas, he started off deathly 🚩 flaggish ↝ to wavering 🚩flaggish to ↝ useless 🚩 flaggish vampire in love. And Phoebe? Honestly, was she even relevant? She mostly existed to yap, throw parties, and hover around Alina without adding much to the plot. Tbh Viktor was the only character who stayed remotely interesting to follow, everyone else just became too uninteresting as the story went on 🤷🏻♀️
‧˚ ꒰ 🥀 ꒱ final thoughts ₊˚⋆
❝ Oh, but I do. I will kill myself if that is the only way to get away from you and this awful place. ❞
Honestly, this review could go on forever if I kept listing all my concerns, so I’ll just stop here. Despite everything I’ve pointed out, there were aspects I somewhat enjoyed, like the character dynamics, the poison research, and the lore surrounding the Vipera race. But beyond those, there wasn’t anything particularly mind-blowing that could’ve elevated the overall reading experience.
The story started off with a lot of promise, but as it progressed, it became too repetitive for me. Will I continue the series? Maybe if the second book dives deeper into the Vipera lore, I’d be willing to give it another shot. But if it sticks to the same patterns, this will remain a one-star read for me🫡
˚₊ ⟢┊pre-read 🖇️┊⊹࣪⋆
Best believe me when I say I'm scared to read this! But it's gothic, so imma start it anyway hehez + I wanted to give her work a try before requesting an arc of her new book✋🏻😬
Read
September 17, 2025idk what to even rate this…
maybe it’s me, maybe I’m the problem but I found this a tad bit boring and I could not connect to the characters or their romance, there were elements I loved. Like her job and what she does (no spoilers), and something special about him (it’s a surprise in case you’re reading this and don’t want spoilers), and I liked the writing style itself, but at the same time the actual story and characters and romance fell incredibly flat for me, idk how else to describe it.
Unfortunately a no from me, especially after the end. I was not too happy, but to each their own! I can see why this is loved so much for sure!
maybe it’s me, maybe I’m the problem but I found this a tad bit boring and I could not connect to the characters or their romance, there were elements I loved. Like her job and what she does (no spoilers), and something special about him (it’s a surprise in case you’re reading this and don’t want spoilers), and I liked the writing style itself, but at the same time the actual story and characters and romance fell incredibly flat for me, idk how else to describe it.
Unfortunately a no from me, especially after the end. I was not too happy, but to each their own! I can see why this is loved so much for sure!
July 30, 2024
DNFing at 50% I may try to revisit it and finish it up this year.
I enjoy the setting and the FMC in this book. I like the time period and also learning about her profession.
I don’t like the male main character at all. He’s not morally grey, he’s just evil. The entire story he’s terrorizing her, stalking her, and planning to kill her.
I enjoy dark romance stories with those themes, but for some reason, this character in particular is just unlikeable to me.
Part of that is also because he constantly kills innocent women around town, and the dark romance book boyfriends I love usually have some sort of moral code against harming innocent people.
There’s nothing interesting, redeemable, likable, or romantic about him that makes me want to root for them as a couple.
I know it’s supposed to be a romance, but I would rather she just kill him and get on with her life since he’s been planning to kill her this entire story.
Also, I was expecting much more in the story about her plotting and poisoning the abusive men around town, but that’s surprisingly not really coming up. I thought we’d hear more about that.
I’m extremely surprised I didn’t like this one. Maybe it’s a case of “right book, wrong time.” I’m also in a reading slump so might be making me more critical than usual.
Don’t just take my word for it though. Give it a try. I think I may be in the minority.
I enjoy the setting and the FMC in this book. I like the time period and also learning about her profession.
I don’t like the male main character at all. He’s not morally grey, he’s just evil. The entire story he’s terrorizing her, stalking her, and planning to kill her.
I enjoy dark romance stories with those themes, but for some reason, this character in particular is just unlikeable to me.
Part of that is also because he constantly kills innocent women around town, and the dark romance book boyfriends I love usually have some sort of moral code against harming innocent people.
There’s nothing interesting, redeemable, likable, or romantic about him that makes me want to root for them as a couple.
I know it’s supposed to be a romance, but I would rather she just kill him and get on with her life since he’s been planning to kill her this entire story.
Also, I was expecting much more in the story about her plotting and poisoning the abusive men around town, but that’s surprisingly not really coming up. I thought we’d hear more about that.
I’m extremely surprised I didn’t like this one. Maybe it’s a case of “right book, wrong time.” I’m also in a reading slump so might be making me more critical than usual.
Don’t just take my word for it though. Give it a try. I think I may be in the minority.
August 25, 2025
I did an immersive read for this one physical book in hand while listening to the audio and what a damn experience. Those clicking noises from Silas? They were doing unexplainable things to me (IYKYK).
This felt so different from anything I’ve read. The writing had this almost poetic quality to it, and it carried such an older, atmospheric vibe. Maybe it’s because of the time period it’s set in, but either way, I really enjoyed it.
Alina is out here working my dream job (poisoning men) while living my dream life (being stalked and tormented by a vampire) and I love that for her.
And Silas… oh my god. He was so sassy. I went in expecting dark, broody, big-bad-vampire energy which, don’t get me wrong, he did delivered but he was also flirtatious, snarky, and hilarious. I couldn’t get enough of him.
The banter between the two? Chef’s kiss. He’s out here threatening, stalking, tormenting and she’s just brushing him off like he’s some annoying pest. We love an unbothered queen.
The story itself was so interesting, layered with elements I really enjoyed. It’s dark, Gothic, and gives impeccable atmosphere the perfect read for spooky season. And if you’re a fan of a cat-and-mouse chase, you’re going to eat this up. That trope is one of my personal favorites, and it was done so well here.
Now that ending… hmmm. It left me a little confused because it was so abrupt, I’m hoping book 2 fills in a lot of that missing time. I have a feeling Silas is about to pop the fuck off and I cannot wait because I was expecting him to rip some throats out at the end, and for some reason he did not…. I need him to make that up to me.
This felt so different from anything I’ve read. The writing had this almost poetic quality to it, and it carried such an older, atmospheric vibe. Maybe it’s because of the time period it’s set in, but either way, I really enjoyed it.
Alina is out here working my dream job (poisoning men) while living my dream life (being stalked and tormented by a vampire) and I love that for her.
And Silas… oh my god. He was so sassy. I went in expecting dark, broody, big-bad-vampire energy which, don’t get me wrong, he did delivered but he was also flirtatious, snarky, and hilarious. I couldn’t get enough of him.
The banter between the two? Chef’s kiss. He’s out here threatening, stalking, tormenting and she’s just brushing him off like he’s some annoying pest. We love an unbothered queen.
The story itself was so interesting, layered with elements I really enjoyed. It’s dark, Gothic, and gives impeccable atmosphere the perfect read for spooky season. And if you’re a fan of a cat-and-mouse chase, you’re going to eat this up. That trope is one of my personal favorites, and it was done so well here.
Now that ending… hmmm. It left me a little confused because it was so abrupt, I’m hoping book 2 fills in a lot of that missing time. I have a feeling Silas is about to pop the fuck off and I cannot wait because I was expecting him to rip some throats out at the end, and for some reason he did not…. I need him to make that up to me.
May 2, 2024
“I realized that it wasn’t you who scared me the most,” he whispered finally against my lips, looking at me through his lashes. “What scared me is what would happen to me without you.”
Always seated for a congregation of Slavic characters!! We have Alina, Jacek (we don't even meet him, but listen, the name counts), Viktor, Boris, Nikolai aaaaand Luka. I wasn't actually expecting to get that many, even though I knew the main character's name from before I started reading, but I'm really happy.
So, I really enjoyed this book, but my God..THAT ENDING!!! I feel as if my whole soul has been ripped out of my body.
At the start the author tells us that basically these characters are not good, and to not expect them to be, but not gonna lie, I was still shocked when that really turned out to be the case. I was just vibing until those final few chapters and then I was like oh...OH.
There was a scene that was harder to read, and I'm sure there's a reason why it was included, so make sure to check the TWs at the start!! For me though it wasn't just that scene, but how a certain characters reacted to it, or rather their lack of reaction.
There better be some serious grovelling on their part in the next book because as is I'm not forgiving them, nope nope nope.
Other than that, it was pretty smooth sailing.
The story was interesting and reminded me a bit of The Lost Apothecary at the start, but better and darker. I loved seeing Alina mixing potions and testing them on unsuspecting evil men, AS SHE SHOULD!!!
We got both her PoV and that of Silas, I couldn't really tell you which one I liked better because they were both well written and funny too. Though I think Silas had the best/funniest lines overall, most of my highlights are just him being hilarious.
I loved how easily he got attached to Alina...like a leech (HA!), or a lost puppy. He just would not leave her alone and it was very endearing. I lived for his appearances and missed him when he wasn't there.
Their romance wasn't very healthy, but healthy is not what I was looking for when I picked this up so!! Romantic though, it sure was. I loved them together.
I also liked the side characters, and the proper gothic vibes. I even liked the (actual) ending, despite the cliffhanger. I think that was the best possible outcome and I'm excited to see where the story will go from here.
For a debut, this was great. I have no doubts that book two will hit 5 stars. Now if only it was already out. Cryyyyyy.
*Thank you to the author for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*
Always seated for a congregation of Slavic characters!! We have Alina, Jacek (we don't even meet him, but listen, the name counts), Viktor, Boris, Nikolai aaaaand Luka. I wasn't actually expecting to get that many, even though I knew the main character's name from before I started reading, but I'm really happy.
So, I really enjoyed this book, but my God..THAT ENDING!!! I feel as if my whole soul has been ripped out of my body.
At the start the author tells us that basically these characters are not good, and to not expect them to be, but not gonna lie, I was still shocked when that really turned out to be the case. I was just vibing until those final few chapters and then I was like oh...OH.
There was a scene that was harder to read, and I'm sure there's a reason why it was included, so make sure to check the TWs at the start!! For me though it wasn't just that scene, but how a certain characters reacted to it, or rather their lack of reaction.
There better be some serious grovelling on their part in the next book because as is I'm not forgiving them, nope nope nope.
Other than that, it was pretty smooth sailing.
The story was interesting and reminded me a bit of The Lost Apothecary at the start, but better and darker. I loved seeing Alina mixing potions and testing them on unsuspecting evil men, AS SHE SHOULD!!!
We got both her PoV and that of Silas, I couldn't really tell you which one I liked better because they were both well written and funny too. Though I think Silas had the best/funniest lines overall, most of my highlights are just him being hilarious.
I loved how easily he got attached to Alina...like a leech (HA!), or a lost puppy. He just would not leave her alone and it was very endearing. I lived for his appearances and missed him when he wasn't there.
Their romance wasn't very healthy, but healthy is not what I was looking for when I picked this up so!! Romantic though, it sure was. I loved them together.
I also liked the side characters, and the proper gothic vibes. I even liked the (actual) ending, despite the cliffhanger. I think that was the best possible outcome and I'm excited to see where the story will go from here.
For a debut, this was great. I have no doubts that book two will hit 5 stars. Now if only it was already out. Cryyyyyy.
*Thank you to the author for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*
February 12, 2025
4.25⭐️
Loved loved loved
Victorian London (1880s)
Alina is a botanist and specialises in poisons, she poisons the men in society who she believes to be a danger. At a party she notices Silas feeding off a woman and he realises she saw, so he comes for her and they enter they stalker/cat & mouse scenario where he’s going to kill her eventually but wants to have a bit of fun with her first (this was so reminiscent of haunting Adeline it was the stalker trope done RIGHT)
Alina is so fascinated by Silas and wants to test him, his blood etc as she’s a woman of science and can’t believe these ‘creatures’ as she calls them exist, Silas is obsessed with her in return and they have this relationship between them that’s mutually beneficial and start spending a lot of time together
Alina’s lab partner Viktor doesn’t like Silas and vice versa for reasons we find out as the story progresses
I absolutely LOVED this story and the historical gothic setting! I also loved the vampires in this that are depicted more as ‘creatures’ they were so different other vampires I’ve read in other romance books! The cliffhanger at the end was really good, I did not see the plot twist coming and I can’t wait for book two!
Loved loved loved
Victorian London (1880s)
Alina is a botanist and specialises in poisons, she poisons the men in society who she believes to be a danger. At a party she notices Silas feeding off a woman and he realises she saw, so he comes for her and they enter they stalker/cat & mouse scenario where he’s going to kill her eventually but wants to have a bit of fun with her first (this was so reminiscent of haunting Adeline it was the stalker trope done RIGHT)
Alina is so fascinated by Silas and wants to test him, his blood etc as she’s a woman of science and can’t believe these ‘creatures’ as she calls them exist, Silas is obsessed with her in return and they have this relationship between them that’s mutually beneficial and start spending a lot of time together
Alina’s lab partner Viktor doesn’t like Silas and vice versa for reasons we find out as the story progresses
I absolutely LOVED this story and the historical gothic setting! I also loved the vampires in this that are depicted more as ‘creatures’ they were so different other vampires I’ve read in other romance books! The cliffhanger at the end was really good, I did not see the plot twist coming and I can’t wait for book two!
October 28, 2024
1.5 stars
BIG SPOILER ALERT!
This book had such a promising setup, a richly Gothic, historical atmosphere, and the author did their homework with the details. But after that? It was all downhill, and it’s mostly thanks to the disgusting weakness of the MMC.
Our FMC? She’s supposedly a scientist, but her choices are bafflingly stupid. But the MMC? He’s supposed to be a supernatural force with incredible strength, yet he is utterly, disgustingly weak. I’ve never seen a “hero” do so little. He’s not dark or mysterious—he’s just pathetic
When his supposed love interest is assaulted, what does he do? I cannot stress enough how much I disgust with his weakness and his choice to stand by like a coward. In dark romance, the MMC might be morally complex, maybe even ruthless—but at least they have conviction. This guy has nothing. No backbone, no action, no loyalty. He’s the worst type of passive bystander.
In the end, it’s not even him who saves her. Nope, it’s her “bestie” who randomly appears at parties just to be conveniently useful at the end. So we have an MMC who is so profoundly weak, so appallingly passive, that even side characters have to pick up his slack. And the “big twist”? I saw it coming a mile away. Of course, it was . There was a twist, sure, but honestly, that’s all there was to this story.
Three days later, the plot is already fading from my memory, but my disgust for this MMC’s weakness? That’s burned in forever.
BIG SPOILER ALERT!
This book had such a promising setup, a richly Gothic, historical atmosphere, and the author did their homework with the details. But after that? It was all downhill, and it’s mostly thanks to the disgusting weakness of the MMC.
Our FMC? She’s supposedly a scientist, but her choices are bafflingly stupid. But the MMC? He’s supposed to be a supernatural force with incredible strength, yet he is utterly, disgustingly weak. I’ve never seen a “hero” do so little. He’s not dark or mysterious—he’s just pathetic
When his supposed love interest is assaulted, what does he do? I cannot stress enough how much I disgust with his weakness and his choice to stand by like a coward. In dark romance, the MMC might be morally complex, maybe even ruthless—but at least they have conviction. This guy has nothing. No backbone, no action, no loyalty. He’s the worst type of passive bystander.
In the end, it’s not even him who saves her. Nope, it’s her “bestie” who randomly appears at parties just to be conveniently useful at the end. So we have an MMC who is so profoundly weak, so appallingly passive, that even side characters have to pick up his slack. And the “big twist”? I saw it coming a mile away. Of course, it was . There was a twist, sure, but honestly, that’s all there was to this story.
Three days later, the plot is already fading from my memory, but my disgust for this MMC’s weakness? That’s burned in forever.
October 12, 2025
The beginning was FANTASTIC! Well written primal play 🤭
The middle was good, the ending was abrupt but ok.
Overall I loved this book
My first creature style dark romance and I’m glad it was a vampire style creature!
Silas was everything and Alina was a bad ass poisoner!
She swung a axe and his head and he said “marry me”
She tried to poison him and he thought she was flirting with him.
Their banter was my type of humour.
I love my book boyfriends unhinged
I don’t know what to tell you, it kept my interest and I was so shocked to find out this isn’t a standalone!
Need book 2!
The middle was good, the ending was abrupt but ok.
Overall I loved this book
My first creature style dark romance and I’m glad it was a vampire style creature!
Silas was everything and Alina was a bad ass poisoner!
She swung a axe and his head and he said “marry me”
She tried to poison him and he thought she was flirting with him.
Their banter was my type of humour.
I love my book boyfriends unhinged
I don’t know what to tell you, it kept my interest and I was so shocked to find out this isn’t a standalone!
Need book 2!
May 30, 2024
This book is just dark and lil more stalkery than I need. I’m all for a tall heroine and morally grey hero’s but this hero is morally inept and I just get bored with heroines who are basically all about them anyways? Idk. I got about 20 of the way in and DNFed because it just wasn’t drawing me in. 😟
October 21, 2024
The paper this book is made of doesn't possess the ability to absorb tons of bull-shit that the author has written here.
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